EL ESTIMATE OF THE PLEASURES OF THEOPATHY.
95. We proceed now to the important inquiry respecting the theopathetic affec tions, what regard they claim from us in our formation of the rule of life. And here it appears that the love of God should be our primary pursuit and ulti mate end, because it regulates, improves, and perfects all the other parts of our nature, and affords a pleasure superior in kind and in degree to all the rest — We have already seen the influence of the precepts of piety on the four inferior classes of human pleasures, those of sen sation, imagination, ambition, and self interest ; but the precepts of piety are these which teach us what homage of our affections and external actions ought to be addressed to the Deity in a direct and immediate manner. Now all the affec tions enjoined by those precepts, termi nate ultimately in the love of God, which therefore may be used in the same situa tions in which the term precepts of piety has been employed.—But in addition to this, it is obvious in a shorter way. The perpetual exertions of a pleasing affection towards a being who is infinite in power, knowledge, and goodness, and who is also our friend and father, cannot hut en hance all our joys, and alleviate all our sorrows ; a sense of his presence and protection will restrain all actions which are excessive, irregular, or hurtful; will support and encourage us in all such as are of a contrary nature ; and will infuse such peace and tranquillity of mind as will enable us to see clearly, and act uni formly. The perfection therefore of every part of our natures must depend upon the perfection in which the love of God, and a constant sense of his presence, have obtained possession of the mind.
96. With respect to the support and re gulation afforded by piety to benevolence, it may be observed, that the love of our fellow men can never be free from person ality and selfishness, until we are able to view all things in the relation which they bear-to God. If the relation to ourselves be made the point of view, our prospects must be narrow, and the appearance of what we do see, distorted. When we
consider the scenes of vanity, folly, and misery, which present themselves to our view from this point ; when we are disap pointed in the happiness of our friends, or feel the resentment of our enemies ; our benevolence will begin to languish, and our hearts to fail us ; we shall complain of the corruption and wickedness of that world which we have hitherto loved, with a benevolence merely human, and shew by our complaints, that we are strongly tinctured with the same corruption and wickedness. This is generally the case with young and umexperienced persons in the beginning of a virtuous course, and before they have made advances in piety. The disappointments which human benevo lence meets with, are sometimes apt to in cline us to call the divine goodness in question. But he who is possessed of a fuB assurance of this, who loves Cod with his whole powers, as an inexhaustible fountain of love and benevolence to his creatures, at all times and under all cir cumstances, as much when he chastises as when he rewards, will learn thereby to love enemies as well as friends, the sinful and miserable as well as the holy and hap py; to rejoice and give thanks for every thing he sees and feels, however irrecon cilable to his present suggestions ; and to labour, as an instrument under God, with real courage and consistency, for the pro motion of virtue and happiness.
97. In like manner the conscience or moral sense requires a perpetual direction and support from the love of God, to keep it steady and pure. When God is made only a subordinate end, or is shut out from the mind, men are very apt to re lapse into negligence and callosity, and to act without any virtuous principle. And, on the other hand, if they regard him with slavish fear, they fill their minds with endless scruples and anxieties about the lawfulness of trivial actions. Thus it regulates, improves, and perfects all the other parts of our nature ; but further, it affords a pleasure superior in kind, and in degree, to all the rest of which our nature is capable.