ter hopes than thefe? Are you not acquainted with a principle, which like the machine of Ar chimedes, will remove this mighty mafs of evils? Be they as great and as numerous as they may, if all can be reduced to a single cause, and that cause removed, the work is done. All the evils of which this writer complains are reducible to that one principle, which he fays, (and 'tis well he fays it)" is interwoven into our very nature; namely, "The propensity to prefer our own interefts above "that of the community." It is this propenfity that operates in the great, and induces them to "oppose every thing that would be unfavourable "to their power and advantage ;" and the fame thing operates among common people, great numbers of whom, it is well known, would fell their country for a piece of bread. If this principle cannot be removed, I fhall, with this writer, for ever defpair of any effential changes for the better in the ftate of mankind, and will content myfelf with cultivating private and domeftic happiness, and hoping for the bleffedness of a future life: but if it can, I must leave him to despair alone.

My hopes are not founded on forms of government, nor even on an increase of knowledge, tho' each may have its value; but on the fpirit by which both the rulers and the people will be governed. All forms of government have hitherto refted on the basis of self-love. The wifeft and best statesmen have been obliged to take it for granted that the mafs of every people will be governed by this principle; and confequently all their schemes have been directed to the balancing of things in fuch a manner as that people in pursuing their own interest hould promote that of the public. If in any cafe

they have prefumed on the contrary, experience has foon taught them that all their fchemes are vifionary, and inapplicable to real life. But if the mafs of the people, compofed of all the different orders of society, were governed by a fpirit of juftice and difinterested benevolence, fyftems of government might fafely be formed on this bafis. It . would then be fufficient for Statesmen to ascertain what was right, and beft adapted to promote the good of the community, and the people would cheerfully pursue it; and pursuing this, would find their own good more effectually promoted than by all the little difcordant arts of a felfifh mind.

The excellence of the most admired constitutions which have hitherto appeared in the world has chiefly confifted in the balance of power being fo diftributed amongst the different orders of fociety as that no one should materially opprefs or injure the other. They have endeavoured to fet boundaries to each others encroachments, and contrived in fome degree to counteract venality, corruption and tumult. But all this fuppofes a corrupt ftate of fociety, and amounts to no more than making the best of things, taking them as they are. Locks, and keys, and bolts, and bars are neceffary in our houfes as things are; but it were better if there were no occafion for them. I do not take upon me to say that things will ever be in fuch a ftate as that there fhall be no need of these political precautions; but I believe they will be far lefs neceffary than they now are.

If the Bible be true, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the fea; the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chrift; idolatry, and every

fpecies of falfe religion fhall be no more; the art and inftruments of war fhall be laid afide, and exchanged for thofe of husbandry; the different tribes of man fhall be united in one common band of brotherly love; flavery and oppreffion will ceafe; righteoufnefs will be eftablished in the earth; and the work of righteoufnefs fhall be peace, and the effect of righteoufnefs quietnefs and affurance for

ever.

But "Chriftianity has been tried, it feems, and found infufficient.". That it has not been as yet fufficient to banish unjust wars from the earth, is true; and it were more than wonderful if it bad, feeing it has never yet been cordially embraced by the majority, nor perhaps by the preponderating part of any nation. Nevertheless it has had its influence. This gloomy writer himself acknowledges that the ftate of fociety in Europe and America, that is to fay in Christendom, is far preferable to what it is in other parts of the earth. Of the rest of the world he has no hope. Has Christianity done nothing in this cafe? That thoufands in different nations are by a cordial belief of it rendered fober, just, disinterested, and peaceable; and that the ftate of fociety at large is greatly meliorated, has been proved, I hope, already:* to believe then in the future accomplishment of the foregoing prophecies is only to believe that what is already effected in individuals will be extended to the general body of mankind, or at least, to fuch a proportion of them as shall be fufficient to give a preponderance in human affairs.

Moreover, the fame book which declares that

⚫ Chap. V. VI.

the kingdoms of this world fhall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chrift, has foretold in a great variety of language, the downfal of the Papal Antichrift, and that by means of the fame powers from which its dominion was firft derived. We have in part feen the fulfilment of the one, and live in expectation of the other. We are not ignorant of the evil defigns of infidels, but we believe that God is above them, and that they are only inftruments in his hand in the fulfilment of his word. While therefore we feel for the miferies of mankind, occafioned by the dreadful devaftations of war, we forrow not as those who have no hope; but are perfuaded that all things, even now, are working together for good: and while we pity individual fufferers, we cannot join the whining lamentations of interested men,. Alas, Alas, that great city! On the contrary, we feel difpofed to join the fong of the heavenly hoft, Amen, Alleluia! Salvation, and honour, and glory, and power be unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his Judgments-Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his bride hath made herself ready.

If, according to the doctrine of Bolingbroke, Volney, and other deifts, we knew no other fource of virtue and happiness than self-love, we fhould often be lefs happy than we are: Our bleffedness is bound up with that of Christ, and his followers throughout the world. His friends are our friends, and his enemies our enemies. They that feek his life feek ours. The profperity of his kingdom is our profperity; and we prefer it above our chief joy. From the public ftock of bleffednefs, being thus confidered as the common property of every

individual, arises a great and constant influx of enjoyment. Hence it is that in times when temporal comforts fail us, or family troubles deprefs us, or a cloud hangs over our particular connexions, or death threatens to arreft us in a courfe of pleafing labour, we have ftill our refources of confolation. Affairs with me are finking; but he must increafe -My houfe is not fo. with God; but the kingdom of my Lord shall be established for ever.— 6 His intereft finks in this congregation; but it rifes elsewhere'-' I die; but God will furely vifit you!' Such is the heritage of the servants of the Lord; and fuch the bleffednefs of those whofe chief defire it is, that they may fee the good of his chofen, that they may rejoice in the gladness of his nation, and that they may glory with his inheritance.