when the Close of the Scene approaches, and Age or Sicknefs roufes up Reflection from its Sleep, then will the Sinner, in all Likelihood, fee, with Terror unfpeakable, those awful, Realities, of which, if he is never convinced in this World, he will only be the more wretched in the next. But the darkest Hour to fuch, may, with Reason, be the joyfulleft to him, who having faithfully acknowledged God in all his Ways, perceives that now his Work is over, and his Reward at Hand. Undoubtedly it is beft to use no ftronger Expreffions on this Subject, than the lefs experienced may feel to be just: else, Words want Force to defcribe the Difference between these two Conditions. It is true,

not all pious Souls are conscious of it, just at the Time of their Departure. Frequently their fetting Sun is obfcured by Infenfibility: fometimes overcaft by Doubts and Fears. But they fhall inftantly behold it rifing again, to fhine with unclouded and increasing Luftre to all Eternity. For Light is fown for the Righteous, and Gladness for the Upright in Heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye Righteous, and grve Thanks at the Remembrance of his Holiness*.

k Pf. xcvi. II, 12.

Such

:

Such then is the good Influence of the Fear of God: and his genuine Fear can have no bad one. Reverence of a wife and holy Being will never mislead Men into any Thing wicked or weak. Falfe Religion, indeed, may do both and fo may false Notions of Virtue or Friendship, or any other valuable Quality. But this was never thought an Argument in any Cafe befides, against being governed by the true; and yet lefs ought it in the prefent. God must be worshipped by us in Spirit and in Truth', let others worship him as wrongly as they will: and his Laws must be obeyed, let ever so many mistake Errors of their own for fuch. The Danger of Superftition is a very powerful Reason, why religious Belief and Practice fhould be watched over, and directed right: but cannot poffibly be a Reafon, why diffolute Profanenefs fhould be encouraged or fuffered. Let rational Piety be thoroughly established, and Superftition falls of Course. But if the Former be rooted out, the Latter will certainly grow up in its Place. There is a natural Bent in human Minds to believe and refpect an invisible Power and if it be turned afide from point

ing, in a proper Manner, towards its proper Object, it will foon acquire fome other Form; probably an abfurd and pernicious one. Infidelity promises great Freedom and Enjoyment of Life: but in Fact it proves, in Proportion as it prevails, a State of Madness and Confufion, of perpetual Danger from others, of Discomfort and defperate Refolutions within Mens own Breafts: and therefore, after fome Trial of it, they will eagerly run away from it into the oppofite Extreme.

True Religion then being of fuch Importance, there are fome Things, which may juftly be expected of Mankind in its Favour.

1. That they, who have not yet carefully fearched into the Grounds of it, fhould not take upon them to treat it with Scorn, or even Difregard. What fo deeply concerns all Men, and what the wifeft and most confiderate of Men have lived and died in the firm Belief of, ought not surely to be thrown aside, on hearing only a few fuperficial Objections, and ludicrous Turns of Words to its Difadvantage. There must need more than this to confute it; and therefore whoever, with little Reading and little Thought, finds much Inclination to disbelieve, fhould learn to fufpect

himself,

himself, instead of his Creed, and be modest in Proportion to his Unacquaintedness with the Subject.

If

2. It may be expected alfo, that they, who profefs to examine, fhould do it fairly. Most Men will be backward to confefs, that they wish against Religion; because it is confeffing, that they have Reason to fear, if the Universe be well governed. But each ought to think well, whether this be not fecretly his Case, and remove the Prepoffeffion of his bad Life, before he pretends to be an upright Judge. After that, if he finds Difficulties, let him remember, that they are to be found in every Thing, and yet something must be true. he meets not with the Sort, or the Degree of Evidence, which he looked for; let him recollect, that a fair Mind will be fatisfied with any that turns the Scale. If he doubts of fome Points; let him ftill hold fast thofe, which remain undoubted; and preserve that Refpect to Religion in general, which will prove his best Guide in every Particular. Nay, were it poffible for him to doubt of the Whole; yet, fince Doubt is not Certainty, his Practice however fhould be on the fafer Side. And if he fees, as one should think he

muft, that Scepticism and Infidelity will deftroy the chief Comfort of the Good, endanger the Virtue of all, and weaken the Bonds of Civil Society; never let the poor Vanity of propagating his Notions tempt him to be the Author, or Promoter, of fo dreadful a Mifchief to human Kind. But

3:

The last, and most important Thing of all to be expected is, that they who are fo happy as to believe, fhould fecure and complete their Happiness by what alone can do it, a fuitable Behaviour. Too often the contrary Course is taken: and many who had once fome Regard for Religion, but unhappily accompanied with vicious Indulgencies, force themselves to throw it off, that they may fin undisturbed. But let no one imagine, that denying God will make the leaft Amends for disobeying him; or that stifling our Convictions can ever give any true Peace; which is only to be had by enforcing them home on our Hearts, and conforming our Lives to them. This we have all need to do with the utmost Care, amidst so many, fo powerful, fo fudden Temptations to the contrary, as the World and the Devil, and our own corrupt Nature, throw in our Way.

And as the Re

verence