136 THE HISTORY OF

and had come off victorious, insomuch that,
though she was a poor and friendless orphan,
and had filled one of the humblest situations in
life, yet, such was the sentiment inspired by
the report of her conduct, that it had induced
many, who were lovers of virtue, in the neigh-
bourhood, to assemble, with the purport of
paying the last honours to her remains.

I then proceeded, to this effect.—‘* My be-
loved brethren, I now call upon you to enquire,
by what strength was this our sister enabled to
overcome the world? Wherein did she differ
from the multitude of young persons who have
fallen under temptation? Did she not partake
of the same nature with other sinners? Are we
not told by him who cannot lie, that, as in
water face answereth to face, so doth the heart
of one man resemble another? Are we not all
naturally corrupt? or had she any peculiar out-
ward advantages by which she was guarded
from sin? No; on the contrary, she was par-
ticularly exposed to the attacks of evil, and the
very persons who should have protected her
became her tempters.

“It may be said, that she had enjoyed the
advantage of pious instruction for some years.
This is true; and by these instructions, through
the divine blessing, she was saved.

«1 next enquire, how she was preserved by
the instructions given her? and wherefore what
is called religious instruction so often fails of
producing the same blessed effect on those to
whom it is given? The principal reason is this,
that the lessous taught to young persons are,