The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

¹Or secondly, The end of Philosophy was to prevent the mischiefs which licentiousness and disorders might bring upon men from without, or to preserve inward peace, by suppressing the turbulent passions arising from Lust, or Rage, that discompose the mind. This was the pretended design of Epicurus, to whom Virtue was amiable only as the Instrument of pleasure.

¹Or secondly, The end of Philosophy was to prevent the mischiefs which licentiousness and disorders might bring upon men from without, or to preserve inward peace, by suppressing the turbulent passions arising from Lust, or Rage, that discompose the mind. This was the pretended design of Epicurus, to whom Vertue was amiable only as the Instrument of pleasure.

1. 1Epicurus virtutes induxit voluptatis ancillas, ab sit autem ut verae virtutes cuiquam serviant nisi illi, vel propter illum cui dicimus Deus virtutum converte nos. August. cont. Jul. lib. 4.

Or thirdly, The height of Philosophy was to propound the beauty of Virtue,¹ and its charming Aspect, as the most worthy Motive to draw the Affections. Now supposing that some of the Heathens, (although very few) by discovering the internal beauty of Virtue, had a love to it, and performed some things without any private respect, but for the rectitude of the action, and the inward satisfaction that springs from it, yet they were still defective. For Virtue is but a ray of the Deity, and our duty is not complete, unless it be referred to his Glory, who is the principle and pattern of it. In short, the great Creator made Man for himself, and 'tis most just that as his Favour is our sovereign happiness, so his Glory should be our supreme end, without which nothing is regular, and truly beautiful. By these several instances it appears how insufficient Philosophy is to direct us in our principal duty, that respects God.