and private, as being the christian Sabbath: to which end it is requisite that there be an holy cessation, or resting all the day, from all unnecessary labours; and not only an abstaining from all sports and pastimes, but also from all worldly words and thoughts.That the diet of that day be so ordered, as that neither servants be unnecessarily detained from the public worship of God, or any other persons hindered from the sanctifying of that day. That there be private preparation of every person or family, by prayer for themselves, and for God's assistance of the minister; and by such other holy exercises, as may farther dispose them to a more comfortable communion with God in his public ordinances.

That all the people meet so timely for public worship, that the whole congregation be present at the beginning; and, with one heart, solemnly join together in all the parts of publie worship; and not depart till after the blessing.

That what time is vacant between or after the solemn meeting of the congregation, in public, be spent in reading, meditation, repetition of sermons; especially by calling their families to an account of what they have heard ; and catechising them; holy conferences, singing of psalms, visiting the sick, relieving the poor; and such like duties of piety, charity, and mercy; accounting the Sabbath a delight."

Second, Acts of Parliament still in Force. -It is enacted-For enforcing religious practices; "That all and every person and persons

whatsoever, shall, on every Lord's day, apply themselves to the observance of the same; by exercising themselves thereon, in the duties of piety and true religion, publicly and privately.” -Against sports and pastimes; "That there shall be no meetings, assemblies, or concourse of people, on the Lord's day, for any sports or pastimes whatsoever. Every person or persons offending in the premises, shall forfeit three shillings and four-pence for such offence; or be set in the stocks for the space of three hours." -Against ordinary labour; "That no tradesman, artificer, workman, labourer, or other person whatsoever; shall do, or exercise any worldly labour, business, or work of their ordinary callings, upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof; (works of necessity and charity only excepted;) and that every person, being of the age of fourteen or upwards, offending in the premises, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five shillings."-Against sales "That no person or persons whatsoever, shall publicly cry, shew forth, or expose to sale, any wares, merchandise, fruit, herbs, goods or chattels whatsoever, upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof; under pain that every person, so offending, shall forfeit the same goods, so cried, or shewed forth, or exposed to sale: (excepting milk, which may be cried and sold before nine o'clock in the morning, or after four, in the afternoon."-Against travelling by land; "That no drover, horse-courser, waggoner, butcher, higgler; their, or any of their servants,

shall travel, or come into his or their inn or lodging, upon the Lord's day, or any part thereof; upon pain that each and every such offender, shall forfeit twenty shillings for every such offence."Against travelling by water; "That no person or persons shall use, employ, or travel upon the Lord's day; with any boat, wherry, lighter, or barge: except it be upon extraordinary occasions, to be allowed by some justice of the peace; upon pain that every person, so offending, shall forfeit and lose the sum of five shillings, &c."

Third, The Advice of Baxter." Spend the Lord's day but according to the common principles of christianity and reason, and it shall suffice. Spend it as one that loveth God better than any thing in the world; and that taketh more pleasure in him than in sin and vanity. Spend it but as the necessities of thy own soul, and thy family's require; as one that is glad of so honourable, gainful, and delightful employment, as the public and private worship of God, and the serious contemplation of the life to come; as one that knows the need and benefit of stated times for the worship of God; (and what would become of religion if the time were left to each one's will?) Spend it as men that put a just difference, between the common business of this world, and the things that concern our endless state; and that have considered the proportion of one day in seven, in reference to this different consequence of the work. Spend it as men that have lost so much

time as you have done, and who have need to make the best of the little that is left; and that are behind hand in the matters of your salvation; and that have need to work with all your might, and who should be gladder of the helps of such a day, than of thousands of gold and silver. Spend it as those who believe they owe God as much as the Jews did. Spend it as the antient christians spent it; that were wont to stay together almost from morning till night, in public worship and communion."

Finally, Spend it, we add, as the laws of your country and your God require you. Spend it as a day for which you must be more particularly accountable to your judge, at his grand tribunal. Spend it, in the strength of God, as the chief time to ward off present and future misery and to ensure temporal and eternal happiness. As the season on which your everlasting destiny more especially depends; and it shall suffice: we will ask no more; we will applaud your conduct; we will say, "Go on, go on, that is well done, blessed is that servant, whom, when his Lord cometh, he shall find so doing!"

LECTURE III.

THE PROFANATION OF THE LORD'S DAY, BY THE NATION IN GENERAL, AND BY INDIVIDUALS IN PARTICULAR.

WE enter on the subject, designed for our present consideration, with no small degree of reluctance; and gladly would we have transferred it to some one, whose superior judgment would have handled it better, or whose venerable age might have given a pathos to every sentence that he uttered: but having put our hand to the plough, we dare not look back till our work be accomplished. We have, then, the very unpleasant task of charging our congregation, our neighbours, and our nation in general, with egregious breaches of the Lord's day. We have to expose those traits of immorality, which stain some of your characters, and render your christianity doubtful; to reprove that practice, which we have observed with pain, and contemplated even with tears. We have to bring our remarks to bear on the conduct of our neighbours, whose profligacy