concern to glorify God, you devote your life and powers to his dishonour. You openly violate his commands, blaspheme his name, reject his authority, oppose his cause, and daringly say, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" Read, and tremble while you read"For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."

DISCOURSE XIV.

THE WORLD OPPOSED TO RELIGION.

By the world here we are to understand the carnal part of mankind. This is the sense in which the term is frequently understood both in Scripture language and in common use. When it is stated that carnal men are opposed to religion, some explanation is necessary. To say that they are opposed to religion altogether is, perhaps, not to speak correctly; for to religion as it con sists in name, in form, in external morality, or in what is called the practice of virtue, they are not opposed; on the contrary, they professedly, and generally speaking, perhaps really, approve religion in this sense of the word. It is to religion as it consists, "Not in meat and drink, but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost," that they are opposed. Their dislike is, not to the name, but the thing; not to the form,

but the spirit; not to what is called the practice of virtue, but to the practice of true godliness. We may therefore say, respecting the world, that they approve religion in resemblance, but hate it in reality.

A little attention to the subject will convince us that even worldly men approve the semblance of religion. All ranks of men, in all countries, and in every age, are in their way religious. Princes, when they come to their thrones, issue their proclamations against "vice and immorality," and enjoin on all their loving subjects an attention to virtue. When they involve their respective countries in war, they all pretend to consult and defend the interests of "our holy religion." With a view to the attainment of success in war, they proclaim a fast, call a solemn assembly, and invoke the aid of the God of battles. Governments appoint a religion for the people, and establish a regular and well-paid priesthood to officiate for them. The upper

ranks of society appoint men in what are called holy orders, who under the name of chaplains, lead the devotions of their families. The middle classes consider it right that they should occasionally attend on public worship; and will even boast of this, that they seldom fail to worship God publicly at least once on the Lord's day.

In this sentiment and feeling those who compose the lower classes in general share; most of them judge an attention to the forms of religion to be necessary and proper; and, as Solomon says, "most men will proclaim every one his own goodness." Hence it is evident that to religion in appearance the world have no objection.

It is true, that among the different ranks of worldly men, we may find many who are not even in their way religious, who pay no attention even to the common forms of religion. But we shall

find few, if any, who do not allow some religion to be proper for others—who do not even require some religion in others. A little observation and reflection will show us the correctness of this statement. Individuals may be found who make no pretensions to religion themselves, who approve the appearance of it in those around them. A prince may himself be vicious, but he requires virtue in his people. A master, however bad he himself may be, expects his servant to bear a good character. A man may himself be of bad principles, but looks for, and respects honesty in his neighbour. A magistrate may be given to habits of intoxication, but he will recommend sobriety to other persons, and punish them if they transgress its rules. It is no uncommon thing to hear a dissipated father advise his son

to be a sober, steady youth. Many a person may be found whose conduct disgraces the name of man, who will advise his apprentice or his servant, to mind his church, to do his duty, and aim to become a good man. Hence it may be inferred, that there is on the minds of even worldly men, an impression of the propriety of some religion, and that against the semblance of it they have no objection.

It may, I think, very properly be remarked, that, bad as the world is, and as wickedly as men in general, live, there are few, if any, who would wish religion to be banished altogether from the earth. Were the question proposed to the carnal part of mankind, whether society should be regulated by Scripture dictates, or by worldly maxims, what would there decision be? Though even some should be found, so grossly ignorant, so utterly thoughtless, or so desperately wicked, as to decide in favour of worldly maxims; yet there can be no doubt that the question would be determined in favour of Scripture dictates. Let us suppose ten thousand persons from different parts of our country, assembled to determine this point. Suppose one in the assembly were to rise and say, "I recommend the abolition of religion in every form; that society shall be regulated, not by the principles of the gospel, but by those