Now it is the excellence of the object, that elevates the purfuit. We put youth on the acquirement of learning; and have no conception, that the attainment of knowledge, which is the reward annexed, can debafe his mind. It has certainly a contrary effect. In the fame manner with regard to the rewards of another world, the very pursuit of them is health to the foul; as the attainment of them is its perfection.-They are purfued through the exercise of these great principles of faith and truft in God. Thefe virtues, which have nothing earthly about them, tend to purify the mind in a high degree. They abstract it from earthly things, and fix it on heavenly. Not having received the promises; but having feen them afar off, through truft in God, we are perfuaded of them, and embrace them. The nature of these rewards we know not; but this ignorance gives a greater value, if I may so speak, to our pursuit.

We may fafely conclude therefore, that as it is impoffible without faith to please God, fo is it impoffible likewise to please him, unless we believe, that he is a rewarder of them, that diligently feek him.

N. B. It might alfo be fhewn, that the fear of future punishment, is a juft motive of action,

To the wicked indeed it is the natural dread of those confequences, which attend guilt; and ferves merely to rouse them to a sense of their wickedness. But when it acts upon a well-difposed mind, in general habituated to right action, but fearful of giving offence, it consists in the fear of difpleafing God-of being removed from his presence—and instead of enjoying the fociety of just men made perfect, of being removed to the company of the worst of beings. All these are just, rational, and religious motives of action.

XXIV.

The end of the commandment is charity.—
I Timothy, i. 5.

IT is evident from the whole tenor of fcripture (from the book of Genefis, in which the history of the fall is recorded, to the Revelations of St. John, in which the new Jerufalem is described) --that the gospel was intended to make up the deficiencies of the fall-to restore mankind by purifying his affections, to that state of holiness, which he had loft-and to qualify him to have his converfation in heaven. To this end good works are every where infifted on in fcripture. Without holiness we are affured, no man fhall fee God and that the end of the commandment is charity. But now in order to obtain this holiness, different means are pursued.

One man afferts, that as faith is the fource of all christian virtues, no other doctrine should be infifted which is carrying the conclufion too far. Many, who have no notion of faith, may at

on;

first be wrought on by the moral rectitude of actions. From thence they may be led to acknowledge the chriftian religion as the best fyftem of morals and from thence, by God's affifting their pious endeavours, to acknowledge their faith in its founder and doctrines. Had unqualified faith been the first doctrine preached to fuch people, it would probably have had little effect.

Others again, who have fine affections, and feelings, refolve all duty both to God and man into love. But many people of blunt affections can never raise in themselves those divine heights of love to God, or man; yet still, if they practise religious duties from a fenfe of pleasing God; and avoid fin from a fear of offending him, we cannot doubt of their obtaining the end of the commandment.

In short so much stress should never be laid on faith, or any other motive of action, as to exclude other motives. Each of them may lead by degrees to the end of the commandment.

Whoever is acquainted with the blunt, and low conceptions of the vulgar, must tremble for the falvation of men, if they cannot be saved without exalted ideas of faith, and love. St. Paul fpeaks of making himself all things to all

men,

men, that he might by all means fave fome. That is, I prefume, he placed different motives before them, as he faw occafion. The fcriptures certainly hold out different motives of action. They make charity indeed the end of the commandment; but they seem not to expect, that every man should attain it on the fame motive. They talk of faith, and hope, and fear, and love, and other motives, each of which may, by degrees, be the happy mean of drawing men to the end of the commandment.

In the mean time, with regard to his own private case, let every man practise on that motive, which from his own feelings, he discovers to be most effectual. Only let us not judge one another, and fay, that the end of the commandment can be obtained by no means, but thofe, which we ourselves feel the most effectual.

I cannot here be misunderstood to suppose, that any chriftian virtue can be exercised without. chriftian faith. What I contend for, is, that men are drawn to embrace the chriftian faith by various means. There are different degrees alfo of faith; and the vulgar unlettered chriftian, who works for his daily bread, may have that general belief in his bible, which may lead him to the end of the commandment; and fecure to