In the last chapter of this work, our author treats of humility and meeknefs. He introduces it with observing, that humility does not confift in thinking worfe of ourfelves than we really deferve; that it is not pride in any man to reckon himself a good and virtuous perfon, if he truly is fo, or to prefer himself to others, whose lives are evidently wicked and immoral; this being no more than forming a right judgment of things. And yet, fays he, many feem to think, that it is of the effence of humility, to entertain the meanest and vileft opinion of themselves they can poffibly form; they set out with this falfe principle, that they cannot degrade themselves enough: and thus they are not only deprived of that fatisfaction and comfort, which are the natural reward of their integrity; but proceed fo far, as to make it one part of the principal character of a faint, to think and fpeak fuch ill things of himfelf, as, if true, would infallibly prove him to be in the very gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity.

• Such apprehenfions as these must neceffarily weaken all the ties of moral goodness, as, in their confequences, they plainly reprefent him to be the most religious, who is, in his true character, the worst of men; and fuppofe, that the virtues of fociety, instead of being neceffary offices of true religion, are, both with refpect to the inward difpofition, and the outward act, things that a humble pious chriftian may be wholly deftitute of: and they are attended with this additional ill confequence, that, as men are generally apt to judge of others by themselves, they will naturally think the whole race of mankind, to whom their focial duties are to be paid, to be a set of such vile miscreants, as cannot, reafonably, be deemed worthy of their esteem and friendship.

Again, another very mifchievous and unfocial defcription of humility is, to make it confist in despising and vilifying reafon, and in representing religion as not the matter of our deliberate conviction, and free choice: for this is, in effect, deftroying all the boundaries of right and wrong, and making the very notion of virtue and vice an abfolute contradiction. The fame may be faid of all those accounts of the duty of humility, which dishonour human nature, by representing it as a monftrous compofition of spleen, meannefs of fpirit, and of all other base and ungenerous difpofitions, which naturally tend to oppofe the good of mankind; and which, if it was the true state of the cafe, would furnish a plaufible excufe for the vices of the fenfual,

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the proud, the cruel, from the necessary malignity and de-privation of human nature of those accounts likewife, which teach christian humility to undervalue and difgrace morality, and, by neceffary confequence, all the focial virtues. I do not pretend to affert, that, with those who efpouse and zealously propagate fuch principles as thefe, they have this real effect, viz. to prevent their being meek, beneficent, and true lovers of mankind; but only, that this is their direct and natural tendency, though it may be obstructed, in particular inftances, by other accidental caufes. Having thus guarded against fome grofs mistakes, I proceed to explain more directly, wherein true humility confifts; and fhall,

First, confider it as an inward principle, as the temper and habit of the mind. In this view, it implies a general knowledge of human nature, and just apprehenfions concerning it-that we are truly fenfible of the limitation of its faculties, and the imperfection of its knowledge and goodness; which will fupprefs haughtiness and arrogance, vices that are highly detrimental to the peace and order of fociety. True humility teaches us, to confider ourselves as beings of a mixed make, compounded of understanding and appetite, or, in other words, of an intelligent and fenfitive nature: who, with respect to the inferior part, are nearly allied to creatures below us, and whofe intellectual capacities are narrow and confined: that we have many defires, which we cannot fatisfy; are preffed with wants, which we cannot relieve; and liable to numberless cares, croffes, and difappointments. This is the real ftate of things and therefore human nature, in the general confideration of it, can make but a lowly appearance in the eyes of humble and impartial minds, if compared with the va rious orders of intelligent beings, which may be conceived to be above it; but efpecially, with the abfolutely perfect creator of all things. And thefe, furely, are fentiments which muft, in the strongest manner, enforce every focial virtue: while the contrary difpofitions of pride and highmindedness tend utterly to efface the impreffions of modesty, juftice, and humanity.

As the excellency of virtues is oftentimes more ftrongly illuftrated, by expofing the depravity and pernicious confequences of their contrary vices, our author enlarges his reflections upon this fubject; and confiders pride in its manifeft contrariety to human nature, as rational, animal, moral, or focial. He fhews, that man's intellectual capacities,

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though an eminent prerogative, and a distinguished excellence in human nature, when compared with the niere inftincts of inferior creatures, afford no foundation for haughtinels and vain oftentation, but, on the contrary, yield the ftrongest arguments for humility ;-that the whole animal frame, in every view of it, affords mortifying reflections, and is a fcene of humiliation, very proper to be often reprefented to our minds, in order, thoroughly, to extirpate all the feeds of arrogance and pride;-that a too high opinion of one's felf, on account of his goodness, is altogether as grofs and inexcufable an excefs, as to be over-conceited of his wifdom;-and that outward honours, the advantages of fituation and fortune, and all the external trappings and decorations of life, may be the effect of chance, of wrong judgment, of fancy and partiality, or fpring from baseness of temper, and fuccefful wickenefs: and that, in what manner foever they are acquired and conveyed to the immediate poffeffor, they can add nothing to his true worth, which is entirely intrinfical; independent on titles, and arbitrary marks of dignity; independent on the favour of princes, or giddy applaufes of the multitude, or on any accidents and revolutions in the courfe of human affairs.

As me:kness and humility are in many points, in a great measure, coincident, our author fays little of the former; only obferves, that it does not denote a tame, pufillanimous temper, that has not refolution enough to affert its natural and just rights-that it is not an indolent temper, unconcern'd about the general ftate of the world, and its own fituation and character in it-that it is not an over-awed, timorous, and depreffed fpirit-but that it ftands opposed to difcontent and difquietude, to pride and turbulence of spirit, to intemperate exceffes of paffion and anger, and, finally, to extremes of refentment, and a boisterous revengeful difpofition.

As the offices of devotion, fubjoined to thefe difcourfes, breathe fuch a spirit of rational and animated piety, and contain fuch exalted and honourable sentiments of the divine nature and perfections, our presenting our readers with one of them, will not, we apprehend, ftand in need of any apology.

A general prayer: or, A prayer for common occafions.

Mof glorious and for ever bleffed Lord our God, whofe kingdom ruleth over all: thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth from generation

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to generation. We defire to proftrate our fouls at the foot. ftool of thy glorious throne, adoring thee as a being of tranfcendent and incomprehenfible majesty, of abfolute rectitude and perfection of nature, of Spotless purity, of frict inflexible justice, of unerring and fathomlefs wisdom, of boundless uncontroulable power, of unlimited unchangeable goodness, worthy to be praised, feared, and loved by all thine intelligent creatures. We defire, with the bumbleft reverence, to adore thee, as the great creator of heaven and earth, and of all things vifible, and invifible; who haft difplayed thine infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, in the moft illuftrious and astonishing manner, in all thy works of creation: fo that the heavens declare thy glory, and the firmament fheweth thine handywork; the whole earth is full of abundant teftimonies of thy, loving-kindness and mercy; and the minutest of thy works praise thee.

We adore thee, likewife, as the fupreme lord and governor of all things, whofe fovereign and efficacious providence is over the whole univerfe; conducting and difpofing all events for the general good of thy creatures, and for the particular advantage of those who fincerely ferve thee, and place their humble trust and confidence in thy mercy. We most highly rejoice, that thou the Lord God omnipotent, most wife, most righte ous, and most merciful, reigneft. We rejoice in the propitioufnefs and clemency of thy government, in the reasonableness, equity, and purity of thy laws. We efteem it our high honour, and our inestimable privilege, that we have liberty to Spread our wants and difficulties before thee; who art able to do exceeding and abundantly for us, beyond all that we are able either to ask or think, and art tenderly concerned for the happiness of all thy creatures. We refer ourselves, and the management of all our concerns, to thine unerring conduct, being folicitoufly careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and fupplication, with fervent and devout thanksgiv ings, making known our requests unto thee. O everlasting father of mercies, O God and father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, incline a favourable ear to our fupplications; and enter not into strict judgment with us, thine unrighteous, and unworthy fervants!

We have great reafon, O God, with fhame, and remorse, and the deepest contrition of foul, to confefs before thee our manifold fins, and the heinous and aggravated provocations, which we have offered to thine heavenly majesty. We have offended against thee, our creator, and father, our supreme and most righteous governor, our conftant benefacter, and the

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eternal fountain of good. We have violated thine holy laws, affronted thy fovereign authority, and abused thy tender mercles. We have, in many instances, acted unbecoming the dignity of our reasonable nature, as men, and unfuitably to our high character, and glorious hopes, as chriftians. We have finned against heaven, and before thee; before thine omnifeience, thy ftrict juftice, thine abfolute and immaculate purity; and are not worthy to be called thy children. But our hope and confidence is in thine infinite mercy, O God. And, to encourage this hope, thou haft proclaimed thy name (by which thou defireft, especially, to be known) to be the Lord, the Lord God, abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffion and fin; who, though thou wilt by no means clear the incorrigible guilty, yet defireft not that any one reasonable and immortal foul, which thou haft made, should perish; but that all should come to repentance. Be merciful unto us, O God, be merciful unto us, according to thy loving-kindness; and, according to the multitude of thine effential and unchangeable mercies, blot out all our transgreffions.

And that we may be compleatly qualified for thy pardoning grace, according to the general condition which thou haft fixed, (not arbitrarily, but because it is eternally fit and neceffary in the reafon of things) grant, that we may exercise most bumble and unfeigned repentance, for all the errors of our paft conduct: and, wherein we have done amifs, enable us, by thy kind concurrence with our fincere endeavours, to do fo no more. Let us look upon all vice, and moral depravity, with averfion, and horror, as the ftain and infamy of our reafon, a contrariety to thy most perfect nature, and tending to introduce deformity, diforder, and mifery into the moral world. Create in us, O God, pure hearts, and renew right fpirits within us; caft us not away from thy prefence, and take not thine holy fpirit from us. And to that end, we pray, that thou wouldeft cleanfe us from all our fecret faults. Keep back thy fervants alfo from wilful and prefumptuous fins, that they may not have dominion over us, and, by degrees, entirely over-rule the authority of confcience, and root out our natural fenfe of good and evil. But being delivered from these fatal obftructions to an entire reformation of the temper of our "minds," and of our outward manners, may the meditations of our hearts, the words of our mouths, and the actions of our lives, become from henceforth, and to the end of this our probationary state, acceptable in thy fight, O Lord, our strength, our Redeemer, and our judge!

And,