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sanctified, but it is "the Sabbath-day." Every where and in every thing the day is to be kept holy; from the moment in which we open our eyes upon the light, to the moment in which they are again closed in slumber; and it will little avail us to have visited the house of God, if we carry not away with us the feelings of piety it had raised, into our families and our homes. Godly exercises and godly meditations must still be pursued after we have left this place, and we must retire from the church to commune with our own hearts, and in our chambers, and be still; to study the words and works of the Almighty, and muse upon the wonders of that Redemption which has been wrought for man. The Sabbath should be snatched from the world and given to the world's Maker.

5. Yet I would not shut up the social affections in gloomy austerity, or deaden the finer feelings of the heart by forbidding them to beam forth upon this sacred day. Gloominess is not holiness. The social affections are the gift of heaven, and I know of no gift of heaven which it was not intended that we should exercise, under proper restrictions, and when directed towards honest and legitimate objects. It is only requisite that on the Sabbath-day our feelings should be kept in due subordination under the influence of

piety. After having given to God and to devotion a due portion of our time and thoughts, we may then fearlessly enter the society of the good. I say the society of the good-for upon this day it is our more peculiar duty to banish from our tables and our homes every worker of iniquity. It is a day upon which we should have no fellowship whatever with the wicked or their wickedness, ... but rather reprove them" by our righteous deeds. But if, choosing our companions from among the virtuous, we let our conversation be devout, and honest, and open as the day; and our cheerfulness as pure as the innocence of an infant's thought, we need not fear that we shall forget the Sabbathday, or forget to keep it holy and I know of

no commandment which ordains that its holiness should be kept in solitude.

". I have drawn but a brief and feeble outline of the duties of the Sabbath. But they are many and important, and they are attended with this peculiar advantage, that they have a tendency to produce a general holiness of life. If for six days we were to wanton in all the varied forms of iniquity, and on the seventh alone to obey the wisdom of the just, its holiness were vain, and valueless indeed. But it is scarcely possible for a Sabbath which has been religiously kept, not to diffuse some little portion of seriousness over the

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rest of the week. Prayers devoutly offered, and instructions willingly received; are not wont to vanish away like a shadow and leave no trace of their existence behind. There is always some faint recollection, some conscientious yearnings after what has been done and heard; and a man who has been long sincerely accustomed to sanctify the Sabbath, by innocence, by devotion, and by holy converse with his family, will at length learn to do the same, in part at least, on every other day of the week. "To-morrow" (he will say, when tempted) is the day of my devotion to God and to his commandments. How then can I do this great wickedness to-day, and hope to be aided by the Spirit to perform the duties of that morrow?" Yesterday" (he will say again) "I did sincerely worship the Lord my God-how then can I do this great wickedness to-day, and sin against the Being whom I so lately adored?" Against reflections like these few temptations would avail; and to many Sabbaths, would be added many years of holiness. But, whether men do or do not remember the Sabbath-day, and whether they do or do not remember to keep it holy; one thing is sure, that without holiness we cannot see the Lord. When I say this, I do not allude to the vengeance of God excluding us from heaven and condemning us to hell. I would at any time rather remember his mercy. Neither

do I speak of "the blood of that covenant which we tread under foot" whenever we neglect its commands. I speak of the absolute impossibility of the thing. I speak of our utter unfitness without holiness to enter into the kingdom of God, or if we did enter in, to enjoy it. Therefore, "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy," and by its holiness to sanctify the rest of your life; knowing that there is one everlasting Sabbath in heaven, one eternal rest from labour unto holiness, which, if you are not holy here, you cannot and you will not be permitted to keep.

DISCOURSE XVII.

PART I.

LUKE chap. ii. ver. 2.

"And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."

SINCERITY is the soul of an effectual prayer, and when a good and pious man kneels down in unfeigned humility to ask the blessing of heaven, whether in his chamber or in the church, God will not be extreme to mark either his error or his ignorance in asking. There are other qualities which may recommend our piety both in the eyes of mortals and our Maker. There are other qualities which may give beauty to holiness, but it is sincerity which gives life, and spirit, and power to devotion. Take away sincerity, and the man of godliness dieth and turneth again to the original corruption of his nature. The breath of the