in the hope and pursuit of some object health of body first consequence of this account that happiness is pretty equally distributed among the different conditions of life. 2 that vicious men have not the advantage over the virtuous. the only difference is that the examples are annexed to the rules in the didactic manner to which we are accustomed but delivered as particular occasions suggested them this what produced more than the same or any instance would be have cause appeared with in their place a system, again the Scriptures for the most part presuppose in the persons they speak to a knowledge of the principle of natural justice and are employed not so much to teach new rules of morality as to * benevolence prompts a man to support an injured individual-prudence suggests a proper means, fortitude enables him to go through the danger of loss disgrace repute temperance overcomes the love of money ease amusement which might divert him from it. + a sot a knave a miser an humane man a pious man a slanderer. VIRTUE. "The doing good to mankind in obedience to the will of God and for the end of everlasting happiness *." anciently divided into benevolence, prudence, fortitude, and temperance. benevolence proposes good ends, prudence suggests the best means of pursuing ends. fortitude enables us to encounter the difficulties and conquer the discouragements that stand in the way, and temperance repells and overcomes the passions that obstruct it. more modern divisions into Duties towards God-prayer thanksgiving worship reverence towards ourselves chastity sobriety temperance care of health caution towards other men justice charity industry loyalty. Ob: 1 †That men must ought to be governed by habit rather than reason in most of their actions. 1 because in many cases there is no time to reason 2 because he who reasons under the byass of a temptation is sure to err. * I find in a Sermon, dated Appleby, 1779, this sentence: "Now I describe virtue to be the doing good to mankind in obedience to the will of God, for the sake of everlasting happiness." The text is, "Add to your faith virtue." ED. + relieving beggars-attending stated seasons of public or private worship-abstaining from lying in different matters. additional superior enforce the practice of it by more and higher sanction which seems indeed to be the proper design of a revelation from what is most wanted God thus the unjust covenant breakers and extortioners are where it condemned in Scripture supposing it to be known or leaving admits of doubt it to moralists to determine what injustice [extortion] injustice extortion breach of covenant is The above considerations are intended to prove that the use Scriptures do not supersede the study of the science of which we profess to treat and to acquit them of any charge imperfection of insufficiency on that account. C. 5. THE MORAL SENSE. of all intercourse Now the question is whether if this story were related to Peter the wild boy who was caught in the woods of Hanover without experience or instruction or to a savage separated from the rest of his species and deprived under no possible consequently free from the influence of example authority Phil. 29. 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 1. 31. Hence arise 2 rules * 1st. that many things are to be done for the sake [of] only of habits 2 That morality chiefly consists in watching habits, repressing bad and generating good ones. Obs. 2. That neither reason nor scripture have or could ascertain the exact quantity of innocence or virtue necessary to salvation but that we may collect from both that there is no salvation 1st. to those who are conscious of no other rule to go by than convenience or passion 2d. to those who indulge themselves habitually and without reluctance in any one crime Obs: 3d. When one side doubtful the other clear always bound to take the safe side and course Rom. 14. |