ties are fresh. And recollect at evening every thing worth remembring the day past.

7. Think it not enough to furnish this storehouse of the mind with good thoughts, but lay them up there in order, digested or ranged under proper subjects or classes; that, whatever subject you have occasion to think or talk upon, you may have recourse immediately to a good thought which you heretofore laid up there: under that subject. So that the very mention of the subject may bring the thought to hand; by which means you will carry a regular common place book in your memory. And it may not be amiss sometimes to take an inventory of this mental furniture, and recollect how many good thoughts you have treasured up under such particular subjects, and whence you had them.

Lastly, Nothing helps the memory more than often thinking, writing, or talking on those subjects you would remember. But enough of

this.

XV. A MAN that knows himself, is sensible of, and attentive to the particular taste. of his mind, especially in matters of religion.

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they hear. Some are best pleased with those discourses which are pathetick and warming; others with what is more solid and rational, and others with the sublime and mystical; nothing can be too plain for the taste of some, or too refined for that of others. Some are for having the address only to their reason and understandring, others only to their affections and passions, and others to their experience and consciences. And every hearer or reader is apt to judge according to his particular taste, and to esteem him the best preacher or writer who pleases him most; without examining first his own particular taste, by which he judgeth.

It is natural indeed for every one to desire to have his own taste pleased; but it is unreasonable in him to set it up as the best, and make it a test and standard to others. But much more unreasonable to expect that he who speaks in publick should always speak to his taste; which might as reasonably be expected by another of a different one. It is equally impossible that ewhat is delivered to a multitude of hearers should alike suit all their tastes, as that a single dish,Athough oprepared with ever so much art Handbexactness, slibuld equally please a great vawidty of appetites vamong which there may be ysome, perhaps, very nice and sickly.serv 3: It is the preacher's duty to adapt his subjects to the taste of his hearers, as far as fidelity and conscience will admit; because it is well known, from reason and experience, as well as

from the advice and practice of the apostle Paul,* that this is the best way to promote their edification. But if their taste be totally vitiat2ed, and incline them to take in that which will do them more harm than good, and to relish poison more than food, the most charitable thing the preacher can do in that case is, to endeavour to correct so vicious an appetite, which loathes that which is most wholesome, and craves pernicious food; this, I say, it is his duty to attempt in the most gentle and prudent manner he can, though he run the risk of having his judgment or orthodoxy called into question by them, as it very possibly may; for commonly they are the most arbitrary and unmerciful judges in this case, who are least of all qualified for that office.

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There is not perhaps a more unaccountable weakness in human nature than this, that with regard to religious matters our animosities are generally greatest where our differences are least; they who come pretty near to our standard, but stop short there, are more the objects of our disgusts and censure, than they who continue at the greatest distance from it. And in some cases it requires much candour and self command to get over this weakness. To whatever secret spring in the human mind it may be owing, I shall not stay to inquire; but the thing itself is too obvious not to be taken notice of tube fliw Sommends bri 1. Rom. xv. 2. 1 Cor/in 25. noars1 meil, grwond

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