LECTURE V.

THE NON-ADVANTAGE AND EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF SABBATH-BREAKING.

THERE are few people so excessively depraved, as not some times to adopt the language of scripture, and to say, "Woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given him." The unbeliever, in the height of his merriment, or when attacked by the advocates of truth, may affect a disbelief of present and future retribution; yet in the hour of solitude, when conscience will be heard, and when truth rushes into view; he sighs and rather wishes than believes, the doctrine he openly advocates. He has a law written in his heart, which, in opposition to all his endeavours, will solemnly arraign him before the bar of a severe internal judge; a judge who extorts a confession, which few but himself is suffered to hear.Indeed, it would be difficult to find a man so much lost to religion, reason, and common sense, as to affirm it to be his serious and settled opinion, That any one was better, even in this life, for breaking the commands of God,

It is true, when you see the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, you may foolishly conclude, That the ungodly have the advantage, and that pious people enjoy not the promise of the present life. The sorrows of the contrite may encourage the ungodly; and the glee of the sinner may stagger the saint. But a moment's consideration would correct the judgment of both. The sinner might have been happy, had he been a saint; and the saint might have been miserable, had he been a sinner. So that no bad man can reasonably say, his follies and vices make him better; nor a good man, that his principles and piety make him worse. Vital godliness, in itself, can make no man unhappy; it is full

of

peace: nor unsuccessful; it is a guide to eminence. And wickedness, in itself, can make no man happy; it is pregnant with horror: nor successful; it is a very high road to ruin. To assert otherwise, would be affirming that a righteous and benevolent God has established a religion upon earth, dishonourable to himself, and injurious to the people for whom he designed it. An idea contrary to scripture, reason, and experience; and sufficiently monstrous to startle and astonish all but the stupid and blind. With these general remarks we shall enter on the subject before us; namelyIII. The Non-advantage, and Evil Consequences of Sabbath-Breaking.

FIRST; The Non-advantage of Sabbathbreaking: wherein we shall endeavour to prove,

That nothing radically good or considerably advantageous can be obtained either by the nation at large, or by any individual in particular, through any mode of violating the Sabbath day. And—

(1.) In Reference to the Nation.-Here we may lay down, as an infallible maxim, the sentiment of that celebrated statesman, Mr. Fox: "That which is morally wrong can never be politically right." The pure principles of the christian religion are so consonant, and so closely connected, with the well organization, the lasting comfort, and the advancing glory, of a country; that the violation of the former, is a sure presage of the latter's destruction; and the disregard of evangelical rules, a certain excision of almost every thing that adorns society and prospers a nation. If there is an order in providence; if there is a jealous God that regardeth human conduct; if there is a superior being, who will reward virtue and recompense iniquity; that national proceeding which militates against the genius of the gospel, will not, can not, be for the advancement of any people whatsoever it is so repugnant to common sense, and so contrary to the revelation of God, that we cannot for a moment admit it as a truth.The temporal blessings promised to the children of Israel, were to be realized only by their sincere and constant regard to the equitable rules of God's moral government. And, to

a. Deut. xi. 27. Josh. v. 6.

bring this sentiment to bear on the doctrine under consideration, we learn that the prosperity of the Jewish nation almost entirely depended on their keeping holy the Sabbath of the Lord.b If, then, God is the same now as formerly; if he regards the christian Sabbath, as much as he did the jewish; which none but the ignorant will doubt; we may very reasonably infer, That the prosperity of our land depends more on the sanctification of the Lord's day, than upon the bravery of our soldiers, the wisdom of our rulers, the extent of our territories, or the richness of our mercantile traffic.

For the truth of the doctrine we maintain, we can appeal to the reason and common sense of mankind. Let the "Nobles" of Britain say, what national advantage can possibly arise from any mode of breaking the christian Sabbath. Is our land more honourable and flourishing; is our government more sound in its constitution; are our senators more wise, our warriors more brave, our arts more refined, our commerce more beneficial; are our peasantry more industrious; our fields more fertile, or our flocks more productive; does providence smile more upon us, and are our efforts crowned with greater success; because we violate the Lord's day at any time, or in any form whatsoever? Is there any extra ease obtained by any rank in society; are we furnished with more of the necessaries or luxuries of life, or is there any real or lasting good obtained in

b Jeremiah xvii. 19-27.)

any way, or by any part of our country, through the profanation of the Sabbath? Assuredly, to these enquiries every virtuous noble, and every pious and sensible person, throughout all the gradations of society, would promptly answer in the negative. If, then, vice is not temporally advantageous; or, if virtue be as beneficial as its opposite principles; certainly every one should prefer walking in the (alas! unbeaten) paths of virtue. And, if these sentiments are correct, why is there not an immediate suppression of every evil of this nature, which it becomes the civil arm to suppress?

But, it is to be feared that many of our countrymen and magistrates, labour under the mistaken idea, that certain modes of Sabbathbreaking are, in some way or other, productive of considerable good to the nation. Let us, then, descend to particulars; and see whether their judgment or ours be more agreeable, not only with christian principles, but also with sterling sense and consistent policy. And, we apprehend, that the following brief statements will be found in general correct; and will prove all that is incumbent on us at present; which is to shew you, That no considerable pecu niary advantage can by any means arise to our country, through the sufferance of any of those moral evils that we recently enumerated.

Now, let us ever recollect, when we speak of a well organized kingdom, such as our own, that it forms, as it were, a perfect body of