if there be no actual
vice, to consult in the main their own gratification.

Thus the generous and wakeful spirit of Christian Benevolence, seeking
and finding every where occasions for its exercise, is exploded, and a
system of _decent selfishness_ is avowedly established in its stead; a
system scarcely more to be abjured for its impiety, than to be abhorred
for its cold insensibility to the opportunities of diffusing happiness.
"Have we no families, or are they provided for? Are we wealthy, and bred
to no profession? Are we young and lively, and in the gaiety and vigour
of youth? Surely we may be allowed to take our pleasure. We neglect no
duty, we live in no vice, we do nobody any harm, and have a right to
amuse ourselves. We have nothing better to do, we wish we had; our time
hangs heavy on our hands for want of it."

I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beer-sheba, and cry "It is all
barren." No man has a right to be idle--Not to speak of that great work
which we all have to accomplish, and surely the _whole_ attention of a
short and precarious life is not more than an eternal interest may well
require; where is it that in such a world as this, health and leisure
and affluence may not find some ignorance to instruct, some wrong to
redress, some want to supply, some misery to alleviate? Shall Ambition
and Avarice never sleep? Shall they never want objects on which to
fasten? Shall they be so observant to discover, so acute to discern, so
eager, so patient to pursue, and shall the Benevolence of Christians
want employment?

Yet thus life rolls away with too many of us in a course of "shapeless
idleness." Its recreations constitute its chief business. Watering
places--the sports of the field--cards! never failing cards!--the
assembly--the theatre--all contribute their aid--amusements are
multiplied, and combined, and varied, "to fill up the void of a listless
and languid life;" and by the judicious use of these different
resources, there is often a kind of sober settled plan of domestic
dissipation, in which with all imaginable decency year after year wears
away in unprofitable vacancy. Even old age often finds us pacing in the
same round of amusements, which our early youth had tracked out.
Meanwhile, being conscious that we are not giving into any flagrant
vice, perhaps that we are guilty of no irregularity, and it may be, that
we are not neglecting the offices of Religion, we persuade ourselves
that we nee