Thoughthestandardbywhichcasuistsfrequentlydeterminewhatisrightorwronginhumanconduct，beitstendencytothewelfareordisorderofsociety，itdoesnotfollowthataregardtothewelfareofsocietyshouldbethesolevirtuousmotiveofaction，butonlythat，inanycompetition，itoughttocastthebalanceagainstallothermotives。

　　Benevolencemay，perhaps，bethesoleprincipleofactionintheDeity，andthereareseveral，notimprobable，argumentswhichtendtopersuadeusthatitisso。Itisnoteasytoconceivewhatothermotiveanindependentandall-perfectBeing，whostandsinneedofnothingexternal，andwhosehappinessiscompleteinhimself，canactfrom。ButwhatevermaybethecasewiththeDeity，soimperfectacreatureasman，thesupportofwhoseexistencerequiressomanythingsexternaltohim，mustoftenactfrommanyothermotives。Theconditionofhumannaturewerepeculiarlyhard，ifthoseaffections，which，bytheverynatureofourbeing，oughtfrequentlytoinfluenceourconduct，coulduponnooccasionappearvirtuous，ordeserveesteemandcommendationfromanybody。

　　Thosethreesystems，thatwhichplacesvirtueinpropriety，thatwhichplacesitinprudence，andthatwhichmakesitconsistinbenevolence，aretheprincipalaccountswhichhavebeengivenofthenatureofvirtue。Tooneorotherofthem，alltheotherdescriptionsofvirtue，howdifferentsoevertheymayappear，areeasilyreducible。

　　ThatsystemwhichplacesvirtueinobediencetothewilloftheDeity，maybecountedeitheramongthosewhichmakeitconsistinprudence，oramongthosewhichmakeitconsistinpropriety。Whenitisasked，whyweoughttoobeythewilloftheDeity，thisquestion，whichwouldbeimpiousandabsurdinthehighestdegree，ifaskedfromanydoubtthatweoughttoobeyhim，canadmitbutoftwodifferentanswers。ItmusteitherbesaidthatweoughttoobeythewilloftheDeitybecauseheisaBeingofinfinitepower，whowillrewarduseternallyifwedoso，andpunishuseternallyifwedootherwise:oritmustbesaid，thatindependentofanyregardtoourownhappiness，ortorewardsandpunishmentsofanykind，thereisacongruityandfitnessthatacreatureshouldobeyitscreator，thatalimitedandimperfectbeingshouldsubmittooneofinfiniteandincomprehensibleperfections。Besidesoneorotherofthesetwo，itisimpossibletoconceivethatanyotheranswercanbegiventothisquestion。Ifthefirstanswerbetheproperone，virtueconsistsinprudence，orintheproperpursuitofourownfinalinterestandhappiness；sinceitisuponthisaccountthatweareobligedtoobeythewilloftheDeity。Ifthesecondanswerbetheproperone，virtuemustconsistinpropriety，sincethegroundofourobligationtoobedienceisthesuitablenessorcongruityofthesentimentsofhumilityandsubmissiontothesuperiorityoftheobjectwhichexcitesthem。

　　Thatsystemwhichplacesvirtueinutility，coincidestoowiththatwhichmakesitconsistinpropriety。Accordingtothissystem，allthosequalitiesofthemindwhichareagreeableoradvantageous，eithertothepersonhimselfortoothers，areapprovedofasvirtuous，andthecontrarydisapprovedofasvicious。Buttheagreeablenessorutilityofanyaffectiondependsuponthedegreewhichitisallowedtosubsistin。Everyaffectionisusefulwhenitisconfinedtoacertaindegreeofmoderation；andeveryaffectionisdisadvantageouswhenitexceedstheproperbounds。Accordingtothissystemtherefore，virtueconsistsnotinanyoneaffection，butintheproperdegreeofalltheaffections。TheonlydifferencebetweenitandthatwhichIhavebeenendeavouringtoestablish，is，thatitmakesutility，andnotsympathy，orthecorrespondentaffectionofthespectator，thenaturalandoriginalmeasureofthisproperdegree。

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