abhorrence: and there are fome modes of attack, and of injury more execrable than others.

We need not spend any time in convincing you, for every one must feel it, that a fhew of friendship, in an enemy, renders him peculiarly odious. He who fpeaks respectfully of our faith, of our holy religion, while he attempts to fubvert it, is the affaffin who fmiles, and offers the cup of pleasure, in the one hand; and, with the other, draws a murderous dagger: the cup of pleasure, too, is the foporific draught that lulls afleep, and affects our vitals, fhould the weapon of death be kept from its more immediate destruction. With what fentiments do we regard, and ought we to regard, the man to whom this character belongs?

"THE words of his mouth are smoother "than butter, but war is in his heart: his "words are fofter than oil, yet they are "drawn fwords."

FOR rude and gross abuse, for the fneer of wit, for the fong of drunkenness and deA a bauchery,

bauchery, we feel pity mingled with disguft; but they are not fo deteftable or mischievous as the interefting ftory and difpaffionate eflay, that imperceptibly leads on to vice and atheifm, and blafphemy.

LIKE the apoftle addreffing himself to the church of Chriftians at Corinth, I exhort you, my Chriftian brethren, to hold the character and the attempts of the enemies of religion in abhorrence. Addrefling you who believe and rejoice in the Gospel, with him, I might think it enough fimply to aver, that regarding them with abhorrence is a part of the character of Chriftians, and an effential part too: I might roundly affert that, to be a Christian, is to hold in abhorrence those who, in a Christian country, oppofe and blafpheme the Gofpel; who, directly or indirectly, fap the foundations of the faith, and endanger and deftroy the purity, the peace, the fouls, of men..

Ir is never, however, improper to cherish, and to justify, the fentiments of Christians ¦ I very much fufpect that, in thefe days, there is too much reason, and too many calls, to

excite and heighten this fentiment, detefting and abhorring the friends and fupporters of infidelity and irreligion. Suffer me, therefore, my Christian friends, to remind you, if we have no need to prove to you, how justly they are the objects of deteftation and

abhorrence.

WE have not to look far for confiderations to awaken and preferve thefe fentiments. They rife up on every hand. hand. You fee them, you feel their influence in contemplating the truth of the Gofpel: GoD hath fpoken: GOD fpeaks by his Son from heaven: You fee them and feel their influence in mufing on its fuperior and unrivalled excellence, in its effects; in the happiness it imparts, in the happiness it promifes. You fee them and feel them, when man is viewed as an individual, when he is viewed as a member of fociety: when he is confidered as paffing through this world; and as deftined for immortality.

INDEPENDENTLY, indeed, of fuch confiderations, you must allow that respect and deference cannot belong to those who are active

and zealous to fhake or overturn the faith of Christians. Do they feek to promote the honour of Deity? do they labour to increase the happiness of their fellow creatures? Piety, or due regards to Deity, is not promoted by those who undermine or reject revelation, for fome leave GOD out of their fyftem altogether: fome treat of the very existence of the Creator and Governor of the world, without the leaft intereft, with a torpid and benumbing indifference: but if any of them are defirous of promoting piety, where have we fo fublime and auguft, fo affecting and interesting discoveries of GoD, as in the holy Scriptures? GoD is at once the object of reverence and love, of trust and hope, and joy.

AND if we ask, Is it true excellence of character; is it the best interests of men they would forward?

SURELY the pureft philanthropy is exhibited, is required, is fupported in the Gospel of JESUS. No where have we fuch maxims of generofity, liberality and exertion for the happiness of mankind; no where are exhi

bited fuch models of benignity; fuch encou ragements, rewards and honours of goodness. In a word, all that is amiable, relpectable and venerable, all that adorns and endears the human character, all that diffufes and increates human happiness, is the natural and certain confequence of the prevalence of the principles, and conduct and character, of Chriftians.

BUT perhaps fuppofitions, and expostulations founded on them, to those who oppofe or undermine religion, are not so proper on this fubject, and from this place For we know that they are not employed uselessly only, and therefore are contemptible; but wickedly and mischievously, and therefore are abominable. The text holds them up, not for ridicule, as idle, prefumptuo infolent; but as deteftable, the enemies of GoD and of man. Let them be Anathema Maranatha.

My Chriftian brethren! This day we keep holy to the LORD. On this day of facred reft and holy joy, we rejoice in the refurrec tion of CHRIST, and glory in his cross and