fophical indeed-but one equally inexorable DISC. and irrefistible. Confider the vigils and the abstinence of the gamester. To discharge with propriety the duties of his profeffion, it is expedient that he keep his habit cool, and his head clear. His diet is therefore almost as spare as that of St. John in the wilderness, and he drinks neither wine, nor strong drink; left, instead of his cheating his friend, his friend should cheat him. Confider the toil and the fatigue willingly undergone by one, whose delight is placed in the sports of the field, and the pleasures of the chase. How early does he rife! How late is he abroad! " In hunger and thirst, " in fastings often, in cold and rain. None " of these things move him, neither counts " he his life dear unto himself," being well content often to put it to the extremest hazard. Look at the afpirant to power: He wears a countenance always fuited to the present VII. ! VII. DISC. occafion. No symptom of inward uneasiness is suffered to appear in it. He holds his paffions in the most absolute subjection. "Hitherto (says he to every one of them) "shalt thou come, but no farther." He takes patiently and cheerfully affronts and infults. He bears and forbears. Can the Stoic, can the inhabitant of le Trappe do more? Exemplary instances of mortification and felf-denial are not confined to the desart, or to the cloister. They may be found in a court. How often does the candidate for literary fame pursue his propofition, or this pro blem, or his system, regardless of food and reft, till his eyes fail, his nerves are shattered, his spirits are exhausted, and his health is gone! But greater things than these are still behind. * -- *** ***--***** ********************** At the call of honour, a young man of family and fortune, accustomed to the gratifications of the table, and a life of ease and voluptuousness, quits every valuable and ten VII. der connection at home, and submits at once DISC. to all the painful duties and hard fare of a camp, in an enemy's country. He travels through dreary swamps, and inhospitable forests, guided only by the track of savages. He traverses mountains, he passes and repasses rivers, and marches several hundred miles, with scarcely bread to eat, or change of raiment to put on. When night comes, he fleeps on the ground, or perhaps sleeps not at all, and at the dawn of day resumes his labour. At length, he is so fortunate as to find his enemy. He braves death, amid all the horrors of the field. He fees his companions fall around him - he is wounded, and carried into a tent, or laid in a waggon; where he is left to suffer pain and anguish, with the noise of destruction founding in his ears. After some weeks, he recovers, and enters afresh upon duty. And does the Captain of thy falvation, O thou who stylest thyself the soldier and servant of Jefus Christ does He require any thing like this, at thy hands? Or canst thou deem him an austere Master, because thou art enjoined 13 VII. DISC. enjoined to live in fobriety and purity, to subdue a turbulent paffion, to watch an hour fometimes unto prayer, or to miss a meal now and then, during the season of repentance and humiliation? Blush for shame, and hide thy face in the duft. : More strange and inexcusable still will this conduct of the Chriftian appear, when we confider, in the Fifth and last place, the rewards annexed to the practice of felf-denial, : Many and great are it's advantages in the present life. The lightness of spirits, the cheerfulness of heart, the ferenity of temper, the alacrity of mind, the vigour of understanding, the obedience of the will, the freedom from bad 'defires, and the propensity to good ones, produced by a prudent and judicious abftinence, are inconceivable by those who have never experienced them, and fully justify to those who have experienced them the highest enco VII. encomiums pronounced by the ancient fa- DISC. thers of the church on this evangelical precept, and the blessedness of observing it. For think not that the felicity, any more than the virtue, of man confifts in gratifying at all times his own humour, and following his own will; since his humour is perverse, and his will depraved. We are, in very deed, the oldest of us, children, wayward children; and unless we would be miferable, as well as vicious, we must treat ourselves as we do our children. Now "compare the " child that is taught fubmiffion and obe"dience, with him that is humoured in "every thing. How rational, cheerful, "agreeable, and happy is the one! How " ridiculous, peevish, disagreeable, and un" happy is the other! The smallest favour " done the first, is received and acknowleged " as a particular obligation: the greatest "kindness done to the other, is either re"jected with disdain, or received with thankless ill manners. The more you "strive to please him, the more difficult " he is to be pleased; till at length nothing " will 4 |