Good It is excellent for one to have a library of scholars. APRIL 18. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. MATTHEW vi. 21. Treasure implies both price and store of the dearest commodities; never so great abundance of base things cannot make a treasure; but where there is a large congestion of precious jewels and metals, there only is treasure. If any at all, surely very little and mean is the wealth which I can promise myself here-mere earthly dross, which may load, but cannot enrich my soul. My only true riches are above, with Thee, O my God; and where, then, should my heart be but there? My hand and my brain too must necessarily be sometimes here below; but my heart shall be still with my treasure in heaven. It is wont to be said, that, however the memory of old age is short, yet that no old man ever forgot where he laid up his treasure. O God, let not that celestial treasure which Thou hast laid up for me be at any time out of my thoughts; let my eye ever be upon it, and my heart long for the full possession of it!-BISHOP HALL. APRIL 19. We need not bid, for cloistered cell, KEBLE. I find some holy men that have gone aside from the world into some solitary wilderness, that they might have their full scope of enjoying Thee, O Lord, freely, without any secular avocations. Surely I could easily admire the report of their holiness, and emulate their mortified retiredness, if I did not hear them say, "The world dwells in the wood," and that they could as soon leave themselves, as the world behind them. There is no desert so wild, no mountains or rocks so craggy, wherein I would not gladly seek Thee, O my God, if I could hope that solitude would yield a spiritual advantage of more enjoying Thee; but, alas! I find our weak powers are subject to an unavoidable lassitude, and we can no more contemplate always those divine objects than our bodily eyes are able to fix themselves on the body of the sun in his brightest splendour. But, O my God, do Thou so fix my soul upon Thee, that whatever occasion shall take me up I may never be out of Thy blessed society; and make me so insensible of the noise of the world, that even in the midst of the market I may be still alone with Thee!-BISHOP HALL APRIL 20. The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.-2 CORINTHIANS iv. 13. It is disparagement enough that the Apostle casts upon all the visible things of this world, that "the things which are seen are temporary." Be they never so glorious, yet, being transitory, they cannot be worthy of our hearts. Who would care for a house of glass, if never so curiously painted and gilded? All things that are measured by time are thus brittle. Even that goodly fabric of heaven, which we see and admire, must be changed; and, in a sort, dissolved. How much more vanishing are all earthly glories! What madness, then, were it in us to set our hearts upon these perishing contentments, which we must soon mutually leavewe them, they us! Eternity is that only thing which is worthy to take up the thoughts of a wise man. O eternity, thou bottomless abyss of misery to the wicked; thou indeterminable pitch of joy to the saints of God; what soul is able to comprehend thee, what strength of understanding is able to conceive of thee? Be thou ever in my thoughts, ever before mine eyes! Lord, sharpen Thou the eyes of my faith, that I may see those things invisible, and may in that light enjoy Thy blessed eternity!-BISHOP HALL. APRIL 21. Teach me Thy way, O Lord.-PSALM XXVII. 11. What is there necessary for man to know which the Psalms are not able to teach? They are to beginners a familiar and easy introduction-a mighty augmentation of all virtue and knowledge in such as are matured before-a strong confirmation to the most perfect amongst others-heroical magnanimity, exquisite justice, grave moderation, exact wisdom, repentance unfeigned, unwearied patience, the mysteries of God, the sufferings of Christ, the terrors of wrath, the comforts of grace, the works of Providence over this world, and the promised joys of the world to come,-all good to be either known, or done, or had, this one celestial fountain yieldeth. Let there be any grief or disease incident unto the soul of man, any wound or sickness named, for which there is not in this treasure-house a present comfortable remedy at all times really to be found.-HOOKER. APRIL 22. My voice is to the sons of man.-PROVERBS viii. 4. Despise not little sins, For mountain-high may stand The piled heap made up Of smallest grains of sand. Despise not little sins; The gallant ship may sink, The soul is that fair bride To make or to undo. Sin, not till it is left Will duly sinful seem; A man must waken first, Ere he can tell his dream. TRENCH. APRIL 23. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.-ECCLESIASTES i. 2. What a fool were I, if I should think to find that which Solomon could not-contentment upon earth! His greatness, wealth, and wisdom gave him opportunity to search, where my impotency is shut out; were there anything under heaven free from vanity and vexation, his curious inquisition could not have missed it. No, alas! all our earthly contentments are like a Jewish Passover, which we must eat with sour herbs. Have I wealth? I cannot be void of cares. Have I honour? I cannot be rid of envy. Have I knowledge? "He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow," saith the kingly preacher. Have I children? it were strange if without crosses. Have I pleasures? not without sting. Have I health? not without the threats of disease. Have I beauty? not without a snare to my soul. Thus it is in all our sublunary comforts; I cannot have the rose, but I must be content with the prickles. Pure and absolute pleasure dwells elsewhere, far above the |