ns, whose
practice was not suitable to them,' was thus reprimanded by him:--'Sir,
are you so grossly ignorant of human nature as not to know that a man
may be very sincere in good principles, without having good
practice[1209]?'

But let no man encourage or soothe himself in 'presumptuous sin[1210],'
from knowing that Johnson was sometimes hurried into indulgences which
he thought criminal. I have exhibited this circumstance as a shade in so
great a character, both from my sacred love of truth, and to shew that
he was not so weakly scrupulous as he has been represented by those who
imagine that the sins, of which a deep sense was upon his mind, were
merely such little venial trifles as pouring milk into his tea on
Good-Friday. His understanding will be defended by my statement, if his
consistency of conduct be in some degree impaired. But what wise man
would, for momentary gratifications, deliberately subject himself to
suffer such uneasiness as we find was experienced by Johnson in
reviewing his conduct as compared with his notion of the ethicks of the
gospel? Let the following passages be kept in remembrance:--

'O, GOD, giver and preserver of all life, by whose power I was created,
and by whose providence I am sustained, look down upon me with
tenderness and mercy; grant that I may not have been created to be
finally destroyed; that I may not be preserved to add wickedness to
wickedness[1211].' 'O, LORD, let me not sink into total depravity; look
down upon me, and rescue me at last from the captivity of sin[1212].'
'Almighty and most merciful Father, who hast continued my life from year
to year, grant that by longer life I may become less desirous of sinful
pleasures, and more careful of eternal happiness[1213].' 'Let not my
years be multiplied to increase my guilt; but as my age advances, let me
become more pure in my thoughts, more regular in my desires, and more
obedient to thy laws[1214].' 'Forgive, O merciful LORD, whatever I have
done contrary to thy laws. Give me such a sense of my wickedness as may
produce true contrition and effectual repentance; so that when I shall
be called into another state, I may be received among the sinners to
whom whom sorrow and reformation have obtained pardon, for JESUS
CHRIST'S sake. Amen[1215].'

Such was the distress of mind, such the penitence of Johnson, in his
hours of privacy, and in his devout approaches to his Maker. His
_sincerity_, therefore, must appear to every ca