Among the objects, most immediately coveted by ambitious men, especially by those whose ambition has been peculiarly ardent and insatiable, fame, splendour, place, and power, have held the first rank. Splendour has been sought, as the means of fixing, and dazzling, the eyes of their fellow-men; place, and fame, as being partly the means of distinction, and partly the distinction itself; and power, as involving in its nature the most decisive and acknowledged superiority; as including place, fame, and splendour; and as furnishing all the earthly means of distinction. Into the chase for these objects, the great body of mankind have entered, whenever they have found an opportunity. The humble have striven for little places, and the show, which was intended to excite the stare of a neighbourhood. The aspiring have aimed at stations of high political consequence, and struggled to set the world agape. Men of limited views have confined their labours to the attainment of a character, which should circulate, with respect, through a village; or be engraved, with marks of distinction, upon a tombstone; while the lofty-minded have demanded a name, which should sound through the world, and awaken the wonder of future generations. The powers of subaltern magistracy have satisfied multitudes; while others have panted to grasp the sceptre of the monarch, and the sword of the conqueror.

The Text is directed against this spirit in every form and degree. Mind not high things, says St. Paul to the Christians at Rome. The English word mind, appears very happily to express the meaning of the original term, ogovavres: Give not your minds to high things with either attention or desire. It will be easily seen, that this precept cuts up by the roots both the spirit, and the consequences, of Ambition. If we pay not the regard, here forbidden, to the objects of Ambition; it is plain, that we shall neither cherish the spirit, nor pursue the conduct, which it dictates. It is hardly necessary to observe, that the precept is di rected to us, with the same force and obligation, as to the Christians at Rome.

The reasons for this prohibition are of the most satisfactory and sufficient nature. As proofs of this truth I shall allege the following.

1. Ambition is a primary part of our Rebellion against the Law und Government of God.

In the first discourse on the Tenth Command, I observed, that an inordinate desire of Natural good seems to be the commencement of sin, in a being, originally virtuous. The two great branches of this spirit, or the two great modes in which it operates, are Ambition and Avarice. Of these, Ambition is, without a question, the most universal, and the most powerfully operative. It extends to more objects; exerts itself in a far greater variety of modes; occupies, so far as we can judge, the minds of much greater mul

REL YETC. ant. f possible, more cravndasteration i korse, the primary

e nues, is scuation and enjoy. Crature impacence, with regard

te mes victvolves; discontentvada 1 jirushes; and those inormate Ears or be factors and Loments of others, out of Fuck calence nisement spring; are, I think, evient. Le T The mind areast its Maker. In these TELOOS. Te and tears as Maker's Government is, in 3. w new. mrrasomade it nest; and that his Dispensao mase I ustay unwilling to regard them

MOGZESS

nemerce um aumsson. Thus it arraigns the Wisdom Java and withdraws itself from allegiInce ze er al mars. Ambition, then, the principal 4 m. s de orginal rebellion against the Govern menti hu ingy, the principal ingredient in the first TRISCESSIOR, vis ne ambicon of our first Parents to become as mes, Goume sunt mui coil. A precept, which forbids the assimpton 3 – angerous a character, and the pursuit of such fa30 e no additional proof of its rectitude. Still, hat was unnecessary to produce conviction, may be useful rese making impressions on the heart. I observe,

"Fawn is fatal to the Happiness of the Ambitious man. its overly acknowledged, that Envy and Discontent are miv ter zames for misery. Yet these wretched attributes are Lovars acendant on ambition. No mind can be contented, whose despes are angrauded. When those desires are eager, it will be stu nure secatented; and when he, who cherishes those desres, sees de good which he covets, in the possession of others, be cannot in be envious. But the desires of an ambitious ZAZ ATE EWITS Lacred. That they are eager, needs no proof; and eager destes carably overrun the measure of the expected When a is attained, therefore, it falls regularly short of the expectations and wishes; and thus the mind regularly fails of being satisfied, even when its efforts are crowned with success. The happiness of Heaven, we are taught, will be commensurate to the utmost desires of its habitants. In this world, ardent wishes were never sausfied; nor high hopes ever indulged with

kend disappointment.

The thun, who enters the carver of Political advancement, never thing like satisfaction, until he sees with absolute con

can gain nothing more. Then, indeed, he may down quietly; because there is nothing within the

inly the stagnant duiness, left by disapse his energy to new hopes, and new ex

pointment; the paralytic torpor of despair. At first, he aims at a humble office. He attains it; and with new eagerness raises his views to one which is higher. He attains this also; and more eager still, bends his efforts to the acquisition of a third. The acquisition of this, only renders more intense his thirst for another. Thus he heats himself, like a chariot wheel, merely by his own career; and will never cease to pant more and more ardently for promotion, until he finds his progress stopped by obstacles, which neither art, nor influence, can remove.

In the same manner, the Candidate for Literary eminence, commences the chase of fame, with wishes usually moderate. His first success, however, enlarges his views; and gives new vigour to his desires. Originally, he would have been satisfied with the distinction of being celebrated through a village. Thence he wishes to spread his name through a city; thence through a country; thence through the world; and thence through succeeding generations. Were sufficient means of communication furnished, he would be still more ardently desirous to extend his fame throughout the whole planetary regions; and from them to the utmost extent of the stellary system. Were all the parts of this immeasurable career possible, his mind, at the end of it, would be less contented, than at the commencement; and would find, with a mixture of astonishment and agony, that the moment, when the strife was terminated, the enjoyment, which it promised, was gone.

In the pursuit of Power, this truth is still more forcibly illustrated. He, who with distinguished political talents devotes himself to this acquisition, hurries with increasing vehemence from petty domination through all the grades of superior sway, until he becomes a Cromwell, or a King. He who aims at the same object through a military progress, starts from a school, in the character of a cadet, and pushes through the subordinate offices to the command of a Regiment; a Brigade; a Division; and an army. With an ambition, changing from desire into violence, from violence into rage, and from rage into frenzy, he then becomes a Consul; a King; an Emperor; a Monarch of many crowns, and many realms and burns with more intense ardour to go on, subduing and ruling, until the earth furnishes nothing more to be ruled or subdued. Thus the ambition, which at first was a spark, is soon blown into a flame, and terminates in a conflagration. Alexander subdued, and ruled, the known world. When he had finished his course, he sat down and wept; because there was no other world for him to conquer.

Thus it is plain, that the desires of Ambition must ever be ungratified, because they increase faster than any possible gratifica tion; and because they increase with a progressive celerity; expanding faster at every future, than at any preceding, period of enjoyment. Though all rivers run into this ocean, still it is VOL. IV.

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titudes; is more restless, vehement, and, if possible, more craving. In every just consideration it holds, of course, the primary place.

God has assigned his place and duties, his situation and enjoyments, to every Intelligent creature. Impatience, with regard to this situation, and the duties which it involves; discontentment with the enjoyment, which it furnishes; and those inordinate desires for the stations and allotments of others, out of which impatience and discontentment spring; are, I think, evidently the first risings of the mind against its Maker. In these emotions, the mind declares, that its Maker's Government is, in its own view, unreasonable and unjust; and that his Dispensations are such, as to make it justifiably unwilling to regard them with obedience and submission. Thus it arraigns the Wisdom and Goodness of JEHOVAH; and withdraws itself from allegiance to the Ruler of all things. Ambition, then, the principal branch of this spirit, is the original rebellion against the Government of God. Accordingly, the principal ingredient in the first transgression, was the ambition of our first Parents to become as gods, knowing good and evil. A precept, which forbids the assumption of so dangerous a character, and the pursuit of such fatal conduct, can need no additional proof of its rectitude. Still, that, which is unnecessary to produce conviction, may be useful for the purpose of making impressions on the heart. I observe, therefore,

2. That Ambition is fatal to the Happiness of the Ambitious man. It is proverbially acknowledged, that Envy and Discontent are only other names for misery. Yet these wretched attributes are always attendant on ambition. No mind can be contented, whose desires are ungratified. When those desires are eager, it will be still more discontented; and when he, who cherishes those desires, sees the good which he covets, in the possession of others, he cannot fail to be envious. But the desires of an ambitious man are always ungratified. That they are eager, needs no proof; and eager desires invariably overrun the measure of the expected enjoyment. When it is attained, therefore, it falls regularly short of the expectations, and wishes; and thus the mind regularly fails of being satisfied, even when its efforts are crowned with success. The happiness of Heaven, we are taught, will be commensurate to the utmost desires of its inhabitants. In this world, ardent wishes were never satisfied; nor high hopes ever indulged without disappointment.

The man, who enters the career of Political advancement, never acquires any thing like satisfaction, until he sees with absolute conviction, that he can gain nothing more. Then, indeed, he may sometimes sit down quietly; because there is nothing within the horizon of his view to rouse his energy to new hopes, and new exertions. But his quiet is only the stagnant dulness, left by disap

pointment; the paralytic torpor of despair. At first, he aims at a humble office. He attains it; and with new eagerness raises his views to one which is higher. He attains this also; and more eager still, bends his efforts to the acquisition of a third. The acquisition of this, only renders more intense his thirst for another. Thus he heats himself, like a chariot wheel, merely by his own career; and will never cease to pant more and more ardently for promotion, until he finds his progress stopped by obstacles, which neither art, nor influence, can remove.

In the same manner, the Candidate for Literary eminence, commences the chase of fame, with wishes usually moderate. His first success, however, enlarges his views; and gives new vigour to his desires. Originally, he would have been satisfied with the distinction of being celebrated through a village. Thence he wishes to spread his name through a city; thence through a country; thence through the world; and thence through succeeding generations. Were sufficient means of communication furnished, he would be still more ardently desirous to extend his fame throughout the whole planetary regions; and from them to the utmost extent of the stellary system. Were all the parts of this immeasurable career possible, his mind, at the end of it, would be less contented, than at the commencement; and would find, with a mixture of astonishment and agony, that the moment, when the strife was terminated, the enjoyment, which it promised, was gone.

In the pursuit of Power, this truth is still more forcibly illustrated. He, who with distinguished political talents devotes himself to this acquisition, hurries with increasing vehemence from petty domination through all the grades of superior sway, until he becomes a Cromwell, or a King. He who aims at the same object through a military progress, starts from a school, in the character of a cadet, and pushes through the subordinate offices to the command of a Regiment; a Brigade; a Division; and an army. With an ambition, changing from desire into violence, from violence into rage, and from rage into frenzy, he then becomes a Consul; a King; an Emperor; a Monarch of many crowns, and many realms and burns with more intense ardour to go on, subduing and ruling, until the earth furnishes nothing more to be ruled or subdued. Thus the ambition, which at first was a spark, is soon blown into a flame, and terminates in a conflagration. Alexander subdued, and ruled, the known world. When he had finished his course, he sat down and wept; because there was no other world for him to conquer.

Thus it is plain, that the desires of Ambition must ever be ungratified, because they increase faster than any possible gratifica tion; and because they increase with a progressive celerity expanding faster at every future, than at any preceding, period of enjoyment. Though all rivers run into this ocean, still it is VOL. IV.

2