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antecedently propofed, whether they would facrifice their Lives for the Service of the State, if, immediately, upon their figning, they Should be manded to do fo? It is not very natural to believe, that many of them would have articled upon that Condition.

Whereas, if the Duties owing to Society, or what I here principally intend, to the fupreme Authority in it, is founded on the paternal Right, or on any Power antecedently appointed by God, for the better Adminiftration of civil Government; then there is leß Difpute, whether fuch Power, for neceffary Ends of Government, may not command a Subject to expofe himself to certain and unavoidable

all

unavoidable Death; because, tho the civil Magiftrate can give a Man Nothing in Exchange for his Life; yet, an powerful God can, and a wife and just God will repair any Lofs or Suffering, which his Creatures may fuftain, by acting in Obedience to his own Inftitution, and towards attaining the proper Ends of it.

So that, here, we have a full Anfwer to all the Objections, that can be made against the Practicableness of focial Duties, when they come in Competition with the Interefts of private Life; and which hew, indeed, that the Obligations we are under in thefe two different Capacities, are, after all, very confiftent.

For

For a Defire of Happiness, the invincible Motive to Action in private Life, does not only carry us towards prefent, but towards future Happiness. Now it is very compatible with fuch a Defire, that we Should give up fome Good, which we actually poffefs, to the certain Expectation of a diftant, but far greater Good in Reverfion.

This Argument, I am fenfible, is of no Confequence to thofe, who do not believe a future State of Retribution to Men, according to their good or evil Actions in this Life. But the Author of the Search thinks too justly, to incur any Imputation of Such a Character. And, therefore, I wish, in accounting

for

for the Reafon, upon which, he fuppofeth, Politicians have undertaken to civilize Mankind, he had omitted the following Remark. * "That they being unable to give fo many real Rewards, as would fatisfy all Perfons for every "individual Action, they were forced to contrive an imaginary one; that, as a general Equi"valent for the Trouble of Selfdenial, fhould ferve on all Occafions; and, without cofting any Thing either to themselves, or others, be yet a most accepta-. ble Recompenfe to the Receivers.

This Recompenfe, as he proceeds to explain it, is Flattery. Concerning which, confidered by him as the principal Spur to human Action, I Jhall not repeat, what

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what has been faid already. The only Reflection, I shall make upon the Paffage here cited, is, that the Author wholly afcribes to a finifter and indirect Motive, what naturally might have been afcribed, I will add, what a Man who believes a future State, and attends to the proper Confequences of his Belief, would certainly have afcribed to the Influence of it,upon much better Grounds.He will never be able to fhew, that the Perfons, by whofe Wisdom Societies were firft erected and modelled, and who prescribed juft and wholfome Laws for the Government of them, would not confider, how Obedience to thofe Laws might be most effectually enforced; and, particularly by Juch Sanctions, as would have the most powerful Effect upon their Hopes, and their Fears;