ments of it in that place. Do we fee in a nation or in a neighborhood, learning, arts and sciences encouraged and flourishing; rich and stately churches; charity foundations for educating the poor, and healing the fick; the public roads in good repair and the like; it may be depended on, that public spirit prevails in fuch places.-On the contrary, where public works and public charities are neglected in places, otherwife rich and opulent, and where private property abounds, it may be depended on, that there a selfish spirit and narrow, con tracted principle prevail.

6. Public fpirit was cultivated and cherifhed with the greatest care amongst the ancient Romans, and had wonderful effects in that commonwealth. It feems now to prevail much in Great Britain and the British colonies Wherever true learning and noble sentiments of liberty prevail, it flourishes. Under the contrary circumftances, it is starved and perishes. It is at a low ebb among these Islands, a few only excepted.

7. Public fpirit is a shining and useful virtue (1.) It is the offspring of univerfal charity and benevolence. (2.) It is the brightest resemblance of Gon and hisblessed Son. (3.) It is the certain mark of a brave, enlarged, benevolent foul. (4.) It is the parent of noble, generous and useful actions.

And therefore, (5.) It is the fource of the truest and most refined delight and pleasure to those who are poffeffed of it.

8. The Apoftles of Chrift, and those of their fucceffors who propagated the gofpel in foreign nations, at the expence of every thing dear and comfortable in nature, gave proof of the highest and nobleft public fpiritedness.

9. Next to thefe, those who charitably contribute to the propagation of the gospel, ftand foremost in the catalogue of the public fpirited.

10. The Chriftian religion lays down the finest and noblest rules, and the strongest motives for public fpirit; and indeed, a felfifh man cannot be a true Chriftian.

11. Selfishness is the most despicable of all human vices.

ESSAY LIII.

A proper TEMPER and CONDUCT towards ENEMIES.

1. OUR bleffed Saviour has laid down

an exprefs precept to his difciples

which states and limits their duties towards enemies: "But I fay unto you love

your enemies, blefs them that curfe you "do good to them that hate you, and pray

"for them which defpitefully ufe you, and "perfecute you," Matth. v. 44. He hath alfo enforced this precept, by giving the higheft example of obedience to it, in his own conduct. Yet there is no precept of the gofpel, the equity of which has been more difputed than this, and the impoffibility of obedience to it, more ftiffly and publicly afferted.

2. The reafon of the great reluctance of men's minds against this precept, seems to be this, that malice and revenge are the moft radical parts of the devil's image remaining in the minds of men, through their apoftacy and the corruption of their nature; and these together with mistaken notions of self-preservation, and immoderate selflove, difpofed men to imagine, that to love an enemy is impossible, and to hate him is just.

3. But when we fpeak of the duty of lov ing enemies we must carefully distinguish between the love of approbation and esteem, and the love of benevolence or goodwill. As to the former, we cannot have it for the one who does not appear amiable to our understanding, even to a child;-but the latter we owe, and ought to pay to all men. A parent for inftance, is far from approving a stubborn, refractory, immoral child; yet ftill his love of benevolence and good will, fhould continue in its full force and effica

cy. "GOD hateth the workers of iniquity, and is angry with the wicked every day:" He cannot therefore love them with a love of esteem and c mplacency; yet is he good and kind to the evil and unthankful; and with fuch a love of benevolence and beneficence did he love this sinful inimical world, as to give his only begotton Son to it," that whofoever believeth on himmight "not perish, but have everlasting life."* Christ could not furely love with esteem and complacency the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who killed and ftoned the prophets, and were then plotting against his own life without a caufe: Yet how warmly does he exprefs his love of benevolence and beneficence to them, and even prays for his own murderers. †

4. The extent and degree of the duties of benevolence and beneficence, either to friends or enemies, is various, according to merit, circumstances, or relation. The general fcripture rule is, " To do good to "all"-The reftriction is, to some more than to others, according to a variety of circumftances and confiderations.-A good maxim in this cafe, is, to prefer compassion to an enemy, before a matter of mere generosity to a friend, when we cannot exercise both together.

* Matth. v. 45. John iii. 16.

Matth. xxiii. 37. Luke xix. 41, 42,

-xxiii. 24.

any

5. Neither reafon nor fcripture requires I acts of kindness to our enemy, which are evidently prejudicial to our own intereft, or which might give him an advantage

over us.

6. We fhould forgive and do good to enemies, after the example of GoD and his Son.*

7. We fhould forgive them, and confequently do them good, as it is the necessary condition of our forgiveness from GoD.†

8. By forgiving and doing good to our enemy, we heap coals of fire upon his head, and take the most effectual method of recovering and fecuring his friendship, from the most winning and engaging motives.

ESSAY LIV.

TEMPTATIONS arising from COMPANY. 1. IT is generally allowed, that we take in moft temptations by the ear, or by the fenfe of hearing; and if fo, we are expofed to numberlefs temptations in company efpecially, if we confider, that the eye comes in, in aid of the ear, and often helps on these temptations.

2. This is occafioned by the univerfal corruption and degeneracy of human nature,

Rom. v. 6,-10. John iv. 10.

† Matth. vi. 12, 14, 14.

25, 26. Luke vi. 37.

-xviii. 21, 35. Mark xi -xxiii. 34.