these, and many more, which might be added, are opposite to that honest Fairness of Mind, which every good and upright Man would wish to be possessed of. How much Ill-Will, unchristian and uncharitable Conduct, what Disputes, Quarrels, ill Blood, and bad Neighbourhood, which this Class of bad Dispositions has been productive of, must be evident to every one, who has paid any Attention to the Subject. To enumerate every Deviation from Honesty or Fairness of Mind, that is, from perfect Rectitude, is next to impossible; for every Thought, Word or Action, may, strictly speaking, be either right or wrong; but it is our Duty, carefully to avoid every Thing wrong. Truth is one, Error is

infinite.

PERFIDY, INSINCERITY, HYPOCRISY.

These

are all detestable Vices; hated by God, detested and condemned by all the virtuous Part of Mankind, and most injurious to Society; as they destroy that Confidence which Men ought to have in each other, and are ruinous to the Character of every one detected in the Practice of them.

ARTFULNESS, CUNNING, AFFECTATION, Du

PLICITY.

Men guilty of these, may, for a while, impose upon the World, and, with some Persons, be able to support a Character for Wisdom, and a Knowledge of the World. But by the wiser Part of

Man

MERCY may be described as consisting in alleviating Distress, although the Subject be not only undeserving, but very ill deserving; and in withholding Punishment when justly due. This Virtue is a Combination of Forgiveness, Compassion, Condescension, Benevolence, Generosity, and Greatness of Mind; it is an evangelical, Godlike Virtue, strongly recommended by our Saviour, and enforced by the Inducement, that it resembles us to the Deity, and will meet from Him a due Return. ❝ Be merciful, (says our Saviour,) as your Father in Heaven is merciful." "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Let us then be always ready to carry this Virtue into Practice, whenever the public Good does not imperiously demand condign Punishment.

PEACEABLENESS, PLACABILITY, FORGIVENESS. The Gospel requires us to forgive Injuries of every Kind, and however difficult it may be to carry this Precept into Practice, yet if we hope to be forgiven ourselves, the Command is peremptory. We must obey. "If ye forgive not your Brother his Trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you your Trespasses." We should then strive with our whole Hearts, to obtain this Godlike Virtue; otherwise, whenever we repeat the Lord's Prayer, we do, in Effect, deprecate the Divine Forgiveness!

a

Mankind, and by all, at length, they will be looked upon with Suspicion, Distrust and Contempt.

Affectation, though far less culpable than Duplicity or Cunning, is yet a faulty Deviation from Simplicity, and generally makes the affected Person ridiculous. This is a most unhappy

UNMERCIFULNESS. Temper, and a most egregious Vice; it not only renders the Sufferer miserable, but the Agent unhappy. It shows a Heart devoid of, or at least, greatly deficient in, those Virtues of which Mercy consists, "all which, to be possessed of, make the Possessor happy." It is a Disposition the most directly opposite to the truly Christian Temper, every where recommended in the Gospel. When we consider Mercy as that Attribute of the Deity, upon which we rely for Exemption from that Punishment which is so justly due to our Deserts, can we hesitate for a Moment, to imitate it whenever Occasion offers? Attend to our Saviour's Parable of the wicked Servant, "I forgave thee all that Debt, because thou desiredst me; shouldest thou not also have had Compassion on thy fellow Servant, even as I had Compassion on thee?"

RESENTMENT, HOLDING ANGER, IRRECONCILABLENESS, QUARRELSOMENESS, REVENGE. Resentment and Anger were undoubtedly implanted in our Nature, to enable us to repel sudden Injury,

as

a Thought too shocking to be entertained for a Moment. This is a Virtue of great Importance to Society, as well as to ourselves. How is its Peace broken in upon, how much Mischief and Unhappiness does the Breach of it daily produce! When we have received an Injury, or an Affront, we should consider that no Action of ours can undo it, and that therefore, no Evil we can inflict in Return, can have any other Effect, than to gratify our Revenge, and that this is a Gratification which our Religion absolutely forbids. Placability, or an Aptness to be appeased, when wronged, or affronted, is not only conducive to the Happiness of the Individual who possesses it, but is amiable in the Eyes of his Neighbour, and pleasing to Him, who has enjoined it upon us, to forgive our offending Brother, until seventy Times seven.*

CANDOUR, FRANKNESS, are manifested by a prudent Openness of Behaviour and Conversation, and imply Honesty and Fairness of Mind, Meekness, Kindness and Condescension; and are commonly accompanied with a Consciousness of our Infirmities,

as "defensive Armour ;" and while their Operation is confined to this Point, are not only harmless, but useful and commendable; but when they exceed this Limit, they become criminal. "Be angry and sin not," is the Apostolic Advice. But Revenge, rendering Evil for Evil, an unforgiving Temper, and holding Anger, are as opposite to the Gospel of Peace, as Light and Darkness. The Indulgence of these detestable Vices, has produced Miseries and Mischiefs in the World, beyond all Calculation. And no fashionable Sophistry can ever justify the savage Custom of Duelling, which, by Murder, produces the greatest Calamity in private Families, in Defiance of all Laws, human and divine. notwithstanding all that has been said or written, to palliate the Practice, every Christian must acknowledge, that Revenge and Murder, however coloured by the specious Pretence of Honour, are among the greatest Crimes a Man can commit.

And

Quarrelsomeness is an odious Temper, and one of this Character is shunned and detested by his Neighbours, and justly deserves to be opposed and discouraged by all, as a Disturber of Society, and an Enemy to the Peace and Happiness of Mankind. "Make no Friendship with an angry Man.' Revenge may give a momentary Pleasure, but the Infliction of Misery is, in no Case, the Means of Happiness.

RESERVEDNESS, SUSPICION, JEALOUSY. These

argue