in preparations for the fuperfluous elegancies of our table, or drefs.

3dly. By fuch recreations as are customarily forborne out of respect to the day; as hunting, fhooting, fishing, public diverfions, frequenting taverns, playing at cards or dice.

If it be afked, as it often has been, wherein confifts the difference between walking out with your ftaff, or with your gun? between spending the evening at home, or in a tavern? between paffing the Sunday afternoon at a game of cards, or in converfation not more edifying, nor always fo inoffenfive? To thefe, and to the fame question under a variety of forms, and in a multitude of fimilar examples, we return the following anfwer:-That the religious obfervance of Sunday, if it ought to be retained at all, must be upheld by fome public and visible diftinctions-that, draw the line of diftinction where you will, many actions which are fituated on the confines of the line, will differ very little, and yet lie on the oppofite fides of it—that every trespass upon that referve which public decency has established, breaks down the fence by which the day is feparated to the fervice of religion-that it is unfafe to trifle with fcruples and

habits that have a beneficial tendency, although founded merely in cuftom-that these liberties, however intended, will certainly be confidered by those who obferve them, not only as difrespectful to the day and inftitution, but as proceeding from a fecret contempt of the Chriftian faith that confequently they diminish a reverence for religion in others, fo far as the authority of our opinion, or the efficacy of our example, reaches; or rather, fo far as either will serve for an excufe of negligence to those who are glad of any that as to cards and dice, which put in their claim to be confidered amongst the harmless occupations of a vacant hour, it may be obferved, that few find any difficulty in refraining from play on Sunday, except they who fit down to it with the views and eagernefs of gamefters-that gaming is feldom innocent-that the anxiety and perturbations, however, which it excites, are inconfiftent with the tranquillity and frame of temper in which the duties and thoughts of religion fhould always both find and leave us-and laftly we fhall remark, that the example of other countries, where the fame or greater licence is allowed, affords no apology for irregularities in our own;

because

because a practice which is tolerated by publié ufage neither receives the fame conftruction, nor gives the fame offence, as where it is cenfured and prohibited.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

OF REVERENCING THE DEITY.

N many persons a feriousness, and sense of awe, overspread the imagination, whenever the idea of the Supreme Being is prefented to their thoughts. This effect, which forms a confiderable fecurity againft vice, is the confequence not fo much of reflection, as. of habit; which habit being generated by the external expressions of reverence which we use ourfelves, or obferve in others, may be deftroyed by causes oppofite to these, and especially by that familiar levity with which fome learn to speak of the Deity, of his attributes, providence, revelations, or worship.

God hath been pleased, no matter for what `reason, although probably for this, to forbid the vain mention of his name-" Thou shalt not "take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Now the mention is vain, when it is useless and it is useless, when it is neither likely nor

;

intended

intended to ferve any good purpose; as when it flows from the lips idle and unmeaning, or is applied upon occafions inconfiftent with any confideration of religion and devotion, to express our anger, our earnestness, our courage, or our mirth; or indeed when it is ufed at all, except in acts of religion, or, in ferious and seasonable discourse upon religious fubjects.

The prohibition of the third commandment is recognized by Chrift, in his fermon upon the mount, which fermon adverts to

none but the

"I fay unto

moral parts of the Jewish law. you, Swear not at all; but let "cation be yea yea, nay nay; for whatsoever

your communi

is more than thefe, cometh of evil." The fews probably interpreted the prohibition as reftrained to the name Jehovah, the name which the Deity had appointed and appropriated to himfelf. Ex. vi. 3. The words of Chrift extend the prohibition beyond the name of God to every thing affociated with the idea. "Swear

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not, neither by heaven, for it is God's "throne; nor by the earth, for it is his foot"stool; neither by Jerufalem, for it is the city "of the Great King." Matt. y. 35.

The offence of profane fwearing is aggravated by the confideration, that in it duty and decency

are