what They have as much a Right to, as SERM. II. they have to any Property whatever; that every Perfon, whether above us, or below us, has as well-grounded a Claim to good Manners from the Laws of Reafon and Religion, as he has to his Eftate from the Laws of the Land: And did we act agreeably to fuch Reflections, our Minds would be inured to Humanity; the Virtues of Patience, Long-fuffering, mutual Forbearance would be every Day called into Action, and ripen into Habits; till at last we arrived at a thorough-good Temper. From hence we may learn, how little Reafon any have to complain, that they have it not in their Power to do good. Whereas, if we would act agreeably to thofe Relations, fome of which we must bear to those about us, viz. those of Parents, Children, married Perfons, Superiors, Equals, Inferiors, Friends; there is not a Day paffes over our Heads, but we might contribute fomething to leffen the Uneafinefs, or promote the Happiness of thofe, with whom we have to do; and by ftudying to promote their Happiness, we mould ourselves into thofe Habits, which are productive of our own, both here and hereafter.

VOL. I

E

SER

PROVERBS XV. verse 17.

Better is a Dinner of Herbs where Love is, than a ftalled Ox, and Hatred therewith.

T

mon on

HAT is, a moderate Subfiftence SER. III. where Love is among Domestics, The feimparts a more unallayed Satisfac- cond Sertion, than all the high and genteel Enjoy- this Subments of Life without the material Ingre-ject. dient of Happiness. Senfual Pleasures would be very flat and infipid; unless they were quickened by a mixture of focial, friendly and liberal Pleafures, by the Thoughts of imparting them to, and sharing them with, thofe, whom we love and efteem. It is this, that takes off or qualifies their Groffnefs,

E 2

SER. III. nefs, and gives them their most endearing

Charm. One can fcarce believe, that a
rational Man can love himself, without lov-
ing fomebody, befides himself. For he could
find nothing in himself worth loving, if he
were of that unloving and unlovely Tem-
per.
He would defpife that little Thing,
the Heart, if it were intirely engroffed by
Self, without a Capacity to harbour any
other Gueft, however deferving; juft as he
would a poor narrow Cottage which could
barely accommodate it's forry Owner, but
wanted Room to lodge and entertain a
Friend. He who feels within himself a
dull Indifference for all Mankind; muft, one
would imagine, have a thorough Difrelish
of Himself.

In a former Difcourfe I therefore fhewed
the Reasonableness and great Advantages of
Union, Love, and a friendly Behaviour among
Domeftics. And in pursuance of this Defign

I shall now proceed to fuggeft fuch Confiderations, as may beget, preserve and cultivate fuch an Union.

In the firft Place, do not delude yourfelf with any vifionary Notions of Perfection. Confider Men, as they really are,

I

with all their numerous Imperfections; and SERM.III not as you could fondly with them to be. The Philofophers have remarked what a joyless unfightly figure the material World would make, if it were divefted of all it's adventitious Ornaments, of all it's Lights and Colours, which are Appearances only, and not the real Properties of matter. am apt to think the moral World would make as unlovely an Appearance, if we could view it in a true Light, ftript of all Disguises; and Men fhould appear naked and unveiled, just what they are, with all their Imperfections, all their little finifter Views, and their Follies, which they induftriously cast in Shades, expofed to publick View. But God, who knows whereof we are made, and has ordered all Things for the beft, has wifely ordained, that our Minds fhould not be tranfparent, nor our Thoughts vifible to one another; till we arrive at that Place, where we fhall have no paltry Thoughts, no vain and fenfeless Follies, nothing, that need poorly skulk, and fhun the Light. The generality of Men are like the generality of Books, which we may often be obliged to have Recourse to, and confult, upon particular Occafions;