by the declaration of the Almighty, that "he is a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him." The commination is in fact fulfilled in the ordinary course of providence. Religious principle and practice, whether good or bad, retain the strongest hold on the mind, are changed with extreme difficulty, and descend from generation to generation. If they are false and pernicious, therefore, they must and do operate their dismal effects, even in regard to temporal happiness, during a succession of ages. Of this, the horrid corruptions of Christianity which prevailed, previously to the Reformation, over the whole Christian world, and still prevail over the greater part of it, are a striking illustration. On the other hand, the blessed effects of religion, pure in doctrine, worship, and discipline, must be no less extensive; and it is no superstitious fancy to believe that the providence of God will, in a peculiar manner, interpose for their preservation and diffusion. In this his own glory and the felicity of his rational creation are nearly concerned. His superabundant goodness is accordingly displayed in the last clause of the commandment under consideration,-whereas he "visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, only unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; he shows mercy unto thousands

(of generations) of them that love him, and keep his commandments."

Perjury and common and profane swearing are, in the first instance, directly prohibited in the third commandment." But its reason and spirit extend much farther. It requires that the name of God be never mentioned but with the most profound reverence; that the awful obligation of an oath, whether affirmative, negatory, or promissory, be deeply imprinted on the mind; that the divine attributes be regarded with sacred veneration; and that the word and ordinances of God, and every thing connected with religion, be treated, both in speech and conduct, with that devout regard which so justly belongs to them. Profane conversation, mockery of sacred things, ridiculous representations of them, in order to excite laughter, or to bring them into contempt, rash vows and solemn stipulations to perform what is contrary to the law of God, are all forbidden by the spirit of this precept. This prohibition, however, is not applicable to those superstitious, extravagant, and bigoted opinions and practices, which men have so frequently sanctified by the sacred name of religion. To expose these to contempt, and even to ridicule, is not only lawful, but often incumbent, when a fair opportunity is presented.

a Exod. xx. 7.

Many instances of ridicule thrown on false and hypocritical religion occur in the sacred scriptures themselves; and, by its detection, in all its forms and guises, the best interests of mankind are promoted. The deluded or deceitful abettors of such are usurpers of the divine authority, and enemies to men.

The fourth commandment is partly ceremonial and partly moral. The ceremonial part was, by Christianity, abolished, together with the whole of the Mosaic ritual, and all those beggarly elements by which the apostle declares that their observers were placed in bondage. The moral part must be for ever obligatory on all mankind. The former is the injunction of the seventh day of the week, in commemoration of the creation of the world. In a passage already quoted, the abrogation of this observance is thus declared: "Let no man judge you in respect of the sabbath;" and the same apostle reproves the Galatians for observing days, and months, and times, and years. That both the observance of the seventh day of the week, and the Jewish manner of observing it, must have been abolished by the gospel, follows from the difference itself of the Mosaical and Christian dispensations. The grand object of Judaism was to establish and preserve the belief and worship

a Exod. xx. 8-11.

b Gal. iv. 9.

c Col. ii. 16. Our translators have added the word days.

of one God, as the sole creator of heaven and of earth, and to separate the Jewish people, from the rest of the polytheistical and idolatrous world. For this purpose, it was absolutely necessary to root in their minds the grand doctrine of the creation by God alone. This purpose was admirably accomplished by the sacred and solemn rest of the seventh day of the week, in commemoration of the work of creation having been terminated on that day. This rest, however, although in itself a most humane and salutary institution, could never have occurred to the human mind without a positive appointment; and is therefore in so far to be classed with the other positive injunctions of the Mosaical law.

The Christian world, on the other hand, could run no risk of polytheism; and although idolatrous rites have, over a great part of the Christian church, corrupted its worship, yet, while it has never ceased to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the means of eternal life, it has also known God who sent him." It can never lose sight of the divine work of creation; but a new moral creation was produced, or rather accomplished, by our blessed Lord; and the grand seal and testimony of this was his resurrection from the dead. The commemoration of this infinitely

a John xvii. 3.

a

important event is the main object of the Christian observance of the Lord's day, as it is emphatically styled by the apostle John ;a and, by this observance obedience is given to the moral part of the fourth commandment. The worship of God, both private and public, is universally and permanently obligatory. Private worship may be performed at all times and in all places; but public worship, without which all the benefits of social and common religion would be lost to mankind, and the bonds of social and civil life could not be maintained, requires appropriate places, stated times, and persons duly qualified to conduct it. All these appointments have been coeval with Christianity; and although no positive precept exists in the New Testament for the celebration of the Lord's day, yet this denomination itself, the example of the apostles and primitive Christians, who came together on the first day of the week, to break bread, (or celebrate the eucharist,) and to hear the preaching of the gospel, together with the strong analogy of the fourth commandment, afford an authority of irresistible cogency for consecrating that day to the commemoration of our Saviour's resurrection, to the holding of religious assemblies, and to the devout performance of all the necessary parts of public worship. These sacred

a Rev. i. 10.

b Acts xx. 7.

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