mediately under this description are, the enthusiast and the superstitious. Men are betrayed into these errors by a mistaken devotion, when it is not moderated by that right reason, which was given us as the guide of all our actions.

In every nation and every country, frequent instances may be found, of those who dissent from the established religion, and even the very principles of Christianity, from a spirit of enthusiasm. It is easy to be conceived that they are guided originally by well-meaning and pious motives; but they are generally hurried on by mistaken warmth, till they listen no longer to the voice of reason; and, lost in the wildness of fancy, they raise to themselves a god in their own imaginations, directing every unlawful action, and dictating every idle word that proceeds from their mouths. By this idol of their own

creating, they feel themselves inspired on all occasions; To this imaginary deity they sacrifice their reason, their religion, their humanity.

The superstitious man, though more inclining to folly than to madness, is not less liable to the imputation of idolatry, in representing the divine Being under a character inconsistent even with the imperfect reason of man, much more with the unerring wisdom of a superior Providence; for he not only supposes his God to interfere in matters of the most minute and trivial concern, but even to direct and foretel every incident which may befal him, either through his own imprudence, or the ordinary course of human affairs. If his foot stumble in the morning, he looks upon it as an omen sent from heaven to forewarn him of some approaching calamity. To any reason

able being, this extreme degree of superstition must appear as the greatest impiety to impute to the Lord of heaven and earth the many ridiculous actions in life, which are equally unworthy of a man to conceive, or a God to execute.

But there is another sort of idolatry, of which we are generally guilty, and that is, when we fix our desires on any temporal enjoyments, with that earnest affection and love which is due to God alone. Under this head may be ranked almost every passion to which human nature is subject; covetousness in particular, is generally represented under this description ;-- a vice, which of all others, enters deepest into the soul, and is, therefore, most difficult to be rooted out. It is also said of the voluptuous man who gives a loose to revelry and dissipation, that his God is pleasure. Ambition is the idol of the proud man, as

gold is of the covetous. In a word, whoever, is prevailed upon to place his affection upon any favourite passion or darling sin, in preference to the love of God, is guilty of idolatry.

Having explained the meaning, and described those particularly who are most liable to violate this commandment, let usnow consider the good and bad consequences attending it, the threats denounced against those who disobey this precept, and the reward proposed to all who faithfully observe it.

The Almighty having forbid the worship of any other God, and enjoined the strictest reverence to be paid to himself, proceeds to assign the following reason to engage us to keep his commandment:"For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous "God." Jealousy in the human breast is a

passion commonly founded upon love and succeeded by revenge. Though we cannot suppose an all-wise and powerful Being susceptible of those mean suspicions and ill-grounded resentments which usually accompany this passion, yet it does not by any means lessen the dignity of God, to conceive that He condescends, in compliance with our weakness, to act with us in many respects upon the same principle of reason by which we are guided in our dealings with each other. It is natural for every man to expect a proper acknowledgment at least, if not a suitable return for any act of kindness bestowed, whether from a motive of benevolence or affection; and nothing can sooner alarm our jealousy and awaken our indignation, than the prospect of indifference or neglect where we have placed our esteem. If, then, ingratitude is looked upon with so much horror in the sight of men, how