prudence, as in the book of Proverbs? If there were no future state, the wisdom of this book alone would be of inestimable value, in showing us how to avoid the ills, and to obtain the enjoyment of the real pleasures of the life that now is. Then study the Bible well; you will find it the candle of the Lord, by which you may read the fair book of nature, and find that the God of nature and the God of grace is one. If you wish for further evidence, take the little tract by Leslie, which he calls his "Short and Easy Method with the Deists," and you will find much plain common-sense evidence, that the facts stated in the Scriptures never could have been received, had not the people to whom they were presented known that they were true. Many other authors might here be named, who have advocated the truth of the Christian religion. But we forbear: if you wish for them, you can easily find them; and though they may, in some points of divnity, not agree, yet you will find strong evidence in all, that the Scriptures are a revelation from God.

But what is deism? The true meaning of the word, is belief in the existence of one God; and where is the deist, who, without direct or indirect assistance from the Bible, can prove that there is a God-can tell us what is his character, what we have a right to expect from him, and what he requires of us? What can he tell us, of future, inexpressible, ceaseless blessedness? Deism, in the common acceptation of the term, rather implies hatred of revelation, than faith in the existence of the Supreme Being; it leads to, and generally ends in atheism. With these, we fear it is the hatred of what they call superstition, rather than the love of truth.

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Dear young Friends; think of these things, and beware of the dangerous fallacy of supposing, that your children are to be uninstructed, until they are perfectly able to judge for themselves. You may then find it is too late, that their passions are at least as influential as their understanding, and that they will at least be as ingenious to find an excuse for the indulgence of these passions, as ingenuous to acknowledge the truth of a principle of intellectual wisdom. We think it was the opinion of Dr. Priestley, that if we do not teach our children right principles, other people will teach them wrong ones; and in this, at least, we do believe he was perfectly correct. But suppose your children are brought up in perfect ignorance; and such they must be if they are untaught, and have been fortunate enough escape the influence of the passions, (a thing not at all probable,) you send them out to seek truth, is there not danger that among the conflicting sentiments even of the religious world, they might find it so difficult to separate truth from error, that they may be found among the number of those who are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; (2 Tim. iii. 7;) and that the end should be, that the pursuit would be given up as a hopeless task, and they would fall back into the state of ignorance in which they had been brought up, or, worse than this, into the sceptical opinion, that truth is unattainable. You now, we trust, believe in the Christian religion; is it not a duty to acknow. ledge it? and what way more fit, than by uniting with that community which professes it in its greatest purity and simplicity? You may find your attention attracted by the fashionable religion of the day; (for, alas,

there is fashion even on the all-important subject of re. ligion;) you may be attracted by loud pretensions to su. perior sanctity; or even fanaticism may not be without its claims; but we entreat you by the favour of God, and the duty you owe to him, let no earthly consideration sway you consider this as a matter (as in truth it is) between God and your own souls, and that to him, and to him only, are you accountable; let the sense of your accountability never for a moment be out of sight; and, being convinced in your own mind, let no false shame move you; be not ashamed of Christ, lest he should be ashamed of you; (Mark viii. 38;) and may God fit and prepare you for that glory for which you were created.

My aged Friends. With us, the season of youthful pleasures is long since passed away; and the labours and the cares of middle age do not, or ought not, to press so heavily upon us as once they did. The bud hath blown, the flower hath flourished and faded, many of its leaves have fallen, and a slight blast of disease will leave what is left of life prostrate in the dust.

It is common to a proverb, that nothing in life is so uncertain as life itself. This is true at every age; but with us it is most certain, that the disease of mortality which was with us at our birth, will, by the course of nature, soon number us with the dead.

If, happily, our lives have been dedicated to God, then for us to die is gain; if, unhappily, a doubt should yet remain; what is the remedy, but earnest supplication and prayer, that God would enlighten the understanding, and lead us in the way everlasting. (Ps. cxxxix. 24.) Ask, and ye shall receive. (John xvi. 24.) It will indeed be a matter of regret, that so little is left to be devoted to

the service of God; but remember, that even a long life of continued obedience would not earn for us life eter. nal; for salvation is by grace, and life eternal is the gift of God; and when men do all that is commanded of them, they are yet unprofitable servants; they have done no more than their duty. (Luke xvii. 10.) Does the aged convert see in his own case the long suffering, patience, and mercy of God! then I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Rom. xii. 1.)

Brethren and Friends of the Society and Congrega. tion,-he, who now addresses you, would speak to you as a dying father would to his children. Live in peace; but this can never be, unless there is a unity of faith; without it there is no bond of union, nor can there ever be. Nor think it strange that we must be of one mind. Paul found it necessary to exhort to this effect. (Phil. iv. 2.) Then will you make your supplications to God with effect; and the peace of God, which passeth all under. standing, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus. (Phil. iv. 7.) An association of men, knowing little or nothing of the way of salvation, may associate together for the purpose of enjoying their own speculations; and if they are assailed from the pulpit or the press, may think themselves persecuted; and they may continue for a time, nay, they may unite more closely for the common defence; but leave them to themselves, and they will soon sink into oblivion. That you may live in peace, consider well the character of Christ, who is our peace. (Eph. ii. 14.) He says of himself, that he is the way, and the truth, and the life; that

no man cometh to the Father but by him. (John xiv. 6.) Is he not then the only way to God? Is he not the fulfiller of the truth of the promise made by God in Eden? Is he not the life of the world? This is the groundwork of our hope; for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. iii. 11.) Now what prophet or apostle, what created being, can take upon himself to say, that he is the foundation of the Christian's hope? for the hope of Israel is the Saviour. (Jer. xiv. 8.) God is our Saviour; the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope. (1 Tim. i. 1.) God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself; and therefore it is, that the ambas sadors for Christ say, "as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. v. 19, 20.)

Is it possible that this can be true? We could not believe it, but that God hath said it; that the Almighty God, who spoke the world into being, and whose command could bring it to its original nothing, should thus condescend to beg and pray, to entreat and beseech his own creature, who had broken the law of his God, and of his own happiness; that he, the offended God, should thus humbly plead with his poor, fallen, sinful worm of the earth, that he would be pleased to be no longer angry with God, the giver of all the good this poor miserable creature ever had, or ever will have, in time or eternity. This is wonderful indeed; it is the humility and love of God. We talk of humility, and we require of the offender, that he should humble himself in the presence of him whom he hath offended, and sue for reconciliation. But the thoughts of God are not as our thoughts, neither his ways our ways. (Is. lv. 8.) Do you startle at the