will acknowledge, or than they may even be aware of themselves.

Now, as I observed before, christianity, tho' not absolutely and expressly rejected, is of no use unless it influence the temper of our minds, and our conduct in life; if it lays no restraint on the love of pleasure, the love of gain, or the pursuits of ambition, but leaves men as worldly minded in all respects as those who never heard of it; as much as if they had never heard of that future state which is brought to light by it, and which in the gospel is held up as a constant and most interesting object of attention and contemplation to all christians. We should never forget that religion is only a means to a certain end; and if we do not make this use of it, it would have been better for us never to have had it, or to have known it; since then we should have had one talent less than we now have to be accountable for. And if it be true that God has revealed his will to men, and sent messenger after messenger to promote the virtue and happiness of his rational offspring, he knew that such an extraordinary dispensation was necessary for us, and we cannot be innocent if we neglect to attend to it, and to make the proper use of it; un

léss we be so situated, as never to have heard of it.

Such are the general causes of the prevailing inattention to the subject of religion, and which extinguishes in so great a degree the genuine spirit of christianity. These, therefore, in proportion to the value we set upon our religion, and in proportion to the concern we have for our own improvement and that of others, we must endeavour, by every means in our power, to counteract, exhorting one another daily while it is called to day, lest we be carried away by the baneful torrent, which we see to be in danger of deluging, as we may say, a great part of the nominally christian world.

The means by which this may be done are suffi ciently obvious. It is the application of them only that, in such an age as this, has any real difficulty in it. And certainly it requires no small degree of fortitude and resolution to appear so singular as a sincere and zealous christian must some times do among persons of a different character. He must be content to be thought righteous over much, to be considered as a man of a weak mind, and devoid of spirit, and of those qualities which recommend men to the admiration of the world. For tho' virtue, as it is commonly understood, has the sanction of ge

neral

neral estimation, and persons accounted vicious are universally censured; the virtues that are most admired are not always christian virtues, and give more indulgence to the passions, as to those of revenge, and a love of what is called pleasure, of various kinds, than christianity allows. And there is not perhaps any vice besides that of a mean selfishness, that is equally condemned by christianity and the voice of the world. We see that even murder, in the form of a duel, passes without any censure at all. Nay, the spirit with which men fight duels is applauded; while that meekneess, though it be real magnanimity, showing a due command of temper, which overlooks insults, and preserves a kindness for those who offer them, is branded as meanness of spirit. Voluptuousness to a really criminal excess passes with so light a censure, that when any person is said to be no man's enemy but his own, he is not thought at all the worse of on that account, especially as it is often accompanied with a contempt of money, and a love of society like his own. Profaneness is too generally considered as no vice at all, but only at the worst a foolish and unmeaning custom.

In these circumstances, a profound reverence for the name and attributes of God, the great duty of

not living to ourselves, but of the appropriation of the whole of a man's time, fortune, and ability of every kind, to the good of others, the love of God with the whole heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, including in the word neighbour every person to whom it is in our power to render any service; the obligation of sacrificing every thing in life, and even of life itscif, for the sake of conscience, in the cause of truth and right, with a view to a recompence not in this world but another, which christianity requires of us, are things quite above the comprehension of mankind in general. And whatever men cannot attain themselves, they think to be romantic and absurd, a kind of quixotism in morals, and a just object of ridicule and contempt.

Since, then, what is called the world, and the prevailing maxims and custom of the times in which we live, give us no assistance, but must operate as an impediment in our christian course, we must surmount this great difficulty by our own voluntary exertions, taking to our aid those helps by which christian principles are most effectually impressed, and kept in view. Something of this kind is absolutely necessary, because no end can be gained without employing the proper means; and if any thing that does not necessarily obtrude

itself requires to be attended to, it must be purposely brought before the mind by reflection, reading, or conversation; to do this most effectually,' some time must be set apart for the purpose. Also those intervals of time which are not engaged by necessary business should not be wholly given to mere amusement (though something of this kind is necessary for such beings as we are) but be em, ployed to some serious purpose.

David said that he meditated upon God in the night watches, and upon his bed. In the law of God, he says that a good man will meditate day and night. And whatever it be that we really take pleasure in, it will naturally occur to our thoughts when they are not necessarily occupied by other things; bc-." ing the most pleasing subjects of contemplation. The first exercise therefore that I would recommend to all christians in the frequent reading of the scriptures.

Christians have far more, and more interesting, subjects of contemplation and meditation than David had. We see much farther than he could do into the great plan of providence, respecting the present and future condition of man. We are acquainted with many more instances of his interB 3.

course