Every man is to be considered in two capacities, the private and public; as designed to pursue his own interest, and likewise to contribute to the good of others.

God Almighty is, to be sure, unmoved by passion or appetite, unchanged by affection; but then it is to be added that He neither sees nor hears nor perceives things by any senses like ours; but in a manner infinitely more perfect.

There is a much more exact correspondence between the natural and moral world than we are apt to take notice of.

People might love themselves with the most entire and unbounded affection, and yet be extremely miserable.

Both our senses and our passions are a supply to the imperfection of our nature; thus they show that we are such sort of creatures as to stand in need of those helps which higher orders of creatures do not.

The satisfaction that accompanies good acts is itself not the motivation of the act; satisfaction is not the motive, but only the consequence.

It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered.