kept, to outward Appearance, as they please. All Shops may be order'd
to be shut, and Exercises of Devotion to be continued from Morning
till Night; nothing suffer'd to be bought, or sold during the Time of
Divine Service; and all Labour as well as Diversion be strictly
prohibited. This having been well executed makes an admirable Topick
for a Preacher, when the Day is over, especially among Military Men;
and Nothing can furnish a Divine with a finer Opportunity of
commending, and highly praising his Audience, without Suspicion of
Flattery, than the Solemnity of such a Day. He may set forth the
outward Face of it in a lively Manner, expatiate on the various
Decorums, and Religious Beauties of it; and by faithfully representing
what Every body remembers of it, gain Credit to every Thing he says
besides. He may magnify and safely enlarge on the Self-denial, that
was practised on that Day; and, ascribing to the Goodness and Piety of
the Soldiers, what in his Heart he knows to have been altogether owing
to Discipline, and the strict Commands of the General, he may easily
make them believe, that greater Godliness and a more general
Humiliation never had been seen in an Army. If he has Wit, and is a
Man of Parts, he'll find out Quaint _Similes_, Happy Turns, and
Plausible Arguments, to illustrate his Assertions, and give an Air of
Truth to every Thing he advances. If it suits with the Times, he'll
work himself up into Rapture and Enthusiasm, congratulate his
Regiment, if not the whole Army, on the undeniable Proofs they have
given of being good Christians, and with Tears in his Eyes wish them
Joy of their Conversion, and the infallible Tokens they have received
of the Divine Mercy. If a grave Divine, of good Repute, acts this, as
he should do, with an artful Innocence and Chearfulness in his
Countenance, it is incredible what an Effect it may have upon the
greater part of a Multitude, amongst whom Christianity is not scoff'd
at, and Pretences to Purity are in Fashion. Those who were any ways