"hefitate, which of these ought to be chofen, "would it not be a folly infinitely greater than "his, who fhould hesitate whether he ought to "throw himself out of a window, when the "houfe is on fire, or to take to the boat, when "the fhip is finking? Suppofe, that the future "iffue of virtue and vice refpectively were in "fome measure doubtful, inftead of being "certain: Suppose it were poffible, that vice

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might, by fome inconceivable means, come "to escape, and that there were any appearance "of common sense in imagining that it might fo

happen, that virtue might mifs of its reward "hereafter; who would hefitate a moment, "whether he ought to choose what he knows "he cannot long enjoy at any rate, and to re

ject what, if he attains it, will hold to eter"nity; whether he ought to avoid afflictions, " which he is certain must, in a very few years,

at moft, be over; or to make fure of avoiding a punishment, which, if it comes upon him, "will be lafting, and fevere beyond all imagi"nation. Upon any principle, the choice of a " vicious course is apparently to the highest degree foolish and desperate. But taking things according to their true ftate, that is, "choofing vice, which is the disease of the "mind, the bane of peace and happiness even "in this life, and rejecting virtue, which, except "in the rare and unusual cafe of perfecution, is

its own reward, even in the present ftate; "acting

acting in direct oppofition to the conviction of "confcience, to the remonftrances of the wife "and good of all ages, and to the voice of "nature, and of Divine revelation itself! — All "for the fake of what is vanity and vexation, "when attained, and uncertain before-hand "whether at all attainable; but certainly not "to be enjoyed long, if attained! To give up

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a happiness, certain, lafting, and immenfe,"not for the actual enjoyment; but for the "bare expectation of a perifhing advantage!— "to fell one's foul-not for the poffeffion of a "vanity; but for the uncertain profpect of a "vanity!to give up heaven, and brave "damnation-not for a reality; but for a "dream!-for the hope of a dream!- What "words, what tongue of men, or angels, can "express the defperation of this madness! Yet "this is the wisdom of reafoning man. This "is the prudence of the children of this "world."

Let the reader make it his conftant practice in this manner to examine himself, with a care proportioned to the importance of the worth of an immortal foul And would to God that the whole human fpecies could have been brought to the wisdom of valuing themselves according to their worth. And that it were poffible, in a confiftency with the freedom of moral agents, that no one individual of the human, or any VOL. II. LI other

other rank of intelligences, should utterly perifh; but that every rational mind, that has been bleft with exiftence, might at last attain the end of its exiftence, the beatific enjoyment of its Creator.

THE E N D.