Thus we see God's government in morals becomes as conspicuous as in natural things: For, the disposing causes and effects in such a manner as to make vice defeat its own end, no less manifests the attention of infinite wisdom, than the aiding matter to produce its proper destination, is fitted to display infinite power.

But to perceive the force of what is here said, we must remember, that moral government consists of TWO PARTS; The one, a Provision to prevent evil, and to support good; The other, a destination of reward and punishment, assigned in due proportions to the agents of either: Our subject concerns the first part only: The second is to be explained on other principles; and is not within the limits of this Discourse.

To conclude, The sober inquirer will not be displeased to find at length, that the objections to God's moral Government spring from the weakness of our faculties, and the prejudices attending our situation; joined to a corrupt vanity which makes human reason the measure of all things: and that this Philosophy, which bears such a shew of inlarged and superior knowledge, stands on the narrow bottom of ignorance, and as it rises in vanity, increases in absurdity.

TO HUMBLE HUMAN REASON is the work of true Religion, and, if not the end, is always the issue, of sound Philosophy: but to DEBASE HUMAN NATURE is the low aim of impiety, and the darling project of corrupt manners. Providence laid open the knowledge of his works to excite our gratitude,

and strengthen our attachment to their Author. What the philosopher said of the knowledge of ourselves, may be well applied to the knowledge of the universe. "Let us not imagine it was given merely to humble human arrogance: One great purpose of it was to impress upon our hearts a sense of the divine goodness towards man." To turn this knowledge, therefore, to a brutal debasement of our nature, or a philosophic oblivion of our Lord and Master, is the lowest depravity of an intelligent Being. In a word, if reason and piety have no weight, let natural shame deter us, when we can never merit this distinction, at least from dishonouring the grace by irreverent cavils at the dispensation.

*Illud yvão σeaTov noli putare ad arrogantiam minuendam solum esse dictum, verum etiam ut bona nostra norimus. CIC.

SERMON III.

THE LOVE OF GOD AND MAN.

1 Еp. JOHN iv. ver. 20.

IF A MAN SAY, I LOVE GOD, AND HATETH HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR FOR HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HATH SEEN, HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD, WHOM HE HATH NOT SEEN?

ΤΗ

HE superior excellence of the Gospel morality above all other summaries of human conduct, whether preached up as a RELIGION by Priests; inforced for Law by the founders of Society; or recommended under the name of PHILOSOPHY by the Masters of wisdom; is now so generally seen and acknowledged, that even the enemies of Revelation have been forced to confess, It is as well in perfection as in purity, as well in public use as in private, truly worthy the original it assumes,

An advantage which the Ministers of our holy Religion have, with great judgment, taken all occasions to inforce, and with equal solidity to explain. But there is another circumstance in this divine economy,

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economy, which carries the honour of it still higher, as directly tending to prove, That the Gospel morality which is so worthy of God, had, in truth, God for its immediate Author. And this perhaps may not have been insisted on with the frequency and attention which so important a matter seems to require.

The circumstance I mean is, that profound and enlarged knowledge of human nature, which the Apostles discover in their manner of recommending moral duties. In this dispensation, these weak and foolish instruments, in the hand of Providence, have foiled and disgraced the boasted wisdom of Greece and Rome; and in that very way wherein their wisdom most excelled; in short and detached precepts, composed for the conduct of human life by men studious to reduce their long laborious searches after happiness into weighty and compendious aphorisms *.

But before I proceed to explain the words of my text, which afford so illustrious an example of this truth, I shall consider, in general, the occasion of them.

The life, the spirit of Christian Religion is universal benevolence. Agreeably to this, we may observe, That the first founders of the Churches, let the occasion be what it would, whatever Discipline they established, whatever Doctrine they inforced, whatever vice or Heresy they stigmatized, or whatever. grace or virtue they recommended, CHARITY was the thing still present with them, and always in

* Ρήματα βραχέα ἀξιομνημόνευτα. Plat. in Protag.