verer will be your punishment if you neglect those duties.

Both private and family prayer, is an exercise that more peculiarly fanctifies the fabbath, and ought always to be the conclufion of it.---In our closets we lay before the Throne of Grace all those particular wants and defires, and return thanks for all those particular mercies which either concern not others, or cannot be fo properly expreffed in a general and public form of worship. And we have great reafon to think, that he, who commanded us to "enter into "our closet when we pray," will lend a gracious car to our fingle peti tions. In family prayer we have al fo great confidence and affurance, that our heavenly father will graci

ously

ously receive the united requests of every house that ferveth him, from that promise of our Saviour, "Where "two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midft of you."

Thus doth every duty, both public and private; and thus doth every action, that is either neceffary, or innocent or holy, all contribute to the general fanctification or hallowing of the fabbath day; or, in other words, to the honour of God, and to the good of our own fouls.

Let us now take a fhort view of the real behaviour of the generality of people upon this day, and let us fee how it is obferved, and we shall

find

find that it is either carelessly neglected, or fhamefully prophaned, from the highest to the loweft.

So far are too many in high life from allowing reft to their servants or cattle; that this day is of all others the fullest of hurry and fatigue; being generally fixed on for journeys or long distant vifits; or if they stay at home, for entertainments and debaucheries: wherein they are alfo closely imitated by the middle rank, and the lowest of the people; who either feast with their relations and boon companions abroad, or entertain them at home, or perhaps in taverns and public houses. But fhould the weather or disappointments keep them within doors; 'tis

with difficulty they kill their time, in adjusting their accounts, in reading a play or romance, or perhaps under pretence of neceffity, in taking phyfic. Should a melancholy thought obtrude itself upon the mind, or the fear of cenfure draw them to church, their carriage and deportment betrays with what reluctance they come thither;-with fome it is matter of diverfion;-others, unable to endure the tediousness of a long fervice, are forced to fubmit to drowsiness or sleep; and most of them, by their inattention and awkward and indecent geftures, fome conftantly fitting, others flanding, others lolling, and very few fuiting their poftures to the different parts of worship which naturally require different actions; moft of them, I fay, by these means difco

ver

ver their contempt of decency and order, their ignorance of their duty, their disobedience to the government, their impiety to God, and that they come to church only thro' cuftom, or for want of an agreeable amusement.

When the laborious task of devotion is over-how is the remainder of the day consumed in idle visits in cenfure and fcandal; in sports and pastimes; in riots, drunkenness and debauchery; and, too often, in gaming, robbery, and murder,

Here then, the rebuke of the pharifees to the disciples may be more justly applied to the people of this

66

nation, why do ye that which is

ઃઃ

not lawful to do on the fabbath

day?"why do ye break the reft

of