exalted characters would Christianity make us, if we gave due attention to its precepts, and govern ed ourselves and conduct by them?

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I These sentiments we should more carefully impress upon our minds, as we live in a time of rest from persecution; so that the pleasures and the cares of the world have a better opportunity of laying hold upon us. During persecution Christians naturally associate together, and encourage one another by discoursing on Christian principles, so that they become familiar to the mind, and form the character. Whereas, when there is no particular occasion for this, and the greatest part of our time is employed about secular affairs, and in conversing with the world at large, we are in great danger of conforming to it, of catching the spirit and the principles of the times we live in, And such is the general turn of things, and suck the disposition and pursuits of the bulk of mankind, that now, as well as formerly, to be the friend of the world, is to be the enemy of God.

Considering the turn of mind that generally prevails in the world, the almost universal attachment to the pursuits of pleasure, honour, or gain, which tend to exclude all thoughts of religion, and indis. pose the mind to any attention to the subject, we

cannot

cannot wonder at the prevalence and increase of infidelity. In this state of mind something of much less force than a satisfactory argument, and indeed something very different from argument, will be sufficient to make men unbelievers

Many become so by the perversion of particular passages of scripture, which by this means are ea sily turned into ridicule; others by coarse jests, and unfounded assertions and others by absurd doctrines and practices, which too many christianš have ignorantly adopted, and which are held forth as essential parts of the scheme, to which they are wholly discordant, but which superficial thinkers, and those who secretly wish for a pretence for res jecting it, will not take the pains to compare with the scriptures themselves, the da, giug

III. If this doctrine be true, if christians are not of this world, but have their citizenship and conversation in heaven, if this be the object to wards which their thoughts are habitually directed, so that they would be ready to abandon every thing in this world for the sake of their interest in another, what shall we say of the greater part of nominal christians, who in reality never look be, yond this world, but whose minds are wholly engrossed by the things of itu võttiva de

If

If such persons attend public worship at all, is because decency, or a respect to their friends and connections, make it necessary or convenient for them. They never discover by their conversation, or in any other way, that they have any religion at all. If they have a taste for reading, it is not the bible, or any book of religion that is ever found in their hands.

Can such persons as these expect that, at the second coming of Christ, an event to which they never voluntarily direct their thoughts, they will he considered as the friends and followers of Christ? They cannot have any just claim to such a dis tinction. They may be valuable characters in other respects, as husbands or wives, parents of children, masters or servants, &c. and therefore are not to be classed with the wicked, but they cannot have any just title to the proper rewards of christianity.

Neither can they expect to be treated as those who never heard of Christ, since they have treated with neglect, if not with contempt, a messenger expressly sent by God to man, with a commission of the most important nature, respecting their com duct here and their expectations hereafter. Besides, without this respect to futurity, and such great

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great prospects as christianity opens to us, it is na turally impossible that they should attain to that noble elevation of mind, and that great dignity of character which is inspired by them; so that with respect to proper intellectual improvement they must rank below the meanest christians, who have imbib. ed the genuine spirit of their religion. Having had the opportunity of being acquainted with the evidences of christianity, and having had rational and just views of it presented to them, they are under a serious responsibility with respect to it; and as the apostle forewarns them, they will not escape without punishment if they neglect so great a means of salvation. But with respect to them, as well as to all mankind, we may be assured that the great judge of all the earth will do that which is right.

III. If christianity have this dignity in itself, and this tendency to exalt the characters of men, no christian should be ashamed of his profession; but be ready upon all occasions not only to avow it, but to give a reason for the hope that is in him. This public profession of christianity is absolutely required by our religion. If we do not confess

our Lord before men, he will not confess, but he

will deny, us, before his heavenly Father, and the

Indeed, this open profession of christianity is

necessary to the successful propagation of it in the world; and when men of reflection see other persons, of as good understanding as themselves, who have given more attention to the subject than they have done, and who have no apparent motive for professing to believe what they do not, persist in a serious and uniform profession of their belief of christianity; and above all when they see that their lives are habitually governed by the great principles of it, it must make them pause, and consider whether such a faith be not well founded. And if chris100

tianity be true it's evidence must appear satisfactory to all persons who, with an unprejudiced mind, shall examine and consider it..

As we should not be ashamed of christianity it self, the same obligation naturally extends to whatever we deem to be pure christianity, as opposed to the corruptions and abuses which have been introduced into it. All these it is our duty strenuously to oppose, regardless of whatever the defen ders of them may say of us, or do to us. We should be ready even to rejoice that we are counted worthy