To me it appears, that all his arguments would hold with equal force, if the word private were omitted; and happiness, universal happiness, and consequently our own included, were considered as the only true foundation of moral obligation. I cannot see that the difficulties which press upon the other schemes are applicable to this. It is a sufficient answer to the question, why am I obliged to act in this particular manner? It is conducive to happiness, it is conducive to my own highest happiness, taking in a future state, and it is conducive to the happiness of the whole universe. This is, surely, the noblest principle upon which we can act: it is, indeed, to be "fellow-labourers with God;" to "act upon the divine plan, and to form to his the relish of our souls;" it is supposing the spring of action in all intelligent beings, from the highest to the lowest, to be the same. It is uniting self-love and social; and in allcases preserving the connection between duty and happiness.

To conclude this lecture, we may observe with pleasure and satisfaction, what provision the Author of our nature has made for the practice of virtue, on which the happiness of his creatures so essentially depends. All these schemes respecting the foundation of virtue ultimately coincide. The fitness of things,

means their fitness to produce happiness; the nature of things, means that actual constitution of the world, by which virtue and happiness, and vice and misery, are inseparably connected; truth is this judgment expressed, or drawn out into propositions. So that it necessarily comes to pass, that what promotes the general happiness, is agreeable to the fitness of things, to nature, to reason, to the moral sense, to common sense if there be such a faculty, to truth, and such is the divine character, that what promotes the general happiness is required by the will of God, and what has all the above properties must be right. And this is the reason that moralists, from whatever different

principles they set out, commonly meet in their conclusion; that is, they enjoin the same conduct, preserve the same rules of duty, and, with a few exceptions, deliver upon dubious cases, the same determination. Whatever difficulties, therefore, there may be on subjects merely speculative, on matters of duty there is very little difficulty; and, for the most part, he that errs, must err wilfully. Whatever may be our errors in speculation, let us be careful not to be guilty of errors in practice.

LECTURE VI.

In the account which was given in our last Lecture of the different opinions which have prevailed respecting the foundation of moral obligation, it is pleasing to observe, that they all ultimately coincide, which renders the subject a matter of speculation, rather than of practice, and proves the wisdom and goodness of God in the human constitution. If any two of those principles which are considered as the foundation of virtue drew different Man would be an imperways, fectly constituted creature; for there would then be, in some particular instances, an irreconcilable difference between his duty and his happiness. But this is not the case; for it is evident,

דד.

that the greatest happiness of man must consist in the favour of God; and the favour of God must depend on a conformity to his will; and it must be his will that our conduct be regulated by those principles of Reason and Conscience which he has given us for this very purpose. And that temper and conduct which reason and conscience approve, are always connected with utility, or with, the happiness both of the individual, and with all with whom he is connected. Thus, a regard to reason and conscience, to common sense, to rectitude and truth, to cool self-love and universal benevolence, all, most harmoniously agree in recommending the same dispositions and

actions.

But, whatever system we may embrace respecting the foundation of moral obligation, let us never forget, that we are in a state of moral obligation, or a state in which we are bound to the practice of virtue. Our obligation is sacred, abso