marriages, or forming friendships, or uniting in close and chosen familiarity with any persons, whose principles and practices were directly at variance with the Christian character. "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?" Every Christian was, by profession, a part of a spiritual temple, built, and beautified, and consecrated to be the residence of HIM whose name is holy;-" for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." The Apostle then urges the Corinthians to an entire separation from sin; to withdraw themselves from any and every kind of unnecessary intercourse and intimacy with sinners, in which they may have inconsistently allowed themselves; and encourages them to make this separation by a most delightful and animating promise;" Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

From these words I shall endeavour to show you, that the Theatre comes under the description of "the unclean thing;" then urge upon you the manifest duty of a Christian respecting it,"touch not the unclean thing;" and then point out the encouraging motive proposed to you in the text,—“ and I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." And may Almighty God, who shows to them that be in error the light of his truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto you who have been admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that you may eschew those things which are contrary to your profession, and follow all such as are agreeable to the same!

First, then, I am to show you, that the Theatre comes under the description of "the unclean thing." In the phrase "the unclean thing," the Apostle refers both to idolatry and to iniquity ;the uncleanness of error, and the uncleanness of sin; wicked practices are filthiness of the flesh;wicked sentiments are filthiness of the spirit;— both are highly offensive in the sight of God; from both must we separate ourselves; from both must we keep ourselves clear.

Now, in whichsoever light we regard the Theatre, whether with respect to the polluted sentiments which are taught on the Stage, or the polluted practices which it sanctions, and to which

it directly leads;-in both points of view, the Theatre is an "unclean thing; it corrupts the principles; it defiles the imagination and the mind;-and is, to a fearful extent, the receptacle and the parent of gross immorality and

vice.

No two things can be more opposed than the maxims of the world and the maxims of the Bible; but the Stage always upholds, and applauds, and inculcates, both by precept and example, the maxims of the world, in opposition to the Word of God; and if it were not so, the world would not love and frequent the Theatre, for the world will love only its own. The Bible enjoins upon us lowliness, meekness, patience under injuries, forgiveness and forbearance, the return of good for evil, separation from the world, an humble, contrite, contented spirit, a holy, heavenly mind; now these are the very dispositions which are held up on the Stage to mockery and scorn; they are placed in an unamiable and ridiculous light; they are so misrepresented as to excite only laughter and contempt; while the directly contrary sentiments and dispositions are recommended to admiration and esteem, by every attractive circumstance by which ingenuity and talent can embellish and distinguish them; so that the direct tendency of the Amusements of the Stage, is to cause those who attend upon them, to be ashamed of what they read in their Bibles

and to connect every low, and mean, and disgusting association with the sentiments and precepts of Holy Scripture; and such, I fear, is not only the direct tendency of the Amusements of the Stage, but very commonly their practical effect.

Now, in what light must such Amusements be viewed by a pure and jealous God? Must they not be abomination with him? In this respect, then, the Theatre is "the unclean thing."

But it also pollutes the imagination and the mind; it shelters under its roof the abandoned and the vile; it not only furnishes an advantageground where the harlot may spread her snares, but, by its scenes and its sentiments, it affords her the most effectual aid; and in too many cases renders those arts successful, which might otherwise have been tried in vain. Thousands have been ruined there both for this world and for that which is to come; there they have been first overcome by the enticements of the evil woman, whose feet go down to death, and whose steps lay hold on hell, and of whom it is said, "None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life." And although multitudes may, and doubtless do attend the Theatre, without receiving such fearful injury; yet I believe I may venture to affirm, that not any individual who was of sufficient age to understand what was said, ever frequented the Theatre without receiving a moral contamination, the painful effects of

which have been felt, even when, by the grace of God, such person may have learned to dread and forsake those scenes of profligacy and vice, and to love and seek after that purity of heart, without which none shall ever see God in peace.

We are told that in this respect the Stage is now comparatively pure. This is a point which I pretend not to determine; but it is impossible to live in the world without hearing of the effects of an attendance upon the Theatre; without knowing what kinds and classes of persons most commonly frequent these Amusements; and without reading occasionally the severe and heavy complaints which still continue to be made by even the admirers and advocates of dramatic entertainments, respecting the gross violations of common decorum, and the shameful outrages of female delicacy, which are still permitted on the Stage. The fact, I doubt not, is, that little essential improvement has taken place in these respects;that scenes are exhibited, and language used, and allusions made, which no persons of character would tolerate in private and social intercourse; or, indeed, at any time, or in any place, except under the broad sanction of a public assembly;where general example keeps every one in countenance, and where these improprieties, not being directed to any individual in particular, no individual finds it necessary to feel the shame or resent the insult.