no fervice without a fit recompence, may Matt. xx. do what he will with his own.

15.

But you think, perhaps, that it would be a more eminent exercife, if not of juftice ftrictly speaking, yet of government; if the fupreme and perfect Ruler would not make use of fuch arbitrary rights, as weak men delight in; but according to the abfolute Rectitude of his nature, would be pleased to confine himfelf to the precise rule of right; making the felicity of every moral agent throughout the Universe most accurately proportionable to his improvement in the quality of virtue.

Behold even to the moon, and it Shineth not; yea, the ftars are not pure in his fight: how much less man, that is a worm! yet can we fit and dictate to that wisdom, which reacheth from everlafting to everlasting; with fcarce a meaning to the orders we

iffue out, and in the most profound ignorance of what is good, or may at all be poffible!

Nothing is to be given to any moral agent, but for his merit He is to be made, I fuppofe, without it. His creation, and the faculties proper for his nature, are capital gifts, and the foundation of all that are to follow ; yet thefe you will allow to be conferred for nothing; or, at least, for nothing that he himself can have done to purchase them. This, we perceive, you confent to; because from the nature of the thing, in this cafe, your rule is not applicable.

But you require all moral agents to be created in the fame rank; and endowed with equal powers and faculties at first, till they shall have raised themselves by their behaviour?

That

That may happen to be long. And in the mean time there may be left a vast void of Being, where fuperior faculties may even be wanted, might however be poffeffed, and well applied alfo, to the immenfe increase of the fum of univer-. fal felicity, and even virtue. So that. while you are thus a friend to virtue in appearance, you put a stop to the most magnificent display of the divine powers, to the profufion of bliss, and wide extent and infinite multiplication of that very moral excellence, which you are so affiduous to advance.

J

But moral creatures of the fame rank and class of Being, thefe at least, you are fure, ought to be treated all in the fame manner, and diftinguished only after they have deferved it?

All men, for example, fhould be endowed with equal capacities of body and

mind, and have the fame advantages of education, fortune, health, pious parents, and good examples? But we find men de differ in these things, and in many others, which must have great influence on their condition, even in the world to come, as far as we can judge, if we judge by their improvements in piety and virtue.

We make no fcruple to thank Almighty God for the light of the Gospel, and for the happiness, we think, we have in being born in a Chriftian country; and we perfuade ourselves without any difficulty, that our lot is the more favourable on this account with respect to this world, and efpecially that which is to come. Yet all other men have not this advantage. The greatest part of men that have yet been born, died before the Gospel was preached; and the greatest part of those who are now alive, it is probable, have hardly ever heard of it.

So

So that you fee, how excellent foever your rule may feem to be, there must be fome flaw in it: for Almighty God appears not to guide himself by it; and yet we make no doubt but he doth right, and acts both wifely and equitably.

Would you carry the objection any further? Yes, it is just possible to add, allowances may be made for all these inequalities at the day of Judgment; so that finally, and upon the whole, nothing may prevail but virtue; and that be weighed and rewarded with the utmost impartiality and exactness.

And what do you infer from this? not furely, That no one can receive either benefit or difadvantage from any person befides himfelf. The poor man, we hope, will be confidered for his patience, when he appears before the great Tribunal: And is it therefore no charity to relieve him? Is there