otifm and glory, determined fome noble fpirits to perform the most heroic actions? Thrafea being counfelled to make fubmiffion to Nero,

How, faid he, fhall I ftoop fo low to prolong my life a few days? No, death is a debt: I'll difcharge it like a free man, and not pay it like a flave.' It is only from men of fuch ftrong paffions for fame and immortality that fuch speeches can be expected. Genius itself in fuch cafes, can never supply the want of fentiment. We are ignorant of the language of paffions we never felt. It is the perpetual fermentation of fuch paffions, in exalted minds, that fertilifes in them the fame ideas, which, in frigid fouls, are barren, and would be no more than feed fcattered on a rock; it is the fame cause, which ftrongly fixes the attention on the object of defire, and prefents it to view under appearances unknown to others; and confequently promps Heroes to plan and execute thofe hardy enterprises, which, till fuccefs has proved the propriety of them, appear ridiculous or romantic, and indeed must appear fo to the multitude.

The

reafon Cardinal Richlieu was wont to fay, why a timorous mind perceives an impoffibility in the most fimple projects, when to an elevated mind, the moft arduous feem easy, is because, before the latter mountains fink, and before the former, mole-hills are metamorphofed into mountains. It is therefore only fuch a ftrong paffion, which by being more confpicuous than good fenfe, can teach us to diftinguish the extraordinary from the impoffible, which men of fenfe are ever confounding; because, not being animated by ftrong paffions, thefe fenfible perfons never rife above mediocrity.

When Tamerlane erected his engines before the ramparts of Smyrna, from which the forces of the Ottoman empire had lately been abliged to retire with great lofs, he

was aware of the difficulty of his enterprise; he well knew that he was attacking a place which the Chriftian powers might continually fupply with provisions: but the paffion for glory which excited him to the enterprife, fuggefted to him the means of executing it. He fills up the large abyfs of the waters, checks the feas, and baffles the European fleets by a dyke; displays his victorious ftandards on the breaches of Smyrna, and fhews the aftonished world, that nothing is impoffible to great men.

When Lycurgus formed a plan making Lacedemon a republic of heroes, he did not proceed by infenfible alterations, according to the flow, and therefore fteady step of what is called wifdom. This great man heated by a paffion for virtue, perceived that by fpeeches, or fuppofed oracles, he could infpire his countrymen with the fame fentiments that glowed in himself; and that, by feizing the first instant of ardor, he might change the conftitution of the government, and bring about, in the manners of that people, a fudden revolution, which, in the common methods of prudence, would have required many years. He knew that paffions are like volcanoes, whofe fudden eruptions alter the channel of a river, which art could not have diverted, but by digging another bed for it, and, confequently, not till after a long fucceffion of time and prodigious expence. By thefé means, he fucceeded, in a plan, perhaps the boldest ever undertaken, and which would have been too difficult for any fenfible man, who, deriving that title only from his incapacity of being excited by ftrong paflions, is alfo incapable of infpiring them. And, indeed, if fenfible men attempted to put fuch methods in practice, they would never be happy in the application, for want of a certain experimental acquaintance with the paffons. They mud follow beaten paths:

paths if they forfake them, they bewilder them felves. Indolence is always a predominant quality in a man of fenfe; he has nothing of that activity of foul, by which a great man in power forms new fprings for moving the world, or fows the feeds of future events. It is only to the man of paffion, and to him who thirfts after glory, that the book of futurity is open; it is eagle-eyed paffion which penetrates into the dark abyfs of futurity; indifference is born blind and ftupid.

When the love of glory does not interfere, if the ideas and actions arifing from their paffions, as avarice and love, are in general little valued, it is not that thefe ideas and actions do not often require great understanding and a multitude of combinations; but because, as being indifferent or detrimental to the public, we cannot fuppofe that they have a juft claim to be accounted virtuous, ingenuous, or noble. Now, of all paffions, the love of glory is that alone which is never at a lofs; for, being the foul of men of genius and talents in every kind, it must rescue its votaries from floth, and alone impart to them that continued attention productive of fuperior intellects.

Thus it is that fome are found to

with of intriguing, an

main a little man who defires little things. Whoever finds himself above want, without being by his rank entitled to the first posts, can have no other motive than that of glory, and has no other part to chufe, if he is a man of abilities, than to fhew himself steadily virtu

ous.

We may hence conclude, than an abfence of the paffion of fame, glory, honour, or whatever other ap pellation it may receive, would reduce us to the most abfolute stupidity; whereas, to the reverfe, a portion of that celeftial fire which vivifies the moral world, we owe the difcovery of arts and fciences, and all the elevation of the human foul. What! if the paffion of glory is often the fource of vice and many misfortunes: it may be fo; but the good accruing from it more than counterbalances the inconveniencies it may occafion. Sublime virtue and difcerning wisdom are its products, whereby we muft furely be refcued from that felf-indulgence and force of indolence to which we are otherwife inceffantly gravitating,

1

RELIGION.

ITS BENIGN INFLUENCE IN A STATE OF ADVERSITY.

men are comforted un

after the example of Cromwell, a man is defirous of mounting a throne; the power and luftre of a crown, and the pleasures annexed to government, may doubtless, in his eyes, ennoble the baseness of his plots, fince they deface the horror of his crime in the opinion of pofterity, who place fuch an one in the rank of the greatest men: but if, by an infinite number of intrigues, a man endeavours to raise himself to thofe little poits which he can never deferve; if he is mentioned in hiftory by the name of villain or cheat, he is rendered defpicable in the eyes of all honeft men. He ought to re

of Heaven, while bad men are not only deprived of this hope, but diftreffed with fears arifing from a future ftate. The foul of man can never divest itself wholly of anxiety about its fate hereafter. There are hours when even to the profperous, in the midst of their pleasures, eternity is an awful thought. But much more when thofe pleafures, one after another, begin to withdraw; when life alters its forms, and becomes dark and cheerless; when its changes warn the most inconfiderate, that what is fo mutable will foon pafs entirely away; then with pungent earnestnefs comes

home that queftion to the heart, into what world are we next to go? How miferable the man, who, under the distractions of calamity, hangs doubtful about an event which fo nearly concerns him; who, in the midst of doubts and anxieties, approaching to that awful boundary which feparates this world from the next, fhudders at the dark profpect before him, wishing to exist after death, and yet afraid of that existence, catching at every feeble hope which fuperftition can afford him, and trembling in the fame moment from reflection upon his crimes !

But bleffed be God who hath brought life and immortality to light; who hath not only brought them to light, but fecured them to good men; and by the death and refurrection of Jefus Chrift, hath begotten them unto the lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Juftly is this hope ftiled in Scripture, the anchor of the foul, both fure and fted faft. For what an anchor is to a fhip in a dark night, or an unknown coast, and amidst a boisterous ocean, that is this hope to the foul when distracted by the confufions of the world. In danger, it gives fecurity; amidst general fuctuation, it affords one fixed point of reft. It is indeed the most eminent of all the advantages which religion now confers. For, confider the mighty power of hope over the human mind. It is the univerfal comforter. It is the fpring of all human activity. Upon futurity, men are conftantly fufpended. Animated by the profpect,of fome diftant good, they toil and fuffer through the whole courfe of life; and it is not fo much what they are at prefent, as what they hope to be in fome after-time, that enlivens their motions, fixes attention, and ftimulates induftry. Now, if in the common affairs of life fuch is the energy of hope, even when its object is neither very confiderable, VOL, 11. No. 2. .

nor very certain; what effects may it not be expected to produce, when it rests upon an object fo iplendid as a life of immortal felicity? Were this hope entertained with hat full perfuafion which chriftian faith demands, it would, in truth, not merely alleviate, but totally annihilate, all human miferiés. It would banish difcontent, extinguish grief, and fufpend the very feeling of pain.

But allowing for the mixture of human frailty; admitting those abatements which our imperfection makes upon the effect of every religious principle, ftill you will find, that in proportion to the degree in which the hope of Heaven operates upon good men, they will be tranquil under fufferings; nay, they will be happy, in comparison of thofe who enjoy no fuch relief. What indeed, in the courfe of human affairs, is fufficient to diftrefs, far lefs to overwhelm, the mind of that man who can look down on all human things from an elevation fo much above them? He is only a paffenger through this world. He is travelling to a happier country. How difagreeable foever the occurrences of his journey may be, yet at every stage of that journey, he receives the af furance that he is drawing nearer and nearer to the period of reft and felicity. Endure, and thou fhalt overcome. Perfevere, and thou fhalt be fuccessful. The time of trial haftens to a clofe. Thy manfion is prepared above; thy relt remaineth among the people of God. The diforders which vice has introduced into the works of Gou, are about to terminate; and all tears are foon to be wiped away from the eyes of the juft. The firm affurance of this happy conclufion to the vexations and the vanities of life, works a greater effect on the fincere illiterate Chriftian, than all the refinements of philofophy can work on the most learned Infidel. These may gratify the mind that is at eafe;

may footh the heart when flightly difcompofed; but when it is fore and deeply torn, when bereaved of its best and most beloved comforts, the only confolations that can then find accefs, arife from the hope of a better world; where thofe comforts fhall be again restored; and all the virtues fhall be affembled, in the prefence of him who made them. Such hopes banish that defpair which overwhelms, and leaves only that tender melancholy which fof. tens the heart, and aften renders the whole character more gentle and amiable.

THOUGHTS

ON THE

IMPROVEMENT

T

OF TIME.

S.

HERE is no poffeffion in the

hands of mortals more truly valuable and important than that of time. It is a talent, which merits our highest attention, and the due improvement of it, is not only our indifpenfible duty, but our highest wisdom, and our trueft happines. For, as time is the most confiderable talent that God hath given as fo are we under the higheft obligations to improve it. On it, depends the performance of all our duties. It was given us folely for the purpose of

work

ing out our falvation," and, as much as finite nature is capable, of fecuring a bleffed immortality. Upon the good or bad use we make of it, depends our future happinefs. For though our heavenly Father is very indulgent to those who tender a uniform obedience to his laws, yet he is a fevere and just judge, and will not fuffer us to oppofe his good purpofes with impunity. And if we abuse our time, by fquandering it away on frivolous or vicious purfuits; if we waite it in doing nothing, or in doing ill, we certainly defeat the defigns of Providence in conferring it; and

confequently incur his divine difpleasure. If this world was our abiding city, and we were certain that we should not be called to an account for the mifufe of our time, there would not be fo great danger in gratifying ourselves with the indulgencies of this world's enjoy ments. But fince we are fufficiently convinced of the contrary; to purfue fuch enjoyments, which at beft are vain and unfatisfactory, at the expence of our immortal blifs, is the greatest degree of folly and madness we can be guilty of. For nothing can poffibly exceed that of running voluntarily upon the rocks of deftruction, in oppofition to reafon, confcience, and conviction. Certainly eternal happinefs is of too great importance to be bartered for the fhort-lived gratifications of fenfe. And our time is of too great value to be confumed in fuch perishing and empty pleafures as afford very little fatiffaction in enjoyment, and upon reflection the greateft uneafinefs. But experience informs us, that on the other hand, time well and induftriously spent, not only affords the trueft pleafure for the prefent, but the most grateful and real fatiffaction upon reflection. Hence it is evident, that the more careful we improve our time, the more we encrease both our present and future happiness. When we are punctual in the difcharge of our duty, confcience never fails to bear a chearful testimony to the propriety of our conduct: Serenity foftens every care, and fmiling fatisfaction conducts us joyfully along the path of life. Every moment prudently occupied prefents fomething to our view that may be useful; and when death fummons us to depart out of this vain world, affords the moft pleafing reflections. For at

that period, the recollection of those hours we have spent in performing the duties of religion, will give us the most true comfort and fatisfac

tion

tion; whereas the time we have spent in the purfuit of pleasures, and the vain amufements of life, will very much augment our grief and torment. For what can we fuppofe will be more painful to a felf-convicted foul, than the recollection of it's folly, in preferring the perishing amufements, and gratifications of fenfe, before the folid, durable comforts of a holy life? What more diftreffing than the thoughts of its having forfeited the joys of heaven, merely for the fake of fuch enjoyments? The anguish that fuch reflections will create to a guilty foul, at prefent tranfcend our conception; and it will be our trueft wifdom fo to employ our time as not to be in danger of knowing it by experience. Who that is wife would neglect to fecure to himself the exquifite advantages of a happy eternity? And it is evident to conviction, that it cannot be done but by the improvement of time, viz. by embracing the prefent opportunity, which is only in our power, and difpofing of it to the glory of God, and the happiness of our immortal fouls.

The improvement of time is a duty of fuch vaft importance, that it ought not to be neglected upon any account; and yet there is nothing we are fo prodigal of as time. We live in an age of luxury and diffipation. The generality of mankind are fo far from improving their time, that by the trifling manner in which they fpend it, they feem to have caft off all fear of God, and fenfe of religion, and to have given themselves up to all kinds of wickednefs. Temptations to luxury and vice are always in view. Example is a leffon all can read i and man is too prone to follow a multitude to do evil. Hence it is manifeft, that without the niceft circumfpection, it is very dif ficult to avoid thofe fnares of our common enemies, and his agents

We must keep ourselves always employed, either in fome lawful purfuit, or in our refpective callings and occupations. He that difcharges his duty in the station in which God has been pleafed to place him, will certainly avoid thofe views which are ever attendant on an idle life; for he who is idle and wholly unoccupied will not long continue fo; to be unemployed is unnatural; and therefore if not employed in good, he foon will in bad purfuits.

We must not confume too much of our time in lawful recreations. For though innocent amusement and recreation are requifite, not only for the health of the body, but the relaxation of the mind; yet when followed to excefs, they become highly prejudicial. A too great partiality to amusements introduces habits of floth and eafe, and confequently diverts our affections from bufinefs of higher importance.

We must often meditate on the folemn and awful fubjects of death and judgment, and confider what will be the confequence if we wilfully offend our impartial judge. We muft imagine we hear the trumpet founding, and the voice of the angel proclaiming, arife ye dead and come to judgment."

A due and conftant attention to these particulars, will not only be a means of guarding us against the vicious temptations that furround us, but will have a happy influence on our lives and converfations. We fhall by this means imprint upon

Our