the one hand you find little elfe but ceremony without fubftance, fpeculation without practice, faith without works; a high-flown orthodoxy, which, if it does not avowedly fuperfede the neceffity of found morals, takes however all occafions to - undervalue them; and, in fine, a fiery zeal, which burns up every fentiment of moderation and charity. On the other hand you hear of honesty without piety, goodnature without real principle, modern - honour in place of ancient virtue, or, at moft, certain decencies of demeanour, that leave men at liberty to indulge the most criminal difpofitions, provided only that appearances are preserved.

If you listen to the advocates for these feveral schemes, they would every one perfuade you that they, and they only, are in the right; that fuch as differ from them are equally mistaken and miferable; in a word, that, by efpoufing their party in preference to all the reft, you can alone VOL. I. F.

infure felicity. This they maintain with as much pofitiveness and vehemence, as if Truth and They were born and had grown up together. From the narrowness and partiality which they all betray, it appears, indeed, that they are all erroneous : yet none of them are without a multitude of followers, each fyftem being not only propagated with a confidence that imposes, but also adapted to foothe and screen the finful propenfities of men, while each feems to provide fome kind of compenfa-. tion; a circumftance which ought of itfelf fingly to render both fufpected, for this obvious reason, that the complying with one obligation can never be a just excuse for not complying with another. But what fhall we fay? Youth is a stranger to fufpicion. Paufing pale Diftruft," as the poet has beautifully defcribed it," the "affiftant of that flow mistress, Expe"rience," is only to be found in the fchool of the world. Fond confiding youth, yet unacquainted with the perfidy

and futility daily practifed there, is forward to believe whatever is boldly afferted, especially if it leave a latitude, much more if it give encouragement, to the favourite defires of nature.

But now fuppofe a young person hitherto uncorrupted, modeft, fimple, poffessed of the amiable difpofitions which our divine Mafter fo much admired and applauded in children; imagine him to hear those oppofite schemes propofed and preffed with the usual eagerness: How fhall he proceed? What courfe fhall he fteer in this wide uncertain ocean of contending opinions?

There is but one fafe courfe; it is pointed out by the Hand that made him, and that sent him forth on the voyage of life: he finds it traced upon his heart; his reafon recognizes and recommends it as the work of the Creator. "He hath fhowed thee, O man, what is good, and

"what the Lord thy God requireth of "thee; to do justice, to love mercy, "and to walk humbly with thy God." Our ingenuous enquirer liftens to the voice of the Moft High within him, as thus addreffing his Confcience : • Behold, I have placed thee in the mind of that youth, as my reprefentative. Fail not to exert thy power, in bless

ing him with tranquillity and joy ⚫ while he continues his allegiance; but, 'fhould he rebel, give him to know that "it is an evil and a bitter thing,” by pu

nishing him with dejection and disqui'etude. Follow him every where, and ⚫ make him always fenfible that his peace and welfare depend on the veneration •he entertains for God's vicegerent.'

What think ye, Sirs? Will the youth we have supposed, with those awful words refounding in his intellectual ear, hefitate in his choice, or be disposed to doubt, whether he shall obey the Heaven

commiffioned judge, or give himself up to the giddy, noify, and arrogant rout on either hand, which we mentioned before? Will he not rather rejoice in fo fignificant a declaration of the unerring order, esteem himself happy in conforming to it, and be apt to cry out, with a mixture of ferious contempt and holy zeal, Stand off! ye flatterers of youthful folly, ye fmiling abettors of vice; and you, ye formal, proud, hypocritical pretenders: Stand off together, ye triflers, and " difputers of this "world!" I will not be governed by any of you I will

❝ of the Lord God,

hearken to the voice

and him only will I "obey: I will call no man mafter upon "earth: " the image of my Maker's authority in this breast I will ever revere: "My Heart shall not reproach me so long

$6 as I live."

Be not deceived, my young friends: he who ultimately dreads any other cenfure than that of his own mind, or fur