a check to those lively frames of spirit we have had under the word preached; and by indulging such discourse, we not only break the Sabbath ourselves, but by our example, induce others to do the same. I do not say but that it may be seasonable to meditate on the providence of God towards the church and the world, on the Lord's day, as well as at other times; but then we must take heed that his glory, and not barely our own diversion, is a great inducement thereunto.

III. When it is said, in the fourth Commandment, that thou shalt do no manner of work on the Sabbath day, there is an exception hereunto, or an intimation, that works of necessity and mercy, though they contain in them something servile or laborious, may, notwithstanding, be done on the Lord's day. Some things are necessary, as they tend to the support of nature; as eating and drinking; and therefore the providing food for that end, is, doubtless, lawful; especially if too much time be not spent therein, too many servants, or others, detained from the worship of God thereby, or entertainments and splendid feasts made; in which, variety of things are prepared, to please the appetite; and all this attended with vain and trifling conversation, unbecoming the holiness of the day. There are also other works of necessity, which may be done on the Sabbath-day, viz. such as are subservient to the worship of God; without which, it is impossible that the public exercises thereof should be performed. Thus, under the ceremonial law, there were many laborious services that attended public worship; particularly the killing those beasts that were appointed for sacrifice, on the Sabbath-day; though we are exempted from this under the gospel-dispensation. To this, it is probable, our Saviour refers, when he says, Have ye not read in 'the law, how that the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless,' Matt. xii. 5. that is, perform those servile works, subservient to public worship; which, according to your method of reasoning, would be a profaning the Sabbath.

Here it is enquired, by some, whether it be lawful to kindle a fire on the Sabbath-day, since this seems to be forbidden the Israelites; to whom Moses says, 'Ye shall kindle no firê throughout your habitations, upon the Sabbath-day,' Exod. xxv. 3. Some are of opinion, that if this be lawful at present, agreeably to what we generally practice, it is a peculiar privilege attending the gospel-dispensation; which may give us occasion to explain what is meant by this prohibition.

1. It cannot be hereby forbidden, to kindle a fire, for their refreshment, in cold weather; for that is as necessary as any of the other conveniences of life, such as eating, drinking, sitting down when we are weary, &c. and it was done with very

little pains or difficulty; so that it would not much hinder the religious exercises of that day. On the other hand, the not making a fire, provided the season of the year was extremely cold, would indispose men for the worship of God. Therefore,

2. It is most probable, that the meaning of that scripture is this; that since, at that time, wherein this law was given, many of them were employed in the work of building and adorning the tabernacle; which, as all artificers know, required the kindling of fires for the melting of metals, heating of iron tools, &c. and, whereas the people might be apt to think, that, because the building of the tabernacle required expedition, they might kindle fires, and therewith employ themselves in the work thereof, on the Sabbath-day. Therefore Moses. tells them, that it was not a work so absolutely necessary, as that it required, that they should attend to it herein; which seems to be the reason of that law, which prohibited the kindling a fire on the Sabbath-day.

As for the application of this law, to the dressing of food, which seems to be prohibited in that scripture, Bake that ye 'will bake to day, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and 'that which remaineth over, lay it up to be kept for you until the morning,' Exod. xvi. 23. The meaning thereof seems to be this; Bake, or seethe that which is necessary for your food, the day before the Sabbath, and lay up the rest, to be baked or seethed on the Sabbath. The command more especially prohibits their gathering manna on the Sabbath, and preparing it for baking or seething; which would have taken up too great a part of the day, and have been a diversion from the religious worship thereof. But the baking or seething, which would have afforded but a small interruption to the work thereof, does not seem to have been forbidden.

And this leads us to enquire, what judgment we may pass on the stoning the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day; which we read of in Numb. xv. 32, &c. The gathering of sticks for the making a fire on the Sabbath-day, seems to be a work of necessity; and therefore some may be ready to conclude that the punishment inflicted on him was too severe. But, instead of excepting against the greatness of the punishment inflicted, I would rather infer from hence, that the crime was very great. For,

(1.) He might have gathered sticks on other days, and thereby have provided a sufficient quantity for his necessary use, on the Sabbath-day; or else, he should have been content to have been without a fire on that day; rather than give so ill a precedent of the breach of the Sabbath.

(2.) It is probable he did this, not to supply his present ne

cessities, but to increase his store; and, that he did not gather a few sticks, but a large quantity; which cannot be pretended to be a work of necessity.

(3.) It is not unlikely, that the man made a practice of it, for several Sabbaths together; and so lived in a total contempt and neglect of God's public ordinances.

(4.) It is also reasonable to suppose, that he did this presumptuously, publicly, and in defiance of the divine command, after having been reproved for it; and he might obstinately vindicate this wicked practice, and resolve, for the future, to persist in it; for that is the nature of a presumptuous sin. And it is plain, that he sinned presumptuously therein; inasmuch as God, in the verses immediately foregoing, had threatened, that the soul that doth ought presumptuously, or, as it is in the margin, with an high hand, who reproached the Lord herein, should be cut off; and then this account of the man's being stoned for gathering sticks on the Sabbath-day, is brought in as an instance of a just punishment of a presumptuous sin

ner.

These things being duly considered, we cannot take occasion from hence, to conclude, as many do, that there is this difference between the legal and the gospel-dispensation, in that the Sabbath was formerly to be observed more stictly than now; and that this was a part of the yoke which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, the relaxation whereof is reckoned a branch of that liberty which we have under the gospel. But this sounds very ill in the ears of all serious Christians, who think the duties of religion, and the strictness of our obligation thereunto, a privilege rather than a burden. Thus concerning the lawfulness of our performing works of necessity on the Sabbath-day.

We proceed farther to consider, that works of mercy ought to be done on that day; such as visiting and preparing medicines for the sick, relieving the poor, providing food and water for cattle, and other brute creatures. This our Saviour vindicates by his practice, and illustrates by asserting the necessity of lifting out a sheep, that was fallen into a pit, on the Sabbath-day, Matt. xii. 10-13. However, when we maintain the lawfulness of performing works of necessity and mercy, on the Sabbath-day, the following cautions ought to be attended to;

[1.] Let the necessity be real, not pretended; of which, God and our own consciences are the judges.

[2.] If we think that we have a necessary call to omit, or lay aside our attendance on the ordinances of God, on the Sabbath-day, let us take heed that this necessity be not brought on us by some sin committed, which gives occasion to the

judicial hand of God; and that province, which renders it necessary for us to absent from them, should be rather submitted to, than matter of choice or delight.

[3.] If necessity obliges us to engage in secular employments on the Lord's day, as in the instances of those whose business it is to provide physic for the sick, let us, nevertheless, labour after a spiritual frame, becoming the holiness of that day, so far as may consist with what we are immediately called to do.

[4.] As we ought to see that the work we are engaged in is necessary; so we must not spend more time therein than what is needful.

[5,] If we have a necessary call to engage in worldly matters, whereby we are detained from public ordinances, we must endeavour to satisfy others, that the providence of God obliges us hereunto; that so we may not give offence to them, or they take occasion, without just reason to follow their own employments; which would be a sin in them.

IV. We are to sanctify the Sabbath, by spending the whole day in the public and private exercises of God's worship, and herein to maintain a becoming holy frame of spirit, from the beginning of the day to the end thereof. Therefore,

1. In the beginning thereof; let not too much sleep make intrenchments on more of the morning of the day than what is needful, particularly, more than what we allow ourselves before we begin our employments on other days. And let us begin the day with spiritual meditations, and carefully watch against worldly thoughts, as what will give us great interruption and hinderance in the work thereof. And let us be earnest with God in prayer, that he would prepare our hearts for the solemn duties we are to engage in; let us consider the Sabbath as a very great talent that we are entrusted with; and that it is of the greatest importance for us to improve it, to the glory of God and our spiritual advantage.

2. While we are engaged in holy duties, especially in the public ordinances of God's worship, let us endeavour to maintain a becoming reverence, and filial fear of God, in whose presence we are, and a love to his holy institutions, which are instamped with his authority. Let us moreover watch and strive against the first motions and suggestions of Satan, and our corrupt hearts, endeavouring to divert us from, or disturb us in holy duties. And let us often lift up our hearts to God, by spiritual, short ejaculatory prayers, for help from him, to enable us to improve the word, and, at the same time, endeavour to our utmost, to affect our hearts with a sense of the great worth of gospel-opportunities. Let us also cherish, improve, and bless. God for all the influences of his Holy Spirit, VOL. III. 3 S

which he is pleased, at any time, to grant to us; or bewail and lament the want thereof, when they are withheld.

3. In the intervals between our attendance on the ordinances of God's public worship, we are to engage in private duties, and worship God in, and with our families; and in order hereunto, call to mind what we have heard, impress it on our own souls, recommend it to those whom we converse with, and are concerned for; and take heed that we do nothing, between one public ordinance and another, which may unfit us for the remaining duties of the day; but, on the other hand, strive against, and give a check to the least motions thereof in our own souls.

4. The Sabbath is to be sanctified in the evening thereof, when the public ordinances are over; at which time we are to call to mind what we have received from God, with thankfulness, and how we have behaved ourselves in all the parts of divine worship, in which we have been engaged. Let us enquire, whether the Sabbath was welcome to us, and we rejoiced in it as a blessing, as well as set about the observing of it as a duty? as the Psalmist says, 'I was glad when they said ' unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord,' Psal. cxxii. 1. Moreover, let us enquire, whether our ends were right in all the duties we performed? whether the glory of God, and the good of our own souls, has been our great concern? Or, whether we have been only influenced by custom, and rested in a form of godliness, without regarding the power thereof, and loved the opinion and praise of men more than of God? Let us enquire, whether our minds, our affections and outward gestures have been grave, sedate, and composed, and we ready to receive whatever God has been pleased to impart in his word? and whether we have had a due sense of the divine perfections impressed on our spirits, and of the infinite distance there is between the great God and us? whether we have seen our need of the word, as Job says, that he esteemed the words of God's mouth more than his necessary food? Job xxiii. 12. and, whether we have not only attended to, but applied every truth to our own souls, as desiring to retain, improve, and make it the rule of our conversation?

We are also to consider, what we have received from God under his ordinances; whether we have had any sensible communion with him, any experiences of his love, or impressions of his power on our hearts? whether we have had fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ? whether, as we have gone from one ordinance to another, we have gone from strength to strength, our faith being more lively, our love to God increased, and our spiritual joy enlarged by every duty? Let us enquire, whether we have learned some doctrine from