to devote uninterruptedly to the worship of God. Let every thing then be so arranged in your household, beforehand, that there may be no interruption to religious duties, and to attendance on the means of grace. There was undoubtedly a rigour in the law of the sabbath, as given to the Jews, which did not exist before; and which does not apply to Christians. They were forbidden to kindle a fire, or to go out of their place on the sabbath; and for gathering a few sticks, a presumptuous transgresssor was stoned to death. These regulations are not now in force.

As divine knowledge is the richest acquisition within our reach, and as this knowledge is to be found in the word of God, let us value this day, as affording all persons an opportunity of hearing and reading the word. And as the fourth commandment requires the heads of families to cause the sabbath to be observed by all under their control, or within their gates, it is very important that domestic and culinary arrangements should be so ordered, that servants and domestics should not be deprived of the opportunity of attending on the word and worship of God which this day affords, by being employed in preparing superfluous feasts, as is often the case. The sabbath is more valuable to the poor and unlearned than to others, because it is almost the only leisure which they have, and because means of public instruction are on that day afforded them by the preaching of the gospel. If we possess any measure of the true spirit of devotion, this sacred day will be most welcome to our hearts; and we will rejoice when they say, "Let us go unto the house of the Lord." To such a soul, the opportunity of enjoying spiritual communion with God will be valued above all price,

and be esteemed as the richest privilege which creatures can enjoy upon earth.

4. Whilst you conscientiously follow your own sense of duty in the observance of the rest of the sabbath, be not ready to censure all who may differ from you in regard to minute particulars, which are not prescribed or commanded in the word of God. The Jews accused our Lord as a sabbath-breaker, on many occasions, and would have put him to death for a supposed violation of this law, had he not escaped out of their hands. Beware of indulging yourself in any practice which may have the effect of leading others to disregard the rest and sanctity of the sabbath. Let not your liberty in regard to what you think may be done, be a stumbling-block to cause weaker brethren to offend, or unnecessarily to give them pain, or to lead them to entertain an unfavourable opinion of your piety.

5. As, undoubtedly, the celebration of public worship and gaining divine instruction from the divine oracles, is the main object of the institution of the Christian sabbath, let all be careful to attend on the services of the sanctuary on this day. And let the heart be prepared by previous prayer and meditation for a participation in public worship, and while in the more immediate presence of the Divine Majesty, let all the people fear before him, and with reverence adore and praise his holy name. Let all vanity, and curious gazing, and slothfulness, be banished from the house of God. Let every heart be lifted up on entering the sanctuary, and let the thoughts be carefully restrained from wandering on foolish or worldly objects, and resolutely recalled when they have begun to go astray. Let brotherly love be cherished, when joining with others in the worship of God.

The hearts of all the church should be united in worship, as the heart of one man. Thus, will the worship of the sanctuary below, be a preparation for the purer, sublimer worship in the temple above.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

DEATH.

ALL the doctrines and duties of religion have relation to a future state. All religion is founded on the supposition that man will live after the death of the body. The importance of any doctrine or religious institution, depends very much on its bearing on the future destinies of men. Religion, therefore, teaches its votaries to be much occupied with the contemplation of the unseen world. It is especially the province of faith to fix the attention of the mind on these awful but invisible realities, and by this means to draw off the too eager affections from the objects of the present world. Of whatever else men may doubt, they cannot be sceptical in regard to death. The evidences of the certainty of this event to all, are so multiplied, and so frequently obtruded on our attention, that all know that it is appointed for them once to die; and yet, notwithstanding this certainty, and the frequent mementos which we have, most men are but slightly impressed with their mortality, until death actually comes near, and eternity, with its awful realities, begins to open before them.

Death is, according to Scripture, "the wages of

sin." By sin death entered into the world. The death of the body is a part of the punishment of sin; except in the case of the believer, who is freed from the condemnation of the law; and to whom death, though frightful and painful, is no curse, but rather a blessing. For, by the death of Christ, as his Surety, the penalty of the law, has been exhausted. "There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." To them "it is a gain to die." Το them, the monster has no sting. To them, death is a deliverance from sin and suffering, and an entrance into perfect holiness and happiness. As soon as the true Christian departs, he is with Christ, and is like him, and beholds his glory. Therefore, Paul in his inventory of the rich possessions of the saints, reckons death as one: "For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or things present, or things to come, or life or death, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

All we know of death is, that it is a separation of the soul from the body; the consequence of which to the latter is, an immediate disorganization and corruption. As it was taken from the dust, so it returns to dust again. But as to the soul, being essentially living and active, it continues its conscious exercises, but in what way, when deprived of its usual organs, we cannot tell. As all our experience has been in connexion with bodily organs, we of course can know nothing of the exercises of mind in a state where no such organs are possessed. All attempts, therefore, to imagine what the condition of the soul in a separate state is, must be vain.

But we need not be perplexed or troubled on account of our ignorance of the future state. We may well trust, in this case, as in others, our divine Re

deemer and faithful Friend, to arrange all matters for his own glory, and for our benefit. The gracious declaration, that "all things work together for good to them who love God, and are the called according to his purpose," is not only true, in relation to their pilgrimage on earth, but also in regard to their passage through the valley of the shadow of death; so that they need fear no evil, for the great Shepherd has promised to be with them, and to comfort them, with his rod and his staff; "When heart and flesh fail, he will be the strength of their heart, and their portion for ever." "Precious in the sight of the

Lord is the death of his saints."

Although little is revealed respecting the mode of existence and enjoyment in a separate state, for the plain reason, that no description could be understood by us; yet we may confidently trust our blessed Redeemer to provide for the guidance and comfort of the soul, when it enters an unknown world. When Lazarus died, angels stood ready to receive and convoy his departing spirit; and we have no reason to think that this favour was peculiar to this saint; but rather that it was recorded in this instance, to teach us, that the same might be expected in every case of the death of a true believer.