that they tend immediately to draw down its favour and affistance. The holy spirit of God will not long be abfent from the bofom in which fuch virtues have chosen their abode. It will defcend and enlighten the paths of the upright; delivering him from the pain and uneafinefs of doubt, and guiding his footsteps to all righteoufnefs, piety, happiness, and glory. Without the toil of laborious research, the pain of difputatious conteft, the folicitude of a wavering mind, the upright man finds the truth, and holds it faft for ever. He fixes his principles on the rock of faith, and fuffers not the open attacks of the fcorner, nor the undermining fubtlety of the sophist, to shake the basis of the folid fuperftructure.

After all the dictates of pride and refinements of ingenuity, it is certain that the effential parts of our duty may be learned from the homely Catechifm. And greatly is it to be wifhed, that fome of those who have pushed themselves forward on the public eye as philofophers, had not forgotten, amidst the acquifitions of their mature age, the humble and unaffected inftructions of their early childhood. But they fcorn a kind of wisdom which is common to the vulgar. Plain truth, expreffed in a fimple and unadorned style, ap

pears

pears not gaudy enough to attract their admiration. They must be allured by the brilliancy of wit, and the oftentatious display of erudition. Truth indeed, whatever they pretend, is not really fo much their object, as vainglory. An elaborate series of metaphysical arguments, a polished style, and a parade of various reading, leads them along in willing captivity. They become rhetoricians, fine talkers, or fine writers, and in the vanity of their hearts, look down with contempt on the plain honeft man, who is guided by the unprevaricating dictates of a clear confcience, of fcriptural inftruction, and of common sense,

Whence have the pious and honest persons who adorn the lower ranks of fociety, and illuminate its obfcurity by the mild luftre of real virtue, whence have they derived their ideas of rectitude, but from the Scriptures? To them the very names of metaphyficians and fceptical writers are totally unknown. They never heard, and would fcarcely believe, that men have been efteemed wife, because they called in queftion the reality of the diftinction between right and wrong, vice and virtue. They would deem fuch vifionary fpeculatifts, fools and madmen. To deny a God! what is it, they would fay,

but

but to be bereaved of every external fenfe or power of reflection. To write and converfe with levity against the Christian system of religion! What is it, they would afk, but to be actuated by the immediate influence of the common adverfary of Jefus Chrift, and the fallen race of man. Indignation would at first predominate; but it would foon be foftened by the whispers of Christian charity, Compaffion is indeed juftly due to those poor wanderers, who, neglecting the heavenly voice of the shepherd, have erred and ftrayed like loft sheep, through devious paths of their own felection.

How fuperior to fuch, how much more dignified, appears the fincere chriftian of the lowest class in worldly fubordination, who has learned, in the plaineft language, his duty towards God, and towards his neighbour, and has practifed with uniformity what he learned with humility. He appears to have taken a juft estimate of his dependent state, and by abafing himself before the Almighty God, how is he exalted above the minute philofophers whom fame delights to celebrate!

I fhall conclude, with earnestly recommending to all, the cultivation of an honeft heart, and the pursuit of thofe maxims and rules of conduct

which lead, through the paths pointed out by Scripture, to peace both temporal and eternal,

We may certainly feek every accomplishment of mind which becomes creatures bleffed with the participation of reason. In science, in natural and experimental philofophy, we may extend our refearches, as far as our learning and ingenuity can advance. But in moral philosophy, that grand science which affumes the office of guiding our focial and perfonal behaviour, let us beware of refinement. In our early youth, the precepts of our parents and inftructors acquaint us with our duty, in language and methods adapted to our comprehenfion. The feelings of our hearts, unhurt by commerce with a wicked world, fully confirm the truth of their remarks, and the value of their admonitions. It is the fpring of life. The foil is in a state admirably fuited to the vegetation of every beautiful and falutary plant. Good feed is fown. Let our prayers and endeavours co-operate, in bringing down upon it the refreshing dews of heavenly grace. Thus fhall it grow up to beauty and maturity, and produce every fruit in abundance, which is either sweet to the tafte, or pleasant to the eye. But if our conduct is fuch as deprives us of this bleffing, if we are

proud

proud and vain fo as to induce God to refift us, instead of favouring us with his grace, the feed fown by our parents and inftructors will either die entirely, or grow up in a contracted fize and a diftorted shape.

Among all the improvements of our education, let us then learn to value the plain precepts of piety and moral virtue. These fhould conftitute the firm foundation of every future. edifice. Appendages and decorations may be added to the building, while they do not injure the folid fupports; but not even the moft fplendid ornaments must be allowed, which can poffibly corrupt or shake the basis. Let us value and aspire at the character of scholars and philofophers, but let us value more highly, and aspire at more eagerly, the character of good and honeft men. Let us refolve and say with holy Job, Till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold faft, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me, fo long as I live.

He who makes fuch refolutions, and is en abled by the affiftance of God to keep them, is far wiser than if he had acquainted himself with every part of human science. What will it avail à man to have studied the doctrines of mere mortal men, however celebrated, if