190 THE CREED OF SCIENCE, RELIGIOUS AND MORAL. 



of these being on an average extremely limited, little 

 dependent on individual will or effort, and receiving 

 their natural rewards on earth. 



5. May not our future depend on our constant 

 efforts and endeavour to conform our conduct to the 

 moral law, to the well-known virtues of veracity, justice, 

 benevolence, as some of the greatest of our species, 

 philosophers and founders of religions, have taught us ? 

 We can scarcely so conclude to-day; for, though mo- 

 rality is evidently deep in the unfathomed Purpose and 

 Power that rules and sustains the universe the germs 

 of it being implanted in our hearts and handed on by 

 inheritance from generation to generation ; and, more- 

 over, social chaos and ruin resulting in its absence yet 

 apparently morality is still not the deepest thing in the 

 universe, or even the chief thing aimed at on the earth 

 in human society, which still subsists with a mode- 

 rate amount of it, mixed with much of the contrary. 

 Further yet ; our virtues and vices, as such, are actually 

 rewarded and punished on the earth ; of average quality, 

 they receive their average reward; and there exists no 

 apparent reason in things why they should be rewarded 

 and punished a second time hereafter still less, if the 

 monstrous notion 'deserved any notice that they deserve 

 an eternal reward or punishfnent. 



There is no reason why any but exceptional virtues 

 and vices which have failed to meet their due meed on 

 earth, should be considered again. Except in these 

 cases, there is no need for the supplemental correction 

 of the earthly errors ; and even in these cases, if we 

 looked sufficiently deep, we should find that there is 

 very little redress hereafter required, for by a subtle 

 moral economy on the part of Nature, the eminently 

 virtuous or vicious have already received their wages, 



