against every assault, having so firm and permanent a basis to lean upon : but till godliness be laid as the fourdation, any attempt to introduce or establish either of the other two must be vain and fruitless.

Loud and general bath been the cry for some time past, after public spirit, disinterested patriotisın, and integrity, which can neither be bribed nor overawed, among those who move in the upper ranks of life. These qualities, it must be confessed, accompanied with a large proportion of wisdom, are truly desirable, and might be eminently useful; and when it shall please God to bestow them, they will no doubt appear very beautiful in their season; but if all who join in the cry, would endeavour, in the first place, to get their own hearts pogsessed with real godliness, and then pray for the same blessing to others, with as much fervency as they utter their complaints, 1 can assure them they would be tak. ing by far the nearest road to success. “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and love carries it to perfection; but when these find no place in the hearts of men, what can be looked for in such a world as ours, but the rankest growth of folly and wickedness, both in pub. lic and private life?

From this general review of the laws of Christ, you must be sensible, that the same temper and conduct which we formerly supposed to result from a cordial belief of the DOCTRINES of the gospel, now appear to be expressly enjoined by plain and positive statutes: so that, upon the whole, we are furnished with a decisive test of genuine Christianity, and may clearly see, by the light of God's word, what the conversation is that becometh the gospel of Christ.

It gives me pain to repeat the observation I have more than once hinted at, (and yet the evidence of its

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truth is too glaring to be concealed) namely, that among the multitudes who bear the title of Christians, the conversation of by much the greater part is so far from expressing the true spirit and genius of our holy religion, with regard either to the doctrines it reveals, or the duties it requires, that the character of the Cretians may too justly be applied to many of them, ('Tit. i. 16.) 66 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” To such inconsistent usurpers of the Christian name, the obvious remarks with which I introduced my first discourse upon this subject administer a severe, but just reproof: and therefore I might here dismiss them without further admonition, were it not that numbers are to be found in that unbappy class of men, who, not contented with publishing their own shame, by counteracting the principles of that religion they profess, are bold enough to scoff at true godliness in others, and do every thing in their power to enfeeble the hands of real Christians, while they are humbly endeavouring, by the grace of God, to bave their conversation as it becometh the gospel of Christ. I know how difficolt it is to get access to those who are proudly seated in the scorner's chair; nevertheless I shall take the liberty to beg their attention to a few plain questions, praying that God may carry them home to their hearts with power, and so bless them for their conviction, “that they may yet recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

Do you really think it possible that any man can love God too well, or serve him with too much zeal and dili. gence? Do you think, that there is a saint in heaven who repents of his zeal and diligence while on earth? or a sinner in hell, that justifies his scoffing at serious religion? or do you suppose, that you yourselves shall approve of such conduct when you come to die, and boldly defend it at the tribunal of Christ? What can be more unfair, than to scoff at men for being, in truth, the very thing that you pretend to be? You call yourselves Christians, and at the same time deride those who are Christians indeed: It is your professed belief, that Christ shall judge the world; and when others are giv, ing all diligence that they may be found of him in peace, they are mocked and reviled, and bated, by you upon that account; nay, which is still more injurious, they are branded with the odions name of hypocrites, by those very persons who themselves are the most impudent hy. pocrites upon earth. For tell me, thou who retainest the name of Christian, what grosser hypocrisy can be ima. gined, than to hate the serious practice of thy own profession, and to reproach others for living by the influ. ence of those very principles which thine own false tongue professeth to believe?

These are all the questions I shall put to you at present; and the main thing intended by them, is to give you such a view of the folly and inconsistency of your character, that if modesty be pot altogether banished, 1 may at least bring you the length of being ashamed of your conduct. But though modesty should be gone, yet as fear and self-love are still left behind, I sball endea. vour, in a few words, to give you a just representation of the peculiar malignity of such a course, and of the fatal consequences with which an obstinate continuance in it must necessarily be attended.

Know, then, that to scoff at the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God, is a sio of so deep a tincture, that it approacheth near to the contines of the great transtruth is too glaring to be concealed) namely, that among the multitudes who bear the title of Christians, the conversation of by much the greater part is so far from expressing the true spirit and genius of our holy religion, with regard either to the doctrines it reveals, or the duties it requires, that the character of the Cretians may too justly be applied to many of them, ('Tit. I. 16.) " They profess that they know God; but in works they deny bim, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” To such inconsistent usurpers of the Christian name, the obvious remarks with which I introduced my first discourse upon this subject administer a severe, but just reproof: and therefore I might here dismiss them without further admonition, were it not that numbers are to be found in that unbappy class of men, who, not contented with publishing their own shame, by counteracting the principles of that religion they profess, are bold enough to scoff at true godliness in others, and do every thing in their power to enfeeble the hands of real Christians, while they are humbly endeavouring, by the grace of God, to have their conversation as it becometh the gospel of Christ. I know how difficult it is to get access to those who are proudly seated in the scorner's chair; nevertheless I shall take the liberty to beg their attention to a few plain questions, praying that God may carry them home to their hearts with power, and so bless them for their conviction, “that they may yet recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

Do you really think it possible that any man can love God too well, or serve him with too much zeal and dili. gence? Do you think, that there is a saint in heaven who repents of his zeal and diligence while on earth? or a sinner in hell, that justifies his scoffing at serious religion? or do you suppose, that you yourselves shall approve of such conduct when you come to die, and boldly defend it at the tribunal of Christ? What can be more unfair, than to scoff at men for being, in truth, the very thing that you pretend to be? You call yourselves Christians, and at the same time deride those who are Christians indeed: It is your professed belief, that Christ shall judge the world; and when others are giv, ing all diligence that they may be found of him in peace, they are mocked and reviled, and hated by you upon that account; nay, which is still more injurious, they are branded with the odious name of hypocrites, by those very persons who themselves are the most impudent hy. pocrites upon earth. For tell me, thou who retainest the name of Christian, what grosser hypocrisy can be ima. gined, than to hate the serious practice of thy own pro. fession, and to reproach others for living by the influ. ence of those very principles which thine own false tongue professeth to believe?

These are all the questions I shall put to you at present; and the main thing intended by them, is to give you such a view of the folly and inconsistency of your character, that if modesty be pot altogether banished, 1 may at least bring you the length of being ashamed of your conduct. But though modesty should be gone, yet as fear and self-love are still left behind, I shall endea. vour, in a few words, to give you a just representation of the peculiar malignity of such a course, and of the fatal consequences with which an obstinate continuance in it must necessarily be attended.

Know, then, that to scoff at the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God, is a sin of so deep a tincture, that it approacheth near to the confines of “the great trans