kingdom of God; that except he be converted, and experience such a real and radical change, as shall make him a new creature, he cannot serve and worship God in spirit and in truth? How frequently are the Preachers of the Gospel, for insisting on these points of prime importance, charged with promoting Enthusiasm, and Delusion, and Fanaticism, and all the evils which follow in their train ?-Look next at private, individual Christians. Do they meet with a better treatment? Turned from the error of a sinful course, and walking by Faith in the Son of God, how often are they charged with being hostile to the welfare and order of Society! Refusing to join with the world in its irreligious pleasures, or to conform to its sinful practices, how often are they represented as disturbers of the public peace, and are accused of some secret, mischievous designs against the comfort and happiness of mankind! What in our own days has been the clamour so industriously raised, what has been the charge so repeatedly urged against many of those, who, from a sense of duty, and from love to God and man, are actively and zealously employed in dispersing the Scriptures through the means of the Bible Society, but that they are plotting the ruin both of Church and State, and are secretly preparing a mine, which, when exploded,

will overwhelm in one common destruction, whatever is dear, or valuable, or sacred in our civil and ecclesiastical establishments? But in this charge, as well as in the others, which have been mentioned, where are the proofs by which they are supported? Would that the persons, who thus lavishly deal in accusations, might be taught by the Text to recollect, that clamour does not supply the place of evidence, and that assertions are not the substitutes for facts! Would that they might be led to consider, that in thus slanderously imputing, to the minister or to the professor of religion, motives and consequences, with which he is not chargeable, they are only repeating the disgraceful transaction at Thessalonica, and are imitating the persecuting spirit of those envious Jews; in respect of whom, let it be remembered, St. Paul has left this aweful declaration upon record; " and they please not God, and are contrary to all men!"- Nor are you, my brethren, who may be unjustly suffering for conscience-sake, unconcerned in these remarks. Are you evil spoken of? Are you falsely accused? Are you charged

with crimes, or with criminal intentions, which you know to be groundless? Be not surprised, as though some strange thing had happened unto you. You are only encountering the same afflictions, which are

accomplished in your brethren, who are, or who have been in the world. As the ser

vants of Jesus Christ, you are called to go through evil report and good report. Bear in mind that if you were of the world, the world would not hate you; and thus from its very hatred you may derive to yourself a source of inward peace and joy. Beware especially of two dangers, to which you are chiefly exposed. On the one hand, be not deterred by clamour and calumny from a faithful and conscientious discharge of your duty. On the other hand, see that you give no just occasion for the accusations laid to your charge. Courage and circumspection, united with a spirit of meekness and patience, are the Christian virtues, of which, under these circumstances, you have the greatest need. Pray then earnestly for these. Pray that they may be strengthened in your soul. And may the Lord enable to endure and to overcome for his mercy's sake!

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2d. We may consider the Charge in the Text as exhibiting an illustration of the nature and effects of Prejudice. The mind of man is never in a state more hurtful to itself, more injurious to others, or more obnoxious to the general cause of truth, than when under this baneful influence. Such was the case with the Jews at Thessalonica; and we have

seen into what falsehood and injustice, into what violence and persecution they were carried away. It may be said perhaps in extenuation of their conduct, that they did not invent these accusations against Paul and the Christians in general: that they had heard of like accusations against them at other places, that they only repeated the charge, as they had heard it; and really, however ignorantly, believed it to be true. This point shall be readily granted. We will not attempt to criminate these Jews beyond their desert. It shall be readily granted, that they did really believe the charge which they preferred; they did really believe that Paul and Silas had turned the world upside down, and that the Christians in general did act contrary to the decrees of Cesar.-But what ground had they for this belief? On what facts did it rest? By what proofs was it supported? What pains had they taken to examine the evidences, or to enquire into the truth of the reports which had reached them? Observe the inconsistency and perverseness of their minds. They were giving implicit credit to rumours, which the slightest examination would have shown them to have been false, while at the same time they were rejecting the Gospel, though confirmed and established by evidence the most decisive in itself, level to their understanding, and even forcibly

thrust on their notice. How can we account for such inconsistent and unreasonable conduct? By a very plain and obvious solution. They inwardly hated the Doctrine of the Gospel, and the Apostles for preaching it. Hence as they were previously determined not to believe the Gospel, nor consequently to pay any attention to the evidence in its favour, so they were previously disposed to believe every thing evil of the Apostles and their followers; nay even ready and glad to credit any report to their disadvantage. Surely there cannot be a more apposite and striking illustration of the odious nature and evil effects of Prejudice; of the way, in which this most destructive malady, when once it is allowed to take possession of the mind, diffuses its poisonous and fatal influence throughout every faculty; closes the ears; shuts the eyes; perverts the reasoning powers; and debases the moral and intellectual part of man. Would that those persons among us, who are so ready to hear, to believe, and to propagate charges and accusations against the more serious followers of religion, may see, reflected in this glass, their own deformity; and in time be admonished of their sin and danger! Instead of crediting every report, and believing every assertion, which tends to criminate the motives or the practices of those from whom