in the smallest degree from the paths of rigid honefty, candour and veracity. Es Modicus Voti, preffo lare, dulcis Amicis Jam nunc aftringas; jam nunc granaria laxes ; Inque luto fixum poffis tranfcendere Nummum; Nec glutto forbere Salivam Mercurialem ? Hæc mea funt, teneo, cum vere dixeris: Efto Liberque ac Sapiens, Prætoribus ac Jove dextro. Sin tu, cum fueris Noftræ paulò ante farinæ, Pelliculam veterem retines, et fronte politus Aftutam Vapido fervas fub pectore Vulpem; Quæ dederam fuprà, Repeto, funemque Reduco. Nil tibi conceffit Ratio: digitum exere peccas, Et quid tam parvum eft? Sed nullo thure lita bis, Hæreat in Stultis brevis & ut femuncia Recti Are you moderate in your defires, fru gal, and obliging to your friends? Do you know when to fpare, and when to be 'liberal, as occafion requires? And can you give a check to your avarice, in fpite of all temptations which are laid in your way? Can you refrain from being too greedy in your pursuits after riches? When you can fincerely affirm that you are mafter of yourfelf, and of all thefe good qualities, then you are free indeed, and wife by the propitious power of Jove and the Prætor. But But if you retain the old habits of a slave, and harbour ill qualities, under the hypocritical appearance of virtue, you are as much a flave as ever, while thus enslaved to your vices. Philofophy gives no indulgence to vice-makes no allowance for any crime. If in wagging your finger, you acted against reason, you tranfgrefs, tho' the thing be of fo trifling a nature. All the fa crifices you can offer will never pass for a dram of rectitude, while your conduct is faulty. Wisdom is incompatible with folly. When to be bountiful, and when to spare, This is the great leffon, that virtue alone is true honour, true freedom, and folid, durable happiness. It is indeed its own reward. There are no fatisfactions equal to,, or comparable with virtuous, rational exercifes; nor can virtuous difpofitions, and well-improved moral powers be rewarded, or receive happiness fuited to their nature, but from their exercises and employments about proper objects. And as virtue gives pleasure here in proportion to the improvements it makes, far beyond all that mere fense can yield, in the most advantageous circumstances of outward enjoyment; fo in a state to come, it fhall be fo placed as its improvements require, that is, be placed in circumftances that shall afford it business or employment proportioned to its capacity, and by means thereof the higheft fatisfaction. Such a bafis for building moral instructions upon we find in hiftory. We are warned in fome pages to avoid the miferies and wretchednefs which many have fallen into by departing from reafon and virtue :--And in others, we meet with fuch virtuous characters and actions, as fet forth the charms of integrity in their full luftre, and prove that virtue is the fupreme beauty, the fupreme charm; that in keeping the precepts of moral rectitude, we fecure a prefent felicity and reward; and have a pre fage fage of thofe higher rewards which await a fteady course of right conduct in another world. Glorious, natural virtue! Would, mankind but hearken to its voice, and obey its dictates, there would be no fuch Beings as Invaders, Delinquents, and Traitors, in this, lower world. The focial inclinations and difpofitions would for ever prevail over the felfish appetites and paffions. The law of benevolence would be the rule of life. The advancement of the common good would be the work of every man. A Reflection on Govern ment and Re ligion. 12. The cafe however is;: that the generality of mankind are too corrupt, to be governed by the great univerfal law of focial nature, and to gratify ambition, avarice, and the like, employ a cunning or power, to feize the natural, rights and properties of others: and therefore, to natural virtue grounded on the reason and fitnefs of things, in themfelves, the first and principal mean of fecuring the peace and happiness of fociety, it was neceffary to add two other grand principles, civil government and Religion, and fo have three conducible means to focial happiness. Thefe three are neceffary to the being of a public, and of them, religion, as I take it, is of the first confequence; for the choice few only only mind a natural virtue, or benevolence flowing from the reafon, nature, and fitness of things; and civil government cannot always fecure the happiness of mankind in particular cafes; but Religion, rightly understood, and fixed upon its true and proper foundation, might do the work, in conjunction with the other two principles, and fecure the happiness of Society. If mankind were brought to the belief and worship of one only true God, and to a fincere obedience to his Will, as we have it discovered in Revelation, I think appetite and paffion would cease to invade by violence or fraud, or fet up for private intereft in oppofition to the public stock or common good. But, alas! Religion is fo far from being rightly understood, that it is rendered by fome explainers the most doubtful and difputable thing in the world. They have given it more phases than the moon, and made it every thing, and nothing, while they are fcreaming or forcing the people into their feveral factions. This destroys the moment of Religion, and the multitude are thereby wandered into endless mazes and perplexities, and rendered a haring, ftaring, wrathful rabble; inftead of being transformed into fuch chriftians as filled the first church at Jerufalem; christians who acknowledged and worshipped God the Father Almighty, |