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must not talk to them in our language, but in one more particularly canine,

189. He who reads a great deal, without interposing the proper reflections and meditations, deals by his mind, as he does by his wall, when he daubs the plaster on too thick. Though, here and there a patch may stick, the greater part drops off, and leaves the building more disfigured for that which remains.

190. Worldly good things are dispersed among mankind like snow on the side of a steep mountain, with somewhat not far removed from equality. Some places can better retain it than others, while clotted masses rolling down from above, gather size and weight by oppressing all, over which they come.

191. To contrive a constitution politic, so as that it may last for a long time, and impart peace and happiness to its members, all possible care must be taken to prevent competition and usurpation. For this purpose three things should be done; first, to render the constituent parts so mutually dependent on one another, that they cannot subsist asunder, or in a state of opposition, like heat and moisture in the natural body, whereof if you take away one you destroy the other, for you destroy the whole. Secondly, there should be as few motives left to ambition as possible; little wealth and no precedency, but that which is annexed to constitutional place and power. Lastly, but principally, a religion most capable of standing the test of reason, and of carrying the affections from worldly to higher things, ought to be embraced, established, and inculcated with all possible care on the minds of all, that they who rule, may do it as men who know they are to account to God for their administration; and that they who obey, may do it not for wrath, but conscience' sake. No taste can subsist but by religion, nor was any ever ruined, but by the want of it.

192. When two go hand in hand, if one slips the other can keep him up. It will be a rare chance, if both fall together; but then indeed they fall with the greater weight. When two wrestle, they strive to fling each other, and though both must fall, each is satisfied, if he can get the other undermost. When two run, each exerts himself to be

foremost, and uses not only his agility, but sometimes his skill in tripping. Married people had better walk than run, and run than wrestle.

193. If a husband and wife be one, they carry no yoke, for coupling is only applicable to two. But if they are not one, then their vow is a yoke, under which it will be better to go quietly, for fear of galling; and the way to go quietly is to go close, to direct their faces to the same point, and so to admeasure their steps as to advance an equal pace, and stop at once. If the point and pace cannot be chosen by consultation, which is the best way, authority must decide. God hath affixed authority to strength, so that the party which resists superior strength and authority too, is likely to come by the worse.

194. The gifts of nature are so much to the good, and easier kept than those of our own acquisition. Could a man make himself exactly to his wish, he would, I doubt not, be more liberal to himself in these gifts, I mean, according to his idea of excellence, than nature hath been. But though we cannot bestow this primary, we may a secondary nature, on ourselves, by habits which it is pretty much in our own power to choose. We cannot make the mind itself, but we can make it liberal or narrow, free or slavish, polite or brutish, generous or base. We can accustom it to great or mean objects; to wise or foolish, good or evil pursuits, and point its inclinations and aversions, which way we think fit. Nature may lean a little more to one side than another, but is pliable. We are born but men, and are afterward made, in a great measure, at our own election, great or little, good or bad men, by habituating ourselves to the company, the conversation, the manner of life, and course of action, which we like best. Custom brays us in its mortar; and makes us over again; but so far as we choose our customs, we may be said to dig ourselves out of nature's quarry, one for a gravel-stone, another for a brilliant, at our own discretion.

195. There cannot be a more foolish nor atheistical question put (I mean in the sense of the proposers) than this, which shallow minds are often heard to urge, namely, When mankind fell into a state of corruption and misery, why did not God destroy the sinful race, create a new one,

and so alter the world, as to prevent a second defection? In another sense, this hath been actually done, so far as was consistent with the wisdom and majesty of God, and the freedom of that creature for whom the world was made. He understands not the language of our divine religion, who knows not, that the old man dies, and a new man is born or created in every true Christian; nor does he at all conceive in what sense it is that Christ saith, immediately on his rising from the dead,' Behold I make all things new.' The Christian is a new man, and lives on a new earth, and under a new heaven. To him they are truly such, for they no longer tempt him to idolatry and wickedness, but prompt him to gratitude, and the love of God. If the human race hath not been wholly expunged out of the creation, it hath been once almost totally destroyed for sin by a universal deluge; in which the globe itself is, with good reason, believed to have suffered a great change. The laws impressed on its nature have been frequently reversed, suspended, or overpowered by its Maker, for the demonstration of true religion, and for the reformation of mankind. The time also approaches when it shall be consumed with fire. So far the querist hath had, or shall have, his wish. But let him take care that he perish not in a worse wreck, than that of annihilation. It is owing purely to God's wisdom and goodness that no greater devastation hath been made, that we exist, and may be for ever happy. Surely we have reason to bless God for our being, for our lives, and for the world, on which we subsist in a far better manner than we deserve.

END OF VOL. V.

Printed by J.F. Dove, St. John's Square.

COMPLETE WORKS

OF THE LATE

REV. PHILIP SKELTON,

RECTOR OF FINTONA, &c. &c.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

BURDY'S LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

EDITED BY THE

REV. ROB LYNAM, A. M.

ASSISTANT CHAPLAIN TO THE MAGDALEN HOSPITAL.

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HATCHARD AND SON, PICCADILLY; PARKER, OXFORD; DEIGHTON AND SONS, CAMBRIDGE ; WAUGH AND INNES, EDINBURGH; CHALMERS AND COLLINGS, GLASGOW; M. KEENE AND R. M. TIMS, DUBLIN.

1824.

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