to no law but mankind live under a just dence, that of all the forms of religion that law, which makes their condition far prefer- ever the world saw, there is none more exable." cellent than that of Christianity, which we The brute creatures devour one another profess, wherein we glory, and in which we without blame, because they have no law; think ourselves happy, amidst all the troubut, as Juvenal observes, "Men alone, of bles of the world: there is none that is more all other earthly creatures, as they derive their certain and infallible with regard to its hisreason from the highest heaven, are venera-tory, more sublime with regard to its mysble for their understanding, which renders teries, more pure and perfect in its precepts, them capable of inquiring into divine things, and qualifies them for learning arts, and reducing them to practice."+

or more venerable for the grave simplicity of its rites and worship; nay, it appears evident, that this religion alone is in every reAnd hence it appears, that we were born spect incomparably preferable to every other. subjects to religion and an eternal law of na- It remains, young Gentlemen-What do you ture. For since our blessed Creator has think I am going to say? It remains, that thought proper to endue us with a mind and we become true Christians. I repeat it understanding, and powers sufficient for that again, if we will be happy, Let us be Chrispurpose, to be sure we are bound by an indis-tians. You will say, Your wish is easily pensible law, to acknowledge the primary and satisfied, you have your desire, we are all eternal Fountain of our own being, and of Christians already. I wish it may be so! all created things, to love him above all other I will not, however, object to any particular objects, and obey his commands without re-person upon this head; but every one of serve or exception. So that in this very law you, by a short trial, wherein he will be both of nature is founded a strong obligation upon witness and judge, may settle this important us to give due obedience to every divine posi-point within himself. We are all Christive institution, which he shall think proper tians. Be it so. But are we poor in spirit? to add for securing the purposes of religion Are we humble, meek, and pure in heart? and equity. Wherefore, when our first Do we pray without ceasing? Have we parents, by eating the forbidden fruit, trans- nailed all our carnal appetites and desires to gressed the symbolical command, intended as our Saviour's cross, "living no longer to oura proof of their obedience, by that very act selves, but to him that died for us ?" This they most basely broke the primary and great is the true description of a Christian, by the law of nature, which is the foundation of re-testimony of that gospel which we acknowligion, and of every other law whatever.

ledge to be Christ's. And those who are enIt is not my intention to speak here of our tire strangers to these dispositions of mind, redemption by the Messias, the only-begotten know not, to be sure, the way of peace. Son of God the Creator; it is sufficient for These I earnestly entreat and beseech to our present purpose to observe, that our great rouse themselves, and shake off their indoRedeemer has indeed delivered us from the lence and sloth, lest, by indulging the vile chains of sin and death, but has, by no means, desires of the flesh, they lose their souls for dissolved the bonds of religion, and the ever-ever. But if there are any among you, and, lasting law of nature: nay, these are, in many indeed, I believe there are some, who with respects, strengthened and confirmed by this all their hearts aspire to these Christian virredemption; and a cheerful submission to tues, and, by their means, to that kingdom them by virtue of his Spirit, which is poured which can never be shaken ;+"Be strong out upon us, is a great part of that royal li- in the Lord, have your loins girt about with berty of the sons of God, which is secured to us by his means, as, by imitating his example, we arrive at the full possession of it, which is reserved for us in the heavenly king. dom. The way, therefore, to happiness, which we are in search of, is true religion, and such, ever. in a very remarkable manner, is that of the Christians.

truth, and be sober, and hope to the end." You will never repent of this holy warfare, where the battle is so short, the victory so certain, and your triumphal crown, and the peace procured by this conflict, will last for

great, and our great and valiant Captain, in that passage of the Evangelist, "This is who has long ago ascended up on high, sup-life eternal, that they might know thee, the plies us with strength. If our courage at only true God;"* that is, not only the way any time fails us, let us fix our eyes upon to eternal life, but also the beginning and him, and, according to the advice of the first rudiments of it, seeing the same know. Apostle, in his divine Epistle to the He- ledge when completed, or the full beatific brews, "Look unto Jesus," removing our vision of God, is eternal life in its fulness eyes from all inferior objects, that, being and perfection. Nor does the divine apostle carried up aloft, they may be fixed upon make any distinction between these two; him, which the original words seem to im-"Now," says he, "we see darkly through a port; then, being supported by the Spirit glass, but then we shall see openly," or, as of Christ, we shall overcome all those ob- he expresses it, "face to face. Now I know stacles in our way that seem most difficult in part, but then I shall know, as I also am to our indolent and effeminate flesh. And known."+ That celestial life is called an inthough the way from the earth towards hea- heritance in light, and the heirs of it, even ven is by no means easy, yet even the very while they are sojourning in this earth, chil. difficulty will give us pleasure, when our dren of light,§ and, expressly, light in the hearts are thus eagerly engaged and power-Lord. "You were," says the apostle, fully supported. Even difficulties and hard-" sometime darkness, but now are ye light ships are attended with particular pleasure, in the Lord." They will be there perwhen they fall in the way of a courageous fectly holy, and without spot; and even here mind; and, as the poet expresses it, "Ser- they are called holy, and, in some respect, pents, thirst, and burning sands, are pleasing they are so. Hence it is, that those who to virtue. Patience delights in hardships; are really and truly good and pious, are in and honour, when it is dearly purchased, is Scripture often called blessed, though they possessed with greater satisfaction."+ are not fully and perfectly so: "Blessed is If what we are told concerning that glori- the man that feareth the Lord;" and, ous city obtain credit with us, we shall cheer-"Blessed are the undefiled in the way.' fully travel towards it, nor shall we be at all Even the philosophers give their testimony deterred by the difficulties that may be in the to this truth, and their sentiments on the way. But, however, as it is true, and more suitable to the weakness of our minds, that are rather apt to be affected with things present and near, than such as are at a great distance, we ought not to pass over in silence, that the way to the happiness reserved in heaven, which leads through this earth, is not only agreeable, because of the blessed prospect it opens and the glorious end to which it conducts, but also for its own sake, and on account of the innate pleasure to be found in it, far preferable to any other way of life that can be made choice of, or, indeed, imagined. "Nay, that we may not, by low expressions, derogate from a matter so grand and so conspicuous, that holiness and true religion which leads directly to the highest felicity, is itself the only happiness, as far as it can be enjoyed on this earth. Whatever naturally tends to the attainment of any other advantage, participates, in some measure, of the nature of that advantage. Now, this way to perfect felicity, if any thing can be so, is a means that, in a very great measure, participates of the nature of its end; nay, it is the beginning of that happiness, it is also to be considered as a part of it, and differs from it, in its completest state, not so much in kind as in degree: so that in Scripture it has the same names: as, for instance,

subject are not altogether to be rejected : for they, almost unanimously, are agreed, that felicity, so far as it can be enjoyed in this life, consists solely, or at least principally, in virtue: but as to their assertion, that this virtue is perfect in a perfect life, it is rather expressing what were to be wished than describing things as they are. They might have said, with more truth and justice, that it is imperfect in an imperfect life; which, no doubt, would have satisfied them, if they had known that it was to be made perfect in another place and another life that truly deserves the name, and will be complete and perfect. In this, however, we heartily agree with them, that virtue, or, as we rather choose to express it, piety, which is absolutely the sum and substance of all virtues and all wisdom, is the only happiness of this life, so far as it is capable thereof.

And if we seriously consider this subject but a little, we shall find the saying of the wise king Solomon, concerning this wisdom, to be unexceptionably true. "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

Doth religion require any thing of us more than that we live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world? Now, what, pray, can there be more pleasant or peaceable than these? Temperance is always at leisure, luxury always in a hurry; John xvii. 3. 1 Cor. xiii. 12. § 1 Thess. v. 5. Eph. v. 8. Psal. cxix. 1.

Col. i. 12. Ps. cxii. 1.

the latter weakens the body and pollutes the vidence. For what is there that can possisoul; the former is the sanctity, purity, and bly give uneasiness to him who commits sound state of both. It is one of Epi- himself entirely to that Paternal Goodness curus' fixed maxims, "That life can never and Wisdom which he knows to be infinite, be pleasant without virtue."" Vices seize and securely devolves the care of all his conupon men with the violence and rage of cerns upon it ? furies; but the Christian virtues replenish If any of you object, (what has been obthe breast which they inhabit, with a heaven- served before,) that we often see good men ly peace and abundant joy, and thereby meet with severe treatment, and also read render it like that of an angel. The slaves that "many are the afflictions of the just :"* of pleasure and carual affections have within I answer, Do you not also read what imme them, even now, an earnest of future tor-diately follows, "But the Lord delivereth ments; so that in this present life, we may him out of them all ?"+ And it would be truly apply to them that expression in the madness to deny that this more than com Revelation, "They that worship the beast pensates the other. have no rest day nor night." "There is perpetual peace with the humble," says the most devout à Kempis ; "but the proud and the covetous are never at rest."+

But neither are the wicked quite exempted from the misfortunes and calamities of life; and when they fall upon them, they have nothing to support them under such pressures, none to extricate or deliver them.

justly said, without exaggeration, " If the world should be crushed, and broken to pieces, he would be undaunted, even while the ruins fell upon his head ?"‡

If we speak of charity, which is the root and spring of justice, what a lasting pleasure But a true Christian, encouraged by a does it diffuse through the soul! "Envy," good conscience, and depending upon the as the saying is, "has no days of festivity :"+ Divine favour, bears with patience all these it enjoys not even its own advantages, while evils, by the efforts of generous love and unit is tormented with those it sees in the pos- shaken faith: they all seem light to him; session of others; but charity is happy not he despises what he suffers, while he waits only in its own enjoyments, but also in those with patience for the object of his hope; and of others, even as if they were its own; nay, indeed, what, either in life or in death, can it is then most happy in the enjoyment of he be afraid of, "whose life is hid with its own good things, when, by liberality, it Christ in God" and of whom it may be makes them the property of others; in short, it is a godlike virtue.§ There is nothing more divine in man, “ than to wish well to men, and to do good to as many as one possibly can ; but piety, which worships God with constant prayer, and celebrates him with the highest praises, raises man above himself, and gives him rank among the angels. And contemplation, which is, indeed, the most genuine and purest pleasure of the human soul, and the very summit of felicity, is no where so sublime and enriched as it will be found to be in true religion, where it may expatiate in a system of divine truths most extensive, clear, and infallibly certain; mysteries that are most profound, and hopes that are the most exalted: and he that can render these subjects familiar to his mind, even on this earth, enjoys a life replete with heavenly pleasure.

I might enlarge greatly on this subject, and add a great many other considerations to those I have already offered; but I shall only further observe, that that sweet virtue of contentment, so effectual for quieting the mind, which philosophy sought for in vain, religion alone has found; and also discovered, that it takes its rise from a firm confidence in the almighty power of Divine Pro

LECTURE XX.

Of our HAPPINESS, particularly that it lies in GOD, who alone can direct us to the true Way of attaining to it; that this Way he has discovered in the Saored Scriptures, the divine Authority whereof is asserted and illustrated.

THESE two expressions, "That there is a beginning, and that there is also an end,"§ convey matters great in themselves, and which ought to be considered as of vast importance to us. It is absolutely necessary, that there should be some one principal of all things; and by an equal degree of necessity, this principal must be, of all others, the greatest and the best. It is also necessary that he who gave being to all things, must have proposed to himself some end to be attained by the production and disposal of them: but, as the end of the best of all agents must

itself also be the highest and the best, this many different opinions they were divided
end can be no other than himself. And the about it. Of this, however, we have spoken
reasoning of the author of the Epistle to the at great length in another place.
Hebrews, concerning the oath of God, may Now, to be brief, it is necessary that this
also be applied to this case: "As he had good or end should be "perfect, suitable, not
no greater to swear by," says the apostle, easily taken away, nay, such as we can by no
"he swore by himself." In like manner, means be deprived of; and, finally, it must
as he had no greater or better end to propose, consist of such things as have a particular
he proposed himself. "He hath made all relation to the soul, and not of external en-
things for himself," says the author of the joyments." Whence "slavish and brutal
book of Proverbs, "even the wicked for the pleasures,"+ vain and perishing honours and
day of evil." And the apostle Paul, in riches, which only serve to support and pro-
his Epistle to the Romans, gives us a lively mote the former, are, in this inquiry, justly,
description of that incomparable circle, the and without the least hesitation, hissed off
most complete of all figures: "Of him, and the stage by all sound philosophers; who
through him, and to him, are all things, to with great unanimity acknowledge, that our
whom be glory for ever. Amen."+
felicity consists solely, or at least principally,
Now man, the ornament and master-piece in virtue. But your favourite philosopher
of all the visible creation, by extraordinary Aristotle, and the Peripatetics, who are his
art, and in a method peculiar to himself, re- followers, seem to doubt whether virtue alone
turns to his first original, and has his Creator be sufficient for this purpose, and not to be
not only for the principal of his being, and of very consistent with themselves. The Stoics,
his well-being, but also for his end. Thus, by who proceeded with greater courage, and act-
a wonderful instance of wisdom and goodness, ed more like men, affirmed, that virtue was
God has so connected his own glory with our fully sufficient for this purpose, without the
happiness, that we cannot properly intend or helps and supplements required by the for-
desire the one, but the other must follow of mer. And that, while they bestowed such
course, and our felicity is at last resolved into high praises on virtue, they might not seem
his eternal glory. The other works of God to have quite forgotten God, they not only said
serve to promote his honour; but man, by that virtue was something divine, in which
rational knowledge and will, offers himself they were joined by Aristotle, but also con-
and all that he has as a sacrifice to his Crea-cluded, that their wise, man did all things,
tor. From his knowledge of him, he is in-" with a direct reference to God." It was
duced to love him; and in consequence of also a general maxim with the followers of
his love, he attains at last to the enjoyment Plato, "That the end of man is to be, as
of him. And it is the wisdom as well as
the happiness of man, to propose to himself,
as the scope and ultimate end of his life, that
very thing which his exalted Creator had
proposed before.

far as possible, made like unto God."§ And
Plato himself, in his second book of laws, and
in his Phædo, asserts, that man's chief good
is the knowledge of the truth: yet, as this
knowledge is not perfect in the present life,
But, that we may proceed gradually in he is of opinion, that it can scarcely be said
our speculations upon this subject, we must of any man, that he is happy here below;
first conclude, that there is a proper end in- but there is hope to be entertained concerning
tended for man; that this end is suited to the dead, provided they are purified before
his nature, and perfectly accommodated to they leave the world. But there are two
all his wants and desires, that so the princi- things particularly with regard to this ques-
pal part of this wonderful fabric may not be tion, which our religion and most precious
quite irregular, and labour under a manifest faith teaches with incomparably greater ful-
imperfection.
ness and evidence than all the schools and
books of the philosophers.

Nor can there be a more important speculation, nor one more worthy of man, than that which concerns his own end, and that good which is fully and perfectly suited to his circumstances. Chance or fortune must, of necessity, have a great influence in our life, when we live at random; we must, therefore, if we be wise, or rather, that we may be wise, propose to ourselves an end, to which all our actions ought to have a reference, and by which, as a certain fixed star, we are to direct our course. But it is sure prising to observe, how much all the wisest men among the Heathens were perplexed in their inquiries after this end, and into how ↑ Rom. xi. 36.

Prov. xvi. 4.

1. That our felicity is not to terminate in
ourselves, but in God. "Blessed is the man
that feareth the Lord ;" and, "The pure
in heart shall see God."¶"To seek God,"
says St. Augustine, "is to desire happiness,
and to find him is that happiness."**

2. That our happiness is not confined
within the limits of this short life, nor does
it end with it: on the contrary, it is scarce
* Τέλειον, και αυτάρκες, και δυσαφαίρετον, imo ανα
φαιρίτον, και των περί ψυχής, και ου των εκτός.
† Ανδραποδώδεις και θηριώδεις ήδοναι.
* Μετ' αναφορας εις τον Θεόν.

8 Τέλος ανθρωπου όμοίωσις Θεω κατα το δυνατον.
Psalm cxií. 1.
Matt. v. 8.
** Secutio Dei appetitus beatitatis, consccutio bea-
titas.

begun in this world; but when the present from him; for by no art whatever can the life comes to a period, then this happiness is waters be made to rise higher than their founcompleted, and becomes eternal. Our life tain. It was therefore absolutely necessary, on this earth, therefore, is only so far happy, for the purpose I have mentioned, that some as it has a resemblance to that we shall enjoy revelation concerning God should be made in heaven, and becomes, as it were, an ear- to mankind by himself; and, accordingly, nest of it: that is, when it is employed in he did reveal himself to them from the bepure and sincere piety, in obedience to the ginning; and these revelations the father of will of God, and an ambition to promote lies mimicked by those delusions of his that his glory, till we arrive at that happy state, were published by the Heathen oracles. The where our hunger and thirst shall be abun- Divine Wisdom, in revealing himself to mandantly satisfied, and yet our appetites never kind, has thought proper, at different periods cloyed. of time, to make use of different methods and For it is evident, that man, in this life, ways, or, according to that of the Epistle to becomes so much the more perfect and happy, the Hebrews, "at sundry times, and in divers in proportion as he has his mind and affec- manners ;"* but at last it seemed good to tions more thoroughly conformed to the pat- him, that this sacred doctrine should be com tern of that most blessed and perfect life; mitted to writing, that with the greater cerand this is, indeed, the great ambition of a tainty and purity it might be handed down true Christian; this is his study, which he to succeeding ages. If we consider his ab

ceases not to pursue with ardour day and solute power, it would certainly have been night; nor does he let so much as one day as easy for him to have preserved this docpass, without copying some lines of that perfect pattern; and the more he advances in purity of mind, the greater progress he makes in the knowledge and contemplation of divine things.

trine pure and entire, without committing it to writing; but, for the most part, he has been pleased to make use of means naturally suited and adapted to his purposes, and disposes all things so as effectually to secure his ends, yet in an easy, natural manner, suited to our capacities and conceptions of things.

But who will instruct us with regard to the means of reaching this blessed mark ? Who will shew us how we may attain this If any one would prove, that these books conformity to God, and most effectually pro- which we receive as such, are in fact the remote his honour and glory, so that at last we positories of this sacred and celestial docmay come to the enjoyment of him in that trine, the most proper method he could take endless life, and be for ever satisfied with the would be, first, to shew, that the sacred hisbeatific vision of him? What faithful guide tory and doctrines contained in them are shall we find to direct us in this way? Surely true; and then, from their own testimony, he himself must be our leader; there is no conclude them divine. other besides him, that can answer our pur-[ For, the truth of our religion being once pose. It is he alone that acquaints us with well established, it is, to be sure, a most just his own nature, as far as it is necessary for postulation, and such as ought not to be us to know it; and he alone that directs us denied to any sect of men, that, in this into the way wherein he chooses to be wor-stance, the testimony of the Christian church shipped. "God cannot be known but by should be believed, when it points out the his own revelation of himself."* When he books wherein the sum and substance of that is pleased to wrap himself up in a cloud, nei-religion are originally and authentically dether man in his original integrity, nay, nor posited.+ even the angels, can know or investigate his The truth of the sacred history being once nature or his intentions. We are, indeed, granted, the divinity of the doctrine will na acquainted in the sacred records, "That the turally follow of course; as the history menheavens declare the glory of God :"+ and tions so many and so great miracles that this, to be sure, is very true in certain re- were wrought in confirmation of the doctrine; spects, but they do by no means declare the those particularly that were performed in hidden mysteries of the Creator, nor his in- proof of the Old Testament, by Moses the tentions, and the manner of that worship and servant of God, by whose ministry the law service he requires from his reasonable crea- was given to the Jews; and those that were tures. And therefore the Psalmist, having wrought in confirmation of the New by Jesus begun the Psalm with the voice and declara-Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, and tion of the heavens, immediately after men-author of the evangelic law; as also those tions another light much clearer than the sun that were wrought by his servants the Aposhimself, and a volume or book more perfect tles, and other Christians: and absolutely than the language of all the spheres. No- to deny the force of all these, would be an thing is more certain, than that the doctrine instance of impudence and obstinacy so great, which leads us to God, must take its rise that the keenest enemies of the Christian Non potest Deus, nisi de Deo, intelligi. • Πολυμέρος και πολυτρόπως. t Psalm

† Αυθεντικώς.