'licioufnefs; full of envy, murder, debate, 'deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, 'haters of GoD, defpiteful, proud, boafters, 'inventers of evil things, difobedient to pa'rents, without understanding, covenant 'breakers, without natural affection, impla'cable,unmerciful; vile in their affections; changing the truth of GOD into a lie; and worfhipping and ferving the creature more 'than the CREATOR, who is GoD over all, 'bleffed for ever."* What a black catalogue of vices is this? And was not that a 'crooked and perverfe generation,' indeed, of which this was the general and prevailing character?

But, my brethren, we need not go back to antiquity, to juftify and illuftrate this obfervation of the Apoftle. In every age of the world, GoD's true church and people, "live in the midst of a crooked and per"verfe generation."

The Apoftleis ftill addreffing every Christian amongst us, in the words of our text, with equal propriety as he did his converts at Philippi" Be ye harmlefs and blame

lefs, without rebuke, in the midft of "crooked and perverfe generation, amongst "whom ye fhine as lights in the world." The world, as diftinguished from the church, ever has been, and ever will be, "a crook"ed and perverfe generation." This world has been ever diftinguished into two grand * Rom. 1. 21, -34.

claffes of men, diametrically opposite in their principles, ends, motives, difpofitions and manners, and generally diftinguished in fcripture by the appellation of the world, ' and the church ;....the feed of the woman, and feed of the ferpent ;....the fheep and 'the goats....the tares and the wheat ;.... the righteous and the wicked;....the chil'dren of this world, and the children of 'light.' If we attentively read the fcriptures, we will find that the word world, is generally used to represent the worst of these two claffes." The world (fays St. John) "lieth in wickednefs. The world (fays

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he) knoweth us not.Love not the "world, neither the things that are in the "world. If any man love the world, the "love of the Father is not in him: For all "that is in the world, the luft of the flesh, "and the luft of the eye, and the pride of “life, is not ofthe Father, but of the world." St. James tells us, "that the friendship of "the world is enmity with GoD ;" and therefore befeeches Chriftians, to keep themselves unspotted from the world. St. Paul tells us, that "the LORD JESUS CHRIST

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gave himself for our fins, that he might "deliverus from this prefent evil world, ac"cording to the will of God;"and therefore earnestly befeeches Christians not to be conformed to this world, in its manners, customs, fpirit or maxims, but to be

transformed by the renewing of their minds. "If the world hate you (fays CHRIST to his "difciples) ye know that it hated me be"fore it hated you. If ye were of the "world, the world would love his own; "but because ye are not of the world, but "I have chofe you out of the world, there"fore the world hateth you."

It were eafy, my brethren, to multiply quotations to this purpofe; but furely evidence enough has been produced to prove, that the world, in which Chriftians live; or, that that company of men with which the church is contrafted, and from which it is diftinguished every where in fcripture, is" a crooked and perverfe generation."

The same truth will evidently appear from the general maxims and prevailing manners ofthe world, by which the crookedness and perverfenefs of their fentiments and conduct will be clearly manifefted. Will either the dictates of enlightened reafon, the best interests of fociety, or the gospel of Christ, justify fuch maxims as the following:- Youth 'is the proper feafon for pleasure and gallantry:It is ridiculous to make much 'ado about religion:-We should not af pire to be faints:-All that religion requires of us, is to be juft and honeft in 'our dealings :-Calumny and ridicule are 'the falt or zeft of converfation:-It is unworthy of a man of honour to put up with

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an affront. Revenge is fweet :-Ambition is the vice of noble fouls:-Impuri'ty is intolerable in women, but pardonable in men. We fhould be conformed to the world, and act agreeable to its max'ims. Which of thefe, my friends, (and a great many more might be added to the number) does not flatly contradict fome precept of Christ, and the very spirit and genius of Chriftianity?-And yet which of these maxims is not received in fociety as a firft principle, against the truth of which, it would be deemed affectation to dispute ?

And are not the prevailing manners of the world, exactly conformable to these maxims?-How few regard even the folemnity of an oath, where interest is concerned?What faith is, now a days, to be put in the promises or profeffions of men? The very form of religion is in such sovereign contempt, that it is deemed highly impolite to introduce even the mention of it into company. How few in Chriflian countries, comparatively speaking, attend the ordinances of Christ, or pay any regard to the public worship of God?... What are the lives of the generality, but a courfe of mere extravagance, fenfuality, and diffipation of enquiry how they may provide for the flesh, to fulfil the lufts thereof... what they fhall eat, or drink, and wherewithal they fhall be clothed, without a fin

gle ferious thought about the fate of their fouls, or eternity? If we enquire into the fource of mirth and pleafantry in most companies, fhall we not find the laugh almost perpetually raised, either at the expence of religion, or at the natural or moral failings and infirmities of our fellow-creatures ? Subjects which drew tears from the eyes of David, and which no right mind can con-* template, without pain and anxiety! Indeed, what is modern wit and gaiety, but calumny, flander and profanity, rendered laughable, by the ludicrous garb in which they are dreffed ?---To all this, may I not add, that fome of the moft fcandalous and filthy vices are become fo commou and fafhionable in Chriftian countries, that to refift or decline them, would be deemed an almoft unpardonable fingularity.

Surely nothing more need be added to prove, That the world in which Chriftians live, is a crooked and perverfe genera'tion;---that to follow the multitude, is to renounce the guidance of reafon and reli gion; and that to be conformed to this evil world, in its general customs, maxims and manners, is to imitate the very worst examples, and to forfeit all that glory and happinefs which the gospel has fet before us. am now to lay before you. under the

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II. Head of discourfe, The Christian's destination in this evil world;...or, what