rable for our own improvement, and for profiting by the exercises of public devotion, that we endeavoured to recollect any useful truths which we have heard, "lest we immediately let them slip." Our Lord has taught us the necessity of reflection and meditation in the parable of the Sower. "When any one," saith he, "heareth the word of the kingdom, and considereth it not; then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. But he that receiveth seed into the good ground, is he that heareth the word and understandeth it; which beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty." Let us then, after the service of the sanctuary is finished, take the first opportunity of retiring by ourselves, and thinking impartially, what we have learned respecting our duty; whether we intend henceforth to practise what we have hitherto neglected, and entreat the divine assistance to enable us to act according to our convictions. Such a use of religious instruction would indeed render it profitable in a high degree, for converting us from the error of our ways; and building us up in the faith of the gospel, and the practice of holiness. Thus the services of the church may be rendered a constant means of supplying us with the knowledge of those truths which concern the well-being of our souls; with materials for serious reflection, with subjects for religious meditation, and motives for the practice of virtue.

It will surely be allowed, that if such are the beneficial purposes to which sabbatical institutions may be applied, they have a manifest tendency to strengthen the principles of religion in the soul; to form the temper to a just sense of religious and moral obligation; and to direct the conduct in all the instances of upright obedience. And we may appeal to the experience of the world, whether Christians of slender capacities, and in the lower spheres of life; are not by means of the external institutions of the gospel, elevated to a degree of wisdom and virtue of which they would be destitute without them; and whether even men of the most refined understandings do not also receive a new relish for sacred things, by engaging in devotional

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exercises, and listening to the words of everlasting life. Thus the reading of the gospel is the power of God, and the wisdom of God to all who believe it.

Another important purpose to which we may apply the leisure afforded us by the sabbath-day, is, to examine in our retirements the general state of our hearts and lives. Let us in the evening of this sacred day, review our past lives, and discover the sins of which we have been guilty; the imperfections which cleave to our characters; and the occasions which lead us astray from the path of rectitude. Let us confess them before God, in the bitterness of our souls; pray for his grace to renew us in the spirit of our minds; and form resolutions. of ceasing to do evil and learning to do well. Let us employ the rest of the day at home in reading the scriptures, and other books of devotion; not as is too much the case, for spending an idle hour, and maintaining some appearance of seriousness; but with the sincere intention of learning something more of the duties of religion, and of being instructed in the nature of its precepts. Let us endeavour to understand and apply to our hearts the lessons of piety and virtue which we thus imbibe, and, by seasonable meditation, treasure them up in our hearts, for the regulation of our future lives.

If also we have children or dependents, who are entrusted to our care, we should be careful to impart to them such suitable instruction as may increase their knowledge of divine truths; by calling them together for social worship, and enjoining them not to forsake the assembling of the saints, as the manner of some is. We should make such prudent arrangements in our domestic affairs, that none of our household may be prevented from attending the ordinances of Christianity; and thus imitate the conduct of the pious patriarch, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Thus should we devote the sabbath to the useful purposes for which it has been instituted, and by these means promote the edification of our own souls, and the welfare of others.

Having thus explained some of the purposes to which sabbatical institutions may be rendered subservient, I preceed,

III. To state the obligations incumbent on Christians to assemble together for public worship, and for engaging in the private duties connected with the observance of the sabbath.

These are many and forcible, arising both from the divine commands, and from our own interest. It is certain, that God did, from the beginning, appoint the seventh day of the week to be observed by our first parents in paradise, for commemorating the work of creation; and that it was kept sacred by the patriarchs for religious purposes. When however, men began to lose sight of the original institution of the sabbath, God renewed the injunction of it to the Israelites; by embodying it among those ten commandments, which have been usually denominated the moral law. Thus, the observance of the sabbath was rendered as indispensible in its obligation, as any other of those statutes, which have been always regarded as fundamental laws for the regulation of human conduct. There is no reason why the fourth commandment, which enjoins us to remember the sabbatll-day, to keep it holy, should not be as strictly obeyed as the sixth, which forbids us to kill; or why the violation of the former should not be reckoned as heinous a sin as that of the latter. If then we consider the murderer who transgresses the sixth command, or the adulterer who violates the seventh, sinners who deserve the vengeance of both God and man; shall we not also stigmatize the sabbathbreaker with the same character? He is guilty of a breach of the moral law, as well as others who may be deemed more notorious offenders. Accordingly we are taught thus to judge, "that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, do not commit adultery, said also do not steal; now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou steal, thou art become a transgressor of the law." For the same reason, we may say, though we neither kill nor steal; yet if we assemble not together on the sabbath-day, for worshipping God, we disobey the fourth commandment. If, then, we would not live in the transgression of

a positive precept; let us not spend the sabbath in doing `our own work, and seeking our own pleasure; for thereby we are guilty of sin, and should instantly return from the error of our ways, to the wisdom and obedience of the just. If we would have respect to all God's commandments, let us obey this as well as any others which we hold sacred; for our obligation to observe the divine statutes is universal, as we are required to walk in all his ordinances blameless. It is our duty to submit to his will, in every injunction by which it is made known; as he hath a right to impose whatever laws he may deem requisite for enforcing our obedience.

When, besides, we discover reasons which render the observance of a precept necessary for promoting some important purpose, our obligations to adhere to it appear in a clearer light. These reasons are obvious and undeni able. The institution of the sabbath, and the services to which it is devoted, are calculated to promote the glory of God, and the welfare of men; and therefore whatever can be proved to have this tendency, is obligatory on us to perform. It will readily be allowed, that we are bound to worship and glorify God; acknowledging our dependence on him for life, and breath, and all things. The light of nature taught the heathen to erect altars and temples for honouring their deities, and they convened together for offering up their common devotions. The sacred scriptures teach us also, that "God is glorified in the assemblies of his saints, and honoured by those who draw near unto him." Is it not our duty therefore to pay him that homage which is due unto his name, and assemble together, to express in common our reverence and adoration to our common Creator? Is it not right to worship and bow down, to kneel before the Lord our Maker in one assembly; that by the united effusions of pious exclamations, we may heighten that glory which is so just a tribute from us his dependent creatures?

If the union of many tends to accomplish any purpose better than the single effort of one individual; in like manner the collection of a number of pious people to celebrate the divine praises, and supplicate the divine favour, is a

more solemn and appropriate mode of glorifying God, than the separate worship of every individual. If therefore we regard it as our duty to advance the glory of God; if we acknowledge that he is worthy of all honour, dominion, and praise; and if he hath enjoined that by all the people he will be glorified; we should consider social worship in the congregation of his saints, as an obligation of primary importance; by which we avouch the Lord to be our God, and that we are his people and the workmanship of his hands.

But God does not require us to engage in social worship so much to glorify himself, as to promote our own advantage. He knows how much we stand in need of every means to impress us with a sense of religion, and how much we want to be reminded of our duty; and therefore hath appointed the public services of the church, to serve as constant remembrancers of those religious and moral obligations incumbent on us as men and Christians. By them we may increase our devotional feelings, by them we may advance in useful knowledge; by them we may improve in the Christian character, and by them be prepared for the kingdom of heaven. And is it not our duty to avail ourselves of such useful aids in working out our salvation? Shall we be regardless, whether we attain these ornaments of our nature, or neglect them; whether we arrive at glory or come short of it? Surely not. sure, however, as the possession of knowledge, piety, and virtue, are necessary to render us meet for serving God here and enjoying him hereafter; so sure is it that the assembling of ourselves together to acquire a relish for spiritual exercises, and impressing our minds with religious sentiments is necessary, as the outward and ordinary means of promoting our edification and growth in grace. If therefore we would secure the better part which shall never be taken away from us, if we would employ the instruments which God hath ordained for saving them that believe; let us consider attendance on the public ordinances of Christianity as an indispensible obligation, which we dare not violate but at our utmost peril.

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Another consideration which should have no small