gratifying it, or
that he would promote his reputation or his interest by not acting upon
it;--he may experience a benevolent affection, but feel that the
exercise would interfere too much with his personal interest or comfort.

(2.) The determination may arise from a sense of duty, or an impression
of moral rectitude, apart from every consideration of a personal nature.
This is the _Moral Principle_ or _Conscience_;--in every mind in a state
of moral health, it is the supreme and regulating principle, preserving
among the moving powers a certain harmony to each other, and to the
principles of moral rectitude. It often excites to conduct which
requires a sacrifice of self-love, and so prevents this principle from
interfering with the sound exercise of the affections. It regulates the
desires, and restrains them by the simple rule of purity;--it directs
and regulates the affections in the same manner by the high sense of
moral responsibility; and it thus maintains order and harmony in the
whole moral system.

One of the chief diversities of human character, indeed, arises from the
circumstance of one man being habitually influenced by the simple and
straight-forward principle of duty, and another merely by a kind of
contest between desires and motives of a very inferior or selfish
nature. Thus also we acquire a knowledge of the moral temperament of
different men, and learn to adapt our measures accordingly in our
transactions with them. In endeavouring, for example, to excite three
individuals to some act of usefulness, we come to know, that in one we
have only to appeal to his sense of duty; in another to his vanity or
love of approbation; while we have no hope of making any impression on
the third, unless we can make it appear to bear upon his interest.

V. The principles referred to under the preceding heads are chiefly
those which regulate the connexion of man with his fellow-men. But there
is another class of emotions, in their nature distinct from these;
though, in a practical point of view, they are much connected. These are
the emotions which arise out of his relation to the Deity. The
regulation of the moral feelings, in reference to this relation, will
therefore come to be considered in a department of the inquiry devoted
to themselves, in connexion with the views of the character and
attributes of God, which we obtain from the light of reason and
conscience.

* * * * *

Th