(3.) The mind is apt to be prejudiced against or in favour of certain things and actions, as well as certain fentiments and perfons.

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nent, ungrateful, peevish, tricking, envious, churlish fellow. Now all thefe ill qualities proceed from the ignorance of good and evil. Since I am so happy as to understand the natural beauty of a good action, and the deformity of an ill one : fince the person that disobliges me is of near kin to me; and, tho' not just of the fame blood and family, yet of the fame divine extract as to his mind; and finally, fince I am convinced that no one can do me a real injury, because he cannot force me to do a dishonest thing; for these reafons I cannot find in my heart to hate him, or fo much as to be angry with him. Marc. Ant. Medit. Book 2.1.

You are just taking leave of the world; and have you not yet learned to be friends with every body? and that to be an honest man, is the only way to be a wife one? Id. Book 4. § 37.

To expect an impoffibility is madnefs: now it is impoffible for ill men not to do ill things. Id. Book 5. § 17.

It is the privilege of human nature above brutes to love thofe that offend us; in order to this confider, (1.) that the offending party is of kin to you; (2.) that he acts thus, because he knows no better; (3.) He may have no defign to offend you; (4.) You will both of you quickly be in your graves; but above all, (5.) you have received no harm from him, for your mind or reafon is the fame it was before. Id. Book 7. § 22.

Think upon your last hour, and do not trouble yourself about other people's faults, but leave them where they must be answered for. Id. Book 7. § 29.

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Do you not fometimes find dull disagreeable ideas annexed to certain places, seasons or

employments,

Do not return the temper of ill-natured people upon themfelves, nor treat them as they do the rest of mankind. Id. Book 7. § 55.

Tho' the Gods are immortal, yet they not only patiently bear with a wicked world through fo many ages; but what is more, liberally provide for it and are you, who are just going off the ftage, weary with bearing, tho' you are one of those unhappy mortals yourself? Id. Book 7. § 70.

Never disturb yourself; for men will do the fame untoward actions over again, tho' you burft with spleen. Id. Book 8. § 4

Reform an injurious perfon if you can; if not, remember your patience was given you to bear with him, That the Gods patiently bear with fuch men, and fometimes bestow upon them health, fame and fortune. Id. Book 9.11.

When people treat you ill, show their spite, and flander you, enter into their little fouls, go to the bottom of them, fearch their understandings; and you will foon fee, that nothing they may think or fay of you need give you one troublesome thought. Id. Book 9. $ 27.

That is the best thing for a man which GoD fends him; and that is the beft time when he fends it. Id. Book 10. § 2.

It is fometimes a hard matter to be certain, whether you have received ill ufage or not; for men's actions oftentimes look worse than they are: and one must be thoroughly informed of a great many things, before he can rightly judge. Id. Book 11. § 18.

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employments, which give you a fecret averfion to them? Thefe arife from the remembrance of fome unpleafing incidents you have heretofore met with, and which you apprehend may again befal you on fuch occafions. But they are often nothing more than the mere mifreprefentations of fancy; and ought to be repelled, because they will be apt to lead you to neglect the duties of your character.

If therefore you find in yourself a secret difinclination to any particular action or duty, and the mind begins to caft about for excufes and reasons to juftify the neglect of it, confider the matter well: Go to the bottom

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Confider how much more you often suffer from your anger and grief, than from those very things for which you are angry and grieved. Id. Book 11. § 18.

When you fancy any one hath tranfgreffed, fay thus to yourself: How do I know it is a fault? • But admit it is, it may be his confcience hath 'corrected him: and then he hath received his punishment from himself.' Id. Book 12. § 16.

To thefe I fhall add two more quotations out of the Sacred Writings, of incomparably greater weight and dignity than any of the forementioned. Prov. xix. 11. The difcretion of a man deferreth his anger: and it is his glory to pafs over a tranfgreffion. Rom. xii. 20, 21. If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink: for in fo doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

of that reluctance; and fearch out what it is that gives the mind this aversion to it. Whether it be the thing, the action itself or fome discouraging circumftances that may attend it; or fome difagreeable confequences that may poffibly flow from it; or your supposed unfitness for it at present. Why, all these things may be only imaginary. And to neglect a plain and pofitive duty, upon fuch confiderations, fhows that you are governed by appearances more than realities, by fancy more than reafon, and by inclination more than confcience.

But let fancy affemble all the difcouraging circumftances, and set them in the most formidable light, to bar your way to a supposed duty; for inftance, It is very difficult, I ⚫ want capacity, at least am fo indifpofed to it at prefent, that I fhall make nothing of it; and then it will be attended with danger to my perfon, reputation or peace; ' and the oppofition I am like to meet with

is great, &c.' But after all, is the call of Providence clear? Is the thing a plain duty ? fuch as reason, confcience, Scripture, your office, character or perfonal engagements call upon you to discharge? If so, all the aforefaid objections are vain and delusive; you have nothing to do, but to fummon your courage, and, in dependence on Divine help,

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73 to set about the business immediately, in good earnest, and in the wisest manner you can ; hence you may depend upon it, you will find the greatest difficulty to lie only in the first attempt; these frightful appearances to be all vifionary, the mere productions of fancy; nothing but floth, folly and self-indulgence, thus fet your imagination on work to deter you from a plain duty. Your heart would deceive you, but you have found out the cheat, and do not be imposed upon (i).

Suppose the thing done; confider how it will then appear. Take a view of it as past; and whatever pains it may coft you, think whether it will not be abundantly recompensed by the inward peace and pleasure, which arife from a consciousness of having acted right: It certainly will; and the difficulties you now dread will enhance your future fatisfaction (k). Think, again, how you will bear the reflections of your own mind if you wilfully neglect a plain and neceffary duty; whether this will not occafion you much more trouble than all the pains you might be at in performing it: and a wife man will

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(i) The wife and prudent conquer difficulties, By daring to attempt them. Sloth and Folly Shiver and shrink at fight of toil and danger, And make th' impoffibility they fear.' Rowe. (k) — forfan et hæc olim meminiffe juvabit.

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