solar orb extinguishes the power of vision, by directing its efforts.

Docility then, my dear children, by which I mean a submission of the human understanding, in matters of religion, to the word of God, is essential to all true piety. I insist upon this with more earnestness, because it is easy to perceive, that the tendency of the present age is in an opposite direction. A haughty and flippant spirit has arisen, which, under the pretext of freedom of inquiry, has discovered a restless propensity to throw off the authority of divine truth; a spirit more disposed to teach the bible than to be taught by it; to speculate upon what it should be, than to receive it as it is; a spirit which would receive the morality of the word of God as it finds it, but which is perpetually employed in mending its theology; which, in fact, would subvert the true order of things, and, instead of subjecting reason to revelation, would make reason the teacher, and revelation the pupil. Beware, my children, of this dangerous spirit, which, while it pays flattering compliments to your understanding, is injecting the deadliest poison into your soul.

4. A prayerful spirit is essential to a right disposition for inquiring into the nature of true piety.

Religion is an affair so spiritual in its nature, so tremendously important in its consequences, and so frequently misunderstood; and, on the other hand, we ourselves are so liable to be misled in our judgements by the bewildering influence of internal depravity, and external temptation, that it betrays the most criminal indifference, or the most absurd self-confidence,

to enter on this subject, without constant earnest supplication for direction to the Father and Fountain of lights.

The religious world is like an immense forest, through which lies the right road to truth and happiness; but besides this, there are innumerable paths running in all directions; every way has its travellers, each traveller thinks he is right, and attempts to prove it, by referring to the map which he carries in his hand. In such circumstances, who, that values his soul or her eternal situation, would not seek for guidance to him who has promised to disclose to us by his Spirit the path of life? When young people trust to the efforts of their own unaided reason, and neglect to ask for the guiding influence of the eternal God, it is matter of little surprise that they are found walking in the paths of error. There is a degree of pride and independence in this, which God often punishes, by leaving them to the seductions of sophistry and falsehood. In addition, then, to the greatest seriousness of mind, and the most intense desire after truth, and the most unprejudiced approach to the oracle of scripture, pray constantly to God to reveal to you the nature of true piety, and to dispose you to embrace it. This is the way appointed by God to obtain it. " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto them which are your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him." "I will instruct thee, and teach

thee in the way thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye."

These, surely, with a thousand other passages of similar import, are sufficient to enjoin and encourage the temper I now recommend. I have no hope of those who neglect habitual prayer for divine illumination. I expect to see them left to embrace error for truth, or to content themselves with the mere forms of godliness, instead of its power.

CHAPTER III.

On right sentiments in Religion.

TRUTH and error, my children, are essentially distinct, and diametrically opposed to each other. It is important to perceive in every case this difference to embrace the one, and reject the other. To have the judgement misled in its decisions, on any subject, is an evil, which, as rational creatures, we should ever deprecate; but to be mistaken on that subject, where " he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned," is most fearful, most fatal. To be in error on the topics of literature, science, commerce, history, is a mere inconvenience, at worst a derogation from our mental reputation, or our worldly comfort; but to be fundamentally wrong in religion, is an evil which commences its chief mischief from the day of our death, and perpetuates itself through all the ages of eternity.

I need not inform you, that there prevails an endless variety of opinion on the subject of religion. This circumstance, however, with pious minds, it might be a matter of regret, with philophic ones, is no cause of surprise. Infidels, who profess to study theology in the book of nature, are divided into many sects. Scarcely a subject exists, however plain, and apparently incapable of producing a diversity of opinion, but what is viewed by different men in various lights. What clashing opinions exist among lawyers, concerning the precise meaning of the words of a statute, which was drawn up with the most anxious care to avoid all litigation. That different opinions should exist on the meaning of the Scriptures, is less to be wondered at, when we consider how deeply we are all interested in the matter of revelation, and how apt we are in cases of personal interest, to have our judgements biassed by our feelings. The Bible, if read in heaven by holy angels and spirits made perfect, produces no discordant opinions there. It is to the depravity of human nature, that all religious error is to be traced.

Diversity of sentiment, although confessedly an evil, has been productive of some benefits. It has afforded opportunity for the more vigorous exercise and conspicuous display of Christian charity and forbearance between the various sects; while it is a constant pledge for the purity of the sacred text. As they all profess to draw their opinions from the Bible, they of course maintain a constant and sleepless jealousy over each other's treatment of the word of God. Their opposition to each other converts them all into vigilant guardians of the source of their faith; so that although they have corrupted the

streams of truth, they have jointly guarded the purity of the fountain. The suspicion of any liberties having been taken with the word of God, would be an evil more to be deplored than the existence of a diversity of opinion on the sacred text. While the genuineness of the statute is admitted, and the incorruptibility of the judge is maintained, the wranglings of counsellors cannot subvert the foundations of justice.

Still, however, these opposite sentiments cannot of course be all right. Although error is multiform, truth is uniform; and it is of infinite consequence, that we should embrace the one and reject the other.

1. Some errors unquestionably exclude a man from salvation. "He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." Now certainly from this language it is evident that salvation is suspended on a belief of the gospel, and of course upon a belief of the true gospel, not on the belief of a false one. If, therefore, what we believe is not the same as that which the word of God reveals, it is not the Gospel; and such a faith will not save us. To ascertain with precision what truths are essential to the hope of eternal life, is a very difficult task: to say how far a person may go in error, and yet after all be saved, is what no mortal should presume to do. When a man, however, disbelieves the Bible to be the word of God; or rejects the doctrine of the atonement; or the justification of the soul by faith; or the necessity of divine influences to renew and sanctify the heart, or the obligation of true holiness; I do not see how such an individual can be saved. He subverts the very foundations