around him, withdrew from the multitude, that he might teach us to do the same, who, alas! are often unable, when alone, to confine our thoughts, for a few minutes together, to one subject. The world, like Martha, is "troubled about many things," and most about those which are of least concern; so that, besides the profane, the unseemly, and uncharitable discourses, which they must hear who are much conversant with it, the mind of a man suffers not a little from the variety of light and unprofitable conversation in which he is frequently engaged. This scatters the thoughts, and so indisposes them for any speculations that are great and noble, sublime and sacred, that some time is required to reduce the wanderers, to compose the spirits, and to restore that tranquillity of soul which is indispensably necessary for the pro. secution of religious inquiries. And although the general assertion of a famous recluse, "that he al

ways came out of company a worse man than he "went into it," savoureth too much of the cloister, yet whoever, as the world goes, should diligently note the times when he came out of company a better man than he went into it, might, perhaps, find his diary contained in a less compass, than at present he is apt to imagine.

Certain, however, it is, that for the productions of wisdom we are indebted to solitude, as the parent of attention. And therefore many, in all ages, have followed St. John into the wilderness, and chosen retirement, not out of any moroseness of temper, or misanthropy, but that they might give themselves, without let or molestation, to the pursuit of divine

knowledge. In this situation they found themselves always at liberty to choose their companions. They could converse at pleasure with patriarchs and prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors, with devout and learned bishops, and others, who once adorned the church by their lives, and have continued, since their deaths, through many generations, to edify her by their writings. Here they could rally their scattered thoughts, and fix them upon subjects, whence they might extract real profit, and durable pleasure. For meditations, while employed, in a general and cursory way, upon a variety of objects, like the rays of light diffused in the air, discover not the force and activity which they possess; it is close attention which collects and unites, and renders them operative. And an ability to bestow that close attention in a crowd, is granted to very few among the sons of men.

A dispassionate and unprejudiced state of mind is another requisite for the attainment of true wisdom. And as our sentiments take the tincture of our company, persons continually engaged in the world are very liable to be corrupted, as well as dissipated. He who passeth his time with men of base and antiscriptural tenets, will find, when it is too late, that "evil communications corrupt" good principles, as well as "good manners. The understanding will be blinded, and the heart hardened: wisdom will be shut out at every avenue; and the man will sit down in darkness and depravity, for the remainder of his days, determining with himself that there is no such thing as truth, without ever being at the trouble of

making the inquiry. Happy, therefore, is he who, like St. John, spendeth his early days in privacy, and there acquainteth himself betimes with the excellencies and perfections of divine wisdom. For "Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away; yea, "she is easily seen of them that love her, and found "of such as seek her. She preventeth them that "desire her, in making herself first known unto them. "Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travel, "for he shall find her sitting at his doors".

m

Upon the same principle, we may account it one of the no small advantages which St. John enjoyed by his retreat into the wilderness, that he was thereby delivered from the vain janglings of the many religious sects and factions, at that time in Judea. For the authors and abettors of such as are naturally confined in their views, and obstructed in their search after truth, by having assumed it for a first principle, that "they are the men, and that wisdom must needs live and die with them." Hence they become more solicitous about the defence of their own particularities against those of other sectaries, than careful to advance and propagate the general principles of true religion. This hath been but too much the case for some time past in Christendom, which, like Jerusalem before its destruction, is crumbled into innumerable parties, biting and devouring one another; insomuch that it is now difficult for one writer to lay down a position in theology, which another shall not immediately set himself to contro

m Wisdom, vi. 1.

vert with all his might, as heretical and antichristian. The dispute soon becomes a trial of skill, and the passions and prejudices of the combatants spread a cloud over the question, in which truth and charity often vanish together. Thus dark and tempestuous are these lower regions. But, by study and meditation in solitude, the Christian, in heart and mind, ascendeth to a purer element, from whence he beholdeth the storms produced by contending factions far beneath him, and expatiateth at pleasure in those fields of light and serenity which open themselves on all sides to his view. He consoleth himself by contemplating the church as she formerly subsisted in original purity and unity, and as she will hereafter exist in her triumphant state above, when her members of every age and nation shall all lift up their voices together, and make their sound to be heard as one, in giving glory to God, and to the Lamb. Disencumbered of passions and prejudices, he followeth after the truth which leadeth to godliness, and the wisdom whose end is salvation.

For the attainment of that wisdom a third thing requisite is divine illumination. Wisdom is one of those "good and perfect gifts," which "come down "from the Father of lights," and must be sued for with humility and fervour, in petitions like these"Give me wisdom that sitteth by thy throne, and "reject me not from among thy children-For "though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, "he shall be nothing regarded-O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy

glory, that being present she may labour with me, "that I may know what is pleasing unto thee. For "she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she "shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve "me by her power-For what man is he that can "know the counsel of God; or, who can think what "the will of the Lord is, except thou give wisdom, "and send thy Holy Spirit from above "?" Such gracious promises are made, and are ready to be fulfilled to the retired Christian. Let but the pollutions and distractions of the world be removed, and the wisdom which "is first pure," and then " peace"able," will enter in. To receive the law, Moses was called away from the congregation to the top of the mount. Ezekiel beheld the visions of God, while a solitary captive upon the banks of Chebar. Daniel was informed concerning the restoration of Jerusalem, and the advent of Messiah, on the evening of a day dedicated to retirement, for the purposes of fasting and prayer. St. John was an exile in the desolate Patmos, when the glorious scenes described in the book of Revelation were made to pass before him, and he was enabled to extend his view, through all the different revolutions of empires, and periods of the church, to the end of time. And although we no more look for visions and revelations from heaven, yet from thence we expect, according to the most sure promise of our Master, the gift of the Spirit, to bless and prosper us in our studies, to open to us the Scriptures, and our understandings, that we may