care to be taken of young persons; to instruct them rightly, and form them early to virtue : nay, to pay an attention of this kind to them almost from their very cradles. For, from their treatment, from their very infancy, from the just or unjust praise or dispraise given for their little and seemingly trifling actions, from what they hear and see continually commended, or the contrary, by those about them, the most lasting impressions are made; and a foundation laid for their practical judgements concerning themselves; what they are to value and esteem, what they are to do and to avoid; which becomes afterwards the arbiter of their actions and the guide of life. In such a state of things, then, as the present, where there are so many seducing characters, and false maxims of conduct held up and recommended, it should be inculcated on all, especially early and late on youth, that they are not indiscriminately to, follow what is sanctioned by fashion, or custom, or the example of men reputed wise: that that is not truly great which the world in general esteems such ;-to be rich, to be admired and followed, to abound in whatever is pleasing to the senses; but to control and govern headstrong appetite and passion,

and

and to live so as to do the greatest good, and be the most extensively useful to others in what relates to their present and eternal happiness. This is true greatness; for it is that which God, the supreme Judge of all, will approve.

A mind seasoned thoroughly with this principle will not be in danger of falling into any great errors concerning any branch of moral duty.

It is of the first consequence, also, to instil worthy and honourable sentiments of Almighty God into the minds of all; as the neglect of this is the cause of the very wrong judgements which many make of their own actions and of those of others, and of much evil practice.

If young persons see in those about them greater zeal and displeasure against certain opinions that others hold, than against vice and immorality; and that they often talk of them as being much worse of the two:-

If they be taught, that their salvation depends upon a particular belief concerning the nature of Christ, and what he did for us, and the like; and that without this they cannot be acceptable to God, but will be lost for

ever;

Their esteem and value for such opinions will, of course, be carried so high, that they will look upon every thing else,-the practice of humility, kindness, and other virtues,--as small matters in comparison to be attended to.

And as it is much easier to yield assent to particular doctrines than to root out evil passions, to subdue pride and selfishness; they will be in danger of being drawn to neglect this necessary moral discipline, and to imagine they can compound and make up for it, by being more tenacious of those other points, and more warm and violent against those who do not see them in the same light with themselves.Of such vast consequence is a well-informed enlightened conscience, to save us from false mistaken judgements of the way in which we are to please our Maker, and from much uncharitable behaviour towards our fellow-creatures.

III.

We have seen how greatly to be condemned our apostle was, by his own confession, for opposing christianity and persecuting its professors; and that, although he thought within himself, was persuaded in his mind, that it was right so to do, his persuasion was hasty,

precipitate, and wicked, the dictate of passion and resentment, and of a false zeal, without proper examination into the merits of the cause.

It is an inquiry connected with our subject, how far ignorance now may exculpate any one in rejecting or opposing christianity. Now,

It is a most unbenevolent way of thinking, which some have fallen into, that the future happiness of heaven belongeth only to christians.

They do not consider, that God is no respecter of persons; but, in every nation, he that doeth righteousness is accepted of him: that the light of reason cometh from him who is the Father of lights, no less than that of revelation; that where it leads the thinking mind to seek after him that made it and find out his will, and to endeavour to approve itself to him, it must be accepted by him.

An honest heathen, then, who makes this use of his lesser light,—and, if more had been imparted, as much as is given to thee, O christian, would have rejoiced and equally improved that also, he will not be shut out from the heavenly kingdom and felicity, which is not so particularly prepared for and appropriated to christians, as not to

take

take in others of the human race, alike deserving and fitted for it. His ignorance of the gospel will not be imputed to him.

But the case is widely different where persons having the means of information, do not make use of them to search into things of such vast importance to them; whether, for instance, Jesus was indeed, as Nicodemus owns he believed him, (John iii. 2.) a teacher sent from God, but reject or oppose his religion without due examination.

It will not be a sufficient exeuse for such to

say, that they saw so many differences among christians which they could not settle among themselves, so much absurdity in their opinions, that they thought it loss of time to infurther.

quire any

But it is surely worth the while to inspect the original code of the sacred writings, not any very large volume, and to try whether these discordances among christians might not be accounted for satisfactorily, without impeaching the clearness of the record itself, in every thing of importance; and the absurdities complained of, perhaps, might be found not to belong to it at all.

A man that is at all awake, that has any just

serious