to fix divine truth in the memory. Every one must have observed, how much easier, and how much longer, he retains what is imprinted in this way, than what he finds in books. Religious conversation, then, should spontaneously grow out of every subject, to which our attention is called, upon the Sabbath. Let us avail ourselves of its enlivening and warming influence. Let it be familiar in our families. Let It fill up the intervals, which are not occupied by any of the duties already mentioned. Let it en gage our thoughts and affections, in going to and returning from public worship. It will prevent the intrusion of evil thoughts It will, by the blessing of God, make us wiser and better It will, if we are Christians indeed, make us happier for the time; and this holy communion will contribute not a little to prepare us for the high felicity of eternal converse with saints and angels in heaven. 7. The pious instruction of children, is a plain and important duty of the Sabbath. I regret, that I have room for little more than the bare mention of a subject so important. Children should be taught from their cra. dles, to esteem the Sabbath a dehight, the holy of the Lord honor. able. It is then, that parents are most at leisure, and that they should take particular pains to explain the use and importance of the Sabbath; that they should catechise their children and domestics; should require them to learn and repeat prayers, hymns, and portions of Scripture; should make them acquainted with the perfections of God, their own sinfulness, and the necessity of their being made new creatures. in Christ, to prepare them for that glorious Sabbath, in the world above, which will have no end. I might infer, from all that has been said in this and the preced. ing number, that social visits, on Saturday afternoon, are generally improper, because they tend rather to dissipate than compose the thoughts; that the reason why some Christians find so much occasion to lament their coldness and leanness, is, that they do not remember the Sab bath; and that so far from its being an idle day, it will be found, by those who pray and read the Scriptures, and spend as much time in other religious duties as they ought, a day not less occupied than any other in the week. But I must not enlarge, further than merely to suggest, how pleasantly and profitably the sacred hours must pass with those, who keep the Sabbath holy. What blessed communion must they enjoy with the adorable Trinity! What rapid proficiency must they make in the knowledge of the Scriptures, How fast must they grow in grace, and ripen for heaven. May such be the course, such the happiness of the writer, and of every reader. "In holy duties let the day In holy pleasures pass away, How sweet a Sabbath thus to spend la hope of oue that ne'er shall end." Z. X. Y. souls long for the house of the Lord, it is certain we shall not be detained from public worship by trifles. When any doubts arise, in regard to what is duty, let us look to God for direction. He giveth liberally and upbraid eth not. The excuse which some people make, for not attending public worship, that they have not decent clothes, is, I believe, in nine instances out of ten, invalid. This excuse is not unfrequently the offspring of pride. If those, who make it, had the ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit, they would be contented with and thankful for such apparel as they have. As for those, who are really destitute, it is certain, that most of them might clothe themselves decently to appear in the house of God; be cause many actually do so, with means quite as scanty, and laboring under embarrassments quite as great, as they possess. The cause of their alleged inability is to be found in their idleness, in their tavern-bills, or in the marks, that stand against the initials of their names, on the shelves and walls of dram-shops. To the question, What portion of holy time ought to be appropriated to public worship? no precise answer, perhaps, can be given. Generally, it has been found convenient to meet twice every Lord's day. In compliance with this arrangement, it is the duty of all, who are interested in it, to attend both services. Till we hear the pious members of our churches complain, that the practice interferes with other duties, it is worse than trifling for persons, who neglect other duties, to plead, that they have not time for this. If in some extensive and thinly settled parishes, it is found very inconvenient, during the cold season, to meet more than once on the Lord's day, the rule of duty is changed; and it is changed again, if, in cities and other compact settlements, it is found, that the interests of Christ's kingdom are promoted by three stated services. God has left this matter, as he has many other things, to be regulated by his people, according to circumstances. When, with a due regard to these, they decide upon meeting once, twice, or three times, on the Sabbath, it is the duty of all concerned, to acquiesce in the arrangement, and to honor it by a cheerful attendance. 6. Some part of the Lord's day may very profitably be spent in religious conversation. The advantages of such conversation are many; but I can only find room just to mention two or three. It brightens the intellect and warms the heart. Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Did the hearts of the two disciples burn' within them, when going to Emmaus? It was the conversation of Christ, which kindled their affections into a holy flame; and though no man ever spake like him, multitudes of Christians can testify, from their own experience, to the sweetness of religious conversation How often has it revived their languishing graces. How happily has it con tributed to clear up their doubts, and to urge them forward in the race set before them. Such conversation tends, also, more than almost any thing else, to fix divine truth in the memory. Every one must have observed, how much easier, and how much longer, he retains what is imprinted in this way, than what he finds in books. Religious conversation, then, should spontaneously grow out of every subject, to which our attention is called, upon the Sabbath. Let us avail ourselves of its enlivening and warming influence. Let it be familiar in our families. Let it fill up the intervals, which are not occupied by any of the duties already mentioned. Let it en gage our thoughts and affections, in going to and returning from public worship. It will prevent the intrusion of evil thoughts It will, by the blessing of God, make us wiser and better It will, if we are Christians indeed, make us happier for the time; and this holy communion will contribute not a little to prepare us for the high felicity of eternal converse with saints and angels in heaven. 7. The pious instruction of children, is a plain and important duty of the Sabbath. I regret, that I have room for little more than the bare mention of a subject so important. Children should be taught from their cradles, to esteem the Sabbath a dehight, the holy of the Lord honor. able. It is then, that parents are most at leisure, and that they should take particular pains to explain the use and importance of the Sabbath; that they should catechise their children and domestics; should require them to learn and repeat prayers, hymns, and portions of Scripture; shouid make them acquainted with the perfections of God, their own sinfulness, and the necessity of their being made new creatures. in Christ, to prepare them for that glorious Sabbath, in the world above, which will have no end. I might infer, from all that has been said in this and the preced. ing number, that social visits, on Saturday afternoon, are generally improper, because they tend rather to dissipate than compose the thoughts; that the reason why some Christians find so much occasion to lament their coldness and leanness, is, that they do not remember the Sab bath; and that so far from its being an idle day, it will be found, by those who pray and read the Scriptures, and spend as much time in other religious duties as they ought, a day not less occupied than any other in the week. But I must not enlarge, further than merely to suggest, how pleasantly and profitably the sacred hours must pass with those, who keep the Sabbath holy. What blessed communion must they enjoy with the adorable Trinity! What rapid proficiency must they make in the knowledge of the Scriptures, How fast must they grow in grace, and ripen for heaven. May such be the course, such the happiness of the writer, and of every reader. "In holy duties let the day Eccl. viii, 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. THE wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodli ness and unrighteousness of men. A sentence is pronounced a gainst every evil work in the word of God. This sentence is not often executed immediately upon transgressors; but its execution is suspended by the patience and long-suffering of God, that sinners may have space for repentance, and an opportunity to believe the Gospel and secure. their salvation. But multitudes abuse the forbearance of God; and by false reasonings, and the deceitfulness of sin, become more hardened and obstinate in their wickedness. renders mankind prone to abuse all the bounties and mercies of God. Do not those, to whom God gives health, and outward peace, and abundance of riches, generally abuse these blessings, neglecting and forgetting the merciful Author of them, and #spending their strength and wealth in the gratification and indulgence of their sinful pas sions? How common is the remark, and how manifest is the fact, that worldly prosperity makes both individuals and na tions more proud, vicious, and dissolute, because they wickedly abuse and pervert the bounties of Providence. In a similar manner, multitudes turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, and pervert the truths of the Gospel. How many take encouragement to continue in sin, and to indulge their licentious inclinations, from the doctrine of redemption, and the declarations of divine mercy in the Scriptures. From depravity it is, that the sons of men abuse, the forbearance of God in the suspension of threatened punishment, and fully set their hearts to do evil. Indeed, what good thing is there, which some do not pervert, and thus make it the occasion of their greater guilt? The cause, in every such instance, is their own wickedness; and the beneficence, patience, and grace of God are not less great and adorable, be cause abused. We should beware of concluding, that our obligations to God are not great, because we are no wiser and better under our advantages. If it is through our own sinfulness, we are the more guilty, but God is not the less good. The good-, When a person refuses to comply with the warnings and invitations of the word of God, and is determined to neglect religion, and to continue in his sins, his heart may be said to be fully set in him to do evil. For is it less than this, to reject Christ, as a Savior and King, and to prefer the indulgence of unholy lusts and passions to his gracious authority? Our text therefore exactly describes the case of too many in every part of our country. It may be useful to consider the principal reasons, why a delay of punishment encourages the wicked to continue in sin. 1. The grand reason is the depravity of the heart, which ness of God in bestowing a gift does not depend on our use of it. We are doubtless under obligations to be thankful for all the various gifts of God, though we have neglected or misused them. But is this sufficiently considered? Let us all humble ourselves for abusing the divine goodness, as we have done in innumerable instances, so that it has been the occasion of our aggravated guilt; but let us not forget to be thank ful to God for his favors, however we may have abused them. Let the sinner be thankful, that the patience and long-suffering of God have hitherto spared him; and let him reflect, that the goodness of God should lead him to repentance, and that he should not presumptuously continue to treasure up to himself wrath against the day of wrath. 2. Another reason, that the heart of those, who abuse the patience and forbearance of God, is fully set in them to do evil, is the tendency of sin from bad to worse. By a course of transgression the remonstrances of conscience are overcome; its power is gradually weakened, and its rebukes silenced. The dread of punishment becomes weaker, the longer persons escape the feeling of it. One sin usually leads to the commission of others; as such is the connexion between sins, that one, if indulged, almost necessarily betrays a person into inany more. All sinful passions and appetites increase in strength and power by indulgence; while restraints and a disposition to resistance become weaker. Bad habits are gradually formed and strengthened, involving the unhappy transgressor more and more inextricably in the toils of iniquity. His heart also becomes more hardened, his views of truth obscured, and his judgment in regard to moral and religious subjocts corrupted. Such are the natural and deplorable effects of continuing in sin. Hence it is, that inveterate sinners cease to be affected by the truths of Scripture, contemn reproof, make a mock at sin, feel secure, treat the solemnities of religion with cool levity, and more deliberately set their hearts to do evil. The case of such sinners is almost desperate. It is in the power of the Holy Spirit to awaken them to repentance; but observation shows, that such an event is not often to be expected. How devoutly it is to be desired, that they might yet realize their condition, and become the monuments of the. riches of divine grace. While they live, we should not cease to pray and to use means for the. salvation of the most abandoned sinners. Let the young consider the importance of taking a right course in the morning of life. If your parents are pious, and you are not trained up in the ways of wickedness, your heart is comparatively tender, your mind unperverted, and divine truth interests and affects you. Remember therefore your Creator now; seek him early; implore his grace and direction; devote yourselves unreservedly to him; and walk not in the counsel of the ungodly-but delight in the law of the Lord; and in his law meditate day and night. Then you will escape the snares of |