and fupport under all the Tryals and Ser. 10° Hardships which our Duty can bring upon us; and that is by propofing an unspeakable reward: But the efficacy of this method is very much weakned, one while by talking too refinedly and fubtilly, another while, too grofsly and carnally. On this Subject the Stoicks taught, that virtue was its own reward, being a State of Health, and Strength, and Peace, defirable for its own fake, and many Chriftians have advanced the fame notion in other Words, telling us that God and Goodness are to be beloved for themselves; that the virtue which is rais'd and cherished by the profpect of an Eternal recompence, is Mean and Mercenary but all this is Romantick Stuff, a Flight of pious fancy, towring far above the ftate of Human Nature, and this World; God indeed is infinitely lovely, but 'tis his infinite goodness that makes him fo deititute of this. Omnipo= tence, Omniscience, and whatever elfe, would be to us poor frail and guilty Creatures, not Amiable, but Terrible perfections. Holiness has indeed a beauty in it, but to an enlighten'd Eye, 1 and purified heart: Virtue 'tis true, is taking and agreeable to a perfet mind; but ah! were there no reward for virtue, U what ༡ Vol. I. what shou'd raise groveling and corrup ted nature to Perfection? What should inspire us with a refolution ftrong enough to vanquish all the difficulties that block the way to it. up But does not Peace, and Liberty, Pleafure and Honour flow naturally from Virtue and Goodnefs? and are not these fufficient motives to it? I answer, as things ftand now under a Gofpel difpenfation, 'tis plain these are the happy fruits of a folid Virtue; and they have no fmall influence upon the Conduct of Human Life; but were there no reward for virtue, I doubt thefe wou'd be but very weak and inconfiderable inducements to it; and we fhou'd foon fee no virtues at all, or at least fuch only as were, barren and undergrown, fome faint refemblances and fhadows of true goodness, fome short liv'd Bloffoms fpringing from fome rare and excellent temper, and under the propitious Afpect of fome very profperous circumftances: First as to Peace, as the Terrours of Confcience, were there no Punishment for Sin, would be very blunt, fo I doubt the peace of confcience, were there no reward for virtue wou'd be but dull and fluggish. As to Liberty or Dominion over our own affections, were there no reward for vir tue tue, there wou'd be as little gain'd by Ser. 10. ny U 2 appetites Vol I. appetites and inclinations of our nature, and to wage a perpetual war with our felves in this world, had we not our eye fixt upon a state wherein we shall abundantly gratify a Nobler nature, and more generous as well as more vigorous Appetites. Thus having made it out that Virtue ftands in need of a Reward, to encourage it, and that it cannot be its own Reward, it remains therefore that there must be some other; which what it is, is next to be enquired. And here we may easily refolve, §. 2dly. That this World cannot af ford a fufficient and proper Reward of virtue. I fpeak of the World as it now is, and do not concern my felf about its reftitution to a Paradifiacal ftate, nor enquire into St. Peter's New Heaven and New Earth, after the conflagration of the old. 'Tis true Godliness we are told 1 Tim. I 4. 8. Is profitable to all things, having the promife of the life that now is and of that which us to come. But then tis as true that thefe promises are defigned not as the fupream but Inferiour and fubordinate motives to virtue; that Temporal good things are not to be. the ultimate end of excellent perfons, but the means and inftruments of virtue; and lastly that this kind of promises are I ever made with this tacit condition, Ifit Ser. 10. 1. It's Worthlessnefs. How contemp- U 3 |