multitudes of his coadjutors and followers have taught, that pollution in almost every form is lawful and desirable, and that animal enjoyment is the only real good. The infidels of the French school, who have not found it necessary, like the English, to regard any appearances, have openly denied and ridiculed all the fundamental principles of morality, as well as of piety. I have been informed, by what I esteem good authority, that a numerous assembly of French Literati being asked in turn, at one of their meetings, by their President, whether there was any such thing as moral obligation, answered, in every instance, that there was not. This happened a little before the French Revolution. Since the commencement of that stupendous event, as well as in very many instances before, the body of French Infidels have not only denied all the obligations which bind us to truth, justice, and Kindness, but pitied and despised, as a contemptible wretch, bewildered by ignorance and folly, the man who believes in its existence.

The only instance in which Infidels of any description have possessed the supreme power and government of a country, and have attempted to dispose of human happiness according to their own doctrines and wishes, is that of France, since the beginning of the Revolution. If we consider this government as established over a nation, educated for ages to the belief and obedience of many doctrines of Christianity, and retaining, as to a great majority of the people, the habits formed by that education, the state of that nation will evince, beyond a question, that all which I have said is true without exaggeration. France, during this period, has been a theatre of crimes, which after all preceding perpetrations, have excited in the mind of every spectator, amazement and horror. The miseries suffered by that single nation, have changed all the histories of the preceding sufferings of mankind into idle tales, and have been enhanced and multiplied, without a precedent, without number, and without a name. The kingdom appeared to be changed into one great prison, the inhabitants converted into felons, and the common doom of man commuted for the violence of the sword and the bayonet, the sucking boat and the guillotine. To contemplative men it seemed for a season, as if the knell of the whole nation was tolled, and the world summoned to its execution and its funeral.

Within the short time of ten years, not less than three millions of human beings are supposed to have perished in that single country, by the influence of Atheism. Were the world

to adopt and be governed by the doctrines of France, what crimes would not mankind perpetrate; what agonies would they not suffer?

Let us now turn our view from this prospect of guilt and desolation, this dark and final abyss of sin and ruin, where no solitary virtue gleams, where no ray of hope or comfort trembles through the profound midnight; and refresh the wearied sight by casting a momentary glance over the moral world of the Christian. Here, at the head of the vast chain of moral being, reaching like Jacob's ladder from earth to heaven, sits on the throne of infinite dominion the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob; the God of all, who like them believe, worship, and obey their Creator. In him, the Self-existent and Infinite Mind, the Christian beholds unceasingly, an object of boundless sublimity, grandeur, beauty, and loveliness; commanding by the disclosure of his character, and exhausting, all finite admiration, complacency, love, and praise; expanding every view, refining every affection, and ennobling every attribute. From the immediate contemplation of this glorious Being, raised to a superiority and distinction, of which he could otherwise have never conceived, he casts his eyes abroad into the universe, which that Being has created. There he beholds an endless train of intelligent minds, reflecting, with no unhappy lustre, the beauty and glory of their Maker. From the pre-eminent dignity of the Archangel, through the glowing zeal of the Seraph, and the milder wisdom of the Cherub; through the high endowments of Moses, Isaiah, and Paul; down to the humble but virtuous inhabitant of a cottage, one spirit lives, and breathes, and actuates, in all; and that spirit is divine. Each wears and exhibits in his own manner, and that manner a delightful and useful one, the image and beauty of Jehovah. though of different magnitudes, diffuse a real light; all are stars, though one star differeth from another star in glory.' All are the subjects of virtuous affections, all are fitted to admire and adore, to glorify and enjoy their Creator; all are formed and disposed voluntarily to fill up their existence with doing good, with promoting individual enjoyment, and increas

VOL. I,

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All,

ing universal happiness: all are bound together, as children of one God, and brethren of each other, by love, the bond of perfection.' Every one therefore is lovely in the sight of his Maker.

To this Universe of Minds the Christian believes, that the Creator, who is of course the rightful lawgiver, has given laws for the direction of its members, which require perfect conduct, and ensure to it perfect happiness. These laws extend to all the thoughts, words, and actions alike, and regulate each with unerring propriety. Their obligation is, and is acknowledged to be, divine; nothing can sunder, nothing can lessen it. This, instead of being a source of regret to him, is his delight; for what these laws require is better than any thing else, and more fraught with self-approbation, worth, and enjoyment. Of course, in all the relations and situations in life, as a parent or a child, a neighbour or a friend, a magistrate or a subject, he feels himself, on the one hand, irresistibly obliged, and on the other, entirely delighted, to obey their dictates. As these dictates reach every moral being in every situation, and with respect to every action, they provide of course, and universally, for that conduct in every being, which is commendable and desirable.

Here an immoveable foundation is laid for peace within, for dignity of mind, for real and enduring enjoyment, in the recesses of solitude; and for the endless train of duties and blessings, necessary to the happiness of society. A ruler formed in this manner, will govern only to bless. Subjects of the same character will obey, because rectitude demands their obedience, and because their obedience will ensure the happiness both of themselves and their rulers.

III. I will now examine the views which the Atheist forms of the Future World.

On this subject, a few observations only will be necessary. The whole of the Atheist's Creed, with respect to the future world, is comprised in the following summary: That his body, begun by Chance or Necessity, is continued without design, and perishes without hope; and that his soul is a mere attribute of his body, useless and worthless while he lives, and destined at his death to rottenness and corruption: "Death an eternal sleep," he engraves on the gate-posts of every church

yard, and consigns by his mandate the numerous inhabitants to the dark and desolate regions of annihilation.

By this sweeping sentence, which he passes on all the human race, he takes away from himself, and his fellow-men, every motive, furnished by the fear of future punishment, or the hope of future rewards, to virtuous, upright, and amiable conduct.

From these three sources, expressed by the several heads of discourse, arise all motives and all tendencies to virtuous conduct; to truth, justice, and kindness between man and man. From the two former, we have already seen, the Atheist derives neither motives nor tendencies to this conduct. The source, under consideration, is to him if possible still more barren of both.

There is therefore nothing in his scheme which will prevent him from doing evil, or induce him to do good. How deplorable then is his system, if it may be called a system, of doctrines.

On the other hand, how glorious are the Christian's views of the future world. From the promise of his Creator he learns, that his body, sown here in corruption, weakness, and dishonour, shall be raised beyond the grave, in incorruption, power, and glory, with so many attributes of mind, or spirit, as to be denominated by him who made it, a spiritual body.' Ever young, active, and undecaying, it shall be reunited to the immortal mind, purified from every stain and every error. This perfect man shall be admitted, with an open and abundant entrance,' into the heaven of heavens, the peculiar residence of Infinite Majesty, and the chosen seat of Infinite Dominion. In this noblest of all habitations, this mansion of everlasting joy, he shall be united with an innumerable multitude of companions like himself, sanctified, immortal, and happy. Enrolled among the noblest and best beings in the universe, a child, a priest, a king, in the house of his heavenly Father, his endless and only destination will be to know, love, serve, and enjoy God; to interchange the best affections and the best offices with his glorious companions, and to advance in wisdom, virtue and happiness for ever.

In the future world of the Christian therefore, motives, endless in their number, and infinite in their power, excite him unceasingly to all the conduct which can make him useful and

lovely, which can promote the happiness of his fellow-creatures, or secure the approbation of his God.

Thus have I taken a summary comparative view of these two schemes of existence. In that of the Christian, an intelligent mind, possessed of boundless power, wisdom, and goodness, existed from everlasting; commanded into being the universe of matter, and the universe of minds; is present in every place; sees, with an intuitive survey, every thing; controls all things with an almighty and unerring hand; and directs all to the accomplishment of the divine and eternal purpose, for which all were made. Over the universe of minds, destined to an immortal existence, he exercises a moral and eternal government; and prescribes laws which require the best conduct, and insure the greatest happiness. To obedience he promises an endless reward, to disobedience he threatens an endless punishment. From this great source the Christian sees himself derived, to this glorious end believes himself destined; and in this sublime scheme is presented with all motives to make him good, and with all means to make him happy.

The Atheist, on the contrary, supposes all things derived from chance or necessity; originated without design, existing to no purpose, and terminating, whenever they do terminate, by the coercion of fate, or the sport of accident, as they began. Himself he regards as a lump of organised matter, without a mind, without law or government, except that of fate or force; without moral action, incapable of obligation or rectitude, united to his fellow-men only by time and place, formed only to animal enjoyment, and destined to perish with his kindred brutes. By this scheme, all that is glorious, divine and lovely, in that of the Christian, is annihilated; and all which in the natural world cannot be annihilated, and which possesses an inherent greatness and sublimity, is miserably contracted and degraded. Nothing is left to expand his views, refine his affections, or ennoble his conduct. Motives to virtue, dignity, and usefulness, he obliterates from the creation. In the future world he finds no such motives, for to him the future world is nothing. His evil passions, in the mean time (for such passions, whencesoever derived, he possesses) are let loose without restraint, to rage and riot without control. Of all motives to do evil his