I shall not argue further that Chris- | the Jews-restoring them from Babytians have a Sabbath which we are bound to hallow. The fourth commandment is in all your Bibles and Prayer Books, and is as express as any one of all the commandments perhaps more than any: we read and hear it every Sunday of our lives, and we confess and pray after it, "Lord have mercy upon us,”-surely that must mean for having broken it -"and incline our hearts to keep this law," that must mean for the time to come. If not hypocrites, (which I do not suppose you to be,) you must mean what you say; you are sensible of having offended in time past, you supplicate GOD's mercy, through Christ, for your Sabbath transgressions; you are desirous henceforth, with his grace assisting you, to keep this law, not only outwardly, but with the heart. May GOD keep us (you and me) in that frame of mind, for then you will readily go with me in my second part, which is,

TO SHEW SOME OF THE PREVALENT ABUSES OF THE HOLY SABBATH.-Here I shall take the narrative before us for my guide, and request your kind and candid attention to its instruction. Look at the fifteenth and sixteenth verses: In those days I saw in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre, also, therein, which brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem."

Here observe, first the time: it was "in those days," that Nehemiah saw the Sabbath profanations—after GoD had been shewing special kindness to

lon-rebuilding their city-reviving religion amongst them, it was after Ezra and Nehemiah had been instructing them in their duties,-when the Levites had taught them this very duty-when the priests, nobles, and people, had solemnly agreed not to buy on the Sabbath day. Thus you find in the tenth chapter and thirtyfirst verse:-“And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day." Such was the agreement-the promise they had made. It was then, even in "those days," that the people so profaned the Sabbath. My brethren, we also live in a time of revived religion; GOD has been doing great things for our land, in this regard, for the last thirty years. He has given us many temporal deliverances, and has caused a blessed revival of the pure doctrines of the reformation, such as many pious men of former times desired to see, but saw not. Now the doctrines of the Bible ever enforce its duties: whoever understands aright that he is to be justified by faith in Christ, will also seek, through Christ, to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to obey the commands of God. We have had our attention very powerfully called to the observance of the Sabbath. Between two and three years ago, you know, every minister in this parish addressed his congregation expressly on this subject on one and the same day. At our parish church an important course of sermons on "The divine authority and perpetual obligation of the Sabbath day," was delivered, which is now, through the press, made accessible to all who may have lingering doubts on that point. You had your attention recalled to the subject from time to time; therefore, if the Sabbath is

this is taking place surely augments our guilt.

The place where should also be observed. "In those days I saw in Judah," not merely in Babylon and Tyre, for there he would not have been surprised to see it, but in Judah, where GOD should be observed, should all the world forget him. What then if such things are seen, not merely amongst heathens and Mahometansnot merely in popish Italy and Spain --not merely in sceptical Franceand not merely in the darker parts of England (for such parts there are), but in our own parish, where GOD, in his mercy has sent the boon of a preached Gospel. Instead of excusing ourselves by the example of others, we ought to become a pattern to them that believe, and to let our light shine before men.

Refer

profaned amongst us, the time when | but it is the busy time with us; surely there is allowance to be made for us with our sheaves of corn." him to Exodus, thirty-fourth chapter, and twenty-first verse; "Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest, thou shalt rest." Observe, at the busiest of all times in the year-" in earing time and in harvest," thou shalt rest. There you see others lading asses: yet the law said, not only "Thou and thy son, and thy daughter," but "thy cattle" shall do no work on the Sabbath. How did the Israelites, indeed, explain this away! Would, my brethren, that man was as merciful to the poor brutes, as GOD, who gives them to man, meant him to be: GoD meant them to have a Sabbath of rest for their wearied bodies, while man was enjoying a rest, both in body and soul. You pass mournfully on; fresh abominations meet your eyes; (I still mean Jerusalem, it will come nearer home presently). There you see "wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day." Again, you think of the words of the law“Thou shalt do no manner of work ;" you imagine, surely this people have some other law, the express contrary to ours; surely they have read "Thou shalt remember the Sabbath day to keep it unholy; thou shalt do all manner of work." And now they unload their burdens; now commences all manner of traffic: there are not only these sellers, but crowds of buyers; if there were no buyers, the sellers would not come. There you see the servants of the rich and the noble come to purchase for their masters: do their masters, think you, know it?

We see, then, the circumstances of time and place but aggravating the evil: now for the evil itself:-" In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals." You behold, my brethren, the busy scene which Nehemiah witnessed; and fancy yourself in Jerusalem, walking with Nehemiah through the streets, and by the gates on a Sabbath morning. There are some, you see, treading the winepresses; others bringing in their sheaves, and lading their asses. Is it not written, you might say within yourself, "Thou shalt do no manner of work on the Sabbath?" Perhaps you would stop that man with the sheaves, and go and ask him whether he knows the law of God; he would say, "Yes,

have they any idea, or suspicion, what things are done for them in their name on the Sabbath? There you

see the poor coming in crowds to buy | der: “Cursed is every one that convictuals.

tinueth not in all things which are But observe that other class of written in the book of the law to do dealers; they look like strangers in them." I can find no excuse for them. Jerusalem; who are these?" There I am ashamed and grieved for the dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which children of Judah, at this picture of brought fish, and all manner of ware, Sabbath profanation, which I have and sold on the Sabbath unto the been drawing from Nehemiah's hischildren of Judah, and in Jerusalem." tory. Now, my brethren, need I These men of Tyre were very proba- apply this part of my subject? Does bly heathens; even if they were, they it not apply itself? Have you seen might have known the law of the nothing like this picture in Londonland of Israel, and had no more right in our own neighbourhood? Are not to break it, than the smuggler has to flesh, and fish, and fruits (the very bring contraband goods into a country. things mentioned by Nehemiah) But they brought fish, we are told, bought, sold, and carried home and fish is a perishable commodity in amongst us every Sabbath. We have a climate so warm, and the gentry of applied in our own parish to the Jerusalem may not have means to tradesman; one fishmonger expressed keep it fresh; is not this an excuse? his desire to have a Sabbath, but it Do you mean an excuse for breaking was not for him, he said, to reform GOD's plain command? Can any the manners of his customers; many thing excuse that? Surely an Israel- will have fish, and will have it sent ite indeed would have said, " Let the home on the Lord's day. In the evifish perish; let them swim in the dence given last year, before the seas, rather than I should break the committee of the House of Commons, law of my GOD." "If fish make my (very important evidence, which those brother, or myself by buying to offend, who have opportunity would do well I will eat no more fish so long as I to read) it was said by one fishmonger, live." Is there no other food amongst that it is a general complaint from all the fowls of heaven, all the beasts the masters and servants throughout of the field, and all the fruits of the their trade, that they have now no ground, which I may use for the sus- Sabbath. Another said, he has eight tenance of nature on the Sabbath, or ten men regularly employed on without causing this open violation of the Sunday. Billingsgate market is the day of GOD? But it was not fish open, and a great many are there alone, but "all manner of ware;" | half intoxicated, using most profane and that not to the strangers of Tyre, language. Another states, that the but to the children of Judah and Jeru- boys have no opportunity of receiving salem. Now, if the men of Tyre moral and religious instruction; and, were not excusable, what shall we consequently grow up in ignorance say of the children of Judah and Jeru- and sin. Now, with such facts before salem? Surely their fault is double. you, will any of you increase this I can find no excuse for them; I try profanation of the Lord's day? Shall in vain they have had six days for I again be told, as I have been more buying, and selling, and working; than once told, by some of the ministers the law is good in itself: GoD's word of the parish, that some of my congreis plain, positive, and express. Hegation are known to have fish carried denounced also a curse on the offen- to their houses almost every sabbath.

travel for business on the day of rest! How many use their cattle to pay morning visits, and to take their air

And how many, who cannot plead infirm health, or danger to delicate constitutions, as their excuse from inclement weather (a plea which I would hold as valid), yet how many who are healthy and strong ride, when they might walk, to the house of GOD; where they come, among other purposes, to hear the commandment, which says "Thou shalt do no manner of work, neither thou nor thy cattle."

Then there are the fruiterers; men who sell grapes and figs, and such things as Nehemiah spoke of. I have spoken myself to one in this neigh-ings in the parks on the Sabbath! bourhood, whose open shop glares in the face of every passenger; he refers also to his customers-they will have fruit. Therefore if you are the customers, I must appeal earnestly to you, lest you be partakers of other men's sins. The butchers again, and the bakers, have long complained, that they are almost entirely deprived of any Sabbath, unless (a thing which you can hardly expect from men who have so little opportunity of religious instruction) they choose to encounter the risk of losing their trade, by refusing to sell on the Sabbath. In this case, I do not believe that they would be losers in the end; but this persuasion you cannot express to men in general, when uninstructed in the self-denying principles of the gospel of Christ.

And are the poor cattle more attended to by Christians, under our gracious dispensation? “What meaneth, then, this bleating of sheep, and lowing of oxen in mine ears?" What droves of cattle pass through our parish every Sabbath; and that, too, between the hours prohibited by our local law? Why do they pass at all? It is for the market. Why is the market held on the Monday? why not on the Tuesday? Then form an idea of the ignorance promoted among the drovers by this single cause. I remember visiting a drover in his last illness, who bitterly complained, that for twenty or thirty years he had been kept by his business from ever entering the house of GOD. But these are not all the cattle who suffer from the support of Sabbath profanations, which has spread through society. How many make the poor cattle slave, to carry them out on parties of pleasure, as they call them! How many

What are we to say to these things? I could find no excuse for the Jews, still less can I for the Christians. Unless we are Antinomians, and deny the obligation of the moral law; unless we are infidels, and deny the authority of the scriptures; unless our professions of Christianity are a farce, or the public reading of the commandments and our fixing them up in our churches, so that every man who comes in or goes out may see or hear them, unless all these be mockery of Almighty GOD, we must smite on our breasts, and say, GOD be merciful to us, miserable sinners:" for, my brethren, I have not referred to a hundreth part of the sabbath profanations common in our land. Think of one tea-garden in our own parish, frequented by from four to five thousand persons-men, women, and children-on a Sunday in the summer; and then, think of forty thousand Sunday newspapers said to be circulated every sabbath; each having one, several, or many readers and will any one who has read them seriously maintain, that they have at all helped him to keep holy the sabbath day?

The whole subject is painful and wearisome; nothing but a sense of duty induces me to bring it forward.

This introduces our third and last part. We have seen that we have a Sabbath which ought to be observed; | we have also seen that that Sabbath is openly abused; we come, thirdly, to THE PRACTICAL REMEDIES TO BE

APPLIED.

The time is surely come, when minis- | fixed, your mind is made up; the ters must not keep silence, but must Sabbath belongs to GOD; it is the protest, boldly and faithfully against Lord's day, and your souls' day: you public sins, and implore their people cannot give it up to worldly business to lend themselves to the work of re- or mere vain pleasures. Brethren, formation. I should be truly glad if you receive these exhortations in good part, and all, from this time, give GOD and his Sabbath the weight of your own personal example. I am sure you will lose nothing, but gain much, even as regards the things of this life. It was shewn by an eminent physician (Dr. Parr, well known in our neighbourhood), in his evidence, that man physically requires a sabbath—one day of rest in seven; that men who observe the Sabbath will have better health, and live longer than they who keep none; that the Sabbath is as needful to the health of your body, as ministers tell you it is to the health of the soul. What, then, would you help to ruin men-to ruin their health, to shorten their lives? What would you think of keeping men in ignorance, and encouraging them in sin?

what of promoting a forenoon of labour for you, and an afternoon of drinking and licentiousness for themselves?—what of keeping them from coming to hear of Jesus Christ and his salvation? Yet all this you will do,

First of all, what did Nehemiah? | He took no part in the sin himself: that is the first, and the main duty. Nehemiah neither bought nor sold; no servant of his took or fetched in goods on the holy day. He was resolved, even if he stood alone, to be faithful among the faithless. This, brethren, is your pattern. Say not, "I can do nothing; I cannot turn the tide of society; what I do can make no difference." It can make a difference; it can prove the difference whether you are for GOD or not. Your example has some weight; every man has a little circle of influence; even the poor boy, who refuses to go with Sabbath-breaking companions-even the servant, who prefers a situation of less wages where he may regularly go to church | if you do not, from this time, abstain and serve GOD on the Sabbath-even | from encouraging the violation of the the poor cottager, who trains up his children to reverence and love the Lord's day,-each, in his situation, may glorify God in this matter. I entreat you, brethren, by all the mercies of GoD in Christ Jesus, from this time forth to take no part yourselves in the profanation of the holy Sabbath. Are you masters and parents? Say with Joshua:-"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." Do not connive at any Sabbath profanations: let your servants, tradesmen, children, friends, relatives, understand that your plan is

Sabbath. My brethren, I say all this in the affectionate persuasion that you only need this appeal to bring you, with God's grace, to resolve, henceforth and for ever, to have done with Sabbath profanations.

The second practical duty is, to make a public protest. This did Nehemiah: "I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals:" and again, in the seventeenth verse: "Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your