4^0 Dr. Barnes on the Powiy 



ritate and increafe it. Thus, fear, and forrow, 

 turn the mind inward upon itfelf, and aggravate 

 all its painful fenfibilities. Anger, which par- 

 takes of the nature of fear and of grief, and is,, 

 like them felfifh, has the fame confequences. It 

 makes the mind fore, and irritable, and thus 

 ■whets the edge of fuffering. Love and gratitude, 

 on the other hand, center the heart on other ob- 

 jeftsj and, if thofe objeds are great, and amia- 

 ble, and worthy, infpire fublimity and ftrength. 

 Thus, during their whole continuance, they ren- 

 der the mind lefs pafiively the flave of bodily 

 impreffion. What has not parental afFedlion done, 

 ■what has it not endured, for the fupport and de- 

 fence of its offspring ? How amazingly, how 

 long, has it defied danger, and defpifcd fufFeringj 

 in fuch a caufe ! What has not the love of 

 country voluntarily confented to endure ! 



The fublimefl feelings which can govern the 

 human heart, are thofe infpired by Religion. For 

 religion carries the foul beyond itfelf, and cen- 

 ters all its flrongeft affedlions upon our Creator, 

 and a better world. If thefe be properly, that 

 is, habitually felt, they will be moft friendly to 

 that fclf-pofieffion, which braces the mind in all 

 its beft, and mofl lading energies. Thefe feel- 

 ings are permanent in their nature, and large in 

 their objedt. And how wonderful are often 

 their effeds ! In that moft awful hour of dif- 

 folving nature, when the body is racked with 



expiring 



