'There is a remarkable difference between fins of this kind, and many other fins which are, notwithstanding, very heinous and aggravated in the fight of God. Into many other fins of a very grofs nature, a man may be hurried by the violence of paffion, or betrayed by the fuddennefs of temptation; but, if I mistake not, fcorn of things facred must always be a deliberate crime: the fin cannot be committed without a good deal of compofure and prefence of mind: reafon is not overborn, as in other cafes, by appetite; but reafon itself (if the perverted gift of God in fuch perfons may be called fo) is principal in the guilt. A fcosner is never tempted, properly speaking, but by these acts and exercises of religion, which should excite the veneration of all, and do excite the veneration of many, not excepting some of the most profligate.

Contempt of things facred is an entire victory. over conscience. In many cafes,men, fin with › fome reluctance: it is not fo much their choice, as they are over-born by the ftrength of corruption, and vitiate the peace of their minds, to gratify the demands of luft: hence remorfe often fuceeds the indulgence; and though real reformation does not take place, yet it lays the finner under frequent and confiderable restraints. But. in treating things facred with fcorn, the mind is, wholly at eafe; and finds its pleasure in the very, impiety itself. The truth is, fo entire is. the victory over confcience, that nothing but fettled, atheism and infidelity can be guilty of it, accord

ing to that just expreffion of the pfalmist, 'Where⚫fore doth the wicked contemn God? He hath faid in his heart, thou wilt not require it."

It is alfo an entire victory over fhame: this is commonly the laft reftraint that finners overthrow. Many are confined and kept in awe by fear of man, long after they have caft off the fear of God. From the fhamefulness of fin, religion preferves fome degree of credit, even where a great plurality is in the oppofite intereft. For this reafon the prophet Jeremiah mentions it as a great aggravation of the fins of his countrymen, that they were loft to all fenfe of fhame: Were they afhamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all afhamed, ⚫ neither could they blufh; therefore they fhall

• fall among them that fall; at the time that I

'vifit them, they fhall be caft down faith the "Lord?" But it is not evident, that fcorners are deftitute of fhame? They have indeed, not only extinguifhed it in themselves, but the manifeft defign of their converfation is to destroy it in the minds of others.

I need add nothing further to fhew the guilt and danger of perfons of this character, but putting you in mind of the rank which it holds in feveral catalogues of crying fins in the holy fcriptures, and the awful judgments of God which are denounced againft it. The prophet Ezekiel, in enumerating the fins of Jerufalem, among many enormities, hath this; Thou haft defpifed mine holy

holy things, and profaned my Sabbaths.' And the prophet Ifaiah, Now, therefore, hear the 'word of the Lord, ye fcornful men that rule

this people which is in Jerufalem.-For the Lord fhall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pafs his act, his ftrange act. Now therefore be not mockers, left your bands be made strong; for, I have heard from the Lord God of hofts, a confumption even determined upon the whole earth.' See alfo the ftate of things in Jerufalem, immediately before the Babylonish captivity: • But they mocked the meffengers of God, and defpifed his words, and mifufed his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arofe against his 'people, till there was no remedy."

2. How unhappy is the influence of this character upon others! As it is highly criminal, it is pernicious in the fame proportion. Confidered only as an example, it must have dangerous effects: many fins fhun the light; and are, by thofe that commit them, concealed with the utmost care, When that is the cafe, whatever they may be to the guilty perfon, they are far from being fo dangerous to the public, as thofe crimes that are not only often vifible, but done on purpofe to be feen. Now, fcoffers at things facred must always be an example, as the crime cannot be committed alone; and, indeed, they often afpire at a kind of character for defpifing religion, and would

would be greatly mortified, were their accom plishments of this kind hidden from the world.

Neither is it merely a common example: fcoffers are not only barely finners; they are advocates for fin: it is their conftant ftudy to break the restraints of confcience, and weaken every moral obligation in others, as well as in themfelves. This too they endeavour to effect in the most agreeable manner: contempt of religion makes a part of their focial mirth; and these two things are foon looked upon by the unwary youth as fo infeparable, that the one is quite tastelefs and infipid, unless it is feasoned by the

other.

1

It deferves particular confideration on this subject, that fcoffing at things facred is apt to give natural modefty, and the fenfe of fhame in young perfons, a wrong and contrary turn. Modesty is the strongest natural fence to virtue. We find notwithstanding, very frequently, that persons of great natural modefty have not courage fufficient to profefs or practice what confcience dictates. to be their duty. How unhappy is it when fo excellent a prefervative from vice is thus quite perverted, and has an oppofite effect! All history is full of the powerful effects of a sense of fhame, both in doing good and evil. It breaks the ftrongest of all natural attachments: it is not to be overcome by the feverest laws, though fortified with the most terrible fanctions. Now, as it needs no proof, that fcoffing at facred things

tends

tends to pervert the fenfe of fhame, it must have the greatest and most immediate effect in bringing on a general diffolution of manners.

The malignant influence of profane scorn is not confined to young perfons, there being very few of any character who are not hurt by it in a moft fenfible manner. Would you be convinced of this? How rarely do we find any poffeffed of a determined courage and refolution in oppofing fashionable crimes! How unwilling are the best to fuffer fhame for adhering to their duty! What a variety of efforts will be made to escape it! Contempt is difagreeable at any rate; and it is intolerable to pride, fome remains of which, capable of being irritated, are to be found in the very beft men on earth. For this reafon, the moft eftablished Chriftians do carefully fhun all unneceffary fociety with wicked men, knowing how difficult it is to avoid fin in one fhape or other. If fuch is the cafe with the beft, how dangerous muft the fociety of fcorners be to all who are able to bear them; but efpecially to thofe who have pleasure in them. CarXW)

It will not be improper here to obferve, that one great reafon why fcorn and ridicule is fo hurtful to religion, is, that it attacks things facred through the medium of human weaknefs. True piety and virtue is in itself so venerable an object, that it is not poffible to render it ridicu→ lous, but by mifreprefentation: however, as it is always, in this world, attended with human in

firmity