most fearful evils of life may be traced to ill-regulated desires.

What is the history of the origin of evil, and the entrance of misery into the world we inhabit? Examine the record of the first temptation, and the first transgression. The fruit forbidden by God was represented as desirable, and was regarded as desirable. The desire thus entertained, gathering strength by indulgence, at length impelled to the daring and rebellious act. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat." Thus did the desire of that

which was forbidden bring “death into the world, and all our woe."

And is not the history of the first temptation, and the first offence, the embryo-history of all temptations and of all iniquities? The rising and the strengthening desire of that which is interdicted, is itself evil; and criminal, in a still higher degree, is the action in which the desire terminates. An illustration of the tendency of such desires may be derived from the emphatic assertion of the Apostle Paul, in reference to a principle of action, than which scarcely any one of mightier operation is to be found in the heart of man. It is the desire of gain. "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can

carry nothing out. Wherefore, having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some have coveted after, (or eagerly desired,) they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Who can describe the agonizing stings which have been infixed in the conscience, and the envenomed darts which have pierced the soul of many a man, whose God was Mammon, and whose ruling passion was the love of gold! The captive that digs in the mine, and the slave that is chained

to the galley, are not condemned to baser toil, than the man who, at all hazards both of soul and body, "will be rich." He shares their labor, but not their repose. They have no part in his gains, but neither have they any part in the agonies of his guilt. And which of all the unhallowed desires that have place in the depraved heart of man, would not justify a representation, bearing some resemblance to the forcible and vivid statement of the Apostle? Every one of them is in its nature restless, and disquieting, and tormenting. If it gain ascendency, without obtaining indulgence, its wretched victim is reduced to the situation of one who suffers torture by the infliction of another; if it grasp the object at the

expense of conscience, its victim is doomed to the still more agonizing torture which is self-inflicted. What then must be the gnawing of "the worm that dieth not," in the world unvisited by hope!

But let it be supposed, that the desires of the heart impel not to any course of action which conscience loudly condemns. Let it be supposed, that there is even a semblance of correctness in their character, so that no object is pursued or desired which the law of God appears absolutely to forbid. Still, if happiness be desired and expected from sources of merely earth-born pleasure, assuredly the pursuit must terminate in the pangs of most pitiable disappointment. Thus