cent, and adorn the Doctrine of Christ, than to take the fulleft Revenge of him that has injured you.

10. Confider this, that by returning Good for Evil, you will better obtain all the fuppofed Defigns and Ends of Anger, than by practifing Revenge; For, (1.) If your Enemy has any thing of Humanity in him, any Tenderness about his Heart, you will melt him down by fuch a Carriage, you will foften his Spirit into Love, and bring him, as it were to your Foot. However, (2.) If this defirable Effect be not obtained, you

fhew your your Obedience to the Gospel, you put your Cafe intirely into the Hand of God, who will plead your Caufe. Be not overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good: If thine Enemy bunger, feed him; if he thrift, give him drink; fo fhalt thou beap Coals of Fire on his Head; either to melt him down to friendly Submiffion, or to bring the Vengeance of God upon him, if he will not be reconciled.

11. If

11. If you are angry with a good Man, do you not hope to meet him. fhortly in Heaven, in the Regions of Peace and Love? And will you not be afhamed to meet him in Heaven whom. you reviled and perfecuted here on Earth? If he be a wicked Man against whom you fhew your Refentment, he will fhortly fall under the juft Wrath of God, unless he repent, and he needs not to have the Addition of your's: He will be given up to the Rage and Infults of Devils hereafter, and you need not begin to torment him here with your Revenges.

12. Suppofe you knew that you were near Death, and that your Enemy were also dying, would you not defire to be reconciled to him before that awful Moment? Confider that you are both dying Creatures, Borderers on the Grave and Eternity; Suffer not the Sun to go down upon your Wrath, left both your Souls fhould be required this Night, left you die before you are re

H 4

conciled

conciled; and I am fure, if you are a Chriftian, an unreconciled Spirit will make the hour of Death very uneafy, and render your Paffage out of this World dark and uncomfortable. But I perfuade myself better Things concerning every one who is a true Difciple of Chrift.

SECT. XXIV.

Some univerfal Directions, which relate to all the forementioned Paffions, and the Regulation of them.

ISH

SHALL divide these laft general Directions into two forts: The firft fort may be called Moral and Philofophical; and the fecond, Religious or Di

vine.

The Moral or Philofophical Directions are these :

1. Let the Regulation of your Paffions be the Care of your younger your younger Years,

and

and carry on this neceffary Work through your whole Life, without Intermiffion. The Grave is the only Burying-place of unruly Affections. If you are fo happy as to have begun this SelfGovernment in Childhood, and been taught to fupprefs the irregular Motions of the Heart betimes, you will make the remaining Work much more eafy, and the following Parts of Life more peaceful and honourable; though perhaps there is no complete Victory till we are difmiffed from Flesh and. Blood.

Root up the foul Weeds of Pride, Malice and Envy, as foon as ever you find them fpringing: Let them be nipt in their very Bud and Infancy, left they fix their Roots too deep in the Heart to be removed, and bear the bitter Fruits of Mischief, Iniquity and Death. A tender Plant is fooner rooted up than an old and fturdy Tree..

Bend the more lawful and useful Paf fions of Love, Defire, foy, Fear, Anger,, H 5

and!

and Sorrow, like young Trees, into a beautiful and regular Form, and prune off all their luxuriant Branches. Begin to bring them to obey the Laws of Reafon betimes. Keep a conftant and an early Watch against the Wanderings and the Out-breakings of every Affection. Let Wisdom put a Bridle on them before they are grown headstrong and unruly, that you may guide them ufefully, like a managed Horfe, through the various Paths of human Life and they may bear you on to Duty and Happi

nefs.

And I would earnestly recommend it to Parents and Teachers, to infinuate the Advantage of ruling the Paffions to all the young People whom Nature or Providence has put under their Care. Let them be taught these Leffons in the very Morning of Life. Otherwife you may expect that a young Humourist will grow up to an intolerable Peevifhnefs, and become a four old Wretch: A wrathful Child, untaught to bridle his Rage, will grow to an incurable Fury.

Spite