Chriftians, upon the most interesting of all fubjects, the falvation of our fouls, and the means of fecuring an "inheritance incor"ruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth ແ not away?" One fhould think that a bare counfel, nay, even a permiffion to spend one day in feven in fuch pleasant and profitable exercises, would be regarded as a fingular privilege that deferved our warmest returns of gratitude and praife. The force of this argument is not weakened, because those who are alienated from the life of God have no relifh for the pleasures which arife from the exercises of devotion. It is not the reafon of the thing which leads the depraved mind to account" the Sabbath a

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wearinefs," or to fay, "When will the "Sabbath be over?" After fix days fpent in provifion for the body, is one day too long to care for the foul? Nay, after deducing the time which is necellarily employed in fleeping, and eating and drinking, can we not find as much in God, in Christ, and in heaven, as may afford us entertainment for the fcanty remainder of twenty-four hours? Alas, my brethren, how fhall we employ

VOL. III.

an

an everlasting Sabbath, if one Sabbath ir the week is fo tedious and burdenfome? Can those be candidates for immortal glory, who think one day too long for the work of heaven, unless they relieve themselves, by confuming the greater part of it in idle converfation or trifling amufements?

My

3d argument to enforce this commandment, fhall be taken from the many advantages which flow from the religious obfervance of the Sabbath. Hereby we fhall obtain the bleffing of God, according to that large and comprehenfive promise, Ifaiah lviii. 13, 14. "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the "Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, "honourable, and fhalt honour hin, not "doing thine own ways, nor finding thine “own pleasure, nor speaking thine own "words: then fhalt thou delight thyself in "the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride

upon the high places of the earth, and "feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy

father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken

"fpoken it." If we honour God on this feparate day, which he claims as his special property, then may we expect to be honoured by him on the other days of the week, which he hath given us for our own ufe. The truth of this hath been frequently experienced by the people of God; and among these, too, by fome of the most eminent character, not only for piety, but also for learning and taste, and knowledge of the world. I fhall mention one who was highly refpected in his own time, and whofe character and writings are to this day univerfally esteemed. The learned Judge Hales, fpeaking of his experience on this fubject, hath these words: " I have found," faith he," by a ftrict and diligent obferva❝tion, that a due obferving the duty of this

ἐσ

day, hath ever had joined to it a blef

fing upon the reft of my time; and the "week that hath been fo begun, hath been "bleffed and profperous to me. And, on the "other fide, when I have been negligent of. "the duties of this day, the reft of the "week hath been unfuccefsful and unhappy

t

to my fecular employments; fo that I " could

"could eafily make an estimate of my fuc "ceffes in my own fecular employments "the week following, by the manner of my "paffing this day. And this," adds he, " I "do not write lightly or inconfiderately, "but upon a long and found obfervation "and experience." -Nay, the right observance of this duty will procure national as well as perfonal bleffings: for fo God promifed to his ancient church, (Jer. xvii. 24, 25.), "If ye diligently hearken unto me, to bring in no burden through the gates of "this city on the Sabbath day, but hal

low the Sabbath day, to do no work "therein; then fhall there enter into the

gates of this city, kings and princes fitting upon the throne of David, riding "in chariots, and on horfes, they and their "princes, the men of Judah, and the in"habitants of Jerufalem, and this city shall "remain for ever." I do not mean by thefe arguments to bribe you into a mercenary or political obfervance of the Chriftian Sabbath. Should you spend the whole day in reading, praying, praifing, or any other forms of religious worship, merely, or even principally from a regard to your own pri

vate

vate intereft, or the public profperity of the nation to which you belong, I must be fo faithful as to tell you, that it would not be accepted. Nay, God would number thefe hypocritical services among your most proWoking fins. For it is the heart which God requires; and if that be with-held, he will accept of no outward homage. But I mention these things to fhow you, that Sabbathbreakers must be utterly inexcusable, when they tranfgrefs a law, which is not only most reasonable in itself, but which hath alfo peculiar promises annexed to it, of temporal profperity and happiness.- -And with the fame view, I am now going to add a

4th confideration for enforcing obedience to this commandment, namely, That the tranfgreffion of it is attended with many fad and fatal confequences. God hath frequently punished this fin, by inflicting very awful judgements both upon focieties and particular perfons. There was an exprefs ftatute in the Jewish law, appointing the Sabbath-breaker to be put to death, (Exod. xxxi. 12, 16.); and this punishment was actually inflicted upon one who was found

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