the Epicureans) have believed that the Brutes do not chufe their End, but are neceffarily carried to it by that Impreffion which the all-wife Maker of the World hath left upon their Natures; and the Reafons of this Conclufion are fo evident, that there is no need of Difpute about them. But by this we may fee how very powerful and clear those Arguments to Religion and Virtue are, which do arise from the Senfe and Confideration of the Advantages of our Nature above that of Brutes, and of the effential Difference which Reason, and Understanding, and Freedom of Will, do make between Men and all other Creatures upon the Earth, that the Force of them is scarce to be avoided otherways, than by levelling our felves with the Beafts that perifh, or advancing them to the fame Prerogative of Excellence with our felves. And one would think the Controverfy between a Religious Man and an Epicure were drawn into as narrow a Compafs, and as fair an End is made of it, as could be desired, if the Libertine must be confefs'd to lofe his Cause, unlefs the Brutes be free Agents, and have reasonable Natures as well as Men.

But thus much for the Confideration of thofe Advantages peculiar to Human Nature, which oblige us to fear God, and to live in Obedience to his Laws, and that

under

under the Penalty of greatly injuring our Natures, and wronging our own Souls.

The Scope of the latter Part of the Text is to fhew, that they who incur Mifery by Ungodliness, do chufe both the one and the other. All they that hate me, love Death.

In which Words the wicked Man being described as an Hater of the Rules of Virtue and wife Living, the Wretchedness of his Mind, as well as the Viciousness of it, is plainly fignified, it being the most miferable State of a Creature to hate the Ways of Wisdom und Righteoufnefs, and fo to hate his Maker, the Eternal Wisdom, the infinitely good God, with whom Wisdom dwells, and whofe Fear is the beginning of it; and very plain it is indeed that they who love to do thofe Things that are directly contrary to the Will, and perfectly abominable to the Nature of God, cannot endure to think of that Holiness which they offend, of that Juftice which they provoke, that Authority they contemn, that infinite Power which they turn against themselves.

for

But it fhould feem more difficult to conceive, how any should love Death, and chuse to be miferable, it being indeed impoffible any Nature to do this directly and formally; we must therefore interpret these Words according to the ufual Construction of fuch Phrafes, that is, that there are those who do with wilful Obftinacy pursue those

Bb 4

Ways

Ways which unavoidably lead to Death. To Perfons who are furiously eager to take deftructive Courfes, fometimes an Eagernefs for the End fuch Courfes bring them to is not improperly attributed, tho' that End be Deftruction, as if they courted their own Ruin, which, yet, as it must be suppofed, they love and intend not directly. Thus, for Inftance, we fay of a prodigal Fool, that lives profufely and at random, beyond his Eftate and Incomes, and runs more and more in Debt, that he loves a Jail, and of an irregular giddy Fool, whom nothing can ftop in his Career of Intemperance and Debauchery, that he loves Dif cafes, and a bad Conftitution, and a fhort Life; and fo of a lamentable Wretch, who will go on in the broad Way, which leadeth to Destruction, do what we can to turn him out of it, and to fet him right, that he loves Hell and Damnation, the Way he is wilfully in, which certainly carries him to Everlafting Mifery, being his own perverse Choice, in which pernicious Choice he is the more obftinate and unaccountable, in as much as he is fufficiently forewarned and inftructed what must be done, and what must be avoided, in order to his Happiness in this World, and in the World to come, both in the one and in the other, and that if he confults the Senfe of his own Soul; upon which Account therefore, finning

againit

against Wisdom, he wrongeth his own Soul, fince every fuch one finneth against that natural Sense of God and his Perfections which fhews him his Duty, and against those natural Impreffions fuggesting Sin and Duty to him which he feels in his Soul, and moreover against that Knowledge of Good and Evil, which he cannot but have from the natural evil Effects of Vice and Sin, and Wholfomnefs of Virtue, and laftly, against the natural Senfe of a farther Danger he is in by a Way of Wickedness, even of a Punishment Sin juftly deferves, and remains to be inflicted, and must inevitably overtake him in the End, in Cafe of Impenitence and Incorrigibleness. For,

1. That natural Reafon which fhews us the Being and Perfections of God, and our Dependance upon him, doth alfo fhew us what is to be done and avoided by us, if we confult for our own Happiness. If he is infinitely good in his Nature, then it is our Duty to be merciful, and he cannot but abhor Cruelty, and Oppreffion, and Uncharitableness; if he be impartial, and juft, and holy, then he cannot but be offended with the Unrighteoufnefs of Men; if he is a pure Spirit, then we are not to abandon our felves to brutish Pleasures; if he is faithful and true, we are to keep Promises, and to difcharge all Trufts with Fidelity and Honefty; if he is our Sovereign, we are to

obey

obey him; if our Maker, we are to worfhip him; if our Benefactor, to acknowledge him with grateful Praises; and for our Defects in all thefe Points, we are accountable to his Authority and Judgment; and because he is impartial and unchangeable, we have no cause to expect his Protection, his Favour, his Rewards, but by doing those Things that are right before him; and because he is the Supreme Governour, and the Almighty Difpofer of all Things, we cannot expect with any reafon to be happy under his Difpleafure, as we need not fear to be undone if we procure his Favour. The Sum of which is, that as far as God hath fhewn himself to us, he hath withal made known how we are to please him; and therefore we find that the Belief of a God tends fo much to make Men fober, and modeft, and faithful, and juft, and temperate, and univerfally virtuous, that they who are addicted to an unruly and licentious Life, do what they can to deny him.

2. God hath fhewn us his Will alfo in thofe natural Impreffions he hath left in our Minds concerning Good and Evil. These are, the Law written on the Hearts of all Men, Heathens and Pagans not excepted, prompting them to do that which is for their Welfare, and to efchew that which is for their Harm; and this is such a Law as