information, or a few fuperficial unconnected inftructions; but let it be taught them fyftematically and methodically; let the first rudiments of it be instilled as early and as carefully into their minds, as thofe of every other fcience; let its evidences and its doctrines be gradually explained to them, in the several feminaries of learning through which they fucceffively pafs, in proportion as their judgements ripen, and their understandings unfold themselves. Let them, in fhort, be made not only great scholars, and accomplished gentlemen, but, what is of infinitely more importance, both to themselves and to the public, honeft men, and fincere Chriftians.

By means fuch as these, together with our most earnest prayers for the affistance of Divine Grace to co-operate with our own endeavours, there is little doubt but a great and a bleffed change may in time be brought about, in the manners even of the prefent generation, and ftill more of the rifing one. And when once the sense of religion is effectually awakened in our fouls, we have every reason in the world to expect the happiest confequences from it.

The

The declarations of fcripture on this head are peremptory and decifive. "At what in"ftant" (fays God)" I shall speak concern

ing a nation, and concerning a kingdom, "to pluck up and to pull down, and to de"ftroy it, if that nation, against whom I "have pronounced, turn from their evil, I " will repent of the evil which I thought to "do unto them *." But, befides the reviving hopes which these promises may well infpire, there are other very important advantages that will naturally and spontaneously flow from a fincere belief in the doctrines, and a general obedience to the laws, of the Gofpel.

I. In the first place, true Christianity will produce TRUE PATRIOTISM AND PUBLIC SPIRIT. By its commanding influence over the foul," it will keep under, and bring "into fubjection †," all thofe irregular paffions which render men rapacious, fordid, selfish, and corrupt, indifferent and inattentive to the public, devoted folely to the purfuit of fome favourite object, or the gratifica

* Jer. xviii. 7, 8.

+ 1 Cor. ix. 27.

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tion of fome implacable refentment, to which they are at any time ready to prostitute their confciences, and facrifice the true interest of their country. From all thefe vile impediments to the discharge of our duty, Chriftianity fets us free, and fubftitutes in their room, the nobleft and most generous fentiments. It gives that dignity and elevation of foul, which is fuperior to every undue influence, either of popularity or of power. It lays down, as the foundation of all difinterested conduct, that great evangelical virtue, SELF-DENIAL: it teaches us to deny, to renounce ourselves; to throw entirely out of our thoughts, our own prejudices, interefts, and paffions; and in every public queftion, to fee nothing, to regard nothing, but the real welfare of our country, and that plain line of duty, which no honest man can miftake. To this it adds unbounded love for all, but especially" the brotherhood * ; that is, the community of which we are members. It extends our profpect beyond the present scene of things, and fets before us the recompences of a future life; which,

1 Pet. ii. 17.

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as they make us richer, enable us to be more generous, than other men. They whose views are wholly centered in this world, will too often prefer the emoluments of it to every other confideration: but they who look towards an inheritance in another state of existence, can afford to give up to the general welfare, a few advantages in this.

II. When once we have thoroughly imbibed the true spirit and temper of the Gofpel, it will foon produce what is essential to our prefervation, UNANIMITY; will compose all those unhappy diffenfions which have so long torn the ftate in pieces; which have been one principal cause of our present evils; and, if not timely extinguished, or at least greatly mitigated, will probably lead (as in all great empires they have universally led) to final ruin. Now the fource of this dreadful mischief lies where few feem to fufpect, in the want of RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE. Had not all fides departed, in a greater or less degree, from those heavenly precepts of gentleness, humility, meekness, placability, brotherly kindness, moderation, equity, and integrity, which the Gospel prefcribes, it is utterly

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utterly impoffible that our divifions could have arisen to their present alarming height. But the misfortune is, we are apt to think ourselves dispensed with, in matters of state, from all those rules of morality, which, in every other cafe, we deem it our duty to obferve: and, what is quite aftonishing and unaccountable, the very fame perfons, who in private life are confiderate, reasonable, impartial, good-natured, and humane, will, in public affairs, be impetuous, vehement, acrimonious, cenforious, ungenerous, and unjust. On what grounds they establish this ftrange distinction, and why they conceive all the obligations of Religion to hold good in the one cafe, and entirely to vanish in the other, is to me, I own, utterly incomprehenfible. The Gofpel, I am fure, knows nothing of any fuch exceptions as these. It lays down the fame rules of behaviour for all men, in all relations and circumftances of life; and grants no difpenfation, in any one fuppofable inftance, from the eternal and invariable laws of evangelical rectitude. It is CHARITY, in short, true Christian Charity, diffufing itself through our whole conduct, public as well

as