delivered by Chrift, or his Apostles, to the church? Once more, in the

4th place, God hath remarkably hallowed this day, by many acts of grace done to his people, when employed in the religious obfervance of it. On this day, when "the "difciples were all with one accord in one

place," the Spirit of God defcended upon them, infomuch that they were filled with the Holy Ghoft, to their own unspeakable comfort, and the admiration of all who faw and heard them. On the fame day, "the

arm of the Lord was" gloriously "re"vealed," in the conversion of three thoufand fouls, who were brought from a state of enmity to Chrift into the bofom of the church, by the plain and powerful preaching of the Apostle Peter. On this day John was infpired with the fpirit of prophecy, and had vifible reprefentations of the various revolutions in the church of Christ, down to the final confummation of all things. And in latter times God hath fignally bleffed his people when met together on this holy day; making all his goodness

to pass before them, and giving them fuch

views

views of his power and glory in the fanc tuary, that they have been obliged to fay with Jacob at Bethel, "This is no other "than the houfe of God, and this is the gate "of heaven;" a foretaste of the everlafting Sabbath, an earnest of that reft which remains for the people of God. And is it to be fuppofed, that the holy and righteous Governor of the world would countenance his creatures in a fuperftition of their own contrivance, to the open and weekly ne glect of a plain and pofitive law? No furely: Thefe tokens of the Divine presence and favour difpenfed on this day, are fure indications that this is the day which God himself hath made, and which he hath feparated, by his authority, for the Chriftian Sabbath.

Thus have I finished the first thing propofed in this difcourfe; which was to inquire how far the precept in the text is binding on us and I hope I have said enough to fatisfy every unprejudiced mind, that it is still in force, as to the great scope and defign of it: and that the change of the day, which is only circumstantial,

bears

bears fuch evident marks of divine authority, as fufficiently juftify the uniform opinion, and uninterrupted practice, of all the Christian churches.I proceed now to the

Second thing propofed, Which was to fhow how this commandment ought to be kept or obferved, “Remember the Sabbath day, "to keep it holy."

This, as it is the firft, fo it is likewife the principal and moft important branch of the precept. Nay, the full fope and design of the law is probably expreffed in thefe few fignificant words. For I cannot help thinking, that the bodily reft or ceffation from labour, which is afterwards enjoined, derives its chief value from its fubferviency to those spiritual exercifes by which the Sabbath is moft eminently fanctified; and that it ought principally to be confidered as a description of the means to aid us in the duties of religious worship. I think it proper to mention this distinction, because fome have contended, that resting from labour is all that is meant by keeping ho

ly

ly the Sabbath: but furely it cannot be thought that God, who is a pure and holy Spirit, would deliver a law with fuch folemnity, for fo mean and low a purpose as this. He who fo frequently declares, that the rites and ceremonies of his own appointment were no farther acceptable to him than as they reprefented fpiritual bleffings, and were improved for promoting internal purity, cannot be fuppofed to take pleasure in mere inactivity, or to have appointed a weekly day of reft, folely for the indulgence of the body. Befides, this expreffion of fanctifying or keeping boly, not only imports a feparation from common ufe, but likewife a confecration to a facred or a religious ufe. In this sense it is always employed in the Old Teftament, either when it is applied to the persons of the priests, or to veffels of the fanctuary; and no reason can be given why it should be taken in a lower fenfe here, or why it should import any thing lefs than that the day is fet apart for the fervice of God, and ought to be employed in the duties of religious worship. I fhall, in the

place, Give you a general account of thefe duties. And then we fhall fee more clearly, in the

2d place, What things ought to be avoided by us, as inconfiftent with the scope and defign of this commandment.

In general, then, we are bound to fanctify this day, by affembling together for the public worship of God, that as many as can conveniently meet in one place may join in paying homage to their common Lord; and thus contribute their endeavours to make him glorious in the eyes of the world around them. For this we ought to prepare ourselves, by the more private exercises of family-worship. And because our hearts are naturally indifpofed for fuch divine. and heavenly employments, it is both reafonable and neceffary, that each perfon apart fhould spend a competent time in reading and meditating on the word of God, and implore his prefence and his bleffing, by humble prayer, in the fecret retirements of the clofet. It will alfo be of confiderable ufe, to render thefe feveral kinds of religious worship more beneficial to us, that, when occafion

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