As we ought to watch our tongues every d cially on the Lord's day; for on this day we "speak our own words,” Isa. Iviii. 13. Not o this day abstain from lying, swearing, reproa biting, &c. but also from all idle words, yea, discourse as is unsuitable to the work of this d might be lawful on other days. The hearts of very much known by their Sabbath-day's di "out of the abundance of the heart the mout We guess by people's language what country to. Is thy speech vain and worldly upon the It is a shrewd sign of a carnal unrenewed hea art a Galilean, thy speech betrayeth thee." | holy day, and he will have it sanctified by our and by our words as well as our actions: Set this day before your mouth, and keep the door and strive to season your speech with grad may profane the Sabbath by your words as wel works, and by vain as well as by vile words. cause have we to lament the profanation of the vain and idle discourses, which is so common a Christ should join himself to many this day, in to and going from the church, as he did the t going to Emmaus on this day, Luke xxiv. 15. "What manner of communications are these have one with another ?" might not this questi speechless, and make us blush? Who can tell w is by many people's discourses? Jests, stories a are as common with them this day as any oth Plato's proposal, "That men's speeches at the and tables should be written." If this were p the Sabbath, would it not put many to shame, t their words before them? But though men do them, yet, remember, God doeth it, especially day, which he hath so much honoured. He has remembrance to write down all that men say, what they do, Mal. iii. 16. See what he saith, M that scripture may cause us all to tremble, and t our words while we have a day to live; "I say that every idle word that men shall speak, they account thereof at the day of judgment.

0

bath, besides on other days! And if they must account for idle words, how much more for ill and sinful words, for base lies, and bloody oaths? O the tongue is a world of iniquity? How shall we answer for it at God's bar, without timeous repentance, and fleeing to Christ for mercy? If you would have your tongues renewed, and to become as choice silver, to speak the language of Canaan on the Lord's day, then see to get sanctified hearts: Cleanse the fountain, that the streams may run clear; "wash your heart from wickedness, and let not vain thoughts lodge within you," Jer. iv. 14. Shut out vain thoughts, as well as vile thoughts: And, if they break in upon you this day. do as the ravished virgin under the law, cry out to God for help, and you shall not be held guilty.

Secondly, There are sins in action, whereby the Sabbath is frequently profaned by many.

1. Many encroach upon the Lord's holy day, and profane it by worldly diversions and recreations, and by seeking their pleasures in the fields, which I have handled already at some length. Others profane this holy day by making it a day of idleness, or a visiting day among their friends and neighbours: Others by making it a reckoning day with workmen and servants: And many profane it by doing unnecessary servile work in and about their houses, which might either be done on the Saturday before, or delayed till Monday thereafter; such as the gathering peas, shearing of grass, cutting and shearing of kail, fetching in water, sweeping the house, drying of clothes, brewing of ale, and the like. These things not being works of necessity or mercy, but our own works, done for our worldly profit, or to indulge our carnal ease or pleasure, are certainly unlawful on the Sabbath, according to Isa. lviii. 13. yet, alas! how is the Lord's day profaned by these practices in some places of the land? Let ministers do and say what they will, still many will be stealing a part of God's day for their servile work; and it cannot but be heinous and provoking in the sight of God, being done against so much light and so manifold reproofs.

Object." Why do you exclaim so against us on this account? we do no harm to any; we thank God we are not thieves, extortioners, drunkards," &c.

Ans. Nay, you are thieves, for you rob God, and steal from him that which is his proper right, for "the seventh day is the Lord's." You would be ashamed to be found stealing any of your neighbour's goods, and think you no shame to be found robbing God of his holy day? Is not sacrilege the worst kind of theft, stealing from God worse than stealing from man, the sins against the first table greater than the sins against the second table? Besides, they that begin thus to steal from God, may, ere all be done, come to steal from men too; for false to God, true to no man. Many a thief at the gibbet hath confessed, that he began his loose life and stealing, with breaking of the Sabbath day; that this was his leading sin, and the occasion of all the rest.

Object. "We are not singular, we do but what our neighbours and others about us do."

Ans. You ought to be singular, and do more for God and your souls than others, if you would "enter in at the strait gate." God forbids you to "follow a multitude to do evil," Exod. xxiii. 2. The commonness of a sin doth not extenuate but aggravate it in the sight of God; for, the more com. mon it be, it hath the louder cry in his ears for vengeance. God hath common plagues for common sins in this world, and a common hell for common sinners in the world to come. Think not that your association with others will anywise alleviate your torments in that lake below; nay, it will rather heighten them for the more faggots are thrown into a fire, it will burn the more vehemently.

Object." These things which we do are but little trifles, soon done, and do not hinder God's service on the Sabbath."

Ans. 1. Was not gathering a few sticks on the Sabbath as little? yet we see how highly God resented it. Think no sin small which is committed against an eternal God, and his holy law. There is more evil in the least sin, than all the angels in heaven, or ten thousand worlds, can expiate; and, if the guilt or punishment due to it were laid upon thee, it would make thee gnash thy teeth eternally, and curse the day that ever thou wast born: Nothing less than the death of the eternal Son of God can make atonement for the least sin. Believe it then, that lesser sins, if known and reserved, will carry thee to hell as surely as greater

sins; for, the less the sin be, the less temptation hast thou to commit it, and the less excuse for it. A small leak in a ship, kept open, will sink her, as well as a greater; a stab with a pen-knife will kill a man as well as a sword. If thou allowest Satan but the smallest grip of thy soul, he will pull thee to hell by it, even as a butcher can drag a beast to the shambles by one foot, as well as when bound by all four: And, if Satan get thee to hell, he doth not much care by what sins thou goest thither, whether small or great.

2. God hath framed all his commands in infinite wisdom, and he best knows what is consistent with his own worship, and what is most for his own glory. It is presumption in any man to say, that this or that piece of our work on the Sabbath will be no hindrance to the service of God, seeing he himself hath said, "In it thou shalt do no manner of work." The Israelites must not gather manna this day, Exod. xvi. O might some have said, “ Why? it will not hinder God's service; we gather it early in the morning, and so we will be at God's worship in time enough, and have all the rest of the day to serve him: Again, we need not travel for it; it lies round about the camp, and near our very doors; it will be no great labour: and besides, we may have good thoughts in time of doing it." No, you must not be wiser than God; he hath set apart this day for his own use, and you must not cut and carve upon it.

In like manner, some excuse their walking or travelling upon the Lord's day: "O (say they) we can employ our thoughts profitably by the way." But, though you could do it, pray, can you undertake that your example shall have no ill effect upon others who are looking on you? What think you of that awful word, Matt. v. 19. "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so (that is, shall make others break it by what he doth or saith) he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven ?"

3. Vanity and gaudiness of apparel is opposite to the sanctification of the Sabbath. Some dress up themselves this day in such vain attire, and indecent fashions, as tend to draw the eyes of others to gaze upon them, and so their

Y

hearts to wander from God and his worship. Think what guilt you hereby draw upon yourselves, of the sins of others as well as your own. The practices of some heathens may put many professed christians among us to the blush. Valerius Maximus tells of a heathen young man, named Sparina who was exceeding beautiful; but observing that many fixed their eyes on him, and fearing the consequences of it, he disfigured his face, lest his beauty should prove a snare to others. May not this heathen condemn such, who are so far from disfiguring themselves, lest they should prove a temptation to others, that they disfigure their faces by painting and patching, to seem more beautiful than God has made them, without fearing whatever the consequences of it may prove. Is not this a showing a dislike of God's workmanship, and a desire to mend it? Jezebel was infamous for this art, and no sober woman should desire to follow her fashion. A Christian should be so far from being proud or vain of his apparel, that the sight of his garments should humble him, and keep him in mind how he came to need them; Was it not sin that stript man of his glory, covered him with shame, and put him to seek clothes to hide it? Would it not be distraction in a malefactor to pride himself in a stigma which he had got for a foul crime! Consider also the garments you are proud of, what they are? The beasts have the same naturally to cover them, and will you be proud of a beast's covering? It was the saying of a heathen to a vain gallant, "Why art thou proud of that which a sheep wore before thee ?" Or, what though they be finer than wool! yet their original is no better, but rather worse: What are velvets, silks and satins, but the excrements of a vile worm ? and is that a matter to be vain of? Remember, that ere long God will cause thee to wear another suit thou wilt have small reason to be proud of; he will even clothe thee with worms and putrefaction. May not the thoughts hereof keep you humble, and teach you to come to the church gravely and decently apparelled? especially since you come into the presence of that God who resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

4. The institution of holidays is an encroachment upon the fourth command, and opposite to the sanctification of the Sabbath, which is the only day now appointed to be kept holy to God. What is it, but an usurping of Christ's