88 An Expgjition upon the 3dly. Thirdly, A third heinous Violati?n of_ this firfi: Comm:mi:1, is l)y Prophancnefs. Now Prophanenefs may be taken etther tn a more large and general, or in a more proper and reftrained fenfe; if we take it properly fo, it fi gn ifies only the negleCt or defpifing ~f Spiritual T.hings: for in a ft.rict accepta~io!l.hc is a ~rophane Pcrfon: who etther fitghts the Duues of God's Servtce, or the Pnvtleges of God's Servants. But in the larger and more common fenfc of the word, eVery ungodly Sinner who g ives up him~elf to work Wickcdnefs, and lives in a courfc ~f infamous and flagitious Cnmcs, IS called and reputed a prophane Pcrfon. And mdeed, fuch an one is prophane in the highc!t degree, that not only negleCts the more fpirituJl Dnties of Reli gion, hut the natural pnties of Moral Honefty, Temperance, and Sobriety : J1or as there arc but two things in .Pradicals, which make an excellent and accompl ith'd Chrifl:ian, Religion ~nd Venue; the one dlreCl: ing our Worfhip toward•; God, the other our Converfauon towards Men: fo on the contrary, the de{j)ifing of Religion, an~ neglcd ofVertuc, make up that c~nfnmmate and accampli.fh'd ProphJnenefs whJCh we fee fo common and prevalent m the World. ' Bnt concerning the Wickcdnef1Cs which ufi.Jally meet .toj!;ether, and are concerned in this fort of prophane Perfons, I Jball not now fpeak, referving them to be trearcd of in their proper place, when I come to infift on thofe Commands which each of their Sins tranfgrcfiCth. At prefcnt I ilia \I only take notice of tlfat which is properly called Prophanencfs ai1d fpeak of it as a diftind Sin, diftinB:ly prohibited in this Precept. And here i fhall firft give you fomc account of the Name, and then of the Thing. • Pr~f~~· *. Prophane hath its Notion or Etymology, Q::afi porro, or proculafimo; which num ~mr.rs figmfies far from the Temple. . . ptnt topfin , ' thmt id t!ffl 'rrodextra {<~n•tietJm till/am fit, qna{i porro .i f•n~, & "rtligi~n' {tcutum. Macrob. Sauanal. liP. 3· '"l'· 1 , Now bccaufe their Tcmp!Cs were the ufual places wherein they folcmnly worfh ipped, therefore the word Prophane is transferred to denote thofc who neglctt and put far from them the WorJbip of God: and fo according tq thi<; propriety of fignil'ication , many others belides lewd and debauch'd Wretches, will be found to be Prophane: For not only thofe who let loofe the reins to all manner of Villanies hl1t even thofe whofe Morality is unblameablE':, and perh~ps exemplary; who lead; foher and rational life, and fcorn a vitions AB:ion, as a bafcncfs below the Nature a·nd unworthy the Spirit of a Man; yet fitch grave, prudent, and honeJl: Perfons do: too many of them, cfpccially in thefe our days, deferve the Cenfure and black Brand of being Prophanc. And therefore, that we may the better judge who are the Prophane, and on whom that Imputation juftly lies, let us confider fi rff, \Vhat the Sin of Prophancncfs is; and fccondly, what arc the true and proper Cbarccters of a prophane Pcrfon. . . . . . I. Firft, What ~rophanen::fs ts; I anfwer Ill the general, Pr~pha ncncfs IS the_fitghting and negleCbng of T,ht.ngs ho~y and facred; an underva hun~ an.d.contemn_mg of thofc Things that are fpm~ual and excellent. ~nd whofocver ts gutlty ~f thts, let his outward Demeanour m the World be as fatr and plaufiblc as Morahty or Hypocrifie can adorn it, yet he is a prophane Pcrfon; and heinoufiy violates this firft Command which injoins us to worfuip, reverence, and honour the moft high God, whom we profcfs to own. · Now the fi)iritu:ll and facred Things arc: I.. Firft, God himfclf in his Natu,re and EJ1ence, whom ~c prophanc, whcnf~e~cr we entertain any blafphemous or unworthy thoughts of lum, derogatory to hts mfinite Perfections. 2. &cOndly, God in his Name; which we prophane wh~n in onr trivial a~d impertinentDifcourfes we rafhly bolt out that great. and ternble Name, at whtch all the Powers of Heaven and He\1 tremble: And how muc~ !Uore_do we prophane it by Oaths and Execrations; which are now grown the farr:1har Dtalett of every Mouth, and IoOk'd on only as a Grace and Ornament of fpeaktng! Scarce Cln we hear any Difcourfe, but thefe Flowers are fprinklcd among it; and the Name of God mufl: · be brought in either as an Expletive, or an Oat~: And what doth fadly fore-bode the growing Prophanenefs of the next Age, Children are t3:ng~t or ~lffered to call upon Gcxl in their Play, before they arc taught to call upon htm m their Prayers. .Thirdly.,
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