"In it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." Now although the literal strictness of this precept is materially softened by the influence of the Gospel, it must be obvious to every serious observer, that its true meaning and spirit are far too much disregarded in the present day. It is the destiny of man that he should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, and the Sabbath is graciously bestowed upon him as a relief to that destiny. His mental energy and his bodily strength are to be renewed by its leisure; and God, who has thus bestowed upon man the substantial blessing of a periodical cessation from toil, has decreed the same privilege even to inferior animals While, therefore, we make an allowance for temporal exigencies, and a still wider one for the calls of devotion and charity, we ought on the Sabbath day, to exercise great caution not to thwart the benevolent purposes of our Creator, by unnecessarily breaking the rest either of our servants or of our cattle. The domestic, on that day, should find his business materially lessened; the labourer should enjoy, as far as possible, an uninterrupted rest; and the beast, which has served us faithfully during the week, should not be deprived of his share of the general repose.

Were the law of a gracious Creator in reference to this point more carefully observed, the servants in many families would be spared

that labour on the Sabbath, which now too often prevents their attending to any religious duty. Nor would our country be any longer disgraced by the very prevalent practice of both private and public travelling, on the day appointed, in the order of Providence, for public worship and for the needful intermission of work. Many a driver and hostler, who now knows no cessation from his hourly activity, would then be found frequenting his place of worship; and many a poor animal which now pants under the lash on the Sabbath, would then be permitted to recover strength for the ensuing six days of inevitable labour. To extend our views to a greater distance; what a shameful rebellion against the law of God, is the denial of a Sabbath to our colonial slaves! And how deep the guilt of that nation, which permits the continuance of so impious a cruelty!

The appointment of every seventh day for repose from labour, is calculated to remind us of the mild and benevolent nature of the sabbatical law. There is indeed no harshness in its genuine meaning; and while every thing, on that day, ought to be avoided, which has any tendency to produce a forgetfulness of its duties, it is nevertheless true, that one of its objects is lawful refreshment. While we re

frain from doing our own pleasure, and turn away our foot from every dissipating amusement, on God's holy day (Is. 67: 13), we may rest satisfied that the hour of relaxation, the retired walk, and the calm contemplation of the

beauties of nature, are in just accordance with its character and purpose. So long as they interfere with no duty of worship or charity, and are enjoyed in the remembrance of God, they are in themselves desirable, and consist with the true spirit of the law. [See App. C.]

It is of especial importance that a cheerful view of the Sabbath should be impressed on the minds of children; and that while the common course both of their studies and their amusements is suspended, they should be taught to regard it as a day of peculiar happiness. We must lead them onwards in their Christian course, with a gentle and alluring hand, and avail ourselves of every recurring Sabbath, for imbuing them with a sense of the pleasures of religion.

Finally, it will not be irrelevant to remind the fervent and devoted Christian, that the Lord of the Sabbath has not appointed it as a period of arduous toil, even in the pursuit of religion; but rather as a day of joyful commemoration, and of happy reviving communion with HIMSELF. Tranquillity and moderation in the works of charity are desirable on the Sabbath, as well as diligence; and whether we are engaged in delivering the message of the Gospel to others, or in receiving those glad tidings, we can then wear no better ornament than that of a meek and quiet spirit. While, therefore, we pursue all the duties of the day with zeal and fidelity, let us not forget to enjoy the privilege of mental repose. Let us cultivate a contemplative mind; and

let us pray to be made partakers of the peace of God which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4: 7. [See App. D.]

Having thus endeavoured to trace the private, the social, and the public duties of the Sabbath, and having considered the institution in its double character of a day of worship and a day of rest, we may now conclude this little volume by remarking, that in both these respects the Sabbath is a type of heaven. The apostle is evidently speaking of our final inheritance, when after alluding to the rest of God after the creation, and to that of the Israelites in the promised land, he adds; "There remaineth therefore a rest, (in the Greek, the keeping of a Sabbath day, oaßßarioμós), to the people of God," Heb. 4: 9.

The Sabbath is the significant means appointed, in the wisdom of Providence, not only for reminding us of the past mercies of our God, but for keeping alive our expectation of future and never-ending bliss. The more watchful and diligent we are in making a right use of this divine institution, the better we shall be prepared for its fulfilment in the world to come. There shall those who live and die in JEsUus, unite with the whole church triumphant in pure and perpetual WORSHIP. There shall they cease from their sorrow, their conflict, and their labour; and there enjoy, in the presence of their God and Saviour, A GLO

RIOUS AND ETERNAL REST.

APPENDIX.

[A]

THE subject thus introduced by Mr Gurney, deserves a still more attentive consideration, on account of the many objections raised against the strict observance of the Sabbath, by an erroneous interpretation of the passage which he has cited from the epistle to the Colossians, and of another one in Rom. 14: 5. The latter runs thus: "One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day âlike; let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." On this I remark,

(1) That the apostle, as appears from the context, is evidently contending against those who were imbued with Jewish superstitions, and with zeal for the continued observance of the Mosaic law. In the epistle to the Romans, this is perfectly clear; inasmuch as the context is occupied with the dispute respecting the use of meats, etc. In the epistle to the Colossians it is equally clear; inasmuch as the things enumerated in the very verse in question, are things which pertain to the ritual of the Mosaic law. The nature of the days mentioned, then, is to be judged of in a manner that is accordant with the fact just stated.

(2) In the apostolic age, there prevailed a distinction between the name of the first day of the week and of the seventh; the former was called LORD'S DAY (uça

giann); the latter, SABBATH (odßßarov). So we have it in Rev. 1: 10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." So Ignatius (Epist. ad Magnes, about A. D. 101) calls the first day of the week, the Lord's day (tiv nvqiaxiv), the day consecrated to the resurrection, the queen and prince of all days. And again, in the same epistle: Let every friend of Christ celebrate the Lord's day (Tiv пvQianý).” That all the later Christian fathers made the distinction just mentioned, need not be prov