acceptance of God. If this lovely youth, could keep all the commandments of the Decalogue, as to the letter of them, from his childhood up; and still be a stranger to the spirit-the self-denying, self-abjuring spirit which they require: still be a slave of the world, and of consequence, "an enemy of God;" are we not warranted in the belief, that many in these days, when the claims of religion are so much accommodated to the opinions, and wishes, and practices of a licentious age, are thinking themselves, and are thought by others, to be "something when they are nothing ?" Is there not ground to fear that far less is requisite at the present time, to constitute a Christian in the estimation of the world, than was deemed indispensable in the first age of Christianity—than "the Scripture, which cannot be broken," deems-indispensable now? Does not an acknowledgment in general terms of the truth of Christianity, a professed subjection to its authority, and a regular attendance upon its institutions; together with that mildness of temper, and decorum of manners, which either na

ture or education may bestow, pass current with many for religion? May not a man be devoted-supremely devoted to the acquisition of wealth, either for its own sake, or for the gratifications which it is capable of procuring; and yet, be applauded for his attachment and allegiance to Him who hath said, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon ? Are not the love of Christ, and the love of pleasures, though pronounced incompatible with each other, by the same infallible voice, deemed perfectly consistent and harmonious? If not, why do we hear so much of the goodness of that man's heart, who is so pressed with worldly cares-an attention to the increase, security, or disposal of his wealth; that he has no time, and less inclination, for the private duties of religion-the duties of the family and the closet--for reading the Scriptures and teaching his children to read and understand themfor planting the seed of spiritual instruction in their opening minds, and watering it with his prayers and tears--who has his thousands at command, when any thing is to be gained by the advance

of them; and nothing, or next to nothing, when the diffusion of truth, the enlargement of Zion, the glory of God, and the salvation of souls, is the object? If not, why do we hear the piety of that female extolled, who is with difficulty induced, if induced at all, to spend an hour or devote a dollar for the instruction and salvation of the poor, while the demands of fashion and the calls of pleasure however frequent, or exorbitant, never suffer a denial?

But where none of this gross inconsistency appears may not the heart be utterly destitute of that love to God; that hatred of sin; that humility, meekness, and self denial; that holy indifference to the opinions of the world; and that hungering and thirsting after righteousness, which are inseparable from true religion? "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart; in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God."

Secondly. To leave the world with tranquillity of mind; unstung by the recollection of the past, and undismayed by the apprehension of the future, is not to die in the Lord. Such an exit may be easily accounted for, upon principles entirely independent of religion. Disease not unfrequently enfeebles the mind; blunts its sensibilities; obscures its vision; and renders it incapable either of contemplating truth, or realizing danger. This, in conjunction with the power of medicine, which is sometimes given for the very purpose of preventing, or disarming reflection, produces what is easily mistaken for Christian composure and serenity. But supposing the mind to be clear, may it not be perverted-" spoiled" by infidel philosophy; or (which is more common and equally dangerous) by philosophical Christianity.* What

By philosophical Christianity, is here meant, Christianity stript of its distinctive peculiarities as a Revelation from Heaven; and accommodated to the standard of that "wisdom which is foolishness with God." In other words, Christianity as explained, and received by those, who make their own reason the test, not so much of what God has taught, as of what it would be fit and becoming him to teach. To such as may feel at a loss to know what province should be assigned to human reason in matters of religion, the author would with deference recommend a little work, entitled "The Nature, Extent, and Province of Human Reason, considered." For the satisfaction of those who may be unable to procure the book, the following extracts are subjoined. Though no Revelation can come from God, but what is truly wor thy of him, and full of every internal excellence; yet, what is truly

is there to disturb 'the tranquillity of those, who believe in the annihilation of the soul; or in the certainty of its happiness beyond the grave? Or why should he, who thinks he has done as well as the frailty of our nature will permit; or who has been wont to consider Jehovah as altogether such an one as himself; be alarmed at the prospect of dissolution? We read of " the wicked who have no bands in their death:" and worthy of God to be revealed, cannot possibly be known by us, but by a Revelation from himself.

"And, as we can only know what is worthy of God in Creation, by knowing what he has created; so we can no other way possibly know what is worthy of God to be revealed, but by a Revelation. And he that pretends, independently of any Revelation, to shew how, and in what manner God ought to make a Revelation worthy of himself, is as great a Visionary, as he that should pretend, independently of the Creation, or without learning any thing from it, to shew how God ought to have proceeded in it, to make it worthy of himself. For, as God alone knows how to create worthy of himself, and nothing can possibly be proved to be worthy to be created by him, but because he has already created it; so God alone knows what is worthy of himself in a Revelation, and nothing can possibly be proved worthy to be revealed by him, but because he has already revealed it."

"There is nothing therefore half so mysterious in the Christian revelation, considered in itself, as there is in that invisible Providence, which all must hold, who believe a God. And though there is enough plain in Providence, to excite the admiration of humble and pious minds, yet it has often been a rock of Atheism to those, who make their own Reason the measure of wisdom."

"And if a Revelation had no other proof of its Divinity, but such an internal excellency and fitness of its doctrines, as is fully knowu and a pproved by human_Reason; such an internal excellency would be so far from being a sufficient proof of its Divinity, that it would be a probable objection against it. For it has an appearance of great probability, that God would not make an eternal Revelation of that unly, which was sufficiently and fully known without it.

"Although, therefore, no Revelation can come from God, whose doctrines have not an internal excellency, and the highest fitness; yet the non-appearance of such excellency and fitness to our Reason, cannot be a disproof of its Divinity; because, it is our ignorance of such matters, without Revelation, which is the true ground and reason of God's revealing any thing to us.”