’DoesitsuitthegreatnessofGod，’saystheeloquentandphilosophicalbishopofClermont，withthatpassionateandexaggeratingforceofimagination，whichseemssometimestoexceedtheboundsofdecorum；’doesitsuitthegreatnessofGod，toleavetheworldwhichhehascreatedinsouniversaladisorder？Toseethewickedprevailalmostalwaysoverthejust；
　　theinnocentdethronedbytheusurper；thefatherbecomethevictimoftheambitionofanunnaturalson；thehusbandexpiringunderthestrokeofabarbarousandfaithlesswife？FromtheheightofhisgreatnessoughtGodtobeholdthosemelancholyeventsasafantasticalamusement，withouttakinganyshareinthem？Becauseheisgreat，shouldhebeweak，orunjust，orbarbarous？Becausemenarelittle，oughttheytobeallowedeithertobedissolutewithoutpunishment，orvirtuouswithoutreward？OGod！ifthisisthecharacterofyourSupremeBeing；ifitisyouwhomweadoreundersuchdreadfulideas；Icannolongeracknowledgeyouformyfather，formyprotector，forthecomforterofmysorrow，thesupportofmyweakness，therewarderofmyfidelity。Youwouldthenbenomorethananindolentandfantasticaltyrant，whosacrificesmankindtohisinsolentvanity，andwhohasbroughtthemoutofnothing，onlytomakethemserveforthesportofhisleisureandofhiscaprice。’
　　Whenthegeneralruleswhichdeterminethemeritanddemeritofactions，comethustoberegardedasthelawsofanAll-powerfulBeing，whowatchesoverourconduct，andwho，inalifetocome，willrewardtheobservance，andpunishthebreachofthem；theynecessarilyacquireanewsacrednessfromthisconsideration。ThatourregardtothewilloftheDeityoughttobethesupremeruleofourconduct，canbedoubtedofbynobodywhobelieveshisexistence。Theverythoughtofdisobedienceappearstoinvolveinitthemostshockingimpropriety。Howvain，howabsurdwoulditbeforman，eithertoopposeortoneglectthecommandsthatwerelaiduponhimbyInfiniteWisdom，andInfinitePower。Howunnatural，howimpiouslyungratefulnottoreverencethepreceptsthatwereprescribedtohimbytheinfinitegoodnessofhisCreator，eventhoughnopunishmentwastofollowtheirviolation。Thesenseofproprietytooisherewellsupportedbythestrongestmotivesofself-interest。Theideathat，howeverwemayescapetheobservationofman，orbeplacedabovethereachofhumanpunishment，yetwearealwaysactingundertheeye，andexposedtothepunishmentofGod，thegreatavengerofinjustice，isamotivecapableofrestrainingthemostheadstrongpassions，withthoseatleastwho，byconstantreflection，haverendereditfamiliartothem。
　　Itisinthismannerthatreligionenforcesthenaturalsenseofduty:andhenceitis，thatmankindaregenerallydisposedtoplacegreatconfidenceintheprobityofthosewhoseemdeeplyimpressedwithreligioussentiments。Suchpersons，theyimagine，actunderanadditionaltie，besidesthosewhichregulatetheconductofothermen。Theregardtotheproprietyofaction，aswellastoreputation，theregardtotheapplauseofhisownbreast，aswellastothatofothers，aremotiveswhichtheysupposehavethesameinfluenceoverthereligiousman，asoverthemanoftheworld。Buttheformerliesunderanotherrestraint，andneveractsdeliberatelybutasinthepresenceofthatGreatSuperiorwhoisfinallytorecompensehimaccordingtohisdeeds。Agreatertrustisreposed，uponthisaccount，intheregularityandexactnessofhisconduct。Andwhereverthenaturalprinciplesofreligionarenotcorruptedbythefactiousandpartyzealofsomeworthlesscabal；whereverthefirstdutywhichitrequires，istofulfilalltheobligationsofmorality；
　　wherevermenarenottaughttoregardfrivolousobservances，asmoreimmediatedutiesofreligion，thanactsofjusticeandbeneficence；andtoimagine，thatbysacrifices，andceremonies，andvainsupplications，theycanbargainwiththeDeityforfraud，andperfidy，andviolence，theworldundoubtedlyjudgesrightinthisrespect，andjustlyplacesadoubleconfidenceintherectitudeofthereligiousman’sbehaviour。
　　InwhatcasestheSenseofDutyoughttobethesoleofourconduct；andinwhatcasesitoughttoconcurwithothermotivesReligionaffordssuchstrongmotivestothepracticeofvirtue，andguardsusbysuchpowerfulrestraintsfromthetemptationsofvice，thatmanyhavebeenledtosuppose，thatreligiousprincipleswerethesolelaudablemotivesofaction。Weoughtneither，theysaid，torewardfromgratitude，norpunishfromresentment；weoughtneithertoprotectthehelplessnessofourchildren，noraffordsupporttotheinfirmitiesofourparents，fromnaturalaffection。Allaffectionsforparticularobjects，oughttobeextinguishedinourbreast，andonegreataffectiontaketheplaceofallothers，theloveoftheDeity，thedesireofrenderingourselvesagreeabletohim，andofdirectingourconduct，ineveryrespect，accordingtohiswill。
　　Weoughtnottobegratefulfromgratitude，weoughtnottobecharitablefromhumanity，weoughtnottobepublic-spiritedfromtheloveofourcountry，norgenerousandjustfromtheloveofmankind。Thesoleprincipleandmotiveofourconductintheperformanceofallthosedifferentduties，oughttobeasensethatGodhascommandedustoperformthem。Ishallnotatpresenttaketimetoexaminethisopinionparticularly；Ishallonlyobserve，thatweshouldnothaveexpectedtohavefounditentertainedbyanysect，whoprofessedthemselvesofareligioninwhich，asitisthefirstprecepttolovetheLordourGodwithallourheart，withalloursoul，andwithallourstrength，soitisthesecondtoloveourneighbourasweloveourselves；
　　andweloveourselvessurelyforourownsakes，andnotmerelybecausewearecommandedtodoso。Thatthesenseofdutyshouldbethesoleprincipleofourconduct，isnowherethepreceptofChristianity；butthatitshouldbetherulingandthegoverningone，asphilosophy，andas，indeed，commonsensedirects。Itmaybeaquestion，however，inwhatcasesouractionsoughttoarisechieflyorentirelyfromasenseofduty，orfromaregardtogeneralrules；andinwhatcasessomeothersentimentoraffectionoughttoconcur，andhaveaprincipalinfluence。
　　Thedecisionofthisquestion，whichcannot，perhaps，begivenwithanyverygreataccuracy，willdependupontwodifferentcircumstances；first，uponthenaturalagreeablenessordeformityofthesentimentoraffectionwhichwouldpromptustoanyactionindependentofallregardtogeneralrules；and，secondly，upontheprecisionandexactness，ortheloosenessandinaccuracy，ofthegeneralrulesthemselves。
　　I。First，Isay，itwilldependuponthenaturalagreeablenessordeformityoftheaffectionitself，howfarouractionsoughttoarisefromit，orentirelyproceedfromaregardtothegeneralrule。
　　Allthosegracefulandadmiredactions，towhichthebenevolentaffectionswouldpromptus，oughttoproceedasmuchfromthepassionsthemselves，asfromanyregardtothegeneralrulesofconduct。Abenefactorthinkshimselfbutillrequited，ifthepersonuponwhomhehasbestowedhisgoodoffices，repaysthemmerelyfromacoldsenseofduty，andwithoutanyaffectiontohisperson。Ahusbandisdissatisfiedwiththemostobedientwife，whenheimaginesherconductisanimatedbynootherprinciplebesidesherregardtowhattherelationshestandsinrequires。Thoughasonshouldfailinnoneoftheofficesoffilialduty，yetifhewantsthataffectionatereverencewhichitsowellbecomeshimtofeel，theparentmayjustlycomplainofhisindifference。Norcouldasonbequitesatisfiedwithaparentwho，thoughheperformedallthedutiesofhissituation，hadnothingofthatfatherlyfondnesswhichmighthavebeenexpectedfromhim。Withregardtoallsuchbenevolentandsocialaffections，itisagreeabletoseethesenseofdutyemployedrathertorestrainthantoenliventhem，rathertohinderusfromdoingtoomuch，thantopromptustodowhatweought。Itgivesuspleasuretoseeafatherobligedtocheckhisownfondness，afriendobligedtosetboundstohisnaturalgenerosity，apersonwhohasreceivedabenefit，obligedtorestrainthetoosanguinegratitudeofhisowntemper。
　　Thecontrarymaximtakesplacewithregardtothemalevolentandunsocialpassions。Weoughttorewardfromthegratitudeandgenerosityofourownhearts，withoutanyreluctance，andwithoutbeingobligedtoreflecthowgreattheproprietyofrewarding:
　　butweoughtalwaystopunishwithreluctance，andmorefromasenseoftheproprietyofpunishing，thanfromanysavagedispositiontorevenge。Nothingismoregracefulthanthebehaviourofthemanwhoappearstoresentthegreatestinjuries，morefromasensethattheydeserve，andaretheproperobjectsofresentment，thanfromfeelinghimselfthefuriesofthatdisagreeablepassion；who，likeajudge，considersonlythegeneralrule，whichdetermineswhatvengeanceisdueforeachparticularoffence；who，inexecutingthatrule，feelslessforwhathimselfhassuffered，thanforwhattheoffenderisabouttosuffer；who，thoughinwrath，remembersmercy，andisdisposedtointerprettheruleinthemostgentleandfavourablemanner，andtoallowallthealleviationswhichthemostcandidhumanitycould，consistentlywithgoodsense，admitof。
　　Astheselfishpassions，accordingtowhathasformerlybeenobserved，hold，inotherrespects，asortofmiddleplace，betweenthesocialandunsocialaffections，sodotheylikewiseinthis。Thepursuitoftheobjectsofprivateinterest，inallcommon，little，andordinarycases，oughttoflowratherfromaregardtothegeneralruleswhichprescribesuchconduct，thanfromanypassionfortheobjectsthemselves；butuponmoreimportantandextraordinaryoccasions，weshouldbeawkward，insipid，andungraceful，iftheobjectsthemselvesdidnotappeartoanimateuswithaconsiderabledegreeofpassion。Tobeanxious，ortobelayingaploteithertogainortosaveasingleshilling，woulddegradethemostvulgartradesmanintheopinionofallhisneighbours。Lethiscircumstancesbeeversomean，noattentiontoanysuchsmallmatters，forthesakeofthethingsthemselves，mustappearinhisconduct。Hissituationmayrequirethemostsevereoeconomyandthemostexactassiduity:
　　buteachparticularexertionofthatoeconomyandassiduitymustproceed，notsomuchfromaregardforthatparticularsavingorgain，asforthegeneralrulewhichtohimprescribes，withtheutmostrigour，suchatenorofconduct。Hisparsimonyto-daymustnotarisefromadesireoftheparticularthree-pencewhichbewillsavebyit，norhisattendanceinhisshopfromapassionfortheparticularten-pencewhichhewillacquirebyit:boththeoneandtheotheroughttoproceedsolelyfromaregardtothegeneralrule，whichprescribes，withthemostunrelentingseverity，thisplanofconducttoallpersonsinhiswayoflife。
　　Inthisconsiststhedifferencebetweenthecharacterofamiserandthatofapersonofexactoeconomyandassiduity。Theoneisanxiousaboutsmallmattersfortheirownsake；theotherattendstothemonlyinconsequenceoftheschemeoflifewhichhehaslaiddowntohimself。
　　Itisquiteotherwisewithregardtothemoreextraordinaryandimportantobjectsofself-interest。Apersonappearsmean-spirited，whodoesnotpursuethesewithsomedegreeofearnestnessfortheirownsake。Weshoulddespiseaprincewhowasnotanxiousaboutconqueringordefendingaprovince。Weshouldhavelittlerespectforaprivategentlemanwhodidnotexerthimselftogainanestate，orevenaconsiderableoffice，whenhecouldacquirethemwithouteithermeannessorinjustice。
　　Amemberofparliamentwhoshewsnokeennessabouthisownelection，isabandonedbyhisfriends，asaltogetherunworthyoftheirattachment。Evenatradesmanisthoughtapoor-spiritedfellowamonghisneighbours，whodoesnotbestirhimselftogetwhattheycallanextraordinaryjob，orsomeuncommonadvantage。