christian's prospects in futurity damped or diminished any of the true joys and satisfactions of life, when indeed it heightens and enhances them; or debarred men from any gratifications in life, consistent with innocence and benevolence to others.

Too many, however, are found to listen to the pleasing syren's seducing tale, for want of early instruction and better guides of their youth.

To them, however, the apostle speaks here, as to all; "Be sober, be vigilant."

"Be sober:" indulge not you your appetites and passions beyond those bounds which virtue and true religion prescribe, and beware of going on in contracting habits of vice and intemperance; for these fail not, in process of time, to check all attainments of virtue and excellence in the end, as well as enfeeble the rational powers.

"Be vigilant:" watch continually to secure yourselves against the various innumerable temptations around you, like sentinels placed near an enemy's camp, lest you be at any time off your guard, and be surprised into any criminal wrong conduct or deviation from truth, which will surely be the cause of bitter

regret

regret afterwards, far outweighing the momentary pleasure; unless, indeed, any should wretchedly never come to see their error, and to a salutary change afterwards; but depart into the other world as many do, it is to be feared, without any due concern for violations of integrity; and, in other cases, for the unspeakable injury done to others, their fellowcreatures, in soliciting or encouraging them to sin, and so go before their Maker without deep compunction for infringing the sacred laws established by the Almighty Governor of the universe, to lead his rational creatures to their true happiness.

III.

Slight as the cause may seem to some, the fear of the world and of losing its good name, and a slavish conformity to it, have occasioned far greater numbers of christians to fall away from the truth, or to stop short of those confirmed virtuous habits to which they might otherwise have attained, than all the cruel persecutions that have been raised against them.

We are the more liable to be seduced and ensnared by this motive, as a desire of the esteem of others is in itself no unworthy aim,

and

and may be subservient to virtue, when we scek it only by kind, and beneficent, and worthy actions.

But when, on the contrary, fame is our principal object and pursuit, and a desire of being distinguished and preferred by others, and we thus place our happiness in the opinion that others have of us, instead of the approbation of God and of our own minds; we have then nothing fixed to guide us; we know not into what instances of meanness and depravity we may be betrayed.

Hence it is, that many, who at first are well affected to piety and virtue, are brought only to own and follow their principles to a certain point, so as to keep out of the way of giving offence to others; and so as not to create in them a less favourable opinion of themselves, as being unpolite, or over-scrupulous, or singular; thus disguising their better sentiments, and often going contrary to them.

By frequent repetition of such acts of insincerity, and tampering with their own consciences, such persons lose all power of resistance to wrong conduct; and, from promising characters at their setting out, sink into the most trifling and pernicious, and do harm in

the

the world, instead of that great good of which they were capable.

Better were it, surely, to refrain from company and remain in solitude, if we cannot mix with the world without such dissimulation, or deserting the plain road of truth and sincerity.

IV.

To counteract this false shame and vicious complaisance for others, which daily misleads so many from their duty, care should be taken to instill into the young, and to remind those of riper years;

That riches, honours, splendid titles, the things that the world calls great, and honourable, and desirable, are not truly so, but as they are sought for and employed to enlarge men's sphere of doing good:

That virtue, truth, and integrity, and obedience to the will of God, are the things that are most truly great and honourable, and to be cultivated by us, and at no time to be deserted or given up:

That these are the qualities which will alone recommend us to the favour of God, and last

That the good opinion of the world is not to be anxiously sought after or much regarded; but that there is always a presence with us higher than the highest upon earth; that of our kind Creator and omnipresent Almighty Protector and Guardian, to whom, visible by the eye of faith, we are to attend, and to be solicitous to secure his approbation:

That the little advantages of this world's good name, or its gains, or honours, to be derived from falsifying and suppressing the convictions of our own minds, are but for a moment; but the stain and infamy which is thereby fixed upon the moral character will be most lasting, and the source of the most pungent misery, if not timely wiped off by true repentance and a change of conduct here.

Wherever these principles are established in the human heart, the magic power of riches, honours, and false pleasures, which fascinates the minds of worldly men, must yield and give way to their superior force and efficacy; and the man in whom they are, through the aid of that divine all-merciful Being, in whose presence he always considers himself, will trample them as the dust under his feet, when