enjoyment which belong to our animal nature, we can enter upon the far wider provinces of REASON and AFFECTION, and poffefs ourselves of all the fublime pleasures of angels, i. e. the pleasures of knowledge, imagination, virtue, friendship and love. When asked therefore, Wherein confifts the true happiness of Man? We readily answer, that as the happiness of a mere animal consists in exercising its appetites on fuch goods as are fuited to its nature, and capable of gratifying all its fenfes; fo the true happiness of man confifts in exercifing his faculties on such objects as are fuited to his rational nature, and capable of delighting his foul through all her various affections. But where is that infinite good? Who is that wondrous being that can feaft the faculties, and fatisfy the defires of an immortal mind? "Tis God; and he alone in whofe ineffable perfections the whole world of ration als als will find enough, and more than enough, to employ their admiration and delight through eternal ages. ACCORDINGLY we find that Chrift, when asked what a man fhould do to be truly happy, replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” In this admirable reply, which for fublimity of piety and philanthropy, and for profound wisdom and philofophy, deferves everlasting veneration. We learn three very important leffons. I. That the chief good or true happinefs of man confifts in his mind. II. In the affections of his mind. And III. In those affections directed to worthy objects. I. HE who was perfectly acquainted with our nature, places the supreme happiness of man in the mind. How ftrange foever it may feem, yet most certain certain it is, that this ever was, and still is a new doctrine to the bulk of mankind. For not only the numerous sect of ancient Epicureans, and fenfual Mahometans, but the generality of Chriftians to this day, place the feat of happinefs in the body. TALK to them about the pleasures of the understanding, or the ftill fublimer pleasures of devotion, and your words seem not to be understood; but fhift the fubject, and talk about the pleasures of inheriting large estates, of living at ease and faring fumptuously every day, and immediately you perceive, by their fmiling countenances and ready converfation, that you have awakened their favourite ideas, and that these are the things which lie nearest to their hearts. THAT the goods of the body conftitute some small part of man's happiness, and that therefore they ought to be valued, and, as far as conscience and a regard a regard to higher interests will permit, fhould be fought after, is evident. But that these goods and pleasures of the body, conftitute man's fupreme happiness, is one of the most degrading, damnable errors, that ever was broached. No man who understands the dignity of his immortal part, and who entertains a proper love for himself and his fellow men, can hear such a propofition without abhorrence and indignation. What! fhall happiness which all fo vehemently defire, and fo heartily pray for, both for themselves and for others; shall happiness, the bare hope of which revives the heart, and does good like a medicine; which gives ftrength to the weak, and courage to the fearful; which animates us through life; nor deferts us in death-Shall this fondest wish, this fweetest expectation of all men, confift merely in the goods and pleasures of the body. Confider, thou cruel mur derer derer of thyself; thou barbarous assassin of human kind, how few ever attain those pleasures to which thou stupidly confineft the happiness of man; how fewer ftil ever enjoy them, and how foon death will fnatch them out of the hands of those who are fo fortunate! Reflect what unnumbered millions are born to no better inheritance than poverty and bondage, and who, instead of being careffed in the foft lap of ease and pleasure, are driven through life by the scourge of cruel tyrants, or more cruel wants! hard put to it to get a little bread, and sometimes never get it, at least not comfortably; but from various causes, eat it all their lives long in bitterness of foul! And of thofe feemingly happy ones who poffefs all the goods of the body, How few enjoy them without alloy? How many, by abufing these bleffings, contract difeafes which render fleeting life one con |