and arbitrarily withdraw men from the pursuit of worldly interests, it would be strange, as things are, if they did not act counter to it; but, when it only claims to regulate that pursuit and to turn those interests to the best account, making them all subser vient to ends which are acknowledged to be unspeakably more important, yet abstracting nothing from the enjoyment of them here; it is passing strange it should set so lightly on their minds, that they scarcely know if there be any such thing, and concern themselves as little to secure it, as if it were but a mere shadow of the good which they so eagerly seek from this troubled and uncertain world. There must be some cause of this, different from any to which it is usually referred. Their conduct with respect to all other objects, bears some analogy to their professed convictions; but this, confessedly the most adorable and worthy object, is contemplated, if contemplated at all, with a kind of irresolution which as properly bespeaks their dread as their desire of it-their desire, as fearing they may need it-their dread, as not relishing its excellence, and as having insulted and forfeited it by a practical preference of other interests which they dare not profess to esteem before it-leaving them in a state of indecision, wherein their thoughts reach not to it, and rest so easily with them, that a mere profes

sion of regard to it comes in their view to compensate for the want of regard itself.

This singularity of which we are speaking, is often found in the character of men who are so very moral in most respects, that it would seem hardy to deem them irreligious. But, as God has given reason only to man, thus making him a noble and knowing creature, it is very singular that man should employ that reason in all his moral and social actions and duties, and yet only do the acts of God's worship and service with indifferency of mind, or when some great event or calamity rouses him to it; that he should perform his relative duties, his duties to man with such design and constancy, as that his whole life may be compared to a volume written with forecast of the ends it should answer, while the thoughts and acts which signify any recognition of God and his claims, are but the parentheses which might be left out without breaking the sense, and, we might add, without so much as blemishing the morality of the author. Such casual thoughts and devotions do less honour than injure so worthy an object as they aspire to: they do greatly affront the Divine Majesty by denying to him the chief homage of that faculty in the bestowing of which he has chiefly honoured us; they would even degrade him below ourselves, by apportioning to him less care and

respect than are given to his creatures; paltry, costless things that they are, they would take the place of faith and devotion, when they have not so much of the grace of consideration and design, as is expressed in an idle mimickry of them. They indeed evince such indifference to man's most weighty concerns, such misplacing of his affections, as would leave it in doubt, if we knew nothing more of him, whether he be a rational creature or no: for to be able to think of God as a being proper to worship; to be capable of a religious sentiment, of a spiritual advancement and attend no more to it; to trust all which he owns to be most important to casual thoughts, thoughts which he neither bids nor heeds, is such an impertinence, rather such an impersonality of mind, that as in the stare of idiocy, we cannot tell whether there be thought in it, or whether it be a mere animal surprise.

Such absence of reason and consideration in the practice of man in reference to this subject, while in theory he acknowledges its incomparable importance, and while he is lively to the obligation, and thoughtful in the discharge, of his relative duties, is not to be accounted for without the supposition of that darkness and unbelief of mind which shuts out from the soul all communion with God and all sensible realization of his truth. He acts a part so un

suitable to his nature and interests, that we should consider it, if our views were straight on this subject, proof of the greatest weakness and self-deception, if not of something worse and wilder On matters of astounding moment he now wills; in an instant he wills not; in another he knows not whether he wills or no. He importantly aims at nothing, and to nothing comes. He lives and dies unimproved by the experience of others, and unimproving others by his own. Such indecision, such an end in relation to the affairs of the world, would indicate an abandonment of our proper nature, and whatever we may think of it as affecting the higher concerns of eternity, certain it is that it cannot be the fruit of considering them; and not to consider them, when we admit our high concernment in them, and are summoned to it by so many arguments of invitation and as with the alarm-voice of the spirit within us and of all nature around us, is to despise and reject them as in our slumbers, and to become infidels, if not by the action of our reason, yet by the chance of our indifference.

Such treatment of the claims of religion is the direct effect of infidelity; and this conviction must be theirs who will consider not only what influence the revealed will of God is entitled to have, but what it actually has, on minds that believe it. Men are

universally curious to look into futurity, and to know something of their condition after death; and nothing could be more worthy, or better adapted, to sway their conduct, than a thorough persuasion of the truth of the revelation which God has made on this subject. When they come to this understanding, and see their immortal interests side by side with those of time; when they feel that there is but a step between them and the full reality, but an uncertain period, (and that short at longest and unsatisfying at best,) between them and their eternal separation from every thing the heart attaches to here, except what God has approved and set apart for heaven, they will feel the actuating spirit of the word, and if they do not 'become whole," will at least be willing to consider and do many things." But, as the case often stands, they come far short of this: they honour the subject only with casual notices; they want, indeed, the sensibility and purpose about it of the judge (have they more merit than he?) who said within himself, "Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her; I will do what is right in her case, that I may be rid of her importunity." Awakened sinners sometimes attempt to procure relief to a troubled conscience on this prin3 Luke xviii. 4, 5.

1 John v. 4.

2 Mark vi. 20.