even in this Christian City, do not attend any Publick Worship at all? No, nor fpend a fingle Hour from one Year to another in privately pouring out their Hearts before Gon? Whether GOD meeteth him that remembreth him in his Ways or not, is no Concern of theirs: So the Man eats and drinks, and dies as a Beast dieth,

"Drops into the Dark and disappears."

It was not therefore of the Children of Ifrael alone, that the Meffenger of Gon might fay, There is none comparatively) that calleth upon thy Name, that stirreth himself up to take hold of thee.

4. Ye have heard, that it was faid to them of old Time, Because of Swearing the Land mourneth. But if this might be faid of the Land of Canaan, how much more of this Land? In what City or Town, in what Market or Exchange, in what Street or Place of Public Refort, is not the Holy Name whereby we are called taken in vain, Day by Day? From the Noble to the Peafant, who fails to call upon GOD, in this, if in no other Way? Whither can you turn, where can you go, without hearing fome praying to GOD, for Damnation either on his Neighbour or himself? Curfing thofe, without either Fear or Remorfe, whom Chrift hath bought to inherit a Bleffing!

Are you one of thefe Stupid, Senfelefs, Shameless. Wretches, that call fo earnestly for Damnation on your own Soul? What if GOD fhou'd take you at your Word? Are you able to dwell with everlafting Burnings? If you are, yet why fhou'd you be in hafte, tobe in the Lake of Fire burning with Brimftone? GOD help you, or you will be there, foon enough, and long enough; for that Fire is not quenched. But the Smoke thereof afcendeth up, Day and Night, for ever and

ever.

And what is that important Affair, concerning which you was but now appealing to GOD? Was you calling GOD to record upon your Soul, touching your

Everlafting Salvation? No; but touching the Beauty of your Horfe, the Swiftnefs of your Dog, or the Goodness of your Drink! How is this? What Notion have you of GOD? What do you take Him to be?

Idcirco folidam præbet tibi uellere barbam
Jupiter?

What Stupidity, what Infatuation is this! Thus without either Pleasure or Profit or Praise, to fet at nought. him that hath all Power both in Heaven and Earth & Wantonly to provoke the Eyes of his Glory!

Are you a Man of Letters, who are funk folow ? I will not then fend you to the Infpired Writers (fo called : Perhaps you may difdain to receive Inftruction by them,) but to the Old, blind Heathen. Cou'd you only fix in your Mind the Idea he had of GOD, (tho' it is not frictly juft, unless we refer it to GOD made Man) you wou'd never thus affront him more,

Ε, καὶ κυανέησιν ἐπ' ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων,

̓Αμβρόσιαι δ' ἄρα χᾶιται ἐπερρώσανο ̓́Ανακτος
Κρᾶτος ἀπ ̓ ἀθανάτοιο· μέγαν δ ̓ ἐλέλιξεν Ὄλυμπον,

Shall not the very Heathen then, rife up in Judg ment against this Generation, and condemn it? Yea, and not only the Learned Heathens of Greece and Rome, but the Savages of America. For I never remember: to have heard a Wild Indian name the Name of Sootalei-catee, (Him that fitteth in Heaven) without either laying his Hand upon his Breaft, or cafting his Eyes. down to the Ground. And you are a Chriftian! O how do you caufe the very Name of Christianity, to be blafphemed among the Heathen!

5. But is it Light Swearing only, (inexcufable as that is) because of which our Land mourneth? May it not alfo be faid of us, Tho' they fay the Lord liveth, furely they fwear falfely? Yea, to fuch a Degree, that there is hardly the like, in any Nation under Heaven; that almost every Corner of the Land is filled with wilful,. deliberate Perjury.

I speak

I fpeak not now of the Perjuries which every Common Swearer cannot but run into Day by Day. (And indeed Common "Swearing notoriously contributes to the Growth of Perjury. For Oaths are little minded when Common Ufe has fullied them, and every Minute's Repetition has made them cheap and vulgar.") Nor of those which are continually committed and often detected in our open Courts of Juftice. Only with Regard to the latter I must remark, That they are a Natural Confequence, of that monftrous, fhocking Manner, wherein Oaths are usually adminifter'd therein: Without any Decency or Serioufnefs at all; much less with that awful Solemnity, which a Rational Heathen wou'd expect, in an Immediate Appeal to the Great GOD of Heaven.

I had once defigned to confider all the Oaths which are cuftomarily taken by any Set of Men among us. But I foon found this was a Work too weighty for me : So almost in infinitum are Oaths multiplied in England: I fuppofe to a Degree which is not known in any other Nation in Europe.

What I now propofe is, To inftance only in a few, (but thofe not of fmall Importance) and to fhew, how amazingly little Regard is had, to what is folemnly promifed or affirmed before GOD.

6. This is done, in part, to my Hands by a late Author. So far as he goes, I fhill little more than tranfcribe his Words. (Mr. Difney's First Effay, p. 30.)

"When a Justice of Peace is fworn into the Commiffion, he makes Oath-" That he fhall do equal Right to the Poor and to the Rich, after his Cunning, Wit and Power, and after the Laws and Customs of the Realm and Statutes thereof made, in all Articles in the King's Commiffion, to him directed.-What thofe Articles are, you will find in the firft Affignavimus of the Commiffion: "We have affigned you and every one of you, jointly and feverally- to keep and cause to be kept, all Ordinances and Statutes, made for-the Quiet, Rule and Government of our People in all and every the Articles thereof, according to the Force, Form and Effect of the fame, and to chastise and pu

nifh all Perfons, offending againft any of them,, according to the Form of thofe Statutes and Ordinances." So that he is folemnly fworn to the Execution of all fuch Statutes, as the Legiflative Power of the Nation has thought fit to throw upon his Care. Such are all thofe, (among others) made against Drunkenness, Tipling, Profane Swearing, Blafphemy; lewd and diforderly Practices, and Profanation of the Lord's Day. And 'tis hard to imagine how a Juftice of Peace can think himself more concerned, to fupprefs Riots, or Private Quarrels, than he is to levy Twelve-pence on a Profane Swearer, Five Shillings on a Drunkard, Ten Shillings on the Publick House that fuffers Tipling, or any other Penalty which the Law exacts of Vice and Immorality. The fame Oath binds him both to one and the other, laying an equal Obligation upon his Confcience. How a Magiftrate, who neglects to punifh Excefs, Profaneness and Impiety, can excufe himself from the Guilt of Perjury, I don't pretend to know. If he reafons fairly, he will find himself as much forfworn, as an Evidence who being upon his Oath, to declare the whole Truth, nevertheless conceals the most confiderable Part of it. And his Perjury is fo much the more infamous, as the ill Example and Effects of it will be mifchievous."

7. The fame Author (in the Preface to his Second Effay) goes on:

"You, Gentlemen of the Grand Juries, take a folemn Oath, That you will diligently enquire, and true Prefentment make, of all such Articles, Matters and Things as fhall be given you in Charge: As alfo, that you will (not only prefent no Perfon for Envy, Hatred or Malice, but) not leave any unprefented, for Fear, Favour or Affection." Now are not the Laws against Immorality and Profaneness given you in Charge, as well as thofe againft Riots, Felony and Treafon? Are not Prefentment and Indictment One Method exprefly appointed by the Statutes, for the Punishment of Drunkennefs and Tipling? Are not Houfes of Bawdry and Gaming, punishable in the fame Courts, and confequently prefentable by you? Is not the Proclamation for the punishing

Diffenters) come not once in a Month, at least, to Church." And 3. That you fhall well and duly execate all Precepts and Warrants to you directed. I believe no Constable will pretend to be ignorant of this. How is it then, that when we send out Warrants, to levy on Offenders for Swearing, Drunkenness and the like, thofe Warrants are fo ill obey'd? Are you not fworn to execute thefe as well as any other, and that duly too, according to the Tenor of your Precept? Your Precept tells you, you fhall demand fuch a Sum; and if the Offender will not pay, you fhall levy it by Diftrefs of his Goods: And if no Diftrefs can be taken, you are then only to fet him in the Stocks; otherwise you have no Authority fo to do: Nor is the fetting him in the Stocks, when you might have diftrain'd, any Execution of your Precept."

"The latt Part of your Oath is in general Terms, That you fhall well and duly, according to your Knowledge, Power and Ability, do and execute all other Things belonging to the Office of a Conftable. I fhall inftance in fome Things which certainly belong to your Office, because you, and none elfe, can do them. 1. A Conftable may, without a Warrant, apprehend any Perfons, and carry them before a Juftice, who are driving Carts, Horfes or Cattle on the Lord's Day: 2. He may do the fame, without a Warrant, to fuch as he shall find at any Sports or Paftimes on that Day;; 3. To fuch as he shall find tippling in Publick-Houfes ; 4. To Shopkeepers felling or expofing Goods to fale on the Lord's Day; and lastly, to fuch as he shall find drunk or blafpheming, or profanely fwearing or curfing."

Thus I have fhewn you, in part, what belongs to your Office: It is well, if according to the Tenor of your Oath, you duly, to the best of your Knowledge and Ability, do and execute all thefe Things. But remember, that, if you do not, if you neglect any of them, you are forfworn."

Now let all Men judge, How many Confiables in England are clear of Wilful Perjury!

9. "I will now (he goes on) addrefs myfelf to Churchwardens, Your Oath is, "That you fhall well

and