reward:* this is clear from the dictates of reason and conscience. In the present life, however, the wicked sometimes meet with less punishment than they deserve, while the virtuous are often distressed and disappointed. But, under the government of him, who is infinitely good and just, who cannot be mistaken, and whose purposes it is impossible to frustrate, this will not finally be the case; and every man must, at last, receive according to his works.

466. Further good men have a natural hope, and wicked men a natural fear, in consequence of what they expect in the life to come. Those hopes and fears result from the intimations of conscience, declaring the merits of virtue, and the demerits of vice: and, therefore, as it is impossible for us to believe, that the dictates of conscience, our supreme faculty, are delusive or irrational, we must believe, that there is future evil to be feared by the wicked, and future good to be expected by the righteous. Even in this life there are signs of a retribution begun; whence we learn, that we are subject to the moral government of God, and that things have a tendency to retribution. Certain virtues, as temperance and industry, are frequently their own reward, and the opposite vices seldom fail to bring along with them their own punishment. Nay, sometimes, even here, the wicked are

* In what respects virtue is meritorious; will be afterwards considered.

overtaken with judgments of so peculiar a kind, that we cannot help ascribing them to a just providence. But the retribution here begun is not perfect. Perfect, however, under the government of a just and almighty being, it must be in the end. And, therefore, there will be a future state of most righteous retribution.

467. Fifthly, in a future life, the virtuous will make continual improvements in virtue and knowledge, and, consequently, in happiness. This may be inferred, from the progressive nature of the human mind, to which, length of time, properly employed, never fails to bring an increase of knowledge and virtue even in this world; and, from the nature of the future state itself, in which we cannot suppose, that any cross accidents will ever interfere to prevent virtue from attaining happiness, its natural consequence and reward.

468. Lastly, in the future state, virtue shall prevail over vice, and happiness over misery. This must be the final result of things, under the government of a being who is infinitely good, powerful, and wise. Even in this life, virtue tends to confer power as well as happiness: many nations of vicious men might be subdued by one nation of good men. There is hardly an instance on record of a people losing their liberty while they retained their virtue; but many are the instances of mighty nations falling, when their virtue was lost, an easy prey to the enemy. In this life, the natural

tendency of virtue to confer superiority is obstructed in various ways. Here, all virtue is imperfect; the wicked, it is to be feared, are the most numerous; the virtuous cannot always know one another; and, though they could, many accidents may prevent their union. But these causes extend not their influence beyond the grave; and, therefore, in a future state, happiness and virtue must triumph, and vice and misery be borne down.

469. This is a very brief account indeed, of the arguments that human reason, unaided by revelation, could furnish, for the immortality of the soul. All taken together amount to such a high probability, as can hardly be resisted by any rational being. Yet we must acknowledge, that, unassisted reason makes this matter only in a very high degree probable. It is the Gospel, which makes it certain; and which, therefore, may with truth be said to have BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMOR. TALITY TO LIGHT.

PART THIRD.

MORAL PHILOSOPHY.

INTRODUCTION,

470. MORAL philosophy treats of the cultivation of our active or moral powers. It

has been defined, the science which explains our duty, and the reasons of it; and, more briefly by Dr. More, Ars bene beateque vivendi. As it would be neither easy nor expedient to keep the several divisions of the abstract philosophy entirely sepa rate, I have not scrupled, in the former part of this summary, to anticipate some things which properly belong to this part, and which it is unnecessary to repeat. By the omission of these here, the extent of the science now before us will be contracted, as well as by this other consideration, that, as the most perfect system of duty is contained in holy writ, no person, who has had