praise-worthy among men. For who would be strictly virtuous by choice? Who would regard violating the most sacred engagements? Who would sustain an unblemished character in his profession? If religion could be proved a fiction, and all its threats destitute of truth, what anarchy and confusion would ensue-what rapine, perfidy, and horror would abound! Like the fishes of the sea, the stronger would devour the weaker. Commerce, agriculture, and learning would be interrupted in their course. The ignorant and barbarous rabble, dead to the best feelings of humanity, would throw off all subordination, and every thing dishonouring to God and degrading to man would be adopted. And who could blame them on sceptical principles ? Or what could possibly harm them? At death, their "eternal sleep" will be as sound and as sweet as the most virtuous under heaven, and none can make them afraid. And what is the happiness such a system proposes? Supposing no doubt ever arose respecting its validity; or that conscience never awoke to upbraid them, (which is not admitted) are the pleasures of science, of the imagination, of the senses; are these the sources of their happiness? If so, they are not really happy. The christian is as capable of knowing these pleasures as the infidel; and he knows that the favour of God is beyond them all. But conscience will sometimes awake, the terrors of God will sometimes be felt, and unless fully given up to hardness of heart, doubts will arise; and then where is their happiness?* Nor are the generality of plays, novels, and such like trash much better. Nature is rather caricatured than described; false sympathy is awaked, false hopes excited, base passions stimulated, and the heart more deeply corrupted. O, how insipid is Divine truth to those whose imaginations are thus heated by such chimeri. cal images!

* I knew one Mr. G. of Nottingham, who renounced his infidel creed, and was indeed, a brand plucked from the fire,' having been a chief man in a society of that kind for many years, and who knew all their minds on the subJect; who declared that after all their contempt of revealed religion, they ALL had their fears lest it should prove true,

Bad company tends to confirm it.-It is of small moment whether the company be rich or poor, for however they may differ in judgment, manner, or pursuits, the communication will be evil, and that will corrupt good manners where they are, and establish the bad where the good are not. "Men of high degree (said the psalmist) are a lie; and men of low degree are vanity." For this cause it is said, "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Can a man associate with such as delight in scorning and hate knowledge; who rejoice to do evil and blaspheme; whose hearts are full of concupiscence; who despise the dictates of conscience; sing the drunkard's song; profanely swear; are fond of lewd speeches, impious jests, gaming, and midnight revels? Is it possible to make persons of such corrupt morals our friends, and we not be tainted, nor enter into the same spirit? As well may we expect that the tenderest plants from the warmest climates would flourish and vegetate most when exposed to the sharp frosts of our severest winters, or that he that rolls himself in mud will not be defiled. You must be what they are, if you will choose wicked company, or you must fly. If you fly not, your taste for the gospel will be vitiated; its precepts and duties will be strange things; and all that belongs to it will be opposed, contemned, or appear unsuitable to you.

It is promoted by an unenlightened ministry.—The sword of the Spirit, in the hand of a judicious, faithful, and experienced minister of Christ, will do execution. It lays open the heart of the sinner to his own view, constrains him to pass judgment on his sinful actions, and awes him into an acknowledgment of his failings, and the long-suffering of God. But when a man is thrust into the ministry by his relations for "a piece of bread," and perhaps much against his will, having never understood what travail of soul on account of sin means, he is incapable of understanding it in others. When he takes up the gospel sword, he comments learnedly enough upon it, and speaks highly of its excellency; but he

is unskilful in the use of it. He is like a timid blind man, who gives a feeble, ineffectual stroke in the air, and after a short flourish puts it in its peaceful scabbard again. Such a ministry is not calculated to rouze the guilty, nor alarm the unholy. It has no salutary influence upon their hearts. They may be pleased, but cannot be greatly profited; and the profit, if any, consists in a small portion of feeble morality. When the sincere word of truth is mixed with superstition, or is adulterated with false doctrines, it not only loses its healing or penetrating powers, but becomes dan ́gerous as poison mixed with wine: when attended by persecution, and malevolence, its native lustre is obscured, and becomes less amiable to the beholders, and chases away the aggrieved party, which is generally the best and most serious; and if such unworthy shepherds associate with the enemies of godliness, they bring both themselves and their profession into contempt. Those who contend for, and sit under such a ministry, may well be ignorant, despise the gospel, and continue strangers to real conversion.

A persecuting and profligate magistracy.—Where magistrates are remiss in their duty, or countenance wickedness, either by the company they keep, by any unlawful opposition to real piety, refusal of justice, or by personal offences, it has a bad effect upon the worldly minded, especially the lower classes, who notice, and copy after their betters, and causes them to be ashamed of that which may cause them inconveniences, or expose them to persecution; yea, and they even go to greater lengths in sin for fear they should be suspected. This nation, in the time of the Puritans, and Non-conformists, saw much of this evil, but thanks be to God, that our lot is cast in better days. There may, indeed, be here and there one, "who neither fears God, nor regards man;" but their number I hope is small, who would not act according to the laws, and afford redress to all who seek it in a lawful manner. The regular administration of justice in this nation is admirable. If our criminal laws, for some offences, are deemed too sanguinary, that lies more

with the legislators, than with those who are appointed to enforce these laws; but certainly much praise is due to all who impartially enforce those statutes which afford the peaceful subject protection from violence, the possession of property, and the rights of conscience. A magistracy that disregards these things, may be most justly deprecated, as one of the greatest evils that could befal us as a nation. Our portion of piety is sufficiently small, but that, apparently, would make it much smaller.

Care and solicitude, both among rich and poor, has a tendency to cause forgetfulness of God, and to divert the mind from him. Worldly prosperity, and great concerns, are attended with care and anxiety, as well as poverty. Commercial men are often in a state of painful suspense: they are greatly agitated by good and bad news; having set their hearts on riches or greatness, their souls are buried in care, or entangled wholly by worldly considerations; and, in addition, there are many indulgencies to be sought after, what delicacies shall we eat, what delicious wines shall we drink, and what elegant apparel shall we wear? besides a thousand other matters which are deemed highly important. Thus their time and thoughts are taken up till, first, they have no opportunity for religion; next, no inclination; and, lastly, a rooted enmity against it, and against its Author. The sabbath arrives; and while the assemblies of God's willing people are, according to their different views, aiming to worship him aright, this greedy desire of gain causes others to be posting their books, writing to their correspondents, or forming new speculations. Others are hunting after news, visiting, and making excursions on business or pleasure. And, though there are those who appear at the house of God, their minds are so filled with care that there is no room for truth to enter; or if a few seeds fall on the mind, the birds devour it soon, because no proper attention is paid to it; and they continue in the same state as before. Poor people, and those who endeavour to live respectably, are also kept from embracing the gospel, by a variety of cares and trou

bles, large families, difficulty of supplies, accidents, and afflictions; or perhaps want of employment, the dread of creditors, unequal yoke-fellows, unkindness or knavery of others, &c. Well might the Saviour bid us beware of the cares of life; for those that are intoxicated by them, are not in a state to receive the truths by which the soul is led in the way of life and happiness.

A worldly spirit does harm many ways.-It gives rise to the fear of man. Those who are under its influence seek the honour that cometh from man, and are afraid of their remarks and censures. They cannot bear to pass for enthusiasts, or be numbered with the despised followers of Christ. They must be respectable; and if they cannot have it with a good conscience, they will have it without it. Many are filled with shame and confusion to be thought serious, or favourers of those who tell the world, as their Lord did before them, that its deeds are evil. Many beguile their souls with false hopes that they may be saved without conversion—that God will not prove so strict as his word declares—that he will make merciful allowances for human weaknesses; meaning that he will approve of them, though they continue in their sins; holding fast their besetting sin, whether pleasure, gain, ambition, or what not. Others, again, intend to turn sometime, and be saved, and purpose, when they do begin, that they will out-shine many whom they have known. you enquire why they begin not now, they are too young, too busy, too gay, too wise and learned, of too great a family and respectable connexions; or they are displeased with hypocritical professors; some from whom they have great expectations it would offend; or it will hurt them in their character, affairs, and connexions. It is astonishing what excuses are made, what procrastination appears, and what ways men take to justify their proceedings. Yet it is to be feared that there are many in hell who never meant to have been there: but, trifling with God and their own souls, and full of the world, till death came, and who, finding them unprepared, became to them the king of terrors, and imperiously sent them to the regions of darkness and despair.

If