these hopes prove delusive, the disappointment will be keenly felt; it will be as if a poor shipwrecked mariner, after swimming through the tempestuous waters to what had the appearance of land, should find, after all his efforts, that it was not firm enough to bear him up. That one who is beginning a religious course frequently meets with such a disappointment as we have here supposed must be confessed and lamented; though at the same time it must be admitted, that he may have raised his expectations too high, and that not having made sufficient allowance for the infirmities of human nature, he may have looked for angels, where he could only hope to find men. But having made this concession, I would appeal to the consciences of many professed Christians, and ask, whether their conduct be calculated to give that support and encouragement to novices in religion, (if I may so express myself) which ought justly to be expected from them. On the contrary has it not sometimes a greater tendency to create a doubt whether religion be indeed that powerful and influencial principle which they had been taught to believe?

I will pass over, at present, such errors, or rather sinful habits in many who profess to be Christians, as vanity in dress, and a taste for luxurious living, as well as a too great conformity to the customs and maxims of the world; only remarking, that to avoid this last evil, without falling into the contrary extreme of affected singularity and unnecessary severity, requires a large share of heavenly wisdom, as well as good sense and sound judgment; and confine my observations to those defects which, though frequently found in persons calling themselves religious, are entirely repugnant to the precepts, as well as to the spirit of the Gospel.

Let us imagine a person just emanci. pated from the shackles of the world, and introduced into the society of religious people; he will not be told, indeed, of the divine voice of such a favourite singer, nor will he hear the merits of such an actor canvassed; he will hear no descriptions of masked balls, or public breakfasts; he will find no cards, no light songs, no polluting conversation,

to contaminate his mind: nay, he will most probably hear these things inveighed against with great severity: and so far it is well. But not to confine myself to negatives: he may even find much to instruct, and to admire; he may meet, perhaps, with much edifying and spiritual discourse; he may witness the discussion and adoption of many plans of usefulness and benevolence; and he may hear the name of that Saviour, who went about doing good, (with which he was probably before very little conversant) spoken of with delight, and affection.

But will he always find in their conversation traces of that Saviour's meekness, patience, and long-suffering? Towards those who differ from them in opinion, will he always see them exercise candour and forbearance? And when they have occasion to combat error, or to reprove vice, will he always witness in them the mild spirit of Christianity, and a care not to blend with their zeal for truth, any pride, pertinacity, or bitterness of temper? Will he always observe them throwing the veil of charity over the faults of their neighbours? Or will he not hear many talk of these faults with pleasure, mixing the sneer, the sarcasm, the keen sting of ridicule with their animadversions, with as little scruple as those, who do not profess to be guided by the rules of the Gospel? Will he not also have to remark, that there are many who forget, in their intercourse with the world, and especially in their conduct towards such as may have offended them, the divine rule of doing as they would be done by?

But further, if one who has shewn a willingness to turn his back on the world, and to follow Christ, without having been sufficiently aware of all the difficulties of the Christian course, should shew some marks of irresolution; and galled, perhaps, by the sharp ridicule which the world employs against him, or drawn aside by temptation, should discover some of those corrupt affections which lay concealed within him; ought not the more experienced Christian to hold out the hand of affection to assist him in the

rugged road on which he is entering, to comfort and strengthen him when he grows faint, to raise him when he falls, and to render him every aid in his power? But is it always thus? Or is he not sometimes so discouraged and obstructed in his progress, by the unkindness of those from whom he had hoped for consolation and sympathy in his distress, as to be tempted to regret the loss of his worldly friends, from whom, perhaps, he always met with the semblance, at least, of kindness and affection?

Are not these charges in many cases just? If they are not, forgive the sensoriousness which has dictated them. But if they are; if, indeed, there be many, who, by thus failing in the grand duties of charity, cause the weak to stumble, and the enemies of religion to defame it, be not offended at these hints, but lay them up in your hearts, and offer up your prayer to God that his grace may make them profitable, to you.

There are, I confidently trust, in the Christian church, numbers who do not deserve to be thus censured, but who, humbly imitating their great master, are intent on instructing, exhorting, and comforting others, and who adorn the Gospel of God their Saviour by their lives and conversation. But such shining characters, it must be confessed with sorrow, are still comparatively few. There are even many, it is to be feared, of whom, in the main, we have reason to judge favourably, who are greatly wanting in those endearing and amiable graces which give to religion its attractive lustre. These I would exhort to labour unweariedly for a closer conformity to Christ; for more of his spirit, of his meekness, gentleness, courtesy, and love, as they would hope to behold the glories of his king

dom.

And now let me address a few lines more particularly to those who profess no regard to Christianity. From what has been said respecting the errors and defects of religious people, you, who live for no other purpose than to eat and drink, to laugh and sing, to acquire riches and spend them in the indul

gence of every sensual gratification, will think you have gained an additional argument for not sacrificing present interest and comfort for principles which appear, in many cases, to have little influence on the conduct of those who profess to hold them. But do not draw so hasty a conclusion. Remember a Judas apostatized; a Peter denied his Lord; nay, all his disci. ples forsook him in the hour of trial. Even while favoured with his presence and instruction, they shewed tempers and dispositions very contrary to those of Christ their master. But will you, therefore, refuse to join your name to theirs, or to acknowledge the divine authority of Christ? The question which ought to determine your conduct, is not whether those who have professed to follow Christ have acted consistently with that profession; but whether he is or is not the Son of God. If he is not; little reason can indeed be given why you should sacrifice the world for his sake, since he can bestow on you nothing in exchange. But if, as the whole concurrent testimony of prophecies and miracles declare, he is indeed the Son of God; and if as surely as he visited this earth in the lowly form of Jesus of Nazareth, so surely shall he revisit it as the awful judge of quick and dead, to take vengeance on those who disregard and reject him; then happy are those, and those only, who submit to his authority; and who, having enlisted under his banner, engage in that arduous conflict with the flesh, the world, and the devil, which by their baptismal vow they have promised to maintain; who, though some of their fellow-soldiers may faint by the way; though some perhaps may retard rather than accelerate their progress; and though some may even timidly or treacherously forsake the fight, and abandon the cause which they had undertaken to defend, still press forward with ardour, in hope of obtaining at length the prize of victory. To such as these, thus persevering to the end, the great Captain of Salvation will say, when he appears in the clouds of heaven, with palms and crowns in one hand, and instruments

ON THE ADVANTAGES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. TRUE Religion implies an intercourse and communication between the invisible God and the soul. As of old it consisted not in the parading prayer of the Pharisee, and in the regularity of his temple worship; so now it consists not in the decorums of our established liturgy, in the punctuality of our attendance at Church, nor in any outward forms of devotion. Christ seems to have intended to warn all the followers of his religion against such suppositions, when he said, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and shut thy door, and pray unto thy Father which seeth in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

The Christianity of many people is merely external. They do almost every thing, even in religion, to be seen of men. They adapt their religious conduct to the opinion of those persons among whom they desire to be esteemed, somewhat in the same manner as the Pharisees accommodated their devotions to the peculiar taste of the people of their day. But secret prayer is one great test of a Christian. There is much in every kind of public as well as social prayer, which may serve to amuse the mind, to gratify the ear, and to draw the attendance even of a quite irreligious person. But in secret prayer, when there is no eye upon us but that of God, we have a far better proof of the internal piety of the heart. "Verily," says our Saviour to the Pharisees, "they have their reward." As the Pharisee had his recompense in the public, estimation which he obtained, so now the decent attendant on the public worship of God has a certain sort of temporal reward for his attendance. He is paid, for instance, if a servant, by obtaining his master's approbation of this act of obedience. He is paid, if a master, by the respect and good opinion of his graver and, more reputable acquaintance; and also by the more decent

and dutiful behaviour of those children and dependants, who accompany him to the place of his customary worship. He is, perhaps, rewarded, in some sense, by the self-complacency which he feels in having performed, as he conceives, his religious duty. "Verily," however, said our Saviour of the Pharisees, "they have their reward." Such persons have their reward in this world; they must not expect it in the world to come. They were merely decent at public worship, and they have had the advantages of this their decency.

But let us turn from such characters to that of the real Christian. He is punctual in his attendance on public worship: but when he appears in the congregation, he is also inwardly devout: he is, moreover, much given to secret prayer. Every night and morning he takes the best opportunity of being private which he can obtain; but he will rather pray in a low voice in the presence of others, than neglect this most important duty to God. He pours out his whole heart in supplication: he prays for every blessing which he needs; for pardon of sin; for strength against temptation; for deliverance from his corruptions; for victory over the world; for direction in difficulties; for consolation under afflictions; for submission under pains and losses; for the increase, in short, of faith, of hope, and of charity; and for all the influences of God's Holy Spirit. Nor does he neglect the benevolent duty of intercession. And leading this life of daily and fervent prayer, he obtains the things which he desires. Strength to fulfil in the sight of men the various duties of life is imparted to him. He is raised above the power of those temptations by which the more formal worshippers are overcome. This is the man who conquers his passions, who sustains well his trials, and suffers little (compared with the children of this world) under temporal afflictions. This is the man who is upright and faithful in all situations. This is he who dares to be religious in the midst of the profane, and openly reproves that vice which the outward worshipper is too timid to contradict or to resist. The spirit of devotion is often ridiculed by the world,