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    which man owes to himself . The pure principles of reason , his own physical constitution , as well as an irresistible impulse towards his own felicity , teach him to watch over his oreservation—his him to watch over his preservation—his

    betterment—his well-being in general . All his views , tending to that sublime end to which the Almighty has destined him , controlling his desires and leading his heart to virtue , while he advances his own perfection , he impedes not , but rather promotes the perfection of

    society . Shrink not , beloved brethren , from the duties that are imposed on you—deem not the lesson too severecall it not unfriendly to liberty . It is the essence of liberty ; of that genuine liberty which is founded on philosophy and religion ; and not the spurious

    principle which allows the monstrous privilege of doing well or ill , of acting viciously or virtuously , according to the waywardness of an unbridled will . Happy , my brethren , will ye be , if the liberty ye enjoy serve but to promote the glory of God , to regulate and con- * troul your own conduct , and tp increase

    the comfort of your fellow-men ; thrice happy if you know and claim that higher , nobler freedom spoken of in those golden words of our Saviour , ' Si ergo vos Filius liberaverit vere liberi eritis / " *

    The Democratic form of government adopted among us , my beloved brethren , is not only not opposed to these views , not only in accordance with the spirit of the gospel , but it requires the especial exercise of those sublime virtues which are learned only

    in the school of Jesus Christ , and which , if religiousl y practised , will establish your own felicity , as well as the g lory and splendour of your re * public . Banish , then , from you the spirit of party , of passion , of selfish

    interest and ambition , and every un * holy desire ; for these are unworthy of the virtuous man and the Christian ; these will bring you no enjoyment , but delude you to your ruin , through the

    delusive glimmerings of false and fantastic glory . Let our ^ Democracy be founded on that elevating virtue which leads ^ man upward to the ineffable Divinity—that virtue which is awakened hy our natural sense of right , and

    * John viii . 36 .

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    guided by the purer radiance of the gospel / 3 ! . " I speak not of Athens , of Sparta , of the laws of Lycurgus or Solon , no * of Carthage , though the rival of Rome ; but to the Roman Republic itself our affections , our dearest recollections turn . A thousand pens have celebrated virtues on which I shall now be

    silent ; but learn , my brethren , a lesson from him of whom it was said , that when fame most caressed him , he was least anxious for her smiles ; learn from Cato of Utica , the means by which the Romans established their fame and extended their republic ; . * Think not / said he to his fellow-citizens , think

    not that the arms of our ancestors ' alone enlarged our Republic / Were it so , that Republic would be wider and fairer at the present moment 3 for we are . stronger in citizens , in arms and horses , than our forefathers were j but their views were different from

    ourstheir virtues we have abandoned . Their system was one of industry at home , of moderation abroad , of prudence and foresight—not misled by passion nor degraded by vice / The virtues , indeed , of these illustrious Republicans extorted the praises of the venerable fathers of the church . St . Augustine commemorates them with honour , and

    draws their outlines in a way worthy of himself . Their glorious fame was the fit reward of their labours and their virtues . It was conferred oa them by that Supreme Being who has crowns for the deserving . Their conduct , indeed , gave additional radiance to their

    liberty . Our moral virtues , which are * in other words , a love of order and decorum , will make us good Democrats ; members of a pure Democracy , anxious onl y for the common prosperity , and far removed from hate and perfidy and ambition ; from the encroachment on others' rights , or the

    neglect of our own duties . Thus shall we preserve a genuine equality , maintained by laws acting equally on every member of society , to direct , to protect or to punish 5 laws , requiring from every individual of . the Democracy the discnarge of the duties he owes to God , to his neighbour and to himself ; laws wliich give the fullest scope to his

    * Sallust , i . in Catil . 4 .

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    Homily of the present Pope in favour of Republicanism . 693

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1820, page 693, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2495/page/5/