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tinually, but never departing from the broad line in which they are propelled.

§ 12. Considering the particulars of the last mentioned incidentals will lead us to another sort, concurring or coincident with opportunity, and in a civilized state for the most part also as necessary; being that of a Trade, Calling, or Profession: which may also be considered either as an employment or an opportunity. As an employment, when exercised this article will rank among constituents; but simply considered, or considered as an opportunity unemployed, only among incidentals; making thereby a deduction from the existence of the subject. So the great mystery under consideration may be; and too often, unfortunately, is, like some neglected trade or profession, more an opportunity than an employment, more an incidental than a constituent. Yet; as a man's trade or profession, whether spiritual like the mystery or temporal like any part that he performs in subservience thereto, is supposed to be his employment-that in which he rules, administers, creates, and finds his importance, it will be accordingly so considered.

§ 13. The last sort of incidentals belonging to the kingdom that deserves to be mentioned, and also most particularly as being nearest home, or most intellectual, consists in such articles as these, v. g., Instruction, Example, Advice. The good or evil and importance of these is indeed beyond calculation: if good, it is not in the power of one man to confer upon others any greater obligation, though others are not so likely to thank you for these incidentals, or for one of them at least, as for almost any one of the before mentioned, because they, and this one in particular, would seem to cost the donor so little but a qualification either to teach or to advise is not procured sometimes without an extraordinary sacrifice of health and fortune; and, to be a good example in his generation, a man must have grace likewise, which no sacrifice or cost of either health or fortune will be able to ensure. When

grace however is given to this end, and its receiver shines accordingly as an example to others in every good work, he will do more for society and for himself, than one who bestows all his goods to feed the poor, and his body to be burned besides (Cor. I. xiii. 3). For the benefit of an example in these and the like particulars only must be partial and imperfect: but of an example that was generally good the benefit would be as universal, if men were only more alive to it; and a store of advice at hand, to be drawn upon when necessary, would be like money put to the exchangers, which might be reclaimed when needful with usury, if the currency in wisdom were as well understood as currency in coin. But the understanding does not seem to have so much to do with this matter, as sympathy. For it is observable, that weak men of every degree, from highest to lowest, are proportionably fond of weak counsellors, preferring accordingly the advice of their equals to that of their superiors. So the reception of our advice will generally depend on the party, liking, or affinity of its object more than upon its own merits; and one fool may persuade another very easily to what no wise man could ever have persuaded him to, if he would. But sometimes they who are richest in counsel are most niggardly in dispensing it; while, on the contrary, the poorest shall be the most prodigal, as it happens by the holders of wealth: which may be one great cause of its general disesteem.

It may seem inconsistent to ascribe to the Kingdom of God in Christ the property of such things as those abovementioned, and especially of such as money, meat, and drink; which every man almost considers as the exclusive property of his own race, a race of coiners, butchers, and brewers. And if we look into Scripture, we shall there also find this property claimed by another, being one who is styled "the Prince of this world," " for that is delivered unto me, (says he) and to whomsoever I will I give it" (Luke iv. 6): as he really seems to do, like one who had a very great share not only in the property of ALL THAT,

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but likewise in its very worst use; v. g., to bribe and corrupt with it; to kindle strife, wars, seditions; to puff up one, mislead another, overthrow others, and chastise them all with his golden rods. It may seem inconsistent therefore on either account, to ascribe the property of such things as the essential incidentals aforesaid to the Kingdom of God in Christ. But on a further examination it will appear, that however justly he or they, i. e., the prince of this world or its human inhabitants, may challenge some right to these things, their full property and free application must belong to the Head of the kingdom and Author of all its essential properties and kinds of property, of the highest that can be conceived, as well as the lowest of those already mentioned.

But the greater part of mankind will seem to be aware of only one sort of property, and that the least constituent: which they however call their substance; dividing the same into two species, which they call real and personal. And according to their view of the subject, that property which is farthest from a man, or from the centre of his existence, may be the most real, as a freehold estate, e. g., which he never saw perhaps; and likewise many sorts of property shall be regarded as personal which the man never touched, and which never touched his person: but of these properties which are really personal; as strength, agility, and the like, they shall have no idea as such; and still less of the more spiritual and intellectual, which are the really real. If however men would be at the pains of considering, they might find thus much; they might find, that the only real property of a man, that which one man may be said to have and to hold independent of others, consists in his inward motions and sentiments; or, that our spiritual and intellectual properties are the only real and certain property that we can boast, if any. All other property is either incidental in its nature, or such as cannot be kept wherever it may attach; to the physiognomical, or to any other assemblage

or department--and often any other person's but the reputed owner's. Beauty, e. g., in the natural, and dignity in the moral expression, whose real property are they; or whose the resemblance to some great person? the person's who attributes such properties, or the person's to whom they are attributed? From the discrepancy with which they are attended one should judge them to be the property of those by whom they are attributed: they are the creatures of their imagination; and in many cases do not go any farther than the part where they are supposed to begin, than the heart or the head in which they are conceived.

It is true indeed, that there may be, and usually is, a communication of human property of every kind supported in the species; v. g. of spiritual and intellectual, or really real, as well as of physiognomical and corporeal, or really personal; and likewise of those species which they call personal and real, whereby different communities are formed: as civil and political communities are formed by the communication of what is called real and personal property; domestic, by the communication of what is domestic property, as well as of what is so called; social, philosophical, religious and other sentimental communities, by the communication of social, philosophical, religious and other kinds of feelings and sentiments, or real property on the above definition. The object of such communication being often partial, and rather tending to exclusion, the property of the matter communicated, be it wealth, or power, or skill, or science, or any thing else, may seem to be rendered hereby more whole and secure; as the essence of property consists in its peculiarity, and what one cannot keep, more may and so the monopolies of ideas may be set up as well as monopolies of silk and salt, having all things common within their limits, like the first Christian community (Acts iv. 32), and no chance of disturbance. But it may be well to remember, that a man's property consists, not in what he is pleased to communi

cate, but in what he is able to withhold : and (with all deference to the wisdom and equity of governments) in no country of Christendom, which should be the freest part of the earth, is there any sort of property that a man can withhold from other men if he would, or that he can keep and call his own, besides his inward and uncommunicated sentiments. These he is only obliged to share with higher beings: no other man can have any share in them, or any control over them. Therefore these are a man's real freehold property so far as regards other men; though with regard to higher beings, and to God in particular, they are personal and precarious. We have nothing proper or peculiar with respect to God: but with respect to other men, thank God! we have. He may seize upon a man's sentiments, tear them from his heart, and put others in place of them: an angel may do the same with God's permission; may put himself there if he likes, or fill the heart with all sorts of fancies and chimeras, strewing it all over with lies as thick as a sowing of tares (Mat. xiii. 24, &c.): but still we shall have something in our heart that we can call our own, and keep against all the world. God knows my inmost thoughts, no doubt: angels may know them; but no other man shall, nor be able to come near them, if I do not choose - much less, to sway or revolutionize them.

There can be no doubt then, which may be the real, lasting, and constituent property of the heavenly kingdom; that which the world calls property, or that which has just been proposed for it. “The prince of this world," as he is called, may challenge for himself all its fleeting treasure (John xii. 31.; Luke iv. 6.; John I. ii. 17, &c.), as before observed; and he may rule its incidentals generally, by their means, also its very constituents, to a certain extent: for, if glory, power and such other incidentals are fleeting, their image and effect will remain however, long after they are gone by; though not for good unto those who drink too deeply of them: and if they (the image and

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