REFLECTIONS. 183 



aright. " Tlie wisdom of this world," arising 

 out of the mere exercise of our rational facul- 

 ties, is plainly asserted to be " foohshness 

 with God." 



" Truths that the learn'd pursue with eager thought, 

 Are not important always, as dear bought, 

 Proving at last, though told in pompous strains, 

 A childish waste of philosophic pains. 

 But truths, on which depend our main concern, 

 That 'tis our shame and misery not to learn. 

 Shine by the side of every path we tread 

 With such a lustre, he that runs may read." 



Without some allusions to the causes 

 which involved the world in its present ano- 

 malies, all things around us are a mystery. 

 Viewed through the gospel, they are seen to 

 be parts of a peculiar whole, and the reason is 

 explained ; while both in the evils which attend 

 our minds, and those which spread over the face 

 of all things, we may perceive the same mixture 

 of justice, mercy, and instruction. Not one of 

 the minute consumers of our food which have 

 been adverted to in these pages will, thus re- 

 garded, fail to teach us some lesson. The 

 very atmosphere we breathe has been shown 

 to be pregnant with the germs of these little 

 pests ; and yet tried as we are by them, they 

 all perform some compensating function, which 

 shows that in the very midst of judgments 



