nour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words ;- then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.”

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In these words, our happiness, here and hereafter, in time, and through eternity, is suspended on the fulfilment of certain conditions. These conditions are partly negative, and partly positive; embracing the relinquishments, and the occupations, demanded by the Sabbath day; but especially regarding those inward dispositions, from whence alone, we can either leave undone, those things which we ought to leave undone; or do those things, which we ought to do.

By the first condition, we are to relinquish all common business. "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is, if thou restrain thy feet from all needless journeys; thy hands, from all needless work; thy mind, from all lowthoughted cares. (2)

By the second condition, we are to relinquish all ordinary pleasure. "From

doing thy pleasure on my holy day;" that is, if thou abstain from all common amusements, however allowable in themselves (3); if thou seek, on this day, to recreate thy mind by enjoyments of a graver character, and more accordant with the sacredness of the divine appointment.

But these conditions may be outwardly observed, not from obedience, not from gratitude, not from devotion; but merely to secure a pause from the fatigue of business, or a breathing place from the yet more wearisome fatigue of dissipation. We must not confound the calculations of good sense, with the feelings of religion.

Our Sundays may also be exempted from labour and amusement on the semblance of principle, but with little advantage to our spiritual welfare. There is a kind of superstitious awe, by no means connected with right dispositions of the heart. Examples are obvious. It is enough, however, to remember the un

righteous Pharisees of old. Who more scrupulous in the positive rest of the body? Who more destitute of those charitable and good affections, which it is the great object of a Sabbath to cherish and improve? It is not, therefore, a simple abstinence from business and amusement, which can worthily consecrate this day of our Lord.

What, then, must we do? We are instructed by the third condition of the text, If thou call the Sabbath a delight." We must love Sunday, in order to observe it. For, to love this day, is to love its holy occupations: and what we truly love, we shall cheerfully perform. To love this day, is to love that God, for whose service it was appointed. And, if we really love God, we shall delight in those devotional employments, which make us conscious of his presence; in that spiritual consecration of our hearts and minds, which will raise us from earth to heaven; from things

human, to things divine; from things perishable, to things immortal.

Here, then, is a test, by which we may ascertain our religious condition. Do we love Sunday? Do we love it, for the prayer, the instruction, the pious thoughts, the profitable words, the charitable deeds, which follow in its train ?. If we do, we may entertain a comfortable hope, that we are in a state of preparation for the everlasting Sabbath of the blest. In the mansions of our Father, prayer, and praise, and holy contemplation, and the society of glorified spirits, and the presence of the great God, and the performance of his good pleasure, and the ministration of mercy, throughout worlds and systems unknown and undiscovered, shall constitute the happiness of those admitted to that heavenly rest. Now, each returning Sabbath affords a shadow of these good things to come. (4) And it is certain, that, unless we relish the anticipation upon earth, we

shall never be prepared for the reality in heaven. He, therefore, and he only, is the safe and happy man, who truly calls the sabbath a delight.

But here, too, there is necessity for caution. The fervour of religious feeling may remain, when the purity has taken flight and, in devotional exercises, an extreme, but unprofitable fervour, may be substituted for the calm and holy influence of undefiled religion. Such was the case of the unhappy Balaam (5). He probably began life well. He certainly manifested, on different occasions, an ardent feeling of religion. And, there is reason to believe, that he retained that feeling to the last. But he had unfortunately, and, it would appear, irrecoverably, made shipwreck of religious principle. Now, it is but too certain, that many in the Christian world, have resembled this unrighteous prophet; have relished the excitements of religion, while they infringed its moral obliga tions; have brought themselves to en

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