they may, and ought to be regulated by judgment and reflection.

The natural influence of society on mens' affections, instead of being a just objection against the importance of devout affections, affords solid arguments for society in devotion. This is the more evident, the more we compare together the great ends of true religion, and the ends of human society. The design of true religion and devotion, of divine love, and divine grace, is not to root out or impair whatever is social in buman nature, but to refine, to purify, and strengthen such things. Religion is designed to unite God's reasonable creatures to one another, and to himself the common source and object of their happiness, the highest object of their noblest affections, and of their purest love and joy. The best cement of true union among reasonable creatures, is that love which is the end of God's commandments. Divine love, and brotherly love to our fellow-creatures, have a manifold naturai influence on one another. Suitable love to God necessarily implies, love to his creatures, and all just love to his creatures, is subservient to the love we owe to himself. Such is the make of the heart, that the vigorous exercise of suitable love to one object, facilitates the exercise of the same good affection towards other proper objects; and tends to give the heart a due turn, ind disposition for that purpose. If our love to one another is highly subservient to the love of God, a principal means of mutual love, is mutual usefulness, especially in things of the greatest importance; the natural good influence of good example, and of the communication of good affections, are not indeed the only things, wherein mutual usefulness in the concerns of religion, consists: but they render mens' usefulness to one another, in these important things, considerably greater and more extensive than otherwise it would be.

It is natural, that society in good actions and joint participation of the same enjoyments, should heighten the sweetness of mens' enjoyments, and strengthen their mutual good affections. Experience puts this

beyond all question. They who are alienated from the love of God, are for confining mutual usefulness, and all the advantages of society, to things that relate to the life of the body, and the inferior enjoyments of the mind; which enjoyments, when compared with the substantial happiness of the soul in God, and separated from it, are indeed mere amusements. Yet, even in this case, while mens' enjoyment is unhappily confined to inferior things; it is justly observed, to depend very much on good affections, which they feel in themselves, or observe in others. We should acknowledge it is an effect of supreme goodness, that the advanta ges of society, the influence of good example, and of the communication of good affections, are not restricted to inferior things, but extended to things of the highest importance. It tends to make creatures, who are made for society, to be more in love with it, and more attached to its interests. It does not tend to lessen due inclination to secret worship; seeing secret and social worship have such an influence on one another, that, where mens' hearts are sincere, each of them increases the inclination of the heart to the other.

It should also be observed, that society, in serious devotion, gratifies various good desires, that are necessarily included in the love we owe to God and men. To a heart well disposed, it must be a real pleasure, not only to be well employed itself, but to see others well employed likewise; and, not only to feel the best dispositions in itself, but also to observe the probable evidences of the like dispositions in others, to rejoice in the prospect of their begun happiness, and to be un der the influence of their good example. This desira ble mixture of divine and social enjoyment, is the native tendency of that love, which is the fulfilling of God's law, when duly exercised in the society of good men, employed in the best actions. The more we love men, the more we must wish them to love God, and the more we love God, the more we must desire that all others should love him also. Thus, the advantages of society in devotion, by gratifying the good

desires, that are included in divine and brotherly love, tends to encourage, and by encouraging, to strengthen these two comprehensive good affections, which are the chief parts of true holiness.

In considering the force of example, to which the influence of pathetic discourse is so much owing; it should be remembered, that good examples, not only are means of attention to other motives, but also partake of the nature of reasonable motives and persuasives themselves. It is true, indeed, that the influence of example abstractly considered, may be distinguished from the proposal of motives, or that strong attention to them, which was formerly treated of. Men may propose to us the chief motives, to the best affections, without giving us an example of them. Men may appear deeply affected with the best things, when they are not proposing them to us. Our best affections, should be founded on motives, far superior to the example of any creatures whatever. But the due influence of the highest motives, does not exclude the usefulness of various additional incitements. It rather renders the heart more susceptible of deep impressions, from all reasonable incitements of whatever kind.— Good examples, whether as to good actions, or good affections, are evidently of that number: if it were otherwise, and if good examples did not considerably strengthen our obligations to goodness, the resisting of their influence, would not be so great an aggravation of wickedness, as all reasonable men allow it to be.

As the influence of example, and other natural cau ses, is no just objection, but rather an arguiment for the importance of devout affections; neither is it any just objection, against ascribing the affections included in divine love, to divine grace. Various general considerations were proposed above, for illustrating the harmony between the efficacy of grace, and the good influence of means; but there are several peculiar proofs of that harmony, which arise from what has been observed concerning the usefulness of society, and example. Divine grace could produce its effects

without making such means subservient to them. But if it is a principal end of the grace of God, to promote mutual love among men, it is evidently suitable to this noble end, not to lessen mens' mutual usefulness, in their most important concerns, but to increase it. If it is not the design of divine grace to unhinge or weaken, but to strengthen the bands of society, it is cvidently suitable to this good end, that society in devotion, should not be superfluous, but attended with peculiar advantages It is a great effect of God's goodness, that the operations of his grace, are so much suited to the frame of human nature, and to the interests of human society. It is a remarkable instance of this, that there are special promises of God's grace, and presence to those who meet together in his name.

Such encouragements, evidently tend to strengthen mens inclination, to society in devotion. This is manifestly suitable to the relation, between the beginnings of true holiness and happiness here, and the consummation of them hereafter. The design of the one, is to prepare for the other. Future blessedness is a state of happy society, and communion with the most perfect creatures, and with the Source of all perfection; with God who is love, and with those who love God and one another. It is evidently suitable to the designs of divine grace, in preparing them for future blessedness, to encourage these things which bear a peculiar resemblance to it.

In considering the operations of divine grace, it should be remembered, as was hinted before, that they are suited to our frame, and suited to our necessities. None of its operations are superfluous. We need divine grace, in order to suitable impressions of all proper motives and inducements to holiness; but not in order to lessen any of these motives and inducements themselves. Mutual love, and mutual usefulness, are necessary parts of holiness. And, as was already proved, if mutual usefulness were lessened, this be hoved to lessen the motives and inducements to mutual love, and the good effects of it.

If there are operations of divine grace, which are

necessary to us, for producing good dispositions and affections in the soul; it does not follow, that there should be other operations, which are no way necessary, to hinder the natural influence, of the affections of the soul on the body. That influence belongs to the union between these two parts of human nature. It is from that union, that the communication of affections, and that force of example which is implied in it, results. If we need divine grace, to sanctify the affections of the soul, it does not follow that this should impair its union with the body. The Author of grace, is also the Author of nature, though by no means, of the corrup tion of it. These things in our nature, which belong to the union of soul and body, and the uniting of men to one another in society, are no parts of the corrup tion of our nature, but principal parts of its original frame and structure. The design of divine grace, is not to impair that noble structure, but to remove what is hurtful to it.

In considering the natural causes, which have an influence on mens' affections, it is needful to have in view, not only the influence of the soul on the body, but also that of the body on the soul. It seems to be generally owned, that as the affections of the soul naturally produce some inward effects on the body, so these things have a reciprocal influence on the soul, suitably to the union between these two parts of human nature. It is not necessary for us to know precisely, what these inward things in the body are, which are most immediately affected by the various operations of the soul, or which have the most immediate influence on them. As people are divided in their sentiments about animal spirits, it is not needful to know which side is in the right. That which is of importance, in the present inquiry, is to consider some evident consequences of a general principle, which seems to be owned on all hands; namely, that that mutual sympathy of soul and body, and reciprocal action upon one another, which we are speaking of, is a general property that takes place, in all the affections of human nature, and is not to be restricted to any par.