whether we shall for ever enjoy his inestimable favour, or feel the weight of his awful indignation; whether our capacity of reflection, memory, and anticipation shall be our noblest privilege, or our most aggravated misery; whether we shall bear the holy image of God, or be given up to the unrestrained dominion of every hateful passion; and whether happy angels or apostate spirits shall be our companions, during our eternal existence. In the mean time, this must also determine, whether in the present life we shall possess that peace of God which passeth all understanding; or resemble the tempestuous waters of the occean, in the dissatisfied and unsettled state of our minds; whether we shall pass through life with comfort and usefulness, and meet death in joyful hope; or spend our days in vanity and vexation, and at length be driven away into darkness and despair.

The scriptures certainly require all who would "declare the whole counsel of God," to use this decided language: and whatever plausibility may appear in the reasonings or conjectures of those that become the advocates of the heathen, whom St. Paul declared to be "without excuse;" it is impossible, consistently with scripture, to entertain the least hope concerning persons who reject revelation, and prefer their own self-flattering imaginations to the sure testimony of God. It hath therefore been sufficiently shown, that the subjects of which we treat, as far as we adhere to

scripture, are most certain, necessary, and important; and that, in comparison, all the objects, which ambition, avarice, or sensuality pursue, are frivolous as the toys of children, and transient as a dream when one awaketh.

III. Then let us conclude the subject by a prac-, tical improvement.

It can scarcely be expected that they, who avowedly disregard all religion, will trouble themselves to attend to these instructions: otherwise.

we might very forcibly insist on the folly and madness of their conduct. We would say to such men, "Do you act upon principle? or do you not?' If you answer in the affirmative, you profess yourselves to be atheists, or at least to hold sentiments which are practically equivalent to atheism. But does any one of those frantick enthusiasts whom you despise, imagine so wild an absurdity, as they do, who ascribe this fair creation, in which wise contrivance and boundless goodness emulate each other, to blind chance or necessity; or imagine a Creator, who totally disregards the work of his own hands? But were this absurd principle, which contradicts demonstrable truths, as near to certainty as it is possible, what would you gain by it? Should you at last find yourselves mistaken, your loss would be infinite; should you be right in your notion, you have not the smallest advantage:

unless you choose to own, that as you spend your lives, it will be an advantage to die like the brutes, and that the atheism of your understandings springs from the depraved affections of your hearts.

But if you allow that there is a God, who created and governs the world, on whom all are dependent, and to whom all are accountable: how infatuated must you be, to live as if there were none! never to enquire what your Creator commands or forbids! To be indifferent whether he be pleased or displeased! Wantonly to do those things, against which your consciences protest, as contrary to the will of God! Bestowing no pains to avert his wrath, when you know you have offended him! But wasting your lives in palling sensualities, insipid dissipations, wearisome pursuits, and a constant succession of vain expectations, bitter disappointments, and multiplied crimes, till a hopeless death drops the curtain, and closes the mournful scene!

And are you then entitled, as persons of superior discernment and sagacity, to treat pious christians with supercilious contempt, as men of weak intellects and disordered minds? When all the instances of credulity and indiscretion, which the whole company of religious people through all generations have exhibited, bear no manner of proportion to the madness and folly of an irreligious life.

Supposing however, that you do pay some attention to this most important concern: is it not also evident, from the subject we have been considering, that you ought to bestow great pains to discover the true religion, and to discriminate it from all others? Numbers are of opinion, that people should adhere to the religion in which they were educated: but does not this imply that they deem all religion a vain and trifling matter? A nation may retain some inconvenient usages, without much censure: but to support unjust and ruinous laws, because their fathers did so, would imply a most unreasonable and detestable obstinacy. Thus some circumstances in religion may perhaps be retained, because they are deemed venerable for their antiquity; but its grand essentials are our life, and we are ruined, if we prefer human tradition to divine revelation. Such an opinion vindicates the Jews in rejecting the gospel, and exculpates those who cried out, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." It espouses the cause of pagans, Mahometans, and papists; while it condemns prophets, apostles, martyrs, and zealous reformers: and in short it considers it criminal to oppose any established error or imposition. But the monstrous deformity of this tenet must be visible, whenever it is brought forth to the light; and we need only exhort every one to consider the subject with application to himself, and to act accordingly. It will then be deemed most rational to examine with diligent and impartial

care the evidences of divine revelation; and, if the mind be satisfied in this respect, daily to search the scriptures, with earnest prayer for divine instruction, according to the apostle's exhortation, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, "who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not."-But let it be also remembered, that multitudes study religion as a science, and thus adopt a scriptural creed, yea, are useful in propagating the truth, who yet are not themselves truly religious. Nay, many have prophesied and wrought miracles, who have been at the same time workers of iniquity. Notions may float in the understanding, when they do not durably affect the heart, or influence the conduct: but unless the truth be an engrafted and sanctifying principle in the soul, it must be "held in unrighteousness;" and such a religion is indeed a vain thing, though vital christianity is unspeakably valuable and important.

Our Lord requires his disciples to "seek first "the kingdom of God and his rigteousness.” We should set out in early youth with this most important business: but if we have wasted a great part of our lives already, we should immediately attend to it with proportionable earnestness and industry. We should begin every year, month, week, and day, with this one thing needful; to which the prime of our affections, and the best of our hours should be dedicated: and all other