In respect of the first, we may at once affirm, that the principal care of a magiftrate, of the father of a people, is to encourage and enforce benevolence and piety, the belief and practice of natural and revealed religion; and to difcourage and reftrain infidelity, profaneness, and immorality, as much as poffible. And this,

First, Because the concerns of another world are of infinitely greater importance than any relating to this; fo that he who wishes well to a people, and prefides over them for their good, cannot but be chiefly folicitous and industrious in this particular.

Secondly, Because even the present well-being of states depends entirely upon the private virtues of the feveral ranks and orders of men. For the public happiness is compounded of the happiness of the feveral individuals compofing the body politic; and the virtues of industry, temperance, chastity, meeknefs, justice, generofity, devotion, refignation, &c. have a tendency to promote the happiness both of the persons that poffefs them, and of others.

It will therefore be the duty of the magiftrate, in making and executing laws, to inquire which method appears to be moft conducive to virtue in the people, to pursue this fimply and fteadily, and not to doubt but that all the fubordinate ends of government, as those of increasing the riches and power of the ftate, promoting arts and fciences, &c. will be obtained in fuch degrees as they ought, as are productive of real happiness to the people, by the fame means. But where it is doubtful what method is most conducive to virtue, there the fubordinate ends are to be taken into confideration, each according to its value: just as in the case of self-interest in individuals; where benevolence, piety, and the moral fenfe, are entirely filent, there cool, rational self-intereft may, and, as it appears, ought to be admitted as a principle of action.

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As to foreign states, they, and confequently the magistrates which prefide over them, are under the fame obligations, as private perfons are in respect of each other. Thus, fince a private perfon, in order to obtain his own greatest happiness, even in this world, muft obey the precepts of benevolence, piety, and the moral fenfe, with an abfolute and implicit confidence in them; fo ftates, i. e. their governors or representatives, ought to deal with each other according to justice, generofity, charity, &c. even from the mere principle of intereft. For the reafon is the fame in both cafes. If individuals be all members of the fame myftical body, much more are states, i. e. large collections of individuals. They ought therefore to have the fame care for each other, as for themselves; and whoever is an aggreffor, or injuri ous, must expect to fuffer, às in private life. They that take the fword fhall perish by the fword. He that leadeth into captivity must go into captivity. Babylon must receive double for all her infults upon other nations, &c. All which is verified by obfervation, both in regard to private perfons, and to states, as far as it is reafonable for us to expect to fee it verified in this our ignorance of the real quantities of virtue and vice, and of happiness and mifery. But in all obfervations of this kind we ought conftantly to bear in mind, that God's judgments are unfearchable, and his ways past finding out, in particular cafes, though fufficiently manifeft in the general course and tenor of things. By the laft he fhews us his moral attributes, his providence, and his relation to us as our governor; by the first he humbles the pride, rathnefs, and felf-conceit, of human understanding.

It may not perhaps be improper here to fay fomething concerning the lawfulness of war. Now this regards either the magiftrate, or the subject. First, then, it is very evident, that as private perfons are,

in general, prohibited by the law of CHRIST to revenge themselves, refift evil, &c. fo are flates, and confequently, magiftrates. But then as private perfons have, under Chriftianity, that perfect law of liberty, a power to punish injuries done to themselves, oppofe violence offered to themfelves, &c. when their view in this is a fincere regard to others, as affected by these injuries and violences; fo magiftrates have a power, and by confequence lie under an obligation, of the like kind, where the real motive is tenderness to their own people in a juft caufe, or a regard to the general welfare of their own ftate, and the neighbouring ones. Secondly, Though it seems entirely unjustifiable for private perfons to enter upon the profeffion of war wantonly, and with a view to riches, honours, &c. especially fince fo much violence and cruelty, and fo many temptations, attend this profeffion; yet where a perfon is already engaged, and has very urgent reafons reftraining him from withdrawing, or receives a particular command from a lawful magistrate, it seems to be allowable, or even his duty.

SECT. VII.

OF THE REGARD DUE TO THE PLEASURES AND PAINS OF THEOPATHY, IN FORMING THE RULE OF LIFE.

PROP. LXXI.

The Love of GOD regulates, improves, and perfecis all the other Parts of our Nature; and affords a Pleafure fuperior in Kind and Degree to all the reft it is therefore our primary Purfuit, and ultimate End.

IN what manner the precepts of piety regulate, improve, and perfect the four inferior claffes of pleasure, viz. those of fenfation, imagination, ambition, and felf-interest, has been fhewn already in this chapter. But the precepts of piety are those which teach us, what homage of our affections, and external actions, ought to be addressed to the Deity in a direct and immediate manner; and it will appear under the two next propofitions, in which the affections and actions enjoined by piety are particularly confidered, that all these terminate ultimately in the love of GOD, and are abforbed by it: the love of GOD does therefore regulate, improve, and perfect all the four inferior claffes of pleasure.

The fame thing is evident with respect to the whole of our natures, in a fhorter manner, and according to the ufual fenfe, in which the phrafe of the love of God is taken. For the perpetual exertion of a pleafing affection towards a Being infinite in power, knowledge, and goodnefs, and who is alfo our friend and father, cannot but enhance all our joys, and alleviate all our forrows; the fenfe of his prefence and protection will restrain all actions that are exceffive, irregular, or hurtful; fupport and encourage us in all fuch as are of a contrary nature; and infuse fuch peace and tranquillity of mind, as will enable us to fee clearly, and act uniformly. The perfection therefore of every part of our natures muft depend upon the love of GoD, and the conftant comfortable fense of his prefence.

With refpect to benevolence, or the love of our neighbour, it may be obferved, that this can never be free from partiality and selfishness, till we take our ftation in the divine nature, and view every thing from thence, and in the relation which it bears to GOD. If the relation to ourselves be made the point of view, our profpect must be narrow, and the appearance of what we do fee diftorted. When we confider the scenes of folly, vanity, and mifery, which muft prefent themselves to our fight in this point; when we are difappointed in the happinefs of our friends, or feel the refentment of our enemies; our benevolence will begin to languifh, and our hearts to fail us; we thall complain of the corruption and wickedness of that world, which we have hitherto loved with a benevolence merely human; and fhew by our complaints, that we are ftill deeply tnctured with the fame corruption and wickednefs. This is generally the cafe with young and unexperienced perfons, in the beginning of a virtuous course, and before they have made a due advancement in the ways