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whatever can fo much as lead him to think of his former vicious pleasures; particularly the company he has formerly kept, and by whose example, infinuations, and folicitations, he has been seduced. A man who confides in his fortitude, and wilfully runs into temptation, is almost fure to be overcome. Our only fafety, in these cases, confists in flying from the danger, through a wife diftruft of ourselves..

4. We must, also, refolutely do whatever we are convinced is right, whether we can immediately take pleasure in it or not. Let a man invariably do his duty, and he will, in time, find a real fatisfaction in it, which will increase, as right conduct grows more habitual; till, in time, notwithstanding the reluctance with which he entered upon a virtuous courfe, he will have the moft fincere pleasure in it, on its own account. He will love virtue for its own fake, and will not change his course of life, even though it should not be the most advantageous to him for the

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prefent. If the most selfish person in the world would make a point of doing generous things, and thus get a custom of befriending and relieving others, till he should look upon it as his indifpenfable business, and his proper employment, he would, at length, find fatisfaction in it, and would act habitually from the pure principles of benevolence.

5. The contemplation of virtuous characters is a great means of infpiring the mind with a love of virtue. If a man attentively confiders the history of a virtuous perfon, he cannot help entering into, and approving his fentiments, and he will intereft himself in his fate. In short, he will feel himself difpofed to act the same part in the fame circumftances. It is not equally advisable to study the lives, and contemplate the characters of vicious perfons, with a view to be deterred from the practice of vice, by means of the horror with which it would infpire us. Because, when the mind is familiarized to any thing, G

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the horror with which we first viewed it, in a great measure, ceases; and let a man have been ever fo wicked, and his fchemes ever so detestable, it is hardly possible (if his character and history have been for a long time the principal object of our attention) not to intereft ourselves in his affairs, fo as to be pleased with the fuccefs of his fchemes and ftratagems. There will be the more danger of this effect, if fuch a perfon have any good qualifications to recommend him; and no man is fo far abandoned to vice, as to be intirely deftitute of all amiable and engaging qualities.

Vice joined with wit and humour, or any talent by which a man gives pleasure, or excites admiration is exceedingly dangerous; more especially if a perfon of a profligate character be poffeffed of any real virtues, particularly fuch as strike the mind with an idea of dignity and generofity. Thus courage, and humanity too often cover and recommend the most scandalous vices, and even fuch as really tend to make

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men cowardly, treacherous, and cruel; and which, at length, extinguish every fpark of generofity and goodness in the heart.

6. In order to cultivate the virtues of piety or devotion to the most advantage, it feems neceffary that we frequently meditate upon the works, the attributes, and the character of the divine being, and on the benefits which we daily receive from his hands; that we, more efpecially, reflect upon his univerfal prefence, and providence; till every object, and every occurrence fhall introduce the idea of God, as our creator, preferver, benefactor, moral governor, and judge. In this cafe a regard to him cannot fail habitually to influence our difpofitions and conduct, so as to prove the strongest prefervative, against all vice and wickedness.

7. Prayer must be joined to meditation. We must frequently addrefs ourselves to God, expreffing our veneration for his character,

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character, our gratitude for his favours to us, our humiliation for our offences, our devotedness to his will, our refignation to his providence, and also our defire of any thing that he knows to be really good for us. This kind of intercourse with the deity tends greatly to ftrengthen every proper difpofition of mind towards him. Prayer is the univerfal dictate of nature, not sophisticated by the refinements of philofophy; and, in fact, has been the practice of all mankind.

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Befides, though God be fo great and good, though he knows all our wants, and is at all times difpofed to grant us every proper bleffing; yet he who made us, fo as that we cannot help having recourfe to him as our father, benefactor, and protector, in the fame manner as we have recourfe to our fuperiors and benefactors on earth, will no doubt approve, encourage, and condefcend to that manner of behaviour and addrefs to him, which the fame difpofitions and circumstances neceffarily.

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