At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things;" and I imagined, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confined himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle: 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures. 3. Attending duly the public worship. 4. Partaking of the sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God's ministers. These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before composed a little liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use (in 1728), entitled "Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion." I returned to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies. My conduct might be blamable, but I leave it without attempting further to excuse it, my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for them. [Footnote 81: This method of expression was adopted on the reformation of the calendar in England in 1752. It shows in this case that the February was of the year 1726 according to the old style, and 1727 according to the new calendar. The year 1751 began on the 25th of March, the former New-Year's Day, and ended, by act of Parliament, at the 1st of January, 1752.] [Footnote 82: Declared by word of mouth, not written.] [Footnote 83: Those who were unable to pay for their passage by ship from one country to another, sometimes sold their service for a term of years to the captain who brought them over.] [Footnote 84: Bound by articles of apprenticeship.] [Footnote 85: The guinea contains twenty-one shillings, while the pound has twenty.] [Footnote 86: A crimp is one who brings recruits to the army or sailors to ships by false inducements.] [Footnote 87: Molds.] [Footnote 88: Here used for salesman.] [Footnote 89: Marks or registers by which a bill may be identified.] [Footnote 90: See Note 3, p. 19.] [Footnote 91: Belief in the existence of a personal God, but denying revelation.] [Footnote 92: "Whatever is, is in its causes just, Since all things are by fate. But purblind man Sees but a part o' the chain, the nearest links; His eyes not carrying to the equal beam That poises all above." DRYDEN, _Œdipus_, act iii. sc. I. ] [Footnote 93: The word means an assembly of persons engaged for a common purpose. It is from the Spanish _junta_ ("a council").] [Footnote 94: An instrument used in navigation for measuring the altitude of the sun.]