reasonable? which are moft beneficial? Thofe of Religion and Morals; or those of the various Masters, which, on departing from Religion and Morals, we must obey? It concerns us highly, in fuch a Question, not to flatter ourfelves, and take Things for granted; not to guess, and run the Rifque, but to examine and choose: whereas the Misfortune is, Men enter upon a Course, and follow it their whole Lives, without ever deliberately chufing it at all: halting, as the Prophet expreffes it, between two Opinions", whilst they proceed in one Tenor of Practice; and that, the wrong one. For the unfafe one is certainly the wrong: and, unless Religion cannot be true, neither Impiety, nor Immorality, can be fe cure. Whoever therefore allows himself in either, ought before-hand to know very certainly, what is impoffible to know (for we cannot know Things to be true, which are falfe); firft, that Nothing remains to be hoped or feared in another Life: and then, that Wickednefs bids faireft for Happiness in this. Too many indeed appear to think the latter Point, at least, a very clear one. But remember, the Inquiry is, not merely, what will 1 Kings, xviii.. 21. afford afford us most Pleasure juft at the prefent; or even for a few Years; though it is feldom, that the vicious find Reafon to applaud their own Conduct fo long: but what will continue to please, what will give us the Advantage upon the whole, taking inward Satisfaction into the Account, as well as outward Gratifications; and not only delight us in the first and smallest Part of the Journey of Life, but support us in the Remainder, that needs it moft; and enable us to conclude it with Comfort and Credit. That abandoned Wickedness cannot do this, every one, who thinks and obferves, must fee; and they who do not, will foon feel. Some therefore contrive to take a middle Way: indulge themselves beyond Virtue, yet restrain themselves fhort of Profligatenefs. And undoubtedly there would be less Guilt in this, if it were not, that being fo deliberately guilty is a great Aggravation. There may also fewer worldly Inconveniences follow from it but ftill, if great Deviations from Duty lead to great Mischiefs; the smaller muft, in Proportion, lead to fome. And befides, they, who intended to go but a little out of the Way, are almost always either invited, or driven gradually farther and farther and can never know before-hand, where they shall stop. D 2 ftop. Indeed what is there to stop them? Defires multiply and strengthen. Duty is out of the Queftion. Prudence grows accustomed to fubmit: perhaps falls low enough, to advise covering one Sin with another. What now shall keep fuch Perfons back from any Crime? A Principle of Honour, it may poffibly be faid. And true Honour, so far as it goes, is a noble Principle indeed. It is uniform Virtue, adorned with Dignity of Manners, with Attention to every Thing praiseworthy and amiable, and Scorn of every Thing bafe and mean; judging what is fo, by Reason and Truth, not vulgar Opinion. But the falfe Honour of the vicious is an airy Phantom, changeable as Fancy and Fashion vary, that permits in Multitudes of Instances, and requires in fome, the wickedeft, the cruellest, the absurdest Behaviour; and fets Men up for Objects of Refpect, that have no one good Quality, merely because they profess calling to Account whoever shall fail of the Regard they demand, or afcribe to them any bad Quality, which they do not care to own. It can never be, that fo wretched a Counterfeit as this fhould be the Guide of Life. There is therefore none to be trufted to, if Virtue be rejected; and Virtue, without Religion, neither is com plete, plete, nor will be effectual. If other Superiors and Benefactors are intitled to Reverence, God is. If outward Expreffions of Reverence are to be fhewn them, they are to be fhewn Him: both to preferve it alive in our own Minds, and to spread it around us. And if any Expressions of it are due, thofe which he hath appointed are due. Paying such Regard to God, joined with Attendance on proper Inftruction, must naturally produce a ferious Care, to abstain from every Thing injurious, to do every Thing beneficial, in human Life: as not only our indispensable Obligation, but our most important Intereft. And what other Motive can either extend fo far, or influence fo ftrongly? If then there be any Need, that the World should grow better, or not grow worse; that Men fhould live together innocently and ufefully; have Comfort under Afflictions in this Life, or look for eternal Bleffednefs in the next; Principles of Piety must be encouraged. Nay, could we poffibly be content to give up all thefe Advantages, there would ftill remain other Confiderations of great Weight on the fame Side. Though we may throw off Religion fo far as not to be governed by its Precepts: we fhall be made, on that very Account, from Time to Time, extremely uneafy by its Threatenings: and the Confequence of not obeying God as Children, will be dreading him as Criminals. What if here and there a few profefs to have got over thefe Fears? Perhaps inwardly they know the contrary; or, however, they come to know it when they least think of it; or, could they be sure never more to experience them on Earth, they will too foon feel furer and greater Torments in Hell, for having thus wickedly hardened their Hearts. But Mankind in general cannot get over the Fear of God. Some Religion they must and will have: and the only Question is, whether it shall be a good and true, or a false and bad one. Joshua therefore puts the Matter to the Jews in a perfectly just Light: If it seem evil unto you to ferve the Lord, choofe you whom you will ferve: whether the Gods which your Fathers ferved that were on the other Side of the Flood; or the Gods of the Amorites, in whofe Land ye dwell. It is true the Ifraelites were prone to Superftition: we are inclined to Profanenefs; and therefore and therefore may feem in no Danger of the oppofite Extreme. But univerfal Profanenefs, and total Unbelief, never fubfifted long any where, and never will: the World could not bear it: and the human Mind |