The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From a late British Publication.

On the PROFESSION of RELIGION.

Never shun religion, unless you mean
To pass for knaves of conscience,
And cheat believing fools that think you honest:
OTWAY.

The present age is with no little
propriety stiled a Professing age. Many, prompted by a zeal without knowledge, are crying up this, that, or the other minister, as truly sent by the Spirit to preach the gospel, as the Apostles in our Saviour's time were sent others, with no little warmth, and less christian moderation, are reclaiming in favour of a particular sect or party; while the truths of the gospel are vilified and disregarded by the greatest part of mankind, as the tenets of fools and madmen, and fit only to be believed by enthusiasts and old women. More the pity!

Dr. Young very justly observes, "religion consists more in practice than profession, and the christian's life is not made up of words, but deeds." Alas! how many are there who satisfy themselves with the shadow of piety; and willingly lose, or are entire strangers to, the substance of it.

Methinks I hear some person observe, with a contemptuous sneer, "Fanatics are very fond of publishing, their heterogeneous lucubrations, and forcing them on every one they meet whether acceptable or not." To this I answer, "That men in general are fond of exclaiming against they know not what, finding fault they know not why, and remonstrating they don't care who, and all because a few of the more discerning part of mankind are more serious than their neighbours, and dare to be virtuous in a vicious age."

Tis too much the fashion, I can but acknowledge, to run with the multitude to do evil, and yet at the same time to think one's self a good Christian, because it may be we now and then go to church, and refrain from committing those enormous and flagrant crimes some are guilty of, to the bringing them to untimely ends.

I know it has been said, 'tis better to make no profession of religion, because then you can be no hypocrite: To which I reply, If a person is no hypocrite, yet he may be something worse. And indeed it must be allowed, the moralist who pretends not to have any regard to piety, too often puts the professor of Christianity to the blush, by a more strict attention to those duties which humanity, philanthropy, and benevolence recommend. Let every one be careful of living soberly, righteously, and godly in the world, and it will be of little or no avail what the world thinks, or sets you down for.