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Fellow-Creatures: There are likewife In- Serm. I. ftances of Perfons without the due natural Affections to themselves; but the Nature of Man is not to be judged of by either of thefe, but by what appears in the common World, in the Bulk of Mankind.

I am afraid it would be thought very ftrange, if to confirm the Truth of this Account of Humane Nature, and make out the Juftness of the foregoing Comparison, it fhould be added, that from what appears, Men in Fact as much and as often contradict that Part of their Nature which respects Self, and which leads them to their own private Good and Happiness; as they contradict that Part of it which refpects Society, and tends to publick Good: That there are as few Perfons, who attain the greatest Satisfaction and Enjoyment which they might attain in the prefent World; as who do the greatest Good to others which they might do: Nay, that there are as few who can be faid really and in earnest to aim at one, as at the other. Take a Survey of Mankind: The World in general, the Good and Bad, almost without Exception, equally are agreed, that Religion being out of the Cafe, the Happiness of the prefent Life confists in

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Serm. I. a Manner wholly in Riches, Honours, fen

fual Gratifications; infomuch that one scarce hears a Reflection made upon Prudence, Life, Conduct, but upon this Suppofition. Yet on the contrary, that Perfons in the greatest Affluence of Fortune, are no happier than fuch as have only a Competency; that the Cares and Disappointments of Ambition for the most Part far exceed the Satisfactions of it; as alfo the miferable Intervals of Intemperance and Excefs, and the many untimely Deaths occafioned by a diffolute Course of Life: These things are all feen, acknowledged, by every one acknowledged; but are thought no Objections againft, though they exprefly contradict, this univerfal Principle, that the Happiness of the prefent Life confifts in one or other of them. Whence is all this Abfurdity and Contradiction? Is not the middle Way obvious? Can any thing be more manifest, than that the Happiness of Life confifts in Thefe poffeffed and enjoyed only to a certain Degree; that to pursue them beyond this Degree, is always attended with more Inconvenience than Advantage to a Man's felf, and often with extream Mifery and Unhappiness. Whence then, I fay, is all

this Abfurdity and Contradiction? Is it really Serm. I. the Refult of Confideration in Mankind, how they may become most easy to themfelves, most free from Care, and enjoy the chief Happiness attainable in this World? Or is it not manifeftly owing either to this, that they have not cool and reasonable Concern enough for themfelves, to confider wherein their chief Happiness in the present Life confifts; or else if they do confider it, that they will not act conformably to what is the Refult of that Confideration: i. e. reasonable Concern for themselves, or cool Self-love is prevailed over by Paffion and Appetite. So that from what appears, there is no Ground to affert that cool Selflove has any more Influence upon the Actions of Men, than the Principles of Virtue and Benevolence have.

The Sum of the whole is plainly this. The Nature of Man confidered in his fingle Capacity, and with respect only to the prefent World, is adapted and leads him to attain the greatest Happiness he can for himself in the present World. The Nature of Man confidered in his publick or focial Capacity leads him to a right Behaviour in Society, to that Courfe of Life which we call Virtue.

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Serm. I. Virtue. Men follow or obey their Nature

in both these Capacities and Respects to a certain Degree, but not intirely: Their Actions do not come up to the whole of what their Nature leads them to in either of these

Capacities or Respects; and they often violate their Nature in both. i. e. As they neglect the Duties they owe to their FellowCreatures, to which their Nature leads them; and are injurious, to which their Nature is abhorrent: So there is a manifeft Negligence in Men of their real Happiness or Intereft in the prefent World, when that Intereft is inconfiftent with a prefent Gratification; for the fake of which they negligently, nay, even knowingly are the Authors and Inftruments of their own Mifery and Ruin. Thus they are as often unjust to themselves as to others, and for the moft Part are equally fo to both by the fame Actions.

SERMON

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SERMON II.

Upon Humane Nature.

RO M. ii. 14.

For when the Gentiles which have not the
Law, do by Nature the things contain-
ed in the Law, thefe having not the
Law, are a Law to themselves.

A

S fpeculative Truth admits of diffe- Ser. II. rent Kinds of Proof, fo likewise

Moral Obligations may be fhewn by different Methods. If the real Nature of any Creature leads him and is adapted to fuch and fuch Purposes only, or more than to any other; this is a Reason to believe the Author of that Nature intended it for those Purposes. Thus there is no Doubt the Eye was intended for us to fee with. And the more complex any Constitution

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