at that animofity, which hath deprived another of exiftence.

"There lies the man with whom I contended, filent "and mute for ever! How poor is the advantage which "I now enjoy! He is fallen, and I am about to follow “him. In a short time we thall be laid together! "Had he not his virtues and good qualities as well as I? "When we shall both appear before the judgment-feat " of GOD, fhall I be found innocent, and free of blame, "for all the enmity I have borne to him?"

My friends, let the anticipation of fuch fentiments ferve now to cool the heat of anger, and allay the fiercenefs of refentment. Let us look upon this world as a state of trial. Elevated by fuch fentiments, our minds will become calm and fedate. We fhall look down, as from a superior station, on the petty ftrifes of this world. They are the selfish, the sensual, and the vain, who are moft fubject to the undue influence of paffion. They are linked so closely to the world; by fo many fides they touch every object, and every person around them, that they are perpetually hurt, and perpetually hurting others. But the fpirit of TRUE RELIGION removes us to a proper distance from the grating objects of worldly contention. It leaves us fufficiently connected with the 5 B 2

world,

world, for acting our part in it with propriety; but difengages us from it fo far, as to weaken its power of difturbing our tranquillity. It infpires magnanimity; and magnanimity always breathes gentleness. It leads us to view the follies of men with pity, not with rancour; and to treat, with the mildness of a fuperiour nature, what in little minds would call forth all the bitterness of paffion.

SECT.

SECT. LXXI.

ON PLEASURE.

A pallid youth, beneath a fhade,
a melancholy scene display'd:

his mangled face, and loathfome stains,
proclaim'd the poifon in his veins;
he rais'd his eyes, he smote his breast,
he wept aloud, and thus address'd:

"Forbear the Harlot's falfe embrace,
"Though lewdness wear an angel's face:
Be wife, by my experience taught;
"I die alas! for want of thought."

COTTON.

RELIGION is accused of infufferable feverity, in prohibiting enjoyment; and the old, when they offer their admonitions, are upbraided with having forgot that they once were young. And yet, my friends, to what do the restraints of RELIGION, and the counfels of AGE, with respect to pleasure amount? They may be all comprifed in a few words, "NOT HURT YOUR"SELVES, AND NOT TO HURT OTHERS" by your pursuit of pleasure. Within these bounds plea

fure

fure is lawful; beyond them, it becomes criminal, because it is ruinous. Are these restraints any other, than thofe a wife man would choose to impose on himself? RELIGION, OF PHILOSOPHY, calls you not to renounce pleasure, but teaches you how to enjoy it. Instead of abridging it, we exhort you to pursue it with safety. We propose measures for fecuring its poffeffion, and for prolonging its duration. Though she may appear to contract the bounds of enjoyment, you will upon reflection find, that in truth fhe enlarges them: what is delightful in human enjoyment fhe readily allows, and not only allows, but heightens by that grateful relish which a good confcience gives to every pleasure, and not only heightens, but adds, when correcting the excess of fome paffions, fhe gives room for the growth of others. Amid the turbulence of riot and the fumes of intoxication, unknown are the pleasures of generous friendship, heart-felt love, and domeftic fociety; unknown the confcious fatisfaction which accompany honourable pursuits, and the justly acquired esteem of those who furround us.

To aim at a conftant fucceffion of high and vivid fenfations, of pleasure, is an idea of happiness altogether chimerical. Calm and temperate enjoyment is the utmost

that is allotted to man. Beyond this, we struggle in vain to raise our ftate; and, in fact, deprefs our joys, by endeavouring to heighten them.

Instead of those fallacious hopes of perpetual festivity, with which the world would allure us, RELIGION CONfers upon us a cheerful tranquillity. Instead of dazzling us with meteors of joy, which sparkle and expire, it sheds around us a calm and steady light.

Recollect your own feelings. Inquire on what occafions you have felt the trueft fatisfaction; whether days intermixed with pleasure and business have not left behind them a more agreeable remembrance, than whole nights of licentiousness and riot.

Look round you on the world; reflect on the different focieties which have fallen under your obfervation; and think who among them enjoy life to moft advantage; whether they who, encircled by gay companions, are conftantly fatiguing themfelves in queft of pleasure; or they to whom pleasure comes unfought, in the course of active, virtuous, and manly life.

It is an invariable law of our prefent condition, that every pleasure which is pursued to excess, converts itself to a poifon. In all the pleasures of fenfe, it is apparent, that only when indulged within certain limits, they con

fer