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"He that saith, I

obedience to the whole law of God. know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." John ii, 4. And hence a knowledge of the law of God is of just as great importance to us, under a remedial dispensation, as under a dispensation of law; not on the ground that we are to be saved by keeping it without sin; but on the ground that, unless the will of God be the habitually controlling motive of all our conduct, we are destitute of the elements of that character, to which the blessings of the remedial dispensation are promised. Hence, under the one dispensation, as well as under the other, though on different grounds, the knowledge of the law of God is necessary to our happiness both here and hereafter.

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BOOK SECOND.

PRACTICAL ETHICS.

PRACTICAL ETHICS.

In the preceding pages, it has been my design to illustrate the moral constitution of man, and to point out the sources from which that truth emanates, which is addressed to his moral constitution. My design, in the present book, is, to classify and explain some of the principal moral laws under which God has placed us, in our present state. We shall derive these laws from natural or from revealed religion, or from both, as may be most convenient for our purpose. The Scriptures declare that the whole moral law is contained in the single word, LOVE.

The beings to whom man is related in his present state, are, so far as this subject is concerned, God his Creator, and man his fellow-creature. Hence, the moral obligations of men are of two kinds: first, LOVE TO GOD, or PIETY; second, LOVE TO MAN, or MORALITY.

This book will, therefore, be divided into two parts, in which those two subjects will be treated of in their order.

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