principles of a very opposite character. In different ages of the world, this weakness has shewn itself in different forms. In ancient times, it led into all the errors of idolatry, and sheltered itself under the superstitions to which it gave birth. When men were desirous to follow the dictates of their passions, and to desert those moral laws which were comprehended in the belief of ONE equal Lawgiver and Judge, they had recourse to the supposition of other Gods, who were the patrons of injustice and impurity. The circumstances of those times gave to such suppositions a plausibility which now cannot attend them; and hence in those ages the importance, in a literal sense, of the commandments which required men to persevere in the worship of the one true God, and to resist the temptations of idolatry.

These temptations, indeed, do not now

exist in their original form; yet human nature, my brethren, is still the same; and if we do not now actually entertain the opinion that there are more Gods than one, or fall down before images which our own hands have framed, yet I fear we too often lose sight of the supremacy of God, and fall down before the idols which we have erected in our hearts. When we live but little to God, and much to the world, can we deny that we are giving ourselves up to the service of more than one master? or, when we are enslaved to vanity, or ambition, or covetousness, or sensuality, what are we but the degraded worshippers of the" like"nesses of things in heaven above, or in "the earth beneath, or in the water under "the earth?"

We are taught, then, in these Commandments, that our Religion is nothing, unless it be steady and consistent,-unless

it operate on our conduct, and evince that it has become a principle, by the sure test of action. To such pure and steady devotion alone are the blessings of Religion promised:" For I, the Lord

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thy God," it is said, " am a jealous God, "and visit the sins of the fathers upon "the children, unto the third and fourth

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generations of them that hate me, and "shew mercy unto thousands of them "that love me and keep my command"ments."

In the second place, that we may be enabled to act steadily from religious principle, we are required to fix in our minds a deep sense of the Majesty of God. The influence of the world and of our passions is apt to hide from us the authority of an invisible Being; and it requires reflection and thought, before we can become firmly impressed with it. Yet, till we acquire this habitual reverence for the

Deity, we shall scarcely have strength to resist those temptations to deviate from his laws, which meet us so constantly in our progress through life. In the literal sense of the Third Commandment, as forbidding every light and irreverent use of the name of God, a precept, undoubtedly, of much importance is contained; but there is happily not so much necessity, in the present age, of enforcing it, in this view, as might have been requisite in times of less refinement. It is some proof of the progress of reason, if not of religion, that the shocking and absurd practice here alluded to has gone greatly into disuse, among those, at least, who are to be found in any reputable society, and that it is esteemed as offensive as it is impious. This Commandment, however, may properly be extended to include the prohibition of every word, or thought, or action, which,

supposes a disregard, or can diminish our reverence for the Divine presence and authority, and as requiring us to cultivate every means by which a sense of that Holy Presence may be impressed upon our minds.

The chief of these means is, in the third place, shewn to be, habitual Religious reflection. It may seem wonderful, that we should reflect on religion so little. The Material Universe which surrounds us carries the constant impression of the wisdom, the greatness, and the goodness of God: human affairs, amidst all their perplexity, contain many indications of his Providence; and that future state of being, to which we are hastening, cannot be contemplated without a deep feeling that our greatest interests hang immediately upon Him. Notwithstanding all these calls to serious thought, it is still evident, that, without habits of regular meditation, we are apt