will his mind be with things of infinitely greater magnitude and importance. This would unavoidably be the cafe, were it not that things temporal, though of little moment in themselves, have the advantage of being prefent; whereas things eternal, though infinitely momentous, are distant. But, my brethren, faith can bring them near, and give them an influence as if they were prefent. Faith, as the apostle says, is the fubftance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unfeen.

If these be the true fources of that comprehenfion of mind which gives one man a fuperiority over another; if, as is commonly, and justly, faid, it be great thoughts that make great minds, little caufe has the poor Christian to envy even the most enlightened, and ftill lefs fcholars in general who are not Chriftians. The ftudy of the scriptures alone contributes fo much to this great end, that all that learning can do more is a mere trifle, and without it infinitely little. The best-informed unbeliever has but a fcanty furniture of mind, few elements, as we may fay, of greatnefs,

dignity,

dignity, and happiness, compared with the most unlearned Chriftian; and with refpect to proper intellectual improvement, ought to rank far below him. He has comparatively, though more in number, yet much smaller objects to contemplate; and what is of more confequence, he is much more in danger of giving into low pursuits and gratifications, which debafe the nature of man, and render him of little value in fociety.

All the greater virtues, fuch as patience in fuffering, forgiveness of injuries, general benevolence, and habitual devotion, imply great comprehenfion of mind, or an union of more ideas and impreffions than the prefent moment would furnish; but with them the mind of a Christian is already furnished, and therefore thofe fublime virtues are ea-◄ fily acquired by a Christian, and not easily, if at all, by thofe who are not Chriftians.

We all begin our career in intellectual life with mere felfifhnefs, attending to impreffions made upon us by means of the external fenfes; for we have no other inlets of ideas or knowledge. Of courfe, we are

for

for fome time wholly occupied about ourfelves, and do not learn to look beyond ourselves, and to feel for others, but in confequence of experience, aided by reflection, which joins distant ideas to those that are prefent. And no reflection is of so much use in carrying us beyond ourfelves, and infpiring benevolence for others, as that of all mankind having one common parent, of our being training by him in the fame school of discipline here, and our being heirs of the fame hope of immortal life hereafter. For want of thefe great views, unbelievers cannot fo eafily look beyond themselves, and intereft themselves for others.

With refpect to patience and forbearance, they are virtues that can only rife out of reflection; for the preffure of pain, and evils of any kind, naturally makes men impatient, wishing and endeavouring to procure immediate relief. It is thinking, and taking distant views of things, that make men patient, and we are best enabled to bear prefent evils by means of a firm be

lief in the justice and goodness of that Being from whom we believe they come. But a perfon who never looks to this first cause, will naturally indulge to fretfulness, impatience, and refentment, against fecond caufes, the immediate occafion of his fufferings; which a Chriftian confiders as the mere inftruments in the hand of another, and that the most benevolent of all Beings.

The firft feeling of injury prompts to refentment and malice. But when a man can look beyond the first impreffion, the immediate occafion and inftrument of the evils he experiences; when he thinks how little it is in the power of any person to in jure him, that whatever is done to him is by the permiffion of God, who has the best intentions in permitting and appointing every thing, he attends fo little to fecond causes, as to feel no refentment at all. Like David, with respect to Shimei, he can say, Let him curfe, fince God bath bidden him curfe; and like our Saviour he can fay, with respect to all his enemies, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Thus

Thus in fuppreffing refentment and forgiving injuries there is true greatnefs of mind, and in revenge real littleness.

That greatest of all virtues, and the immediate parent of feveral others, habitual devotion, naturally arifes from confidering the Supreme Being as the proper cause of all events, and at the fame time as our proper parent, benefactor, moral governor, and final judge. This faith will infpire the mind with the greatest reverence for God, with refpect for his authority, and intire confidence in the difpenfations of his providence. With this faith we fhall live as conftantly feeing, and having intercourfe with, him that is invisible; and a more elevated, dignified, and happy ftate of mind cannot be conceived.

But the man who either believes that there is no God, or who lives without him in the world, wholly thoughtless of his being, his perfection, and his providence, cannot attain to this elevation, and ferene happiness. His views are bounded by the creature, and he never looks up to the Creator. If he have any remains of pious • fentiments

C