made these accomplishments still more conspicuous; and fascinated by the general applause which they procured, I never considered the proper means by which they should be displayed. Hence, to procure a smile from a blockhead whom I despised, I have frequently treated the virtuous with disrespect, and sported with the holy name of Heaven, to obtain a laughi from a parcel of fools, who were entitled to nothing but contempt. Your men of wit generally look upon themselves as discharged from the duties of religion, and confine the doctrines of the gospel to people of meaner understandings. It is a sort of derogation, in their opinion, to comply with the rules of christianity; and they reckon that man possessed of a narrow genius, who studies to be good. What a pity that the holy writings are not made the criterion of true judgment. Or that any person should pass for a gentleman in this world, but he that appears solicitous about his happiness in the next! "

"I am forsaken by all my acquaintance, utterly neglected by the friends of my bosom, and the dependants on my bounty; but no matter! I am not fit to converse with the former, and have no ability to serve the latter. Let me not, however, be wholly cast off by the good. Favour me with a visit as soon as possible. Writing

to you, gives me some ease, especially on a subject I could talk of for ever. I am of opinion, this is the last visit I shall ever solicit from you: my distemper is powerful. Come and pray for the departing spirit of the poor unhappy

“BUCKINGHAM."

Lindley Murray's Power of Religion on the mind. Page 141.

REFLECTIONS.

They who possess great abilities,' are frequently not aware of their value and importance; and, that they must give an account to God, and an awful account many will have to give, for their neglect, or abuse of the talents entrusted to their care. When such rare and valuable endowments, as BUCKINGHAM possessed, are so shamefully misapplied, and connected with such wallowing in the mire, what do we see; "a jewel of gold in a swine's snout."

What a proof is here, that a libertine, possessing talents of the higher order, may make a laugh at the thunder-bolts of God, and yet dread, lest he should be struck; shake his head at the Gospel of Christ, while he venerates it in his heart; ridicule the ministers and people of God, though impressed with the excellence

of their example; and be sportive about scripture facts and miracles, while his face belies the feelings of his heart. These appearances are only flowers, that cover the deep bog of irreligion, which the gay trifler often feels, with alarm, trembling beneath his feet; and into which, he, who finally sinks, dies for ever: "He that believeth not, shall be damned."

Lord Clarendon informs us, that the Duke of Buckingham had a peculiar faculty of turning serious things into ridicule. The remarks of Dr. Johnson on this subject, are weighty and instructive. He observes, that, "The assertion of Shaftesbury, that ridicule is the test of truth, is foolish. If ridicule, he observes, be applied to any position, as the test of truth, it will then become a question, whether such ridicule be just? and this can only be decided by the application of truth, as the test of ridicule. Two men fearing, one a real, and the other a fancied danger, will be, for awhile, equally exposed to the inevitable consequences of cowardice, contemptuous censure, and ludicrous representation; and the true state of both cases must be known, before it can be decided whose terror is rational, and whose is ridiculous, who is to be pitied, and who to be despised." Before these remarks of Johnson, the gay edifice of

ridicule, as the test of truth, melts away, like a palace of snow before the Sun; and Shaftesbury, and his laughing compeers, are but as so many Tom Thumbs, looking out of the giant's pocket.

When Buckingham shews himself, it seems as if the prodigal in the gospel were raised from the dead. When he makes the woeful dislosure, we see a complete verification of the important moral lessons," which that parable was intended to inculcate. And, when we attend to the pangs of penitential remorse, which harrowed up his soul, our hearts bound within us, in the hope, that even Buckingham, returning to his Father's house, though at the eleventh hour, met with that all-gracious reception, which the beautiful parable so touchingly describes.

See here, what has been so often and justly remarked, the mighty influence of heart-felt religion. Behold the power which it possesses of investing objects, which were once unheeded, scandalised, and despised, with a character of dignity, of solemnity, and value, which is supreme and inexpressible.

The sons of extravagance, and irreligion, will do well to weigh in time, the frank acknowledgments of Buckingham.

His painful experience may be not only a bridge to convey them over the gulph of endless ruin; but an instructer, to introduce them into that house of mourning, through which we pass into the mansious of eternal blessedness: "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end."

Let the scorner look yonder and tremble. Let him look, and he may see in the case of the Jews, a standing, though awful monument of the truth of prophetic denunciation. Yet, let him not despair, for the Jerusalem sinner may be saved. There is good news in the gospel for the vilest of men. "The blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin. He is able to save to the uttermost, all that come to God by him." Sin never entices, but with an intention first to deceive, and then to destroy; and, God never invites a sinner to the arms of his mercy, but, with an intention to receive him graciously, rescue him from ruin, and entitle him to eternal life. But, despisers, like those of old, continue to reject the counsel of God, against themselves.

My fellow christians, to you I turn. Let the scoffing infidel laughingly ask, "Where is the sign of his coming?" Let him triumph over our weakness, in waiting