mous, implying a greater command of paffion, and fuperior reflection. It is no lefs evident that it is this prevailing Spirit of the world which fills private life with quarrels, and which, entering into courts, fills the world with wars, the fource of unspeakable mifery; whereas a truly Christian temper, a humble, meek, and benevolent difpofition, would make the intercourfe of individuals, and of nations, the fource of peace and of happi nefs. It is, however, no fmall attainment to get above the cenfure and contempt of perfons whofe minds are in a lower and more degraded state than our own, when they are the great majority of the world we live in, and are likely to continue fo. In this state of things great exertion of mind is requifite fo far to overcome the world, as to poffefs our own minds in peace and joy. It can only be done by looking habitually towards a state in which a truer judgment of characters will be formed, and in which those who are really fuperior here will be advanced to that ftate of confideration and respect to which they are entitled. The real difference between a merely nomi nal nal believer and an unbeliever is very fmall, and of little confequence, compared to the difference between the merely nominal and the real Christian. What are the generality of Christians, in what are called Christian countries? They are, in fact, perfons who mind. nothing but their business, or their pleasure, without giving any attention to the principles of Chriftianity at all. It is by no means the subject of their daily thoughts, it fupplies no motives to their actions, it contributes nothing to moderate their joys, or to alleviate their forrows. It neither enables them to bear the troubles of life, nor does it give them any folid hope in death. Whereas the real Christian, as the apostle says, Rom. xii. 15, rejoices as though he rejoiced not, and weeps as though he wept not, because the fashion of this world passeth away, and the Lord is at hand. He is ever looking, Tit. ii. 13, to that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God, and his Saviour Chrift, and has peace and joy in believing. 4. Christianity is lefs to be confidered as a fyftem of opinions, than a rule of life. But of what fignification is a rule, if it be not complied with? All the doctrines of Chrif tianity have for their object Christian morals, which are no other than the well known duties of life; and the advantage we derive from this religion is, that the principles of it affift us in maintaining that fteady regard to the providence and moral government of God, and to a future ftate, which facilitates and enfures the practice of thofe duties; infpiring greater piety towards God, greater benevolence to man, and that heavenly-mindedness which raises the heart and affections above those mean and low pursuits which are the fource of almost all vices. But Christian principles not reflected upon, or attended to, cannot be accompanied with any advantage of this kind; and better, furely, were it to make no profeffion of any principles, than to live without a due regard to them. Better, therefore, were it for any perfon to be an unbe liever in Christianity, than to be a Christian, and live as if he had not been one. He deprives himself of all apology or excufe, for his bad conduct. And it would, I fear, be happy for thousands of profeffing Chriftians, if they had been born and lived among heathens. We cannot too much imprefs upon our minds, that religion of any kind, is only a means means to a certain end, and that this end is good conduct in life. Confequently, if this end be not attained, we not only lose the advantage of the means, or inftrument, of which we were poffeffed, but are chargeable with the guilt of fuch neglect, are guilty of an ungrateful contempt of the means that were afforded us for the greatest and best of purposes; and can we expect that this will go unpunished ? The guilt of unbelief does not confist in mere difbelieving. For opinions of any kind, as fuch, bear no relation to criminality, but in refusing to confider with due seriousness and impartiality the evidence of Christianity that is laid before men; that refufal arifing from, and implying, fome vicious prejudice, or improper bias. And if, in any particular cafe (and I doubt not there are fuch), this refusal does not arise from any vicious prejudice, there is nothing to blame in fuch refufal. If, for example, any perfon had no access to the fcriptures, by which he might have had the means of better information, and he was required to believe, as what was contained in them, things that he found it abfolutely impoffible for him to believe, as that bread and wine were flesh and blood, or any thing else that that appeared to him equally impoffible, he muft of neceffity either be an unbeliever, or give up No perfon, however, can be wholly innocent who does not weigh the difficulties of believing with those of unbelief. Whatever difficulties any perfon finds, or are thrown in his way, he should confider the general evidence of the great facts on which Christianity is founded; and if that be fufficient, he may be fatisfied that, though he cannot for the prefent account for fome particular appearances, or reprefentations, the difficulties occafioned by this circumstance cannot be infuperable; fince all truths are confiftent with one another. If it appear, from indifputable historical evidence, that Chrift wrought real miracles, if he died, and rofe from the dead, his religion is unquestionably from God; and then all the abfurdities charged upon his doctrine must have arifen from fome mifconception, or misreprefentation, though we may not be able to trace it. But it is no uncommon thing for a difficulty which appears infuperable to day, to be cleared up to-morrow, as we see in many cafes. The principles of Chriftianity, however, may |