by the fall of man in our first parents, and the chan acters of it rendered still less legible by the many superinductions of his own depraved appetites since, -yet 'tis a laudable pride and a true greatness of mind to cherish a belief, that there is so much of that glorious image still left upon it, as shall restrain him from base and disgraceful actions; to answer which end, what thought can be more conducive than that of our being made in the likeness of the greatest and best of Beings? This is a plain consequence. And the consideration of it should have in some measure been a protection to human nature, from the rough usage she has met with from the satirical pens of so many of the French writers, as well as of our own country, who with more wit than well-meaning, have desperately fallen foul upon the whole species, as a set of creatures incapable either of private friendship or publick spirit, but just as the case suited their own interest and advantage.

That there is selfishness and meanness enough in the souls of one part of the world, to hurt the credit of the other part of it, is what I shall not dispute against; but to judge of the whole from this bad sample, and because one man is plotting and artful in his nature;-or, a second openly makes his pleasure or his profit the whole centre of all his designs; -or because a third strait-hearted wretch sits confined within himself,-feels no misfortunes but those which touch himself;-to involve the whole race without mercy under such detested characters, is a conclusion as false as it is pernicious; and was it in general to gain credit, could serve no end, but the rooting out of our nature all that is generous, and

planting in the stead of it such an aversion to each other, as must untie the bands of society, and rob us of one of the greatest pleasures of it, the mutual communications of kind offices; and by poisoning the fountain, render every thing suspected that flows through it.

To the honour of human nature, the scripture teaches us, that God made man upright ;-and though he has since found out many inventions, which have much dishonoured this noble structure yet the foundation of it stands as it was, the whole frame and design of it carried on upon social virtue and publick spirit, and every member of us so evidently supported by this strong cement, that we may say with the apostle, that no man liveth to himself. In whatsoever light we view him, we shall see evidently that there is no station or condition of his life, no office or relation, or circumstance, but there arise from it so many ties, so many indispensable claims upon him, as must perpetually carry him beyond any selfish consideration, and shew plainly, that was a man foolishly wicked enough to design to live to himself alone, he would either find it impracticable, or he would lose, at least, the very thing which made life itself desirable. We know that our Creator, like an ill-wise contriver, in this, as in all other of his works, has implanted in mankind such appetites and inclinations as were suitable for their state; that is, such as would naturally lead him to the love of society and friendship, without which he would have been found in a worse condition than the very beasts of the field. No one, therefore, who lives in society, can be said to live to himself-he lives to his God,-to his king, and his

country; he lives to his family, to his friends, to all under his trust, and, in a word, he lives to the whole race of mankind whatsoever has the character of man, and wears the same image of God that he does, is truly his brother, and has a just claim to his kindness. That this is the case in fact, as well as in theory, may be made plain to any one who has made any observations upon human life. When we have traced it through all its connections,viewed it under the several obligations which succeed each other in a perpetual rotation through the different stages of a hasty pilgrimage, we shall find that these do operate so strongly upon it, and lay us justly under so many restraints, that we are every hour sacrificing something to society, in return for the benefits we receive from it.

To illustrate this, let us take a short survey of the life of any one man, not liable to great exceptions, but such a life as is common to most; let us examine it merely to this point, and try how far it will answer such a representation.

If we begin with him in that early age wherein the strongest marks of undisguised tenderness and disinterested compassion shew themselves,-I might previously observe, with what impressions he is come out of the hands of God, with the very bias upon his nature which prepares him for the character which he was designed to fulfil. But let us pass by the years which denote childhood, as no lawful evidence, you'll say, in this dispute; let us follow him to the period when he is just got loose from tutors and governors, when his actions may be argued upon with less exception: if you observe, you will find that one of the first and leading propensi

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ties of his nature is, that which discovers itself in the desire of society, and the spontaneous love towards those of his kind :-and though the natural wants and exigencies of his condition are, no doubt, one reason of this amiable impulse,-God having founded that in him as a provisional security to make him social, yet, though it is a reason in nature,— 'tis a reason to him yet undiscovered. Youth is not apt to philosophize so deeply, but follows, as it feels itself prompted by the inward workings of benevolence, without view to itself, or previous calculation either of the loss or profit which may accrue. Agreeably to this, observe how warmly, how heartily he enters into friendships, how disinterested, and unsuspicious in the choice of them !how generous and open in his professions!-how sincere and honest in making them good!-When his friend is in distress,-what lengths he will go! what hazards he will bring upon himself!--what embarrassment upon his affairs, to extricate and serve him! If man is altogether a selfish creature, as these moralizers would make him, 'tis certain he does not arrive at the full maturity of it in this time of his life. No. If he deserves any accusation, 'tis in the other extreme, "that in his youth he is generally more fool than knave;"-and so far from being suspected of living to himself, that he lives rath er to every body else; the unconsciousness of art and design, in his own intentions, rendering him so utterly void of a suspicion of it in others, as to leave him too oft a bubble to every one who will take the advantage. But you'll say, he soon abates of these transports of disinterested love; and as he grows

older, grows wiser, and learns to live more to him. self.

Let us examine.

That a longer knowledge of the world, and some experience of insincerity,-will teach him a lesson of more caution in the choice of friendships, and less forwardness in the undistinguished offers of his services, is what I grant. But if he cools of these, does he not grow warmer still in connections of a different kind? Follow him, I pray you, into the next stage of life, where he has entered into engage. ments, and appears as the father of a family, and you will see the passion still remains, the stream somewhat more confined, but runs the stronger for it :-the same benevolence of heart altered only in its course, and the difference of objects towards which it tends. Take a short view of him in this light, as acting under the many tender claims which that relation lays upon him,-spending many weary days and sleepless nights, utterly forgetful of himself, intent only upon his family, and with an anxious heart contriving and labouring to preserve it from distress, against that hour when he shall be taken from its protection. Does such a one live to himself? He who rises early, late takes rest, and eats the bread of carefulness, to save others the sorrow of doing so after him? Does such a one live only to himself?-Ye, who are parents, answer this question for him. How oft have ye sacrificed your health, your ease,-your pleasures,-nay, the very comforts of your lives, for the sake of your chil dren! How many indulgences have ye given up! -What self-denials and difficulties have ye cheerfully undergone for them!-In their sickness, or re