INTRODUCTION.

THE great business of life is to preserve it, and virtuously to enjoy it, for without exertions to support life it expires; and enjoyment, or the hope of enjoyment, is necessary to stimulate exertions. Looking around us, we see that a benevolent Creator supplies us with abundant materials for these purposes, and with reason to direct us in the use of them; and that as we act on virtuous or vicious principles we succeed or fail. Careful observations on the events of life, and their causes and consequences, instruct us in the one and the other. They teach us that certain actions and forbearances produce good, and that other actions and indulgences lead to evil, the welfare or woe of our fellow-creatures being essentially mixed with our own individually.

The lessons which follow are intended practically to point out these important distinctions. They are inferences from the workings of nature elicited during a long experience, and are believed to accord with those of the generality of thinking persons; but the writer has no desire to press them beyond a fair hearing, Every man with an honest purpose, and a careful attention, is entitled to think for himself, to examine the workings of nature with his own reasoning powers, and abide by his own conclusions.

Appended to these lessons are extracts from the moral precepts contained in the Old and New Testament, in the writings of Chinese, Greek, and Roman philosophers, and also in the Koran of Mahomet. These shew that among the enlightened and sagacious of all ages and

nations, similar inferences have been drawn for our rules of moral conduct. The concurrence of the wisdom of the ancients with modern observations is of less importance, as giving sanction to the latter, than as shewing that so long as mankind are faithful to nature and reason, scarcely a shade of difference arises amongst them on the general principles of their duties.

The enlightened natural Religionist, while elevating his thoughts above the objects that surround him to the worship of the Creator, and to an understanding of the Divine laws, which are revealed to him by the workings of nature, and which it is his duty to obey, has the highest authority for his guidance. The works of nature afford the clearest manifestation of the Divine presence that is permitted to mortal man. Those works compose his text book. He therein reads the will and intention of his Creator: he finds instructions for his conduct in life which are just, consistent, and clear; and, at the same time, he feels inspired with an exalted sense of the infinite power and wisdom of the Divinity, and a pure and holy adoration of his boundless mercies. He also acquires continual mental and moral improvement and delight while attending his devotions, in place of that bewilderment of the reasoning powers, and prostration of the understanding, and disregard of truth, which are produced by insisting on his professing belief in mysteries, which he is unable to comprehend.

In the religion of nature there is nothing that encourages a belief that indulgence in sins intended, and absolution for sins committed, may be purchased by those who can pay for them, or that a life of crime may

be expiated at the last hour by virtue of repentance and belief in a particular creed, and that the criminal will be then elevated to an immortality of joy equally with others whose lives have been passed in conferring benefits on their fellow-creatures; nay, in preference to them, if the latter cannot believe as they are desired to do. But it teaches that good actions alone are to be relied on as productive of reward, while evil doing is invariably followed by proportionate punishment.

The religion of nature repels the attempts of the gloomy, the oppressed in conscience, and the hypocritical, under pretence of superior sanctity, to reduce others to their own miserable condition, by imposing vexatious restraints, and mortifying observances upon them, for nature shews that "the Lord loveth a cheerful heart."

The religion of nature is in accordance with the rational part of all religions. It inculcates the benefits of good-will and mutual assistance among all men, of whatever religious persuasion they may be. It pretends to no forgiveness of sins and immortal joy for believers in one spiritual doctrine, and of endless punishment to those who think differently, therefore it cannot be used by the crafty and ambitious as the means of swelling the ranks of their followers, and exciting them to intolerance toward others; but, on the contrary, it seems to be the destined and only means by which the incessant contentions of sects for mastery, which have ever been the torment of individuals and of nations, will be at last allayed, and the clouds of superstition be so effectually dispersed as to enable mankind to discover that they are all members of one family; that as one Creator governs and

protects, so one feeling of divine worship is due from all men, that divine worship being the Religion of Nature.

Entertaining these bright hopes and expectations, and finding that Natural Religion embraces every motive that can impel mankind to fulfil their duties with vigilance and fidelity; to inspire mutual friendliness and co-operation among them; to raise the most sublime conceptions of the infinite power, wisdom, justice, and benevolence of an Almighty Creator and Preserver, and a belief that good and bad actions will be followed by proportionate rewards and punishments, the Natural Religionist is disinclined to disturb his pure faith, derived immediately from the works of nature, with the conflicting dogmas insisted on by rival sectaries; he therefore selects from the writings of the good and wise of all religions, the important observations which enlighten mankind in the knowledge of their moral and religious duties, and he leaves the excitements of mystery and controversy in the hands of others. *

* The quotations which are subjoined to the following Lessons, contain a few questionable topics, but they are characteristic of the times, and are so far instructive and interesting.

THE OPENING ADDRESS.

My dear friends and auditors, we are assembled here with the object of effectually promoting a rational and beneficial opening of our weekly festival. As this is our appointed day of rest, it is requisite that we suspend those pursuits of gain, and those anxious cares, which at other times are both natural and laudable with the bulk of mankind; and as it is proper that we should commence the enjoyment of the day with an unruffled temper, it is necessary that we should divest our minds of those rivalries and contentions which are too apt to spring up in the business of life. Many neighbouring families thus assembling in a becoming serenity, and with their moral and religious improvement in view, can scarcely fail to advance those objects, to engender feelings of mutual respect, and to promote each other's happiness individually and collectively.

With hearts and minds thus prepared, enter we then upon the discharge of our Sunday duties. And first in order it seemeth right that we should carefully meditate on what we have done, and on what we have not done that we ought to have done, particularly during the last week; that we should call to mind the duties which experience teaches us to be requisite and necessary to sustain life and render it happy, and ask ourselves whether we have duly performed them as occasion has required.

The things that are necessary for us to do, and to abstain from doing, to promote our safety and welfare,