PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

52 Virtlle.
"'f apprehending, metbodising, reasoning; of indo ..
• ~nce and dilatoriness; of vanity, self-conceit, melancholy,
partiality; of fretfulness, suspicion, captiousness,
censoriousness; of pride, ambition, COy -
etiousness; of over-reaching, intriguing, projecting.
In a word, there is not a quality, or function, either
of body or mind, which does not feel the influence
of this great law of animated nature.
II. The Christian religion hath not ascertained the
precise quantity 0f virtue necessary to salvation.
This has been made an objection to Christianity;
but without reason.
For, as all revelation, however
imparted originally, must. be tr.msmitted -by the ordinary
v"ehide of language, it behoves those wqo
make the objection to shew that -any form of words
could be devised. which might express this tj1l1lntity ;
or that it is possible to constitl!te a . standard of DIonl
attainments, accommod:tted to. the almost infinite diversitY
which subsists in tll~ capacities and opportunities
of different men.
It seems most agreeable to our cDnceptions of justice,
and is consonant enough to the language of
scripture,· to suppose tllat there are prepared for us
rewards and punishments, of all possi~le degree~,
from the most exalted happiness down to extreme
misery; so that "our labour is never in vain; "
whatever advancelP ::nt we make in virtue, \ve pro ..
cure a proporti~Ilable accession of future happiness;
as, on the other hernd, every accumulation of vice
is the "treaSllring up of so much wrath against the
day of wrath." It has been said, that it can never be.
... " He which -8oweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; ana ne whirll
sawetb bountifully shall reap aJsQ bountifully." 2 Cor. ix. 0-" And that
&ervant which ne\v his Lord's will, and prepartd not him",elf, nejther did
according to his will, t;hall be beaten with many stripes; hut h.e that knew
Dot, .hall be beaten with few stripes." Luke xii. 47, '48.-" Whosoever
shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye helong
to Christ, verily I oar unto YtJU, he shall not lose his reward ;" to wj~t, intj~
mating ch2.t there i3 in reserve a proportional reward for even the 8111alleJt
a~t of virtue. Mark i~ 41.-See also the parable of the pounds, l.uke
xix. 16, &c. wl.ere he whose pC'und hath gained ten pounds) was pl.teed
over ten citi~ ; and h(l whose POU11d had gained five pounds, was placed
over five cities.