day, for the worship of God, may be interpreted as a public declaration on your part, that you reckon this commandment binding on you, yet the inquiry I have propofed is by no means fuperfluous. We are exhorted in Scripture, not only "to fanctify "the Lord God in our hearts," but likewife "to be always ready to give an answer 66 to every man' who afketh us a reason of "the hope that is in us." And if we should at all times be ready to declare the grounds of our: hope, we fhould certainly be at least equally ready to explain and to justify the reafons of our practice. Befides, although in the judgement of charity, " which thinketh no evil," your weekly attendance on this day for public worship may be fuppofed to flow from a religious principle; yet in our present fituation, it is eafy to conceive, that fomething elfe than a fense of duty may occafion our meeting together in this manner. The laws of our country not only permit, but require, the obfervance of the Chriftian Sabbath: fo that human authority, the manner of our education, a regard to decency, or even moM 2 tives

tives inferior to any of thefe, may bring peo ple to church who have never feen themfelves to be bound by any divine law, to keep holy the Sabbath day. And I am forry to add, that there is too great cause to suspect this to be the cafe with many who frequent our religious affemblies, from their defective and partial obfervance of this holy day. I therefore judge it to be of the highest importance, to fet the authority of this precept in a clear and ftriking light. For until we view the Sabbath as a divine inftitution, we shall never either pay to it that regard which it deferves, nor reap any fpiritual advantage from the most exact outward observance of it.-I fuppofe it will not be denied, in the

t place, That fome part of our time fhould be employed in the immediate worfhip of God. Reafon must neceffarily teach us, that fuch homage is due that Almighty Being on whom we depend for life, and breath, and all things. In order to fecure the regular performance of this worship, the fame principic of reafon will naturally fuggeft the propriety of allotting certain

ftated

ftated feafons for that purpose. If any fhall difpute the neceffity of this, they will at leaft allow us to affirm the expediency of it: for it is a common and true obfervation, that what is left to be done at any time, is in great danger of being done at no time.-I may likewife take it for granted, in the

2d place, That the right of determining what proportion of time, or what stated · feafons fhould be employed in divine worfhip, will be readily admitted to belong to God. This is fo evident, that it fcarcely needs an illuftration. If we can live one moment independent of God, we may call that moment our own, and claim the dif pofal of it. But if we cannot draw one breath without his aid; if his conftant vifitation is neceffary to preferve us; the confequence is unavoidable, that the whole of oùr time is due to God, and that his right is abfolute to referve any part of it which he pleaseth for his own worship.-And this leads me to obferve, in the

3d place, That God hath actually interposed his authority in this matter and by a clear and pofitive law, part of which I

have now read to you, hath reserved for himself one day in feven; that he hath confecrated or fet apart his portion of our time, by his precept, example, and bleffing, for a holy reft or ceffation from fecular employments, and for fuch acts of religious worthip and adoration, as creatures, owe to their great Creator.

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It is confessed by all who admit the infpi-ration of the Old Teftament, that this law was ftrictly binding upon the Jews, to whom it was delivered by the miniftry of Mofes. But fome have made it a question, whether it continues to be binding under the Chrifan difpenfation. We maintain that it is fill in force, in as much as it contains a declaration of the will of God, that one day in feven, or the feventh part of our time, fhould be feparated from common ufe, and dedicated to religious purppofes. With regard to the particular day to be obferved, all days being alike in themfelves, the, appointment of it must be of a positive nature, and may therefore be varied at the pleasure vof the Lawgiver. Accordingly we find, that in this circumftance the law hath re

Beived an alteration. The feventh, or last day of the week, is now become common; and in commemoration of our Saviour's rėl furrection from the dead, the holy reft is transferred to the first day of the week; which hath ever fince been called, by way of eminence, The LORD's Day. Whether this remarkable change is fufficiently fupported by divine authority, admits of farther inquiry. What I have hitherto said, is only intended to prove our obligation to keep one day in feven holy to the Lord; and for this, I think, I have given you very fatisfy ing evidence. It is a natural principle, that God ought to be worshipped; and as it is highly neceffary to fecure the performance of fuch an important duty, reafon farther teacheth us, that some stated times ought to be fet apart for that end. The right of determining thefe doth certainly belong to God himself; and he hath actually been - pleased to give a plain intimation of his will in this matter, claiming, by a distinct and peremptory ftatute, one whole day in feven, for the peculiar exercises of religious worfhip. Thus far, then, the commandment is frictly

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