commonwealth." But they who are offended at it must quarrel with the ashes of a bishop, for it was Dr. Sanderson's. Will you then think, Sirs, of some honourable and agreeable employment? I will mention one. The Pythagoreans forbade men's "eating their own brains," or, "keeping their good thoughts to themselves." It is an observation of the incomparable Boyle, that "as to religious books, in general, those which have been written by laymen, and especially by gentlemen, have (cæteris paribus) been better received, and more effectual, We all know than those published by ecclesiastics. Mr. Boyle's were so. It is no rare thing for men of quality so to accomplish themselves in languages and science, that they have become prodigies of literature. Their libraries also have been stupendous collections, approaching towards Vatican or Bodleian dimensions. An English gentleman has been sometimes the most" accomplished person in the world.” How many of these (besides a Leigh, a Wolsely, or a Polhill) have been benefactors to mankind by their incomparable writings! It were greatly to be wished that persons of wealth and elevated conditions would qualify themselves for the use of the pen as well as of the sword, and deserve this encomium-" They have written excellent things." An English person of quality, in his treatise, entitled, "A View of the Soul," has the following passage-" It is certainly,” says he, "the highest dignity, if not the greatest happiness, of which human nature is capable in the vale below, to have the soul so far enlightened, as to become the mirror, or conduit, or conveyer of

God's truth to others." It is a bad motto for men of capacity" My understanding is unfruitful." Gentlemen, consider what subjects may most properly and usefully fall under your cultivation. Your pens will stab atheism and wickedness more effectually than other men's. If out of your "Tribe" there come "those who handle the pen of the writer," they will do uncommon execution. One of them has ingenuously said " Though I know some functions, yet I know no truths of religion, which, like the Showbread, are only for the priests."

I will address to you but one proposal more, and it is this that you would as Ambrosius did his Origen, wisely choose a friend of shining abilities, of warm affections, and of excellent piety (a minister of such a character if you can,) and entreat him, yea oblige him to study for you, and suggest to you, opportunities to do good. Make him, as I may say, your monitor.

Let him advise you, from time to time, what good you may do. Let him see that he never gratifies you more than by his advice on this subject. If a David have a seer to perform such an office for him, who may search for occasions of doing good, what services may be done for the temple of God in the world!

There seems no need of adding any thing but this, that when gentlemen occasionally meet together, why should not their conversation correspond with their superior station? Methinks they should deem it beneath persons of their quality to employ the conversation on trifling impertinences, or in such a way that, if it were secretly taken in short hand,

they would blush to hear it repeated—“ Nothing but jesting, and laughing, and words scattered by the wind." Sirs, it becomes a gentleman to entertain his company with the finest thoughts on the finest themes; and certainly there cannot be a subject so worthy of a gentleman as this-What good is there to be done in the world? Were this noble subject more frequently started in the conversation of gentlemen, an incredible good might be done.

I will conclude by saying-You must accept of any public service, of which you are capable, when you are called to it. Honest Jeans has this pungent passage: "The world applauds the prudent retirement of those who bury their parts and gifts in an obscure privacy, though they have a fair call, both from God and man, to public employment; but the terrible censure of these men by Jesus Christ at the last day, will discover them to have been the most arrant fools that ever lived on the face of the earth.” The fault of not employing our talent for the public good, is justly called, "A great sacrilege in the temple of the God of Nature." It was a sad age of

which Tacitus said, "Indolence was wisdom."

SECTION XX.

The duty of Men in Public Stations to do good.

It will be recollected, that one of our first proposals was, that every one should consider "What is

there that I can do for the service of God and the welfare of man?" It is to be hoped that all OFFICERS, as such, will conform to what has been proposed. It should be the concern of all officers, from the emperor to the enomotarch, to do all the good they can; there is, therefore, the less occasion to make a more particular application to inferior officers of various kinds, who all have opportunities to do good, more or less, in their hands. However, they

shall not all have reason to complain of being neglected.

In some churches there are ELDERS, as in primitive times, the church had its elders, who "rule well," though they do not "labour in the word and doctrine." It becomes such elders often to inquire, "What shall I do to prevent strife, or any other sin, that may become a root of bitterness in the church; and that Christ and holiness may reign in it; and, that the ministry of the pastor may be countenanced, encouraged, and prospered?" Their visits of the flock, and their endeavours to prepare the people for special ordinances, may be of great advantage to religion.

There are DEACONS also, to whom the temporal affairs of the church are intrusted. It would be well, if they would frequently inquire:-" What may I do that the treasury of Christ may be increased? What may I do that the life of my faithful Pastor may be rendered more comfortable? What members of the flock do I think deficient in their contributions to support the interests of the Gospel, and shall I 'with great boldness in the faith' to them?"

say

In the STATE there are many officers, to whom

If

the most significant and comprehensive proposal that can be made would be, To consider their oaths. they would seriously ponder, and faithfully perform the duties to which their oaths oblige them, a great deal of good would be done. But we must a little particularize.

As the REPRESENTATIVES of any place have opportunities to do good to the people at large, they should accordingly consider what motions to bring forward for their good, and they should be particularly solicitous for the good of that place which has elected them.

Those whom we call the "SELECT MEN" of a town, will disappoint just expectations, if they do not diligently consider, "What shall I do that I be a blessing to the town which I am now to

may

serve?"

GRAND-JURYMEN may very profitably consider, "What growing evils or nuisances do I discover which I shall do well to make known?" They should hold their consultations upon these matters, as men in earnest for the good of the country. Indeed all jurymen should be good men. Our old compellation of a neighbour by the title of good man, has this origin; it was as much as to say, one qualified to serve on a jury. Let them, therefore, maintain this character, by doing good, and by contriving how they may do it.

Why should CONSTABLES be excused from these obligations? Their name (Constabularius) was first derived from the care of "making unruly horses stand well together in the stable." Sirs, you have many opportunities to do good by being "masters