those of attentive Minds, can keep themselves clear of all undue Attachments. The Young are most apt to be captivated by the former two; that is, by the Vanities of Life, and the Blandishments of Sense; while Ambition and Avarice find more Votaries among those of more advanced Age. "But if any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him." Now this Love of the World, differs so much from that Love of our Neighbour, which forms so great a Part of the Christian Temper, that we ought carefully to guard against it. But though this Love of the World, and every other inordinate Affection, is remote from the Disposition at which every Christian ought to aim; yet there is no Temper so diametrically opposite to it, and none, of which we ought so industriously to avoid the Indulgence, as an envious, malicious, or revengeful one. To all who do indulge this Temper, the Christian Religion gives no Countenance. "Whoever does not forgive, shall not be forgiven." short, let no one flatter himself that he possesses the truly Christian Temper, who indulges himself in any known ill Disposition, of any Kind whatsoever. Our Lord, in his Conversation with Nicodemus, tells him, that unless he is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Now this Declaration of our Lord, is evidently highly figurative, and is intended to impress on the Mind of this Master in Israel, the

In

Necessity

Badge and Token of the Christian Character, and that, by which the primitive Christians were distinguished, by their heathen Neighbours. Every one, then, who aims at obtaining the Temper of a Christian, should strive, with all the Powers of his Mind, to improve in this Godlike Disposition; and although he may not have it much in his Power, to increase the Happiness of the World, yet the SelfApprobation and Complacency he will feel, in the Consciousness, that he possesses this Temper, will amply reward him, for every Effort he may have made to obtain it. And Nothing will conduce more to the Acquisition and constant Exercise of this Disposition, than a full Sense and Conviction, that we are under the Inspection of an Omniscient God.

ZEAL, or an ardent Desire to promote the Cause of Christianity, and the Efficacy of its heavenly Doctrines on the Hearts and Lives of Men, is highly becoming, and indeed the Duty of every Christian. For it is the Power of God unto Salvation, to all them that believe. We ought, therefore, to encourage, and zealously promote, all Endeavours to extend the Knowledge of the Christian Religion, and promulgate the Knowledge of the Gospel, by all prudent and lawful Means, among those of our Fellow Creatures, who are ignorant of it, and are capable of receiving it.

Necessity of a total Alteration, or Renewal of his whole Life and Conversation; and that the Change he must undergo, would be as great, as if he were really born again, and had become an entirely new Creature. That is, he must heartily repent of all his past Sins and Offences, and live an entirely new Life; be animated by new Principles; must walk by Faith; must die unto Sin, and live unto God. And when a Sinner has done this, and fully obtained this Purpose, he, in the View of the Gospel, is regenerated, he is born again, and may hope to enter into the Kingdom of God.

LUKEWARMNESS, OR INDIFFERENCE in the Cause of Christianity. As there is Nothing that we know of, that can promote the Happiness of this World, to be compared with the Practice of the Christian Religion, and most certainly, Nothing that equally fits us for future Happiness, it must be the Duty of every Christian, as far as possible, to extend the Knowledge of it, to all the World.

CHAPTER III.

VIRTUES AND GRACES TO BE CULTIVATED.

TO OUR NEIGHBOUR WE OWE,

LOVE, CHARITY, BENEVOLENCE.

To love our

Neighbour as ourselves, is by our Saviour, declared to be, next to the Love of God, the greatest Commandment. And this Commandment is ex

ceeding broad; for it extends even to our Enemies; in short, to every fellow Creature, without any Exception, with whom we have any Intercourse. Charity is a Characteristic of the Christian Religion. No Man, who is not possessed of it, can have any Claim to the Appellation of a Christian. It is the Source of every kind Affection, and of every good Disposition. Its Object is Happiness, and its Subject every human Being, It is a most amiable Virtue, and ought to influence our Thoughts, Words and Actions, in all our Concerns with our Neighbour, whether respecting his Body, or Soul, his Character, or Property, or any Thing that belongs to him. All the Duties we owe to our Neighbour, are but Modifications of this benign Principle,

to

AND WE OUGHT CAREFULLY TO AVOID,

ILL WILL, ENVY, Hatred, and MALICE, This Class of Passions is the most wicked and detestable, and is one of the most odious in the Sight of God and Man, that can actuate the human Heart. It is in direct Opposition to that Love of our Neighbour, which is so strongly inculcated throughout the Gospel, as it is gratified only when it produces Ruin, Misery, and Mischief, and is precisely the Temper of the Devil. It may exist in all different Degrees, but every, even the lowest Degree of it, ought to be shunned by every human Being. For we ought to remember that first Principle in Morals, "Never to give any unnecessary pain," neither to Man or Brute, or to any sensitive Being. For it is our Duty to produce all possible Happiness; and he who gives unnecessary Pain, acts in Opposition to His Will, who is good to all, and whose tender Mercies are over all His works; and who afflicts not willingly. We ought to be particularly on our Guard, lest we indulge an envious Disposition, for it frequently creeps upon us imperceptibly, and never fails to create Unhappiness. Such a one is discontented with the Distributions of Providence, and seeks Relief, by endeavouring to bring down the Object of his Envy to his own Level; that is, he finds Pleasure in giving Pain, and doing Mischief, which is a most detestable Temper;

but