The Glory of God best promoted I COR. X. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, T is an undeniable truth, and SERM. rude and indigefted, that every man is 0 4 culties, SERM. faculties, his fituation and character, what IX. he is in himself, and what becomes him as a part of the Universe, in order to form a right scheme of conduct. These two things are equally to be regarded -- the importance and dignity of his nature in itself, and the Relations he ftands in to other Beings. If he is abstracted from all confideration of his Fellow-creatures, and retires inward, quite excluding the World around him, to raise and cultivate a contracted private happiness, his notions of duty and of the proper regulations of his Manners must be very unjuft and defective; because he behaves like what he is not, and quite forgets what he is; and acts as if he had the whole of Hube man Nature in himself, as if he was fingle, unallied, and independent. On the contrary, if he has fo much Complaifance for others, and pays fuch an undue respect to their follicitations or example, as to join with them in scenes of Debauchery and Corruption; if he fuffers his affectation of Good-nature, and defire to be thought obliging and conformable in Society, to hurhim into wicked exceffes which are rery pugnant to the law of his Mind, and the immutable standard and rule of right: In SERM. this Cafe likewise he gives evident proof IX. that he does not understand his own frame, he contradicts the obvious and unqueftionable defign of it, and acts like one who has blind focial Instincts without reason. THE perverfeness of Conduct, the defect of Moral character, in both these Instances, is immediately perceived and cenfured. But there is another inftance equally clear, in which it is not fo readily allowed; and that refpects the first and greatest, the wisest and best, of all Beings and the regard we owe to him. He is the Life of the World, the Spirit, that animates and governs the immense frame of Nature; to him our relation is indifputable, our obligations are infinite: We cannot exclude him from the Universe without destroying it--and fhall we shut him out of our scheme of Morality? The relations we stand in to Men are acknowledged to be the foundation of various Offices, of indifpenfable neceffity, and the utmost importance in Human life; and can it be, that our relation to God conftitutes no tie, no bond of Duty? It is unfit that we should act SERM. act as if we were born only for ourselves, IX. without having any concern for the welfare of our Fellow-creatures; and are we at liberty to live as without God in the World? Nothing can be more abfurdly, more inexcufeably wicked: For it fupposes the Universe to be all Creature, and no Creator; all Effect, and no Cause. BESIDES, a fense and humble acknowledgment of Dependence muft, in the nature of things, be as much a right Sense, and a proper Acknowledgment, with refpect to God, as to any other Beings. Sentiments and expreffions of Gratitude must be at least as juftly due to the infinite univerfal Benefactor, as they can be to inferior Benefactors; from whom the kindnesses we receive are lefs, but our claims greater. So that he can neither be a truly wife Man, nor ftrictly speaking a moral Man, who confines the whole of virtue to temperance, justice, and benevolence, and neglects the rational duties of Piety.--For is God the indulgent and tender Parent of Mankind; and does he deserve no Reverence, and filial Affection? Is he the unexhaufted Spring of Good; and not to be ador'd |