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$54. Order to be preferved in your Society. Preferve order in the arrangement of your fociety; that is, entangle not your felves in a perpetual and promifcuous crowd; felett with prudence and propriety, thofe with whom you chufe to affociate; let company and retreat fucceed each other at meatured intervals. There can be no order in his life, who allots not a due fhare of his time to retirement and reflection. He can neither prudently arrange his temporal affairs, nor properly attend to his fpiritual interefts. He lives not to himself, but to the world. By continual diffipation, he is rendered giddy and thoughtless. He contracts unavoidably from the world that spirit of disorder and confufion which is fo prevalent in it.

It is not a fufficient prefervation againft this evil, that the circles of fociety in which you are engaged are not of a libertine and vicious kind. If they withdraw you from that attention to yourselves, and your domeftic concerns, which becomes a good man, they are fubverfive of order, and inconfiftent with your duty. What is innocert in itfelf, degenerates into a crime, from being carried to excefs; and idle, trifling fociety, is nearly a-kin to fuch as is corrupting. One of the first principles of order is, to learn to be happy at home. It is in domeftic retreat that every wife man finds his chief fatisfaction. It is there he forms the plans which regulate his pubEc conduct. He who knows not how to enjoy himself when alone, can never be long happy abroad. To his vacant mind, Company may afford a temporary relief; but when forced to return to himself, he will be fo much more oppreffed and languid. Whereas, by a due mixture of public and private life, we keep free of the fnares of both, and enjoy each to greater advantage.

Ibid.

$55. A due Regard to Order necesary in Bufinefs, Time, Expence, and Amufe

ments.

Throughout your affairs, your time, your expence, your amufements, your fociety, the principle of order must be equally carried, if you expect to reap any of its happy fruits. For if into any one of thofe great departments of life you fuffer diforder to enter, it will spread through all the reft. In vain, for inftance, you pur

pofe to be orderly in the conduct of your affairs, if you be irregular in the diribution of your time. In vain you attempt to regulate your expence, if into your amusements, or your fociety, diforder has You have admitted a principle of crept. confufion which will defeat all your plans, and perplex and entangle what you fought to arrange. Uniformity is above all things neceflary to order. If you defire that any thing fhould proceed according to method and rule, let all things be done in order.'

I must also admonish you, that in small, as well as in great affairs, a due regard to order is requifite. I mean not, that you ought to look on thofe minute attentions, which are apt to occupy frivolous minds, as connected either with virtue or wisdom: but I exhort you to remember, that diforder, like other immoralities, frequently takes rife from inconfiderable beginnings. They who, in the leffer tranfactions of life, are totally negligent of rule, will be in hazard of extending that negligence, by degrees, to fuch affairs and duties as will render them criminal. Remiffness grows on all who ftudy not to guard against it; and it is only by frequent exercife, that the habits of order and punctuality can be thoroughly confirmed.

Ibid.

§ 56. Idleness avoided by the Obfervation of Order.

By attending to order, you avoid idlenefs, that most fruitful fource of crimes and evils. Acting upon a plan, meeting every thing in its own place, you conftantly find innocent and ufeful employment for time. You are never at a lofs how to difpofe of your hours, or to fill up life agreeably. In the courfe of human action, there are two extremes equally dangerous to virtue; the multiplicity of affairs, and the total want of them. The

man of order ftands in the middle between these two extremes, and fuffers from neither: he is occupied, but not oppreffed. Whereas the difordely, overloading one part of time, and leaving another vacant, are at one period overwhelmed with bufinefs, and at another either idle through want of employment, or indolent through perplexity. Thofe feafons of indolence and idlenefs, which recur fo often in their life, are their most dangerous moments. The mind, unhappy in its fituation, and clinging to every object which can occupy

or amufe it, is then apteft to throw itself into the arms of every vice and folly. Farther; by the prefervation of order, you check inconftancy and levity. Fickle by nature is the human heart. It is fond of change; and perpetually tends to ftart afide from the flraight line of conduct. Hence arifes the propriety of bringing ourfelves under fubjection to method and rule; which, though at firft it may prove conftraining, yet by degrees, and from the experience of its happy effects, becomes natural and agreeable. It rectifies thofe irregularities of temper and manners to which we give the name of caprice; and which are diftinguished characteristics of a diforderly mind. It is the parent of fleadinefs of conduct. It forms confiftency of character. It is the ground of all the confidence we repofe in one another. For, the diforderly we know not where to find. In him only can we place any truft, who is uniform and regular; who lives by principle, not by humour; who acts upon a plan, and not by defultory motions."

Blair.

$57. Order effential to Self-enjoyment and

Felicity.

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$58. Care to be taken in fuppreffing crimi nal Thoughts.

When criminal thoughts arife, attend to all the proper methods of speedily fuppreffing them, Take example from the unhappy induftry which finners difcover in banishing good ones, when a natural fenfe of religion forces them on their confcience. How anxiously do they fly from themselves! How ftudionfly do they drown the voice which upbraids them, in the noife of company or diverfions! What numerous artifices do they employ, to evade the uneafinefs which returns of reflection would produce!-Were we to use equal diligence in preventing the entrance of vicious fuggeftions, or in repelling them when entered, why fhould we not be equally fuccefsful in a much better caufe? -As foon as you are fenfible that any dangerous paffion begins to ferment, inftantly call in other paffions, and other ideas, to your aid. Haften to turn your thoughts into a different direction. Summon up whatever you have found to be of power, for compofing and harmonizing your mind. Fly for affiftance to ferious fludies, to prayer and devotion; or even fly to bufinefs or innocent fociety, if folitude be in hazard of favouring the feduction. By fuch means you may flop the progrefs of the growing evil: you may apply an antidote, before the poifon has had time to work its full effect.

Confider alfo how important it is to your felf-enjoyment and felicity. Order is the fource of peace; and peace is the highest of all temporal bleflings. Order is indeed the only region in which tranquillity dwells. The very mention of confufion imports disturbance and vexation. Is it poffible for that man to be happy, who cannot look into the ftate of his affairs, or the tenor of his conduct, without difcerning all to be embroiled? who is either in the midst of remorse for what he has neglected to do, or in the midst of hurry to overtake what he finds, too late, was neceffary to have been done? Such as live according to order, may be compared to the celeftial bodies, which move in regular courfes, and by ftated laws; whofe in fluence is beneficent; whofe operations are quiet and tranquil. The diforderly, refemble thofe tumultuous elements on earth, which, by fudden and violent irrup-$59. tions, disturb the course of nature. By mifmanagement of affairs, by excefs in expence, by irregularity in the indulgence of company and amufement, they are perpetually creating moleftation both to themfelves and others. They depart from their road to feek pleafure; and inftead of it, they every where raife up forrows. Being

Ibid.

Experience to be anticipated by Reflection.

It is observed, that the young and the ignorant are always the most violent in purfait. The knowledge which is forced upon them by longer acquaintance with the world, moderates their impetuofity. Study then to anticipate, by reflection, that knowledge which experience often pur

chafes

chafes at too dear a price. Inure yourselves to frequent confideration of the emptiness of thofe pleasures which excite fo much ftrife and commotion among mankind. Think how much more of true enjoyment is left by the violence of paffion, than by the want of thofe things which give occaten to that paffion. Perfuade yourfelves, that the favour of God, and the pokemon of virtue, form the chief happinefs of the rational nature. Let a contented mind, and a peaceful life, hold the next place in your estimation. Thefe are the conclufions which the wife and think ing part of mankind have always formed. To these conclufions, after having run the race of paffion you will probably come at the Lt. By forming them betimes, you would make a feafonable efcape from that tempetuous region, through which none can pals without fuffering mifery, contracting guilt, and undergoing fevere remorse.

Blair.

60. The Beginnings of Paffion to be oppofed.

Oppofe early the beginnings of paffion. Av particularly all fuch objects as are apt to excite paffions which you know to Fred ninate within you. As foon as you fa the tempeft rifing, have recourfe to every proper method, either of allaying its violence, or of efcaping to a calmer there. Haften to call up emotions of an epote nature. Study to conquer one Falon by means of fome other which is of lefs dangerous tendency. Never account any thing fmall or trivial, which is in hazard of introducing diforder into your heart. Never make light of any defire which you feel gaining fuch progrefs as to threaten entire dominion. Blandifhing it will appear at the firft. As a gentle and innocent emotion, it may steal into the heart; but as it advances, is likely to Pierce you through with many forrows. What you indulged as a favourite amufement, will shortly become a serious bufinefs, and in the end may prove the burden of your life. Moft of our paffions flatter us in their rife, but their beginnings are treacherous: their growth is imperceptible; and the evils which they carry in their train, lie concealed, until their dominion is established. What Solomon fays of one of them, holds true of them all, that their beginning is as when one letteth out water. It iflues from a small chink, which once might have been eafily ftopped; but being neglected, it is foon widened

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§ 61. The Government of Temper, as included in the Keeping of the Heart.

Paffions are quick and ftrong emotions, which by degrees fubfide. Temper is the difpofition which remains after thefe emotions are paft, and which forms the habitual propenfity of the foul. The one are like the stream when it is fwoln by the torrent, and ruffled by the winds; the other refembles it when running within its bed, with its natural force and velocity. The influence of temper is more filent and imperceptible than that of paffion; it operates with lefs violence; but as its operation is conflant, it produces effects no lefs confiderable. It is evident, therefore, that it highly deferves to be confidered in a religious view.

Many, indeed, are averfe to behold it in this light. They place a good temper upon the fame footing with a healthy conftitution of body. They confider it as a natural felicity which fome enjoy; but for the want of which, others are not morally culpable, nor accountable to God: and hence the opinion has fometimes prevailed, that a bad temper might be confiftent with a state of grace. If this were true, it would overturn that whole doctrine, of which the gofpel is fo full, that regeneration, or change of nature, is the effential characteriftic of a Chriftian. It would fuppofe, that grace might dwell amidst malevolence and rancour, and that heaven might be enjoyed by fuch as are ftrangers to charity and love.-It will readily be admitted that fome, by the original frame of their mind, are more favourably inclined than others, towards certain good difpofitions and habits. But this affords no juftification to those who neglect to oppose the corruptions to which they are prone. Let no man imagine, that the human heart is a foil altogether unfufceptible of culture! or that the worft temper may not, through the affiftance of grace, be reformed by attention and difcipline. Settled depravity of temper is always owing to our own indulgence. If, in place of checking, we nourish that malignity of difpofition to which we are inclined, all the confequences will be placed to our account, and every excufe, from natural conftitution, be rejected at the tribunal of Heaven.

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62. A peaceable Temper and condefcending Manners recommended.

What first prefents itfelf to be recommended, is a peaceable temper; a dif pofition averfe to give offence, and defirous of cultivating harmony, and amicable intercourfe in fociety. This fuppofes yielding and condefcending manners, unwillingness to contend with others about trifles, and, in contests that are unavoidable, proper moderation of fpirit. Such a temper is the first principle of felf-enjoyment; it is the bafis of all order and happinefs among mankind. The pofitive and contentious, the rude and quarrelfome, are the bane of fociety; they fee: deftined to blast the small share of comfort which nature has here allotted to man. But they cannot difturb the peace of others, more than they break their own. The hurricane rages firft in their own bofom, before it is let forth upon the world. In the tempeft which they raife, they are always loft; and frequently it is their lot to perish.

A peaceable temper muft be fupported by a candid one, or a difpofition to view the conduct of others with fairnefs and impartiality. This ftands oppofed to a jealous and fufpicious temper; which afcribes every action to the worst motive, and throws a black fhade over every character. As you would be happy in yourfelves, or in your connections with others, guard against this malignant fpirit. Study that charity which thinketh no evil; that temper which, without degenerating into credulity, will difpofe you to be juft; and which can allow you to obferve an error, without imputing it as a crime. Thus you will be kept free from that continual irritation which imaginary injuries raise in a fufpicious breaft; and will walk among men as your brethren, not your enemies.

But to be peaceable, and to be candid, is not all that is required of a good man. He must cultivate a kind, generous, and fympathizing temper, which feels for dif trefs wherever it is beheld; which enters into the concerns of his friends with ardour; and to all with whom he has intercourfe, is gentle, obliging, and humane. How amiable appears fuch a difpofition, when contrafted with a malicious or envious temper, which wraps itfelf up in its own narrow interefts, looks with an evil eye on the fuccefs of others, and with an unnatural fatisfaction feeds on their dif

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§ 63. Numerous Occafions offer for the Exertion of a benevolent Temper.

You are not to imagine that a benevolent temper finds no exercife, unless when opportunities offer of performing actions of high generofity, or of extenfive utility: thefe may feldom occur: the condition of the greater part of mankind in a good measure precludes them. But in the ordinary round of human affairs, a thousand occafions daily prefent themselves of miti gating the vexations which others fuffer, of foothing their minds, of aiding their intereft, of promoting their chearfulness, or eafe. Such occafions may relate to the fmaller incidents of life: But let us remember that of fmall incidents, the fyftem of human life is chiefly compofed. The attentions which refpect thefe, when faggefted by real benignity of temper, are often more material to the happiness of thofe around us, than actions which carry the appearance of greater dignity and fplendour No wife or good man ought to account any rules of behaviour as below his regard, which tend to cement the great brotherhood of mankind in comfortable union.

Particularly in the course of that familiar intercourfe which belongs to domeftic life, all the virtues of temper find an ample range. It is very unfortunate, that within that circle, men too often think themfelves at liberty to give unrestrained vent to the caprice of paffion and humour. Whereas there, on the contrary, more than any where, it concerns them to attend to the government of their heart; to check what is violent in their tempers, and to foften what is harfh in their manners. For there the temper is formed. There the real character difplays itself. The forms of the world difguife men when abroad; but within his own family, every man is known to be what he truly is. In all our intercourfe, then, with others, particularly in that which is closest and most intimate, let us cultivate a peaceable, a candid, a gentle and friendly temper. This is the temper to which, by repeated injunctions, our holy religion feeks to form us. This

was

was the temper of Christ. This is the temBlair. per of Heaven. 564 Autented Temper the greatest Blef fing, and most material Requifite to the proper Djbarge of our Duties.

A contented temper is one of the greateft bleifings that can be enjoyed by man, and one of the most material requifites to the proper difcharge of the duties of every ftation. For a fretful and difcontented temper renders one incapable of perform ing aright any part in life. It is u.thankful and impious towards God; and towards men provoking and unjust. It is a gangrene which preys on the vitals, and infects the whole conftitution with disease and putrefaction. Subdue pride and vanity, and you will take the most effectual method of eradicating this distemper. You will no longer behold the objects around you with jaundiced eyes. You will take in good part the bleffings which Providence is pleafed to bestow, and the degree of favour which your fellow-creatures are difpofed to grant you, Viewing your felves, with all your imperfections and fings, in a juft light, you will rather be furprised at your enjoying fo many good things, than difcontented because there are any which you want. From an humble and contented temper, will fpring a chearfal one. This, if not in itself a virtue, is at least the garb in which virtue should be always arrayed. Piety and goodhefs ought never to be marked with that de. jection which fometimes takes rife from fuperftition, but which is the proper portion only of guilt. At the fame time, the chearfulness belonging to virtue, is to be carefully distinguished from that light and giddy temper which characterifes folly, and is fo often found among the diffipated and vicious part of mankind. Their gaiety is owing to a total want of reflection; and brings with it the ufual confequences of an unthinking habit, shame, remorfe, and heavinefs of heart, in the end. The chearfalnefs of a well-regulated mind, fprings from a good confcience and the favour of Heaven, and is bounded by temperance and reafon. It makes a man happy in himself, and promotes the happiness of all around him. It is the clear and calm fun fhine of a mind illuminated by piety and virtue. It crowns all other good difpofi. tions, and comprehends the general effect which they ought to produce on the heart, Ibid,

§ 65. The Defire of Praife fubfervient to many valuable Purposes.

To a variety of good purposes it is subfervient, and on many occafions co-operates with the principle of virtue. It awakens us from floth, invigorates activity, and ftimulates our efforts to excel. It has given rife to most of the fplendid, and to many of the useful enterprizes of men. It has animated the patriot, and fired the hero. Magnanimity, generofity, and fortitude, are what all mankind admire. Hence, fuch as were actuated by the defire of extenfive fame, have been prompted to deeds which either participated of the fpirit, or at leaft carried the appearance, of diftinguished virtue. The defire of praife is generally connected with all the finer fenfibilities of human nature. It affords a ground on which exhortation, counfel, and reproof, can work a proper effect. Whereas, to be entirely deftitute of this paffion betokens an ignoble mind, on which no moral impreffion is easily made. Where there is no defire of praife, there will be alfo no fenfe of reproach; and if that be extinguifhed, one of the principal guards of virtue is removed, and the mind thrown open to many opprobrious, purfuits. He whofe countenance never glowed with fhame, and whofe heart never beat at the found of praife, is not deftined for any honourable distinction; is likely to grovel in the fordid queft of gain; or to flumber life away in the indolence of felf, ish pleasures.

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Abitracted from the fentiments which are connected with it as a principle of ac tion, the esteem of our fellow-creatures is an object which, on account of the advan tages it brings, may be lawfully purfued. It is neceffary to our fuccefs, in every fair and honeft undertaking. Not only our private intereft, but our public ufefulness, depends, in a great measure, upon it. The fphere of our influence is contracted or enlarged, in proportion to the degree in which we enjoy the good opinion of the public. Men liten with an unwilling eat to one whom they do not honour; while a respected character adds weight to example, and authority to counfel. To defire the esteem of others for the fake of its effects, is not only allowable, but in many cafes is our duty: and to be totally indifferent to praife or cenfure, is fo far from being a virtue, that it is a real defect in character,

E 4

Ibid.

§66

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