3Q0 UNIVERSAL OBLIGATION If you happen to speak of the help- lessness of man, he thinks you are allud- ing to some paralytic ; ifof his depend- ence, to some hanger-on ofa great man ; if of his sinfulness, he adopts your opi- nion, for he reads the Newgate-calendar. But of sin, as an inherent principle, of the turpitude of sin, except as it disturbs society, he knows nothing ; but religion as a principle of action, but prayer as a source of peace or a ground of hope, he neither knOws nor desires to know. The stream of life glid6 smoothly on without it ; why should he ruffle its placid flow ? why should he break in on .the course of enjoyment with self-imposed austerities ? He believes himself to be respected by his fellow-men, and the favour of God is not in all his thoughts. His real charac- ter thegreat day ofdecision will discover. Till then he will have two characters. " Soul, take thine ease; thou hast much goods laid up for thee," is perhaps the state of all others which most disqualifies and unfits for prayer. Not only the
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