certain that Polybius, though a heathen author, confidered the contempt of relis gion which reigned when he wrote, ast productive of general profligacy, and both united, as portending speedy ruin to thel Roman State. That this kingdom has much to fear from the fame caufes, will, I think, be confeffed by the majority of ferious obfervers in all profeffions. They cannot but be fenfible, that when a révelo rence for God no longer governs the body of a people, and confequently the most powerful restraint from vice and incentive to virtue is removed, then the strictest ties and highest interefts of fociety are neglected. and violated, many of the worft crimes are committed with audacity, the divine protection is in effect renounced, and nothing is left to preserve very long fuch a nation from running into anarchy, or sinking into flavery.

That a reverence for God is the most powerful restraint from vice, and incen

tive to virtue, might be proved from a great variety of topics. Suffice it now to touch on a few, which may ferve to show how peculiarly neceffary this fovereign principle is become for those of our youth who mix with the world in its more active or fashionable scenes. We would only premife, what we must ever lament, that many who have profeffed the highest regard for Religion, have with fhameful inconfiftency violated her moft facred obligations; and that, when we speak of her, influence on human conduct, we still mean in thofe cafes where he is fincerely respected, and faithfully obeyed. Nor can you, my friends, think her in justice responsible for that hypocrify, against which fhe denounces the heaviest woes.

But while fuch as judge lefs fairly, triumph in the vices of numbers who pretend to piety, we are bold to affirm, that among the individuals within the sphere of our notice, who have betrayed a con

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tempt for it, we have never known oneno, not one, who did not, on the closest infpection, appear to us capable of tranfgreffing deliberately and defignedly the laws of truth, or integrity, or temperance, or purity, or friendship, or charity, whenever any of these ftood in the way of his ruling paffions, and fo long as he hoped to conceal or to palliate his actions, if indeed he was anxious to do either.

We can farther affirm, that we have never seen any of our acquaintance, who' had been accustomed to attend the inftitutions of religion, grow remifs in that, attendance (we fpeak not of being cafually hindered by circumstances of neceffity, or works of mercy) without growing also remifs in other effential points, especially. in fobriety, vigilance, and a regular life. And if at length they altogether, or in a great measure, forfook the house of God, we had reason to fear they had first forfaken the path of Virtue. Religious exercifes were become irkfome, as reminding

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them of a Being they now wished to for get, because they were afraid of him. They now loved darkness rather than "light, because their deeds were evil.” They could no longer hazard with any freedom the painful convictions, which public inftruction might flafh upon their minds. As they wanted refolution to reform, nothing feemed left but to fupprefs as much as poffible thofe ferious reflections, that would have obftructed or disturbed them in the career of vice. But are not thefe fo many tacit atteftations to the truth of our general doctrine, the importance of Piety to Morals? And will they not help to account for the increasing neglect thrown upon the worship of the Almighty in this country, and particularly in this Metropolis?

We readily admit, that a cool conftitution, or an early controul, the circumfpection of parents, on the admonition of friends, a feeling of character and decorum, an attention to health, to intereft, to safety,

perhaps we should add a native delicacy of mind, or a certain refinement of tafte acquired by books and converfation of an improving tendency, may enable partí-: cular persons to escape a number of fnares which have entangled others. But the question is, What fhall defend them against fuch temptations as are accompanied with more than common danger from their predominant tendencies where thefe too are encouraged by the tone of the Times, and where it fo happens, that the guards juft mentioned do not come in to their fuccour It is by no means difficult to imagine, a multitude of cafes in which neither.complexion, nor authority, nor prudence, nor, the fense of propriety, interpofe imme diately to prevent guilt or check inclina tion, but, on the contrary, many circumftances too favourable for both, confpire with importunity, with ambition, with the mode, to prompt and embolden them.

Tell us, ye mighty mafters of wisdom, ye fond admirers of heathen philofophy, tell us by what arts of unaffifted reason,