Of Self - Denial. 17 fyftem ? fhall we fay to him that formed us, S E R M. why haft thou made me thus, with inclinations I not to be fatisfied ; particularly, with delires of fenfual and worldly enjoyment ; with deliires of revenge, or rather of felf- defence, perverted by our own fault into revenge; and at the fame time with affections of a quite different ten- dency, and with confcience, which remon- ftrates againft the gratifying of our lower de- fires in many inftances, and torments us if we do not reftrain them ? what then ? where is the inconfiftency in all this ? I hope the variety which appears in our conftitution, is no argu- ment againft the wifdom and goodnefs of the author, fince there is provifion made for order and harmony, and for a high, a rational hap - pinefs to be obtain'd by us, if we will preferve that fubordination in the exercife of our powers and affections, which the frame of nature itfelf clearly points to. But I need not carry the argu- ment fo far, my prefent fubject does not require a defence of the foundations of natural religion and morality, it is enough to reft the defence of chriftianity, that part of it I am now confi- dering upon them. Let us then take the con - ftitution ofhuman nature, as in fait we find it to be ; and, I think, every confiderate perfon will be convinced, that according to it, we cannot be happy, but in the practice of virtue, VOL. I. C and
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