$5. Of the sympathetic affections.

A paffion for fame, though it be founded on the relation that men ftand in to one another, and therefore fuppofes fociety, is of a very different nature from the focial principle, properly fo called; or a disposition to love, and to do kind offices to our fellow creatures.

1. That it is with the greatest justice that this is ranked among our highest pursuits has been shewn already. That the study to do good to others, is placed in this rank, must be perfectly agreeable to the will of God, who cannot but intend the happiness of all his offspring, and who is himself actuated by the principle of univerfal benevolence. If we confult the natural dictates of our confcience, we fhall find that it gives the strongest approbation to difinterested benevolence in ourselves or others; and if we examine how our own highest interest is affected by it; we shall find that, in general, the more exalted is our benevolence,

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and the more we lay ourselves out to promote the good of others, the more perfect enjoyment we have of ourselves, and the more we are in the way of receiving good of fices from others in return; and, upon the whole, the happier we are likely to be.

2. A man of a truly benevolent disposition, and who makes the good of others the object of his pursuit, will never want opportunities of employing and gratifying himself for we are so connected with, and dependent upon one another, the fmall upon the great, and the great upon the small, that, whatever be a man's ftation in life, if he be of a benevolent difpofition, it will always be in his power to oblige others, and thereby indulge himself.

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3. A perfon fo benevolent may, neral, depend upon fuccefs in his fchemes, because mankind are previously disposed to approve, recommend, and countenance benevolent undertakings; and though fuch a perfon will fee much mifery and distress, which he cannot relieve, and which will,

confequently,

confequently, give him some pain; yet, upon the whole, his pleafures will be far fuperior to it; and the pains of fympathy do not, in general, agitate the mind beyond the limits of pleasure. We have even a kind of fatisfaction with ourselves in contemplating fcenes of diftrefs, though we can only wish to relieve the unhappy fufferers. For this reafon it is that tragic fcenes, and tragical ftories are fo engaging. This kind of fatisfaction has even more charms for mankind in general, than the view of many pleafing scenes of life.

4. Besides, if to the principle of benevolence be added a strict regard to confcience, and confidence in divine providence, all the pains of sympathy will almost wholly vanifh. If we are confcious that we do all we can to affift and relieve others, we may have perfect fatisfaction in ourselves, and may habitually rejoice in the belief of the wisdom and goodness of God; being convinced that all the evils, which we ineffectually strive to remove, are appointed for wife and good purposes; and that, being of

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a temporary nature, they will finally be abforbed in that infinity of happiness, to which, though in ways unknown to us, we believe them to be fubfervient.

Every argument by which benevolence is recommended to us condemns malevolence, or a difpofition to rejoice in the misery, and to grieve at the happiness of others. This baleful difpofition may be generated by frequently confidering our own interest as in opposition to that of others. For, in this cafe, at the fame time that we receive pleasure from our own gain, we receive pleafure alfo from their lofs, which is connected with it; and for the fame reason, when we grieve for our own lofs, we grieve at their gain. In this manner emulation, envy, jealoufy, and at length actual hatred, and malice, are produced in our hearts.

It is for this reafon that gaming is unfavourable to benevolence, as well as other virtues, and high gaming exceedingly pernicious. For, in this case, every man's gain is directly produced by another's lofs; fo that

that the gratification of the one and the disappointment of the other must always go together. Indeed, upon the same just principle, all trade and commerce, all buying and felling, is wrong, unless it be to the advantage of both parties.

Malevolent difpofitions, befides that they are clearly contrary to the will of God, and the dictates of confcience, are the fource of much pain and mifery to ourselves. They confift of very uneafy feelings; fo that no man can be happy, or enjoy any fatisfaction, while he is under the influence of them. Even the pleasures of revenge are shocking to think of, and what a man must defpife himself for being capable of relishing and enjoying; and they are, in all cafes, infinitely inferior to the noble fatisfaction which a man feels in forgiving an injury. There is a meannefs in the former, but true greatnefs of mind, and real dignity in the latter, and the pleasure which it gives does not pall upon reflection. Befides, à difpofition to do ill offices to others exposes a man to

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