more nor less virtuous to be influenced in the same manner and degree, by the same kind and degree of pleasure, found in the same object, whether the pleasure is to be experienced at one time, or at another. The nature of the pleasure which is enjoyed, and the nature of the object whence it is derived, render the action in which that pleasure is sought either virtuous or not virtuous. If we take pleasure in happiness wherever it is enjoyed, and in promoting it wherever this is in our power, if, at the same time, this pleasure is proportioned to the happiness enjoyed or promoted, we are of course the subjects of virtue; and that just so far as the pleasure is experienced. The time at which it is experienced is here evidently of no consequence, and cannot even remotely affect the subject. If then it is mercenary, mean, and selfish to be influenced by this pleasure expected at a future time, it is equally selfish, mean, and mercenary to be influenced by the same pleasure expected at the time when the action is performed.

That the pursuit of eternal life is wholly consistent with the nature of disinterested love, I shall now attempt to show by the following considerations:

1. Our happiness is a desirable object, and deserves to be sought in a certain degree.

Our happiness is in this respect exactly of the same nature with that of others; is as truly desirable, and as really deserves to be promoted, as that of any created beings whatever. In whatever degree it exists, it ought to be delighted in; in whatever degree it is capable of existing, it ought to be desired. As the fact, that it is our happiness, renders it no more valuable than that of others; so plainly it does not render it at all less valuable. It claims therefore to be promoted on the same grounds as any other happiness of the same value. As it is entrusted to our own peculiar care, it demands more from us, as that of others does from them. For ourselves we can do more than we can for others, and this of course is our duty.

2. Neither our present nor future happiness is necessarily inconsistent with that of others.

All the good which God has made it lawful for us to enjoy

in this world is consistent with the good of others. Whenever it is promoted therefore there is a direct increase of the general happiness. To produce this effect is the great duty and dictate of benevolence, and must of course be right.

Our eternal good cannot fail to be consistent with the good of the universe. God has no pleasure in the death of the sinner; but would rather that he would repent and live.' Accordingly he hath commanded all men everywhere to repent.' What he has thus commanded cannot but be right in itself. Accordingly he hath directed that our prayers and supplications should be made for all men.'

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What the Scriptures thus teach, reason wholly approves. We are all made capable of happiness. This capacity was not given in vain, but was intended to be supplied. Every man who thinks soberly at all feels, and acknowledges accordingly, that he is bound to promote as much as in him lies the happiness of every other man, both present and future; and no man would fail to be self-condemned if he were to indulge a wish, or even a willingness, that any one of his fellow creatures should be miserable hereafter. Nay, indifference to this subject would not fail of being followed by severe reproaches of conscience. But what it is the duty of all men thus to wish and to seek, what no man can oppose, or regard with indifference without guilt, it is peculiarly his duty to wish and seek for himself; both because the accomplishment of this work is committed to him by his Maker, and because this work can be done by him more effectually than by any other.

3. We are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves;' that is, generally and indefinitely, as well as ourselves; and of course are at least equally required to love ourselves as we love our neighbour.

The rectitude of this law cannot be questioned even by Lord Shaftesbury; nor can he or any other man deny that it exhibits to us disinterested love in the fairest form, and the strongest manner. But, as has been already shown, we are bound by the dictates both of reason and Revelation to seek the future and eternal good of our neighbour.; to "desire it, and to promote it as far as is in our power. By this very command then, the law originally enjoining benevolence as the great duty of intelligent beings, a law to which reason uncon

ditionally subscribes, we are absolutely obliged to seek our own eternal life.

4. Our eternal life is in itself an immense good.

The endless happiness of a rational being is of more value than can be conceived by any finite mind. Within a moderate period it will amount to more than all the happiness which in this world has been enjoyed, or will ever be enjoyed here by all its inhabitants. Whatever is endless admits of no definite comparison with that which is not. But the happiness of a future state is not endless merely, it is also endlessly increasing, and will soon rise in degree, as well as duration, above the highest human comprehension. Such of course is the addition made to the common good of the universe, whenever the eternal life of an individual is secured. To neglect the pursuit of such happiness as this is madness; to oppose it is malignity, which no words can describe.

5. Eternal happiness consists in eternal disinterestedness, and its consequences.

The happiness of heaven arises from the disinterested love of God, communicated in various blessings to his children; in their disinterested communications of good to each other; and in the enjoyment derived by their minds from the exercises of virtue. It is acknowledged on all hands that it is desirable to live virtuously here. All the reasons which operate in this case render it at least equally desirable to live virtuously hereafter, throughout any and every period of duration in which such a life may be enjoyed. It is by all men acknowledged that it is useful to do good here and at the present time. He, who makes this acknowledgment cannot without gross self-contradiction deny that it is equally useful to do good, wherever it may be done, and at every future period. If then it is proper, if it is virtuous, to desire and to seek to live a virtuous life, or to do good, in the present world, it is equally virtuous and equally proper to desire and seek to do the same things in a future state of being. All the labours then by which we may possess ourselves of such a life in the present world, must with equal propriety be directed to the attainment of such a life in the world to

But it is not only desirable and proper that we should do this in the present world; it is a plain, high, and indispensable duty; and, in a sense, the sum of all our duty, so far as this world is concerned. It cannot but be perceived that it is in the same sense the sum of all our duty with respect to the future world.

This however is far from being the amount of the whole truth concerning this subject. As much as eternity exceeds time, as much as perfect virtue excels the present frail character of good men here, as much as endless virtue, as much as endlessly increasing virtue, outruns in its importance the transient virtue of this momentary life, so much more is it our duty to seek the good of a future life than that of the present. Indeed, man lives here only to become prepared to live hereafter. Our whole duty therefore ought, during the present life, to be performed with a supreme reference to that which is to come.

Thus the pursuit of eternal good is so far from being opposed to disinterestedness, from being mercenary, mean, and selfish, so far from destroying the nature of virtue, or lessening its obligations, that it is its genuine dictate, its spontaneous tendency, its most exalted aim. No virtuous mind, if properly informed, can fail of pursuing this object; and no object which respects ultimately the present world can call forth virtuous exercises of so elevated and excellent a nature.

6. By our eternal life the happiness of all virtuous beings is greatly increased.

'There is joy in heaven,' saith our Saviour, over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance.' Whatever else may be the meaning of Christ in this passage, it is unquestionable that the inhabitants of heaven experience a real joy in the repentance of a sinner. Reason, as well as Revelation, clearly teaches us, that virtuous beings cannot fail to find enjoyment in this subject, because repentance is an exercise of virtue, and the means of securing happiness. In the future virtue and future happiness of such a sinner, the same beings will at all times find similar enjoyment; increasing continually in degree as these objects of it increase. As these will at the commencement of a future existence be perfect, and will rise

higher and higher in the same perfection for ever; so, it is plain, the enjoyment found in them will increase throughout every succeeding period. Thus every inhabitant of this world who secures his own eternal life becomes an everlasting and perpetually increasing benefit to the virtuous universe; a blessing which no words can describe, and whose value no numbers can reckon. Can it be necessary to ask, whether it is virtuous to aim at this character?

7. God is glorified whenever we seek and obtain eternal life.

When Christ was born a multitude of the heavenly host sung, Glory to God in the highest,' because there was peace on earth, and good will towards men.' But if none of the human race should experience this good will, that is, if none of them should obtain eternal life, the glory otherwise springing from this source would be prevented. To this glory of God every person then who secures eternal life contributes, by accomplishing in one instance that out of which the glory arises. The glory of God in this case is a whole made up of the individual instances in which he is glorified. If, therefore, no individual sought his salvation, none would obtain it; and if none obtained it, the work would not be done, and the glory of God in this important particular would not be accomplished. How important it is may in some measure be discerned from these facts; that God sent his own Son to die that we might live; and his Spirit to renew us, that we might become heirs of life..

Thus have I endeavoured to show that the pursuit of eternal life is so far from being opposed to the nature of disinterested love, that it is one of its primary dictates; a conduct invariably springing from its influence; and that the Scriptures, instead of lessening or destroying virtue, by requiring this conduct of us, have increased the obligations to it, and directed it to its proper end.

Those who make the objections contended against in this Discourse, have in my view always failed of distinguishing between disinterestedness and uninterestedness. The distinc tion between them is, however, perfectly clear and incalculably important. To be disinterested is to be without a selfish interest in any given thing or things; to be uninterested is to