the kingdom, and to furnish them with proper arguments for the vindication of those found and falutary principles, by which they have the happiness to be distinguished.

It is an obfervation of undeniable certainty, that the fame Divine Being, the Almighty Lord of heaven and earth, who has given to man the good things of creation for the use and benefit of his body, and the precious truths of revelation for the inftruction and comfort of his foul, has in both instances met with the moft ungrateful and unworthy returns. The good things of creation have been abused to the baseft purposes of riot and intemperance, confumed in fin and fenfuality, and often made a pretence for indulging covetousness and ambition, a fordid parfimony and griping avarice ; while the precious truths of revelation have been treated with the moft infolent fcorn and contempt, exposed to all the wantonnefs of raillery and ridicule, and often fo ftrangely perverted, as to produce nothing but blind superstition and enthusiastic prefumption.

It is not enough, however, that we acknowledge in general the truth of this melancholy observation : let us examine whether fuch a charge be strictly juft, when applied to the inhabitants of this land, the country with which we are moft immediately connected. Perhaps, when comparing our moral character with that of other ftates and kingdoms, we may feel an inclination at once to refift the charge, becaufe

because our country cannot in justice be accused of fuch flagrant abuses of the divine goodness as are too often exhibited in other parts of the world. But before we allow ourselves to be carried away by any fuch fuperficial and flattering comparison, we shall do well to confider, whether this moral fuperiority, which at present we undoubtedly poffefs, may not be more justly ascribed to a want of means and opportunity of carrying the purfuit of fenfual and worldly pleasure to the fame height with our richer neighbours, than to any want of inclination, from principle, to the abuses which I have been mentioning. It feems therefore a doubtful point, whether our virtue in this respect is to be traced to the proper fource and principle of all that deferves to be called virtue, or whether our being "delivered "from much of the evil," that prevails in other places, may not be afcribed to the favourable circumstance of our not being fo much "led into tempta"tion." But whatever may be faid, either for or against our national character on this fcore, it can only be applied to the firft branch of the charge to which I have alluded, as pointing to that prefumptuous abuse of the good things of creation, the criminality of which will no doubt be in proportion to the share that is enjoyed of these temporal bleffings; and those, to whom little is given, will furely have the less to account for. But as to the other part of the charge, in which our country is implicated, as profeffing to be Chriftian, and enjoying the full

benefit

benefit of divine revelation, I am afraid, that in the contempt, or abuse of its precious truths, as much guilt and depravity will be found here, in proportion to our numbers, as in the other parts of the united kingdom.

From the advantages, which Scotland has long enjoyed in the way of literature, and the easy access thus afforded to the general acquifition of knowledge, has arisen the powerful temptation, which many have been unable to withstand, of carrying their fpeculations beyond the proper limits, and affecting to be wife even in matters of religion, above what God has caufed to be written for man's inftruction. While fuch fpeculations however were confined to the ftudent in his closet, their influence was narrow and circumfcribed; and the general state of fociety was but little affected by the writings of fuch infidels as David Hume, till they were better fuited to vulgar capacity, and their deadly venom more widely circulated, by the poisonous arts of Thomas Paine, and his numerous disciples. These could not fail at laft to attract the notice of government; and by its firm and steady exertions, a ftop has been put to the open and avowed propagation of principles fo hoftile to the morals, the peace, and good order of fociety. Yet is it much to be feared, that in many parts of the kingdom, the feeds of irreligion and licentiousness have been fo plentifully diffeminated, that unless their growth be checked by a returning sense of duty, or fome power

ful

ful interpofition of Providence, before they come to full maturity, inevitable ruin must be the confequence. Already do the prefages of fuch a fatal iffue begin to exhibit themselves. In fome of the most populous districts of Scotland, where the middling and lower ranks of the people were, fome years ago, exemplary in the discharge of their religious duties, not occafional neglect only, but a conftant derifion, and an avowed contempt of these duties, have now taken place. The rites and ordinances of the gospel are expofed to every species of scorn and ridicule. Children are wilfully withheld from the "laver of regeneration:" and men and women "count the blood of the covenant, where"with they are fanctified, an unholy thing, in pure defpite of the fpirit of grace."

The attainment of fuperior wisdom has been the boast of the free-thinking tribe in every age, and in every nation; and much mifchief has been done to the cause of Christianity by the fophifms of schoolmen, and the introduction of that falfe philosophy and vain deceit, the offspring of metaphyfical fubtilty, through which fo many in the higher ranks of life, have been completely "fpoiled and "led away after the rudiments of the world, and "not after Chrift." Yet comparatively fmall was the injury, fo long as the poor had the gospel preached unto them; fo long as the mass of society was uncontaminated, and the great body of the people esteemed themselves happy in enjoying the comforts

с

comforts of religion, and "counted all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus their Lord." The partition-wall however between learned and unlearned is now in this re fpect broken down, The adepts of the new philofophy have availed themselves of the facility, with which the lower claffes of the people may be tempt ed to get rid of this diftinction; and, if we may borrow the figurative language of the Pfalmift, "the boar out of the wood doth now waste it, and "the wild beaft of the field doth devour," and tear in pieces, the gofpel of that "God of hosts," whọ proclaimed himself " the true vine;" even the "Shep"herd of Ifrael," of whom the fame Pfalmift declares, that he is our God, and we are the people

of his pasture, and the fheep of his hand."-What a pity it is, that the grievous wolves of atheism and apoftacy should be allowed to enter in among us, clothed as they are in the lambskin dress of fraternal benevolence, and universal philanthropy; under which guise, "speaking perverse things to draw "away difciples after them," they fpare not the flock of Chrift, but are daily carrying off unstable fouls to the destruction that awaits them! To whom, but to that fame mighty Shepherd of Ifrael, who neither flumbereth nor fleepeth, can we look for such aid and protection as are neceffary to defend us from these enemies of our peace?

But, while we fly to him for fhelter, earnestly praying that he would take us under "the fhadow

of