to religion, which he fometimes indeed carried to a degree of enthusiasm. The particulars of his death, as recorded by his biographer, are fingular; and though fomewhat enthufiaftic, at leaft marked ftrongly his fenfe of religion. -As he found his end perceptibly drawing nearer, he took an opportunity, one Sunday morning, after attending di. vine fervice at the French church at Brandenburgh, where he refided, to fix on a fpot for his grave. He next ordered his coffin to be made; and when he heard it was brought into a chamber adjoining to that in which he slept, he entered the room with two or three of his fervants, and seating himself in it, he uncovered his white hairs, and ordered one of his fervants to fing a favourite German hymn, which is an address to the grave. When this ceremony was finished, he fettled his affairs.-A little before his death, he fent for a minifter, and defired his whole family, and others of his friends, to join with him in receiving the holy facrament. He then folemnly bleffed his children, and took leave of all his friends. On the fecond of May 1774, as his fervant had continued fome time reading to him, in a book of devotion, his fon, the prefent Baron, asked him, if he might not relieve the fervant? The general, imperceptibly dying, made a faint endeavour to grafp his fon's hand, and expired in the action.

To thefe religious foldiers might be fubjoined the late Colonel Gardiner. His early life had been spent freely. He was converted, it is faid, by receiving a musket ball through his mouth and cheek, as he was fwearing an oath. From that time he became as eminently religious, as he had always been exemplary in his profeffion. At the battle of Prefton-pans he led his regiment against the Highlanders;

Highlanders; and, when his dragoons, involved in the general panic of that day, fled from the field, he continued at his poft, calling out to them, and endeavouring to rally the few that remained, till he was furrounded, and cut in pieces by the enemy. The life of this eminent foldier was written by his pious friend, Dr. Doddridge.

THE SUM OF RELIGION.

Written by Sir MATTHEW HALE, Lord Chief Jufice of England.

exprefs his thank

He is forry with duty; he walks

HE that fears the Lord of heaven and earth walks humbly before him, thankfully lays hold of the meffage of redemption by Jesus Christ, and strives to fulness by the fincerity of his obedience. all his foul when he comes fhort of his watchfully in the denial of himself, and holds no confederacy with any luft or known fin. If he fails in the leaft measure, he is reftlefs till he has made his peace by true repentance. He is true to his promife, juft in his dealings, charitable to the poor, fincere in his devotion. He would not deliberately dishonour God, although with the greateft fecurity of impunity. He hath his hopes and his converfation in heaven; he dares not do any thing unjustly, although never so much to his advantage; and all this because he fees him that is invisible, and fears him because he loves him; fears him as well for his goodness as his greatnefs. Such a man, whether he be an Epifcopalian or Prefbyterian, or Independant, or Anabaptift; whether he wears a Surplice, or wears none; whether he hears Organs, or hears none; whether he kneels at the Communion, or for Confcience fake ftands or fits, he hath the life of religion in him, and that life acts in him, and will conform his foul to the image of his Saviour, and go along with him to eter

nity, notwithstanding his practice or non-practice of things indifferent.

On the other fide, if a man fears not the eternal God, he commits fin with prefumption; he can drink to excefs, lie, fwear vainly and falfely, live loosely, break his promises. Such a man, although he cries down Bishops, or cries down Prefbytery; although he be rebaptized every day, or declaims against it as Heresy; although he fafts all the lent, or feafts out of pretence of avoiding fuperftition, yet notwithstanding these, and a thousand more external conformities, or zealous oppofition of them, he wants the life of religion.

VI.

I JOHN, ii. 15.

LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN

LOVE THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM.

IT

of love to God

is no easy matter to ascertain, at leaft in practice, the relative degrees - our neighbour-ourselves

-

and the world.

Each of them is entitled to our love in a certain degree. The great point is, to fix that degree. At prefent, however, we are led by the text only to confider the love of God and the world.

To these two great fources, the happiness of every man may be referred. They form the whole contest between spiritual and temporal-between our fouls and our bodies between life and eter

x 3

nity.

nity. It is our business, therefore, to enquire which produces the greatest fum of happiness. And one should think, we had data fufficient to form an easy comparison.-But, alas! even the religious man will find it a difficult matter to keep his affections right. The world will impofe upon him in a thousand shapes, and court him under various forms of allowable amusement, and innocent pleasure. Let him look well therefore into the deceit, and not contribute to deceive himself. Let him fuffer no fufpected pleasures and amufements to pafs without giving a fair account of their endtheir effect upon his mind their connected consequences -and their agreement with the word of God. Still, as we live in the world, to which fo great a part of our compofition is adapted, and with which we have fo much necessary intercourse, we cannot avoid straying fometimes into its crooked paths. God be merciful to me a finner! is a prayer which fuits every man's condition; and if we add our steady endeavours to get right, no doubt God will be merciful to us; he will hear our prayer, and affift us by his holy spirit.