We cannot dwell long on the consideration of that dreadful condition of the habitual sinner, when, in the language of scripture, he is given up to hopelessness, hardness of heart, blindness of eyes, deafness of ears, or, in other words, to absolute moral insensibility. The thought is too painful. This is somėtimes considered in the light of a punishment; and to vindicate the justice of such a dereliction by heaven, would neither be difficult, nor without its It is often said, that, as long as life lasts, hope remains. We are encouraged to believe, that the grave is the only place, where

use.

"Hope never comes,

"That comes to all."

But every man's observation will furnish him with instances of characters, whose reformation from long habits of iniquity seems as morally impossible, whose consciences appear to be as impenetrable to the common methods of grace, as if they were really sunk in the sleep of death, and the clods had hardened and the weeds matted over their graves. Nothing in the general nature of God's moral government would lead us to conclude, that he is obliged to continue his methods of discipline beyond a certain limit; and who shall say, that this limit must coincide with the termination of life? The day of grace may be shorter than the day of nature. Why should they be stricken any more, for they will only revolt

more and more.'

Thus have we attempted to explain the nature and effects of vicious habits. We have seen, that, by repetition, whatever of reluctance existed at first, is gradually removed, and whatever of desire existed, is increased, though the degree of pleasure, in each particular gratification, diminishes. These laws are common to all habits, as well as to those of vice. But, in addition to this, all sin is peculiarly deceit

ful and insinuating, prolific and progressive. One vice associates multitudes with itself. The peculiar inveteracy of sinful habits, and the difficulty of reformation, are increased, as we have also seen by the following attendant effects, the corruption of moral discernment, the dulness of moral feeling, the loss of the sense of shame, and an exclusion from the customary means of religious improvement. When the Ethiopian, then, shall whiten his skin, or the leopard wash out his spots, then may they also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

3. There is nothing in the moral constitution of man, from which such interesting consequences follow, as from the nature of vicious habits, if it be such as we have represented it If, also, it should be found, that there is no period in the life of man so early, that these habits may not be generated or confirmed, into what consequence does childhood, nay infancy, rise? Here, in the babes at the breast, may we see the generation, which shall succeed us. Here is the embryo character of the next age. The first reflection, then, which we shall at present deduce from this subject, is, that if the child is trained up in the way he should go, when he is old, he will not depart from it.

O, that I could open to you the little breasts of your offspring, and show you the gradual and certain process, which is carried on from the moment of birth! There might you see dispositions forming, passions generating, prejudices starting into life, and all the future character bound up in the narrow compass of an infant's mind. Do you ask, when education should commence? Believe me, it has begun. It began with the first idea they received-the insensible education of circumstances and example. While you are waiting for their understandings to gain strength, vice, folly, and pleasure have not waited your dilatory motions. While you are looking out for masters and

mistresses, the young immortals are under the tuition of innumerable instructers. Passion has been exciting, and idleness relaxing them, appetite tempting, and pleasure rewarding them, and example, example has long since entered them into her motley school. Already have they learned much, which will never be forgotten: the alphabet of vice is easily remembered. Wait, then, no longer, ere your instructions commence. The ground is already softened, the season has already far advanced, and, while you are either sleeping, or making arrangements, or waiting for greater maturity, thistles are sown in secret, tares are springing up in the night.

It is impossible to assign a time in the infant's life, in which something may not be done for its future disposition. If it have any original perversities of temper, do not wait till this perversity is made inflexible by babit. You would not delay to straiten a crooked limb, to correct an awkward position, to counteract a stuttering articulation, till the limbs were full grown, the gait fixed, and the organs conformed to an indistinct mode of utterance. If, how ever, the greater part of what are called original propensities be, in fact, acquired; if envy, malice, irritability, selfishness, and pride be, for the most part, mental habits, which, like opinions and practices, are rooted by repetition; if the colour of the soul be not original and engrained, but, like the varieties of complexion, dependent on the operation of external circumstances, how inexcusable is the delay of instruction, of persuasion, of impression, and of di rection, of which the youngest hearts are most tenderly susceptible? Especially, remember, that their habits are soonest caught by example. These little vines, which wind round your trunk, and depend upon you for support, will extend themselves upon your branches, following out the direction, and conforming to the irregularities of the limbs, which they entwine,

And what is the first example, which fixes their attention? Is it not your own? Are not you the first props, to which these tendrils attach themselves? And is it not time to ask yourselves, whether you will consent, that they should follow you throughout the whole of your character? Is it not time to examine, whether there be not in you some vicious habit, which, notwithstanding your caution, frequently presents itself to their greedy observation, thus recommended by all the weight of parental authority?

But, though the doctrine of the early operation of habit be full of admonitions, which the affectionate parent can hardly hear without the liveliest anxiety, it presents consequences, also, full of consolation and pleasure. God hath set the evil and the good, one over against the other; and all his general laws are adapted to produce effects ultimately beneficial. If the love of sensual pleasure become inveterate by indulgence, the pure love of truth and goodness, also, may, by early instillation and careful example, become so natural and constant, that a violation of integrity, and offence against gratitude, a breach of purity, or of reverence toward God, may prove as painful as a wound. You know, how common are the promises of scripture to early piety. Now these promises are not arbitrary and partial annexations of reward to a quality, which is not really of more intrinsic worth at one period, than at another; but they express the security and perfection in virtue, which that character may attain, which is early hallowed in the service of God. Those, who seek God early, shall easily find him. Begin, then, now that they have no steps to retrace. Their hearts are now all alive to gratitude, their minds full of curiosity, ready to drink in instruction; selfishness has not yet monopolized all the avenues to their affections ; you have no hard associations to break, no deeprooted prejudices to clear away. Their only pre

judice is one that will assist your endeavours, that is, an unsuspecting reliance on your knowledge, wisdom, love and power. Associate, then, in their minds, the idea of God with the recollection of yourselves; and remember, that, if they have found you excessively indulgent, or habitually negligent, or unreasonably severe, or manifestly partial, or notoriously indifferent to their moral progress, you are not to wonder, if they transfer to the universal parent the character, which they have found to belong to their fathers after the flesh.

The second reflection, suggested by this survey of the moral constitution and condition of man, is, the folly and danger of delaying repentance. Look back, I entreat you, on your past lives, and number, if you can, the resolutions you have broken. And why is it, that we see so little of reformation, after a certain period, after the employments and mode of life are established? It is, because the time of repentance is perpetually procrastinated; because, when conscience, like an odious creditor, begins to expostulate with you, you find some excuse for dismissing her claims; you say, at every application, Go thy way for this time, when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee. She retires unsatisfied; the debt accumulates, and your resources are daily diminishing, till the hour of death arrives, and completes the bankruptcy of the soul.

It has been most acutely and justly observed, that all resolutions to repent, at a future time, are necessarily insincere, and must be a mere deception; because they imply a preference of a man's present habits and conduct; they imply, that he is really unwilling to change them, and that nothing but necessity would lead him to make any attempt of the kind. But let us suppose the expected leisure for repentance to have arrived; the avaricious or fraudulent dealer to have attained that competency, which is to secure him from want; the profligate and de