of compassion with which we contemplate the pecuniary distresses of those who have been always indigent, and of those who have fallen into want from a state of opulence. Our concern differs not only in degree but in kind.

This declension is one of the most awakening calls to watchfulness, to humility and self-inspection which religion can make to him who thinketh he standeth”which it can make to him who, sensible of his own weakness, ought to feel the necessity" of strengthening the things which remain that are ready to die."

If there is not any one circumstance which ought more to alarm and quicken the Christian, than that of finding himself grow languid and indifferent, after having made not only a profession, but a progress, so there is not a more reasonable motive of triumph to the profane, not one cause which excites in him a more plausible ground of suspicion, either that there never was any truth in the profession of the person in question, or which is a more fatal, and, to such a mind, a more natural conclusion, that there is no truth in religion itself. At best, he will be persuaded that this can only be a faint and feeble princi. ple, the impulse of which is so soon exhausted, and which is by no means found sufficiently powerful to carry on its votary throughout his course. He is assured that piety is only an outer garment, put on for show or convenience, and that when it ceases to be wanted for either, it is laid aside. In these unhappy instances the evil seldom ceases with him who causes it. The inference becomes general, that all religious men are equally unsound or equally deluded, only that some are more prudent, or more fortunate, or greater hypocrites than others. After the falling away of oure promising character, the old suspicion recurs and is confirmed, and the defection of others pronounced to be infallible.

There seems to be this marked distinction in the different opinions which religious and worldly men entertain respecting human corruption. The candid christian is contented to believe it, as an indisputable general truth, while he is backward to suspect the wickedness of the individual, nor does he allow himself to give full credit to particular instances without proof. The man of the world on the contrary, who denies the general principle, is extremely prone to suspect the individual. Thus his knowledge of mankind not only furnishes a proof,

but ontstrips the truth, of the doctrine; though he denies it as a proposition of scripture, he is eager to establish it as a fact of experiment.

But the probability is, that the man, who by his departure from the principles with which he appeared to set out, so much gratifies the thoughtless, and grieves the serious mind, never was a sound and genuine christian. His religion was perhaps taken up on some accidental circumstance, built on some false ground, produced by some evanescent cause; and though it cannot be fairly pronounced that he intended by his forward profession, and prominent zeal, to deceive others, it is probable that he himself was deceived. Perhaps he had made too sure of himself. His early profession was probably rather bold and ostentatious; he had imprudently fixed his stand on ground so high as to be not easily tenable, and from which a descent would be but too observable. While he thought he never could be too secure of his own strength, he allowed himself to be too censorious on the infirmities of others, especially of those whom he had apparently outstripped, and who, though they had started together, he had left behind him in the race.

Might it not be a safer course, if in the outset of the christian life, a modest and self-distrusting humility were to impose a temporary restraint on the forwardness of outward profession. A little knowledge of the human heart, a little suspicion of the deceitfulness of his own, would not only moderate the intemperance of an ill-understood zeal, should the warm convert become an established christian, but would save the credit of religion, which will receive a fresh wound, in the possible event of his desertion from her standard.

Some of the most distinguished christians in this country began their religious career with this graceful humility. They would not suffer their change of character and their adoption of new principles, and a new course, to be blazoned abroad, as the affectionate zeal of their confidential friends would have advised, till the principles they had adopted were established, and worked into habits of piety; till time and experience had evinced that the grace of God had not been bestowed on them in vain. Their progress proved to be such as might have been inferred from the modesty of their outset. They have gone on with a perseverance which difficulties have only contributed

to strengthen, and experience to confirm; and will, through divine aid, doubtless, go on, shining more and more unto the perfect day.

But to return to the less steady convert. Perhaps religion was only, as we have hinted elsewhere, one pursnit among many which he had taken up when other parsaits failed, and which he now lays down, because his faith not being rooted and grounded, fails also ;-or the temptations arising from without might concur with the failure within. If vanity be his infirmity, he will shrink from the pointed disapprobation of his superiors. If the love of novelty be his besetting weakness, the very peculiarity and strictness of religion, the very marked depar ture from the" gay and primrose path" in which he had before been accustomed to walk, which first attracted, now repel him. The attention which his early deviation from the manners of the world drew upon him, and which once flattered, now disgusts him. The very opposition which once animated, now cools him. He is discouraged at the near view, subdued by the required practice, of that christian self-denial which, as a speculation, had ap peared so delightful. Perhaps his fancy had been fired by some acts of christian heroism, which he felt an anibi. tion to imitate: a feeling which tales of martial prowess, or deeds of chivalry, something that, promising celebrity and exciting emulation, had often kindled before. The truth is, religion had only taken hold of his imagination, his heart had been left out of the question.

Or he had in the twilight of his first awakening, seen religion only as something to be believed he now finds that' much is to be done in the new life, and much which was habitual to the old one, left undone.-Above all he did not reckon on the CONSISTENCY which the christian life demands. Warm affections rendered the practice of some right actions easy to him; but he did not include in his faulty and imperfect scheme, the self-denial, the perseverance, the renouncing of his own will and his own way, the evil report, as well as the good report, to which every man pledges himself, when he enlists under the banner of Christ. The cross which it was easy to venerate, he finds it hard to bear.

Or religion might be adopted when he was in affliction, and he is now happy ;-when he was in bad circumstans ces, and he is now grown affluent. Or it might be asso

med, as something wanting to his recommendation to that party or project by which he wished to make his way; as something that would better enable him to carry certain points which he had in view; something that, with the new acquaintance he wished to cultivate, might obliterate certain defects in his former conduct, and white-wash a somewhat eullied reputation.

Or in his now more independent situation, it may be he is surrounded by temptations, softened by blandishments, allured by pleasures, which he never expected would arise to weaken his resolutions. These new enchantments make it not so easy to be pious, as when he had little to lose and every thing to desire, as when the world wore a frowning, and religion an inviting aspect.-Or he is perhaps, by the vicissitudes of life, transferred from a sober and humble society, where to be religious was honourable, to a more fashionable set of associates, where, as the disclosure of his piety would add nothing to his credit, he set out with taking pains to conceal it, till it has fallen into that gradual oblivion, which is the natural consequence of its being kept out of sight.

But we proceed to a far more interesting and important character. The one indeed whom we have been slightly sketching, may by his inconstancy do much harm, the one on which we are about to animadvert, might by his Consistency and perseverance effect essential good.Even the sincere, and to all appearance, the established christian, especially if his situation in life be easy, and his course smooth and prosperous, had need keep a vigilant eye upon his own heart. For such a one it will not be sufficient that he keep his ground if he do not advance in it. Indeed it will be a sure proof that he has gone back, if he has not advanced.

In a world so beset with snares, various are the causes which may possibly occasion in even good men a slow but certain decline in piety. A decline scarcely perceptible at first, but which becomes more visible in its subsequent stages. When therefore we suspect our hearts of any declension in piety, we should not compare ourselves with what we were in the preceding week or month, but with what we were at the supposed height of our character. Though the alteration was not perceptible in its gradual progress, one shade melting into the next, and each losing its distinctness, yet when the two remote states

are

brought into contrast, the change will be strikingly obvious.

Among other causes may be assigned the indiscreet forming of some worldly connexion: especially that of marriage. In this connexion, for union it cannot be called, it is to be lamented that the irreligious more frequent. ly draw away the religious to their side, than that the contrary takes place; a circumstance easily accounted for by those who are at all acquainted with the human heart.

Or the sincere but incautious Christian may be led by a strong affection which assumes the shape of virtue, into a fond desire of establishing his children advantageously in the world, into methods which if not absolutely incorrect, are yet ambiguous at the best. In order to raise those whom he loves to a station above their level, he may be tempted, while self-deceit will teach him to sanctify the deed by the motive, to make some little sacrifices of principle, some little abatements of that strict rectitude, for which, in the abstract, no man would more strenuously contend. And as it may be in general observed, that the most amiable minds are most susceptible of the strong est natural affections; of course the very tenderness of the heart lays such characters peculiarly open to a danger to which the unfeeling and the obdurate are less exposed.

If the person inuestion be of the sacred order, no small danger may arise from his living under the eye of an irreligious, but rich and bountiful patron. It is his duty to make religion appear, amiable in his eyes. He ought to conciliate his good will by every means which rectitude can sanction. But though his very piety will stimulate his discretion in the adoption of those means, he will take care never to let his discretion in trench on his integrity.

If he be under obligations to him, he may be in danger of testifying his gratitude, and furthering his hopes by some electioneering manoeuvres, and by too much electioneering society. He may, unawares, be tempted to too much conformity to his friend's habits, to too much conviviality in his society. And when he witnesses so much kindness and urbanity in his manners, possibly so much usefulness and benevolence in his life, he may be even tempted to suspect that he himself may be wrong; to accuse himself of being somewhat churlish in his own