ndividual, so far as is consistent with
the greatest good of the whole, which is comprised in the glory of
God and the perfection and happiness of his kingdom. The law of
God is the standard of all moral rectitude or holiness. This is
reduced into love to God, and our neighbor as ourselves; and
universal good-will comprehends all the love to God, our neighbor,
and ourselves, required in the divine law, and, therefore, must be
the whole of holy obedience. Let any serious person think what are
the particular branches of true piety; when he has viewed each one
by itself, he will find that disinterested friendly affection is
its distinguishing characteristic. For instance, all the holiness
in pious fear, which distinguishes it from the fear of the wicked,
consists in love. Again, holy gratitude is nothing but good-will
to God and our neighbor,--in which we ourselves are included,--and
correspondent affection, excited by a view of the good-will and
kindness of God. Universal good-will also implies the whole of the
duty we owe to our neighbor; for justice, truth, and faithfulness,
are comprised in universal benevolence; so are temperance and
chastity. For an undue indulgence of our appetites and passions is
contrary to benevolence, as tending to hurt ourselves or others,
and so, opposite to the general good, and the divine command, in
which all the crime of such indulgence consists. In short, all
virtue is nothing but benevolence acted out in its proper nature
and perfection; or love to God and our neighbor, made perfect in
all its genuine exercises and expressions.

"2. That all sin consists in selfishness. By this is meant an
interested, selfish affection, by which a person sets himself up
as supreme, and the only object of regard; and nothing is good or
lovely in his view, unless suited to promote his own private
interest. This self-love is, in its whole nature, and every degree
of it, enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God,
and is the only affection that can oppose it. It is the foundation
of all spiritual blindness, and, therefore, the source of all the
open idolatry in the heathen world, and false religion under the
light of the gospel: all this is agreeable to that self-love which
opposes God's true character. Under the influence of this
principle, men depart f