comes 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 one 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 outstrips 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, pro

duced 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, espe cially 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 pursuit among many which he had taken up when other pursuits 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 departure 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 appeared so delightful. Perhaps his fancy had been fired by some acts of christian heroism, which he felt an ambition 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 circumstances, and he is now grown affluent. Or it might be assumed, 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 sullied 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 asso