Its Importance to us as a political Community, and practical Hints for which the foregoing Confiderations give occafion. Tendency of Religion, and especially of Chriftianity, to 377-8 promote the well-being of political communities - 375-6 A general standard or tone of moral practice, in every community Christianity has raised this general ftandard or tone Effects on religion, of adverfity and profperity respectively 380 Natural prefumption concerning the prefent ftate of religion among us, afforded by the preceding confideration 378 381-4 Caufes from which the peculiarities of Chriftianity flide into disuse - 384-5 386-7 Still farther decline to be expected ducing Christianity among us to a mere fyftem of ethics 389 Christianity, fuch as it is, ftated in the present work, the religion of the pillars of our church 390 Its corruption accelerated by the civil commotions of the last century 391-2 The peculiar doctrines of Christianity, at length almoft left out of the fystem: this pofition confirmed by an appeal to our beft novels 394-6 • 396-8 398 The literati of our days, fceptically difpofed Confequences to be expected The objection, that the author's fyftem fo ftrict, that if it were to prevail the world could not go on, ftated and refuted 399-403 Happy effects to us as a political community, from the prevalence of vital Christianity 403-5 The pofition that Chriftianity is hoftile to patriotifm, op pofed Superior nature and extent of true Chriftian benevolence 406 407-8 Chriftianity Christianity peculiarly adapted to promote the well-being of political communities, from its hoftility to selfishnefs 409-11 Political expedients for preventing the mifchievous effects of selfishness on civil communities, and fuperior efficacy of Christianity in this refpect - 411-16 Means by which Chriftianity produces the above effect 414-16 416 Vital Christianity can alone produce them 420 Political good effects from the revival of vital Christianity among us, and bad ones from its farther decline 421-3 A ftate of great civilization, no fecurity against great moral corruption · 424-5 Practical hints for the conduct of men in power, fuggefted by the above statements · 426 No time for balf measures.-A decided line of conduct called for - 427-8 Duty enforced on us, of checking open prophanenefs, and, above all, of giving religious inftruction to the rifing ge neration - 429 Evangelical Chriftianity alone likely to produce any real amendment 429-30 430-I The above remark preffed on the bifhops, the clergy, and our universities Apology for having treated of religion fo much with a view to its political effects CHAP. VII. p. 434. -432-3 Practical Hints to various Defcriptions of Perfons. The common fort of Chriftianity does not deferve the name 434-5 Some confiderations preparatory to felf-examination; one of them peculiarly awful - 435-7 Caufes Caufes of felf-deception fuggefted 437 One cause of self-deception, the miftaking our merely outgrowing or changing our vices, for forfaking all fin; appeal to life 438-42 Charge of being uncharitable repelled, and what really charity and uncharitableness 443-4 Women naturally more difpofed to religion than mer; domeftic advantages therefrom - 445-7 Innocent young people, the term how much abufed 447-9 The reformation held fufficient by the world, how much it falls fhort of true Chriftian regeneration - 449-52 Practical hints to fuch as having hitherto been careless and irreligious, wifh to become true Chriftians Excellent nature and practical benefits of humility Love enforced - 452-6 457-8 459 Bafe and mercenary nature of the religion of the bulk of nominal Chriftians, and oppofite character of true Chriftianity - 460-3 The charge repelled, that we render Christianity a gloomy fervice 464 465-9 Multiplied fources of pleasure to true Christians Superior fituation of true Chriftians over men of the world, in point of comfort, especially in our days - 469-72 SECT. II.-Advice to fome who profess their full Assent to the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel 472 472-5 475-6 A loose way of holding the true doctrines of Chriftianity, too generally prevalent in our relaxed days Its danger and mifchievous effects Watchfulness and diligence enforced; and the study of the lives of eminent Chriftians recommended SECT. III. Brief Obfervations addreffed to Sceptics and in years 479-80 The The above natural history of scepticism confirmed by experience, and by the written lives of sceptics 482-3 Infidelity, a difeafe of the heart rather than of the un derstanding 483-5 Unitarianifm often reforted to, from a wifh to escape from the ftrictness of Christianity 486-7 Deifts and Unitarians, have poffeffed a great advantage in contendng with the orthodox Chriftian, from being the affailants; practical hint which this fuggefts 488-90 Half unbelievers; their fyftem peculiarly irrational and criminal Increafing evidence of the truth of Christianity 490-2 491-2 493 SECT. IV. Advice fuggefted by the State of the times to true Chriftians 495 Real Chriftians peculiarly bound to exert themselves in the present times 495-8 Bound in particular to be earneft in prayer for their country 498-9 Avowal of the Author, that to the decline of religion, he chiefly afcribes our national misfortunes, and that his best hopes are grounded on the perfuafion, that we have among us many real Chriftians 500 Motives which have powerfully prompted the author to the profecution of the prefent work 500-2 INTRODUCTION. T has been, for feveral years, the earnest wifh of the writer of the following pages to address his countrymen on the important subject of Religion; but the va rious duties of his public station, and a conftitution incapable of much labour, have obftructed the execution of his purpofe. Long has he been looking forward to some vacant season, in which he might devote his whole time and attention to this interefting fervice, free from the interruption of all other concerns; and he has the rather wished for this opportunity of undistracted reflection, from a defire that what he might fend into the world might thus be rendered lefs undeserving of the public eye. Meanwhile life is wearing away, and he daily becomes more and more convinced, that he might wait in vain for this feafon of compleat vacancy. He must be content, therefore, to improve fuch occasional intervals of leisure |