have been formed by a series of voluntary and deliberate offences.

If they say that they mean nothing by their impieties; is it not a shame then that the awful name of God, which should awaken every idea of respect, fear and gratitude, and excite every tenderest feeling of love, should be used by his creatures without any meaning?

Neither let it be pleaded, in behalf of pro fane swearing, that it is sometimes necessary for managing tempers, which by mild and gentle speeches would be found ungovernable. This never does, nor can happen, but when men are so addicted to blasphemy, that they are not believed to be in earnest, without a volley of oaths and curses. Let it be once known, and surely it may be made known by many other methods which are perfectly innocent, that you have resolution enough to support your authority, and the regard that is due to your respective characters; and this vice will be as unnecessary, as it is offensive to God, and pernicious to human-kind. Nay, in that case, you will be more attended to, and that not from terror, but from real respect. Men are always more willing to be swayed by temperate injunctions, by affability, meekness, and kindness, than borne down by hectoring, boistering, domineering, violent and savage treatment.

My brethren, if there be in this assembly any who are unhappily given to this' impious and shameful practice, I hope it has been unanswerably proved to you, that all manly, rational, honourable, virtuous, and Christian principles remonstrate against it with united force: and can any thing more be required in order to inspire you with abhorrence for it, and induce you to guard your future conversation with the utmost circumspection; to set a watch before your mouth, and a door round about your lips, that your heart be not inclined to evil words,with them that work iniquity. (Ps. cxl. 3.) If you have contracted a habit of it, use instantly every method to break and destroy it; and, while with sincere compunction for past profaneness, you exert yourselves to the utmost for preventing it in future, although on some occasions the force of custom betray you into it unawares, the Father of mercies will behold you with tenderness, and not impute the guilt to your soul.

Take your measures from this very moment. Many imagine, that they have no great custom of swearing and profaning the venerable name of God, if they do it only once or twice in the day. But alas! once a day makes many times in the year; and, if more in a day, to what a multitude must it amount in the year; and what

will be the amount in a number of years?— what in a whole life? Oh! remember that your profanations are not blown away by the wind. Think that there is preserved a record of your thoughts, actions, and speeches, by which you must at last be judged. Though, when they are passed, yourselves may think no more of them, they are all laid up in store for the great accounting day, when, unless they be now cancelled by sincere repentance, they will appear against you, to your eternal confusion and misery. Think likewise on the crimes which you accumulate, by the scandal given to your fellow-members in Jesus Christ: and, if you be a parent, oh! think, I conjure you, think on the guilt and wretchedness which you entail on your dear little ones, while, in consequence of your example, the profanation of their Creator's name grows up with them from their infancy, and is almost the first language they learn to pro

nounce.

Wherefore, says the apostle, let no evil speech proceed from your mouth: but that which is good to the edification of faith, that it may minister grace to the hearers.-Let all bitterness and anger, and indignation and clamour, and blasphemy be put away from you, with all malice. (Ephes. iv. 29.) You daily pray, that the name

of God may be hallowed, may be blessed, praised and sanctified; prove then the sincerity of your wishes, by glorifying his name on earth, till you be admitted to praise and enjoy him eternally in the heavenly Jerusalem.

SERMON xxxv.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.

ON THE VIRTUE OF TEMPERANCE.

I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and, if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint in the way: for some of them came from afar off. -Mark viii. 3.

MAN being composed of a spiritual and corporeal substance united together, it is the will of our Creator, that we labour for the preservation of our body, as well as for the sanctification of our soul, and be assiduous to bestow on each a proper care, and to give to each its due perfection. To this end every virtue can contribute something: but there is one virtue, in particular, which ought to reside in the soul, for the benefit of the body;-a virtue, whose principal office it is to govern the body; to regulate its appetites; to promote its well-being; and to keep it in due subjection to the mind; that