if the will of God be fo, it is certainly far better that we should fuffer, in this world, for well-doing, than incur punishment, in the next, for the neglect of it. But fince mankind, in the laft ftages of corruption, are thus dangerous and intractable, we ought evidently to be the more diligent to exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, left any of us fhould be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin.

VICE, in it's infancy, may often be fuppreffed without much difficulty. The man, who has wandered but a few steps out of his way, may eafily be prevailed with to return to the point, at which he at first deviated. The diftance is but fmall, and therefore may speedily be retraced. And as the error, as yet, requires but little trouble to correct it, the temptation to continue it, is not powerful. Therefore to reclaim thofe, who are thus circumftanced, who have made but a fhort excurfion from the paths of virtue, is an easy task; and the ftrong probability of fuccess, is a most animating motive to attempt it. For merely to be told that they are in an error, is alone fufficient to make some people rectify it. As soon as

they perceive they are in the wrong, they' are convinced of their danger. They are instantly alarmed, and instantly change their direction. All the powers of Nature are as yet vigorous and unbiaffed. Reason retains it's force, and conscience it's integrity. These are therefore no fooner appealed to, but they accuse, admonish, perfuade and prevail. This therefore is the time for us, when men begin to draw back unto perdition, most effectually to oppose their fatal progrefs; for now we have good grounds to hope, that our labours of love, that our exhortations, reproofs, and admonitions, will not be in vain.

BUT we are not to confine our attention to thofe only, who have already forfaken their firft faith, who have actually fwerved from the way of righteousness; but should be equally diligent to caution those, who as yet ftand, to take heed left they fall, and to exhort them to hold faft their profeffion. We should often remind them of the danger of vice, though but once indulged; and point out to them it's fatal tendency to corrupt the heart, and blind the understanding. We should explain to them the fertility of fin for the production of fin; and fhew them the

propenfity

propenfity of the paffions, when once suffered to controul reason, totally to subject it. And lastly, we should faithfully admonish them of the extreme difficulty of returning from the abyfs of vice into the pale of virtue; a difficulty fo very great, that the Prophet, the more forcibly to alarm us, represents it as altogether an impoffibility. Can the Ethiopian, fays he, change his skin, or the leopard his Spots? then may ye alfo do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Thus we should endeavour to perfuade thofe, who have hitherto walked circumfpectly, who have as yet kept themselves unspotted from the world, to continue their vigilance, to preferve their faith, and to hold faft their integrity.

NOR is this all; but as the faithful guardians of virtue, we should raise, for it's ргоtection, all the bulwarks we are able; of which an early education in the principles and practice of it, is obviously one of the most important. For what we learn earliest, we ufually retain longeft. It is therefore SOLOMON's advice, that we should train up youth in the way they should go; because, when they are old, they will not depart from it. There are, indeed, we cannot but own, too many inftances

inftances of those, who have been peculiarly happy in their education, that have yet afterwards turned from the holy commandment delivered unto them, that have made Shipwreck of their faith and a good confcience, and have become as vicious, profane, and abandoned, as the most profligate that ever difgraced humanity. But this only proves, that, in spite of every advantage, fome men will be wicked, vile, and defpicable. For the benefit of a pious education is too evident to be difputed; as it is notoriously the nature of all habits, whether good or bad, to obtain a force and permanency, in proportion as they are early acquired; because the customs we are inured to in our childhood, become generally a kind of second nature. They are as dear, as they are familiar, to us. For the actions we are then used to, we perform with a facility which gives delight; and we therefore repeat them often, that we may often enjoy it. And thus, by frequent repetition, they become fo familiar to us, that we do them, many times, when we are not fenfible of it; we do them, as it were, by neceffity. For the will is no more concerned in the production of them, than it is in the vibration of the pulfe, or the circulation of the blood.

If therefore the force of habit is fo powerful; if the influence of custom is so very great; we ought certainly, as far as we can, to give religion all the advantage of them, by bringing up youth, as we are commanded by the Apostle, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

BUT we are not merely to train them, as it were, mechanically, in the way they should go; but we should teach them to act upon principle, which is the only conduct worthy of rational creatures. We should carefully inftruct them in every part of their duty; and fully inform them of the nature of that faith, which was once delivered unto the Saints. We fhould teach them what to chufe and what to avoid, and point out what is beneficial, and what injurious, to them. We should explain to them the tendency, nature, and confequences, of every fpecies of actions, of every mode of converfation. We should lay before them the wretchedness and deformity of vice, and the beauty and felicity of virtue. We should impress them with just notions of GOD, and enrich their minds with the most enlarged views of all his attributes. As they grow in years, we should continually

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