lar is often brought forward when, upon Christian principles, any
advocates for Christianity would press the practice of Christian
virtues. Before we proceed, therefore, to comment upon what remains to
be discussed, of the misconceptions and defects of the bulk of professed
Christians, it may not be amiss to dispose of this objection to our
whole scheme.

The error in question is that of exaggerating the merit of certain
amiable and useful qualities, and of considering them as of themselves
sufficient to compensate for the want of the supreme love and fear of
God.

It seems to be an opinion pretty generally prevalent, that kindness and
sweetness of temper; sympathizing, and benevolent, and generous
affections; attention to what in the world's estimation are the
domestic, relative, and social duties; and above all a life of general
activity and usefulness, may well be allowed, in our imperfect state, to
make up for the defect of what in strict propriety of speech is termed
Religion.

Many indeed will unreservedly declare, and more will hint the opinion,
that "the difference between the qualities above-mentioned and Religion,
is rather a verbal or logical, than a real and essential difference; for
in truth what are they but Religion in substance if not in name? Is it
not the great end of Religion, and in particular the glory of
Christianity, to extinguish the malignant passions; to curb the
violence, to controul the appetites, and to smooth the asperities of
man; to make us compassionate and kind, and forgiving one to another; to
make us good husbands, good fathers, good friends, and to render us
active and useful in the discharge of the relative, social, and civil
duties? We do not deny that in the general mass of society, and
particularly in the lower orders, such conduct and tempers cannot be
diffused and maintained by any other medium than that of Religion. But
if the end be effected, surely it is only unnecessary refinement to
dispute about the means. It is even to forget your own principles; and
to refuse its just place to solid practical virtue, while you assign too
high a value to speculative opinions."

Thus a fatal distinction is admitted between Morality and Religion: a
great and desperate error, of which it is the more necessary to take
notice; because many who would condemn, as too strong, the language in
which this opinion is sometimes openly avowed, are yet more or less
tinctured with the notion itself