cufe, nor fo much as Pretence for it: To illuftrate the truth of this Propofition, I fhall proceed in this Method: Frft, I fhall produce the Excufes: And Secondly, the Pretences, that can ordinarily be pleaded for the Commiffion of Sin; and fhew refpectively, that all these are voided by the Revelation of the Gospel.

There are Two Things which seem reasonably to Excuse in Humane Actions: The Firft is, Want of Light; whereby to know that which we are to do. The Second is, Want of Motives, to set us about the doing of that which we know: For it is not enough for me to know that this or that is fit to be done, I must likewife know of what importance it will be to Me if I do it, or if I let it alone.

How far the Firft of these Excufes (that is, Want of Light) obtained in the World before the Revelation of the Gofpel, is a Subject too wide to engage in.

We

We know, in fhort, that there have been Ages of as much Ignorance, as Senfuality ftill wishes for to cover her Shame. We know the grofs of the Gentiles fate in darkness; the Cloud was fo thick about them, that they could not tell which way to move out of it. Yet as Darkness it felf is sometime called upon in Scripture to Praife the Lord, fo even Intellectual Darkness, that is, Ignorance, has occafionally great reason to joyn in the Praife: For, fuppofing Men to be finful, 'tis happy for them if they are ignorant; the Supreme Judge of the World having laid down this for one Rule by which he will proceed: (viz.) The Servant that knew not his Ma fters will, and committed things worthy of Stripes, fhall be beaten with few ftripes; Luke 12. 48.

But we will go farther; we will allow (as we must) that many of the Heathen had a greater share of Light ; for many of them arrived to a great height

in the Speculation of Vertue, and formed Excellent Precepts of Living; and yet, when all was done, as if their Syftems had been rather for Oftentation. than for Use, they did not generally oblige themselves to the Practice of their own Advices: They Knew well, but acted otherwife: And yet even These had an Excufe, that is, They wanted proper Motives to let them on work.

Now a Man may be said to want proper Motives to let him about the doing of that which he knows fit to be done, when he has no certain expectation of reaping such benefit by it as will recompence the difficulty and uneasiness of the doing. For though God, who is compleat in Happiness, and can receive no addition, has no other Motive of his Actions but Rectitude and Juftice; yet Man, who lies here under a great fenfe of want, and moves only after Happiness, can have no proper Motive of his Actions but Benefit and Advantage: And

there.

therefore the Civilians diftinguishing a Law into parts, the Preceptive Part, which enjoins the Duty, and the Diftributive Part, which affigns the Punishment or the Reward, are pleas'd to call this latter the Sanction, that is, the Binding Part of the Law: Not but that Equity and Authority, which appear in the Precept, do more primarily bind 3 but because, confidering Humane Reluctancy, they do not bind to Effect: They move our Understandings, but want force to govern our Affections ; and therefore Punishments and Rewards are the only Effectual Arguments of our Obedience. Nor does God Almighty ever address his Commands unto us but

upon the fame Suppofition, and with the fame Compliance to Humane Infirmity: For he never urges his Dominion over us, nor the Equity of his Laws; nor yet the Benefits whereby we stand actually obliged to him, as fufficient Motives of our Duty: but he always moves

our

our Affections with something Future, some Expectation of importance, proportionable to the measure of that which he commands. To serve God purely for his own fake and without any By-refpects, is an Heroick Notion, and may be proper for the State of Heaven; where his Service is accompanied with his Vision; where Sin has no more temptation, nor Duty any uneafinefs; but to serve him fo here is a more refi ned piece of Piety than ever yet he was pleased to exact. God knows that while we carry this ftubborn Clay about us, Hopes and Fears are the main Springs that move our Soul; and therefore he has made thefe, as it were the measures of our Obligation.

Now to come to our Inftance, we know the Heathens were much in the dark, in reference to a Future State : Indeed the Poets had prettily fancied an Elyfium and a Hell, but the fobereft Men amongst them look'd upon these rather

as