Sabbath-breaking is an institution calculated to alleviate the condition of the laborious classes of mankind, and, in consequence of that, to afford rest to benefits also. It is proper, it is necessary, that man should reflect on his condition in the world, that he should examine the state of his soul, and inquire what progress he has made in that work which was given him to do. Those that have children or servants are obliged to look after their instruction as well as their own. These are the ends which the institution of Sunday was designed to answer. Every man must allow that these things must be done at some time or other; but unless there be set times for doing them, the generality of mankind would wholly neglect them.

Visiting and travelling (though very common) are enormous profanations of this holy day. Families are thereby robbed of their time; a loss for which no amends can ever be made them: Servants, instead of having leisure to improve themselves in spiritual knowledge, are burdened with additional labour: And, in a man of any humanity, it must excite many painful sensations, when he reflects how often the useful horse on that day experiences all the anguish of hunger, torn sides, and battered knees. Every kind of amusement, every kind of common labour, is an encroachment on the particular duties of the Lord's day; and consequently men profane the day by spending it in any amusements, or undertaking upon it any ordinary employment unless it be a work of absolute necessity.

SABBATH-Breaking, or profanation of the Lord's day, is punished by the municipal laws of England. For, besides the notorious indecency and scandal of permitting any secular business to be publicly transacted on that day in a country professing Christianity, and the corruption of morals which usually follows its profanation, the keeping one day in seven holy, as a time of relaxation and refreshment, as well as for public worship, is of admirable service to a state, considered merely as a civil institution. It humanizes, by the help of conversation and society, the manners of the lower classes; which would otherwise degenerate into a forid ferocity and savage selfishness of spirit: it enables the industrious workman to pursue his occupation in the ensuing week with health and cheerfulness: it imprints on the minds of the people that sense of their duty to God so necessary to make them good citizens; but which yet would be worn out and defaced by an unremitting continuance of labour, without any stated times of recalling them to the worship of their Maker. And therefore the laws of King Athelstan forbade all merchandising on the Lord's day, under very severe penalties. And by the statute 27 Hen. VI. c. 5. no fair or market shall be held on the principal festivals, Good Friday, or any Sunday (except the four Sundays in harvest), on pain of forfeiting the goods exposed to sale. And, since, by the statute 1 Car. I. c. 1. no persons shall assemble, out of their own parishes, for any sport whatsoever, upon this day; nor, in their parishes, shall use any bull or bear-beating, interludes, plays, or other unlawful exercises or pastimes; on pain that every offender shall pay 3s. 4d. to the poor. This statute does not prohibit, but rather impliedly allows, any innocent recreation or amusement, within their respective parishes, even on the Lord's day, after divine service is over. But by statute 29 Car. II. c. 7. no person is allowed to work on the Lord's day, or use any boat or barge, or expose any goods to sale, except meat in public houses, milk at certain hours, and works of necessity or charity, on forfeiture of 3s. Nor shall any drover, carrier, or the like, travel upon that day, under pain of 20s.