can be inflicted, rather than purchase deliverance at the expence of integritywhat words can do juftice to the greatness of foul confpicuous in fuch a behaviour?

At first fight indeed it feems beyond the reach of humanity; and yet you know it has been reached, not merely by a few refined and tranfcendent fpirits, but by the whole army of martyrs nor by them only. Let us do juftice to our common nature, which is the work of God, as well as that divine inftitution which was ordained to improve and complete it: let us acknowledge, that pagan history abounds with memorable examples of heroic refolution. We pity the bigotry that would exclude them from their fhare of merited renown. Were not they the offspring of God, as well as we? And if he inspired them with difpofitions worthy of praise, why fhould not we own it? If their motives were defective, or fometimes improper, let us be thankful for a religion

that has taught us better: but let us alfo beware, left, while we boaft higher principles than were known to thofe brave heathens, we should fall beneath them in our practice. What my hearers, shall we, furrounded with the fplendor of evangelic light, fhall we "walk in darkness," or fink into despair? Shall we, by facri ficing our duty to our fafety, our honour to our cafe, the glorious triumphs of immortality to the poor paffing vanities of time, leave room for a Socrates, a Phocion, a Decius, or a Regulus, to rife up in. the day of judgement and condemn?” us? God forbid.

Though I never could admire the fternnefs of the Stoic fect, when it proceeded fo far as either to deaden the feelings of Nature, or to disguise them; I must yet confefs, that the preference clearly given by many of the ancients to the idea of what became them, above the enjoyment of riches, of cafe, or of life itself, mani

fefted a force of refolution, but feldom, comparatively speaking, found in these days of luxurious indulgence. Some examples we have seen, and without question there are more which we have not feen, of great fortitude in maintaining the post of Virtue, against the most dangerous affaults of an adverse world. In truth, it requires no common magnanimity, for young minds especially, to remain undaunted by the perfecutions of bad men, at a period when: to be fober is in many companies to seem particular, and to be ferious the certain. means of incurring ridicule, and exciting. oppofition. How beautiful to behold a modeft youth perfevering, with inflexible determination, in the path which his reafon and his heart have chofen; marching on undifmayed, through all the fhafts of malice, and of fcorn, that can be levelled. at him, while both of his own age, and. of those who are farther advanced, "thou

fands fall on his right hand, and ten “thousand on his left!"

By the fame erect and fuperior Spirit, fuch a perfon is enabled to refift the torrent of ill example, with which the weak and the wavering are carried away, and the continual whirl of diffipation, that abforbs the light and the thoughtless. "It is equally," fays Plato," the office "of virtuous conftancy, to withstand the "attacks of pain, and the blandishments "of pleasure;" we may add, neither to be overborne by noise and numbers on the one hand, nor drawn afide by folicitation or art on the other. Here, my friends, here indeed is the grand trial; nor was it ever fo formidable as now: for in the first place, we have before difcovered, there never was fo great a majority openly on the fide of vice; and in the next, we have obferved, that even the good are every day more flackened in their refolves by the foft infinuation of effeminacy. They still retain many laudable fentiments, but have not the fpirit to avow them. They would willingly live to their better feelings, but

are afraid of being charged with fingularity. They are alarmed at the thoughts of appearing to depart too far from the beaten track, even in the pursuit of wifdom and happiness. From mere pufillanimity they often comply with follies which they cannot juftify, and fatigue themselves with amufements which they do not enjoy. They are fecretly disgusted at the ways of the world, but dare not exprefs their diflike, left they fhould be deemed unfashionable. They hate cards, and continue to play at them. They are fick of perpetual affemblies, and regularly frequent them. They can witness licentiousness and impiety without a frown. They can hear the fcoffs of infidels, and the oaths of the prophane, without the flightest mark of difapprobation. Shall I fpeak it? They can actually fmile, with an air of cool indifference, at the deep' corruption of a venal and a vicious. age. Not that they are deftitute of worth; but their worth is deftitute of vigour