fufficiently appear in the following inquiry. -But let it be premifed, that true glory is a motive of real worth, and which ever has had, and ever must have, great weight with mankind; and perhaps the greatest weight with the beft and nobleft minds. Even a part of it has had fo much influence, as to produce fome of the most illuftrious actions, and to form fome of the finest and most amiable characters in all antiquity. And if the praife of men could operate thus forcibly; how much more forcibly, had it been accompanied and enforced with the praise of God? For though these good heathens had gods of their own, whofe favour and approbation they fought; yet what could avail the approbation of fuch gods? whose own characters were generally reputed very defective, to say no worfe. But to proceed; glory and infamy are evidently threefold; as confifting in the approbation, or difapprobation, firft, of our own minds; fecondly, of our fellow-creatures; and thirdly, of the Supreme Being, the great Searcher of hearts. Which let us briefly confider in this order, as motives to virtue, and diffuafives from vice. The

First branch of true glory is the approbation of our own minds. Concerning which it may perhaps be doubted, whether any glory

or honour can be derived from felf-approbation. Confidering the partialities and prepoffeffions of felf-love, it may justly be asked, how any man can be trusted to judge his own cafe, or to determine any thing relating to his own character. And indeed it must be owned, as far as the public is concerned, that no man's word is ordinarily to be taken in his own behalf. The public has nothing to do with men's private approbations, of which it cannot pretend to judge; nor indeed of any thing directly but their actions: according to which, or the appearance of which, it frames characters, and raises or depreffes every man's reputation. Neverthelefs, the approbation of a man's own mind, or, in other words, the teftimony of his con Science is, or may be, not only a comfortable circumftance, but really honourable and glorious. For though men are greatly and conftantly biaffed in their own favour, and very prone to bend their judgment towards their affections; yet it is in their power, in a great measure at least, to judge fairly and impartially; and a wife and good man will not fail to make use of that power. He will guard as carefully as he can against every inftance of felf-delufion, and even make allowances for that felfifh bias before-mentioned.

And though in examining and judging himself he cannot pretend to exactness, yet in the main he will judge righteous judgment. And in order hereto he is peculiarly qualified, notwithstanding the foregoing disadvantage; as being not only confcious of his own intentions, but well apprised of the grounds and motives whereon he acted; points undifcoverable for the most part by other men, and known only to God and a man's own conscience. Though therefore the world be less partial; yet wanting that light, and that information, which every individual poffeffes concerning his own conduct; it must often happen that private approbation is more just than public, and, by confequence, of greater moment. However, every man must be allowed capable, in all ordinary cafes, of forming a judgment of his own actions. And indeed without fuch a power, the great principle of confcience would turn to small account; or rather be a mere word without a meaning. The refult then of fuch a judgment is the approbation of virtue, and the condemnation of vice; the one being amiable and excellent, the other vile and odious in its own nature. The virtuous man therefore must approve and applaud his own actions as far as they anfwer his character.

Such

Such a sentence is as natural and unavoidable, as the preference of light to darkness. No rule, no degree of humility can prevent or ftop it. Fearless of confequences, confcience muft and will do juftice in a man's own breaft; and whenever he does well, congratulate and commend him. No inftance of virtuous conduct can it poffibly blame as fuch; however it may blame it as being defective, or not virtuous enough: an allay which cleaves to all human characters, and which no man's confcience can overlook or forget. In short, though fully fenfible of human imperfection, and ready to acknowledge it; it cannot fail of approving and extolling all worthy actions, virtuous difpofitions, and generous conduct.-Is then this voice, this verdict of a good man's conscience really glorious? Can fuch fecret praises, fuch filent whifpers, do him honour, and dignify his character? How different from the loud voice of fame, and the acclamations of the public! Very different indeed, and vaftly inferior, if glory is to be estimated by noife and found. But this is not the cafe ; as we shall plainly perceive, if we examine the idea. True glory can only arise from, and confift in, the approbation of competent judges. And wherever fuch be found; wheB 3 ther

ther the applause be private or public, foft or loud, is of fmall moment; the honour is really done, and muft accrue to the agent. Now that confcience is truly a competent judge, and in fome refpects peculiarly qualified, has been already fhewn; and from hence it follows, that its teftimony is really and proportionably glorious. By good men it has ever been prized and efteemed accordingly; who have taken great care to preserve it pure and inviolate, and refused to sacrifice it to any worldly confiderations. It has been held facred, and highly revered, by the very heathens themselves; who have represented a man of honour and virtue as fcorning to commit a base action, though he was fure of concealing it both from gods and men. So great a regard they thought due to the dignity of reason, and the authority of confcience. And indeed to fome of them, the very turpitude of a villanous action appeared fo fhocking, that they could not endure it even in idea. Nothing could tempt them out of their integrity, or make them give up the praise and approbation of their own minds. A way of thinking that might have become even the purity and fanctity of the chriftian religion. And indeed we find the Apostle himself thus rejoicing and triumphing in the teftimony of his

confcience;