9. His precepts inculcated the purest and most perfect morality; his discourses were full of dignity and wisdom, 'yet intelligible and clear; his parables conveyed instruc tion in the most pleasing, familiar, and impressive manner; and his answers to the many insidious questions that were put to him, showed uncommon quickness of conception, soundness of judgment, and presence of mind; completely baffled all the artifices and malice of his enemies; and enabled him to elude all the snares that were laid for him. 10. From this short and imperfect sketch of our Savior's character, it is evident that he was, beyond comparison, the wisest and the most virtuous person that ever appeared in the world. PART II. PIECES IN POETRY. CHAPTER I. SELECT SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS. SECTION I. Improvement of time. 'DEFER not till to-morrow to be wise; Moral culture. If good we plant not, vice will fill the place; And rankest weeds the richest soils deface. The noblest art. Indulge the true ambition to excel In its true light, this transient life regard : Happiness, domestic. For genuine happiness we need not roam; "Tis doubtless found with little, and at home. Virtue and vice progressive. The human heart ne'er knows a state of rest; Bad leads to worse, and better tends to best. Humility. Be humble; learn thyself to scan : Contentment is happiness. Could wealth our happiness augment? Virtue altogether lovely. Virtue is amiable, mild, serene : Without, all beauty; and all peace within. Self Partiality. The faults of our neighbor's with freedom we blame, But tax not ourselves tho' we practise the same. Candor and forgiveness. -How noble 'tis to own a fault! How gen'rous and divine to forgive it! Troubles from ourselves. "Tis to ourselves, indeed, we chiefly owe The multitude of poignant griefs we feel. Resignation. Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv'st, SECTION II. Integrity. The man of pure and simple heart, Best use of riches. When wealth to virtuous hands is giv'n, Choice of friends. Who friendship with a knave has made, Christian morality. "Tis our part, As Christians, to forget the wrongs we feel; To pardon trespasses; our very foes Live peaceably; and be, in all our acts, Hope in affliction. -Shall we pine, And be dishearten'd with a day of grief, When the same hand which brought affliction on Retains its pow'r, and can with equal ease, Remove it? Folly of envy. Can you discern another's mind? The wish. I sigh not for beauty, nor languish for wealth; Censoriousness reproved. In other men we faults can spy, And blame the mote that dims their eye; Ere we remark another's sin, Let our own conscience look within. Self command. Ungovern'd wrath, and fell resentment fly : Inscription on a sun dial. SECTION III. Source of true happiness. Love to God produces love to men. Let gratitude in acts of goodness flow; Our love to God, in love to man below. Be this our joy-to calm the troubled breast, Support the weak, and succor the distrest ; Direct the wand'rer, dry the widow's tear; The orphan guard, the sinking spirits cheer. Though small our pow'r to act, though mean our skill, God sees the heart; he judges by the will. Men mutually helpful. Nature expects mankind should share Who's born to sloth? To some we find To bless, is to be blest. When young, what honest triumph flush'd my breast, |