IX.

SER M. to purfue what tends to the common Good (if done only with a View to ferve our prefent Intereft) would be nothing but Convenience and Policy; but if done without any View to our prefent Intereft, nay, when it was againft our prefent Intereft, would be Madnefs and Folly. For certainly it would be Madness and Folly to promote the Happiness of others at the Expence of our own, when we had no Equivalent in Reverfion. 'Tis enthufiaftical to pretend to love others better than ourselves, and to prefer their Happiness to our own. The only Rule of right Reason, in him who expects no other Life, is, to make the best of this. And fo, upon Occafion, all the Rules of what we now call Virtue would be reversed; it would be reasonable to break through any or all of them, to make Life happy when we could; and it would be reasonable to throw up Life when we could not. Falfhood, Fraud, Rapine, Self-murder, or any other Murder, would be all reasonable as often as folid Convenience required it. For as certain as it is that each Man loves himself better than others, fo certainly reasonable it would be that He never fhould facrifice his own Eafe and Happiness to continue that of His Fellowcreature, when he was not likely to be Gainer by it in the Whole of his Existence.

A Man

IX.

A Man of unprejudiced Sense must foon SER M. be convinced that to make the whole Chain of Duties, branched out into infinite Variety of Links, hold firm and indiffoluble, the firft Link of the Chain must be fastened to the Throne of GOD, the confummate Standard of Perfection in Himself, and the unerring Judge of Perfection in others. Take away the Notion of a future State, and the fine Notions of abftract Fitneffes, intellectual Order and moral Beauty will have but small Influence upon a Man in deep Distress. An exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory will turn the Scales, and preponderate in Favour of Virtue against the greatest Affliction; which in that View will appear light and momentary: But weigh cold, unaffecting Thought of I know not what abstract Fitneffes, of the Beauty and Loveliness of Virtue, against the strong Preffure of urgent Mifery (when we may get out of it by Knavery and Falfhood) and it will be found wanting in the Balance; lighter than Vanity, and nothing.

Either therefore We must say, that Virtue is not univerfally obligatory, which is contrary to the Ideas of Virtue; or We muft fay, that We are obliged to practise Virtue in all Cafes of Extremity and Diftress, though We fhall be never the better for it; though We fhall be finally Lofers

SER M. by it: which is contrary to common Sense:

IX.

-or We must found Virue on the Will of the Deity, who alone can make it our Intereft to practise Virtue in all Cafes. He alone can induce a folid, uniform, unvarying Obligation, who has the Sum total of our Existence at his Difpofal, who can make our Happiness or Mifery commenfurate to our Existence.

Thus I have proved what Connexion there is between fearing GOD and honouring the King; and that this Duty, as well as other focial Duties, muft ultimately terminate in this grand Principle of fearing and obeying that Being, whofe Vicegerents Kings are; by whom Kings reign, and Princes decree Justice. This at least must be granted, that this is the only Principle which can affect our Confcience, and make hs pay a confcientious Obedience to His Majefty. For Confcience fuppofeth us accountable Beings

But accountable to

what? Not to I know not what abftra&t Fitneffes, Chimeras, abstract Ideas in our own Head. Confcience must fuppofe us accountable to fome Superior, which Superior must be none but GOD. For human Laws and Lawgivers cannot reach that internal and invifible Principle, the Conscience. They may reftrain the outward Action: But they cannot make us practise Virtue from the Heart. Nothing confe

quently but the Will of GOD can make us S ER M. Jubject for Confcience fake.

But there is a farther Connexion between the two Precepts, which is this, that, 2dly, loofe Notions of GOD and Religion are deftructive to good Government.

What can We expect will be the Consequence when once the Religion of our fine Gentlemen fhall become the Religion of People in low Life? What but Confufion and every evil Work? Will the poor People, when once they have imbibed the fashionable Religion, or rather no Religion, fubmit to the Hardships of Poverty? Will they not rather ftrive to relieve themselves by Force, Fraud and Robbery, if they can?. If they cannot, why then lanch out into a World unknown, before they have received a Summons thither. This is no idle Dream; We fee the Effects of Irreligion too plainly, particularly in a late tragical Inftance of complicated Wickedness; which an inveterate Hatred to Poverty gave Occafion to. And from hence we may learn, to what unnatural Extremities, even to that of a Parent murdering in cold Blood his own Child, People proceed, when they have formed fuch loofe Notions of GOD's Goodness as to difcard all Apprehenfions of his Wrath and Displeasure. Which is too often the Cafe of those who, inftead of acquiefcing in that unerring Rule, the Word

02

IX.

SERM. Word of GOD, form their Notions of IX. GOD from their own narrow felf-conceited Understandings.

I know thofe who have left no Stone unturned to propagate loose Principles would not be understood to be Enemies to Religion in General. No, though they depreciate Chriflianity, they extol Natural Religion. Now not to obferve, that these Men hang out falfe Colours in their Writings, for they speak a different Language where they can be free; yet What is this Natural Religion of which We read so much in their Writings, and fee fo little in their Practice? If they mean by it a Religion containing every Fitness whatever, every Fitnefs in general that is founded in the Reafon and Nature of Things; this is indeed an excellent Religion. But then I doubt We must be omnifcient to comprehend it, or to take in every Fitness that is founded in Reason. But if they mean by it, whatever is difcoverable by our unenlightened Reafon; fuch a Collection of Rules as every Man can make for himself by the Ufe of his own Faculties, under whatever, though the moft difadvantageous, Circumftances; this Religion must be as imperfect, as variable, as People's Capacities, Means and Opportunities of Knowledge are different. In one Man's Scheme of Duty, Fornication will be allowed, because he has

not