SERBI:VI.1 THE LORDS-DAY, ÒR CHRISTIAÑ SABBATH. 93 Give thanks to God your Creator, who has not suffered you to wear out all your time in the drudgeries "of this world, and the cares and toils of a mortal state, but has appointed one day in seven for your release from the bu- siness of earth, and your employment in the work of hea- ven. Give thanks to Jesus, your Redeemer, who on this day finished the work of your redemption, and arose from the, dead ; and as those which are risen with Christ " set your affections on the things that are above, where Christ is at the right-hand of GGd ;" Col. iii. i, 2. " This is the day which the Lord has made, we will be glad and rejoice therein ;" Ps. cxviii. 24. Bless his holy name that he has appointed christians to assemble them- selves together for divine and heavenly purposes on this day, 'and be not the last in those assemblies,. because if you are frequently so, it looks as if you had no mind to attend upon them at all. Give thanks again to God the Creator and Governor of the world, who has fixed your birth and habitation in a land wherein the Lord's-day is observed, and wherein there are laws to guard the observance of it; so that you are notdisturbed and hindered by the sons of wickedness in the practices of religion on this day. This is adistin- guishing favour which you enjoy above the christians of the primitive ages who dwelt under heathen princes, where they had much ado to observe any sabbath, or to employ the Lord's-day in religious practices, while the whole nation around them was engaged, either in the busy affairs of this mortal life, or in vile idolatry and su- perstition. Do not say, concerning the duties of worship on this day as the Jewish hypocrites did in the days of the pro- phets Amos and Malachi, " Behold, what a weariness is it? and when will the sabbath be gone, that we may set forth wheat and sell corn ;" :Mat. i.- 13. JInaos viii. 5. Do not so much enquire, what earthly business may I-do on this day without sin, as what is there I can omit till to- morrow? What worldly business can I be excused from doing on God's holyday? This will discover a truly reli- gious temper indeed, and shew that you delight in the 'things ofGod more than in things carnal or earthly. TL " Dispose of your earthly affairs wisely in the foregoing °week, so that, if possible, you may not have the
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