Another time, paffing two perfons of quality, whe were talking with great eagerness, and damned each other repeatedly; Mr. H. faid to them, taking off his hat in a refpectful manner- I pray God save you both;' for which handfome reproof they immediately

returned him thanks.

The truly honourable Mr. Boyle, as eminent for philofo hy as for morality, was fo careful to avoid this profane cuftom, that he never mentioned the name of God in his converfation, without making an obferv. able paufe before it, that fo he might both feel and diffufe among the company, the veneration due to the facred Majefty of the universe.

The brave Colonel Gardiner took pains to prevent fwearing in his regiment, at the head of which he would publicly declare his abhorrence of it, urging all his officers to avoid giving, by their example, any fanction to a crime, which it was their duty to punish. A number of military gentlemen once dined with him at his own houfe, when he addreffed them with much respect, and begged leave to remind them, that as he was a juftice of the peace in that district, he was bound by oath to put the laws againft fwearing into execution; and therefore intreated them to be upon their guard. Only one of the gentlenten offended on that day, who immediately paid the penalty, which was given to the poor, with the universal approbation of the company.

A moment's calm confideration will convince any rational person of the impropriety of this custom, which is inexcufable, irrational, vulgar, and profane.

It is inexcusable. There is lefs temptation to this vice than to any other. Some vices are excufed by calJing them conftitutional; but, as Archbishop Tillotfon obferves, no man is born with a swearing conftitution. It cannot procure credit to an affertion, because it is oftener used to confirm a rafh or doubtful faying, than a plain truth. The man who fwears, feems to doubt his own veracity, and well may others fufpect it; for how can we believe he will be true to man, who is falfe [7 Ed. 10,000]

to God? Befides, the cuftom to fwearing to truths may infenfibly lead a man to fwear falfehoods. Perfons addicted to this practice fcarcely know when they fwear, and fome, when reproved of it, have fworn that they did not fwear.

It is irrational. What greater proof of ftupid igncrance can be given than to use words without meaning? You call upon God (fhocking to repeat) to damn your eyes your blood-your souls. But have you confidered what damnation is? It is a word of dreadful meaning. It is to be pronounced accurfed of God in the day of judgment. It is to hear Jefus fay, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' But furely you do not mean this.

It is vulgar. That fome Gentlemen fwear, is too true; but it can never be deemed the mark of a gentleman; for it is a vice common to the vileft characters in the lowest ranks of fociety. It produces the most disgraceful equality-it puts the honourable, the learned, the polifhed, and the delicate, upon a level with the moft ignorant and depraved.

It is profane. Do you believe there is a God? Have you heard that he is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, before whom angels veil their faces— whofe existence and terrible Majefty even the devils - believe, trembling? Go, profane finner, hide thy felf in the duft whence thou waft originally taken. Who art thou-impiously daring to fet thy mouth against the heavens? You would not fwear in the presence of the king of Great Britain; and will you treat the King of Kings, the God of the whole earth, with lefs refpect? You would perhaps refrain from fwearing many hours together, if it were to exempt you from fome temporal lofs, or to procure fome temporal gain. And da you treat the commands, the promises, and the threattenings of the moft High God, as if they were unwor thy of your notice? The fovereign command of the Governor of the univerfe is, SWEAR NOT, AT ALL. He who faid, Thou shalt do no murder; hath alfo taid,

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Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy Godin vain'-and the awful fanction of this command is, for the Lord thy God will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain:' that is, he will punish him with fignal vengeance-he will make him feel the thunder of his irrefiftible and deftructive power.

Is the reader alarmed by the terrible fanction of the precept here cited? He has reafon to be alarmed-yet let him not fink into defpair. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon,' Ifa. lv. 7. Chrift died for the ungodly, Rom. v. 6. Pray earneftly for pardoning mercy through his mediation, and thou fhalt find that he, who had compaffion on Peter, will have compattion on thee; but it is proper, that if thou haft polluted thy life in time paft with oaths and curfes, thou shouldest now, like him, weep bitterly..

Hitherto thy tongue has been thy fhame, but from this time, let it become thy glory. Let it be used to the honour of him, whose word fays, 'Blefs and curfe not:”

and again, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth;' but that which is good to the ufe of edifying, that it may minifter grace unto the hearers.'

Befides thofe horrid oaths which fhock every decent ear, there is a vicious habit indulged by many perfons, otherwife moral, and among thefe, even ladies themfelves, of a thought els profanation of their Maker's name, on occafions, the most trivial, fuch as Good God! God forbid! God blef us! O Lord, &c. &c. Such language proceeds from want of reverence to the best of Beings,nd is as direct a violation of that command, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God in vain as the most vulgar and profane oaths.

London: Printed by A. PARIS, Rolls Building

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ADVICE TO PARENTS.

G

OD has given you children. Did you ever confider that they have immortal fouls? You find it neceffary to employ much time, and care, and labour, in order to provide for their bodies, and to rear them to maturity. But their fouls ftand in need of ftill greater attention; that they may be inftructed in the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of finnérs. You fee with your eyes, that one generation paffeth away, and another cometh: you cannot but know that God will bring you to death, and to the house appointed for all living; and you are fenfible that when your children have lived three or four fcore years at most, they alfo fhall die, and their bodies return to duft.

But their fouls never die. When feparated from the body, they will enter into an eternal state. The facred Scripture informs us, that in this eternal ftate there are two different abodes for fouls, heaven and hell. The former is a place of perfect happiness, in the prefence and enjoyment of God for ever; the latter is a place of the most dreadful and eternal mifery, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Into heaven shall be admitted all the difciples of Jefus Chrift; that is, all who know him, and believe in his name, and as the fruit of faith, love him, and hate every fin, and live devoted to Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in heart and life. Into hell all the wicked shall be cast down; that is, all persons who have not loved God with their whole foul; who have defpifed Jefus Christ, and the holy Scriptures; and who have spent

their days in minding this world only, and in the love

of fin.

Natural affection mnft make you fhudder at the thoughts of your children being caft into endless mifery, and will doubtlefs lead you earnestly to wish that they may be partakers of endlefs felicity. But in order to this, it is abfolutely neceffary that they fhould be instructed in the principles of the Chriftian religion, by which alone they can attain the knowledge of the way which leads to everlasting life. It is of the greatest importance that this fhould be done in the days of their youth, before their hearts are hardened through the deceitfulness of fin: "Train up a child in the way he fhould go," fays Solomon," and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Natural affection fhould ftimulate you to this; and the love you have for your dear little ones fhould conftrain you to employ every method in your power to promote their higheft happiness. But if natural affection have no influence, remember there is fomething to oblige you, which is ftill more powerful; and that is the command of God, the great and glorious JEHOVAH, who made you, who preferves and does you good, whom you are bound to obey, and before whofe judgment feat you moft ere long appear, to give an account of the deeds done in the body, and to anfwer for the pains you took for the falvation of your children. In the Old Teftament, God speaks thus to parents: Deut. vi. 5. 6. 7. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might; and thefe words which I command thee shall be in thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou fittest in thine house, and when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up." You will find the fame thing inculcated by divine authority in the New Teftament: God thus addreffes fathers and mothers who profefs the Chriftian religion: Eph. vi. 4. "Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." You find it every day neceffary to give them food for their bodies; in like manner, God here enjoins you to feed their fouls; that is, to teach them