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an evening to clamorous pleasures; or, at least, not be uneasy for being alone now and then, since their algebra was with them. In reading history, my last year's principal employment, during my residence in college, I began with the best writers of antient history and ended with modern times, epochs, centuries, ages; the extent of empires, kingdoms, commonwealths; their progress, revolutions, changes and declensions; the number, order, and qualities of the princes that have reigned over those states and kingdoms, their actions military and civil; the characters and actions of the great men that flourished under them; and the laws, the arts, learning and manners, I carefully marked down, and observed not only how the first governments were formed, but what the progress was of industry and property, which may be called the generative principle of empire.

When I had done with antient history, I sat down to the best modern stories I could get, and read of distant nations before I began to study my country's constitution, history and laws. When I had finished the histories of France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, and many more, then I turned to Great Britain, and in the first place took a view of the English constitution and government, in the antient books of the common law, and some more modern writers, who out of them have given an account of this government. From thence I proceeded to our history, and with it joined in every king's reign the laws then made. This gave me an insight into the reason of our statutes, and showed me the true ground upon which they came to be made, and what weight they ought to have. By this means I read the history of my country with intelligence, and was able to examine into the excellence or defects of its government, and to judge of the fitness or unfitness of its orders and laws. By this method I likewise knew enough of the law for an English gentleman, though quite ignorant of the chicane, or wrangling and captious part, and was well acquainted with the true measure of right and wrong. The arts how to avoid doing right, and to secure one's-self in doing wrong, I never looked into.

Thus did I read history, and many noble lessons I learned from it-just notions of true worth, true greatness, and solid happiness. It taught me to place merit where it only lies, not in birth, not in beauty, not in riches, not in external show and magnificence, not in voluptuousness; but, in a firm adherence to truth and rectitude; in an untainted heart, that would not pollute or prostitute its integrity in any degree, to gain the highest worldly honours, or to ward off the greatest worldly misery. This is true magnanimity: and he alone can be truly happy, as well as truly great, who can look down with generous contempt upon everything that would tempt him to recede in the smallest degree from the paths of rigid honesty, candour and veracity.

Es modicus voti, presso lare, dulcis amicis;
Jam nunc astringas; jam nunc granaria laxes;
Inque luto fixum possis transcendere nummum
Nec glutto sorbere salivam Mercurialem ?

Hæc mea sunt, teneo, cum vere dixeris: Esto
Liberque ac sapiens, prætoribus ac Jove dextro.
Sin tu, cum fueris nostræ pauló ante farinæ,
Pelliculam veterem retines, et fronte politus
Astutam vapido servas sub pectore vulpem ;
Quæ dederam suprà, repeto, funemque reduco.
Nil tibi concessit ratio: digitum exere peccas,
Et quid tam parvum est? Sed nullo thure litabis,
Hæreat in stultis brevis ut semuncia recti
Hæc miscere Nefas :-

Are you moderate in your desires, frugal, and obliging to your friends? Do you know when to spare, and when to be liberal, as occasion requires? And can you give a check to your avarice, in spite of all temptations which are laid in your way? Can you refrain from being too greedy in your pursuit after riches? When you can sincerely affirm that you are master of yourself, and of all these good qualities, then you are free indeed, and wise, by the propitious power of Jove and the Prætor.

But if you retain the old habits of a slave, and harbour ill qualities, under the hypocritical appearance of virtue, you are as much a slave as ever, while thus enslaved to your vices. Philosophy gives no indulgence to vice, makes no allowance for any crime. If in wagging your finger, you acted against reason, you transgress, though the thing be of so trifling a nature. All the sacrifices you can offer will never pass for a drachm of rectitude, while your conduct is faulty. Wisdom is incompatible with folly.

When to be bountiful, and when to spare,
And never craving, or oppress'd with care;
The baits of gifts, and money to despise,
And look on wealth with undesiring eyes;
When thou can'st truly call these virtues thine,
Be wise and free by Heav'n's consent and mine.
But thou, who lately of the common strain,
Wert one of us, if still thou dost retain
The same ill habits, the same follies too,
Gloss'd over only with a saint-like show,
Then I resume the freedom which I gave,
Still thou art bound to vice, and still a slave.
Thou canst not wag thy finger, or begin
The least slight motion, but it tends to sin.
How's this? Not wag my finger, he replies?
No, friend; not fuming gums, nor sacrifice,
Can ever make a madman free, or wise.
Virtue and vice are never in one soul:

A man is wholly wise, or wholly is a fool.

This is the great lesson, that virtue alone is true honour, true freedom, and solid, durable happiness. It is indeed its own reward. There are no satisfactions equal to, or comparable with

virtuous, rational exercises; nor can virtuous dispositions, and well improved moral powers be rewarded, or receive happiness suited to their nature, but from their exercises and employments about proper objects. And as virtue gives pleasure here in proportion to the improvements it makes, far beyond all that mere sense can yield, in the most advantageous circumstances of outward enjoyment; so in a state to come, it shall be so placed as its improvements require, that is, be placed in circumstances that shall afford it business or employment proportioned to its capacity, and by means thereof the highest satisfaction. Such a basis for building moral instructions upon we find in history. We are warned in some pages to avoid the miseries and wretchedness which many have fallen into by departing from reason or virtue and in others, we meet with such virtuous characters and actions, as set forth the charms of integrity in their full lustre, and prove that virtue is the supreme beauty, the supreme charm : that in keeping the precepts of moral rectitude, we secure a present felicity and reward; and have a presage of those higher rewards which await a steady course of right conduct in another world. -Glorious, natural virtue! Would mankind but hearken to its voice, and obey its dictates, there would be no such beings as invaders, delinquents, and traitors, in this lower world. The social inclinations and dispositions would for ever prevail over the selfish appetites and passions. The law of benevolence would be the rule of life. The advancement of the common good would be the work of every man.

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The case however is, that the generality of mankind are too corrupt to be governed by the great universal law of social nature, and to gratify ambition, avarice, and the like, employ a cunning or power, to seize the natural rights and properties of others : and therefore, to natural virtue, grounded on the reason and fitness of things, in themselves, the first and principal mean of securing the peace and happiness of society, it was necessary to add two other grand principles, civil government and religion, and so have three conducible means to social happiness. These three are necessary to the being of a public, and of them, religion, as I take it, is of the first consequence; for the choice few only mind a natural virtue, or benevolence flowing from the reason, nature, and fitness of things; and civil government cannot always secure the happiness of mankind in particular cases: but religion, rightly understood, and fixed upon its true and proper foundation, might do the work, in conjunction with the other two principles, and secure the happiness of society. If mankind were brought to the belief and worship of one only true God, and to a sincere obedience to his will, as we have it discovered in revelation, I think, appetite and passion would cease to invade by violence or fraud, or set up for private interest in opposition to the public

stock or common good. But, alas ! Religion is so far from being rightly understood, that it is rendered by some explainers the most doubtful and disputable thing in the world. They have given it more phases than the moon, and made it everything and nothing, while they are screaming or forcing the people into their several factions. This destroys the moment of religion, and the multitude are thereby wandering into endless mazes and perplexities, and rendered a hairing, staring, wrathful rabble; instead of being transformed into such Christians as filled the first church at Jerusalem; Christians who acknowledged and worshipped God the Father Almighty, in the name of Christ, that is, under a belief of that authority and power which the Father of the universe has, for the good of mankind, conferred upon him; and in humility and meekness, in mortification and self-denial, in a renunciation of the spirit, wisdom, and honours of this world, in a love of God, and desire of doing God's will, and seeking only his honour, were, by the gospel, made like unto Christ. Golden religion! Golden age! The doctrine of Christianity was then a restoration of true religion: the practice of Christianity, a restoration of human nature. But now, alas! too many explainers are employed in darkening and making doubtful the revealed will of God, and by paraphrases, expositions, commentaries, notes, and glosses, have almost rendered revelation useless. What do we see in the vast territories of popery, but a perfect diabolism in the place of the religion of our Lord? doctrines the most impious and absurd, the most inconsistent and contradictory in themselves, the most hurtful and mischievous in their consequences; the whole supported by persecution, by the sophistry of learned knaves, and the tricks of juggling priests. And if we turn our eyes from these regions of imposture and cruelty, to the realms of protestants, do we not find some learned Christian critics and expositors reducing the inspired writings to a dark science? without regard to the nature and intrinsic character of their doctrines, do they not advance notions as true and divine, which have not one appearance of divine authority? but on the contrary, militate with the reason of things, and the moral fitness of actions; and are so far from being plain and clear, free from all doubtfulness, or ambiguity, and suited to the understandings and capacity of men, that the darkness of them renders such pretended revelations of little service; and impeaches the veracity, wisdom, and goodness of God! Alas! too many explainers are clamorous, under the infallible strength of their own persuasions, and exert every power to unman us into believers. How the Apostles argued for the great excellency and dignity of Christianity is not with them the question; so far as I am able to judge from their learned writings; but the fathers, and our spiritual superiors have put upon the sacred writings the proper expli

cations; and we must receive the truth as they dispense it to us. This is not right, in my conception. I own it does not seem to answer the end of the Messiah's coming, which was to restore Reason and Religion to their rightful authority over mankind; and to make all virtue, and true goodness, flourish in the earth; the most perfect blessing to be sure that God could bestow on man, or man receive from God. This blessing we must miss, if human authority is to pin us down to what it pleases to call sense of scripture, and will set up the judgment of fallible men as the test of Christianity. The Christian laity are miserable indeed, if they be put under an obligation to find that to be truth which is taught by these leaders. In truth, we should be unhappy men, with a revelation in our churches and our closets, if the leaders had a right to make their own faith pass for the faith of the Apostles ; or, if we refused it, might lance the weapons of this world at their people. What must we do then as true Christians? I think for myself, that we ought to form our judgment, in matters of faith, upon a strict, serious and impartial examination of the holy scriptures, without any regard to the judgment of others, or human authority whatever : that we ought to open the sacred records, without minding any systems, and from the revealed word of God learn that Christianity does not consist in a jingle of unintelligible sounds, and new fundamentals, hewn out by craft, enthusiasm, or bigotry, and maintained with an outrage of uncharitable zeal, which delivers Christians to the flames of an eternal hell: but, that the heavenly religion of our Lord consists in looking on the promised Messiah, as the most consummate blessing God could bestow, or man receive; and that Jesus is that Messiah; in acting according to the rules of the gospel, and in studying to imitate God, who is the most perfect understanding nature, in all his moral perfections; in becoming the children of God by being, according to our capacity, perfect as he is perfect, and holy as he is holy, and merciful as he is merciful; and in our whole moral behaviour as like to him as possible.

In a word, to flee injustice, oppression, intemperance, impurity, pride, unmercifulness and revenge: to practise justice, piety, temperance, chastity, humility, beneficence, and placability: to turn from our iniquities to the practice of all virtue : and through the alone mediation of the only-begotten Son of God, believe in and worship the eternal mind, the one supreme spirit, in hope of a glorious immortality, through the sanctification of the Holy Ghost. These are the things the Lord came down to teach mankind. For the New Testament itself then we must declare, and look upon it as the only guide, or rule of faith. It is now the only deliverer of the declarations of our Lord and the rule in our inquiry is, that every thing necessary to be believed by a Christian,