be incensed against those whom he tenderly loves: an accidental neglect, a hafty word, a fmall unkindness, will not agitate a loving fpirit, much lefs work it up to hateful fire-eyed fury.

IT banishes envy, that feverely just vice which never fails to punish itself; for it is impoffible to repine at the wealth or profperity, at the virtue or fame of him whom we cordially love. It excludes revenge, that cruel canker of the heart; for who can indulge bitter refentments, or form dark designs of evil against him whom he tenderly loves, and in whofe good he heartily delights?

IT fubdues ambition and avarice, thofe afpiring painful paffions. For who could domineer over those whom he loves, and whofe honor he tenders as his own? Who could extort from and impoverish those whom he earnestly wishes and would gladly fee to prosper? A competence

Y

the

A competence will feem like abundance to him who lives as among brethren, taking himself but for one among reft, and can as ill endure to see them want as himself.

IT is in the prevalence of fuch bad paffions as these, that human mifery chiefly confifts. Love is their only fovereign antidote. It alone fubdues and expels their fatal poifon, and thus reftores health and happiness to our long tortured bofoms. Love, like a celestial queen, walks before, meeknefs and gentlenefs follow as her eldeft daughters, while joy and peace, with all the fifter graces, make up the immortal retinue.

BUT love preserves us not only from our own, but from the malignant paffions of others. Like fweetest music, it has power to footh the favage breast, to melt hearts of flint, and to tame the fierceft fpirits. Its mild and ferene countenance, its foft and gentle spirit

its courteous and obliging manners, its fair dealing, its endearing conversation, its readiness to do good fervices to any man, is the only charm under heaven to difarm the bad paffions of men, and to guard our perfon from affault, our interest from damage, and our reputation from flander. For who can be fo unnatural as to hate the man who loves us and is ever ready to do us good? What wretch, what demon, can find in his heart to be a foe to him who is a warm friend to all? The vileft finner cannot be fo vile, fo deftitute of goodness. If you love thofe who love you what reward have you, do not even finners the fame?

Of this wonderful power of love, to convert foes into friends, we have many pleafing examples in holy writ. Efau was a rough man, and exceedingly angry with his brother Jacob, and yet how eafily did Jacob's meek and affectionate behaviour overcome him! "Efau

ran

ran to meet Jacob, and fell on his neck and kiffed him, and they wept."

SAUL was poffeffed with a furious envy and fpite against David. Yet what acknowledgments did David's generous dealing extort from him?

"Is this thy voice my fon David? Thou art more righteous than I, for thou haft rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded the evil; behold I have played the fool, and erred exccedingly."

THOUGH gratitude is not so common a virtue as it ought to be, yet the remembrance of his former kindneffes often furrounds a good man in distress, with many warm friends and generous comforters. Is he in danger, who will not defend him? Is he falling, who will not uphold him? Is he flandered, who will not vindicate him?

LOVE difpofes us to put to their proper ufes every bleffing that may fall to our lot; while, without it, the most fplendid

fplendid advantages that we could defire, the largest fortunes and brightest parts, will become vain and fruitlefs, if not pernicious and deftructive to us. For, what is our reafon worth if it ferve only to contrive little forry designs for ourselves? What is wit good for, if it be spent only in making fport, or creating mifchief? What fignifies wealth, if it be uselessly hoarded up, or vainly thrown away on the lufts of one poor worm? What is our credit but a mere puff of air, if we do not give it subftance by making it an engine of doing good? What is our virtue itself, if buried in obfcurity it yield no benefit to others by the luftre of its example, or by its real influence? If these advantages minifter, only to our own particular pleasure or profit, how mean and inconfiderable they appear!

BUT under the management of love, fee what worth and importance they affume.

Y 2