members of one famliy go and spend the day with their friends, as they would any afternoon in the week. Surely, none calling themselves Christians, and acknowledging that we have a Christian Sabbath at all, can approve of such a manner of spending the day. Nor is allusion made to visits to the sick, put off from day to day, that they may be paid without loss of time on the Sabbath, crowding the room of the patient, and instead of conferring a kindness, often inflicting an injury of many days' continuance.

The custom to which I refer is different in character from both of these, but perhaps not less hurtful. It is the connecting of visits with an attendance upon public worship. I should be exceedingly sorry to wound the feelings of any one, whose age, or distance from meeting, may render it difficult both to go and return home the same day, without rest or refreshment. The duty of such is to accept of the kindness of their friends, either on Saturday night or after sermon on the Sabbath. Religion requires us to afford such entertainment to those who labour under disadvantages that do not lie upon us. But is it not very common for Christian families to form their plan for visiting their friends, not during the week, but on Saturday evening, to accompany them to meeting in the morning; or to go with them from public worship and spend the afternoon in their family? How many such visits are made profitable? In whose family does not the conversation become worldly and of little worth? In what visiting circle are the nature of religion, and the experience of the heart, the subjects upon which all unite profitably to pass the time? The difficulty with us all, of answering such questions without confusion, ought to lead us to ask, Is there not something wrong in such visits? When we engage in them, we are from our families. But home is our place on the Sabbath. We put ourselves in the way of temptation, before which, repeated trials have shown that we must fall. The family that receives the visit is deprived of as much of the Sabbath as we spend with them; for a cold family dinner, such as best adorns the Sabbath, is altogether out of character when our friends become guests; and to spend much time in reading even the Bible, while visitants are sitting by, would be thought strange indeed. The various conversation, the communicating and receiving of neighbourhood intelligence, leaves the minds neither of those who pay, nor of those who receive the visit, in a state properly to spend the remaining part of the Sabbath. While, therefore, it is easy to make

what we esteem duty a burden, and we may hastily lay down rules which a few weeks will show us are no aid in religion, but a Pharisaical hinderance, yet, between this and the opposite extreme, of making the Sabbath a day of sociability and feasting, there is a wide field. The difficulty of determining upon duty, lies in this ;-Sunday visits are not wholly wrong; some of them are right; it would be sin not to visit the sick and dying. How then shall we determine when it is right, and when wrong, to visit on the Sabbath? What rule can we lay down? General rules are of little worth; each case has something peculiar in it, so that the mere letter of a law may be set aside. But let an enlightened conscience, governed by the fear of God, direct us. We are not to ask, What is fashionable? Do not many Christian families pay social visits on the Sabbath? Will it be considered inconsistent with my profession of religion to spend a few hours from home, or only twenty minutes with my friends at the next door?-Rather ask, Is it right? Shall I gain spiritual strength by doing so? Will my example be happy in its influence upon my children and others? Is this the way, that, above all, I would recommend to persons seriously asking, How may I most profitably spend the Sabbath day?

III. In order profitably to pass the Sabbath at home, we must imbibe and cherish the impression that it is a holy day.

It is in vain to form resolutions, until conscience be set about her work. Our promises will last only until some worldly enjoyment bribes us silently to set them aside. Public sentiment is of little weight in favour of the profitable observance of the Sabbath; because it is of every possible shade. This holy day may be spent almost as we please; the laws of the land, to save it from profanation, being, as in all times past, a dead letter; prevailing custom allowing of almost every kind of recreation, if not of labour. Each denomination of those calling themselves Christians, having their own views and claiming the indulgence of their own practice. While some are more strict, others will hardly admit that the Sabbath is more sacred than any other day. Spend the time as you please, you will be in character: you will be sustained. You may search the Scriptures, and engage with your family in pious conversation, and no one has a right to murmur. You may spend the day in idleness and sleep, or in conversation about worldly business: the professional man may arrange the papers and books of his office, ready against Monday morning; we may wander over the

fields, or visit our next door neighbours, or ride out in the afternoon, and who dare seriously complain?

A store keeper may post his books; another may load his wagon for market; a printer may set his types; young people may spend the day in reading novels; I may go into my study and work problems in navigation, or for literary improvement, read Latin and Greek in heathen authors, and we shall none of us be disturbed; we may quietly pursue our respective courses the year round. Spend the time as we may, we are still in character, and will be sustained by the popular voice. Besides, that influence which is derived from the regard we have for what others think or say of us, will not control us in the bosom of our own families. We are there withdrawn from public view. The more retired we are, the more independent we feel, of either the approbation or ridicule of others. Though a regard for the character of our families may influence us, in some considerable degree, to sanctify the Sabbath, while there is no inducement to the contrary; yet when we most need it, such help fails us. as respecters of religion, nor the the honour and happiness of our to overcome strong temptation.

Neither our own reputation, influence we might exert for families, will be sufficient

But let the mind once come under the control of the belief, that the Sabbath is the Lord's, and that it is to be observed in holy rest all the day, and we have advanced farther in the sanctification of the Sabbath, than if we had matured a score of rules, and solemnly bound ourselves to keep them every one.

Do we find it difficult to rise as early on that day as during the week, that with the morning we may commence our duties? Let conscience speak, and we shall wake early. Let our love to God, and his service, only be as strong as our attachment to the things of the world, and no more of the Sabbath will be wasted in slumber, than of Monday morning. Men who labour through the week, contend for this indulgence; that they are wearied and need rest: besides, that the Sabbath is given for rest. But, no reader of the Bible can say, that it is the rest of indolence and spiritual inactivity. The worship of God does not commonly demand the labours and exercise of the body; the mind only is called into healthful action; and this is also refreshing to the body. In answer to the plea, that being worn down with the cares of the week, and its toils, we may, consistently with duty, lie later on Sabbath morning than any other, it may be asked, Have we a right to expend our strength during the week, so as to unfit us for the duties of the Sabbath when they arrive? If we found ourselves disinclined early to seek

the Lord, last Sabbath, are we not bound to guard against such languor, when this holy day shall again dawn? Is not duty plain, that we ought to relax our labours on Saturday, that we may not lose the most precious hours of the Lord's day? Were ◄we our own, we might exercise our pleasure. But we are not. Man's chief end is, to glorify God, and enjoy him, in this world, as well as hereafter. Suppose you hire a man, to labour for you-you have a right to all his time; but you give him five days in the week for his own employment on condition that he will devote himself wholly to your work on the sixth. Has this man a right, so to arrange his business, and expend his strength, during the five days he labours for himself, that when the sixth day arrives, he cannot rise until late, nor commence his work until the morning be nearly past?

Again, there are many things about which we perhaps have no difficulty, as respects ourselves; we may perform them or not, on the Sabbath, without injury. But the influence we may exert upon others, is with every conscientious man a serious consideration. In cases of difficulty, how shall we determine what is right? Not by expediency, or custom, or inclination, or a spirit of independence. These cannot be safely trusted. Let us call to mind, that the Sabbath is the Lord's; and that we are bound to glorify him, both in our conduct and our influence; and we shall not probably find much difficulty in deciding at once, what it is our duty to do. The same rule will also apply to cases of doubt, in respect to ourselves. Our reputation, or interest, or feelings give us their counsel, while other considerations may be placed over against these. Neither the one nor the other affords us any certain aid in determining upon what is our duty. But if the fear of God rule in our hearts, and his holy day be very precious to us, and its honour dear, the question, before so perplexing, becomes a very plain one. What must I do, in the observance of the Sabbath, to promote the glory of God? If we will allow conscience to speak, her voice may be heard; if we attend to her admonitions, guided by the light of Scripture, we shall not commonly, we shall not often, be left in doubt what is duty. For example, you may feel much wearied with the exercises, public and private, of the morning; and the recreation of a walk for half an hour in the afternoon, would be very refreshing to your exhausted system. But there are considerations to be weighed against this. As to profit in the street, or upon the frequented road, that is out of the question. Equally vain would be the attempt to keep the thoughts from wandering upon all that tempts the eye

and ear. And then the effect that may result to others, must be taken into the account, and the light in which your conduct will be viewed, as connected with the sanctification of the Sabbath.

The question is now easily decided, because duty appears plain. A great advantage also, attending this manner of solving difficulties is, that the decision is final; there remains no cavilling, when the determination is once made, in the fear of God. If you wish to keep the Sabbath profitably, and with enjoyment to yourself and family, labour to attain to, and cultivate the impression, that it is the Lord's day, and, therefore, to be kept holy.

IV. Attendance, as far as practicable upon the public duties of religion, contributes much to the profitable observance of the Sabbath at home.

The language of Scripture would lead us to this. "Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, and holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings." Lev. xxiii. 3. The Sabbath at home is well united with the holy convocation of the people of God, in the public ordinances of religion. If we consult the history of the Church, we shall find this to have been the opinion of the pious in every age. The Jewish nation, Christians in the time of the apostles, and the professing people of God in all countries since their day, have weekly assembled themselves together.

Public worship promotes the observance of the Sabbath at home, by affording that instruction which is necessary to the proper performance of our duty. Though comparatively little time is spent on the Sabbath, in teaching publicly the doctrines of religion, and the duties that flow from them, yet there will be found a very great difference in the views of those who regularly hear the gospel, and of such as never enter a worshipping assembly. This does not wholly arise from the public instructions of the Sabbath,-those who hear the gospel are constrained to search for themselves, and to use other means to learn the duty which God requires of man. Among other things, they will soon learn that the Sabbath is to be sanctified, by a holy resting all the day, and that if they mean to do what is right, they must perform this duty also.

But we may come to a knowledge of our duty, and yet have no inclination to do what is required. We need to be exhorted and encouraged. This is enjoined upon those who preach the gospel. They are commanded, not only to reprove and rebuke, but also to exhort; to help such as are