defty, Part I. 109-Modefty, Part II. 118-Moderation, Part I. 127-Moderation, Part II. 137-Moderation, Part III. 147Luxury, Part I. 157-Luxury, Part II. 167-Prudence, Part I. 178-Prudence, Part II. 188-Fortitude, Part I. 199-Fortitude, Part II. 210-Fortitude, Part III. 222-Meeknefs, 234Patience, 245."

In this connected series of lectures on the Principles and Duties of Morality, our author takes a view of the wonderful arrrangements and proceffes of Nature, in forming the powers and principles of the human mind. He alto takes notice of what he calls the great and effential, foundations of a moral and manly character in knowledge, truth, honefty, and beneficence. And then when he comes to the proper period, or ftage of his edifice, after the manner of architects, he adds circumftances in the manner of fuperftructures; according to the nature of the foundation he had laid.

With respect to Mr.Williams's foundation we have already acquainted our readers, that it is a Deiftical one, Nature being his chief corner ftone. Befides, he frequently introduces artful infinuations, which are highly derogatory to Chriftianity. It is drawn down from its exalted fphere, and put on the fame footing with the inftitutions of fallible men.

Let Mr. Williams ever fo defpitefully treat the Gofpel of Chrift, and oppofe reafon and nature to its divine truths'; yet, any perfon of an unbiaffed judgment will acknowledge that the light of reafon and nature fhines brighter by means of the influence of that very Gofpel, which Mr. Williams fo arrogantly rejects. Infinite are the wanderings and deviations of human reafon, but under the difpenfations of the Gospel of Chrift, our faith and hope are fixed on a folid bafis, even the immutable word of God.

In Lecture XX. our author thus obferves,

"Hardly any philofopher has been able to keep his mind free from fome confufed reproach of the Divine Goodnefs; and, to remove it, one man has had recourfe to a pre-exiftent ftate, and a tranfmigration of fouls, with their failings and fins; and another to a future ftate, where the errors and miflakes of this will be rectified. Thefe things may have amufed children and childish perfons, or af forded materials for poems and fables; but they have never yielded one ingredient of real truth and folid happiness to a genuine and manly mind. What is it to us, that men have been more igno-rant and wretched in a former ftate than we are now? Or, if we ourfelves have inhabited other bodies, where we have committed enormities for which we now fuffer, how does this account for the Divine Goodness, in putting us originally into those bodies where

where our fins were committed?-In the doctrine of a future ftate, this matter feems to be better removed; but it is not in fact; and the delufion, as it is more plaufible is more pernicious. The advocates of this doctrine, who are very numerous; all the difciples of Mofes, of Confucius, of Brama, of Socrates, of Chrift, and of Mahomet, are agreed to give up the point of juftifying the ways of God to man here; and they point out heaven, where all matters are to be cleared up. They are in the state of those fpendthrifts, who have not ability or refolution to look into the real caufes of their difficulties,, and direct their hopes to a futurity which will adjuft every thing for them. If all men were uniformly to act on this principle of referring justice and equity to futurity; which, by the way, they take care not to do the world would foon find the matter to be decided in a kind of Hell, and not in any Elyfium; they would be forced to examine and remove the immediate caufes of their mifery, by a very different scene from what they represent Heaven to be. You will pleafe to obferve, that I am not now confidering the doctrine of a future ftate, whether it be true or falfe, probable or improbable. When the fubject comes before me in its proper order and place, I will treat it with all the ability and knowledge I poffefs; and fpeak my thoughts as freely and plainly as I do on all other fubjects. Here my defign is to fhew, that thofe philofophers and divines, who were obliged to fly to a future ftate, to obtain general and indiftinct reafons for the events of this, were not able defenders of the real caufe of God and nature."

As most of the first planters of the Gofpel were illiterate, and deftitute of influence, we may naturally conclude, that they were fupported by the hand of the Almighty, in that their preaching fo univerfally prevailed; efpecially at a pe riod, when all the engines of the world were employed to crush it and reduce it to nothing.-The Scribes and Pharifees were confounded, the Rabbies and Philofophers baffled, and the Gofpel, through the preaching of a few contemptible fishermen, gained a fuperiority over the learning and policy of the Pagan world.-This was miraculous indeed ! And it evidenceth the finger of God.

Here let the question be asked, what animated the apoftles to undergo fuch difficulties and dangers, as they were expofed to by preaching the Gofpel of their crucified Lord? Undoubtedly they had the ftrongeft affurance, nay even a certainty, that another life would fucceed this, in which they fhould be crowned with everlafting felicity for their great fufferings here; "They had refpect unto the recompence of the reward." St. Paul fays, "If in this life only we have hope in Chrift, we are of all men moft miferabie."

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The Apostles endured great hardships for the Gofpel's fake, but their views were extended beyond the limits of this tranfitory life. This fweetened the bitter cup of forrow, and alleviated the pains of the moft excruciating tortures. They reckoned that the fufferings of this prefent time were not worthy to be compared to the glory which was to be revealed in them.

Now for Mr. Williams to expofe this well-grounded hope, as "only fit to amufe children and childifh perfons," he by fo doing, gives a plain indication, that, according to his own language, "he hath fomething much the matter either with his head or heart," What he means by "a genuine and manly mind," we cannot plainly difcern; unless it fignifies a mind that spurns at the falutary truths of the Gospel, with the boldness and intrepidity of professed libertinifm.

In the prefent fcene, rewards and punishments feem to our imperfect view not to be diftributed according to the merits and demerits of mankind. But to this we may fay, that the judgments of God are unfearchable, and his ways paft finding out. In this world we frequently fee virtue in diftreís, and wickedness triumphant. Thus it feemeth good to the Almighty, and fhall we his dependant creatures question his juftice? Inftead of being an impeachment of his juftice, it is a ftrong argument in favour of a future ftate, when moft certainly this feeming inequality will be properly adjufted. And at that period all perfons of every rank will be rewarded or punished according to their respective behaviour in this probationary state,

Of the truth of this doctrine we are firmly perfuaded, notwithstanding Mr. W. dogmatically afferts that men of fuch notions are no able defenders of the real caufe of "God and Nature. Nature is his primum mobile. Every thing is facrificed to her fhrine. But let this votary of Nature enjoy the benefits of his favourite opinions, if he thinks it convenient; we differ toto cælo from him, and cannot pay an implicit obedience to his ipfe dixit. No, no, Mr. Williams may gull his natural auditors, but we are not fo foon brought to fwallow his gilded pill.

To proceed with our author. In Lecture XXII, he ob ferves, in order to abuse Christians, that,

"We are funk into a general corruption, and our knowledge is of fuch a nature, as to be of little or no use to our morals. We talk confiftently and plaufibly of what is proper and fit to be done, in almoft every cafe; and we generally practise it in none. What is the duty of those who take upon them the office of pu

blic monitors, advisers, and preachers, in such a state of things?To call in the aid of religion-What religion?-The Chriftian religion And what ufe can be made of it, with perfons who do not, cannot, be imagined to believe its principles and doctrines? This is not a charge at random; it is not owing to difaffection to any body of people, but a real opinion, the effect of cool and careful obfervation."

This is a frank acknowledgment. Nemo repente turpiffi mus. Infidelity is progreffive; one step farther and our author will become an Atheist.

"A penetrating and candid mind, on a view of the religious conduct of the people, would be led to conclude, that, in this country, where the Gospel has been profeffed above a thousand years, and where it has long been publickly countenanced, encouraged, and honoured, there are not many more real Chriftians, than in Arabia or Turkey, or any of the most devoted dominions of Mahomet. This is not meant as an infinuation that the people are Atheists, or Deifts, or any thing which fuppofes they have fubftituted one fet of principles for another. When it is faid, that the people in general are not Christians, it is faying they have no religion, and hardly any moral principles at all. I fhould be forry to be obliged to put the matter beyond difpute, at the expence even of this affembly and I have no reafon to think more unfavourably of the people who compofe it, than the rest of the world. But if I were to afk almost any of you, who call yourfelves Chriftians- Do you ever read your Bible?—No ; unless it be a chapter now and then on Sundays.- -But do you read it fo as to understand the general tenor and intention of it ?—No.What are the fources from which you derive your principles ? Upon what grounds are you prepared for the duties and bufinefs of life? In fhort, how have you been educated; and what has your attention been directed to, as the means of your future hap. pinefs?-Almost every man, who now hears me, if he were to fpeak as he feels, would freely anfwer-to my own interest."

"This," fays Mr. Williams, "is the great object of education, and the great end of life."

The following remarks are juft and proper.

"Tenderness and weaknefs of mind are produced exactly as tenderness and weakness of body, A man is rendered miserable for life, by the neceffary and falutary variations of the weather, who, in infancy and youth, has been unufed to bear them. Juft fo, the mind is incapable of bearing the common viciffitudes of the world, which, in early life, has had no experience of them; whose wishes and caprices have been laws; and whofe eafe has been procured at the expence of every thing which could be facrificed by his friends or his dependants. Here is evidently the double tource, in the fame mind, of falfe tenderness, and of callous inhumanity. A mental tenderness and debility are produced by falfe and exceffive care; and an inhuman inattention to others, is the certain

effect

effect of fubjecting families and fervants to the humours and ca prices of children. Here, we fee the general outline of this contradictory and deteftable character a fentimental brute, as it were, in embrio!-Thefe perfons, even left to themselves, would, crawl to novels and romances, as naturally as any animal do to their fuftenance. Here they find proper exercife for their fenfibi lity; here their falfe humanity and pity are exhaufled; and they, have nothing left for common occafions and common life, but peevish and hateful difpofitions. The fenfibility of these persons is not formed on the true and juft ftandard of nature; and their imaginations, in comparing themselves with others, find no refemblance It is therefore they fly out of life for fentimental exercifes and gratifications; and, conceiving of their fellow-creatures in general as brutes, they behave to them accordingly.

"The real virtue of humanity lies between these two extremes, of infenfibility and a tardy imagination on the one hand, and a relaxed, fentimental, irfitable frame, accompanied with a giddy and extravagant fancy on the other. Men are formed fo much alike, that the general caufes which produce happiness and mifery in one man, have the fame effects in all others. This would be the ground of universal juftice, if the golden age were to take place; this is the ground of humanity and compaffion, in the prefent ftate of mankind."

Of his moral fcheme Mr. Williams fpeaks in an elevated ftrain.

"I cannot help reminding you of what I have often observed, that moral philofophy is the highest object of human enquiry. We fee one error in its principles running through and corrupting all the affociations and inftitutions, which the fecondary wisdom of politicians and priests contrive for the profperity of the worlds We may form empires; make laws; invent arts, commerce, fciences, and fyftems of religion--and be worthlefs and wretched, It is the accurate, the inceffant, ftudy and practice of morality will furnish us with that true wifdom, which, like elementary fire, will pervade and animate our other principles; and, by making us truly benevolent, will make us truly happy."

Ón beneficence our author gives us the following remarks. "A difpofition to do good, whether it be in the ufe of wisdom, of power, or of riches, cannot be long concealed from thofe whose neceffities and miseries oblige them to look out for it. The appli tations of diftrefs, like many other applications, foon become an art; and it requires great judgment in the benefactor to avoid im pofition. The difficulty in this matter is fo great, that men very commonly lose their beneficence; totally lofe the very difpofition to do good, in repeated difappointments, occafioned by artifice and impofture. They have tried, feebly, injudicioufly, and at random, but perhaps fincerely and often, to diftinguish the worthy from the unworthy, and the good from the bad; but they have tried in vain-they have therefore concluded the diftinction was not to

be