alents, the trifling away
of life in frivolous occupations or unprofitable studies; all these
things we may regret in those around us, in the view of their temporal
effects; but they are not considered in a religious connection, or
lamented as endangering everlasting happiness. Excessive vanity and
inordinate ambition are spoken of as weaknesses rather than as sins;
even covetousness itself, though a hateful passion, yet, if not extreme,
scarcely presents the face of _Irreligion_. Is some friend, or even some
common acquaintance sick, or has some accident befallen him? How
solicitously do we inquire after him, how tenderly do we visit him, how
much perhaps do we regret that he has not better advice, how apt are we
to prescribe for him, and how should we reproach ourselves, if we were
to neglect any means in our power of contributing to his recovery! But
"the mind diseased" is neglected and forgotten--"_that_ is not our
affair; we hope (we do not perhaps really believe) that here it is well
with him." The truth is, we have no solicitude about his spiritual
interest. Here he is treated like the unfortunate traveller in the
Gospel; we look upon him; we see but too well his sad condition, but
(Priest and Levite alike) we pass by on the other side, and leave him to
the officious tenderness of some poor despised Samaritan.

Nay, take the case of our very children, when our hearts being most
interested to promote their happiness, we must be supposed most desirous
of determining on right principles, and where therefore the real
standard of our deliberate judgments may be indisputably ascertained: in
their education and marriage, in the choice of their professions, in our
comparative consideration and judgment of the different parts of their
several characters, how little do we reflect that they are immortal
beings! Health, learning, credit, the amiable and agreeable qualities,
above all, fortune and success in life, are taken, and not unjustly
taken, into the account; but how small a share in forming our opinions
is allowed to the probable effect which may be produced on their eternal
interests! Indeed the subjects of our mutual inquiries, and
congratulations, and condolences, prove but too plainly what
considerations are in these cases uppermost in our thoughts.

Such are the fatal and widely spreading effects, which but too naturally
follow from the admission of the grand fundamental error before
mentioned, that of not consi