with its kindly warmth? If it were larger, it would fet the earth on fire; if lefs, it would leave it frozen; if it were nearer to us, we should be scorched to death; if farther from us we fhould not be able to live for want of heat. Who then hath made it fo commodious a tabernacle, (I speak with the Scriptures and according to the common notion) out of which it cometh forth, every morning, like a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his courfe? For fo many ages past it never failed rifing at its appointed time, nor once miffed fending out the dawn to proclaim its approach. But at whofe voice does it arife, and by whose hand is it directed in its diurnal and annual course, to give us the blessed viciffitudes of day and night, and the regular fucceffions of different feafons? That it fhould always proceed in the fame straight path, and never once be known to step afide; that it should turn at a certain determinate point, and not go forward in a space, where there is nothing to obftru&t it; that it should traverse the fame path back again,

in the fame conftant and regular pace, to bring on the seasons by gradual advances; that the moon should supply the office of the fun, and appear, at fet times, to illuminate the air and give a vicarious light when its brother is gone to carry the day into the other hemifphere; that it fhould procure, or at least regulate the fluxes and refluxes of the fea, whereby the water is kept in conftant motion, and fo preferved from putrefaction, and accommodated to man's manifold conveniences, befides the business of fishing and the use of navigation. In a word, that the rest of the planets, and all the innumerable hoft of heavenly bodies should perform their courfes and revolutions with fo much certainty and exactness as never once to fail, but, for almost these fix thousand years, come conftantly to the fame period, in the hundredth part of a minute; is a clear and incontestable proof of a Divine Architect, and of that counsel and wisdom wherewith HE rules and directs the univerfe.STACKHOUSE.

Flatterers.

OME praifes proceed merely of flattery; and if he be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain common attributes which may ferve every man. If he be a cunning flatterer, he will follow the arch-flatterer which is a man's felf. But if he be an impudent flatterer, look wherein a man is conscious to himself that he is moft defective, and is moft out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him to, perforce.-LORD BACON.

Flattery.

LATTERY is an enfnaring quality, and leaves a very dangerous impreffion. It fwells a man's

imagination, entertains his vanity,

and drives him to a doting upon his own perfon.-JEREMY COLLIER.

2. WHEN I tell him he hates flattery, He fays he does; being then moft flatter'd. -SHAKSPEARE.

Fluency of Speech.

HE common fluency of speech in many men and most women, is owing to a scarcity of matter and a fcarcity of words; for whoever is a master of language and hath a mind full of ideas, will be apt, in fpeaking, to hesitate upon the choice of both.-SWIFT.

Food for the Mind.

HE mind requires not, like an earthen veffel, to be kept full; convenient food and aliment only, will inflame it with a defire of knowledge and an ardent love of truth.PLUTARCH.

ROGERS.

Forefight.

IFFICULTIES and temptations will be more eafily borne or avoided, if, with prudent forecast, we arm ourselves against them.

Formalities.

EREMONIES are not to be omitted to ftrangers and perfons of formal natures; but the exalting them above the mean is not only tedious, but doth diminish the credit of him that speaks.-LORD BACON.

2. It is a ridiculous thing and fit for a fatire, to persons of judgment, to see what fhifts formalifts have, and what prospectives to make fuperficies to feem a body that hath depth and bulk.-Ibid.

Fortitude.

ORTITUDE is the guard and fupport of the other virtues; and without courage a man will scarce keep fteady to his duty, and fill up the character of a truly worthy man. LOCKE.

2. FORTITUDE implies a firmness and ftrength of mind, that enables us to do and fuffer as we ought. It rifes upon an oppo