femblies, is to Chriftians, an ordinance of human institution; binding nevertheless upon the conscience of every individual of a country in which a weekly fabbath is established, for the fake of the beneficial purposes which the public and regular obfervation of it promotes; and recommended perhaps in fome degree to the divine approbation, by the refemblance it bears to what God was pleased to make a folemn part of the law which he delivered to the people of Ifrael, and by its subserviency to many of the fame ufes.

CHAP.

CHA P. VIII.

BY WHAT. ACTS AND OMISSIONS THE DUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH IS VIOLATED.

INCE the obligation upon Chriftians, to com

Sply with the religious obfervation of Sunday,

arifes from the public ufes of the inftitution, and the authority of the apoftolic practice, the manner of obferving it ought to be that, which beft fulfils thefe ufes, and conforms the nearest to this practice.

The ufes propofed by the inftitution are,

1. To facilitate attendance upon public worship. 2. To meliorate the condition of the laborious claffes of mankind, by regular and feasonable returns of reft.

3. By a general fufpenfion of bufinefs and amufement, to invite and enable perfons of every defcription, to apply their time and thoughts, to fubjects appertaining to their falvation.

With the primitive Chriftians the peculiar, and probably for fome time the only diftin&tion of the first day of the week, was the holding of religious affemblies upon that day. We learn, however, from the teftimony of a very early writer amongst them, that they alfo referved the day for religious meditations. Unufquifque noftrum, faith Irenæus, fabbatizat fpiritualiter, meditatione legis gaudens, opificium Dei admirans.

WHEREFORE the duty of the day is violated;

ift. By all fuch employments or engagements, as (though differing from our ordinary occupation) hinder our attendance upon public worship, or take up fo much of our time, as not to leave a fufficient part of the day at leifure for religious reflection; as

the

the going of journeys, the paying or receiving of vifits which engage the whole day, or employing the time at home in writing letters, fettling accounts, or in applying ourselves to ftudies, or the reading of books, which bear no relation to the business of religion.

2dly. By unneceffary encroachments upon the reft and liberty which Sunday ought to bring to the inferior orders of the community; as by keeping fervants on that day confined and bufied in preparations for the fuperfluous elegancies of our table, or

drefs.

3dly. By fuch recreations as are customarily forborne out of refpect 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 staff, or with your gun? between fpending the evening at home, or in a tavern? between paffing the Sunday afternoon at a game of cards, or in conversation 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 observation of Sunday, if it ought to be retained at all, must be upheld by fome public and visible diftinctions-that draw the line of distinction where you will, many actions which are fituated on the confines of the line, will differ very little, and yet lie on 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 service of religion-that it is unfafe to trifle with fcruples and habits that have a beneficial tendency, although founded merely in cuftom-that thefe liberties, however intended, will certainly be confidered by those who obferve them, not only as difrespectful to the day and inftitution, but as pro

ceeding

it

ceeding 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, so far as either will ferve for an excuse of negligence to thofe 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, 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 eagerness 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 a practice which is tolerated by public ufage, neither receives the fame conftruction, nor gives the fame offence, as where it is cenfured and prohibited by both.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

OF REVERENCING THE DEITY.

I

N many perfons 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 against vice, is the consequence not fo much of reflection, as of habit; which habit being generated by the external expreffions of reverence, which we ufe ourfelves, and obferve in others, may be destroyed by caufes oppofite to thefe, 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 naine of the Lord thy God in vain.” Now the mention is vain, when it is ufelefs; and it is useless, when it is neither likely nor intended to ferve any good purpofe; as when it flows from the lips idle and unmeaning, or is applied upon occafions inconfiftent with any confideration of religion or devotion, to express our anger, our earnestnefs, our courage, or our mirth; ar 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,