pure, when true religion and internal principles maintain their vigour, the attempts of the moft powerful enemies to opprefs them are commonly baffled and disappointed. This will be found equally certain, whether we confider the great principles of God's moral government, or the operation and influence of natural causes. What follows from this? That he is the best friend to American liberty, who is moft fincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who fets himself, with the greatest firmness, to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy to God, I fcruple not to call him an enemy to his country. Do not fuppole, my brethen, that I mean to recommend furious and angry zeal for the circumstantials of religion, or the contentions of one fect of religion with another, about their peculiar diftinctions. I do not wish to oppole any body's religion, but every body's wickedness. Perhaps there are no furer marks of the reality of religion, than when a man feels himself more joined in spirit to a truly holy perfon of a different denomination, than to an irregular liver of his own. It is therefore your duty in this important and critical feafon to exert yourselves, every one in his proper fphere, to ftem the tide of prevailing vice, to promote the knowledge of God, the reverence of his name and worship, and obedience to his laws. Perhaps Perhaps you will afk, what it is that you are called to do for this purpose, further than your own perfonal duty? I anfwer, this itself, when taken in its proper extent, is not little. The na ture and obligation of visible religion is, I am afraid, little understood, and lefs attended to. Many, from a real or pretended fear of the imputation of hypocrify, banish from their converfation and carriage, every appearance of respect and fubmiffion to the living God. What a weakness and meanness of spirit does it discover, for a man to be ashamed, in the presence of his fellow-finners, to profefs that reverence to Almighty God which he inwardly feels! The truth is, he makes himself truly liable to the accufation which he means to avoid. It is as genuine, and perhaps more culpable, hypocrify, to appear to have lefs religion than you really have, than to appear to have more. This falfe fhame is a more extensive evil than is commonly apprehended. We contribute conftantly, though infenfibly, to form each other's characters and manners, and, therefore, the usefulness of a strictly holy and conscientious deportment, is not confined to the poffeffor, but fpreads its happy influence to all that are within its reach, 1 need fcarcely add, that, in proportion as men are diftinguished by understanding, literature, age,, rank, office, wealth, or any other circumftance, their example will be useful, on the one hand, or pernicious on the other. 4 But But I cannot content myself with barely recommending a filent example. There is a dignity in virtue which is entitled to authority, and ought to claim it. In many cafes, it is the duty of a good man, by open reproof and oppofition, to wage war with prophaneness. There is a fcripture precept, delivered in very fingular terms, to which I beg your attention. Thou Shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but thos fhalt in any wife, rebuke him, and not suffer fin upon him*. How prone are many to reprefent reproof, as flowing from ill-nature and fournefs of temper. The spirit of God, on the contrary, confiders it as the effect of inward. hatred, or want of genuine love, to forbear reproof when it is neceffary, or may be useful. I am fenfible, there may, in fome cafes, be a reftraint from prudence, agreeable to that cau tion of our Lord, Caft not your pearls before fwine, left they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you t. Of this every man. muft judge as well as he can for himself; but certainly, either by open reproof, or expreflive filence, or speedy departure from fuch fociety, we ought to guard against being partakers of other men's fins. To this let me add, that if all men are bound in fome degree, certain claffes of men are under peculiar obligations, to the discharge of this duty. Magiftrates, minifters, parents, heads of families, 1 Perhaps you will afk, what it is that you are called to do for this purpose, further than your own perfonal duty? I anfwer, this itself, when taken in its proper extent, is not little. The nature and obligation of visible religion is, I am afraid, little understood, and lefs attended to. Many, from a real or pretended fear of the imputation of hypocrify, bania from their converfation and carriage, every appearance of respect and fubmiffion to the living God. What a weakness and meanness of spirit does it difcover, for a man to be ashamed, in the presence of his fellow-finners, to profefs that reverence to Almighty God which he inwardly feels! The truth is, he makes himself truly liable to the accufation which he means to avoid. It is as genuine, and perhaps more culpable, hypocrify, to appear to have lefs religion than you really have, than to appear to have more. This falfe fhame is a more extensive evil than is commonly apprehended. We contribute conftantly, though infenfibly, to form each other's characters and manners, and, therefore, the usefulness of a ftrictly holy and confcientious deportment, is not confined to the poffeffor, but spreads its happy influence to all I need fcarcely add. are distinguished age,, rank, office ftance, their e are within its reac1 proportion as landing, lit r any oth be ufef hand, or per |