tions — by a conftant watchfulncfs over our
paiP.ons — by cherifhing in ourfelves fenti-
ments of humanity and benevolence. Vice
is, as ?nanifeftly, produced, and confirmed
by inattention — by fupinonefs and careleiT-
nefs — by favouring our appetites — by con-
fulting rather what we are difpofed to, than
what is belt for us, rather what inclination,
than what reafon fuggeih — by an attach-
pleafes him, than its being produftive of ment to the fatisfaftion of the prefent mo-
h?ppinefs; and whatever has mifery ac-
companying it, carries ivith it the cleareji
pnofoi'iis difpleafing him.
A virtuous practice greatly furthering the
happinefs of mankind, ?niiji be pleafing to
their Maker ; a vicious one muji dijpleafe him,
it neceflarily obftrufts their happinefs.
inent, to our immediate profit or conveni-
ence — by adopting narrow, felfiih principles.
Thus it will appear, that there is by no
means an uncertainty in all things. Moll
certain it is from whence virtue has its
fecurity and improvement. Equally certain
is it how we become bad, and how we are
If from any accidental indifpofition of made worfe. Virtue has, in the nature of
things, as from the number of the criminal,
virtue fnould here.m\{i its reward, there is
great likelihood that it will el/enjuhere receive
it; and, if vice, by a like accident, lliould,
in particular infl;anccs, not carry with it
thole marks of its offending; the Governor
things, a reward of which it cannot be de-
prived, and vice as fure a punifhment. All
thofe accidents which obftrud either the
advantages fuiring a virtuous pradice, or
the fiiffcrings that a vicious one ought to
feel, may Jitlj carry our thoughts to fome
of the world, which it in moll cafes bears, future ftate, when each will have its full
there is the high^Jl probability that it v.ill defert from that Being, who has fo clearly
have its punifiiment in fome future ftate. exprelTed as well his approbation of virtue.
There is that probability in favour of /urr- as his abhorrence of vice ; and whofe good-
tue, not only from what our reafonings on nefs, wifdom and pov/er, as they admit of
the juftice and goodnefs of God induce us demonft ration, fo they cannot but be belie^vei
to think // has to expeft from him, but alfo to concur in bellowing thofe rewards and
from the vifible manner in which he fignifies punifhments, which â– will be moft for the
his approbation of it. He has impreiTed a welfare of the noblelt part of the creation,
itak. of its worth on the minds of all man- the inteilieent part of if.
Book. I.
MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.
165
But if there were the uncertainty that is makes any part of his charaf^er, governs
not ; the right confequence would not be, himfelf by that principle in their education
Favour yourfelf: it would be, Secure your- — who does not reftram them in a thoufand
felf: Provide againft the worft. Let your inlbnces ? while yet the uncafmefs it gives,
prefent enjoyments be direfted by the in- and the tears it cofts them, may probably
fluence they may have on your future hap- never find that very fmall -recoinpence,
pinefs : confider the whole poffible extent of which muft be the utmoft he can propofe
your exiftence, and forego the fatisfaftion from it. I fay, this recompence may, pro~
of a few moments, rather than hazard the bably, never be found ; a late eminent ma-
Jofs of a good that may continue for endlefs thematician having, upon an exaft calcula-
ages. tion, obferved, that one half of thofe that
Such .feem the proper inferences in this are born, ar« dead in feventeen years time,
cafe; and the fecurity of ourfelves is very Some claim to a public fpirit, to a love
unlikely to be efFefted by favouring our- of their country, we find made by the gene-
felves ; the refult of this, in a remoter rality of us, even in this A^ery profligate
period, may, with the higheft degree of age. But from him, whofe rule it is to
probability, be conjeftured from what is, favour himfelf, the public can have ne-
every day, experienced. thing to exped. Were this the prevailing
Bear and forbear, is the leflbn for him principle among us, 'tis obvious how little
•who merely feeks to give his prefent life ail regard would be fhewn to the common
the comfort in his power. Great incon- welfare.
leniences we cannot even here avoid, but All of the learned profeffions would re-
hy fubmitting to leffer. gulate their application, by its fubferviency
Freedom from pain is the price of the to their maintenance, and think they had
enjoyments we deny ourfelves; and ftrength nothing fo much to ftudy, as how to make
of body purchafed by the exercife that fo
feverely fatigues it.
To what fleeplefs nights would he be
condemned, whofe eafe throughout the day
was to have no interruption? How little
relifli fhould we have of our food, were v/e
to know nothing of the difquiet of hunger ?
The man who would moft tafte the grati-
their fortune.
Soldier and failor would have no notion
of any honour diftincl from their advantage
— of any obligation they could be under,
when their pay might be fafe, to endanger
their perfons.
The people would judge none fo fit to
reprefent them, as they who had been at
fications of fenfe, muft be the moft fparing the greateft expence in corrupting them :
in his apjilicatioii to them ? the?!ce it is they and the reprefentatives of the people would
not only are heightened, biit continued to fee no reafon why the whole of what was to
be gained fhould go to their conftituents.
In fliort, nothing but fupinenefs and
fioth — an attachment to their eafe, and the
gratification of their fenfes — low, unmanly
views — purfuits throughout the moft felfilh
and fordid could prevail, among all orders
and deerees of men, in any country, where
us. It feems the condition of our being,
that we fhould have no pleafure grafis — that
we fhould pay for each, before or after its
enjoyment. To decline whatever we could
be lefs pleafed with, is the fureft way to
increafe both the number, of our fuiferings,
and their weight.
What can be more precarious than the the received doftrine was, fa^vour yourfelf .
continuance of human life? Who in his
twentieth year acknowledges not, how un-
certain it is whether he fhall fee his fortieth ?
Yet no one of common prudence feeks
barely to crowd as much fatisfaftion into
Hence certainly is it, that not only the
better conftiruted governments, but even
the nations of a lefs refined policy, have
encouraged fo much- an indifference to the
fcanty portion of life here allotted us — to
his life, as can confift with his reaching that the continuance, the eafe, the conveniences
period : there is no prudent man but denies of it ; exciting, by various methods, each
himfelf many things, in hopes of attaining member of the comnvauity, to have chiefly
a much longer term. at heart ti:e public intcrcft — to be ever dili-
We muft unufually fail in the love of our gent and aoiive in promoting it— to fubmit
children, if we would not purfue their wel- to any dij^iculties lor the fervice of his
ffire, in the fame way by which we judge country, and to defpifc death in its defence,
our own beft confulted. But where is the Nor do we, univcrfally, eft -em any cha-
adv-ocate for "Favour yourfelf, fiace all rafters more, than thofe of the perfans who
«* things are uncertain." who. ifdiftretion have diltinguiftied thetnfelves by their dif-
M 3 . mteictl.
i66
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book I.
intereflednefs — by their zeal for the com-
inon good — by their flighting all private ad-
vantages that came in competition with it.
What has been the language of the more
fenerous h'eathen, but the very reverfe of
"avour thyfelf? Plato advifes his friend
Jrchjfas to confider " that we are not born
" for ourfelves alone — that our country,
*' our parents, our friends have their re-
*' fpedive claims upon us." Epiji. ix.
p. 358. vol. 3.
Jrijhile, in fettling the true ditference
between the lawful and culpable love of
ourfelves, obfer^es, that fuch love of our-
felves is, undoubtedly, blameable, as in-
duces us to feek as large a fhare as may be,
of wealth, honour, and fenfual pleafure.
Ke, afterwards, confiders a life of reafon
and virtue, as the proper life of a man, and
pronounces him the true lover of himfelf,
who makes fuch a life his care.
He goes on, " When ail are intent on
** rlie pracTiice of what is right, and each
*' lays himfelf out on the v.-orchieft adions,
*' the public welfare will, thereby, be ef-
" feftuallv pro\:ded for, and every private
** perfon confult his own greateit happinefs.
** it is moft trulv faid of the good man,
" that he will fer\e his friends and his
*' country — will do it, even at the expence
*' of his life. For, as to wealth, honour,
" and all thofe other goods about which
*' there is fo much ftir in the world, he
^? will have no regard to them, v/hen they
** come into com.pctition with the difcharge
** of his duty. He will rather chufe to live
** one year well, than many at random.
*' He is juftly thought the good man, who
" has nothing fo much at heart, as how to
â– " aft rightly."
To mention anotlier GreeJi wnter ;
W'^e are bcfn, fays the excellent emperor
A>ito7iinuSf to affjft each other, 1. 2. v. i.
His counfel ii, " Wlintfoevcr vou 00^ do
*' it with a view to your being a good man ;
" good, not in the ordinary, but in the
•" ftrift and proper fenfe of the word,"
1. iv. §. 10. " In this delight, in this re-
*' pofe yourfelf, in paffing from one ufeful
" aftion to another ^ Itill mindful of the
^' Deity." 1. vi. ;. ^.
" Whatfoever I do, fliys he, by mvfelf,
" or the aifiltance of others, ought wholly
" to be directed by what the common ad-
** vantage requires," L vii. ^. j '
He, elfewhere, cenfures every aftion of
ours, that has no reference either immedi-
ately, or more remotely, to tlie duties of
Ibcial life. I, ix, i. 23. To defpifb, fays
Tuliy^ and make no account of pleafure,
life, wealth, in comparifon of the public
welfare, is the part of a great and generous
mind. — A life of toil and trouble in order
to promote, if poffible, the good of all man-
kind, v/ould be much more agreeable to
nature, than to pafs one's days in folitude,
not only without any care, but enjoying the
greateft pleafures, and having every thing
could be wanted at command. De Off.
1. iii. 2S3, 284.
W^e are all, according to Seiieca, mem-
bers of one great body, Ep. 95. W^e rauit
confult the happinefs of others, if we would
our own. In his treatife of a Happy Life,
mentioning what the man muft be, who
may hope to pafs hence to the abodes of the
celeftial beings ; part of his defcription of
him is, «^ That he lives as if he knew him-
*' felf born for others — confults in all he
" does the approbation of his confcience—
•* regulates his every aftion by confidering
*' it as well known to the public, as it is to
" himfelf — treats the wholeVworld as his
" country — regards the gods as prefent
*' wherever he is, and as remarking what-
" ever he afts and fpeaks."
True happinefs is, throughout this au-
thor's works, confidered as derived from
virtue — from the fteady purfuit of what is
right and our duty.
Thefe reflections will, I hope, appear
not improperly introducing the confidera-
tion ol the part we ha\e to act as expeftants
of happinefs in a future Hate ; the fubject
of the following effay.
This expeftation does not indeed furnifh
any employment of our time that would not
be comprehended under the heads on which
I ha\c already enlarged; but it is the
flrongfft poliible enforcement of what they
teach t!s.
Can I fuppofc that beyond the grave there
is any happinefs prepared for me, if I live
unmindful of the privileges here vouchfafed
me — if, when 1 am placed above the bealts,
1 will put myfelf upon a level with them —
if that fpi ritual part of me, which makes me
a fit fubjeft for this happinefs, be neglected*
and all my care and pains laid out on my
body, on what was earth fo lately, and
mull {o fpeedily be earth again .'
Are there certain diipolitions which pre-
pare us for, and which, by being perfec"ted,
probably conilitute the happinefs of another
life ; and may we hope to obtain it, when
our purfuits contributed to fupprefs thefe
difpolltions, or when we are wholly regard-
lefs of cultivating- them?
Whatever
Book I.
MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.
167
Whatever I hope for in a future abode, I
ought to think the reward of fomething
here done by me ; and when the time lor
^(flion here is fo fliort, even in its longeft
continuance — when likcwife our opportuni-
ties are fo few, and Yo irrecoverably loft,
we muit conclude it raoft fitting, in order
to the fuccefs of our hopes, to embrace the
opportunity before us 3 not to negleft it
from a prefumption of finding others which
perhaps may never come, or, if they do
come, may be lefs favourable to us than the
prefent ; but to derive from this every ad-r
vantage it is capable of yielding us.
Further, if according to the greater or
lefs ufe of which wc make ourfeh es to oar
fellow-creatures, we mere or lefs anfwer the
end of our creation, we mull conceive this
to be a point, our fpecial regard to which
will be the neceifary confequence of the
views we have beyond the grave. The
blifs we then proraife ourfciN es cannot be
thought a likelier reward of any praftice,
than of that which aims at the molt ex ten-
five good ; nor can one of common fenfe
think fuch happinefs likely to be our por-
tion, alter a life Ipent as unproiitably, as
that of thofe creatures, the whole of whofe
fatisfaftions we all confine to thofe they at
?refent enjoy — to their j^refent exiftence.
lence our hopes after death will be per-
|)etually urging us to what we can do moft
for the good of mankind, and muft be a
motive to it of the greateft weight.
Thus, likewife, when I contemplate a
more defirable ftate of being, than v/hat I
am now granted, awaiting me at my de-
parture hence; as it is impoffible fliat I
Ihould not at the fame time take into my
eonfideration, to whom I muft owe this
blefiing, from whom it can be received ; I
muft hereby be necellarily led to a great
defire of pleafing him from whom it is to
come, and therctore to all fuch application
to him, and acknewledgraent of his excel-
lencies, as can be fuppofed due from, aud
required of me.
To all the feveral talks I have mentioned,
wc are thus particularly direded by attend-
ing to the happinefs referved for us ; the
confideration of it thus fcrongly enforces
their performance.
How far it muft in general contribute to
the beft employment of our time, the fol-
lowing obfer\ations may, I hope, fully con-
vince us.
If v.-e furvey the things, on the value of
which we are univerfaily agreed, we ftall
perceive few, if any, of them obtained or
fecured without more or lefs care on our
part, and foaie of them only the recom-
pence of our painfuUeft endeavour. The
long enjoyment of health is in vain cxpeft-
ed, if we wholly decline the fatigue of ex-
ercife, and the uncafinefs of felf-denial.
The greateft eftate muft at length be wafte4
by him, who will be at no trouble in the
management of it, who cannot torment his
brains with examining accounts, and regu-
lating ihe various articles of a large expence.
Whole power is fo eftablilbed that the pre-
fer vatiun of it coils him not much folicitude
— many anxious thoughts ; and compels him
not to mortify himfelf in numerous inftances ?
This is the cafe of them whom ov-t- ejleem the
moft fortunate of their kind. As to the
generalit}', how difficult do they find the
acquifition of the meaheft of thefe advan-
tages ? What years of diligence does it coft
them to raife but a m.oderate fortune ? Vaft
numbers we find ftruggling throughout their
lives for a bare fupport.
The chief bleliings of life — the goods
moft worthy our purfuit, are not ovXy fir
ihe moft part, but altogether, the fruits of
long and unv.-earied endeavours after them.
Where is the very ufeful art that can be
learned without a clofe and tedious appli-
cation — that we can make any tolerable
progrefs in, before many of our days are
palled? How much, and what an attentive
txp,-rlence — what rep-'ated obffrvntions,and
hov/ exaft a rcafoning upon them, are
neceflary to form us to any degree of wif-
dom? duly to regulate our pafiions — to
have them under command — rightly dire>.^-
ed, and more or iefs warm proportionably
to the influence their objeft has upon our
happinefs, will coft us, as every one is fen-
fiblv.', a watchfulnefs and care of fuch con-
tinuance, as is fubmitted to by k\w even of
thofe, who beft know how far it would be
overpaid by the good it purchafes.
If then we pay fo dear for every fatif-
faftion we now e'njo}^ — if there be nothing
defirable or. earth but what has its price of
labour fet upon it, and what is m.oft defir^
able comes to us by the mo(l labour ; who
in his wits can believe that happinefs far
exceeding the utmoft in our prelent ftatc,
will at length be our portion v.dthout any
folicitude we need be at about it — without
anv qualifications we have to acquire in orr
der to it — without any pains we are to take
after it? Nothing in Paganifm ox Mahom.-
medijm, nothing in Popery is fo abfurd as
this fuppofition.
There is an uniformity in all tlie pro^
M 4 ceedlncs
168
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book I.
ceedings of God. As they are all grounded
on an unerring wifdom, they muft teftify
their correfpondence to it, hy what they
have to each other : and fo we find they do
in all cafes wherein we can fathom them.
We know not, indeed, in ivhat tuay we are
to be made happy in another life ; but tvith
n.vhat our being fo is connefted — on <what it
muft depend, we are fufficiently inftrufted.
The means of making ourfelves thus happy
which are put in our power, plainly teach,
that by their ufe it muft be effefted. Leffer
goods, derived to us only by our care and
induftry, demonftrate how we are to fecure
greater. The chief bleftings, that are now
within our reach, being never vouchfafed
but to our extraordinary efforts — to our moft
earneft endeavours to gain them, lead us to
the fulleft convidlion, that the fame muft
be the condition of whatever enjoyments we
can promife ourfelves after our death — that
they will only be the reward of the diligence
with which they have been fought — of the
difficulties their purfuit has occaiioned us.
The Atheift himfelf — he who having no
views beyond this world, gives his lufts
their full range in it, afts with abundantly
more fenfe and confiftency, than he who,
full of the hopes of immortality, yet con-
fults his humour or his eafe, his pleafure or
his profit, regardlefs of any undcrftanding
he has to improve, or any progrefs in vir-
tue he has to make. Nor is there any thing
that fo much connrm.s the irreligious man
in his bad principles, as his obferving this
ccnduft in them who profefs to believe a
God and another life. He thinks, and, I
muft own, but too juftly, that it is the fame
thing not to be iniluenced by fuch a belief,
and not to have it — that it is even much
more reafcnable to give up ail expeftations
of future happinefs, than to expect it, and
yet do nothing in order to it — do nothing
that can appear at all qualifying us for, or
entitling us to it: in a word, he rightly
thinks that, fuppofing there be a God of
that perfeft juftlce and wifdom which he is
reprefented, he cannot make any difference
hereafter between them who have abfolutely
denied his juftice — his wifdom — nay his
very being, and them who, with all' their
acknowledgments of him and his perfeftions,
would yet never facrifice any of their in-
chnations to him — would not be at any
pains to knov/ his will, or, if they did
know it, would only fo far obey it, as it
was agreeable to their own.
I hardly can quit this fubjeC>, So great
is the dangcr~fo certain, I may fay, is the
mifchief of perfuading ourfelves, that an
eternal happinefs will recompence the little
we do to fecure it, that 1 fcarcely know
when I have faid enough to evince what
conduft alone it can reward.
As the vifible world is the only univerfal
guide to our conjeftures on the invifible,
and therein, as I have obferved, the method
of Providence in difpenfing its bleffing, is
manifeft to every eye ; .all thofe which can
moft engage our wifhes depending wholly
on what we do to obtain them : as, like-
wife, whether we confider the wifdom of
God, or his truth, or his juftice, they all
concur in teaching us this leffon, that an
ever- continuing felicity can only be prepared
for a diftinguifhed virtue.
As things, I fav, are thus, may it not
properly be aflced. What can it be that fo
ftrangely infatuates us— that poflJefies us
with hopes fo extravagantly abfurd — that
makes a purfuit fo lazy and remifs, which
ought to be fo vigorous and uninterrupted ?
I know not what this poflibly can be, but,
either, the numbers that countenance our
prafcice, or, the reliance we have on the
Deity's unbounded goodnefs.
As to the former, how little ftrefs we
fhould lay on numbers, will be evident from
thefe four confidcrations.
Firft, They, who in ex^ery age, are moft
commended for their wifdom and prudence,
never take the multitude for their pattern ;
but, on the other hand, conftantly live in a
direct oppofiticn to its praftices, and dif-
fuade all, to whom they are well-wifhers,
from them.
Secondly, Thofe follies and vices, which
are the reproach of numbers, are not there-
fore the lefs mifchievous in their confe-
quences. The increafing multitudes of the
lewd and drunken do not, in an}- inftance,
occafion lewdnefs and drunkennefs to have
more favourable circumftances attending
them, either with refpeft to the perfons, or
the pofterity of the guilty : and if God be,
in no inftance, more favourable to the vici-
ous in this world, becaufe of their numbers ;
we have hence too fad a proof that th.ey
have not the leaft ground to expetl he fhouid
be fo in the next.
Thirdly, What we call great numbers,
are, probably in refped of the whole crea-
tion of rational beings, extremely few ;
perhaps no more than fome few grains of
fand, in comparifon of thofe amazing heaps
that fpread the defarts of the earth, and
fhores of the ocean, Suppofmg, therefore,
ail ofienders among the human kind, pu-
ni fhed
Book I.
MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.
169
niflied by God according to their deferts ;
that punifliment might be making examples
of a very fmall, of the very fmalleft part of
his creatures, for the good of the reft — for
preferving innumerable millions — an infinite
race in their due obedience.
Fourthly, An eftablilhed order taking
place in all the works of God that we are
acquainted with ; every thing in the natural
world being fubjefted to certain laws ; and
in the moral world, good having ftill a
tendency to produce good, nor ever failing
to do it, unlefs from fome accidental hind-
rances; and evil, when things are in tlieir
proper courfe, producing evil; we have
very ftrong reafon to believe, that an un-
changeable God — he whofe wifdom uniform-
ly difplays itfelf — has fixed things thus, that
thus they will proceed to all eternity ; good
following from good, evil from evil ; with
this difference alone, with refpeft to us, in
another ilate, that all hindrances of the
natural confequcnces of things will there be
removed — nothing will prevent the virtuous
man's reaping the fruits of his virtue, nor
will any thing hinder the whole of the dif-
mal efFefts of vice from being felt by them,
who have here allowed themfelves in it.
And, if this be the cafe, than which nothing
is more probable, it is then quite clear, that
all the hopes of the guilty from their num-
bers muft be utterly vain — that it would be
full as reafonable to think a plague, could
not be a dangerous diftemper, becaufe it is
fo infeftious an one ; as to think that we
fhall be fafe ainidft our crimes, becaufe of
the multitude that fhare them.
With regard to the goodnefs of God,
how groundlefs our reliance muil be upon
it, when we aft contrary to the ends for
which we were made — when we negleft our
opportunities, and abufe our capacities, will,
J. hope, be fufhciently plain to us, if w-e
attend to the following Ihort remarks.
1. We afcribe goodnefs to God as a per-
feftion ; but nothing can be a perfection in
him, which has, morally fpeaking, a necef-