he falls, who would not stretch out a hand to raise him up?

And here, I cannot help ftopping in the midst of this argument, to make a fhort obfervation, which is this. When we reflect upon the character of Humility,- we are apt to think it ftands the most naked and defencelefs of all virtues whatever, the leaft able to fupport its claims against the infolent antagonist who feems ready to bear him down, and all Cop pofition which fuch a temper can make.

Now, if we confider him as ftanding alone, no doubt, in fuch a cafe he will be overpowered and trampled upon by his oppofer ;

but if we

confider the meek and lowly man, as

he is fenced and guarded by the love, the friendship and wishes of all mankind,that the other ftands alone, hated, discountenanced, without one true friend or hearty well-wisher on his fide; when this is balanced, we fhall have reafon to change our opinion, and be convinced that the humble man, ftrengthened with fuch an alliance, is far from being fo overmatched as at first fight he may appear; -nay I believe one might venture to go further and engage for it, that in all fuch cafes, where real fortitude and true perfonal courage were wanted, he is much more likely to give proof of it, and I would fooner look for it in fuch a temper than in that of his adverfary. Pride may make a man vio

lent,

but Humility will make him firm:and which of the two, do you think, likely to come off with honour?he, who acts from the changeable impulfe of heated blood, and follows the uncertain motions of his pride and fury,or the man who ftands cool and collected in himfelf; who governs his refentments, inftead of being governed by them, and on every occafion acts upon the steady motives of principle and duty.

But this by the way;--though in truth it falls in with the main argument; for if the obfervation is just, and Humility has the advantages where we should leaft expect them, the argument rifes higher in behalf of those which are more apparently on its fide. L

that

In all which, if the humble man! finds, what the proud man-muft? never hope for in this world, is, rest to his foul,fo does he like. wife meet with it from the influence fuch a temper has upon his condition: under the evils of his life, not as chargeable upon the vices of men, but as the portion of his inheritance, by the appointment of GOD. For if, as Job fays, we are born to trouble as the fparks fly upwards, furely it is he who thinks the greatest of these troubles below his fins,-and the finalleft favours above his merit, that is likely to fuffer the leaft from the one, and enjoy the most from the other: 'tis he who poffeffes his foul in meeknefs, and keeps it fubjected to all the iffues of fortune, that is the fartheft out of their

reach. No.--He blames not the

fun, though it does not ripen his vine, nor blufters at the winds, though they bring him no profit.If the foun tain of the humble man rifes not as high as he could wish he thinks however, that it rifes as high as it ought, and as the laws of nature still do their duty, that he has no cause to complain against them.

If difappointed of riches--he knows the providence of God is not his debtor; that though he has received lefs than others, yet as he thinks himself lefs than the least, he has reason to be thankful.

If the world goes untoward with the humble man, in other refpects, he knows a truth which the proud