with redoubled ardour. Justly therefore does the Psalmist exclaim, "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge?" This question implies that habitual sinners, however learned or apparently wise, know nothing in a right manner, or to valuable purpose. They have no realizing and practical knowledge either of God, or the Saviour, of sin or duty, of this world or the next, or even of their own frame, condition, and prospect.

Further, the religious man discerns and adopts the proper means for securing his chief good. He aims to please and enjoy God, by imitating and obeying him. He prepares to see Christ as he is, by endeavouring to be like him. He seeks for a pure and holy heaven, by cultivating a pure heart and a holy practice in the present state. He seeks after the gospel salvation, in the gospel way, in the way of evangelical faith, repentance and obedience. But every wicked man, who pretends to believe in religion, neglects the only right path to his professed object. He ostensibly pursues and expects, eternal happiness, but what means does he use to attain it? He seeks it either by a round of cold external worship or morality, or by inward faith, reliance, or rapturous feelings; while he omits, yea, secretly hates that self-denying, practical, and universal holiness, without which both reason and Scripture declare he cannot see the Lord. What monstrous infatuation, to seek and hope for everlasting felicity without possessing or even labouring after those moral qualities, which must fit him to enjoy it, and which go to constitute the happiness itself!

Lastly, the crowning property of wisdom is a vigorous application of the means, which lead to our end. This forms the greatest line of difference between the sincere and nominal Christian; the one diligently applies his knowledge to practice; the other, with the same price

in his hands to get wisdom, is too thoughtless and indolent to improve it. In temporal affairs men easily and practically distinguish between a small and great, a momentary and durable advantage, and readily resign the. former to the latter; but foolish sinners in their highest concerns reverse this rule of action; they sacrifice an invaluable and endless good to some trivial and transient interest or pleasure. How careful is worldly wis dom to observe and seize the fittest opportunities for promoting its object! But how negligent are sinners of their peculiar advantages and seasons for gaining the true riches! How carelessly do they waste the flower of their lives! How many sabbaths and sermons, how many natural gifts and providential warnings, how many tender, serious, and promising moments are trifled away! While common prudence urges men to get their earthly property secured by a firm and certain title; how unconcerned are the wicked about the nature of their title to an incorruptible inheritance! While the principle of self preservation is ever alive to temporal danger, and full of earnest activity in guarding against it; how slow are sinners to feel and avoid their constant danger of eter nal perdition!

These observations sufficiently illustrate the folly of a sinful, and the wisdom of a religious life."

Our subject, in review, shows us in a strong light the moral depravity of the human mind. The same natural faculties and principles, which enable and dispose men to act wisely in their temporal affairs, would lead to an equally wise conduct in their eternal concerns, if they were not strongly perverted. The same reason and prudence, which make them provident and active for their bodily and secular welfare, would render them still more discreet and vigilant in securing their immortal happiness, if some awful infatuation had not seized

their minds. What other reason can be assigned for the direct opposition between the arguments, feelings, and conduct of those, who despise or neglect religion, and· the principles and behaviour of the same persons with respect to all other subjects? We find that infidels and libertines will even glory in advancing such objections against religion, and such pleas for neglecting it, as even they would be ashamed to employ on any other topic.

We find too that thousands, who professedly believe in religion, indulge and even justify a practice so contrary to their profession, as to discover the greatest mor. al stupidity and madness. How shocking is it for rea sonable beings, in their highest concerns, to profess and to act in such a manner, that their avowed principles and actions perpetually contradict and reproach each other! How absurd, for men to excuse their present inconsistent conduct by the purpose of future amendment? Does not this very purpose imply a present conviction of folly, and yet a resolution to continue in it? Does it not likewise imply a bold presumption on some future opportunity, disposition, and ability to repent? Yet no man in his senses will pretend to be certain of either of these futurities. These and similar facts, which we daily see and feel, cannot be accounted for without admitting the scripture doctrine of human depravity. Sound philosophy teaches, that no other cause is adequate to such uniform and dreadful effects,

men

Again, with what an ill grace do irreligious ridicule serious and exemplary Christians, as foolish and distracted visionaries! If our text, and the general tenour of the Bible be true; yea, if natural religion have any reality or even probability; every habitual sinner, however sagacious or refined, is a fool; and every pious man, however weak in other respects, in the noblest sense is wise. The former, therefore, is a just object of

contempt, and the latter of veneration. Persons of the first class, instead of glorying in their own wisdom or liberality, and vilifying those, who shun their foolish and destructive paths, ought rather to despise and abhor themselves. Instead of reproaching religion, as making men whimsical or mad, they ought to revere it, as that which eminently exalts and perfects the human character. Instead of fearing to embrace it, lest it should contract their minds, or sink their spirits, they should eagerly repair to it, as the best source of rational improvement and comfort; for happy is the man that findeth this wisdom, and the man who getteth this understanding.

Finally, Let good men, however poor and illiterate, afflicted or despised, be comforted and animated by the thought, that they have made a wise and happy choice, and that their wisdom will ere long be confessed and rewarded in the view of the assembled universe. In the mean time let such highly favoured souls pity, and labour to reform an infatuated world. Let them endeavour to bring their sinful neighbours, and especially their beloved children and friends, to that knowledge and fear of the Lord, which is the perfection of wisdom. Let them earnestly pray and hope for that blessed day, when the doctrine and spirit of the gospel shall impart true wisdom, virtue, and joy to the whole family of mankind.

On the Pleasures of Religion.

PROV. XXIV. 13, 14.

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the hon.. eycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: so shall the knowle edge of wisdom be to thy soul. When thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

THE main design of the Sacred Scriptures is to lead

men to the knowledge, love, and practice of true piety and virtue, and thereby to advance them to the proper perfection and felicity of their nature. This is eminently the scope of the book of Proverbs, and of the words just recited in particular; in which the wise and inspired Solomon most pathetically urges mankind, especially the young, to the acquisition of wisdom, or true religion, and enforces the exhortation by representing the sweetness and pleasantness of it. This he beautifully illustrates and recommends by the simile of honey and the honeycomb, than which nothing was sweeter or more delightful to the taste; and one of the principal excellencies of Canaan, that glory of all lands, was, that it flowed with milk and honey. By representing the pleasantness of religion, therefore, by this comparison, he intimates that the enjoyment of it will afford the highest satisfaction and the most exquisite delight.

The text presents this important observation, that true religion is worthy of our earnest desire and pursuit, not only on account of its future and endless re