2. Paganism consecrates immorality by incorporating it with her religious rites: Christianity, by the purity of her institutions, frowns upon every form of immorality.

It were well if Paganism did nothing more than wink at vice, or even directly sanction it by the doctrines and precepts of her philosophers; but she has actually incorporated it among the elements of her existence, so that to be religious upon her principles is nothing less than to be corrupt. Religion consists in obeying what is supposed to be the will of the gods. But it is supposed to be the will of some of the gods that they should be served by acts of the grossest pollution, or by offerings of human blood. Tell me then how the obligations of religion are here to be met, except by violating some of the first laws of morality. And so it is that Paganism substitutes darkness for light, vice for virtue; she not only endeavours to annihilate the natural sense of guilt attendant on crime, but she actually prescribes immorality as an antidote to guilt; for she maintains that it is by this means that the favour of the gods is to be secured. Think of a man outraging the first laws of nature, and not only calling, but believing, it religious worship; and say whether the system of which this is a part must not be the very master piece of human corruption.

Christianity too has her institutions, but, like her nature, they are pure; and their tendency is to purify all who come within their influence. Is there not that in the ordinary rites of Christian worship which seems to bring the soul into an atmosphere of moral purity? In drawing reverently near to the throne of grace, is there not something which is fitted to rebuke even a sinful thought, and to give the spirit an upward tendency? Is not the dispensation of the word adapted to check the

growth of sin, to promote the growth of holiness? Does not the baptism by water impressively tell of the need of the baptism by the Holy Ghost? Do not the cup which we bless, and the bread which we break, in the sacramental supper, warn us against sin, by pointing us to the sacrifice which has been made for its expiation? In one word, is there any thing in the rites of Christian worship that does not point to the crucifixion of sin? Is there any thing in the rites of Pagan worship that does not point to the indulgence of sin?

3. The actual results of Paganism are to be seen in every species of iniquity and crime; while the fruits of Christianity appear in whatever is pure, and lovely, and honest, and of good report.

If you will know from the best authority what was the moral condition of the most celebrated Pagan nations of antiquity, and at the period too when they were illumined by the brightest blaze of intellectual glory, read the chapter from which my text is taken; and I venture to say that you cannot find any where a blacker catalogue of vices than is there contained. And the testimony of Paul on this subject is seconded by the voice of all antiquity. Shall I refer you to the brutal cruelty which both the Greeks and Romans exercised towards their slaves; not only punishing old age and infirmity with death, but with death in some of its most horrid forms? Shall I remind you of the gladiatorial shows, which attracted immense numbers not only of men but women, to witness death as a mere matter of amusement; scenes in which human life was sacrificed with greater prodigality than even in war, and at the very description of which the blood sets back with horrour? Shall I tell you that even the philosophers. of Greece and Romethe very men whose business it was to inculcate lessons

of morality, were themselves, to a great extent, examples of flagrant crime? And descending from ancient to modern times, you surely need not be told that Paganism has lost none of her disgusting or appalling features by age. To say nothing of the abominable practices which still exist among some of our tribes of Indians, you cannot look over the Eastern nations, but your eye will affect your heart. There you may see fraud and falsehood, revenge and murder, every thing base and every thing cruel, flourishing with a deadly luxuriance. There you may see the helpless infant thrown from a mother's arms into the deep, to be devoured alive by the monsters which sport there. There you may see, or might lately have seen, the widow burning on the funeral pile of her husband, the fatal fires having been kindled by her own children. There you may see the aged father forced into the grave while the breath has not yet left him, by the hand of an inhuman son. Indeed, you may conceive of whatever vice or crime you please, and somewhere in the dominions of Paganism, you will find the horrible reality.

And now in speaking of the moral effects of Christianity, as they are displayed in the character of communities, I am aware that I cannot do full justice to her benign, and lovely, and regenerating tendencies; for this obvious reason, that no extensive community has ever yet existed in which she has been permitted to exert, to the full extent, her legitimate influence. But notwithstanding this, I am sure you cannot compare the moral condition of any Christian country, especially of any Protestant country, with that of the most enlightened Pagan nation, without being led to exclaim that a greater and better than Paganism is here! What but Christianity has disarmed man of an unkindly and savage

spirit, and converted his bosom into a dwelling place for the amiable and generous affections? What but Christianity has meliorated the condition of slaves, or actually abolished slavery; has diminished the horrours of war; has elevated the intellectual as well as moral condition of the female sex; has wakened into exercise the spirit of benevolent action, and diffused over the whole face of society the soft charities of domestic life? What but Christianity has gone out in pursuit of the starving orphan and provided for him a home; has administered comfort to the prisoner in his dungeon, has given a crutch to trembling old age, and caused the heart of the sick and destitute widow to sing for joy? Whence have originated all the benevolent institutions of modern times,the infirmaries, the hospitals, the lazarettos, which lie scattered over the Christian world as so many points of glory, but in the purifying and elevating influence of our blessed religion? I bless Christianity that she has done so much; and it is not her own fault, but the fault of those who would not have her to reign over them, that she has not, in a still higher degree, changed the wilderness into a garden.

In review of our subject, we remark,

1. How deplorable is the condition of the Pagan world!

They have perverted every fundamental truth of religion and every great principle of morality. Do you ask them respecting the object of their worship? They point you to their idols, upon every high hill and under every green tree. Do you inquire concerning the nature of their worship? They answer you by bidding you look at altars stained with human blood. Do you ask them by what agency the world is governed? They have no answer to give, but what is either borrowed di

rectly from Atheism, or at best built upon gross absurdity. Ask you concerning their standard for the regulation of human conduct? They have none which is not as variable as human caprice can dictate; as grovelling as human corruption can desire. Do you question them concerning the future? Do you ask whether any light breaks from their system of religion upon the tomb? Ah, that is with them emphatically a region of darkness; for even their philosophy halts at the question whether there is any passage that connects the tomb with a world beyond it. I ask that intelligent Pagan, that philosopher if you please, on his dying bed, what are the prospects which open upon him: and he tells me that his mind is bewildered with doubt and haunted with horrour; that the gods whom he has worshipped are not present to help him in the hour of his extremity; that he must plunge into the future, and be satisfied with what the future may have in store for him.

Methinks I hear some one say, 'This is indeed a wretched condition for the poor Pagan; but then death brings him out of it, and introduces him to a perfectly happy existence.' But I ask you upon what authority you say this? Surely not upon the authority of Paul; for he has "concluded all under sin," and has declared that "the wages of sin is death." But do you say that it were an unworthy reflection upon God's justice to suppose that they who have not known his character and will, should suffer the penalty of his law? I reply, God is a better judge of what is right and just than we are; and we have his own word for it that the heathen are under sin," or obnoxious to punishment. I answer farther, that this objection would convert the gospel into the greatest curse that was ever inflicted upon the world; for if those who have no revelation are not guilty, then