11. The three children indicate, that CHARITY nourishes Faith and Hope, and that these two virtues are continually accompanied by CHARITY; which, although but one virtue, is yet of so much importance, that without it, Faith and Hope are of little moment.

12. CHARITY is a universal virtue, for it has respect, not only to the wants of men, as before observed, but also to their faults and opinions. As it respects faults and failings, true CHARITY consists in preventing others, as much as we can, from committing them; in putting the best construction upon the errors of our fellowcreatures; in counselling and endeavouring to amend those who do amiss; in forgiving all offences; in avoiding all needless discourse of the frailties of others, and in disliking to hear, and discouraging, evil reports.

13. As it respects the wants and necessities of others, real CHARITY displays itself in inquiring after those who are in distress, with a view to relieve them; in pitying such as are in want and affliction, and in being tenderly affected towards them; in managing our own expenses, so as to have something ready for charitable occasions ; in being well-pleased when opportunities of doing good occur, and ready to improve them to the best of our ability.

14. In matters of opinion, CHARITY will consider and allow for different habits, customs, or education; for the different impressions that things are liable to make upon the minds of various men ; and for the dissimilarities of capacity and judgment. Hence, CHARITY may well be termed UNIVERSAL LOVE.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

1. What does the word CHARITY signify?

2. What should incline us to the exercise of Charity? 3. What further incitement have we thereto ?

4. What does this Charity dispose its possessor to exercise?

5. What, in all, and especially, commercial countries, are perpetually recurring? 5, 6. Exemplify this.

7, 8. What can we do to relieve such distresses as these?

9. IS CHARITY a particular or general duty?

10. How is Charity represented? 10, 11. Explain this represen

tation.

12. Is Charity a universal virtue? To what has it respect or reference? 12, 13, 14. In what does it consist, and how does it display itself?

AUGURY.

1. ALL men have a strong propensity to inquire into FUTURE EVENTS, especially such as more immediately relate to themselves; and so powerful is the impulse, that many persons, eminent for their intellectual powers, and capable of reasoning most conclusively on other subjects, have shown themselves weak indeed on this, feeling elated or distressed at occurrences in themselves indifferent, but which vulgar opinion had characterised as indicative of future good or bad fortune: thus, the spilling of salt, the flight of magpies or ravens either to the right or left, the accidentally putting on a stocking inside-outwards, and a thousand other trifles, have excited pleasure or alarm in breasts where REASON, every other subject, held complete dominion.

on

2. Foretelling the good or bad result of any undertaking, by observing certain natural occurrences, is of great antiquity. We read of divination+ being practised in EGYPT as early as the time of JOSEPH ; the cup that was found in Benjamin's sack being that which Joseph used for making AUGURIES;§ and so enticing was the practice, that the ALMIGHTY, by Moses, thus expressly prohibits it:

3. “There shall not be found among you any one that . . useth divination, or an observer of times, or

Showing; pointing out; informing.

↑ The art or act of divining; the prediction, or foretelling, of future events; conjectural presage or prediction.

See Genesis; chap. xliv.

§ Omens; predictions; prognostications; conjectures concerning future events.