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of which is felected as the fubject of the prefent inquiry, which will be principally directed to the duties of the rich toward the poor.

Duty is a course of conduct due or owing from one intellectual being to another. The principle of fympathy, a fuppofed inftinctive fense of right, or the judgment requifite to an apprehenfion of propriety or utility, will equally accord with the injunc tion of JESUS CHRIST," Whatfoever ye would "that men fhould do to you, do ye even fo to them." An obfcure idea of mutual intereft may enforce a general affent to the claim of mutual duty; but the affent to the claim is not an adequate motive to the performance. Philofophers have endeavoured to prove, by partial arguments, a moft unquestionable truth,—that virtue is the pursuit of man's true interest. But the arguments which are derived only from the mutual interests of men are inadequate, because they cannot be applied, with promptnefs and certainty, to the determination of action. Mutual interests are undefined, perhaps undefinable. The confequent good which each might hope to derive in this world from doing to another as he might wish another to do to him, is by no means, in many cafes, fo clear as to furnish a fufficient impulfe to right action. If each could fee correctly the exact limits of his own true intereft, and that of every other, this knowledge might probably supply an adequate motive to all moral conduct. But fuch fagacity does not belong to man, therefore it cannot fupply the motive. The defire of immediate felf-indul gence is a powerful and univerfal motive to action. The courfe of conduct which it fuggefts is commonly adverse to the welfare of others, and of the community. The profpect of contingent earthly advantage is notorioufly inadequate to control it. All

fyftems, therefore, which fuggeft motives to moral action, derived folely from a view of the mutual relations of mankind, are defective. But they are not merely defective, from the inadequacy of the motive; they are still more so from the imperfect view which they take of those intellectual relations, from whence it was clear that fuch motive could only be deduced.

If it be demonftrable, that the great Author of nature has ordained man for the focial ftate; it follows, that no view of social relations can be complete, which does not comprehend the fundamental relation of each individual, and of fociety at large, to the Omniscient and Omniprefent GOD. A due regard to this relation, though it may not suggest the precife courfe of conduct in each cafe which prudent deliberation may ultimately approve, will fupply the only adequate motive to control, in the firft inftance, the defire of felf-indulgence; fecondly, to direct the attention to the investigation of the duties belonging to the state to which we must perceive ourselves impelled by the irresistible law of our Creator; and thirdly, to urge us to the performance of those duties, on which we cannot fail to conclude that our own welfare, and that of other created beings, must depend.

The law delivered by JESUS CHRIST bears this fupreme mark of divinity, it bids us refer every act to one unchanging teft. It directs us to inquire, how does this act appear at this moment in the view of the Supreme Ordainer, of the "Father that feeth in " fecret?"

The permanent diftinction of claffes in fociety, of the rich and the poor, is recognized throughout all parts of the facred writings; and the rich are repeatedly exhorted to give abundant alms to the poor.

"Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine "hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open "thine hand wide unto him, and shalt furely lend "him fufficient for his need in that which he "wanteth. For this thing the LORD GOD fhall "bless thee in all thy works. For the poor shall "never cease out of the land: therefore, I command "thee, thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy "brother, to the needy in thy land."

"When thou makeft a feast, call the poor, the "maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou fhalt be "bleffed, for they cannot recompenfe thee; but "thou shalt be recompenfed at the refurrection of "the juft."

"Let thy alms be in fecret; and thy Father "which feeth in fecret, Himself fhall reward thee "openly."

But the natural law which impels us to focial union, not only points out the mutual duties neceffary to the general welfare, but also urges to the performance, by connecting good and evil, prefent and profpective, in experience and in hope, with the obfervance and neglect of social duties.

Detection in the act of evading, or of violating, a plain unquestionable duty, is univerfally attended with pain. The burning pang of fhame, to escape from which life is often facrificed, follows the consciousness of such discovery, as furely as one vital function conftantly fucceeds to another. Pride, vanity, fenfuality, or thoughtlefs hilarity, may diftract the attention, and beguile the pain; but they are fubject to control from ennui, from ficknefs, and from approaching death. The confcioufnefs of a right performance of duties, of poffeffing, in confequence of continual exertion, an improved power of felf-control, of contributing to the welfare of many,

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of increafing the general good, of meriting and of obtaining fervent gratitude, the admiration of the accomplished, the refpect of the wife, the love of the good, is univerfally attended with pleasure. This adaptation of pleasure and pain to certain acts dependent on our judgment and our will is a demonstration, above all modes of fyllogifm, of the eternal immutable foundation of all moral duties. warns us to obey the ordinance of the all-feeing Ordainer; who furely beholds the fyftem which exists but by his law; whofe detection no fecrefy can evade, no artifice deceive; whofe approbation muft furpass all human applaufe, as the wonders of his works exceed the limits of his creatures' faculties. A more extended view of our phyfical and moral relations fuggefts a confident belief, which the revelation of CHRIST confirms, that our relation to the Author of natural and moral order will not cease with the diffolution of our forms in death; but that our conduct in this ftate of existence bears relation to our destiny in another. That conduct which the order of nature fuggefts, the gofpel folemnly fanctions and commands; and denounces to those who violate the law, judgment after death; but to the obedient, happiness in a life to come.

I have thus pointed out the true foundation of moral duty, with a view to imprefs on the minds of various perfons a conviction that, whatever be the theory of religion or of morals which their education or inquiry may induce them to adopt, the ob. ligation is the fame in all, unchangeable, and indifpenfable,

It is, then, our duty towards GOD, as well as towards man, to promote the welfare of other men, according to our judgment and ability; duly applying our attention, our ingenuity, our knowledge,

our strength, and our wealth, to this purpofe. It is, however, reasonable, that this exertion fhould be limited by fuch a regard to our own comforts, as may fecure us against any diminution of fuch ability.

A perception that a thing ought to be done, or a law which commands it, does not neceffarily fuggest the mode in which it fhould be performed. It is enacted, that an enemy should be opposed; a marsh drained; a public building erected. The modes must be devised by generals, by engineers, and architects: and in order that their defigns may be well executed, men must be trained and exercised in the feveral occupations. If the precife mode of conduct, which is preferable on all occafions, were fully and clearly pointed out; occafion for the exercife of reafon would be wanting. This exercife of reafon, to devise the best mode of performing an unquestionable duty, is neceffarily the first step toward the performance.

But all have not equal power to devife, for the faculties of minds are various. All have not equal leisure to devise, for the conditions of fociety are various. It is, then, the plain duty of those who poffefs fuperior faculties, and fuperior leisure, to devote fuch faculties and leisure to the ascertainment of the modes most fimply practical, and most widely beneficial.

A Moor purchases a number of slaves. Not knowing their language, he conducts them to a court furrounded with workshops, and opening to a garden. He exhibits implements of feveral trades, and garden tools; points to cloth and leather; to sciffars, knives, thread, and other instruments; to wood marked with lines for the faw; to boards and planes: places fcythe on a grafs plot which requires to be mowed, a fpade in unbroken foil. On one hand he fhews - comfortable apartments, with preparation for a repast:

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