Murder is generally considered as one of the blackest crimes of which a man can be guilty. But it is observable, that, by the divine law, the same penalty is annexed to adultery, as to murder: And, perhaps, of the two, it is the greater crime. It certainly indicates a more depraved state of mind. Murder may be the effect of high provocation, or sudden passion. The other proceeds from a settled, habitual viciosity of heart. And in its consequences no species of villany can be more mischievousmore fatal. It is contrary to the peace and order of society-both of particular families, and of larger communities. It is an unprovoked, and irreparable injury to men, in those rights of which they are most jealous. It robs them of that comfort and enjoyment, which they value no less than life, and without which life is hardly supportable. It extends its baleful effects to the innocent offspring, and dooms them, without their fault, to infamy and misery. It is a violation of the most sacred and solemn vows. It tramples in the dust the honour and the happiness, not of a single person, or family only, but of many persons, and of divers families. It awakens grief, anxiety, and perpetual jealousy; excites hatred, malice, and revenge; sometimes leads to the deliberate murder of the tender offspring, and of the injured party; and, on the other hand, provokes to the violent assassination of the infamous invader. In a word, it involves in it the guilt of injustice, fraud, cruelty and perjury; yea, and murder too, if not in the immediate act, yet in the remoter effects, as it taints and poisons the sweetest joys of life.

Such is the horrid criminality of this evil, that every resolved offender must be viewed as thoroughly depraved, and presumptuously wicked, and be held in detestation and abhorrence by all the lovers of virtue, and friends of human society. His con

cern for the rights of mankind is absorbed in his own lawless gratifications. His regard to the Deity is totally lost in sensuality. His social and benevo Tent affections are extinguished in the polluted sink. of brutal indulgence.

Such a depraved libertine cannot be supposed to possess a single principle of virtue or honour; or to be secure from any vice, if only a temptation should offer itself. Joseph, solicited to this crime, rejected the proposal with the strongest abhorrence. "My master," says he to the lewd enchantress, "knoweth not what is with me in the house, and hath committed all that he hath into mine hand; neither hath he kept back any thing from me, but thee, because thou art his wife; How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" His words import, that a man, who feels in his heart any fear of the presence of God, or any regard to the rights of his fellow men, cannot delib erately perpetrate so vile an action.

David, in his penitent reflections on this sin, and the murder which followed, prays, "Create in me a clean heart-deliver me from blood, thou God of my salvation. Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it. The sacrifices of God are a broken heart."

"The

In the case of Abimelech, God says, woman, whom thou hast taken, is a man's wife; and unless thou restore her, thou shalt surely die." From this moment he indulged not a single thought of retaining her in his house.. And such a sense had his people of the sacredness of the conjugal reIation, that, when they heard of the unhappy errour, into which their prince had fallen, they were in painful anxiety for the consequences. To wipe off, as far as possible, the reproach brought on the community by this transaction, the king avowed the innocence of his intentions, immediately restor

ed to Abraham his wife, made him a liberal donation of servants, flocks, and herds, and gave him the fullest assurance of future security in his kingdom. The whole transaction shews the utter abhorrence which this people had of the crime under consideration.

This crime has been held in detestation by almost all nations, in all ages of the world. By the ancient laws of Draco and Solon, the husband of an adulteress, if he detected her in her guilt, might immediately kill both the criminals, or stigmatize them, or put out their eyes, or might exact of the adulterer a heavy fine. But, by the law of Moses, they were both to be put to death with publick infamy; and, in ordinary cases, there was no dispensation.

I proceed to observe,

II. That a sense of virtue and religion is sometimes found where we least expect it.

How different was the true character of the people in Gerar, from that which Abraham's jealousy had drawn for them? There was much of the fear of God among them, though he had imagined there was none at all.

It appears, from this short history, that the prince of the country was a man of great virtue. He was not an idolater, but a worshipper of the true God, as was also Melchizedek the priest. He was not a stranger to divine Revelations, though favoured with them in a lower degree than Abraham. As God, on the occasion here mentioned, communicated to him his will in a dream, so there is no doubt, but, on other occasions, he had been favoured with divine discoveries. He seems not to have been unacquainted with this manner of receiving intrations of the divine pleasure. He acknowledges a supreme governour of the world, and regards him as a being of almighty power, and of per

fect rectitude and goodness. He expresses a benevolent care for the safety of his people, and a just concern, lest they should suffer by his mistake. He professes an integrity of heart in what he had done, and God approves the profession. He readily obeys the divine command in restoring the woman he had taken; and while he reproves Abraham for the needless artifice which he had used, he gives back his wife uninjured, accepts his intercession for himself and his people, and, retaining no unsuitable resentment, dismisses him with generous presents, and with full liberty to dwell in his territories.

Though it is not probable, that all the people were equally virtuous with the prince, yet a sense of justice, and a regard to the common rights of mankind, evidently belonged to their general character. Abimelech appeals to Abraham, whether he had seen, since he had been in the country, any thing, which could be matter of complaint, or could require such deception as had been used: Abraham pretends nothing more, than a previous jealousy, that the fear of God was not in that place.

We see then, that to condemn sects or communities in the gross, to censure and reprobate men on mere suspicion, to conclude that there can be no religion among those who enjoy not advantages equal to our own, is rash and unjustifiable. Where external advantages are less, internal assistances may, for aught we know, in some instances be greater.

To suppose that they, who enjoy a standing Revelation, should receive immediate discoveries from God, in the things of religion, would, indeed, be absurd: for, on this supposition, the standing Revelation becomes useless. God never communicates to men, in an immediate way, those things which they may learn by means already in their hands.

Cornelius is favoured with a vision from heaven;

but this vision gives him no instruction in the way of salvation; it only directs him to send for an Apos. tle, who should teach him things, by which he might be saved. If we, who enjoy the gospel revelation, laying this aside, depend on discoveries of truth made to us in another manner, we are guilty of the greatest insult on the authority of God, and the highest affront to his goodness; and we judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life. Where God has given means, he requires the use of them, as the condition of his favour.

But we cannot hence determine, but that God, by his good spirit, may so assist, direct, and enlighten the minds of some who enjoy not our external means, that they will make improvements in knowledge and virtue far beyond the exertions of simple nature. We see, in the instance under consiration, that a people, among whom Abraham imagined there was no knowledge or fear of God, were led to worthy conceptions of his character and government, and to a just regard for the rights of

mankind.

Let us beware, lest some, who never have enjoyed means and advantages like ours, rise in the judgment against us, and condemn us by their superiour attainments in virtue. The Jews, who re. jecting the instructions of heavenly wisdom, still continued in their sins, our Saviour warns, that the men of Nineveh, who repented at the preaching of Jonas, and the queen of the south, who came from far to hear the wisdom of Solomon, will stand as witnesses against them at the last day.

Jesus often found, among Gentiles and Samaritans, those examples of faith, piety and goodness, which he found not among the Jews, the highly fa voured, and highly professing people of God.

Exemplary piety sometimes appears, where we should last have sought it: and the grossest instan