if there is no God, there will be no punishment or misery beyond the present life.

But I would ask this man, Are you sure, that your conclusion is just ?-You think that if there is a God, you are in danger. But whence arises your danger? Surely not from God's government, but from your own wickedness: God's ways are equal; your ways are unequal. Whether there be a divine government, or not, still it is an obvious truth, that sin tends to misery-that vice reigning in the heart excludes selfenjoyment, and produces inward vexation. This is what men constantly experience, though they will not allow the connexion. "The

foolishness of man perverteth his way; and his heart fretteth against the Lord." All irregular and exorbitant passions; all corrupt and perverse tempers, are a torment to the soul; an habitual course of vicious actions involves men in a thousand perplexities and troubles. And whether they believe, or disbelieve the government of a Diety, these fruits of wickedness are the same, and they are undeniable. If you could persuade yourself, that there is no God, would envy, malice, pride, impatience, avarice, jealousy and ambition, immediately become pleasant and agreeable sensations ? Would intemperance and debauchery secure your health? Would idleness and dissipation make you rich? Would strife, discord and revenge sweeten the social life? Would fraud, perjury and injustice, cement friendship, and ensure the favor, confidence and assistance of mankind No.-The effects of vice indulged in the heart, and practised in the life, would be still the You suffer, then, from yourself; not from God. It is not God's government, but your opposition to his government, which brings your present unhappiness, and will bring your future misery.

same.

But you imagine, that if there is no God, there will be no future misery. Why not? If vice in its own nature tends to misery, how will you escape misery without renouncing vice? You say, perhaps, "If there is no God, there is no future existence; and if no existence, then no misery."

Is this, then, a pleasing thought? Is there nothing gloomy in annihilation? Is the hope of such an end as this, the best comfort you find in your guilty course? Suppose you knew, that after death, the religious man would exist in complete and endless felicity, and you would not exist at all, should you think, your lot more eligible than his? Would you not call the man a fool, who should choose vice with a speedy annihilation, in preference to religion with a happy immortality ?

"This," you will say, "is a fictitious supposition. All will share the same fate." But what advantage will it be to you, that good men should be annihilated with you? Will your annihilation be more comfortable, because none will be left to exist, after you are gone? Do you expect to be refreshed with this thought, when you cannot think at all?

Now say, Is not that man a fool, who, in preference to a holy life and a happy immortality, chooses a course in which there can be no comfort, but the gloomy hope, that he shall soon cease to exist, and the envious hope that better men will cease as well as he?

But if it were true, that there is no God, what evidence can the Atheist have, that he shall not exist, and be miserable after death? How came he to exist at all? Whatever was the cause of his existence here, may be the cause of his existence hereafter. Or if there is no cause, he may exist without a cause in another state, as well as in this. And if his corrupt heart and abominable works make him so unhappy here, that he had rather be annihilated, than run the

hazard of a future existence, what hinders, but that he may be unhappy forever? The man, then, is a fool; who wishes, there were no God, hoping thus to be secure from future misery; for, admitting there were no God, still he may exist hereafter, as well as here; and if he does exist, his corruptions and vices may render him miserable eternally, as well as for the present.

4. He who wishes, there were no God, is a fool, because he wishes for that, which is utterly inconsistent with all rational comfort and happi

ness.

Here we are in a world, abounding, indeed, with many good things, but full of dangers, vicissitudes and trials. We feel ourselves impotent; we see others impotent, like ourselves. We may be unable to procure the things which we want, or to enjoy them, if we had them. Our friends are dying around, and we are soon to die, like them. We cannot abide on earth long; and if we could, we should soon be in a kind of solitude; for when we had outlived the ordinary age of mortals, there would be few whom we regarded, and fewer who re garded us; we should dwell among strangers; none of the cordialities of earlier life would be felt.

If we be believed, there was no God, whither should we go for support in our troubles, comfort in our sorrows and defence in our dangers? What could we do in the day of anguish and distress? To whom could we resort, when lover and friend must forsake us? Where would be our consolation when we were entering the dark abode of the grave? To the Atheist this must be a dreary and disconsolate world-a world without light and without hope. But the pious believer has light in darkness, hope in sorrow, comfort in adversity, peace in death. Amidst all the changes of the world, he rejoices in the unchange

able goodness, wisdom and faithfulness of God. He views all events as ordered by a Being who never errs. In all his afflictions he repairs to the throne, and in all his dangers confides in the care of this great and merciful Being. If things seem to be against him, he is sure that divine wisdom can turn them to his eternal benefit. When he knows not what to do, his eyes are directed to the eternal source of goodness and power. When the sorrows of death compass him, he calls on the name of the Lord, who preserves the humble, and sustains them who are brought low. To pass from one world to another, he views as a vast and solemn change. But whether he is in this world, or another, he knows, he shall be surrounded with God's presence, and he trusts, that in God's presence he shall find a fulness of that joy, which he has, in some degree, experienced already. He can say, "I am continually with thee; thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? There is none on earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart fail, but thou art the strength of my heart, forever.

to

and my portion

inquire, whethAll will perhaps Inquire then, do

Our subject may justly lead us er we really believe, there is a God. say, they believe this plain truth. you live, as if you believed it? Do you devoutly attend on God's institutions? Do you pray without ceasing? Do you prove what is the will of God, and obey it, when you have proved it? Do you keep your hearts with diligence, that you may not offend him by evil thoughts and vile affections?' Do you seek his favor above all other interests, and choose this for your portion and happiness? You may then say, you believe and rejoice in God. But if you cast of the fear of God, restain prayer before

him, despise his word and worship, trample on his commands, serve divers lusts and pleasures, and act without a governing regard to the happiness of a future life; in vain you pretend to faith in God. Whatever you may profess in words, you say in your heart, "NO GOD."

We see, that they, who forsake God, forsake their own mercies-they renounce happiness here, and hereafter. Without faith in God, and obedience to him, there can be no rational enjoyment of the world, no comfort in affliction, peace in death, or happiness in eternity. All happiness comes from God. None but the holy in heart can relish the happiness which he gives. That we may enjoy happiness in God, we must be like him. They who enter into his presence, are such as have clean hands and a pure heart, walk uprightly and do righteousness. They only who are like God, will see him as he is. If we have this hope, let us purify ourselves, as he is pure.

It is manifest from our subject, that they who believe in God, will believe also in Christ. If we regard God as a moral governor, we shall feel our obligation to obey him, and our desert of punishment when we offend him. Conscious, that we have in many things offended, we shall be solicitous to know, on what terms we can be forgiven, or whether we can be forgiven at all. Reason can never assure us, that there is forgiveness with God; for, to punish the sinner is just; and whether mercy will rejoice against judgment, God only can determine, and he only can reveal. The gospel teaches us, that God sent his Son into the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to call sinners to repentance, to save them who are lost, and that they who confess and forsake their sins will find mercy. And certainly every one who feels him