I.

SERM. happier than fuch as have only a Competency; that the Cares and Difappointments of Ambition for the moft Part far exceed the Satisfactions of it; as alfo the miferable Intervals of Intemperance and Excess, and the many untimely Deaths occafioned by a diffolute Courfe of Life: These things are all feen, acknowledged, by every one acknowledged; but are thought no Objections against, though they expreffly contradict, this univerfal Principle, that the Happiness of the prefent Life confifts in one or other of them. Whence is all this Abfurdity and Contradiction? Is not the middle Way obvious? Can any thing be more manifeft, than that the Happiness of Life confifts in These poffeffed and enjoyed only to a certain Degree; that to pursue them beyond this Degree, is always attended with more Inconvenience than Advantage to a Man's felf, and often with extream Mifery and Unhappiness. Whence then, I fay, is all this Abfurdity and Contradiction? Is it really the Refult of Confideration in Mankind, how they may become most eafy to themfelves, most free from Care, and enjoy the chief Happiness attainable in this World? Or is it not manifeftly owing either to this, that they have

not cool and reasonable Concern enough SERM, for themselves, to confider wherein their I chief Happiness in the prefent Life confifts; or elfe, if they do confider it, that they will not act conformably to what is the Result of that Confideration: i. e. reasonable Concern for themselves, or cool Self-love is prevailed over by Paffion and Appetite. So that from what appears, there is no Ground to affert that thofe Principles in the Nature of Man, which most directly lead to promote the Good of our Fellow-Creatures, are more generally or in a greater Degree violated, than those, which most directly lead us to promote our own private Good and Happiness.

THE Sum of the whole is plainly this. The Nature of Man confidered in his fingle Capacity, and with refpect only to the present World, is adapted and leads him to attain the greatest Happiness he can for himfelf in the present World. The Nature of Man confidered in his publick or focial Capacity leads him to a right Behaviour in Society, to that Course of Life which we call Virtue. Men follow or obey their Nature in both these Capacities and Refpects to a certain Degree, but not intirely; Their ActiC 4

ons

I.

;

SERM. ons do not come up to the whole of what their Nature leads them to in either of these Capacities or Refpects: and they often violate their Nature in both. i. e. As they neglect the Duties they owe to their FellowCreatures, to which their Nature leads them and are injurious, to which their Nature is abhorrent: So there is a manifeft Negligence in Men of their real Happiness or Interest in the prefent World, when that Intereft is inconfiftent with a prefent Gratification; for the fake of which they negligently, nay, even knowingly are the Authors and Inftruments of their own Mifery and Ruin. Thus they are as often unjust to themselves as to others, and for the most Part are equally fo to both by the fame Actions,

SERMON

SERMON II, III.

Upon Humane Nature.

ROM. ii. 14.

For when the Gentiles which have not the
Law, do by Nature the things contained in
the Law, thefe having not the Law, are a
Law unto themselves.

A

S fpeculative Truth admits of diffe-SERM, rent Kinds of Proof, fo likewife II. Moral Obligations may be fhewn by different Methods. If the real Nature of any Creature leads him and is adapted to fuch and fuch Purposes only, or more than to any other; this is a Reason to believe the Author of that Nature intended it for those Purposes. Thus there is no Doubt the Eye was intended for us to fee with. And the more complex any Constitution

SER M. is, and the greater Variety of Parts there are II. which thus tend to fome one End, the

stronger is the Proof that fuch End was defigned. However, when the inward Frame of Man is confidered as any Guide in Morals, the utmoft Caution must be used that none make Peculiarities in their own Temper, or any thing which is the Effect of particular Customs, though obfervable in feveral, the Standard of what is common to the Species; and above all, that the higheft Principle be not forgot or excluded, That to which belongs the Adjustment and Correction of all other inward Movements and Affections: Which Principle will of Course have fome Influence, but which being in Nature fupream, as fhall now be fhown, ought to prefide over and govern all the reft. The Difficulty of rightly observing the two former Cautions; the Appearance there is of fome fmall Diversity amongst Mankind with refpect to this Faculty, with respect to their natural Senfe of moral Good and Evil; and the Attention neceffary to furvey with any Exactness what paffes within, have occafioned that it is not fo much agreed what is the Standard of the internal Nature of Man, as of his external Form.