patriotism requires, where the principles of religion and of public spirit are not infeparably united.

The defire of being serviceable to our country is indeed the most exalted paffion that can animate the bofom of a citizen. And although few are called to fit in the great affembly of the nation, or to direct ⚫ thofe counfels upon which the interefts of the public more immediately depend; yet every man, however humble his ftation, may find opportunities of fhowing his filial affection, and public spirit: every man may prove himself worthy, in these respects, to be esteemed a valuable member of the community, by uniting with the exercife of his private duties, thofe inftances of felf-denial, fidelity, and affectionate exertion, which are the effect of that pure and tranfporting fentiment, the love of our country.

But it is chiefly in the more private walks of focial life that we are to look for the more conftant operation of the religious principle. There, every day and every hour prefents us with occafions to intereft the humanity of others, and opportunities to

exercise

L

exercise our own.

When outward troubles

are ready to overwhelm us; when adversity approaches; when we look round, and tremble left a friend be no where found; from whom are we most likely to meet with fuccour and fupport? In fuch distress, we do not flee to him whofe foul, attached to fordid cares, in every thought regarding felf alone, acknowledges no other fountain of his blifs, no other partner of his joy: in fuch diftrefs, we do not flee to him whose heart, devoted to the blandifhments of pleafure, is equally a stranger to the focial feelings; but to him who, in whatever degree he enjoys the bleffings of heaven, confiders himself as the difpenfer of them to his brethren; who, knowing, and with grateful heart acknowledging, that he hath nothing which he hath not received, fhews his dependence upon the almighty giver of all good by imitating his bounty, and evidences his gratitude to his heavenly father, by making happy thofe who are created in that father's likeness.

Let us represent to ourselves a scene, for many fuch there are, where poverty and

pain, and fad disease, combine their utmost force to fink the fufferer in all the depths of woe; let us further add the undeserved lofs of reputation; and, to complete the horrors of his state, let us fuppofe the subject of our contemplation has a fpirit which can feel that lofs. To the astonishment of the beholders, he shall support himself in the midst of this complicated diftrefs; nay, he shall rife nobly superior to all these evils: but whence? His eye is fixed upon that crown of glory which religion appears to hold out to him from the fkies; his thoughts are intent upon the recompenfe of reward, being ftedfaft in the perfuafion, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to feparate him from the love of God in Chrift."*

Nor can we be infenfible of the confolations of religion in the diftrefsful fituation of an heart wounded with the lofs of dear and juftly valued friends. In vain we seek the fcenes

Rom. viii. 38. 39.

fcenes of folitude and retirement; it is in the scenes of folitude and retirement, that we recollect thofe graceful actions, that pleafing converfe, the lofs of which we then the most deplore: thus reflection adds to the forrow of our ftate. Vain alfo the attempt, by plunging in business or diffipation, to shake off the oppreffive load which bows our foul. Religion here appears the sole resource; she gently pours her lenient balm into the afflicted bofom; the points to the radiant sphere of heaven, to the future habitation of the bleffed, to a state where every focial fatisfaction which our connection with this world hath afforded, fhall be reftored, with the addition of others without measure, and over which, deftroying time shall in vain exert its power.

One fcene yet remains to be described the favourite fcene of virtue, the scene of death. When the man, fupported by the recollection of many glorious and fuccefsful combats in the caufe of virtue, looks upon the forrows of furrounding friends, with pity and compaffion,-upon the pangs of nature in his diffolution, without a figh. The

fenfations

fenfations of the truly religious at that awful hour, imagination can with difficulty paint; they are fuch as we in vain fhall endeavour to defcribe. But let it not be our endeavour rightly to conceive, let it not be our endeavour justly to defcribe the joys of the virtuous believer at his departing hour, let us rather labour that we may deferve to feel them.

The beneficial efficacy of religion, in controlling that selfish principle, to which all the diforders of human life are to be referred, is fo apparent, that the worst of men have frequently been induced to affume the appearance of it, though their hearts are ftrangers to its real power and practice. Hypocrify, therefore, itself bears teftimony to our caufe: it fuppofes that there is fomething in the form and compofition of true religion, which renders it advantageous, and pleafing to man.

The importance of religion to dependent creatures is a truth fo firmly founded, that the human heart, with unbidden venera tion, bows down before it. From the apprehenfion of its importance, grafted on a proud or timid fpirit, is derived the exE iftence

II.