form; fince by thus conftituting the Nature of Things, and placing them in such Relations, he hath conftituted their Duty, and fhewed that it is his Will that they fhould act suitably to those Natures and Relations. And when it is thus confidered as the Will of the fupreme Lord, it becometh a Law to them in the ftricteft and propereft Sense of the Word.

But God hath not left Men merely to find out their Duty by the Deductions of Reason in confidering and comparing the Natures of Things; he hath alfo implanted in the Heart of Man a kind of confcious Perception of Right and Wrong, an inward Senfe of Good and Evil, and of the moral Differences of Things, fome Remains of which continue in the human Mind even in its moft degenerate State, and can scarce ever be utterly erafed. Who would bear the Man that would pretend feriously to affirm, that there is no real Difference at all between Affections and Actions; and that no one of them is more blamable or praise-worthy than another? That there is no Evil in Injustice, Cruelty, Falfhood, Perfidy, Ingratitude; and that Piety, Gratitude, Generofity, Benevolence, Sincerity, hath no Beauty or Amiableness in it? That to hate and blafpheme the Deity is as proper and becoming a rea

fonable

fonable Creature, as to love, to reverence, and adore him? That to envy and calumniate our Neighbours, to wound, or even kill them without Cause, is as good an Action, as to do them friendly Offices, and affift them in their Need? That it is as honourable and praife-worthy for a Man to be falfe to his Word, Promises, and Engagements, as to have a strict and firm Regard to Truth and Fidelity; to betray his Country, as to fave and deliver it; to neglect and defpife his Parents, as to treat them with Kindness and Refpe&t; to return an Injury for a Benefit, as to recompence one Benefit with another? With regard to these and other Cafes that might be mentioned, the Mind of Man is fo conftituted that it can scarce help approving some Affections and Actions, and difapproving the contrary. From whence it appeareth, that there is in the Minds of Men a common Senfe of Right and Wrong, of moral Beauty and Deformity, of Duty and Obligation, which it is fcarce poffible entirely to fhake off. There are few but have had Experience of an inward Satisfaction or Remorse, and the Workings of a confcious Principle within, paffing a Judgment on their Actions, and acquitting or condemning them according as they

have been sensible of their having performed their Duty or the contrary.

Taking all these Confiderations together, it is manifest that Mankind are placed under a Law; which the Brutes are not, as being deftitute of a confcious Principle, and incapable of a Senfe of moral Obligation. And it is one of the cleareft Principles of Reason, that if God hath given Men a Law, it must be his Will that his Law should be obeyed; and as a moral Governor he will deal with Men according to their Obedience or Difobedience to the Laws which he hath given them. Accordingly we find in fact that as Mankind in all Ages and Nations have had fome Senfe of a Deity, so they have had some Notions of their being accountable to him as their fupreme Governor and Judge for their Conduct. St. Paul. obferveth concerning the Heathens who had not the Advantage of extraordinary Revelation, that they had the Work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Confciences alfo bearing Witness, and their Thoughts the mean while accufing or elfe excufing one another. Rom. ii. 15. And speaking of fome of the most profligate among them, who perpetrated great Acts of Wickednefs, he reprefenteth them as knowing the Judgment of God,

that they which do fuch Things are worthy of Death. Rom. i. 32.

But fecondly, As God hath given Men a Law to be the Rule of their Conduct, fo the great and principal Design of his providential Adminiftrations towards Mankind is, that by Obedience to his Law, and by the Practice of Holiness and Virtue, they may attain to the true Perfection and Happiness of their Natures. This will-appear, whether we confider the ordinary stated Conftitution of Things as ordered by his Providence, or his more extraordinary Difpenfations towards Mankind from the Beginning.

First, In the ordinary Course and Constitution of Things as established and carried on by Divine Providence, it is so ordered that a good and virtuous Conduct hath many Advantages attending it, and that the Practice of Vice and Wickedness fubjecteth Men to many Evils; so that it may be justly said, that God hath made our present Welfare to depend in a confiderable Degree upon our Obedience to his Law, and Performance of the Duties it bindeth upon us; and that there is a Connection established between Virtue and Happiness, Vice and Misery, even in the prefent Conftitution of Things, as far as is fuitable to a State of Trial and Difcipline.

VOL. I.

K

cipline. For that this prefent State is to be regarded in this View, and as preparatory to a State of final Retributions, I fhall afterwards have Occafion diftinctly to fhew, and is what we must always bear in Mind in order to our forming a juft Notion of the divine Adminiftrations. We are fo conftituted, that a truly pious and devout Temper of Mind towards God, and the Exercife of holy and good Affections, and the doing virtuous and benevolent Actions, hath an inward confcious Satisfaction attending it, a real Self-approbation and Selfenjoyment. This layeth a folid Foundation for an habitual Chearfulness and Peace of Mind, which will greatly contribute to render a Man eafy and contented in the various Circumftances and Conditions of Life. And even with regard to the external Bleffings of Providence, the Practice of Religion and Virtue both tendeth to procure them in a proper Degree, and to give a jufter Relish and Enjoyment of them. The Exercife of Juftice, Fidelity, and generous Honesty, Charity and Benevolence, Sobriety and prudent Industry, hath a Tendency in the ordinary Courfe of Things to promote the bodily Health, to prolong Life, to establish a Man's Credit and Reputation which contributeth not a little to the Success of his Affairs, to procure him