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out our consciousness. Matter, dead and inanimate matter, can do nothing of itfelf: it belongs only to intelligence to act with purpose and defign.

HE, who thus forms us and fo carefully fupports us, cannot be indifferent about our conduct and behaviour.

WHAT the finner places his firmest confidence in, happens to be one of the moft alarming confiderations. He fees things roll on in a seemingly promiscuous manner; judgment feldom arrests the tranfgreffor; the virtuous as often fall into affliction. Because fentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the fons of men is fully fet in them to do evil. Ecclef. viii. 11. But this of all things should moft alarm their fears. The prefent patience of GOD fhould make them dread the heavier punishment in the time of visitation.

He teaches us this in what we fee around us. In nature we fee an unusual ftillness precedes his visitations, the ra

vaging tempeft, or the earthquake that lays whole towns in ruins. In the animal kingdom the creature, that is floweft to anger, is the fierceft in its rage. Long fuffering and clemency in man, when it takes up the arms of juftice, is proportionably fevere in its inflictions. And though wrath has no place in the divine mind, yet fomething analogous to the paffions neceffary for the support of order here, must have place in his government.

WHEN we fee an earthly magiftrate acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent, advance the worthlefs and oppress the virtuous; every heart burns with indignation, every tongue is loofened to load him with execrations. Now only allow, that GoD* has as much justice in him as man, that he, who gave us no

HEUS, age, refponde, minimum eft quod fcire laboro: De Jove quid fentis? eftne, ut præponere cures Hunc cuiquam? cuinam ? vis Staio ?

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tions of equity and order, cannot want this perfection himself; and then we must allow with the apostle, that the prefent forbearance and goodness of GOD is only meant to lead us to repentance, but that a time must come when he will render to every man according to his deeds. Rom. ii. 6. There are many reafons why his fun fhould fhine and his rain defcend indifferently on mankind at prefent: but a future impartial distribution of rewards and punishments is neceffary to justify his ways to man, and place vice and virtue upon their true foundations.

If we turn our eyes from without and furvey ourselves within, we find proofs of our future deftination in the frame and conftitution of our nature.

IT is demonftrable that the power of reflexion abates greatly from the enjoyments of a mere fenfual life. The fenfualift owns it in his favourite maxim; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow

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we die; let us enjoy the prefent hour, and banish all anxious thoughts about the future. But muft not the libertine then be condemned out of his own mouth, and confuted upon his own principle?* For, at this rate, the beafts are certainly better conftituted for this life than he: they are without those incumbrances, which he cannot wholly diveft himself of, anxious cares and apprehenfions: they live not, like him, in a continued fever between fear and hope, expectation and disappointment. They have no disagreeable retrofpects to aug

*As this reafoning may be perhaps thought uncommon, I think myself obliged to fupport it by the authority of an admired author. "The fame faculty of rea"fon and understanding which placeth us above the "brute part of the creation, doth also fubject our minds "to greater and more manifold difquiets than creatures "of an inferior rank are fenfible of. It is by this that "we anticipate future difafters, and oft create to our"selves real pain from imaginary evils, as well as multiply pangs arifing from those which cannot be avoid" ed."

Guardian, No. 89.

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ment their pains; no torturing prospects to diminish their pleasures. Numerous forrows, which they are unacquainted with, break in at the two inlets of reflexion and anticipation, to disturb the prefent enjoyment. What then is the proper conclufion? Is reflexion then an enemy to a fenfual life? Yes, the epicure owns it in the best article of his creed; and, in owning this, owns the destination of man. The human powers, too grand as they are for this prefent abode, must be defigned for a higher state; and in the mean time, as the greater according to the natural order of things ever rules the lesser, the superior understanding must be meant to direct and moderate the lower appetites.

CONSIDER man as a mere creature of this earth, and he is the greatest contradiction in the works of GOD. All his greater privileges are incumbrances. He is the only creature, who has notions of religion: these notions tend but

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