Sezmon XV.

THE CORRUPTING INFLUENCE OF EVIL

DISCOURSE.

I CORINTHIANS, xv. 33.

EVIL COMMUNICATIONS CORRUPT GOOD

MANNERS.

THE Author of our being hath formed us for fociety and friendship; by implanting within us the focial principles, we feel ourselves powerfully drawn towards each other, and from this fource derive fome of our higheft enjoyments. A mutual intercourfe has the most happy tendency to foften our cares, and to improve our pleasures; and we justly defpife the man, who can retire from fociety, and think it a privilege to be alone. However, if a commerce with the world may be esteemed a fource of happiness, it is fometimes very fatal to the morals

X 2

morals of an individual. It has destroyed those virtuous principles, by which he once ordered his converfation; corrupted his understanding, and depraved his heart. The best fyftem of practical piety has been overturned by the infidel leffons of wicked men; for, in fociety, there are perfons, who, not content with their own ungodlinefs, take a cruel delight in feducing others; and too often has unfufpecting innocence been utterly ruined by the fophiftry of their pernicious maxims, and the contagion of their ill example.

Such infamous characters the apoftle undoubtedly had in view, when he quoted the words with which I introduce my discourse. They were uttered by Menander, a comic poet of Athens; and, agreeably to the measure of the Greek original, might be thus rendered

"Good morals are debauched by talk profane." -Saint Paul here applies this adage to thofe Epicurean fenfualifts who denied a future ftate, and expected all their happinefs on this fide the grave. He obferves, it was the language of such,— "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." To which he replies,-"Be not deceived; evil communications (or rather profane difcourfes, dunia nanai) corrupt good

manners."

manners." As if he had faid :-Brethren, be ever on your guard against those pernicious characters, who would perfuade you the present will be the whole of your exiftence; there are perfons who give up thofe fublime fentiments and pursuits which animate the christian; they will tell you, they belong not to fuch creatures as we are; that we have only to eat and drink, that is, to enjoy life as it paffes, because in a little time we fhall be no more. From fuch profane and impious leffons do you turn away, and have as little connexion as poffible with perfons who adopt fentiments fo opposed to the gofpel; for, however unfhaken your faith, and irreproachable your morals may be at present, it is more than poffible they may both fuffer by an intercourse with fuch characters.

This advice of the holy apoftle we may all take to ourselves; and more especially should perfons in younger life endeavour to profit by it. They are leaft aware of the fubtil arts of wicked men; they are leaft apprehenfive of the contagion of ill. example; their bofoms are soft and impreffible; and a wrong bias, at that early period, may prove too hard for the wifeft leffons of piety, and the superiour knowl

edge

.

edge of riper years. For which reason, they should efteem themselves peculiarly interested in a difcourfe which affumes this for its motto-Evil communications corrupt good manners.

To illuftrate the very important truth contained in thefe words, I fhall-Firstinquire what thofe communications are, which deferve the appellation of evil and profane.

And-Secondly-fhew how they poison and corrupt the morals of fociety.

Firft.-I am to inquire into the nature of those communications or difcourfes, which the apoftle esteemed fo profane, and of fuch a pernicious tendency; and I need not tell thofe, who are acquainted with the more debauched part of mankind, that there are no maxims fo impious, no fentiments fo blafphemous and abfurd, but have fome advocates among perfons of that defcription. In the affembly of the mockers, you will hear not only the obligations of piety, but even the perfections of God, and his existence, called in queftion. Though the things that are made declare the eternal power and godhead, yet you will hear them prefumptuoufly denied; and the whole fyftem of religion reprefented as the work

of

of cunning priests and artful politicians. The most profane and impious of all dif courses are those which strike at the being of a God; his existence and perfections are the foundation of all religion; deny these, and the religion of nature as well as revelation will be a perfect farce. If there is no God, piety is an empty name; morality the work of imagination; man a felf-moving machine; and the universe an accidental jumble of atoms: yet, notwithstanding all thefe abfurdities with which atheifm is attended, fome men are hardy enough to profefs themselves atheifts. Either because they wish there was no God, or from a fond affectation of appearing fingular, they vent opinions fo blafphemous, fo contradictory, fo profane!

Leffons of atheism are certainly one fpecies of thofe evil communications which corrupt good manners. The fubtilties employed to fupport that shocking fyftem are very captivating to perfons who have a bias towards infidelity: their novelty recommends them; and the deceitfulness of the human heart too often gives them the force and authority of argument. Hence many have been led away in the fnare of the wicked; and from fecretly withing there was no God, have brought them