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THE
LQIjeD9S-DAY,
'OR
rCjI$ISTIAN
SA$$A.¡'}t.
{S$RM.
V!.
employed in secular
affairs
as
to exclude
the
whole
day
from
its
proper
business,
that
is,
religion, or devotion,
unless. in
-the
cases
of
necessity before mentioned.
I
think it
may be
maintained
in
general,
that
as
whatsoever
tends
to
destroy or
nullify
the great
designs
of
religious
worship should
he
omitted on the
Lord's
day,
so
some
lesser labours
which
tend to make the
performance
of
religion more
easy,
chearful
and
regular
to ourselves
and
to
great
numbers
of
others,
may safely be
performed
on
this day
without
a sinful
violation of
it.
But
wheresoever
the conscience
is.
doubtful,
it
is
best to
chuse the safer
side.
"
Happy
is
he
that
condemneth not himself
in
what
he
alloweth
;" Rom.
xiv.
22.
And
1
would take
leave to
add here
also,
that
as
it
is
a
day of sacred rest and
refreshment,
we
are
not
called to
draw
out
the duties
of
worship to such
unreasonable
and
tiresome lengths,
nor
to be
so
incessant and
uninter-
rupted
in
works
of
religion
on this day,
as
would
over-
much fatigue
the
spirits, and
overpress animal
nature.
This
does
not
tend
to
the edification
of
men,
or the
ho-
nour of
God
;
but
it has a certain and
evident tendency to
prejudice
younger persons against the observation
of
the
Lord's-day,
if
we
render
the
services
of
it
too irksome
and
tedious.
According as
our constitution
is
more or
less
healthy,
or
our circumstances
in
the
world,
as
servants
or
masters, as poor or
rich,
callus
more or
less
to necessary
works
on this day,
so
we
are
to employ ourselves
in
the
affairs
of
religion
at
such hours,
and
with such
itervals
of
release and refreshment,
as
that
the sabbath
of
the
Lord
may be a
pleasure
to
us,
and
may
not overtire
fee
-
ble
nature
instead of
giving
it
rest. We should
all em-
ploy
this day
to the
designs
and ends appointed,
to the
honour of God
and our
risen
Saviour,
not
with
Jewish
rigors and superstitious abstinences,
not
in
indulgence
of
the
flesh
and lazy idleness,
not
in
sports
and
pastime,
but
with
christian
wisdom improve
our time for
religious
purposes according
to
our
capacities and stations,
know-
ing
that
we
are
in
a
state
of
gospel liberty,
freed
from a
-state and spirit
of
bondage,,
and rejoicing
in
idle
Lord our
Deliverer
and Saviour.
This leads
me to .some
practical exhortations.
I. "
Delight in the Lord's
-day
as
a
high
privilege be-
stowed upon
you
:
make
it the
matter
of,
your
holy
joy."