to a particular fact, fixed by time, place and Paletan it other circumftances, and if it be either, wholly false or effentially mistaken in its nature and tendency, the matter may be explained and justice may be done. But if it be a general character, that happens to be imputed to a man, he ought to attempt no refutation of it but by conduct; the more he complains of it, the more he speaks more of it, the more he denies it, it will be the more believed. For example, if it be affirmed that a man fpoke profanely in a certain company at a certain place and time, when he was not present at all, it may be eafily and completely refuted; but if he is accufed of being proud, contentious, covetous, or deceitful, although these accufations are pretended to be fupported by a train of facts, it is better to let them wholly alone, and suffer his conduct to speak for itself. There are inftan-. ces in hiftory of accufations brought with much plaufibility and urged with great vehemence, which yet have been either from the beginning difbelieved or by time confuted; which occafioned the Latin proverb, Magna eft veritas et. prævalebit.*

All the above-mentioned particulars may be faid to be the happy effects of wifdom and benevolence united, or rather perhaps, in the light in which they have been ftated to you, they are chiefly the proper fruits of that wifdom which is * profitable to direct." But I muft add another advice, which is the immediate effect of benevofence

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lence and good-will, that is, be ready to affift others and do good as you have opportunity. As every thing is hable to be abufed, fometimes the maxims of prudence take a wrong direction, and clofe the heart againft impreffions of fympathy and tenderness towards others in diftrefs. Sometimes indeed, the coolnefs and compofure of fpirit, and that felf-command which is the effect of reflection and experience, is mistaken for a callous and unfeeling heart, though it is a very different thing. To give way to the agitation of paffion, even under the fineft feelings, is the way to prevent inftead of promoting ufefulness. A parent, overwhelmed with surprise and anxiety, at a calamitous accident that has befallen a child, fhall be incapable either of reflection or activity, and fhall fometimes even need the affiftance which he ought to give. But independently of this, there are certainly fome perfons who contract a habit of indifference as to the wants or defires of others, and are not willing to put themselves to any inconvenience, unless their own particular concerns may be promoted at the fame time.

In oppofition to this, I mean to recommend to you a difpofition to oblige, not merely by civil expreffions and an affable deportment, but by taking a real interest in the affairs of others. Be not unwilling to lend your advice, your affistance, your intereft to thofe that need them. Thofe who cannot spare pecuniary affistance, may do many

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many acts of valuable friendfhip. Let every neighbour perceive that you are not ready to quarrel needlefsly, nor infift pertinaciously on trifles; and if you live to obtain credit and influence, let them be employed to affift the deferving of every clafs. If you undertake to do the bufinefs of others, attend to it with the fame fidelity, and difpoffible, with greater punctuality than you would to your own. Some are ready to excufe or justify a contrary conduct, by complaining of the ingratitude or injuftice of mankind. But in my opinion, thefe complaints are contrary to truth and experience. There may be many particular perfons both ungrateful and unjust; but in the world in general, there will be found a clearness of difcernment, and an exactness of retribution. Our Saviour tells us with refpect to one fault, that of rafh judging, what is equally true as to injuries of every kind, with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again: good measure preffed down and shaken 'together and running over, shall men give in

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to your bofom.' This, in my opinion, may and ought to be understood both ways: as the churlish Nabal generally meets with his match, fo perfons of a humane and friendly difpofition, fhall reap the fruits of it to them or theirs. The truth is, the difpofition itself is not in its perfection, but when there is no regard to an immediate return. If you give, looking for a fpeedy recompence, it is not giving, but felling. You

may,

may, however, fafely truft to the promise of God: Caft thy bread upon the waters, for thou fhalt find it after many days. I have known many inftances of kindnefies that were both remembered and requited, after they had been long forgotten, by him who bestowed them."Nay fometimes they may be repaid in another generation, It is no inconfiderable legacy for a man to leave to his children, that he had always been a friend to others, and never refufed his affiftance to those who ftood in need of it.

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It will not be an improper place, here to introduce a few words upon a fubject, which has been often handled by writers of the first clafs: I mean private friendship. Some writers against religion, have actually made it an objection against Chriftianity, that it does not recommend private friendfhip or the love of our country. If this were true, it would be no fault, becaufe the univerfal benevolence recommended by the gofpel, includes all private affections, when they are confiftent with it, and is far fuperior to them when they are contrary to it. But in fact, the inftances of private friendship mentioned and alluded to in fcripture, are a fufficient recommendation of it, and even our bleffed Saviour himself is faid to have diftinguished the youngest of his difciples with particular affection. I will therefore obferve with most authors, that there is no true friendship, but what is founded upon virtuous principles, and directed to virtuous purpofes. To

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love a person who is not worthy of love, is not a virtue but an error. Neither is there any depen-, dence to be placed, in trying cafes, upon perfons unprincipled at bottom. There never was a true friend who was not honeft man. But befides this important truth, it is further to be obferved, that there is a fpecies of friendship which is neither founded on virtue nor vice, but mere weaknefs of mind. Some perfons having no refources in themfelves, are obliged to have recourfe to fome other, upon whom they may lean, and without whom they feem as if they could neither think, act, nor even exift. This fort of friendship is to be feen particularly in princes and perfons of high rank, and is generally called favouritifin; but the fame thing may be obferved in all ranks, though, in the lower, it is not fo confpiWe may fay of it, that it is like fome of those plants that are false and spurious in their kind, which have fome of the appearances, but want the most valuable and effential qualities of thofe that are genuine. Such friendships are commonly contracted by caprice or accident, and uncertain in their duration, being liable to be diffolved by the fame means. Valuable friendship is the refult of judgment as well as affection; it is one of the greateft comforts of life as well as one of the greatest ornaments to human nature, and its genuinenefs may be difcerned by the following mark-that though it is particular, it is not exclufive. When there is a great, but vir

cuous.

tuous