character as leaves no room to doubt where they belong, and whence they are descended, being of the painful aversive class by the author of strife, and however well founded at any time as troublesome always to their subjects or owners, as to their objects or those against whom they are directed: which may be enough to make them evil objectives. Even in the slightest degree their evil quality may be perceived, consisting in a fondness for change and continual looking after something new; and known as the Love of novelty. And no characteristic can show more decidedly the sinfulness and misery of our present existence for if our existence was not thoroughly sinful, it would not be always miserable; and if it was not always miserable, we should not be always looking for a change.

It seldom occurs to the discontented perhaps to remark, how this and other evil dispositions, the truest object of discontent, are generally a punishment for evil practices. But so they are in effect; and most remarkably so in this respect. For when a bad man has gotten himself by any means into a situation that is too good for him, he soon begins to be tormented with the pangs of discontent as a substitute for guilty conscience, of which he is not perhaps quite so susceptible as he should be. And the better the situation that he has gained the more will he be dissatisfied with the same, as if it were the greater imposition upon his demerit: neither will he rest sometimes, till by some foolish change or some dangerous machination he has worked himself at length into a case that is not too good for him, but about such a case as the unhappy man

deserves.

Properties of this cast therefore are more tormenting than useful; insomuch that it seems a duty to one's self almost, to try to be satisfied, or at least, not to be discontented: except when some good end is to be gained by it; as fretting one's self into attention and diligence, for example, when one has been rather idle, and indeed caring generally, when care can signify. For "by taking thought"

a man may add to the stature of his mind considerably, though he cannot add one cubit to his bodily stature by this process (Matt. vi. 27).

§ 8. But taking thought, or discontent, on the stature and other descriptive circumstances of the body is certainly conducive to an evil characteristic on one incidental at least, that is to Foppery and Extravagance in the article of dress. Some think they are not tall enough as nature makes them; these must be preposterously underlayed with ox-hide, till they stand upon their toes: some on the contrary are not wide enough; these must have canvass wings or pinions added to their superstructure to give them a sufficient breadth: some are not deep enough; these must be padded on the breast, till they look like the other sex, or like turkeys stuffed and trussed for the spit-and all to gratify the natural discontent that happens to fall on their innocent persons or features. But such image worshippers might know, if they had only the wit to understand, that their truest ground of discontent is the absence of that intellectual expression which shows itself sometimes in the person and countenance; and is indeed the most pleasing characteristic of a human presence. For the very cause of their discontent betrays a want of understanding and being as they are, how can they look otherwise? It has been well observed, that " a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine" (Eccles. viii. 1) or seem interesting: therefore people should try to be wiser, if they would wish to look better; considering their moral improvement first, which the material is sure to follow in some respects.

Yet if people cannot look so interesting as they would, they need not therefore take pains to deform themselves, and look more disgusting than they can help, whether by a preposterous habit; or, what is worse, by a filthy negligence in this particular, which seems contemptuous and has generally a more repulsive effect than tinsel and foppery. For any one would rather see an overfine coat in company than one intentionally mean; or too fashiona

ble a costume, than one too rustic or obsolete; or frizzled hair, rather than hair uncombed; or a patched face rather than a dirty one. Indeed the monotony of a vulgar, unmeaning countenance, such as one should be apt to impute to the smiter of St. Paul (Acts xxiii. 2), for example, might be somewhat relieved by a judicious patch, as that of a "whited wall" may be relieved by a blind window. Yet it is the well lighted, the intelligent face, that makes the delight of good company; and the honest face, that has ever been, however unconsciously, sought as its greatest ornament since the time when higher intellectuals used to mingle in the assemblies of men, and neither was so great a rarity as they have been since. It may be farther remembered, as an improvement on patching, what St. Peter, who was a good judge of MORAL DECORATION, says on this head (Pet. I. iv. 8); and if some who have the means could be induced to bestow less in foppery and more in sincere acts of beneficence, they would not look, any more than they would feel, the worse for it. With a little only of what the world covets, and of that little a proportionate part gladly bestowed for the love of God and of its object, a man may both be richer and look better than with any abundance either miserably hoarded or foolishly squandered in the way before mentioned. Richer or wealthier in a true sense he would be at least: for truly WEALTH DOES NOT DEPEND ON WHAT A MAN HAS, BUT ON WHAT HE ENJOYS. "In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble" (Prov. xv. 6),

CHRISTIAN MODES.

PART I.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN CHRIST.

CHAPTER VI.

EVIL OBJECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS.

SEC. 2.

IMMORAL-ON CONSTITUENTS.

1. Material-2. Spiritual-3. Intellectual.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"-JER. xvii. 9.

IF the abuse or misapplication of incidentals, which is their application to evil purposes, give occasion to so many and serious evil objective characteristics as aforesaid, what may not be expected from the misapplication of constituents, and especially as they spread inward from the material form to the spirit by which the same is animated first, and thence to the central combination or superior properties metaphorically denominated, The Heart! The general survey now intended of the characteristics that are formed by a misapplication of these weighty essentials may serve to shew somewhat of their mischievous importance: but it should be taken methodically, and in the same order as the opposite view was taken, commencing with the first mentioned material form, or the properties so described. § 1. Faults, or unrighteousness in the choice and ar

rangement of their dress is not the only outward species to which light minds are addicted: but the levity of their minds will discover itself likewise sometimes in a levity of action that looks almost like insanity, and sometimes in a solemnity that has almost the appearance of idiotism; both being the more ridiculous, as counterfeits generally assume the appearance most opposite to their real character; the dull for example an appearance of brightness; and the more superficial, of more than common depth and

acumen.

1. The term Levity is one that has been rather hardly used by the world, and especially to palliate a favourite vice; which it would be fairer to call by the name of sober folly. For incontinence is truly a sober, and not a thoughtless vice. It is sober in its determination, and still more in its consequences; such as destroying our own memorial, and labouring for other men's-in the elegant language of Solomon, "lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger" (Prov. v. 9, 10). Folly were a juster name for this or any other practice so injurious to its subject or practiser. But folly has a peculiar meaning, and levity likewise, besides the flagrant construction of incontinence aforesaid, which would hardly come within the scope of material faults, being deeper seated in the sphere just mentioned, in the sphere of sober folly; of base, wicked folly. Levity in its proper sense is not so bad, though imbued with a strong tendency thereto by the way of wantonness.

2. Solemnity, which stands opposed to levity, as slovenliness may be to foppery, does not appear to have so dangerous a tendency as that; but one however to make its owner ridiculous, and one rather calculated to prevent, than to promote the wisdom it would look itself into, by fixing its thought on externals. Indeed a similar affectation would have a similar effect in the prohibition of every estimable property, as well as of wisdom which is one for