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or maxims of mere moral virtue, by what ingenious conclufions, or elevated fentiments, frail men and inexperienced youths' fhall in thofe fituations maintain their ground, and come off conquerors, without deriving ftrength from religion, without acting as in the prefence of God.

Let a young perfon be fo circumftanced, that he cannot retain his virtue, without incurring the derifion of his affociates; that he cannot hold faft his righteoufnefs," without offending fome who have it in their power to make or mar his fortune; that he has an opportunity of fecuring a confiderable advantage by a small deviation, or of serving a connexion, a companion, or a man of rank and affluence, to the prejudice of a stranger, or of a poor man; that there is nothing to hinder him from arriving at the very fummit of his wifhes, but a fcruple of confcience, which many would pronounce idle, if not pufillanimous; or finally, that in doing an ill thing, to which he is ftimulated by a

frong defire, he may either elude difcovery, or defpife cenfure, or perhaps find. numbers who will not only justify, but applaud him inform us, I conjure you, what is there to prevent this young man from falling into any of these fnares ? Will you fay, The fuperior pleasure and glory of innocence, of truth, of humanity, of felf-command? Can you then imagine that fuch confiderations, beautiful and dignified as they must doubtless appear to more correct fpirits in an hour of tranquillity, when all is calm intellectual perception that fuch confiderations alone will be fufficient to combat irregular impulfes, to withstand improper folicitations, at a moment when the mind is agitated, the fancy fired, the paffions in a mutiny, and especially when the flattering hope of fame among the genteel and the gay, as well as of prefent gratification, incite to compliance Never believe it: the leaft reflection upon your own feelings, and the manners of the age, will convince you of

the contrary.

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When Vice throws off the mark, and prefents her impudent front, those who have not been used to behold it, or whỏ have hitherto refifted her advances, are naturally difpofed to turn away from the monster with abhorrence: but when the conceals herself under the afpect of elegant pleafure; when, fupported and recommended by the fashion, she is entertained among those who país for the best judges in the way of tafte; when not politeners only, or gentility, but wit and talents are feduced to plead her caufe, and propagate her empire; when the almoft refiftlers charms of music are employed to give her new attractions, or however to promote that languor and effeminacy which lull the guards of Virtue';' once more, when, inftead of wearing her own coarfe and obnoxious name, the affumes the more familiar and lefs alarming title of Diffpation what then why, then the ? becomes much more infinuating. And this, I prefume to fay, is a cafe which' has been as common for fome years, as it

was rare in the days of our forefathers; when that odious form not having learned the science of fmooth difguife, and being ftill afhamed of her native ugliness, generally skulked in corners. By the unbounded importation of foreign diverfions, by the enormous growth of commercial luxury, and the prodigious influx of Eaftern plunder, formerly mentioned, the has fince taken courage, and walked forth with great freedom, in the character of a smiling dif fembler, amidst all the advantages of drefs, decoration, and powerful patronage. In this character, and under thefe circumftances, the accofts a lively young man, adapting herself to his paffions with wonderful addrefs, and equal affiduity. The question returns, and I beg leave to prefs it, Where fhall he be furnifhed with the ftrength, with the refolution, with the grace required to vanquish her; more efpecially, if an eafy or affluent fortune fupplies him with many opportunities of vifiting the scenes where the practifes her chief forceries above all the reft, the

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nocturnal affembly, the inflaming revel, and the maddening masquerade?

When the abstract idea of the joy and honour attendant on confcious rectitude, is oppofed by the alluring profpect of senfible good, of folid gain, of popular praise, or of fafe indulgence to an impatient propenfity, or a riotous imagination, where, alas is the child of Adam, who poffeffes fuch purity of virtue, fuch fovereignty of reason, as shall enable him to reject the alluring profpect, and reft content with the abftract idea, independent-I fay, independent of any compenfation from futurity, of any reward from a Being at once omnipotent and eternal? But now suppose, that in this dangerous trial, the Fear of offending Him "whofe loving"kindness is better than life," as his dif pleasure is more terrible than death, fhould, like fome faithful monitor or guardian. angel, whisper our young friend as it were in the ear, tell him his hazard, and warn him to "ftand in awe and not fin"

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