us to the fame thing, our obligations to the practice of virtue; and thus they exceedingly ftrengthen and enforce each other. The first seems the most direct formal proof, and in fome refpects the least liable to cavil and difpute the latter is in a peculiar manner adapted to fatisfy a fair mind; and is more eafily applicable to the feveral particular relations and circumstances in life.

The following Difcourfes proceed chiefly in this latter method. The three firft wholly. They were intended to explain what is meant by the nature of man, when it is said that virtue consists in following, and vice in deviating from it; and by explaining to show that the affertion is true. That the ancient moralifts had fome inward feeling or other, which they chofe to exprefs in this manner, that man is born to virtue, that it confifts in following nature, and that vice is more contrary to this nature than tortures or death, their works in our hands are inftances. Now a person who found no mystery in this way of fpeaking of the ancients; who, without being very explicit with himself, kept to his natural feeling, went along with them, and found within himfelf a full conviction, that what they laid down was just and true; such an one would probably wonder to see a point, in which he never perceived any difficulty, fo laboured

b 4

laboured as this is, in the fecond and third Sermons; infomuch perhaps as to be at a lofs for the occafion, fcope, and drift of them. But it need not be thought ftrange that this manner of expreffion, though familiar with them, and, if not usually carried fo far, yet not uncommon amongst ourselves, fhould want explaining; fince there are feveral perceptions daily felt and spoken of, which yet it may not be very easy at first view to explicate, to distinguish from all others, and afcertain exactly what the idea or perception is. The many treatifes upon the paffions are a proof of this; fince fo many would never have undertaken to unfold their feveral complications, and trace and refolve them into their principles, if they had thought, what they were endeavouring to fhow was obvious to every one, who felt and talked of those pasfions. Thus, though there feems no ground to doubt, but that the generality of mankind have the inward perception expreffed fo commonly in that manner by the ancient moralists, more than to doubt whether they have those paffions; yet it appeared of use to unfold that inward conviction, and lay it open in a more explicit manner, than I had feen done; especially when there were not wanting perfons, who manifeftly mistook the whole thing, and fo had great reafon to express them

felves diffatisfied with it. A late author of great and deferved reputation fays, that to place virtue in following nature, is at best a loofe way of talk. And he has reafon to fay this, if what I think he intends to express, though with great decency, be true, that scarce any other sense can be put upon those words, but acting as any of the feveral parts, without distinction, of a man's nature happened moft to incline him þ.

Whoever thinks it worth while to confider this matter thoroughly, fhould begin with stating to himself exactly the idea of a system, œconomy, or conftitution of any particular nature, or particular any thing: and he will, I suppose, find, that it is an one or a whole, made up of several parts; but yet, that the feveral parts even confidered as a whole do not complete the idea, unless in the notion of a whole you include the relations and refpects which thofe parts have to each other. Every work both of nature and of art is a system and as every particular thing, both natural and artificial, is for fome use or purpofe out of and beyond itself, one may add, to what has been already brought into the idea of a system, its conduciveness to this one or more ends. Let us inftance in a watch

b Rel. of Nature delin. ed. 1724. p. 22, 23.

Suppofe

Suppose the several parts of it taken to pieces, and placed apart from each other: let a man have ever fo exact a notion of these several parts, unless he confiders the respects and relations which they have to each other, he will not have any thing like the idea of a watch. Suppose these several parts brought together and any how united neither will he yet, be : the union ever so close, have an idea which will bear any resemblance to that of a watch. But let him view thofe feveral parts put together, or confider them as to be put together in the manner of a watch; let him form a notion of the relations which those several parts have to each other-all conducive in their respective ways to this purpose, showing the hour of the day; and then he has the idea of a watch. Thus it is with regard to the inward frame of man. Appetites, pafsions, affections, and the principle of reflection, confidered merely as the feveral parts of our inward nature, do not at all give us an idea of the fyftem or constitution of this nature; because the conftitution is formed by somewhat not yet taken into confideration, namely, by the relations which these several parts have to each other; the chief of which is the authority of reflection or confcience. It is from confidering the relations which the feveral appetites and paffions in the inward

frame

frame have to each other, and, above all, the fupremacy of reflection or conscience, that we get the idea of the fyftem or conftitution of human nature. And from the idea itself it will as fully appear, that this our nature, i. e. constitution, is adapted to virtue, as from the idea of a watch it appears, that its nature, i. e. constitution or system, is adapted to measure time. What in fact or event commonly happens is nothing to this question. Every work of art is apt to be out of order: but this is fo far from being according to its system, that let the diforder increase, and it will totally destroy it. This is merely by way of explanation, what an economy, fyftem, or conftitution is. And thus far the cafes are perfectly parallel. If we go further, there is indeed a difference, nothing to the present purpose, but too important a one ever to be omitted. A machine is inanimate and paffive: but we are agents. Our conftitution is put in our own power. We are charged with it; and therefore are accountable for any disorder or violation of it.

Thus nothing can poffibly be more contrary to nature than vice; meaning by nature not only the feveral parts of our internal frame, but also the conftitution of it. Poverty and difgrace, tortures and death, are not fo contrary to it. Mifery and injustice are indeed