thy two fifters, in whofe company thou art always chearful, Liberty and Innocence." Tatler.

$90. The Virtue of Gentleness not to be to be confunded with artificial and infincere Peliteness.

Gentleness corrects whatever is offenfive in our manners; and, by a conftant train of humane attentions, ftudies to alleviate the burden of common mifery, Its office, therefore, is extenfive. It is not, like fome other virtues, called forth only on peculiar emergencies: but it is continually in action, when we are engaged in intercourfe with men. It ought to form our addrefs, to regulate our fpeech, and to diffufe itself over our whole behaviour.

I must warn you, however, not to confound this gentle wifdom which is from above, with that artificial courtefy, that ftudied fmoothness of manners, which is learned in the school of the world. Such accomplishments the most frivolous and empty may poffefs. Too often they are employed by the artful, as a fnare: too often affected by the hard and unfeeling,

as a cover to the baseness of their minds.

We cannot, at the fame time, avoid obfeving the homage which, even in fuch intances, the world is conftrained to pay to virtue. In order to render fociety agreeable, it is found neceffary to affume fomewhat that may at leaft carry its appearance; Virtue is the univerfal charm; even its fhadow is courted, when the fubLance is wanting: the imitation of its form has been reduced into an art; and, in the commerce of life, the firft ftudy of all who would either gain the effcem, or win the hearts of others, is to learn the freech, and to adopt the manners of canduar, gentleness, and humanity; but that gentleness which is the characteristic of a good man, has, like every other virtue, its feat in the heart; and, let me add, nothing except what flows from it, can render even external manners truly pleafing; for Do affumed behaviour can at all times hide the real character. In that unaffected civility which fprings from a gentle mind, there is a charm infinitely more powerful than in all the ftudied manners of the moft fitted courtier.

Blair.

§ 91. Opportunities for great As of Beneficence rare, fer Gentleness continual. But, perhaps, it will be pleaded by fome,

That this gentlenefs on which we now infift, regards only thofe fmaller offices of life, which, in their eyes, are not essential to religion and goodness. Negligent, they confefs, on flight occafions, of the government of their temper, or the regulation of their behaviour, they are attentive, as they pretend, to the great duties of beneficence; and ready, whenever the opportunity prefents, to perform important fervices to their fellow-creatures. But let fuch perfons reflect, that the occafions of performing thofe important good deeds very rarely the nature of their connections, may, in a occur. Perhaps their fituation in life, or great measure, exclude them from fuch opportunities. Great events give scope for great virtues; but the main tenor of human life is compofed of fmall occurrences. Within the round of thefe, lie the materials of the happiness of molt men; the fubjects of their duty, and the trials of their virtue. Virtue must be formed and fupported, not by unfrequent acts, but by daily and repeated exertions. In order to its becoming either vigorous or useful, it must be habitually active; not breaking forth occafionally with a tranfient luftre, like the blaze of the comet; but regular in its returns, like the light of the day; not feafts the fenfe; but, like the ordinary like the aromatic gale, which fometimes breeze, which purifies the air, and renders

it healthful.

Years may pafs over our heads, without affording any opportunity for acts of high beneficence, or extenfive utility. Whereas, not a day paffes, but in the common transactions of life, and especially in the intercourfe of domestic fociety, gentleness finds place for promoting the happiness of others, and for ftrengthening in ourselves, the habit of virtue. Nay, by feafonable difcoveries of a humane fpirit, we fometimes contribute more materially to the advancement of happiness, than by actions which are feemingly more important. There are fituations, not a few, in human life, where the encouraging reception, the condefcending behaviour, and the look of fympathy, bring greater relief to the heart, than the moft bountiful gift: while, on the other fide, when the hand of liberality is extended to beflow, the want of gentleness is fuffi cient to fruftrate the intention of the benefit; we four thofe whom we meant to

oblige; and, by conferring favours with

oftentation and harfhnefs, we convert them into injuries. Can any difpofition, then

vated by luxury or fuperftition; and to fuch men we owe that freedom and happy conftitution which we at prefent enjoy.-But thefe advantages of religious enthusiasm have been but accidental.

In general it would appear, that religion, confidered as a science, in the manner it has been ufually treated, is but little beneficial to mankind, neither tending to enlarge the understanding, fweeten the temper, or mend the heart. At the fame time, the labours of ingenious men, in explaining obfcure and difficult paffages of facred writ, have been highly useful and neceflary. And though it is natural for men to carry their fpeculations, on a subject that so nearly concerns their present and eternal happinefs, farther than reafon extends, or than is clearly and exprefsly revealed; yet thefe can be followed by no bad confequences, if they are carried on with that modeity and reverence which the fubject requires. They become pernicious only when they are formed into fyftems, to which the fame credit and fubmiffion is required as to Holy Writ itself. Gregory.

$77. Religion confidered as a Rule of Life

and Manners.

We fhall now proceed to confider religion as a rule of life and manners. In this refpect, its influence is very extenfive and beneficial, even when disfigured by the wildeft fuperftition; as it is able to check and conquer those paflions, which reafon and philofophy are too weak to encounter. But it is much to be regretted, that the application of religion to this end, hath not been attended to with that care which the importance of the fubject required.The fpeculative part of religion feems generally to have engroffed the attention of men of genius. This has been the fate of all the ufeful and practical arts of life; and the application of religion, to the regulation of life and manners, muft be confidered entirely as a practical art.-The caufes of this neglect, feem to be thefe: Men of a philofophical genius have an averfion to all application, where the active powers of their own minds are not immediately employed. But in acquiring any practical art, a philofopher is obliged to fpend most of his time in employments where his genius and understanding have no exercife. The fate of the practical arts of medicine and religion have been pretty fimilar the object of the one, is to cure the difcafes of the body; of the other, to

cure the difeafes of the mind. The progrefs and degrees of perfection of both thefe arts ought to be estimated by no other standard, than their fuccefs in the cure of the diseases to which they are feverally applied. In medicine, the facts on which the art depends, are fo numerous and complicated, fo mifrepresented by fraud, credulity, or a heated imagination, that there has hardly ever been found a truly philofophical genius who has attempted the practical part of it. There are, indeed, many obstacles of different kinds, which occur to render any improvement in the practice of phyfic a matter of the utmost difficulty, at least whilft the profeffion refts on its prefent narrow foundation. Almoft all phyficians who have been men of ingenuity, have amufed themselves in forming theories, which gave exercife to their invention, and at the fame time contributed to their reputation. Instead of being at the trouble of making obfervations themfelves, they culled, out of the promifcuous multitude already made, fueh as beft fuited their purpofe, and dreffed In confequence of this, the hiftory of methem up in the way their fyftem required.

dicine does not fo much exhibit the his

tory of a progreffive art, as a history of opinions which prevailed perhaps for twenty or thirty years, and then funk into contempt and oblivion. The cafe has been nearly fimilar in practical divinity: but this is attended with much greater difficulties than the practical part of medicine; in this laft, nothing is required but affiduous and accurate obfervation, and a good understanding to direct the proper application of fuch obfervation.

Ibid.

$78. How Religion is to be applied to cure

the Difeafes of the Mind.

To cure the difeafes of the mind, there is required that intimate knowledge of the human heart, which must be drawn from life itfelf, and which books can never teach; of the various difguifes under which vice recommends herfelf to the imagination; of the artful affociation of ideas which the forms there; and of the many nameless circumftances that foften the heart and render it acceffible. It is likewife neceflary to have a knowledge of the arts of infinuation and perfuafion, of the art of breaking faife and unnatural affociations of ideas, or inducing counter-affo. ciations, and oppofing one paffion to another; and after all this knowledge is ac

quired,

quired, the fuccessful application of it to practice depends, in a confiderable degree, on powers, which no extent of understand ing can confer.

Vice does not depend fo much on a pervertion of the understanding, as of the imagination and paffions, and on habits originally founded on thefe. A vicious man is generally fenfible enough that his Conduct is wrong; he knows that vice is Contrary both to his duty and to his intereft; and therefore, all laboured reafoning, to fatisfy his understanding of these truths, is ufelefs, because the disease does not lie in the understanding. The evil is feated in the heart. The imaginations and pations are engaged on its fide; and to them the cure must be applied. Here has been the general defect of writings and fermons, intended to reform mankind. Many ingenious and fenfible remarks are made on the feveral duties of religion, and very judicious arguments are brought to enforce them. Such performances may be attended to with pleafure, by pious and well-difpofed perfons, who likewife may derive from thence useful inftruction for their conduct in life. The wicked and profigate, if ever books of this fort fall in their way, very readily allow, that what they contain are great and eternal truths; but they leave no lafting impreffion. If any thing can roufe, it is the power of lively and pathetic defcription, which traces and lays open their hearts through all their windings and difguifes, makes them fee and confefs their own characters in all their deformityand horror, impreffes their hearts, and interefts their paffions by all the motives of love, gratitude, and fear, the profpect of rewards and punishments, and whatever cther motives religion or nature may dictate. But to do this effectually, requires very different powers from thofe of the understanding: a lively and well regulated imagination is effentially requifite.

579. On Public Preaching.

Gregory.

In public addreffes to an audience, the great end of reformation is moft effectuaily promoted; becaufe all the powers of voice and action, all the arts of eloquence, may be brought to give their affiftance. But fome of thofe arts depend on gifts of nature, and cannot be attained by any ftrength of genius or understanding: even where nature has been liberal of thofe neceffary requifites, they must be cultivated

by much practice, before the proper exercife of them can be acquired. Thus, a public fpeaker may have a voice that is mufical and of great compafs; but it requires much time and labour to attain its just modulation, and that variety of flexion and tone, which a pathetic difcourfe requires. The fame difficulty attends the acquifition of that propriety of action, that power over the expreflive features of the countenance, particularly of the eyes, so neceffary to command the hearts and pasfions of an audience.

It is ufually thought that a preacher, who feels what he is faying himself, will naturally speak with that tone of voice and expreffion in his countenance, that best suits the subject, and which cannot fail to move his audience: thus it is faid, a person under the influence of fear, anger, or forrow, looks and fpeaks in the manner naturally expreffive of these emotions. This is true in fome measure; but it can never be fuppofed, that any preacher will be able to enter into his fubject with fuch real warmth upon every occafion. Befides, every prudent man will be afraid to abandon himfelf fo entirely to any impreffion, as he muft do to produce this effect. Most men, when ftrongly affected by any paffion or emotion, have fome peculiarity in their appearance, which does not belong to the natural expreffion of fuch an emotion. If this be not properly corrected, a public fpeaker, who is really warm aud animated with his fubject, may nevertheless make a very ridiculous and contemptible figure. It is the bufinefs of art, to the nature in her moft amiable and graceful forms, and not with thofe peculiarities in which the appears in particular inftances; and it is this difficulty of properly reprefenting nature, that renders the eloquence and action both of the pulpit and the stage, acquifitions of fuch difficult attainment.

But, befides thofe talents inherent in the preacher himfelf, an intimate knowledge of nature will fuggeft the neceflity of attending to certain external circumstances, which operate powerfully on the mind, and prepare it for receiving the defigned impreffions. Such, in particular, is the proper regulation of church-mufic, and the folemnity and pomp of public worfhip. Independent of the effect that these particulars have on the imagination, it might be expected, that a juft taste, a fenfe, of decency and propriety, would make them more attended to than we find

they

they are. We acknowledge that they have been abufed, and have occafioned the groffeft fuperftition; but this univerfal propenfity to carry them to excefs, is the trongest proof that the attachment to them is deeply rooted in human nature, and confequently that it is the bufinefs of good fenfe to regulate, and not vainly to attempt to extinguifh it. Many religious fects, in their infancy, have fupported themfelves without any of thefe external affiftances; but when time has abated the fervor of their first zeal, we always find that their public worship has been conducted with the most remarkable coldnefs and inatten tion, unless fupported by well-regulated ceremonies. In fact, it will be found, that thofe fects who at their commencement have been moft diftinguished for a religious enthusiasm that defpifed all forms, and the genius of whofe tenets could not admit the ufe of any, have either been of short duration, or ended in infidelity.

The many difficulties that attend the practical art of making religion influence the manners and lives of mankind, by acquiring a command over the imagination and paffions, have made it too generally ne glected, even by the moft eminent of the clergy for learning and good fenfe. Thefe have rather chofen to confine themfelv es to a track, where they were fure to excel by the force of their own genius, tha to attempts road where their fuccefs was doubtful, and where they might be outine by men greatly their inferiors. It has therefore been principally culti vated by men of lively imaginations, poffeffe of fome natural advantages of voice and manner. But as no art can ever become very beneficial to mankind, unless it be un ler the direction of genius and good fent, it has too often happened, that the art we are now fpeaking of has become fubfervien to the wildeft fanaticifm, fometimes to the gratification of vanity, and fometimes tftill more unworthy purpofes. Gregory.

$80. Relig on confidered as exciting De

does in ours. What fhews its great de pendance on the imagination, is the remarkable attachment it has to poetry and mufic, which Shakespeare calls the food of love, and which may, with equal truth, be called the food of devotion. Mufic enters into the future paradife of the devout of every fect and of every country. The Deity, viewed by the eye of cool reafon, may be faid, with great propriety, to dwell in light inacceflible. The mind, ftruck with the immenfity of his being, and with a fenfe of its own littlenefs and unworthinefs, admires with that diftant awe and veneration that almoft excludes love. But viewed by a devout imagination, he may become an object of the warmest affection, and even paffion.-The philofopher contemplates the Deity in all thofe marks of wildom and benignity diffused through the various works of nature. The devout man confines his views rather to his own particular connection with the Deity, the many inftances of his goodness he himself has experienced, and the many greater he ftill hopes for. This establishes a kind of intercourfe, which often interefts the heart and paffions in the deepest manner.

The devotional tafte, like all other taftes, has had the hard fate to be condemned as a weakness, by all who are strangers to its joys and its influence. Too much and too frequent occafion has been given, to turn this fubject into ridicule.-A heated and devout imagination, when not under the direction of a very found understanding, is apt to run very wild, and is at the fame time impatient to publifh all its foilies to the world.-The feelings of a devout heart fhould be mentioned with great referve and delicacy, as they depend upon private experience, and certain circumftances of mind and fituation, which the world can neither know nor judge of. But devotional writ ings, executed with judgment and taste, are not only highly useful, but to all whe have a true fente of religion, peculiarly engaging.

Ibid.