the same guilt.-All cursing and swearing are a most horrid violation of this commandment.—The use of the words, God, Lord, Christ,' or such like, without necessity, seriousness, and reverence; whether in improper religious discourse, or as expletives in talking about other subjects: every expression, that takes the form of an abjuration or imprecation, though the name of God be not used: indeed, all that is more than "yea, yea, nay, * nay," that is, every thing which, in common conversation, goes beyond a simple affirmation or denial: all jesting with God's word or sacred things: all irreverence to whatever relates to him; and the use of his tremendous name, in religious worship, in a heedless or hypocritical manner: all these, I say, are violations of the spirit of this law. Moreover, it implies a command to remember habitually, the infinite majesty, purity, and excellency of God; and to behave towards him, in word and deed, with that awe and reverence of his perfections, which becomes such mean and worthless creatures, in his infinitely glorious pre

sence.

To this law it is added, that God" will not hold "the transgressor guitless." Men may not discover, or they may neglect to punish, this crime; and the sinner's conscience may scarcely trouble him about it: but let him know, that God will certainly detect and punish that atrocious affront which is thus put upon him, and often without

the plea of temptation, or expectation of profit or pleasure; unless men can find pleasure in disobeying and defying their Creator. But when it shall at last be said to the daring transgressor, "Where"fore hast thou despised the commandment of the "Lord?" his profane trifling will be turned into terror and despair.

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IV. The form of the fourth commandment implies, that it had been previously known to Israel, though they were prone to forget it. The separation of a portion of our time to the immediate service of God is doubtless of moral obligation; for his glory, and our good, personal and social, temporal and eternal, are intimately connected with it but the exact proportion, as well as the particular day, may be considered as of positive institution. Yet the proportion of one day in seven seems to have been fixed, by infinite wisdom as most proper, in every age of the world: though the change of the dispensation, after the resurrection of Christ, has occasioned an alteration of the day, and an addition to the topicks, which call for peculiar commemoration and contemplation on this season of sacred rest. The sabbath among the Israelites was also ceremonial, and therefore it formed a part of their ritual law and being introduced into the judicial law, the violation of it was punishable by the magistrate; which seems also to be proper in all communities where

Christianity is professed. Six days are allowed us for the diligent performance of our worldly business: but the seventh is consecrated to the immediate service of the Lord. The concerns of our souls must indeed be attended to, and our God worshipped, on every day, that our business may be regulated in subserviency to his will: but on the other days of the week we should do all our work, with the sole exception of works of charity, piety, and necessity: for these alone consist with the holiness of that sacred day of rest; and are allowable, because "the sabbath was made for

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man, not man for the sabbath." All works, therefore, of avarice, distrust, luxury, vanity, and self-indulgence, are entirely prohibited. Our affairs should be previously so arranged, that as little as possible, of a secular nature, may interrupt the sacred duties of the Lord's day. Trading, paying wages, settling accounts, writing letters of business, or reading books on ordinary subjects, trifling visits, journeys, excursions, dissipation, or conversation which serves only for amusement, cannot consist with "keeping a day holy to the "Lord:" and sloth is a carnal not a spiritual rest. The sabbath should be a cessation from worldly labour, and a rest in the service of God: serious self-examination, perusal of the Scriptures, private, social, and publick worship, instruction of children and servants, meditation, and pious conversation, should occupy our time from morning till

evening; except as these duties are suspended by attention to such things, as really conduce to our own good or that of others. All this is obligatory on those who can do it: but servants and others, may be under a real necessity of doing things, not necessary in themselves; though liberty in this respect should be preferred to emolument, and good management might often greatly lessen the evil. Were our love to God and spiritual things as intense as it ought to be, we should count a day thus spent our great delight; for heaven will be an eternal rest, not essentially differing from it. All our aversion from this strictness arises from "the "carnal mind which is enmity against God;" and the advantages that would accrue from thus hallowing the sabbath, to the morals, health, liberty, and happiness of mankind, are so many and obvious, that they who doubt its obligation often allow its expediency. But men should not only forbear to employ their children, servants, or slaves, in any needless work; they should also with authority require them to keep holy the Lord's day, which is greatly intended for their benefit. The cattle must also be allowed to rest from the hard labour of husbandry, journeys, and other employments connected with trade or pleasure; though doubtless we may employ them too, in works of necessity, piety, and charity: and thus they may properly be used for the gentle service of conveying those to places of publick worship, who could not

otherwise attend, or perform the duties to which they are called: yet ostentation and self-indulgence multiply violations of the Lord's day in this respect. Even strangers, residing among us, should be persuaded to hallow, and restrained from profaning, the sabbath.—It was indeed originally instituted in honour of God our Creator: reasons are adduced in other parts of Scripture, which peculiarly respected the Jews, or referred to the cause of humanity: but redemption by Christ, as completed in his resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Ghost to glorify him, are especially commemorated by christians, whilst they hallow the first day of the week, as the Lord's day; and this title given to it, in the New Testament, when ́duly considered, clearly shows how the sacred hours should be employed.

This very compendious exposition of the first table of the law suffices to prove its requirements to be very extensive, spiritual, reasonable, and beneficial; yet we must confess it to be entirely contrary to the disposition of our hearts, and diverse from the tenour of our lives: and therefore we all need mercy, redemption, and a new creation to holiness, in order that we may please God and be made fit for heaven.-We proceed to the second table.

V. The commandment, which requires us to honour our parents, must be considered as the