⚫terials of which gamblers, cheats and thieves are made. The Roman fenate made very fevere laws against playing at games of hazard, except only during the Saturnalia: The civil law forbad all pernicious playing; and tho' the Laity were in fome cafes permitted to play for money, provided they kept within. ⚫ reasonable bounds; yet the Clergy were forbidden to play at tables (which is a game ' of hazard) or even to look on while others · play'd.'

I must here do justice to the Church of England, which hath abfolutely forbidden all her Clergy, gaming of every fort; fo that if there be fuch a thing to be found as a card-playing, gaming Clergyman, (which I should be glad it were poffible to hope there is not) the church is not to be charged with him; his offence falls on his own head; let him and his fuperiors fee to that. The words of the canon are very remarkable, and much deferve our notice. Canon 75. No Ecclefiaftical perfon fhall at 6 any time, other than for their honeft neceffities, refort to any taverns or alehouses; neither fhail they board or lodge in any fuch • places. Furthermore, they fhall not give themselves to any base or fervile labour; or to drinking or riot; fpending their time idly by day or by night; playing at cards, dice,

or tables, or any other unlawful game. But

[thus

[thus it is fhewn not only what they shall not 'do, but what they fhall do] at all Times con'venient they fhall hear or read fomewhat of 'the holy Scriptures, or fhall occupy themfelves with fome other honeft ftudy, or ex'ercife, always doing the things which fhall appertain to honefty: and endeavouring to profit the Church of God. Having always in mind that they ought to excel all others in purity of life, and fhould be examples to "the people to live well and chriftianly, under pain of ecclefiaftical cenfures, to be inflicted ' with feverity, according to the qualities of their offence.'

Happy would it be, if every Clergyman would ftrictly and exactly conform to the excellent rules laid down in this canon, more especially in regard to gaming; which it is certainly their bounden duty to do, who are expected to lead the way in every reformation.

But if any fuch Clergymen are found, as do really game, or spend their time idly, at cards, dice, &c. frequenting affemblies, and other meetings of that kind, ill befuiting their facred characters; how can they poffibly from their pulpits declaim against the mischiefs of a vice, which their own example recommends? truth it is, every reformation must begin at the house of God; and if the Clergy in the prefent fituation of things, will not beftir

them

themselves, we can have but little hopes. Would to God they would feriously confider this. Would to God they would all seriously confider of how very ill tendency their example is, in the above refpect particularly, and how much a trifling, idle, useless life (to say the leaft) difcredits and dishonours their holy function.

Mr. Sale goes on to obferve, as to the Jews, Mohamed's chief guides, they alfo highly disapproved gaming: Gamefters being severely cenfured in the Talmud, and their tefti⚫mony declared invalid. Alfo Mafcardus thought common gamefters were not to be admitted as witneffes, being infamous perfons.'

And, I think, enough hath been said above to fhew the wisdom of fuch a determination; fince it may be laid down as an abfolute certainty, that the mind of a gamefter is open to every vice. And if this brand were once fixed upon all fuch, of whatever rank or quality, amongst us, it furcly would tend to ftop the increafing progress of this dangerous evil, which like a gangrene will fpeedily, unless prevented, over-run and corrupt the whole body politic.And would every gamefter confider in how infamous a rank he ftands, according to the fen-tence of all wife nations and men, fo infamous, as not to be esteemed, for his practice, a valid evidence in a court of justice,—the case

only

only of the most abandoned, the vileft of the vile-furely the reflection would cause him to alter and forfake a vice, which renders him destructive to his family, odious and pernicious to fociety, and a deadly enemy to himself, his best felf, both in time and eternity.

PHILANTHROPOS.

NUMBER XLV.

How great

To mingle int'refls, converfe, amities
With all the fons of reafon, jcatter'd wide,
Thro' habitable Space, wherever born,

Howe'er endow'd

YOUNG.

UPON

PON vifiting my friend, Mr. Stephens, the other morning, I found him deeply afflicted for the lofs of a near and valuable relation; "I was reflecting, fays he, my dear friend, (after the usual compliments had passed) upon a fubject highly pleafing, I wish I could add fatiffactorily clear to the afflicted minds of men. I know your high veneration for the revealed religion, and I have the comfort to say, that I am thankful and fenfible of fo fuperlative a bleffing vouchfafed to us by the benevolence of God: but fo limitted is the human understanding,

that,

that, even with this fplendid light in our hands, we are wretchedly in darkness, respecting many points which our anxious researches much wish to discover. Perhaps it is wisest for I am convinced that every ordination of the Supreme is wifeft and beft,-that the human mind should continue in its present ftate with this dark veil before it. But would it not be pleasing, would it not be confolatory beyond expreffion to be ascertained of the certainty of our mutual knowledge in a future ftate; would it not make death itself lefs dreadful; would it not render the lofs of our dearest relatives, our tenderer felves lefs afflictive, were we affured by unerring veracity, that we should not only meet, but know and partake of each other's felicities in thofe blifsful abodes, where there fhall be no more death?" "There can be no doubt, replied I, but the comfort would be as great as the fatisfaction, from fo important and desirable an information; and as reason feems ftrongly to plead in behalf of this delightful truth; as revelation seems rather to countenance than controvert it; and as the Pagan notions feem to corroborate their evidence, one would be inclined by all means to espouse the opinion, or, at leaft, not to ufe any arguments which might deprive mankind of fo delectable an hope." "How far, faid my friend, and in what respect do you imagine the notion, fupported by reason and revelation?" We ratio

4

nally