profaneness, buffoonery, or impurity;-by the diffusion of erroneous sentiments, and the representation of vicious characters? Can the Spirit of Christ dwell in those who do such things? And yet" if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." No! Light and darkness-Christ and Belial, are not more opposite, than are spiritual religion and the life and profession of a player. And what is the aweful and inevitable conclusion? Why this no person living this life, and following this profession, can be in a fit state to die. If death were to surprise him, as it may do at any moment, in the midst of his ungodliness, he would not be found "in Christ;" he would not be saved; for they only are blessed that die "in the Lord." Oh! that this truth might strike home to the consciences of such persons with effectual power. Oh! that they might be induced to search the Scriptures with sincerity, and seriousness, and prayer, to see whether these things be not so; and might be led, as some have happily been, to renounce a life and profession of such guilt and danger; and to flee to that Saviour who will cast out none that truly turn unto him.

But let us consider further, that the life and profession of a stage-player are such as to render it fearfully improbable that they ever will come to repentance, and turn from their evil way, and seck the free and boundless mercies of God in his Son Christ Jesus.

Oh! from my inmost soul I pity the performers in these sinful and dangerous entertainments. If they are living in pleasurable sin, and forgetfulness of God, and unconcern about the salvation of their souls; then, the very business of their whole life is directly calculated to impel them onwards to that dreadful plunge into perdition, which is the final termination of such a course. If conscience however should sometimes whisper "What will be the end of these things?" Where am I? Where am I going? What will become of my never-dying soul?” Oh! how can he dare to think of God, and death, and eternity, who is determined to continue in such a profession! How often, therefore, are such thoughts stifled and suppressed; and, with dreadful resolution, drowned in drunkenness and dissipation, or drugged into sleep and silence with the fatal opiate of infidelity!

And what have the attendants upon Theatrical Amusements to do with all this?-Why, you hire these persons to lose their own souls, as well as to ruin the souls of others for your amusement. You tempt and embolden them by your support and applauses, to venture upon, and continue in a profession of such fearful guilt and risk. You are, therefore, partakers of their sins; and should they die in their iniquity, and perish eternallytheir blood will God require at your hands.

But once more; let us consider this subject in reference to the AUDIENCE.

All this moral corruption contained and concentrated in the written drama, and exhibited in the living representation, is brought to act upon a mass of mind predisposed for its ready reception, and prepared to imbibe with eager delight the congenial evil. The child, for example, who sits beside his parents, who have taught-nay, who have tempted his early steps to go in the way of evil men ;-the apprentice, or the servant, who has perhaps been rewarded by a ticket of admission into a place where morals are almost necessarily corrupted, and where youth has so often been ruined for both worlds;-in short, the entire audience is composed of beings who, by the very fault and corruption of their nature, are already inclined to evil.

Now when this moral poison is working its way into the very life-blood of the soul;—when, perhaps, the Theatre is pealing with laughter at some impure allusion or some impious jest—which by a natural attraction and affinity, attach themselves almost irremoveably to the mind and memory-inflaming the passions, or corrupting the principles, and furnishing most pernicious matter for subsequent meditation, or future merriment ; while all this is taking place, what ought to be the reflections of those persons of moral respectability, in the worldly sense of the term, who, from whatever cause, give the sanction of their presence and pecuniary support to these enter

tainments?-Why, such as these;---Whatever mischief and misery may be the result of these dangerous excitements-whatever youths may be corrupted and beguiled-led into sensual sin and vicious pleasures, or into any of those snares which abound in this den of worse than beasts of prey; whatever evil effect, more or less, may be produced upon the mind or morals of any person present, old or young, male or female, rich or poor -I have had my part and portion in it all; I have assisted in affording the opportunity and the occasion;-I have furnished my quota of support;-my presence has sanctioned it;-my purse has contributed towards it;-not only am I responsible for the sins of my own conduct, but in all those "other men's sins" which arise from this source, I am also a "partaker."

Such reflections may not come home with conviction now; but there will arrive a time-when conscience will awake "as one out of sleep ;" and then it will make its voice to be heard.-Oh remember, that time may be when the door is shut; when the day of grace is past;-when God will no more receive your prayers or regard your cry. Repentance must come; but it may come too late.

May every promoter of these evil amusements, then, whom this warning may reach, be disposed of God to lay these things to heart! May they take the warning, and cease to be any longer

"partakers of other men's sins!" May the determination of each be,-I will keep myself pure; -by God's help there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to my hand;-there shall not be found in my skirts the blood of souls when God ariseth to make inquisition.

But I cannot close my subject without directing you to the only method of effectual cure for all the evil and corrupt affections of the heart;-the only means of steady conquest over all the sinful vanities of the world.

"Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Nothing but the transforming power of God, put forth and working in the soul of man, can go to the root of the evil. No principle but the Christian's faith is able to raise the heart and its affections above the ensnaring influence of earthly things.

It is when the Divine Spirit, by his mighty working, has wrought a thorough change in the judgment, desires, and affections of the mind;it is when he has brought the convinced sinner, and laid his very soul prostrate before the mercy seat; and enabled him, on the sure warrant of God's word, to look with believing reliance to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ;-and to come to the all-cleansing fountain of Christ's atoning blood, that his sins may be washed away;-and to bring the load of his guilt, and cast it into the