Thefe Examples, as well as my Text, point out the Reasonableness and Advantages of domestic Love and Union, which shall be the Head of my Difcourse.

IIdly, I fhall lay down fome Rules to prevent Difunion.

It Then I am to shew the Reasonablenefs and Advantages of domestic Union.

Quietness under one's own Roof, and Quietness in our own Confcience, are two fubftantial Bleffings, which, whoever barters for Shew and Pomp, will find himself a Lofer by the Exchange. Abroad, we must more or lefs find Tribulation? yet, as long as our Home is a fecure and peaceful Retreat from all the Disappointments and Cares, which we meet with in that great Scene of Vexation the World, we may still be tolerably happy: But if that, which fhould be our main Sanctuary from Uneafinefs, becomes our principal Difsquietude; how great must our Uneafinefs be! There cannot be a greater Curfe, than to have Thofe of one's own Houfhold one's greatest Foes; when we neither can live happily with Them, nor must think of living apart from them. It was wifely ordained by

SERM. II.

SERM. II. Nature, that whereas, if our Benevolence fhould be equally ftrong to all Mankind alike, it would be loft in a Multiplicity of Objects, and diftracted in it's Choice; therefore our Benevolence fhould be the Strongest, where there were the clofeft Ties of Relation. Our Benevolence is like Attraction, "which increases as the Distances " diminish; and then operates most pow"erfully, when Bodies make the nearest Approaches to one another *" It is the Voice of Nature, which calls within us, and Reason seconds that Call, when all other Circumstances are equal, to love our near Relations better than our Neighbours, and our Neighbours than mere Strangers.

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We then counteract the Defign of Nature, and confequently of the Author of Nature, when we do not endeavour to contribute as much as in us lyes to their Eafe and Happiness, with which our own is often effentially interwoven. "Is it not strange, "(fays an ingenious Writer) that fome "fhould be fo delicate as not to bear a dif*agreeable Picture in the House, and yet • force every Face they fee about them, to wear a Gloom of Uneasiness and Dif*See Hutchefon's Inquiry &c. Pages 197, 198, &c.

content. ???

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* Discontent* ?" Yet this is no uncommon SERM. II. Character. Nay, there fhall often be á certain Shynefs, Coldnefs and Sullennefs in Families, where there is no material Ground, of domeftic Animofities: And these Differences fhall be often the most lasting. For when Anger or Uneafinefs immediately vents itself in Words, the Malignity of the Paffion is foon discharged; then it is most fatal and pernicious, when the Wound rankles and fefters within, when the Mind preys upon itself, without difclofing the Subject of it's Grievances.

The Affronts, that are put upon us by Strangers, make but feeble and languid Impreffions in Comparison: But those, that proceed from Perfons endeared to us by the closest Relation of Blood and Kindred, wound us in the moft tender and fenfible Part. There are two Things, that affect the Heart of every ingenuous Man moft deeply, viz. good-natured and generous Offices from Thofe, to whom we have been injurious; and an ill-natured and unchriftian Treatment from Thofe to whom we have been very kind and affectionate. As for the former, we can make a Shift to bear their Hatred,

Perfian Letters, Page 128.

SERM. II. Hatred, because we have deferved it: But we cannot bear their Love; it quite con-. founds and overpowers us. And, as to the latter, it is certain, we can endure the utmoft Rancour and Malice of others, much better, than the leaft Coldness and Indiffe rence from Those whom we have made it our conftant Endeavour to please.

Very!

beautiful in this Light are the Words of the Pfalmift. For it is not an open Enemy that hath done me this Dishonour: For then I could have born it; neither was it mine Adverfary that did magnify himself against me: For then peradventure I would have bid myself from him. But it was even Thou, my Companion, my Guide and mine own familiar Friend.

Love is a tender Plant, it must be kept alive by great Delicacy, it must be fenced. from all inclement Blafts; or it will foon droop it's Head and die. Indeed in general we ought to be very tender (we can fcarce be too much fo) as to what may af fect another: Otherwife we do, we know, not what. For no Man can tell, unless he could feel for him, how much another may fuffer by any unkind thing we fay or do. An angry Word fhall give a deeper

Wound

Wound to fome Minds, than an injurious SERM. II. Action fhall to others, who are of Matter. too hard to make any Impreffion at all upon them: And perhaps moft Men feel more in the whole of their Life, from the fcornful Reproofs of the Wealthy, the Defpitefulness of the Proud, taunting Sarcafms and little Inftances of Ill-will, Neglect and Contempt; than they do from the more folid Evils of Life. Thefe are the little Thorns and Briars, which, (though Men of a rougher Make may make their way through them without feeling much,) extremely, incommode Perfons of a more refined Turn in their Journey through Life, and make their Travelling irkfom and unpleasant; though they do not distress them fo much, as the deep Waters, that threaten to swallow them up.

But the unkindly Behaviour of Bofom Friends and deareft Relations gives the most exquifite Senfations of Diftrefs; as on the other Hand, a grateful, humane Deportment from Them gives the finest and most delicate Touches of Pleafure. Every trifling Service, that is an Evidence and Expreffion of their Love, is received by us, as if it were a substantial Obligation; and no