fully. Sensuality will soon enslave a | other explanation. Thus we see the ་་ man; and they who devote that day extent of the blessings which there is to eating and drinking are systemati- attached to this day. It is a refreshcally sensual they have changed their ment to the Christian's mind and body worldly course for a dangerous frivo--it maintains the public worship of lity; they have yielded themselves to God-it is the great means of Chriswhat seems a harmless dissipation, tian instruction to communities-it but which is the very verge of vice and prevents national declension-it propride. Above all, God's anger rests motes genuine piety-and it has in on the Sabbath-breaker for disobeying unnumbered ways the especial blesshis divine prohibition. His sloth ex- ing of God. cites against him the divine anger-his And now, secondly, when we have pleasure displeases God-his Sabbath-learned both from Scripture and exbreaking is rebellion, and God will not perience the same lesson, that God and cannot overlook it. blesses the observance of the Sabbath, On the other hand, especial bless- and severely notices its violation, we ings attend the observance of it. I have to learn further another lesson, ask not for a natural explanation of the that THE WAY IN WHICH IT IS OBSERVED fact-such may probably be given; but BY OURSELVES AND OTHERS IS NO UNit is enough to know that God has IMPORTANT MATTER. How then is the blessed the day, just as he has attach- Sabbath observed in this city? Multied a particular blessing to particular tudes systematically violate it. They places of prayer, just as he has par- violate it, in the first place, by habitual ticularly blessed particular kinds of neglect of public worship; and although prayer; so has he appointed a particu- in the last fifteen years many churches lar blessing to a particular time of have been built in the metropolis, these prayer. This I believe to be the mean- are scarcely enough to supply the new ing of our text, And God blessed population that has been gathered tothe seventh day." Why does a be-gether during that period. If the negliever often on this day peculiarly enjoy the views of God's goodness and power, the sense of redeeming love, the assurance of pardon through the Lord Jesus Christ, the anticipation of a Heaven to be spent with him, and the full manifestation of God? Just because God fulfills his promise in the 58th of Isaiah, "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord." Why are all the religious exercises of the believer more blessed usually on this day than others? Because God fulfills the declaration in the text; God has blessed the seventh day. Therefore the believer obtains by study more insight into truth-therefore has he more spiritual feeling and a greater power in prayer-therefore has he obtained more signal victories over sin-has larger spiritual communications-more decidedly grows in grace. He has had the blessing of God, and he wants no lect, therefore, of public worship is not greater now than it was at that period, it is not materially less. At that time it was calculated on sufficient premises, by Dr. Yates, that supposing the churches and chapels of ease to be filled, there were not less than 953,000 persons who did not attend divine worship in connexion with our churches in this city. Since then it has been calculated by a minister of another body, that 150,000 only attend the worship of God in chapels not connected with our churches. Thus the whole number of church-goers, and those who attend public worship, leave above 800,000 in this city and its neighbourhood, that do not attend public worship in church or out of it. If from these, 400,000 be supposed to be detained by lawful causes (a very vast allowance certainly) there remain 400,000 persons in this city who are systematically Sabbath-breakers-400,000 almost within the walk of our own doors who systematically withhold all public homage from Almighty God. Now, brethren, how will many of these spend the day in a city where crime is gigantic and society does not blush at it? How will they spend it |enness to the streets, and intemperance whose minds are sharpened without and broiling fill our alleys and lanes. being refined-who have high notions The Lord's day has become the day of of independence with an absolute ser- the devil's triumph. By all classes it is vitude to sin? How will they spend violated; by the low-by the middle it, as in many cases, forty or fifty in a classes-by the high-by the very house, eight or ten in a room? Can highest. In private abodes-in tathey be expected to spend it well when verns-through our streets-on our they have neither a Bible nor religious river-and along the road-every knowledge-were never in a Sabbath where we see the universal contempt school-never see the face of a Chris of it. Not an hour-not a half-hour tian friend—have no pastors-receive through this day is sacred. The sino admonition-to whose worldly in- lence of our very churches is invaded, terest moral character is of no value- and in great thoroughfares the worwho are under no Christian inspection shippers are stunned by the wheels —having, in short, nothing to bring that roll along for traffic or pleasure: religious duty to their view from the and when at last exhausted, rather dawn of Monday to the last thing on than refreshed, with the Sabbath, some Saturday evening? How will they with wasted money, and others with then spend this sacred day? God has guilty consciences, and all, alas! with forbidden us on this day to do our the anger of Almighty God resting on own ways; and they devote it to bu- them, they at last seek their rest; siness, or traffic in all sorts of provi- what is the Sabbath to them but a sion and apparel at their shops, of shore after a storm, on which is left which not long since, in one district, nothing but the wrecks of virtue cast a person counted one hundred and away. seventy-three open for business. Some I heartily wish the mischief of all are examining their letters of business, this was confined to the classes which and inspecting their accounts; some I have mentioned: but if you think how are consulting about legal matters; often these 400,000 Sabbath-breakers and some with all necessity on affairs are found in these days in every shop, of state. God has said to us that we in every street, in every family, in shall not find our pleasure on this holy every place of resort, how far must day; instead of which they seek on their influence extend to the commuthat day nothing else. They fill the nity. I wish their influence did not roads with their carriages-they load extend to the observance of the Sabthe river with their pleasure boats-bath among Christians; but though they crowd the decks of the steam ves- familiarity with the evil is acting ossels-they throng the parks-they in- tensibly to lessen it, yet we have cause vade by their godless hosts the villages to fear that many who desire to keep around the city-they fill the taverns holy the Sabbath have their observance and gin shops, and wine vaults in the of it much relaxed by their mingling city, and the tea-gardens near it. If with this universal desecration. How young, they betake themselves to the much actually takes place I cannot fields for gaming and pigeon shooting well judge; but surely if we have -if poor, they are found congregating ground enough for fear it is sufficient to gamble in their own abodes-and if to make each of us ask himself many rich, they cannot leave, even for one such questions as these-Has the preday, and that the Lord's, those horri-valence of piety insensibly lessened ble resorts for gambling which are ex- my regard to God's claims on this day? pressively termed their Hells. Then Do I give my servants on Sunday time come the hours of revelry. On the for prayer? Do I use my animals unSabbath they meet at large dinner parties and concerts, regardless alike of their own desecration of the Sabbath, and that of the tradesmen and servants whom they compel in hundreds to desecrate it. Others, who are coarser transgressors, bring out their drunk necessarily, from sloth or ostentation? Do I suffer my thoughts to be dissipated when I walk in the streets by a thousand trifles without attempting to give them a useful direction? Do I indulge in useless recreations? Do I slide insensibly into the world's con versation? There are I trust many But have we any thing to do for thousands, nevertheless, who I doubt others in this matter? By the fourth not, devoutly, and with much joy keep commandment in the 20th chapter of this day holy their conduct is the Exodus, which runs thus, "thou shalt more pious, and their example the not do any work, thou, nor thy son, more useful, because contrasted with nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor such abounding evil around them. If thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor ever the observance of the Lord's day thy stranger that is within thy gates" is blessed by God, they certainly may -we learn that God requires us to use expect his blessing. our influence that others should keep But, in the third place, if the num- this commandment as well as ourbers who break the Sabbath be so large selves. What then can we do to incompared with those who keep it, HAVE duce others to keep the Sabbath day WE TO EXPECT ANY SIGNAL TOKENS OF holy? Let us bear in mind how necesGOD'S DISPLEASURE AGAINST Us? We sary the Sabbath is to the welfare of have sin enough in the city doubtless every man. To the Christian it is a to deserve any degree of punishment mine from whence he has dug his from God; but ten righteous persons richest blessings, and by the neglect in Sodom would have saved that city, of which he will be much impoverand there are more than ten in ours. ished; but the sinner, who navigates Bad, likewise, as our condition is, I the sea of life in profound darkness, know not any ground for believing it on each seventh day sees a revolving worse now in this matter than in the light thrown in salutary beams on his greater part of our past history. There course, without which he would proare periods that might be mentioned bably be wrecked. Nay, not a commuin which it was much worse; perhaps nity, not a single village can be innot more than one period, or two, stanced on the record of all countries, when it was better. While each Sab-as far as we know, in which Chrisbath-breaker has God's anger resting upon him, let us hope that will be averted from him, and that we shall speedily perceive reformation and improvement. tianity has long flourished if the Sabbath has been neglected. As far as we know, its observance has always been blessed, and every where its neglect has been ever and always a curse. In conclusion, in viewing the whole If the interests of our country are subject we see that God has made it bound up in our observance of it, so our absolute duty to keep the Lord's also, in one sense at least, is the day holy to him, therein abstaining honour of God. Remember, then, the from our business and pleasure. Fill thousand desecrations this day around up the whole day with various reli- you: pity them. Be zealous for God's gious exercises. To the consecration honour. Mourn over every instance of the whole day is attached an espe- which you notice of Sabbath desecrapecial blessing. It is then that each tion. Be resolved to possess opporChristian among us may expect parti-tunities and means to promote its obcularly to grow in knowledge and servance. Upon the possibility of grace. For your own welfare, there- legislating for its observance suffifore, my dear Brethren, take pains to secure all the appointed blessings of this day. Guard against such familiarity and sight of its entire or partial desecration as may relax your own mode of observing it. Give yourselves with full purpose of heart and strong intention to the proper duties of this day; and particularly to reading, meditation, and prayer; and make your Sabbath, if possible, a real foretaste of Heavenly Sabbaths; which I hope through God's grace many, if not all of us, will spend together in Eternity. ; ciently, there may be differences of opinion, as well as upon the enforcement of the laws now in existence but in the few means that remain for individuals to use, there can be little discrepancy of sentiment among Christians. When opportunities serve, put tracts on the breach of the Sabbath into the hands of those in connexion with you whom you know to violate it. Through life, promote by all means in your power, the building and maintaining of Churches in the poor and neglected districts of our populous places. Express decidedly your own | lected children. Take care not only feelings on the subject of Sabbath ob- to remove from your dependants hinservation when called for, without drances to the observance of the Lord's dreading the charge of puritanical pre- day, but affectionately and faithfully, cision, or any other charge unmean- by family prayers or otherwise, urge ingly, and invidiously applied. Make them to consecrate it. Above all (and the observance of the Sabbath day the that which most persuades all) for subject of your secret prayer. Induce other's sake as well as your own, deas many as you can to attend public voutly observe it yourselves. As the worship. If you have opportunity law of the land does less for the conread on the Sabbath day to small tinuance of the Sabbath than ever, groups of the poor at their own houses. therefore Christians are called on to do If you can spare leisure instruct neg- more than ever by their example. A Sermon DELIVERED BY THE REV. J. FLETCHER, Matthew, xii. 22—30. "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand; and if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." circumstances? A blind man-the fair face of heaven presenting to him a dreary void: the seasons return, but not to him return "No sweet approach of ev'n or morn, But cloud instead, and ever-during dark.” THERE are four important topics for reflection in this most instructive portion of the sacred narrative. We have in the first place, A miracle wrought of singular power and mercy. In the second place, An account of the impression that was produced by this miracle on the minds of the people. But the blind are often and proWe have, in the third place, The ma- verbially cheerful. Their state excites lignant insinuation of the enemies of sympathy. The blessings of converse Christ, and our Lord's refutation of are still left to them, and they enjoy their impious calumnies. And, in the them frequently with peculiar and exlast place, we have, A most solemn Ad-quisite delight, For the same reason monition respecting the danger of neutrality and indecision in religion. The passage brings before us A MIRA CLE OF SINGULAR POWER AND MERCY. Contemplate, my friends, the pitiable spectacle brought before you in the interesting description of the Evangelist. A blind man is introduced to the notice of the compassionate Redeemer, while on his journey of mercy and love through the land. Who does not commiserate a fellow creature in such they are often susceptible of the highest degree of gratification from the pleasures of harmony, and the concord of sweet sounds. But in the case before us we have an aggravation of misery that is seldom found combined in one individual experience; the man is found blind and dumb; he is rendered incapable of the sweetest and only solace of which the loss of sight will admit. Still, if the dumbness were not the effect of deafness, but of some temporary disease or obstruction, | properties, responsibility, actual sub the man, though blind and dumb, might have had the pleasure of reflection, have been enabled to look back on the past, and forward to the future, and to have cherished something like confidence in the providence and care of the Most High in the midst of all his affliction. But there is something still more afflicting in the case before us-the man is not only blind and dumb -he is a demoniac, under the power of one of those mysterious preternatural visitations which were so frequent and so distressing at this period. Demoniacal possession is a mysterious and difficult subject. Some have attempted to account for all the recorded pheno- | mena of possession by resolving them into bodily disease, combined with lunacy or derangement of the worst and the most afflictive kind. But the language of the New Testament on this subject is very explicit and decisive. It is a dangerous principle of interpretation to depart from the plain letter of scripture testimony because we find difficulties that we cannot account for. Cases of palsy, of epilepsy, of lunacy-the various kinds of diseases are mentioned, but mentioned in connexion with demoniacal as a distinct and separate order. No one can read the sacred volume without perceiving one great principle clearly taught us-the existence of infernal spirits, of one who is called the prince of this world, who is called emphatically Satan, the adversary, the accuser, the calumniator. We find this truth taught us in the most explicit language, both of history and of scripture doctrine, throughout the sacred volume. There is no more difficulty in conceiving the existence of infernal spirits than there is in conceiving the existence of celestial spirits and, there is no more difficulty in conceiving of beings whose nature is peculiarly spiritual, as distinct from material existence, than there is in conceiving the existence of the one Immortal Spirit, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The fact is, our minds are incapable of forming definite conceptions of the nature of spiritual existence, while we have the strongest reason for believing in the fact itself. In relation to the fact of satanic influence, the testimony of scripture is unequivocal. Personal jection to the power and government of the Most High, liability to be judged, to be condemned, and to be punished, are the repeated testimonies of Scripture; which could not apply to a mere personification of moral evil, or, in other words, a figure of speech. There are such beings as fallen angels, whose power is mysterious, whose agency is diversified, who, at the time of our Lord's ministry, appeared to be singularly permitted to display their power over the bodies and the minds of men, no doubt for the purpose of rendering more manifest the superior power and glory of Him who came, that he might destroy the works of the devil, that he might abolish death, and him that had the power of death; who came that he might spoil principalities and powers, and triumph over them in his cross. The influences that these powers of darkness had over the bodies as well as the minds of men, was of the most singular and remarkable kind, accompanied oft with disease, not unfrequently with derangement; and causing those who were the subjects of its influence to exhibit the most distressing indications of mental agony and bodily torture. Surely such instances may well give to our minds appalling impressions of the power of sin when uncontrolled, and the tremendous consequences of being abandoned of God to all its results. Demoniacal possession may not unfitly be considered as an emblem of the torture, the misery, the mental agony, and the sensitive sufferings of those who inhabit the regions of darkness and despair. But Jesus came that he might save them; he came that he might destroy in every form the works of the devil; he came that he might heal all manner of diseases. Contemplate the power and the grace of Jesus in this affecting instance. They brought to Jesus a man that was blind and dumb, and possessed with a devil, or with a demon; " and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw." We are not told of any time, of any process in this miracle; it was instantaneous; he spake, and it was done. The blind man saw and recognized his friend, his best friend, his divine benefactor. He heard the |
