ing every thing worth remembering the day past.

(7.) Efteem it not enough to furnish this ftore-house of the mind with good thoughts, but lay them up there in order, digested or ranged under proper fubjects and claffes; that whatever subject you have occasion to think or talk upon, you may have recourse immediately to a good thought, which you heretofore laid up there under that fubject: fo the very mention of the fubject may bring the thought to hand; by which means you will carry a regular Common-Place-Book in your memory. It may not be amiss occafionally to take an inventory of this mental furniture, and to recollect how many good thoughts you have treasured up under fuch particular fubjects, and whence you had

them.

(Laftly,) Nothing helps the memory more than frequently thinking, writing or talking, on those subjects you would remember.But enough of this.

XV.

CHA P. XVI.

Concerning the Mental Tafte.

MAN that knows himself, is

A fenfible of, and attentive to, the

particular tafte of his mind, especially in matters of religion.

As

As the late Mr. Howe judiciously observes, there is befide bare understanding and judgment, and diverse from that heavenly gift, which in the Scripture is called Grace, fuch a thing as guft and relish belonging to the mind of man, (and, I doubt not, ⚫ with all men, if they duly observe themfelves) and which are altogether as unaccountable, and as various as the relifhes and difgufts of fenfe.

This they only wonder at who understand not themselves, or will confider nobody but themselves. So that it cannot be faid univerfally, that it is a better judgment, or more that determines men one way or the grace other; but somewhat in the temper of their minds diftinct from both, which I

TASTE. MENTAL

• know not how better to express than by -And this hath no ' more of mystery in it, than that there is • fuch a thing belonging to our natures as ' complacency and difplicency in reference to the objects of the mind. And this, in the kind of it, is as common to men as human nature; but as much diverfi'fied in individuals as men's other inclinations are (a).'

Now

(a) See his humble requeft both to Conformists and Diffenters.

Now this different tafte in matters relating to religion, (tho' it may be fometimes natural or what is born with a man, yet) generally arifes from the difference of education and cuftom. The true reafon why fome perfons have an inveterate dif relish to certain circumftantials of Religion, tho' ever so justifiable, and at the fame time a fixed esteem for others that are more exceptionable, may be no better than what I have heard fome very honestly profefs, viz. that the one they have been used to, and the other they have not: As a perfon, by long use and habit, acquires a greater relifh for coarfe and unwholesome food than the most delicate diet; fo a perfon, long habituated to a fet of phrases, notions and modes, may, by degrees, come to have fuch a veneration and efteem for them, as to defpife and condemn others which they have not been accustomed to, tho' perhaps more edifying, and more agreeable to Scripture and reafon.

This particular tafte, in matters of religion, differs very much (as Mr. Howe well obferves) both from judgment and grace. However, it is often miftaken for both; when it is mistaken for the former, it leads

to error; when mistaken for the latter to cenforioufnefs.

This different tafte of mental objects is much the fame with that, which, with regard to the objects of fense, we call fancy; for as one man cannot be faid to have a better judgment in food than another, merely because he prefers fome kind of meats; fo neither can he be faid to have a better judgment in matters of religion, purely because he hath a greater fondness for some particular doctrines and forms.

But tho' this mental tafte be not the fame as the judgment, yet it often draws the judgment to it; and fometimes very much perverts it.

This appears in nothing more evidently than in the judgment which fome pass upon the fermons they hear many are best pleased with those difcourfes that are pathetic and warming, feveral with what is more folid and rational, and others with the fublime and myftical; nothing can be too plain for the taste of fome or too refined for that of others. Some would have the addrefs only to their reason and understanding, others only to their affections and passions, and many to their experience and confciences Every hearer or reader is apt to judge according to his particular tafte, and

to

to esteem him the beft preacher or writer who pleases him moft; without previously examining that taste, by which he judgeth.

"

It is natural for every one to defire to have his own tafte pleased, yet it is unreasonable to set it up as the best, and to make it a teft and ftandard for others: but much more unreasonable to expect that he who speaks in public should always fpeak to his tafte: which might as reasonably be expected by another of a different opinion. It is equally impoffible that what is delivered to a multitude of hearers fhould alike fuit all their taftes, as that a fingle dish, tho' prepared with diftinguished art and exactness, should equally please a great variety of appetites; among which there may be fome, perhaps, very nice and fickly.

It is the preacher's duty to adapt his • fubjects to the tafle of his hearers, as far as fidelity and confcience will admit; because it is well known from reafon and experience, as well as from the advice and practice of the apostle Paul(b), that this is the

Y

(b) Rom. xv. 2. Let every one of us pleafe his neighbour for his good to edification. Cor. ix. 22. To the weak, became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means fave fome.