fame heaven is open. Plead that gracious. nature, implore that divine interceffor, invoke that bleffed fpirit. Say not it is too late. Early and late are relative, not pofitive terms. While the door is yet open there is no hour of marked exclufion. So

may an inheritance among the faints in light

ftill be yours.

CHAP. XXII.

Reflections of an inconfiftent Chriftian after a ferious Perufal of the Bible.

I

PROFESS to believe that Christianity is true. Its promises are high; but what have been its profits. It is time to enquire into its truth and its advantages. It never, indeed, pledged itself to confer honours or emoluments; but it engaged to bestow be nefits of another kind. If the Chriftian is deceived in these, he has nothing to confole him. Now what am I the better for Chriftianity? It speaks of changing the heart from darkness to light. What illumination has my mind experienced from it? - But here a doubt begins to arife. Am I indeed a Chriftian? What claims have I to the character?

Is there any material difference, whether I depend on heaven as a thing of course, to

those who have been baptized, without a correfponding temper and conduct; or whether I never reflect that there is a heaven, or whether I abfolutely disbelieve that there is any fuch place? Is the diftinction fo decifive between fpeculative unbelief, practical infidelity, and total negligence, as that either of them can afford an affurance of eternal happiness in preference to the other? Yet while the thought of heaven never enters my mind, would I not hotly refent it as an injury, if any one difputed my title to it? Should I not treat him who advised me to a more ferious life, as an enemy, and him who suspected I required it, as a calumniator? Is it not, however, worth the inquiry, whether my confidence of obtaining it is well founded; and whether my danger arises from my ignorance or my

unfitnefs?

If the Scriptures be authentic - if, as I have always profeffed to believe, they indicate a state of eternal happiness, together with the means of attaining to it then

furely

farely not to direct my thoughts to that state, not to apply my attention to those means, is to neglect the state and the things, for which I was fent into the world. Providence, doubtlefs, intended that every fpecies of being should reach the perfection for which it was created. Shall his only rational creature be the only one which falls fhort of the end for which he was made? the only one who refuses to reach the top of his nature, who refuses to comply with his original destination ?

If I were quite certain that I was not ereated for fuch a great and noble end as Chrif tianity has revealed, I fhould then be justi fied in acting as a being would naturally act, who has no higher guide than sense, no nobler ftimulus than appetite, no larger scope than time, no ampler range than thisworld. And, though I might then regret that my powers and faculties, my capacities and defires, were formed for fo low a purpofe, and their exercise limited to fo brief a fpace, yet it would not, in that cafe, be act.

ing inconfiftently, to turn my fugitive poffeffions, and my contracted fpan, to the beft account of prefent enjoyment.

But if I have indeed, as I profess to have, any faith however low, any hope however feeble, any prospect however faint, is it rational to act in fuch open oppofition to my profeffion? Is it right or reasonable, to believe and to neglect, to avow and to difre gard, to profels and to oppose the same thing? Do I raise my character for that understanding on which I value myself, if, while I make confeffion of a faith which has been adopted by the wifeft men in different ages, my temper is not, like theirs, conformed to it, my will is not, like theirs, fubdued to it, my life is not, like theirs, governed by it.

I think this world more certain than the next, because I have the evidence of my fenfes to its reality; and because its enjoyments are prefent, vifible, tangible. But the fame being who gave my fenfes, gives alfo reafon and faith; and do not thefe afford