154 - PASSIONS and different TEMPERS, 
ourfelves, we muft not conftder fo much what the world will 
think of us, in regard to any of thefe, but what we think of 
ourfelves ; what are the real duties of religion and humanity; 
and which is the best way to be happy here and hereafter. 
We muft deal with our hearts, as a&ing under the eye of an 
omnifcient god, and render all our motives, as pure, regular, 
and confiftent as poftible. Tho’ men differ fo much from 
each other, the human heart is fo near the fame, that the fame 
caufes generally produce the fame effe&s ; and we may gene- 
rally learn how to become virtuous or vicious, by obferving 
and imitating the conduct of others. You will hear fome ac- 
cufed of hypocrify, who are really no hypocrites, but only in- 
conftant in temper, or irrefolute in their purfuits of virtue, and 
a& moft againft their own hearts, when they are leaft virtuous. 
Our thoughts, and confequently our actions, our virtues and 
vices, undoubtedly receive a tin&ure from our conftitution, 
education, external circumftances, and the objects with which 
we converfe ; but moft of all from the turn of mind which 
characterizes the man. And after all the enquiry we can make, 
for the feveral caufes of virtue and vice, which do not feem to 
be entirely the refult of thought and defign, and which we can- 
not trace out, let thefe caufes be what they may, we feldom 
miftake vice for virtue, and may ftill be affured that virtue is 
OUR SUPREME FELICITY. 
We alfo know, that the greateft temptations, and the worft 
{ituations and circumftances in life, afford occafion for the moft 
heroic virtues. Without the conlideration of an after-reckon- 
ing. 
