of fecuring a manfion or inheritance in heaven; they muft have houfes and lands on earth. It is needless to tell them of providing for their fouls; they have their families to provide for: Or to tell them of heavenly manna to their fouls, they must have bread to their mouths. It is to no purpose to tell them of a way to get juftice fatisfied, or the debt of fin paid; they muft have their debts paid to their earthly creditors. It is in vain to prefs them to feek the favour and friendship of God; all their care is to get the countenance of this of the other man, that can do them kindness. And fo, upon these worldly confiderations, Chrift the pearl of price is flighted, the precious foul neglected, and Sabbaths and fermons are quite loft.

Again, it is a grofs profanation of this holy day, for people to allow themfelves to think upon their trades and worldly commerce, when they are in God's houfe. As Christ whipped the buyers and fellers out of the temple when he was on earth, fo he will not fuffer you tó make the public affemblies of his people a place of mer chandize, by thoughtfulness about worldly gain and pro fit. Your bufinefs in God's house this day is with the great God only, and therefore you must attend to nothing but his work and fervice: But, if you indulge worldly thoughts, you will provoke God, and már all your public performances.

Be not like Martha this day, " careful and troubled about many things," things that will not avail you at the dying hour, or through eternity; but imitate Mary this day, fit at Chrift's feet, mind the one thing neceffary, and chufe the good part which shall not be taken from you.

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Moreover, confider how dangerous this evil is to the falvation of your fouls. It may be faid of worldlinefs, compared with other fins, as was faid of Saul and David, when any one fin "kills its thousands, this flays its ten thousands:" O what havock makes it in the vifible church! What Pharaoh faid of the Ifraelites, Exod. xiv. 3. may well be applied to many profeffed Chriftians; they are intangled in the land, the wilderness hath fhut them in. The world, like bird lime, clogs the

foul's

foul's wings, that it cannot mount up to heaven. Many, like Lot's wife, fet out fairly for the Zoar of heaven; but their hearts hanker after the Sodom of this earth, which causeth them to look still back, back, till they perish in the way.

Again, confider what a vain and empty thing the world is, though obtained. It fuits not the nature, nor fatisfies the defires of the immortal foul: It deceives all its lovers, and in midst of sufficiency leaves them in ftraits; fo that we ought rather to pity than envy a worldling, whofe portion is so small, happiness so short, mistake fo great, and mifery eternal.

Think what folly it is to dig for drofs with mattocks of gold, to bestow the precious affections of our fouls on white and yellow clay. How monftrous is it to fee a man with his head and heart where his feet fhould be! to fee the world in the heart and on the throne, and Chrift at the foot stool to fee the world poffefsing God's room both week day and Sabbath-day, and getting the fervice which is due to him alone! How many are they, who, even on the Sabbath-day, worship the trinity of this world, mentioned 1 John ii. 16. more than the Trinity of heaven?

IV. Forgetfulness of God and Chrift is a great evil, and greatly hinders Sabbath-fanctification. How can thefe fanctify the Sabbath, who never mind the Author nor the end of it? And, alas! there are too many who have nothing of God in their thoughts, either Sabbathday or week-day, Pfal. x. 4. Though the heart be still thinking, and hundreds of thoughts pafs through it every hour of the day, yet God is in none of them. Strange! that every worldly trifle should find room in the heart, and God can find no place in it! What is the reason of this? You may fee it, Rom. i. 28. "They did not like to retain God in their knowledge." Surely there is nothing in the world that we have to frequent mementos of, as of God: How can we look to the heavens, earth, flowers, or grafs, without minding him? A very heathen could fay," Præfentem refert quælibet herba Deum." Or, how can we look to our bodies, but their curious ftru&ture fhould prefently mind us of God?

God Yea, every time we breathe, every motion of our lungs, and beating of our pulfe, fhould be a prick. or fpur to us to mind our Preferver; and in a fpecial manner, on the Sabbath day, every ordinance, every duty, every fentence, every word fpoken by the minifter, fhould mind us of God: But the matter is, the thoughts of God are burdenfome to all that live careless and ungodly lives; they cannot think upon him, but they mind their Judge.

But, O Chriftian, confider what a fin it is to forget God, especially on his own day. If we ought to fpend every day in the fear of God, Prov. xxiii. 17. much more the Sabbath-day. What ingratitude is it to forget him this day that minded us in our low eftate, yea, minded us when we could not mind ourselves? The love of God in Chrift should swallow up all our thoughts this day. When we seriously confider what Chrift hath done for his people, one might think that Chrift would never be one whole hour together out of their minds, but that they should carry him up and down in their thoughts and defires, that they thould lie down with thoughts of Chrift at night, and have him like a " bundle of myrrh lying all night betwixt their breafts," that is, in their hearts; and, when they awake, "they should be still with him :" That their very dreams in the night should be fweet vifions of Chrift, and all their words thould favour of him.

V. Aversion to duty is another heart evil, that hinders the fanctification of the Sabbath. O how back. ward do we find our hearts to the duties of the Sabbath! how glad to put them by with any frivolous excufe! how unwilling to pay God a vifit on his own day! We are flow to begin, and in hafte to make an end; we are heavy while the duty is a doing, and glad. when it is done. Many are driven to their closets, as if they were going to the rack, or as if prayer 'were a penance rather than a privilege; they are conftrained to it, to fatisfy a natural confcience. It is rather a fervile than a fon like performance. If confcience, like a task master, did not lath them to their duty, they would never perform it. Many, they would rather

toil their bodies whole days and weeks at the foreft labour, than spend one hour in fecret upon their knees on the Lord's day. How fad and lamentable a thing is this? Is not God's company most defireable? is it not God's admirable condefcenfion, and our highest honour, that fuch poor worms as we should be admitted into his prefence? Are we not: naturally defirous of acquaintance with great perfons, and why fo backward to acquaintance with the King of beaven? Is not the Sabbath a delight to God's people? and shall the work of it be a drudgery to us?

Object." The duties requifite on this day are fo many, they cost much difficulty and pains to perform. them."

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Anf. It is better to take pains, than fuffer pains; better be bound with the cords of duty, than with the chains of darkness. The bonds, cf duty are not, griev ous; nay, they are our ornament and greateft, freedom, Pfal. cxix. 45. whereas fatan and the world's fervices is the greatest drudgery; there is fin in the work, and hell in the wages. Alas, that many will be at no pains for that which will bring eternal glory, but are content to be at great pains for that which will coft eternal pains! The drunkard, thief, and adulterer, run many hazards to ferve the devil, and win damnation; they fuffer bodily pains, want fleep and reft, and weary themselves to commit iniquity," They draw iniquity with cords, and fins as with cart ropes," Ifa. v. 18. They are yoked as it were, in the devil's plough or cart, and he makes them fweat and draw in his fervice. What bad work, fad wages, and a terrible maf ter have they? Who would be hired by any wages to ferve lions and tygers? Is not the devil a roaring lion? and, will you ferve him that will devour and tear his fervants both foul and body, after they have ferved him never fo faithfully? Oh! fhall the devil's fervants outftrip Christ's fervants in diligence and activity? Is there any mafter like Chrift? Is there any work or wages like his ? Was there ever any of his fervants a lofer at his hands? Will not his experienced fervants tell us, that "wifdom's ways are pleafant

nefs,"

nefs," and that Sabbath-days work is the sweetest recreation? Here they have the most pleasant walks, the moft lightsome profpects, the choiceft company, and the sweetest fellowship, Pfal. xxiii. 2. 3. Pfal. 1. 23. There is heaven in holiness, and gain in godlinefs; no fuch gain or delight to be found elsewhere. Godliness is the most enriching trade in the world; God's people fometimes gain more by it on a Sabbath-day in one hour, in one fermon, one promife, one prayer, one communion-table, one fpiritual breathing, than all the rich men of the fhire are worth, put all their estates together. The world will not believe this; but fure I am, one return of prayer, one fmile of Chrift's face, one look of faith, one grape of Canaan, one glimpse of the promised land, the head of one Goliath, the death of one luft, the ftrengthening of one grace, which may be obtained in the duties of the Sabbath; any of thefe is an abundant recompence for all the pains we can be at in God's fervice this day; they yield more fweetnefs and content to the foul, than all the pleafures the world can afford: The fmalleft gleanings of fpiritual joy are better than a whole vintage of carnal delights.

But what is all this to that eternal weight of glory which is treasured up in heaven, for rewarding the laborious fervants of Chrift? What can we do for fo vaft a reward? Had the Lord faid to us, unless you be content to spend your days in fome howling wilderness, quit all worldly riches and pleasures, pine away with poverty and want, give the fruit of your bodies, fuffer martyrdom, or take a dip in hell, you fhall never fee my face in glory; furely there is none that knows what it is to escape eternal mifery, and inherit endless happiness above, but would have been willing to accept of thefe conditions. How much

more then, when he only requires us to accept of his Son as our Surety, and love him, part with those fins that would damn us, and follow him in the pleasant ways of holiness; and to do all this in his grace and ftrength, for he fends none a warfare on their own VOL. IV. charges?

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