that concur in producing a coldnefs and indif ference to religion in any fociety.

2. The vifible fymptoms of the prevalence and progress of this fatal difeafe amongst ourfelves.

3. The proper means of reviving, through the divine bleffing, a fpirit of piety and vir

tue.

I. I fhall firft point out fome of the principal caufes that concur in producing a coldnefs and indifference to religion in any fo ciety.

Indifference to religion, which is fo hurtful to the happinefs of a nation, confifts in the want of a due impreffion of its truth and importance. It ftands directly oppofite to that principle which is termed faith, and defcribed as the bafis and foundation of all genuine and fubftantial virtue. Faith, in the fenfe and language of fcripture, does not fignify a mere affent to the truths of religion, as matter of opinion; but fuch a deep and penetrating conviction of their importance, and connection with our temporal and eternal happiness, as becomes a powerful principle of virtuous conduct. Every fyftem of religion, whether of divine original or human invention, has a peculiar fpirit and genius, which forms the diftinguishing character of its fincere votaries. This characteristical fpirit is not fo much to be difcerned in its precepts or as in the general tendency of its doc

trines,

1

trines, and institutions of worship. Even in the most abfurd religious fyftem, there may be found many good and moral injunctions, blended with others of a trivial and corrupt nature. But no fyftem of laws, however excellent in themfelves, will be of any confider. able efficacy to form a truly pious and virtuous temper in the votaries of any religion, if they are enforced by doctrines, and fupported by institutions of worship, which are of a corrupting and immoral tendency. On the contrary, the general fpirit and temper, gradually infused by an abfurd and falfe fystem of religious belief, will enervate its moral precepts, and render them of no effect. How greatly then do they mistake the cafe, who think it a matter of mere indifference, what scheme of religious principles men form to themfelves, whether true or false for the more fincere they are in their religious belief and profeffion, and the more deeply they are impreffed with a fenfe of its truth and importance, their temper and difpofitions will take a correfpondent tincture, either of purity or impurity, of excellence or depravity. It is only divine and moral truth which can enlighten the foul, and purify the heart. In a word, the gospel-revelation, which contains the nobleft fyftem of religion that was ever proposed to mankind; which exhibits the most just and amiable character of the Deity, and extenfive views of his moral government; which not only delineates the rule

of

of duty in its fullest extent, but alfo enforces its obligation by the authority of the Supreme Legiflator, who is continually carrying on the most beneficent plan of our redemption, from a ftate of guilt and depravity, to happinefs and immortal life; does evidently evidently establish the practice of univerfal righteoufnefs on the fureft bafis. Now, from all this it must appear, that the genuine fpirit of the gospel is that of universal virtue, which can be the effect only of a juft view, and ferious belief, of its divine principles. When, therefore, the true fpirit of religion is declining in any Christian society, and, on the contrary, a fpiritual languor and infenfibility is growing apace, it must be in a great measure owing to the following caufes cooperating to produce it, viz. Ignorance of the truths and obligations of religion; or, Inattention to its importance, and connection with true happiness; An abfurd fpirit of scepticism, in fome, as to all religious principles in general; and, A factious and divifive fpirit, in others, about matters of lefs importance and doubtful interpretation.co

1. Ignorance of the truths religion cannot fail to produce indifference to it, and effectually obftruct improvement in its genuine fpirit and temper. And, indeed, it is furprifing what grofs miftakes and mifreprefentations of religion are to be met with amongft people favoured with the beft inftitutions, and the best opportunities of attaining re

ligious

ligious knowledge; nay even fometimes among perfons of improved understanding, and just taste, in other branches of useful knowledge.

The truth is, the care of cultivating religious knowledge is but too apt to be neglected by parents and others who have the charge of training up youth. While fome attention is perhaps given to point out to them the duties they owe to fociety, and to teach them thofe accomplishments which qualify them to make a figure in the world, the duties which they owe to God their Creator, and the means of being fitted for his heavenly kingdom, are often shamefully neglected, as of no importance or confideration. A plan of education unconnected with any religious fyftem, feems too much the fashionable mode with us. Hence an indifference to religion, and every thing connected with it, foon appears; which grows every day ftronger and ftronger, and attends numbers through all the stages of their after-life. This must at length iffue in a state of abfolute infenfibility to moral and religious truth. Perhaps fuch perfons still retain the name of Chriftian in common with others; but they neither know, nor are defirous to know, any thing farther of the matter. They confider all religions as alike; as a matter of mere mode or fashion, according to the different taftes and humours of different coun. tries. Is then the fpirit and character of the Christian religion to be fought for, or to be

found,

found, amongst fuch blind and unprincipled votaries? Is not the frequent and fatal neglect of religious education to be justly viewed as one principal fource of ignorance, and that ignorance the fource of much licentioufness, both of fentiment and manners?

2. But if many are deftroyed for lack of religious knowledge, inattention to the truths and facred obligations of religion makes ha vock of ftill far greater numbers of mankind. Many feem to pay a fort of political respect to the Chriftian religion, merely as the religion of their country, eftablished by authority, and incorporated with our civil conftitution. A fenfe of decency prevents their deriding and contemning its public inftitutions, and produces an occafional conformity to them but their faith, or attachment to the gofpel, goes no farther. They are neither avowed infidels nor found believers; they have never inquired into its origin, nor the falutary ends of its promulgation; they do not perhaps call in queftion its truth in general; but they have no ferious conviction of its importance, as a plan for conducting men to everlafting happiness: they have a general expectation of this happinefs; but they can give no reafon of the hope that is in them. The character and difpofition of fuch perfons with refpect to religion, is precifely that of the church of Laodicea, neither cold nor hot; against which temper of neutrality and indifference our Saviour expreffes fo great an a

verfion.