which point to the city of refuge, rather than the city itself. "No-the cross! There, and there only, is the power to save, There no delusive hope invites despair, No mock'ry meets you, no deception there; Encouraged by the promises of the Gospel, which are adapted to your present state, draw near to the "Mercy seat." In the presence of the "Father," stands the "high Priest of our profession," with the incense and blood, interceding for your acceptance. The oppressive load of guilt, which now bows down the spirits, will be removed, the gloomy prospects which futurity opens to your view, will disappear, and your notes of lamentation and woe will be exchanged for the songs of praise. Having felt the influence of pardoning love, you will be able to refute, from your own experience, the unjust insinuation, that religion is calculated to make its possessor melancholy. You will be able to prove, that it refines the taste, and presents for its gratification, objects and engagements, more sublime and interesting than any which can be found in this Another formidable objection is sometimes urged against religion, on account of its disqualifying persous of your rank from associating with the moré respectable part of society. But this ob jection, like the other, will appear, on examination, destitute of force. It is true that the Gos pel, like the illustrious Redeemer when on earth, descends to the lowest orders, expanding their intellects, elevating their affections, adorning their characters, and diffusing its sacred odours over their obscure and lonely retreats. This, to an ingenuous mind, must be a source of peculiar delight rather than a reason why it should be contemned. Is it wise to refuse an a admission into heaven, because many of the poor are on the road? Will you resolve to relinquish the prospect of future happiness without a sigh, bes cause they are likely to attain it? Must He "who feedeth the young ravens when they cry," and supplies the wants of the wild beasts of the forest, consign over to endless misery all the sons of poverty and woe, before you will condescend to ask for mercy? If in another and better world, you should become the associate of some who were poor and despised in this, do you suppose that you will feel yourself degraded by their presence? From such a thought you recoil; but you dislike to identify yourself with them whilst here, which it is asserted a profession of religion would require. This, in your opinion, would preclude you from mingling with the more refined and fashionable part of the community, for which your education is preparing you. That many in the higher circles of life, are not only destitute of religion, but discover a peculiar degree of satirical aversion, when it is the subject of allusion or discussion, is a fact, which observation compels one to admit. In their estimation it deserves the same fate as its Author, and though they sometimes condescend to enter the place that is dedicated to his service, and bow when his hallowed name is mentioned; yet they give a decided preference to the exhibitions of the theatre, and would rather amuse themselves with the most insipid and contemptible sports than receive the consecrated emblems of his dying love. That religion should disqualify you from mixing in their company, reflects no discredit on its character; as a glori fied spirit, if compelled to assume a human form, would subject himself to no censure, when reentering the abodes of felicity, for avoiding the touch of a impure hand, whilst sojourning here. Of them, you would say in the language of the Patriarch, "My Soul, come not thou into their secret, unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united." But happily for the moral world, these reflections are not universally applicable. Some are to be found in all the ascending orders of society, whose supreme happiness arises from their union with religion. They regard the honours, the riches, the pursuits of human ambition and folly, as the mere baubles of children; or as the delusive images which play on the surface of the Maniac's imagination, when compared with the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which God hath reserved for them that love him." With minds qualified to investigate the most abstruse subjects, they are not ashamed to contemplate with enraptured delight, the mysterious events of calvary; capable by the extent of their resources, of indulging themselves in all the luxuries of the age, they yet prefer feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and instructing the ignorant; as gratifications of a more exalted nature. When the Angels of light form a comparative estimate of the real worth of these opposite beings, of which do you suppose they entertain the highest opinion? If they were as in ancient times, to visit this ciety would they prefer? world, whose soLike the Hebrew youth, who contemned the voluptuousness of an Egyptian court, they would "choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God," than partake of the pleasures of the most refined and accomplished sinners. And will you consider it a disgrace to associate with those to whom they, though invisible, are "ministering spirits." But Another objection is sometimes urged against your immediate attention to religion. It is said, that your present business, is to attend to your mental and personal improvement, and that a future time will be more proper to regard the claims of religion than the days of youth. can you calculate with certainty on years or even months to come? What is your life? Is it not even as a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away." Perhaps you will reply, "I am y young, I see many around me much older than myself, who seem to think that it is yet too soon to attend to religion." But let me beseech you to turn from the living and view those graves in which the remains of some of E |