that they might have been or may be so, but oftener from a certain generosity and tenderness of nature which disposes us for compaffion, abstracted from all confiderations of felf: so that without any obfervable act of the will, we fuffer with the unfortunate, and feel a weight upon our spirits we know not why, on feeing the most common inftances of their distress. But where the spectacle is uncommonly tragical, and com plicated with many circumstances of mifery, the mind is then taken captive at once, and were it inclined to it, has no power to make resistance, but furrenders itself to all the tender emotions of pity and deep concern. So that when one considers this friendly part of our nature without looking farther, one would think it impoffible for man to look upon mifery without finding himself in some measure attached to the intereft of him who fuffers it-I say, one would think it impossible for there are some tempers-how shall I describe them? -formed either of such impenetrable matter, or wrought-up by habitual felfishness to fuch an utter insensibility of what becomes of the fortunes of their fellow creatures, as if they were not partakers of the fame nature, or had no lot or connection at all with the species.

SERMON, III. P. 43.

THE UNMERCIFUL ΜΑΝ.

LOOK into the world-how often do you behold a fordid wretch, whose strait heart is open to no man's affliction, taking shelter behind an appearance of piety, and putting on the garb of religion, which none but the merciful and compaffionate have a title to wear. Take notice with what fanctity he goes to the end of his days, in the same selfish track in which he at first set out-turning neither to the right hand nor to the left-but plods on-pores all his life long upon the ground, as if afraid to look up, left peradventure he should fee aught which might turn him one moment out of that strait line where interest is carrying him; or if, by chance, he stumbles upon a hapless object of distress, which threatens such a disaster to him-devoutly paffing by on the other fide, as if unwilling to trust himself to the impressions of nature, or hazard the inconveniences which pity might lead him into upon the occafion.

SERMON, III. P. 46.

PITY.

PITY.

I N benevolent natures the impulse to pity is so sudden, that like instruments of music which obey the touch-the objects which are fitted to excite fuch impreffions work so instantaneous an effect, that you would think the will was scarce concerned, and that the mind was altogether paffive in the sympathy which her own goodness has excited. The truth is the foul is generally in such cases so bufily taken up and wholly engrossed by the object of pity, that she does not attend to her own operations, or take leifure to examine the principles upon which she acts. SERMON, III. PAGE 51.

COMPASSION.

IN generous spirits, compaffion is sometimes more than a balance for self prefervation. God certainly interwove that friendly foftness in our nature to be a check upon too great a propenfity towards self-love.

F the many revengeful, covetous, false, and ill-natured persons which we complain of in the world, though we all join in the cry against them, what man amongst us singles out himself as a criminal, or ever once takes it into his head that he adds to the number?-or where is there a man so bad, who would not think it the hardest and most unfair imputation, to have any of those particular vices laid to his charge?

If he has the symptoms never so strong upon him, which he would pronounce infallible in another, they are indications of no such malady in himself-he fees what no one elfe fees, fome fecret and flattering circumstances in his favour, which no doubt make a wide difference betwixt his cafe, and the parties which he condemns.

What other man speaks so often and vehe mently against the vice of pride, fets the weak ness of it in a more odious light, or is more hurt with it in another, than the proud man himself?

It

It is the fame with the paffionate, the designing, the ambitious, and some other common characters in life; and being a consequence of the nature of such vices, and almost inseperable from them, the effects of it are generally so gross and absurd, that where pity does not forbid, it is pleasant to observe and trace the cheat through the several turnings and windings of the heart, and detect it through all the shapes and appearances which it puts on.

SERMON, IV. P. 72.

HOUSE OF MOURNING.

LET us go into the house of mourning, made so by fuch afflictions as have been brought in, merely by the common cross accidents and difafters to which our condition is exposed,where, perhaps, the aged parents fit brokenhearted, pierced to their fouls with the folly and indifcretion of a thankless child-the child of their prayers, in whom all their hopes and expectations centered: -perhaps a more affecting scene-a virtuous family lying pinched with want, where the unfortunate support of it having

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