Those who were converted on the day of Pentecost had this evidence, and entertained no doubt of their gracious state. It is expressly said, "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul." Every true believer has the witness in himself, that he loves the gospel, and is not grieved, but pleased to see others embrace it. And Christ told his disciples, "He that is not against us is on our part."

5. It appears from what has been said, that those who disapprove the gospel themselves are really gratified to see others disapprove and reject it. They are pleased to see those who once acknowledged the inspiration of the Scriptures, deny their divine authority; to see those who once acknowledged the doctrine of the Trinity, deny that doctrine; to see those who once maintained the fundamental principles of Christianity, reject them; to see those who once were seriously impressed, lose their serious impressions; to see those who have professed religion, to act inconsistently with their profession; to see those who once attended public worship, neglect it; and, in a word, to see religion languish and decay. These things are pleasing to them, because they create a secret hope that all religion is a delusion, or because they justify their conduct in despising and neglecting it. They would wish to see everybody as thoughtless, as secure, as stupid, as obstinate, and as irreligious as themselves. These are their inward feelings, though under present circumstances, they are not willing to avow them, or act them out. All sinners, at heart, are enemies to the gospel, and to all who appear to embrace it and maintain it. A day of declension, and every thing that tends to bring on a day of general and universal declension, really gratifies their unholy hearts. Some sinners certainly hate religion, and endeavor to prevent others from embracing the gospel. This was the case on the day of Pentecost. The principal men in Jerusalem did all they could to prevent the apostles from preaching the gospel, and the people from hearing and believing it. As in water face answereth to face, so does the heart of one sinner answer to another. They all feel alike, though they do not all act alike, in respect to the gospel. They all wish to see it universally despised and rejected; and in a vast many ways throw in their influence to bring about such an event.

6. It appears from what has been said, that all who cordially

embrace the gospel ought to profess their faith in it. This is a duty expressly enjoined upon them. This is a duty which the first converts cheerfully and boldly performed. And this all true believers ought to do, in order to stop the mouths, impeach the hearts, and destroy the hopes, of those who affect to despise the gospel, and all who appear to embrace it. It is owing to sincerely professing Christians, that the religion of the gospel has been maintained in the world, notwithstanding the grief and displeasure and opposition of its numerous and powerful enemies. Their sincere and public profession of faith has been a standing testimony to the folly, depravity, and presumption of unbelievers. And this testimony has, from time to time, silenced and restrained some of the most learned and inveterate enemies of truth. It is as necessary now as ever it was, that those who cordially embrace the gospel, should declare to the unbelieving world, that they do cordially embrace it, and are determined to maintain it. This greatly tends not only to silence, but to restrain unbelievers, while the neglect of this duty tends to encourage and strengthen them.

Finally, this subject exhorts all those who have rejected the gospel while others have embraced it, to renounce their enmity and opposition to Christ, to his gospel, and to his friends, and persist no longer in opposing a cause which is destined to triumph over all its enemies. It is vain to oppose God, and Christ, and all the friends of Christ. The gospel, under a divine influence, conquered three thousand one day, and five thousand another day; and is still able to conquer all in this place, as well as in any other. God may soon rend the heavens, and come down in all the majesty of his sovereignty, and bow the hearts of the most obstinate to the sceptre of Christ. Many of you who reject the gospel, have seen others in the day of divine power cordially embrace it. Thousands and millions of believers all over the Christian world are condemning your unbelief, and calling upon you to believe, and escape the wrath to come. You have no excuse for delay;— and you have no safety while ging the only way of safety. Your guilt and danger are augmenting continually. As though God did beseech you by u, we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God.

SERMON XXVIII.

THE AVOIDANCE OF APPARENT EVIL.

PREACHED SEPTEMBER 23, 1821.

Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5: 22.

MANKIND are very apt to despise and disregard caution. This they imagine is an imputation on their understandings, as well as their hearts. If a parent admonish a child against any apparent evil, he is ready to imagine the caution to be needless, and unworthy of regard. Or, if one friend caution another against any particular mode of conduct or course of life, the caution is often illy received and illy improved. The reason of it is, every way of man appears right in his own eyes, and he thinks he is wise enough to take care of himself. But if we attentively consider the general conduct of mankind, we shall be convinced that most of their external deviations from the path of duty may be principally owing to their want of receiving, or properly regarding, caution. There is, therefore, a great propriety in both giving, and observing wise and seasonable cautions and admonitions. Accordingly, we find the Bible abounds with wise and salutary warnings against the dangers and evils to which all persons of all ages, characters, and conditions are exposed. There are many more general cautions in Scripture, than particular precepts and prohibitions. These cautions are designed to keep men from evading more particular and positive commands. They seem to be of the nature

of friendly advice, though really clothed with divine authority. Some seem to think, that what is not required by some particular and express command is no duty; and what is not forbidden by some express and particular prohibition is no sin. But general cautions, prohibitions, and precepts lay a universal obligation upon mankind to do every thing that is right, and to refrain from doing every thing that is wrong. The apostles were very watchful over professing Christians, and endeavored to guard them against all the dangers with which they were surrounded in this evil and sinful world. They made it their practice, in writing to professors of religion, to give them some particular, or general cautions and admonitions. This is exemplified in the chapter which contains the text; where we find a number of general precepts and prohibitions which apply to all who name the name of Christ, in every age and in every part of the world. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Abstain from all appearance of evil." This last prohibition is very strict and very comprehensive. It is a caution against every thing in its own nature sinful, and against every thing that carries the appearance of sinfulness. It teaches us this plain and practical truth,

That Christians ought to avoid all things which have the appearance of evil. I shall,

I. Consider what things have the appearance of evil.

II. Show that Christians ought to avoid such things.

I. Let us consider what things have the appearance of evil. In some instances things appear as they are; and in such instances appearance and reality are the same. But in a vast many instances, things appear very different from what they are; and in such instances, there is a wide difference between reality and appearance. The apostle, in the text, unquestionally has reference to things which have more of the appearance, than reality of evil; or which are evil only on account of their appearance. To distinguish and ascertain those things accurately and precisely is not very easy; but, perhaps, the following observations may throw some light upon the subject.

1. All such things as are doubtful whether they are right or wrong, have the appearance of evil. There is, in many cases, a very thin, apparent partition between virtue and vice.

These often seem to approach very near to one another; and the most conscientious and discerning persons differ in their opinion concerning them, and can hardly determine where virtue ends, and vice begins. Who can distinguish, in all cases, between industry and worldly-mindedness? between liberality and prodigality? between censure and censoriousness? between just and unjust resentment? between cheerfulness and levity? between praise and flattery? between reproof and reproach? between high devotion and low enthusiasm, or between strictness in religion and a species of superstition. In these, and in various other cases, things right and wrong are very nearly connected, and have become doubtful, whether they are innocent or criminal. Now, the apostle Paul has spoken largely and plainly upon doubtful things, and cautioned Christians to avoid them. Just so far as the lawfulness of any mode of speaking or acting appears doubtful, just so far it has the appearance of evil, which ought.to be avoided. Things which are not doubtful to one Christian may be doubtful to another. And the apostle determines the case, that all those things have the appearance of evil, which appear to be doubtful to the weakest Christian, or to the weakest man. Accordingly, he cautions strong Christians against doing such things as might appear sinful to their weak brethren, or to any for whom Christ died. If Christians are attentive and conscientious, they will discover a great many things which are doubtful and have the appearance of evil to themselves and others, and which for that reason are to be avoided. Let them remember, therefore, that doubtful things have that appearance of evil which Christianity forbids them to practice.

2. All such things as naturally tend to lead men into sin, have the appearance of evil. Men's thoughts, and words, and actions run in a train; which is owing to a certain connection between them, that is sometimes perceptible, and sometimes imperceptible. One thought naturally leads to another; one word naturally leads to another; and one action naturally leads to another. There is scarcely a thought, or a word, or action that is entirely solitary or unconnected. By experience and observation, men may learn the tendency of almost every thing that passes within and without their minds. And as they become more and more acquainted with the tendency of things,