feated by diverfity of opinions and practice. In a matter of fo much moment to the order of fociety, good morals and the cause of piety, the wisdom and authority of God have fo enjoined, that all mankind may, with united heart and voice, pay him their homage at the fame time, without interruption from one another. We have to acknowledge with gratitude, that God hath decided the question refpecting the day to be observed as facred, the determination of which was clearly called for, both by the outward and fpiritual exigences of man.

The obfervation of this day fupports family and civil order, by impreffing a folemn fenfe of God, morality and future retributions. The state of people who dif regard this day, who keep up no public worship, is a ftate of brutal ignorance of God and very general violation of moral duties. Slavish fear, the most base and infecure of all principles, may, to a certain degree, compel fubmiffion to family or civil government. But the true, and only effectual principle of all juft respect to earthly fuperiours is, the fear of God. Now where would this fear be, were his day and religious folemnities abolished? Thefe are of great ufe, in forming young minds to the knowledge and remembrance of their Creator and Redeemer, and a becoming refpect to human authority. Heads of families, while they honour God and his inftitutions, may affuredly hope that he will incline the members of their household to give them reverence, obferve their own place, and fulfil their part in every thing pertaining to the order, cares, comfort and reputation of the family. Such a demeanour, in these nurseries of the church and state, has the happiest aspect on both. See peace within their walls, and profperity within their palaces. Such order and union are as the dew that defcended upon the mountains of Zion. There the Lord commanded the bleffing. But what is the state of society, where the house of God lies wafte? or none is to be feen? where the Lord's

day is profaned by feftivity and amusements? Behold the forgetfulness, the denial of God. Behold ftrife, confufion, and every evil work. We appeal to any obferver of the ftate of fociety in different places, which has the advantage with respect to virtue and focial happiness-that where the Lord's day and worship are observed; or that where the day is spent in diffipation.

If the observation of the Lord's day consists in recollection and contemplation, in imparting and receiving religious inftruction, in reading and hearing the things of the kingdom, in meditation and prayer, and attendance on ordinances-then all these are means of divine appointment, intimately connected, and mutual aids to each other. Is not a religious obferver of the Sabbath more excellent than his neighbour who profanes it?-better in the conjugal relation? a better parent and master, child and fervant? a better neighbour and friend? a better ruler and citizen?

Let us blefs the Proprietor of our time for feparating one day in seven from other days, for his glory and our chief good. We are highly privileged above those who wander from place to place, to feek the word of the Lord, but cannot find it. Valuing this day as we ought, it is an earnest of that world, where the worship hath no intermiffion nor langour. "He who fitteth on the "throne dwelleth among them." They are all arrayed in white robes-robes made white in the blood of the Lamb. He "feedeth them, and leadeth them unto "living fountains of water. They hunger and thirst "no more." Are thofe prepared for the worship of the church above, who are feldom feen in the affembly of Chriftian worshippers on earth? who account the Sabbath a weariness, and wifh it gone? who practically declare that the Lord of our time, talents and enjoyments has not a claim to the day which he hath fet apart for himfelf?

We may not call that day common, which, by the practice of the Chriftian church, under the immediate

guidance of the Holy Ghoft, was feparated from other days, as a folemn, public memorial of the risen and glorified Redeemer-which he honoured as the day of beftowing the gifts of the Spirit-on which three thousand converts were made by one fermon; and which, in all fucceeding ages, he hath delighted to honor, by fending his ambaffadors to befeech men, in his ftead, to be reconciled to God. In virtue of his promise to be with them to the end of the world, his word in their mouth hath profpered in the thing to which he fent it. Let us not call that day common, which is an appointed mean of training us up for the reft that remaineth to the people of God. If the house of God is the gate of heaven, let it not be defpifed. "The Lord "loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings "of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O "city of God.. Of Zion it fhall be faid, This and

that man was born in her; and the Highest himself "fhall establish her. I will abundantly blefs her pro"vision, and satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe "her priests with falvation; and her faints shall shout "aloud for joy."

It is the character of an hypocrite to place confidence in the external obfervation of the Lord's day and ordinances of divine fervice: But to have no occafion for external rites of worship is the exclufive privilege of angels and juft men made perfect. An habitual heavenly walk through the week will fit us for the religious obfervation of the Lord's day: It will help to fix our attention, and elevate our thoughts and our hearts in the affembly of the faints. The good impreffions made by the religious exercises of this day continuing through the week, we fhall renew our ftrength, with our faces toward heaven. Our houses and our bodies will be the temple of the living God. All employments and events will minifter to the great purpose of a meetness for that ftate, where we fhall reft from the labours, forrows and temptations, the

fhort and languid worship, of earth, and mingle in the worship and joy of an eternal Sabbath.

The obfervation of the Lord's day, from the afcenfion of the Saviour till now, is a diftinguishing proof of the truth of his religion. The first Christians, educated in Judaifm, had a strong attachment to the Jewish fabbath, the memorial of the redemption of their ancestors from Egyptian flavery. What could perfuade them to drop a memorial which had been kept up from the commencement of their theocracy? Had the first day of the week been fet apart by human wisdom, it could not have univerfally obtained, and been perpetuated in the church. Would the Chrif tians have kept up their affemblies on this day at every hazard, had they not been univerfally convinced, that fuch was the command of their common Lord? Would they have been thus convinced, had not the Holy Ghoft fent down from heaven thus affured them? There is furely fomething more than human in the defignation and stated obfervance of this day for religious folemnities. Had the Author of our religion been an impoftor, let any man fhew that, in the circumftances of the gofpel and its first disciples, fuch a memorial of him could have been fet up and upheld in the world. The foes and perfecutors of the Chriftians bear witness to thefr zeal and conftancy in obferving this day-that all endeavours to fupprefs and prevent their affembling upon it were vain. If not fuffered to meet openly, they would fecretly. If they might not affemble by day, they did by night. Their foes and perfecutors further teftify, that they manifefted no wish to disturb civil government; but were of peaceable and exemplary deportment-diftinguished for love and good works-that their profeffion was the only ground of complaint against them-They believed that Jefus, who was crucified, rofe from the dead, and was afcended to heaven; and met to celebrate their triumphant Saviour, to pray, and fing, and hear, and to attend his ordinances. Their foes and

perfecutors go yet further, and testify to the wonders and mighty deeds performed by them in his name. Had this counsel been of men, it must have been overthrown. We therefore affuredly infer, from the obfervation of the Chriftian Sabbath and the folemnities of it, that Chriftianity is from heaven.

We infer further, that this day and its folemnities are principal means of the prefervation and promulgation of the Chriftian religion. In the tenth chapter of the epiftle to the Hebrews, v. 23,-26; 29, the religious affemblies of Chriftians are enforced as powerful incentives to the virtues of the Christian profeffion, and to ftedfastness in it. "Let us hold faft our "profeffion, and confider one another to provoke un"to love and good works." These are included in holding faft our profeffion. Chriftians are known by their love to one another and the fruits of it. They are" one body in Chrift, and members one of ano"ther. Faith worketh by love. Believers are care"ful to maintain good works, and ftir up one another "to" them. They" fhine as lights in the world," while they "ftand faft in one fpirit, with one mind, "ftriving together for the faith of the gofpel. By "their good works which men behold, they put to "filence the ignorance of" the foes of Christianity.

Now in the paffage juft referred to, in the epistle to the Hebrews, the writer exhorts to the upholding of Christian affemblies as indifpenfibly requifite to firmnefs in the faith-an indifpenfible part of Chriftian love, effential to the good fruits of their profeffion. Yea, he mentions the forfaking of these affemblies as amounting to the denial of the faith, and the deftruction of charity. He calls it finning wilfully; that is, falling off from Chriftianity. The awful confequence of apoftacy is then stated. "He who defpifed Mofes' "law died without mercy. Of how much forer pun

ifhment, fuppofe ye, fhall he be thought worthy "who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and "hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith