barely in the common meaning of the word, vifit, but in the fcriptural fenfe, of taking a kind notice of their wants, is not only directed by the fame canon, but countenanced by St. Paul; who gave an order both to the Galatians and the Corinthians, in a particular exigency, (which is equally a good rule in others,) that each of them, on the first day of the week, fhould appropriate something towards the neceffities of the faints, as God had profpered him*. And it is one delightful view of the day, to look on it as confecrated, amongst other excellent purposes, to that of forming and executing defigns of tenderness and compaffion to our diftreffed brethren.

But even where there is no room for doing what is commonly called charity, mere friendly intercourfe and converfation, with our relations, neighbours and acquaintance, (if it take not up too much time,) is a demonstration of good will, which contributes greatly to our mutual happiness. And God's providing the frequent return of a day, when all the world fhould be released from confinement and toil, and at liberty to fhew themselves in the most advantageous and pleafing light to each other, (a liberty which few in proportion would ever enjoy, were it not for this their Sabbath,) is an action worthy of our gracious Maker, and of unspeakable moment for promoting courtesy, affability, and kind affections. But it is more especially useful for foftening and polifhing the rugged tempers and manners of the lower fort of men; who ought, on many accounts, highly to value their festival days, which one of the principal Heathen philofophers, Plato faith, the Gods appointed in pity to mankind †. It was not therefore intended, that we should pafs our Lord's day in fullen retirement, fhunning human converfe, or infecting each other with melancholy. The Jews were bid to rejoice in their feasts before the Lord their God ‡. Chriftians are bid to rejoice in the Lord always §. And a very ancient father, Tertullian, informs us, that on the Sunday, for fo he calls it, they indulged peculiarly to joy, as well they might, fince he who died for our fins, then rofe for our juftification ¶. Indeed, would we but practife Chriftianity as we ought, we fhould

should find its promises of pardon and strength, its' beneficial precepts, and glorious prospects, the affurance of God's love to us, and the exertion of our own love to him and our fellow-creatures, matter of the higheft joy, both within ourfelves, and amongst each other. And we are much to blame, that we banish religious topics from our difcourfe; which might be, if properly introduced, the most delightful part of it. Not that lower fubjects of agreeable and cheerful converfation need be at all excluded from a fhare in the day; for harmless good humour is an amiable and useful virtue. Only we must take fingular care now of what we should remember always, that nothing cenforious or uncharitable, nothing profane or indecent, nothing too light and ludicrous, come out of our mouths; nothing unworthy of rational and religious per fons. By fuch behaviour and communication, we shall observe the full import of the prophet Isaiah's direction to the Jews, that they should bonour the Sabbath, not doing their own ways, nor finding their own pleasure, nor Speaking their own words *. This doth not mean, that whatsoever was pleafing was for that reason to be avoided by them; but that exercises of piety ought then to be their chief pleasure; and nothing unfuitable to them, however pleasing, done or uttered. They were not to fay, Our lips are our own; who is Lord over us + ? but at this time especially to prefer innocence before inclination.

And as cheerful difcourfe is not forbidden on the day, fo neither is a cheerful ufe of God's creatures, who hath given us richly all things to enjoy t. The religious governor Nehemiah, after the people had been affembled to hear the law, difmiffed them with these words: Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the fweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord. And it is said of the first Christians, immediately after the mention of their worship, as if it followed immediately after, that they did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart, praising God. But then both over plentiful indulgence, and luxurious delicacy, making the gratification of our appetite a serious study, or in the expreffive language of fcripture, a God VOL. III.

* Ifa. lviii. 13.
Neh. viii. 10.

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of our belly*, is very inconfiftent, not only with the business of the day, but with our whole profeffion. And yet more so are intemperance and debauchery, which profane our Sabbath beyond comparison worse than labouring upon it would do; pervert it from the fervice of God to that of the devil; and make it a public mifchief inflead of a bleffing. To prevent this therefore, every one ought carefully to watch over himfelf, parents over their children, heads of houfes over their families, and magiftrates over the whole community. For very few things would either do inferiors more good, or entitle fuperiors to a larger fhare of divine favour, than if the latter would enable themselves to fay, with the excellent governor above-mentioned: I commanded to sanctify the Sabbath-day: Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and Spare me, according to the greatness of thy mercy t.

But here a question may be put: Suppofing vice be avoided, may not amufements and diverfions be allowed? Now, in the first place, who are they that afk this? Persons that neglect religious duties. They have no right to ask it. Let them do what is commanded on the day, before they examine what is permitted; else their inquiry comes only to this, Whether they may difregard it from beginning to end? For fuch to plead for relaxations after the business of the day is over, when, God knows, their whole business upon it hath been idleness or worse, is beyond measure abfurd. And, therefore, when fome recreations on Sunday, in the afternoon, were unadvisedly permitted by authority, for a while, above an hundred years ago, they who had not first attended both morning and evening fervice, were expressly forbidden to partake of them. And of those who do attend the fervice of God, very few defire them. Such of the labouring and lower fort of the trading people, as profess any seriousness, are well content with indulging themselves afterwards at home in amicable conversation, or abroad in a friendly vifit, or the refreshment of going for a while to contemplate the beauties of the creation, which this day was appointed, amongst other things, to commemorate. And they are very fenfible, that taking liberties at all, confiderably greater, would be unfit and unsafe. The

The minds of men, even while they were at church, would be running on the diversions that were to follow: They would be tempted by them to neglect, perhaps entirely, religious exercifes in private their amufements would grow to be light and indecent, or tumultuous and mischievous, or both: expences and exceffes, drunkennefs and debaucheries, quarrels and disorders, would attend them: the day would come by degrees to be regarded as a day of sport only; and if once pious thoughts were banished at the time peculiarly appointed for them, when would they find a place in our hearts?

Now if thefe confiderations ought to weigh, and do weigh, with those who are almost conftantly kept to bufinefs, and for whom alone, on that account, the recreations formerly allowed, were intended and calculated; much more may they, who have leifure for them nearly as often as they will, and perhaps employ a great deal too much of the remainder of the week in them, afford without murmuring to diftinguish one day in feven, by abstaining from them. Still the few of those, who do not abstain from them, and yet behave like serious perfons in other inftances, ought to be refpected as fuch; and judged of, in this particular, with moderation and charity. But furely, at the fame time, they should be asked, Where is the need, where is the good, of thefe indulgences of yours on the Lord's day? If you are very fond of them, you ought, as reasonable creatures, and moral agents, to mortify a fondnefs, for which you can have no juft ground. And if you are indifferent about them, for what caufe do you affect to make this innovation: contrary, we apprehend, to religion; contrary, you must own, to the laws and ufages of your country? Is it to fhew, that you think farther than the vulgar? Shew it in fomewhat better. Indeed, think a little farther still, and you will fee, that compliance with wife cuftoms, is a wife thing. And why is not that custom fuch, which hath obtained univerfally amongst us, till of late, in this matter? Is the observation of this day grown so exceffively strict within thefe few years, that there is a neceffity of taking new meAre all

thods to relax it?

rately fcrupulous,

Are all your fervants grown fo immodethat you must try to weaken the force of principle in them, by giving them to understand, that you have but little of it yourselves? For while they conceive

you to violate the Sabbath, they will conceive you to disregard God. Is this then the light, in which you would have them; in which you would have other serious perfons confider you? Whether they will inveigh against you, or only grieve for you, why should you give them cause to do either? Why fhould you countenance and encourage the profane, tempt the confcientious, by your example, to do what they inwardly condemn, or help to make them look ridiculous, if they ftand out? But, indeed, could you bring all people into your own opinion, would it be defirable? Are not amusements, and particularly that of play, grown much too general, and frequent, and expenfive, already? And why would you increase it thus? Why would you have the lower part of the world, whom happily their business preserves from fuch things on other days, come to think them lawful on this, when they have full leifure for them, and may argue very plaufibly in favour of their own inclinations from the practice of their superiors? Muft not the introduction of these liberties probably keep them often from church, almost always from being the better for going thither; give them quite a wrong turn, waste their small profits and earnings, and drive them to many unjust methods of repairing their loffes and fupplying their extravagancies; by which,. I need not tell you, their bettersmust be fufferers? On these accounts, an author, not suspected of any religion, whom I quoted in my firft discourse on this fubject, had however policy enough to fee, and lay it down for a rule, that diverfions ought to be strictly prohibited on the Lord's day. Indeed, befides these particular bad effects, the use of them on that day muft contribute in general to perpetuate, without intermiffion, an eagerness for pleasure and entertainment, irreconcileable with a spirit of piety, and to exclude ferious thought even at the most serious times.

It hath been faid, that fuch employment is better than talking and hearing fcandal. But I am afraid the former by no means prevents the latter. Or fay it did, where is the neceffity of either? If our amusements alone restrain us from evil-speaking, we fhould put ourselves without delay under the influence of better motives. It hath been pleaded alfo, that diverfions are used in other countries on Sunday evenings, without harm. But in fome they are ufed at that time, be

canfe