Still, the broad feelings of the mind, and the purpose of them, can no more be mistaken than the existence and the purpose of the eyes.

It can be made quite apparent that the single principle called conscience is intended to rule all the rest.
But, as Conscience is only one part of our nature, there being two other parts, namely, (1) Benevolence and Self-love, and (2) the particular Appetites and Passions, why are they not all equally natural, and all equally to be followed?
This leads to an inquiry into the meanings of the word Nature.
First, Nature may mean any prompting whatever; anger and affection are equally natural, as being equally part of us.
Secondly, it may mean our strongest passion, what most frequently prevails with us and shows our individual characters.

In this sense, vice may be natural.
But, thirdly, we may reclaim against those two meanings, and that on the authority both of the Apostle Paul and of the ancient sages, and declare that the proper meaning of following nature is following Conscience, or that superior principle in every man which bears testimony to its own supremacy.

It is by this faculty, natural to a man, that he is a moral agent, a law to himself.
Men may act according to their strongest principle, and yet violate their nature, as when a man, urged by present gratification, incurs certain ruin.

The violation of nature, in this instance, may be expressed as _disproportion_.
There is thus a difference in _kind_ between passions; self-love is superior to temporary appetite.
Passion or Appetite means a tendency towards certain objects with no regard to any other objects.