fion of our own; a fit Rival indeed to con- SERM. IV.

teft it with our Maker!

The main Proof of our Virtue is the Superiority and Afcendant of Reason over our Paffions. And the main Proof, that Reafon has the Ascendant over our Paffions, is the Victory of Reason in thofe Cafes, where the Paffions make head against it. For, if Reason only maintains it's Sway, where the Paffions fall in with it, or do not oppofe it; this is no more a Proof that we are virtuous; than it is, that a Man is not a Lunatic, because he may argue tolerably well, and coherently on indifferent Points, that do not deeply touch and interest him.. The only decifive Teft, whether he is a Lunatic or not, is to bring him to that Point, which is fuppofed to have deeply affected him, and at last unhinged his Brain: However plaufibly he may reafon on other Subjects, we fcruple not to pronounce him a Madman, if here he flies off into Jargon, Wildness, and Extravagance. To obey God in Points indifferent, where we have no Temptation to offend, is doing nothing at all. One exceffive Paffion is enough to engross the whole Man: And therefore, if we do not give into other Vices, it is not

fo

SERM.IV. fo much owing to the Strength of our Reason, as to the Weakness of our Inclinations for other Things.

For

People are not aware, what they are doing when they indulge any one Vice. any one habitual bad Quality will, in Procefs of Time, as effectually deftroy every Thing morally good in us; as even many bad Qualities. When it has thoroughly got Poffeffion of your Heart, it will foon draw the Head after it. It will turn the whole Bent of your Pursuits, Inclinations, and Studies one way; make you indifferent to whatever is not fubfervient to it's Intereft, and hate whatever is oppofite to it. Single out what bad Quality you please: Let it be, what fome will think a very small one, the Love of Eafe. It will not indeed put you upon defperate Crimes; for that is contrary to it's Nature: But it will end in a total Absence of every active Duty in Life: It will be a kind of a Froft, that, as long as it lafts, locks up all the Virtues of the Soil. But if Idlenefs, the moft unperforming of all the Vices, bears so great a Sway; it will be needless to observe, that when any one of the more enterprizing Vices, fuch as the Love of Honour, Mo

4

ney,

ney, or Pleasure, has got Footing, and SERM. IV. established it's Interefts; it will supplant and turn out every Virtue: Just as one wicked Favourite, who has crept into his Mafter's Affections, will by degrees prevail with him to difplace and remove every faithful Servant, that may ftand in his Way*

On the other hand, the Man, that constantly practises any one Virtue, merely be-. cause it is the Will of God; will be difpofed to practise every other Virtue for the fame Reason. It is true, his Situation in Life may not empower him to exemplify every other Virtue; Yet he, who is grateful to the Rich, in low Circumftances, upon a fixed Principle of Virtue; would undoubtedly be charitable to the Poor, in a higher Sphere. Any one habitual Duty, which we embrace to recommend ourselves to our Maker, calls forth into Action those other Duties, which are in our Power; and gives us a

It is Salluf's Remark on a Roman Conful, that he had many excellent Endowments both of Body and Mind, all which his Covetoufnefs rendered useless. In Confule noftra [Beftia] multæ bonaque artes animi et corporis erant, ques mnes avaritia præpediebat. Sal. de Bello Jugurthino.

VOL. I.

G

Relish

SERM. IV. Relish and Love for those, that are not so †.

Juft fo he, who confcientiously abftains from

any Sin, folely becaufe it is difpleafing to his Creator; will find the fame Motive operating much farther, and inclining him to forbear every other Action, that he knows is offenfive to him. No one great Virtue (Virtue upon Principle) will come fingle: The Virtues, that be her Fellows, will bear her Company, and with Joy and Gladness enter into the fame Heart.

But this brings me to my

II. Second General Head, which is to fhew the Folly of a partial Obedience, in feveral inftances.

Few, very few, feem to confider, that one habitual Vice cuts them off from the Benefits of Christianity. We relapse into the worst Part of Popery. We will not allow the Pope (and we have good Reason for not allowing him) to deal out his Dif penfations and Indulgences to us: But we fet up as many private Popes, as there are Men: We allow ourselves, unauthorised by God, to deal our Difpenfations and Indul

+ Inter omnes Philofophos conftat, qui unam haberet, omnes habere Virtutes. Cicero.

gences

gences from our favourite Sins, with a very liberal Hand. Nothing is more common, than to fubftitute fome Part of our Duty, for the whole.

Of this we have a pregnant Instance in those, whom the World mifcals mere moral Men. True Morality, in the largest Senfe of the Word, confists in acting agreeably to thofe Relations, which we bear to our Creator, and Fellow-Creatures. It takes in even our Duty to our bleffed Saviour and Redeemer; unless either Gratitude be no Part of Morality; or he, who was the Author of our eternal Salvation, be entitled to no Gratitude from us. But a mere moral Man, in the Language of the World, is one, who lives in a State of open Difregard, or at least of fashionable Indifference, to Religion in general; yet fhall do fome generous and good-natured Actions, and never be guilty of any flagrant Breach of Honefty. He fhall condemn the Man, who is wanting in proper Returns of Gratitude and Affection to his Fellow-Creatures: But never condemns himself, who continually receives, and never acknowledges the Favours he receives from the Author of every good Gift, and therefore G 2

the

SERM.IV.