SERMON VII.

OF THE HAPPINESS OF A VIRTUOUS

COURSE.

PROVERBS iii. 17.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her; and happy is every one that receiveth her.

IN

my last difcourfe I reprefented to

you the fecurity of a virtuous course. In doing this, I was led to touch upon its tendency to make us most happy, as well as most secure, under God's government. I fhall now infift more particularly on this fubject; and endeavour to

give you a distinct account of the principal arguments and facts which prove the happiness of virtue; meaning, on this occafion chiefly, its prefent happiness.

The ways of wisdom (my text fays) are ways of pleasantnefs; and happy is every one that receiveth her.-Previously to any examination of the actual state of mankind, we may perceive a high probability that this affertion must be true. Virtue is the image of God in the foul, and the nobleft thing in the creation; and, therefore, it must be the principal ground of true happinefs. It is the rule by which God meant that we fhould act; and, therefore, must be the way to the blifs for which he intended us. That Being who gave us our sense of moral obligations, must have designed that we should conform to them; and he could not design this, and at the fame time design that we fhould find it most for our advantage not to conform to them. This would have been to establish an inconfiftency in the frame

frame of nature; and acting in a manner which cannot be fuppofed of that Supreme power which, in every other part of nature, has discovered higher wisdom than we are able to comprehend.

But waving fuch reasonings let us ap, ply ourselves to the confideration of the actual state of mankind in this respect, And,

First, Let us confider, that by practifing virtue we gratify the highest powers in our natures.-Our highest powers are, undoubtedly, our fenfe of moral excellence, the principle of reafon and reflexion, benevolence to our fellow-creatures, and the love of the Deity. To practise virtue is to act in conformity to these powers, and to furnish them with their proper gratifications. Our other powers, being inferior to these and of less dignity, the happiness grounded upon them is also of an inferior nature, and of lefs value. Reafon is the nature of a rea

fonable being; and to affert that his chief happiness confifts in deviating from reafon, would be the fame as to fay that his chief happiness confifts in violating his nature, and contradicting himself.

Secondly, In connexion with this we ought to remember, that virtue, in the very idea of it, implies health and order of mind. The human foul is a compofition of various affections ftanding in different relations to one another; and all placed under the direction of confcience, our fupreme faculty. When we are truly virtuous, none of thefe affections are suffered to err either by excess or defect. They are kept in their proper fubordinations to one another. The faculty that was made to govern preserves its authority; and a due balance is maintained among our inward powers. To be virtuous, therefore, is to be in our 'natural and found ftate. It is to be freed from all inward tumult, anarchy, and tyranny. It is to enjoy health, and order,

and