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deprave it's tafte. The intellectual, moral, DISC. or fpiritual truths, which, after the light repaft of the morning, were relishing as the patriarch's favoury meat, are now become tastelefs as the white of an egg. The man has contracted a temporary indifference, at leaft, if not an averfion, towards every thing that is wife, and great, and good. His faculties are not equal to any thing higher than a newspaper, or a novel, or a converfation more trifling than either; and a very few sentences in the religious way would infallibly fend him to fleep. In fhort, there is not more difference between any two men, than between the fame man, when full, and when fasting.

To fay, with a celebrated physician, that no Englishman has an idea of temperance, would be faying too much: but we shall fay no more than the truth, perhaps, when we fay, that most of us are frequently wanting in many degrees of that felf-denial which is fo powerfully recommended and enforced upon us, by the preceding confi

deration,

DISC. deration, and which would conduce no less

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to the health and comfort of our bodies, than to the improvement and welfare of our minds.

The reciprocal influence of the foul and body on each other, has been largely demonftrated by modern philofophers; but they have been far too hafty in concluding from thence, that the foul, as well as the body, is material. There are arguments fufficient to evince them distinct beings, with different powers, though capable of exerting a mutual influence on each other. There is no abfurdity in fuppofing them fo to do. That they cannot exert fuch a mutual influence, allowing them to be distinct fubftances, is a negative, which never has been, nor ever can be proved. But an inference of great weight and importance to the conduct of mankind may be drawn from the circumftance of this reciprocal influence, namely, that we fhould labour, on the one hand, by temperance and abftinence to preferve the body in that state which may produce a benign and kindly influence on the

foul;

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foul; and, on the other, to fill the foul with DISC. fuch ideas, fentiments, and affections, as may produce a like benign and kindly influence on the body. In general the practice of mankind, alas, is exactly the reverse. They indulge paffions in the foul, which de stroy the health of the body; and introduce distempers into the body, which clog and obftruct the faculties of the foul.

But the difficulties and hardships to be encountered in a courfe of self-denial, it will ftill be faid, perhaps, are very difccuraging. The objection may be in fome measure obviated by a

Fourth argument on it's behalf, deduced from the examples frequently fet us by the men of the world.

Our bleffed mafter has obferved, that "the children of this world are in their generation wifer than the children of light." It may be said, with equal truth, that they have generally more zeal, more fortitude,

VOL. III.

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DISC. fortitude, more patience, and perfeverance. VII. There is not a votary of wealth, pleasure, power, or fame, who cannot, and who does not, upon occafion, practife a felf-denial, which few Chriftians can be prevailed upon to practise, in a much better caufe; a felfdenial more severe and rigid indeed, than they are often called upon to practise.

For the fake of collecting what is never to be used, and adding to his beloved heap, the mifer will forego the comforts, the conveniences, and almoft the neceffaries of existence, and voluntarily fubmit, all his days, to the penances and aufterities of a mendicant.

The difcipline of a life in fashion is by no means of the mildeft kind; and it is common to meet with those, who complain of being worn down, and ready to fink under it. But how can they help it? What can they do? They are driven and compelled to it; they are faft bound by the adamantine chains of a neceffity-not philoSophical

fophical indeed-but one equally inexorable DISC. and irrefiftible.

Confider the vigils and the abftinence of the gamefter. To discharge with propriety the duties of his profeffion, it is expedient that he keep his habit cool, and his head clear. His diet is therefore almost as spare as that of St. John in the wilderness, and he drinks neither wine, nor ftrong drink; left, instead of his cheating his friend, his friend fhould cheat him.

Confider the toil and the fatigue willingly undergone by one, whofe delight is placed in the fports of the field, and the pleasures of the chafe. How early does he rife! How late is he abroad! "In hunger and thirst, "in fastings often, in cold and rain. None "of these things move him, neither counts " he his life dear unto himself," being well content often to put it to the extremest hazard.

Look at the afpirant to power: He wears a countenance always suited to the present occafion.

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