fhall find concurring evidence upon this melanch ly argument-of a general want of all outward demonstration of a fenfe of our duty towards GoD, as if religion was a bufinefs fit only to employ tradefmen and mechanics-and the falvation of our fouls, a concern utterly below the confideration of a perfon of figure and confequence.

I fhall fay nothing, at present, of the lower ranks of mankind-Though they have not yet got into the fashion of laughing at religion, and treating it with fcorn and contempt, and, I believe, are too ferious a fet of creatures ever to come into it :—yet, we are not to imagine, but that the contempt it is held in by thofe whofe examples they are too apt to imitate, will in time, utterly shake their principles, and render them if not as profane, at least as corrupt as their betters.-When this event happensand we begin to feel the effects of it in our dealings with them, thofe who have done the mischief will find the neceffity at laft, of turning religious in their own defence; and, for want of a better principle, to fet an example of piety and good morals, for their own intereft and convenience.

Thus much for the languishing state of religion in the prefent age ;--in virtue and good morals, perhaps the account may stand higher..

Let us inquire

And here, I acknowledge, that an unexperienced man, who heard how loudly we all talked in behalf of virtue and moral honefty, and how unanimous we were all in our cry against vitious characters of all denominations, would be apt haftily to conclude,

that the whole world was in an uproar about it,and that there was fo general a horror and deteftation of vice amongst us, that mankind were all as- ́ fociating together to hunt it out of the world, and give it no quarter. This, I own, would be a natural conclufion for any one who only trusted his ears upon this subject. But, as matter of fact is allowed better evidence than hearfay,-let us fee, in the prefent, how the one cafe is contradicted by the other.

However vehement we approve ourselves in difcourse against vice,-I believe no one is ignorant, that the reception it actually meets with is very different :—the conduct and behaviour of the world is fo oppofite to their language, and, all we hear, fo contradicted by what we fee, as to leave little room to question which fense we are to truft.

Look, I befeech you amongst those whofe higher stations are made a shelter for the liberties they take --you will fee that no man's character is fo in. famous, nor any woman's fo abandoned, as not to be vifited and admitted freely into all companies, and if the party can pay for it, even publicly to be courted, careffed, and flattered. If this will not overthrow the credit of our virtue,-take a short view of the general decay of it, from the fashionable exceffes of the age,-in favour of which, there feems to be formed fo ftrong a party, that a man of fobriety, temperance, and regularity, scarce knows how to accommodate himfelf to the fociety he lives -and is oft as much at a lofs how and where

in,to difpofe of himself;--and, unless you fuppofe

a mixture of conftancy in his temper, it is great odds but fuch a one would be ridiculed and laughed out of his fcruples and his virtues at the fame time.To fay nothing of occafional rioting, chambering, and wantonnefs,-confider how many public markets are established merely for the fale of virtue,— where the manner of going, too fadly indicates the intention; and the difguife each is under, not only gives power fafely to drive on the bargain, but too often tempts to carry into execution too.

This finning under disguise,. I own, feems to carry fome appearance of a fecret homage to virtue and decorum, and might be acknowledged as fuch, was it not the only public inftance the world feems to give of it.In other cafes, a juft fenfe of fhame feems a matter of fo little concern, that, instead of any regularity of behaviour, you see thousands who are tired with the very form of it, and who at length have even thrown the mask of it afide, as a useless piece of encumbrance.This, I believe, will need no evidence :—it is too evidently feen in the open liberties taken every day, in defiance (not to fay of religion, but) of decency and common good manners;fo that it is no uncommon thing to behold vices, which, heretofore, were committed only in dark corners, now openly, fhow their face in broad day, and oft-times with fuch an air of triumph, as if the party thought he was doing himfelf honour,

or, that he thought the deluding an unhappy creature, and the keeping her in a state of guilt, was as neceffa ry a piece of grandeur as the keeping an

equipage.—and did him as much credit as any other appendage of his fortune.

If we pass on from the vices to the indecorums of the age (which is a fofter name for vices) you will fcarce fee any thing, in what is called higher life, but what befpeaks a general relaxation of all order and difcipline,in which our opinions, as well as manners, feem to be fet loofe from all reftraints, -and in truth, from all ferious reflections too: and one may venture to fay, that gaming and extravagance, to the utter ruin of the greatest estates

minds diffipated with diverfions, and heads giddy with a perpetual rotation of them, are the most general characters to be met with; and though one would expect, that, at least, the more folemn feafons of the year, fet apart for the contemplation of Christ's fufferings, fhould give fome check and interruption to them: yet, what appearances is there ever amongst us, that it is fo?What one alteration does it make in the courfe of things?-Is not the doctrine of mortification infulted by the same luxury of entertainments at our tables?. Is not the fame order of diverfions perpetually returning, and scarce any thing else thought of?Does not the fame levity in dress, as well as difcourse, show itself in perfons of all ages?I fay, of all agesfor, it is no fmall aggravation of the corruption of our morals, that age, which, by its authority, was once able to frown youth into fobriety and better manners, and keep them within bounds, feems but too often to lead the way,—and by their unfeasonable example, give a countenance to follies and

weaknes, which youth is but too apt to run into, without fuch a recommendation. Surely, age, which is but one remove from death, should have nothing about it, but what looks like a decent preparation for it. In purer times, it was the case ;—but now, grey hairs themselves scarce ever appear, but in the high mode and flaunting garb of youth, with heads as full of pleasure, and clothes as ridiculously, and as much in the fashion, as the perfon who wears them is ufually grown out of it.Upon which article, give me leave to make a short reflection :which is this,That whenever the eldest equal the youngest in the vanity of their drefs, there is no reafon to be given for it, but that they equal them,. if not surpass them, in the vanity of their defires.

But this by the by

Though, in truth, the obfervation falls in with the main intention of this difcourfe, which is not framed to flatter our follies, or touch them with a light hand, but plainly to point them out;-that, by recalling to your mind, what manner of perfons we really are, I might better lead you to the apostle's inferences, of what manner of perfons we ought to be, in all holy conversation and godliness ;-looking for, and hastening unto, the coming of the day of GOD.

The apostle, in the concluding verfe of this argument, exhorts, that they who look for fuch things, be diligent that they be found of him in peace, without fpot and blameless; and one may conclude with him, that if the hopes or fears, either the reafon or the paffions of men, are to be wrought upon