sionate; yet I do not present it as convenient for common use, nor deny that it may contain some parts disgustful, or even dangerous to common apprehensions; therefore since I cannot content myself with doing a little service while there seems a possibility of doing more; I shall now apply my attention to general convenience, and endeavor to produce something wherein the plain man may find his account: yet striving if possible so to connect my following labors with the foregoing that the studious and clear-sighted shall not take exceptions against them.

3. We have seen that sense and appetite are the first springs of action, impelling to objects that have been found grateful and driving from the contrary. In process of time, as experience grows to maturity, it produces the passions, affections, and habitual desires; which have something pleasing or disagreeable to sense for their object, and urge to the means apprehended requisite for procuring or escaping it. These incentives are given to all animals to spur on their activity, and find it continual employment: whence it appears that present pleasure and gratification are the natural motives to action. But besides these, man`possesses the faculty of understanding, which presents a large scene of objects to his view: so that while appetite and sense are busied in their present pursuits, he can contemplate the remote consequences of measures, and make an estimate of their whole amount,

Hence arises a new object of pursuit, which is Good, commonly distinguished from pleasure, yet differing rather in quantity than kind for good, as Mr. Locke observes, is that which produces pleasure, and this pleasure must come to be present some time or other, or it will not deserve the name. Thus pleasure and gratification still remain the motive even of rational undertakings; but the greater distant enjoyment in preference to the less near at hand. Nevertheless, man partakes so much of the beast as that his active powers lie constantly under the guidance of appetite ' and desire wherefore it avails nothing for reason to discern what is good, unless she can raise such a desire as shall find gratification in the approach towards it, or vexation in the apprehension of missing it.

Now reason has in some measuue a power to raise such desires for by often figuring the distant good as present in imagination, she may at length bring desire to fasten upon certain rules and measures of conduct leading towards it; and thereby generate a new set of senses, usually styled the moral: which, when fully acquired, operate in the same manner with the natural; by impulse to present gratification of them, without regard to further good effects that first gave them their vigor. But men fall into

mistakes concerning their moral senses, by entertaining too high an opinion of their understanding: for they suppose it able upon every occasion to penetrate the bottom of their measures, and discern the grounds whereon they were undertaken; so, finding no inducement beyond the recommendation of the moral sense, they imagine this a notice given immediately by nature, like those of colors, sounds, and tastes, conveyed by the bodily senses. But our understanding, scarce ever capable of looking through the whole length of the line she has run, rests upon certain marks and conclusions, without discerning the reasons prevailing on her to establish them. And if the major part of mankind never worked them out by their own observation and reason, still they derived them by the channels of instruction, example, and custom: but whoever first introduced them into the world, learned their value by having experienced the necessity and expedience of them. Most of our moral senses relate to our intercourse among one another for as we live in society, we cannot attain our own interests without gaining the assistance and good will of others, which can only be done by returns of mutual good offices to them.

Thus we see the foundation of social virtues lies in our own good and while we confined our contemplation to this sublunary scene of life, we could not find they had this foundation to support them in some cases that might happen, which therefore remained as exceptions to their obligation. But the sequel of our inquiries having discovered to us our individuality and unperishable nature, it appeared that we had an interest in futurity, and became expedient to examine whether that interest might not stand affected by the practice of the social virtues; so that they might still have their proper foundation to support them, even in cases where they tend to our damage in this present life.

We then cast our eyes around upon external nature, which soon led us to the author of nature, whom we found to be One, Omnipotent, Good, and Equitable. From whence it followed that the universe, being the work of one hand, must be formed upon one all-comprehensive plan: the several parts being mutually adjusted, so as to compose altogether one entire Whole; and the laws provided for each particular district, having a respect to the general utility.

We considered likewise that all causes must derive their powers and manners of operation originally from the first; whose omniscience would not permit him to be ignorant of the particular effects they should produce, nor to put them in motion without a design of producing the very effects to result therefrom. Thus

all events fall out according to the causes appointed by God; and that provision of causes he makes for bringing them to pass, we call Providence, which extends throughout all the regions of his boundless empire. So that no creature in all nature receives a pleasure unless by the divine dispensation, nor falls under a pain unless by the divine permission.

Then upon contemplation of the divine equity, we could find. no ground to imagine the stream of bounty should flow unequally : but that however it might appear confined to particular quarters at times, yet upon the whole it would be distributed in like proportion among all the creatures. Thus the good of every creature, being the share belonging to it of the whole good in the creation, cannot be promoted otherwise than by increasing the common stock. So that though private interest be the ultimate end of action; yet it is so covered by the general interest, that whoever takes his aim at the latter, cannot fail of hitting the former and whoever aims aside the one, though he may fancy himself gaining a little present advantage, will find in the long run he has missed the other.

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4. Thus we have gotten a fundamental rule of reason to be the groundwork of all our schemes and deliberations, namely, the increase of happiness in nature; but it is neither necessary nor feasible that this rule should actuate us in all our motions: for though the wise man will act always conformably to rule, he need not act always by rule, because when his appetites happen to take the right turn of themselves, there is no occasion for applying any rule to direct them. We have natural appetites given to instigate us in pursuing the means of our security, preservation, and enjoyment we have derivative desires, either imbibed from other persons, or acquired by our own industry and management, which conduct us to things useful, convenient, and entertaining. While these lead to nothing inconsistent with our fundamental rule, reason has no more to do than stand ready to take alarm in case they should deviate into a dangerous course: nay, she may assist in contriving how to compass any present desire, so it be innocent. For present pleasure and gratification is our good, when tending to nothing hurtful in the consequences: good itself being no more than the way to pleasure which will successively be present: so here appetite and desire may be suffered to work without interruption or control.

But whenever it is expedient for reason to interpose, either in restraining desires when they go astray, or in contracting new ones that may run in a proper course; the advancement of general good is the polar star whereto all her measures ought con

stantly to point. Yet reason, in the shadowy mazes of life, can seldom get a clear sight of this polar star; therefore wants a magnetic needle to mark the line wherein it lies, and a compass to divide the horizon into distinct compartments: or, to lay aside the figure, our fundamental rule is too general for common use; therefore we must examine what particular rules branch out from thence, which may serve to direct us in the several parts of our conduct.

5. It may perhaps be thought at first sight, that the advancement of general good implies something whereof the universe in general may reap a benefit: but we are too inconsiderable creatures ever to have a prospect of doing such extensive service. Yet the whole being made up of individuals, the general good is promoted by whatever good can be done among them: so that our rule directs us to regard the interests of our fellow-creatures standing within our reach, because by procuring an addition to happiness anywhere, we shall increase the common stock.

Then it is obvious that each of us is one of the individuals composing the whole, so that the good we procure for ourselves is a like increase of the common stock with that we can procure for another. Whence it becomes a part of our duty to be regardful of our own interests, to improve our faculties as well of body as mind in such manner as may render them most serviceable to ourselves, to provide the means contributing to our own enjoyment, and in our intercourse among others to take care they do not encroach upon our happiness.

For if I please myself by doing something that tends to the greater detriment of another, or if I let him please himself in something that tends to my greater detriment; the common stock will suffer diminution in both cases. Thus our fundamental rule parts into two principal branches, Prudence and Benevolence: the one attentive to our own interests, the other to those of our fellowcreatures and both together call upon us constantly to prefer either interest, whichever shall appear the more valuable; which two branches are commonly called our duty to ourselves, and to our neighbor.

6. If we reflect upon the grounds whereon we have established our fundamental rule, and the steps whereby we arrived at what knowledge we have of the invisible world and mutual connection of interests, we may recollect they lay solely in the character of that Power who is the Author of all nature, visible and invisible. Should we cast aside the thoughts of him, our prospect would lie dark, uncertain, and comfortless before us. We might know our own immortality, but should not know how that immortality would pass; whether in wisdom or folly, in plenty or distress, in plea

sure or pain, among friends or enemies: nor could we tell what acquisitions to make here that might be depended upon to stand us in stead hereafter. And we should have no inducement from our own interest, that natural and original spring of action, to consult the public benefit; any further than we might expect some advantage from it in this present life or were we to harbor false thoughts of him, we might imagine him revengeful, severe, impossible to be pleased, the object of dread and terror: or else capricious, partial, delighting to see us worry and torment one another.

Therefore that part of prudence which relates to the solace of our own minds and the pleasing hope of an interest that cannot be hurt by sinister accidents here below, and the interest of our fellow-creatures, so far as it may stand affected by our unreserved good-will towards them, make it incumbent upon us to cultivate just sentiments of the supreme Being, and practise all methods in our power of strengthening and rectifying them. Whence springs a third branch of the fundamental rule, which is Piety, or our duty to God. For in strictness of speaking we owe no duty to God directly; not that he has no claim to our services, but because there is no real service that we can do him, and he will not require of us impossibilities. For when we have done all, we are still unprofitable servants: our good works add nothing to his strength, or riches, or happiness if we sing psalms with ever so much devotion and melody, we afford him no entertainment; and if we blaspheme from morning to night, we cannot give him a moment's vexation.

But it is said, God made all things for his glory, and that is the aim we ought constantly to pursue in our several stations. This may be the proper aim to direct us in our proceedings, who cannot always see the remotest of his purposes; but can we suppose this the ultimate end that set his omnipotence in motion? shall we take our conceptions of him from our own tastes and infirmities? or imagine that as an earthly poet labors to complete his work that he may review the performance with conscious complacence, and make his way to universal fame: so God, tired with an uncomfortable solitude, spread forth his worlds in admirable wisdom and infinite variety, that he might amuse himself with beholding his handy work, and created innumerable hosts of intelligent Beings, to make his hours cheerful with their hallelujahs? Is it not a more probable construction of the expression, to understand thereby that he made all things in goodness, which is the attribute for which we have most reason to glorify him? and that he expects we should be continually attentive to his glory, because this is most eminently conducive to our happiness?