"acting in direct oppofition to the conviction of "conscience, to the remonstrances of the wife " and good of all ages, and to the voice of "nature, and of Divine revelation itself! — All "for the fake of what is vanity and vexation, "when attained, and uncertain before-hand "whether at all attainable; but certainly not "to be enjoyed long, if attained! To give up a happiness, certain, lafting, and immenfe, 66 66 not for the actual enjoyment; but for the "bare expectation of a perishing advantage!— "to fell one's foul-not for the poffeffion of a 66 vanity; but for the uncertain prospect of a "vanity!to give up heaven, and brave "damnation-not for a reality; but for a "dream!for the hope of a dream!-What "words, what tongue of men, or angels, can "exprefs the defperation of this madness! Yet "this is the wisdom of reasoning man. "is the prudence of the children of this "world." This Let the reader make it his conftant practice in this manner to examine himself, with a care proportioned to the importance of the worth of an immortal foul. And would to God that the whole human fpecies could have been brought to the wisdom of valuing themfelves according to their worth. And that it were poffible, in a confiftency with the freedom of moral agents, that no one individual of the human, or any VOL. II. LI. otl.er other rank of intelligences, should utterly perilh; but that every rational mind, that has been bleft with existence, might at laft attain the end of its exiftence, the beatific enjoyment of its Creator. THE END. |