fort of amiable prejudice in its favour; under the influence of which, though we shall carefully examine its external evidences to guard against deception, yet we shall give them à fair hearing and candid examination. IT was with reafon, then, that difbelief is put down in the catalogue of vices. It flows from vicious principles; it stops up the avenues of conviction, and deftroys the means of reformation; and is therefore the justest object of Divine animadverfion. And this is the condemnation, (says our Saviour) that light, is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. John, iii. 19. IV. BUT what, it is afked, is faith? how is it to be acquired? Ir is such a firm perfwafion of the truth of religion, as forms a steady principle of virtuous conduct. THE first stage in this virtue is profes fron. fion. As faith comes by hearing, it is neceffary to keep within the means and opportunities of grace. All christians have a right to the outward communion of the church, until they voluntarily forfeit it by flagitious behaviour. As long then as they keep up this facred intercourse, though upon the whole fupine and careless members, there are hopes of their improvement. In fome happy hour or other, the grace of GOD may touch their hearts, and bring them to repentance. But when they put the ordinances of GOD at defiance, when they desert or profane his house, when they prostitute his day to the purposes of unneceffary bufinefs, profane idleness, or finful diverfions, when they roll on in an unvaried fucceffion of perplexing cares or befotting amusements, and leave the mind no intervals for thoughtfulness and reflection; their cafe must be as defperate, as the patient's, who who laughs as his phyfician and despises the means of his recovery. BUT bare profeffion, an unreflecting acknowledgment of truth, is not fufficient; it is but a dead unanimated image. Meditation must convert it into a living active principle. And this must be by confidering the end and importance of religion. Ir was not defigned to fill our heads with airy notions, or amufe us with idle fpeculations. It is a rule of conduct. Its doctrines are to enforce its precepts and its precepts to direct our actions. By confidering religion in this manner, we fhall make it—what it really is-the power of God unto falvation; not a traditional fyftem, to be impofed upon us, like our names, without our consciousness, and to be continued, like popular cuftoms, with an unmeaning acquiefcence. We shall then only confider ourselves as true believers, when we act and live as believers. NOR is this enough: a man may believe, believe, and yet fall away-The first impreffions then must be kept alive and vigorous by repeated acts and habits of recollection. Faith, like all faculties both of mind and body, is weakened and unnerved by difufe. The cleareft truths lie dormant and ufelefs in the mind without proper exercife. Satisfied with our first conviction, we lay them as it were aside, and forget their application. Now habitual recollection is the only remedy against this inconvenience, especially at fuch feafons as are appropriated by nature and religion to the facred purpose. A HEATHEN fage,* taught in the oriental schools, advises his followers: review the actions of the day, before you clofe * Μηδ' υπνον μαλακοισιν επ' ομμασι προσδεξασθαι, Pythagoras. close your eyes at night: ask yourself, where have I offended against the laws of virtue? what have I done which I ought not to have done? and what have I left undone, which I ought to have done? An admirable leffon to many, who neglect the greater light of revelation, from whence the maxim originally came! NATURE wonderfully feconds the ufeful inftruction. Somehow, when the evening fpreads her fober mantle over the world, and hushes the tumults of the day, the mind naturally grows calm and ferious, and compofes itself for contemplation. Happy is it, where this compofure is properly directed, where it is employed to call our ways to remembrance, and to prepare virtuous refolutions for the returning business of life. Happier ftill, if again, when returning light awakes us with recruited spirits to refume our former pursuits, we employ fome portion of this time to confirm our refolutions |