with far other motives than thofe of religion or virtue.

Meekness is another grace peculiar to the true Chriftian. How beautiful a grace! Did it ever enter into the heart of a wicked worldling to recommend any quality fo pleafing, and fo conducive to quietnefs, and to every pleasure and comfort for which the familiar intercourse of man with man is fo eagerly defired? I am meek and lowly, fays the great Author of our falvation; and if we, whom meeknefs and lowlinefs more particularly become, would put on the ornament, as the apostle emphatically styles it, of a meek and quiet fpirit, we should not often want any of thofe falfe ornaments, which pride invents, and folly admires. I will repeat the paffage nearly in the apostle's words, and will generalize that inftruction which he addreffed particularly to wives. Let not your adorning be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the HIDDEN MAN OF THE HEART, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price.

The forgiveness of injuries and insults, which indeed is the natural confequence of

meekness

meekness and humility, and which Chriftianity in a peculiar manner enjoins, conduces immediately to peace and tranquillity in every degree and mode of our focial intercourse. But what inftructions on this head do the men of the world afford? They tell us of honour which we are bound to maintain, even by the commiffion of murder. And what is this honour? It by no means deferves the name which it affumes; for it is a combination of pride, vanity, malice, and revenge. It is diabolical in its principles, and accurfed in its confequences. It is destructive of peace and harmony, by rendering men captious, eafily provoked, and indeed prone to every propensity and practice incoherent with Christian charity. Such is false honour, the vain idol of a wicked world. But Christianity teaches a fublimer fenfe of honour, than ever entered into the heart of the moft renowned duellift to conceive. It teaches a greatness of foul that overlooks thofe injuries which exasperate the poor furious worldling. Unmoved, like the rock amidst the ftorm, the Chriftian rifes fuperior to all the attacks of the proud man's contumely. Serene and placid, he shines on high, like the fun in the upper regions, far above the clouds

clouds and vapours which hide its luftre from the earth. Is he not then capable of becoming a much more agreeable companion, than the haughty man of fashion, who often feeks a quarrel that he may diftinguish his fpirit, and be celebrated in the world of gallantry? The true Chriftian, who has fubdued the ebullitions of pride, envy, malice, and revenge, is not only fure of not disturbing tranquillity, but of communicating love, joy, and peace, among all with whom he has any intercourse.

The Spirit of God, indeed, communicates to all, on whose hearts its influence is shed, the most lovely and agreeable, as well as the moft courteous difpofitions and habits of behaviour; what indeed are represented in Scripture as the genuine fruits of the fpirit. The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE,

LONG SUFFERING, NESS, MEEKNESS. But the works of the flefh, that is of those who live the lives of men of the world, are hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, ftrife, envyings, murders. But are not some of the most accomplished men, according to the accomplishments of the world, those who live profeffed according to the flesh, that is, to use the apoftle's words, in

GENTLENESS, GOOD

adultery,

adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lafcivious ness? Ought the varnished behaviour of fuch men, the little arts of adulation, and the little ornaments of drefs and external appearance, which they ftudiously adopt merely for the fake of their own fordid intereft; ought thefe to give more pleasure, and be efteemed more agreeable, than the cordial kindness, the fincere friendship, the charity, the patience, the humility, the meekness, the forgiveness, which foften the bofom of the Christian gentleman? O fools and blind, who judge thus abfurdly! He who has taught himself to practise the rules prescribed in the fermon on the Mount, is capable of becoming infinitely more agreeable and polite as a companion, than any fplendid infidel who has learned to glitter in the gayeft courts of polished Europe.

Let me conclude this fubject, by earnestly entreating those who would poffefs, in perfection, the true art of pleasing, to begin their improvement in it, by purifying and regulating their hearts according to the Chriftian model. Thus, while they learn to please others most effectually and moft permanently, they will also improve themselves in fuch habits and virtues as will have a moft benign

influence

influence in promoting their own enjoyment. They will have no occafion for deceit, or those tricks and ftratagems which can never be practifed without painful anxiety; without fuch doubts and uneafinefs attending them, as no fuccefs, in the object they purfue, can poffibly compenfate: their own bofoms will be. calm and ferene, uninjured and uninjurious, fmooth as the ftream which glides in its proper channel, and diffufes beauty and fertility on every plant which happily vegetates near its margin.

We

We are apt to reverence our fellow-creatures fervilely. We idolize them; not indeed from philanthropy, but from a mean timidity, and an anxious regard for our own interest. forget, in the attention we pay to the great, and indeed to all who can gratify our avarice or ambition, the reverence we owe to ourfelves, and the duties we owe to God.

The reverence we owe to ourselves fhould teach us to have a particular regard to our own confciences; to please men, so far only as is confiftent with pleasing our own hearts; that is, fo far as is confiftent with truth, honefty, and all our duties, moral and religious. It should teach us to practise, not what may advance our temporal intereft only, or what