ftance, when he knows not how to manage it. He fows wheat where he should fow barley. His grounds are ill prepared for either; and his neighbours fee him carrying into his barn a plentiful crop of weeds, intermixed with his corn. They laugh at his ignorance. He feels it, and is afhamed.

Now, if our feelings were as ftrong in matters of religion as they are in the matters of this world (and it is a grievous thing, and much to be lamented, they are not), we should think it as contemptible for a Chriftian to fall short of his profeffion, as for a man in any kind of business to be ignorant of that business. A Chriftian's proper distinction is a holy life. He does not pretend to have more genius, or more learning, than a Turk or a heathen; but he profeffes to be more chastemore fober-more juft-more charitable-more pious, and more refigned. And if he fail in thefe, he deferts the art he fhould live by. He is a mere pretender-plainly unfkilled in his proper pro

feffion.

To the fcandal an unchriftian life brings on ourselves, let us add the scandal it brings on religion. Many, who are inclined to undervalue religion, found an argument on its having fo little

9

effect

effect on the lives of Chriftians. And indeed the bad lives of Chriftians, though certainly no argument against Christianity, form one of the most obvious objections to it. The pretended Christian, were it on this account only, is the greatest enemy to religion. For it will ever be uppermoft in the minds of those who with it ill-" that if the Gospel were really true, it would furely have a better effect on the lives of fuch as pretend to believe it: but if there were neither a heaven to be hoped, nor a hell to be feared, how could many Christians live worse than they do!"

Unfcriptural opinions, my brethren, often give offence; and when they are really unfcriptural, they are certainly offenfive. But he who merely holds a wrong opinion, if his life be correct, is an innocent member of Chrift's church, in comparifon with him, whofe life is fcandalous. His opinions. may be right, though we think them wrong. It is not an infallible rule, that things are always wrong, because we think them fo. Be they however right or wrong, few people can judge of opinions. But every body can judge of a bad life. Every body can see the injury which that does to religion. A perfecuting infidel is indeed not fo great an enemy to Chriftianity as a wicked Chriftian. Christianity

defied

defied the malice of its open enemies; but it is greatly injured by the wickedness of its false friends and it were better that they who cannot bring themselves to live like Chriftians, fhould lay afide their profeffion-fhould drop the name of Chriftians, than continue a name which, without the reality, injures both themselves and others.

Let me prefs the matter of hypocrify a little more. Every one who makes religion a pretence to gain an advantage is, in fact, a knave. In a Chriftian country the name of a Chriftian is of fervice to a man. He enjoys many advantages by it, which he could not enjoy without it. But if he profefs it without living up to the rules of his profeffion, he certainly enjoys a benefit under a falfe pretence; and is a knave under the garb of a hypocrite.

But you fay, the man is not a hypocrite; he is an open and avowed finner.

Very likely; but ftill he profeffes himself a Chriftian. He would take the facrament, I fup pofe, to enable him to hold a good place or he would take an oath to enable him to make a good bargain. And is not this an hypocritical impofition? Does not he, who adminifters the oath, reft his fecurity upon the oath? But you fee, he

is

is deceived. The oath is no fecurity. His only fecurity is the law against perjury.

The last mischief I fhall mention, arifing from living contrary to our profeffion, is that of fetting a bad example. We are furely answerable for the example we fet. Great ftrefs is laid upon example in various parts of Scripture. Let your light Shine before men, fays our Saviour. I have given you an examle, that you should do as I have done unto you.- Chrift left us an example, fays St. Peter, that we should follow his fteps;-these, and an hundred other paffages fhew, what stress the fcriptures lay upon example.

And yet some people will cry, Our wickedness hurts only ourselves.

You are mistaken, my friends: the hurt you do yourselves is not half the guilt that attends your bad example. If they, who are yet innocent, did not see the wickedness of others, they durft not break out in the manner they do. Shame would keep them, at least, within the bounds of decency. If it were not for the old finner, for inftance, whofe daily practice it is to curfe and fwear, would the young finner, think you, venture fo eafily on an oath? No: he could not frame his mouth to it. He would dread his neighbours hearing.

VOL. III.

C

hearing it: The very found of an oath in his own ears would startle him. But the example of the old finner draws him in. He hears oaths continually : and when an oath is made familiar, it becomes common language.

Thus it is alfo in fabbath-breaking. There were times, in the days of our forefathers, when people went as regularly to church, as they now go to market-when a man could not absent himself, without being enquired after, as we enquire after a fick perfon. A man could not then follow his pleasures on a Sunday, and leave the church behind him it would give offence to his neigh

:

bours: he durft not do it.

But now he fees the

fabbath fo univerfally broken, that he is under no fuch difficulty: he finds himself in a crowd: the example of the old finner defends him.-And as it is in fwearing, and fabbath-breaking; fo is it in drinking, gaming, and every other inftance of wickedness, which men now commit openly. The old finner leads the young finner into it by his example. And do thefe wretches, think you, who mislead others, injure only themselves? In the great day of accounts, when you and I shall stand answerable for our deeds, God have mercy on those who corrupt others by their example! Their

fins