man, who believes that sinfulness is no sin, as from him, who believes it is detestable in the sight of God? Will that man, who believes that it is his duty to love others as himself, conduct upon the selfish, contracted plan with him who believes, he owes no duty towards others? Can we expect the same conduct from him who believes, he owes no duty to the poor, as from him who believes, he ought to be kind and charitable? Did we know a man, who believed that it was not wrong to rob and murder, should we trust our life and property in his hand, with the same confidence, we should, did he conscientiously regard the commandments of God? It is natural for a man to act according to his sentiments. He, whose principles are fluctuating and erroneous, cannot be expected to act uniformly and uprightly. View that man who believes nothing about religion, will he live and act like one, who believes in the doctrines of the gospel? Were we to look into societies and towns, we might learn their sentiments from their conduct. Are they inattentive to the sabbath? Is divine worship neglected? Are they profane and immoral? Is the tavern more frequented than the house of God? What opinion do you form of this people? Do you not conclude them a people of no religious principles? Or, if they have any, that they are as erroneous as their conduct is irregular? Where people are not careful what they be lieve, we expect to find them as careless how they practise. If the religious sentiments of men had no influence on their practice, why should so much be said in Scripture on the importance of their embracing

the truth? Why should principles be laid down in Scripture, if it were indifferent what we believed? Such is the darkness of the human mind, and the wrong bias of the heart, that, if we form any principles in religion without our eye upon divine revelation, it will be a wonder, if they do not prove false.— But as it is natural for mankind to form some scheme of sentiment as soon as they begin to think of Godtheir relation to him, and of a future state; and as they are often in the way of that instruction which causeth to err from the words of knowledge, they have great need of divine instruction, and should often compare their religious sentiments with the holy Scriptures; and so cleanse their minds from false and dangerous princi ples. Should you be tempted to believe, that death will put an end to your existence; and therefore you have nothing to fear beyond the grave; the Scriptures will teach you that this is a foolish and dangerous erfour. Some have embraced this opinion, and have taken encouragement to live as though there were no God. But the Scriptures teach you that the wise and the fool die, and the godly and ungodly in this respect are alike. Both return to their dust, and are not in their bodies distinguished from the beasts; yet both these characters are distinguished from the beasts as to their spirits. The spirit of a beast goeth downwards, or perishes with the body; but the spirit of a man goeth upwards; or as it is elsewhere expressed, returns to God who gave it.. Both die, and herein are not distinguished from the beasts; yet their bodies shall be raised and fitted for a state of immortality, while

that of the beast will be seen no more.

When the Scriptures are properly attended to, and understood, they, like a refiner's fire, will purge the mind from delusive and dangerous errours.

Are you tempted to depend on future opportunities, for forsaking sinful ways, and preparing for heaven? Take heed to the Scriptures, and they will teach you, that such an expectation is presumptuous. They teach you, that your life is swifter than a weaver's shuttle;-that you may die soon-and your expected opportunity be lost forever.-Boast not thyself of to-morrow, is the direction of wisdom. A dependence on future time is a fatal rock, on which thousands have been lost. It is a delusion to which young people are peculiarly exposed. You ought therefore to pay a particular regard to what the Scriptures say of the vanity and uncertainty of your life, and the guilt and danger of relying on opportunities, which you may never enjoy.

Do you delay present duty upon the principle, that you will be more disposed to forsake your sins in some future time, than you are at present? The sacred Oracles expose the danger and fallacy of this expectation. They teach you that sinful habits, instead of losing, gather strength by indulgence; and that your danger will be greater, and the probability lessen every day, that you will ever reform.-They teach you, that sin is of a blinding nature, that it hardens the heart, stupifies the conscience, and that every step you take in sin, the less disposed you will be to forsake her destructive paths,

Are you disposed to believe your sins small, and that the mercy of God will secure you from future punishment, though you should not repent? The Scriptures will teach you, that all sin is against God, an infinite being, and that every sin deserves his wrath and curse; and, though the mercy of God be infinite, yet those will not be benefited by it, who live and die in sin; and, that the impenitent and unbelieving, notwithstanding all the merits of Christ, and all the grace of the gospel, shall have their part in the lake which burn, with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. These are a few of the many false principles to which you are exposed, and from which you may cleanse your mind, by regarding the word of God.

But you are not only in danger from false principles; but from vicious practices. I shall proceed to lay before you some of those evil practices to which the young are peculiarly exposed.

1. Falsehood, or a habit of lying, is a vice to which some are addicted; and those, who are addicted to this vice, commonly contract the habit in childhood and youth. Those, who are accustomed to speak the truth at these periods, seldom become habitual liars; and they, who have acquired this habit in youth, seldom recover themselves from this snare of the devil.** Lying, is speaking with an intention to deceive. Such an intention is evidently wrong and wicked; and therefore lying is always a vice. It is a vice which is seldom of any advantage to the person, who indulges it; and often proves his ruin. When once a person is known to be a habitual liar, his reputation is

gone

his word gains no confidence-his promises no reliance; and he is not believed even when he speaks the truth. But he often deceives and disappoints those, who know not his character, and have put confidence in his word. Lying tends to destroy the use of speech. The bestowment of this noble faculty was designed to enable man to convey his ideas, and communicate truth unto others; and is of no further use to mankind, than as it is used for these purposes. How many thousands have been ruined in their reputation, their estate, and their comfort, by a lying tongue? What scenes of human misery have proceeded from false and deceitful promises-of pretended lovers and friends! How many young people have been undone, both as to their character, and future peace by means of a lying tongue! The evils to civil society from this vice, are innumerable and indescribable; and sooner or later bring the curses of the deceived upon the guilty head of the deceiver, and clothe him with shame and disgrace. A lying tongue is one of those seven abominations mentioned by the wise man, which God peculiarly abhors; and God has expressly declared that all liars-those who indulge their tongues in falsehood, and persist in it, shall have their part-their portionwhere my hearers? Where? why in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Let the young think on this, and learn to speak the truth, every one with his neighbour. Avoid this abominable practice in your dealings--in your conversation; and remember, always remember, that the ways of men are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.