ments, which, on the other six, are lawful and right, because this is a holy day.

Again, it is called a holy day, because holy sacrifices and duties are on that day to be performed; such as public religious worship, in all its parts, of prayer, praise, and hearing the Word. Private devotion also, in its various exercises. It is called a holy day, because it corresponds to, and represents, holy states in man, and the holy Sabbath of rest and peace in the heavens. And it is the Lord's holy day, as it is commanded by him to be set apart, and devoted to sacred purposes; as on that day he communicates holy and divine things to his faithful worshipers. For these, and several other reasons which might be given, the Sabbath is called, and is, a holy day-the Lord's holy day.

Now as this is the fact, and we are solemnly commanded to turn away our feet from this holy day, and to keep it holy, not doing our own pleasure, it seems necessary, my serious brethren, that we should enter a little closely into this subject. We may assure ourselves, that no divine law of the Word is given in vain. Whatever the law is, it is to be obeyed, and by obeying, we promote our own happiness. This law of the Sabbath is one of those ten laws, which must and will stand for ever.

It appears, then, that the obvious sense of this law is, that the sabbath is a day in which we are to cease from those works which are peculiar to the other six days, and on this, to engage in religious exercises, for the purpose of religious instruction, and improvement in spiritual things.

No rational man, I should suppose, will deny or controvert this proposition. And if we obey not this law, in this its more external sense, how shall we obey it in its more internal and spiritual import? Do we, then, on the Lord's holy day cease from those works which are peculiar to the other six days? Perhaps the answer is, "We do." But let us not conclude too rashly. Perhaps we cease from merchandise, trade, and manual labour; but do we lay aside those affections of the natural mind, which are attached to our particular vocations? Do we lay aside all the thoughts, schemes, plans, and various considerations of the mind, which belong only to our worldly concerns? And do we cease from those words, conversation, and discourses, which respect temporal and worldly things? Do we take no pleasure in meditating upon, employing our thoughts in, and discoursing about the subjects, which only relate to this world and life? And, therefore, do not -will not thus engage our minds on the holy day of the Lord?—

Yea, do we so turn the feet from the sabbath, from doing our own' pleasure, and finding our own ways and works, that we will not suffer, or admit, much less order, our son or daughter, man-servant or maid-servant, nor even our cattle, to labour, work, and toil on that holy day? Do we consider the extent of this law, and take pleasure in it? "Thou shalt do no work, thou, thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." Can this imply any thing less, than, that we impose not any labour upon any of our dependants, but what is unavoidably necessary? That we permit them to engage in religious exercises-make improvement in spiritual things, and gain instruction to their souls on the holy day of the Lord? Do we, my friends, thus remember to keep holy the sabbath day? Do we suffer this divine law to have its full effect upon ourselves, and in the whole of our families? I hope we do. I sincerely wish we all may! For I think we may set this down as a certain rule, namely, That a truly pious, conscientious, and good man, will faithfully attend to the divine laws of the holy Word, in his conduct and life; and he will take care that all those who are about him, and dependent upon him, even to the lowest servant, shall have the opportunity of obeying the same laws. For if he keeps them himself ever so strictly, and his dependants do not, because of his authority over them, but are employed in other things, and restrained on the holy day of the Lord-then that man actually breaks these divine laws in his servants, and stands charged with the guilt.

If the divine law of charity or neighbourly love were engraven upon our hearts, we should faithfully discharge every other, and that with the most sincere delight. For then we should do unto all others, as we would wish them to do unto us, were we in their situation, and they in ours. I am concerned when I see religious characters, persons of improved cultivated minds, and who profess to act upon and love the generous, the benevolent principles of the Lord's holy Word, and at the same time suffer not their domestics and dependants to enjoy the privileges of slaves, but cause them to toil, labour, and keep them in confinement, through the whole of that holy day, which the laws of God and man give them a right to partake of, in which they should rest from labour, improve their minds, gain religious instruction, and worship the God of heaven. Many very dreadful and fatal consequences arise, from this abounding evil in the Christian world.

But a word to the wise is sufficient. And I do hope that every

person who receives the pure heavenly doctrines of the Lord's New Church, will order his life according to these doctrines, even in his most external and outward conduct; and that while he prudently maintains that order and distinction which is proper between superior and inferior, he will take care to consider all who are dependant upon him or subject to him, as his fellow-creatures, never abridge them of those privileges the God of heaven allows, deprive them of opportunities for religious improvement and holy worship never take from them that holy day, which is the Lord's alone: and never force them to labour for and serve man, at those seasons, and on that day when they should labour to obtain eternal good, and serve, worship, and adore the Lord of Hosts. You will, perhaps, by way of apology or excuse, say, "There are many reasons to be given, why such a conduct is observed towards our dependants." I allow there are many reasons; but I will take upon me to say, and prove too, that they are all very bad ones.

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The laws of heaven are laws of divine truth and order-they are all perfectly good, and the more faithfully we obey them, in all states, at all times, and in all cases, the more exalted, useful, and happy, shall we be to all eternity. The time is now come, and the light of divine truth beams so refulgent upon the mind, that, we may now strip religion of all its superstition, its gloom, and melancholy, see divine laws in their excellency and glory, and obey them in their most external and lowest sense, with a dignity and a pleasure unknown to former ages. So, as to this divine law of keeping holy the sabbath day. When we come to perceive that it is not a rigorous injunction, but a law of infinite love and consummate wisdom, enjoined for the real benefit of man ;-that, in this day, we are to cease from all worldly and temporal employment, and devote it to more spiritual and religious purposes, that our minds may be refreshed, our understandings enlightened, our affections elevated to what is heavenly and eternal, and our souls fed with celestial manna, with the food angels eat: and that all this is appointed and ordained by our gracious Lord, that, in the enjoyment of such spiritual favours, life may be rendered comfortable; time made more pleasant; our spirits preserved in a state of elevation, security, and peace, and our souls prepared for an eternal sabbath of rest and joy, of love and wisdom, of happiness and honour in the new kingdom of our God. I say, when we perceive that such is the end of this divine law, with what alacrity, faithfulness, and delight shall we obey it! and acting from a pure principle of

love to our fellow-creatures, how careful shall we be not to abridge any one of them, of the blessings and mercies of this holy day! How willingly shall we make some little sacrifices, and deny ourselves of some trifling indulgences, in order to give our dependants, our children, and our servants, the privilege, the advantage of the Lord's holy day, that they may, as well as ourselves, enjoy the blessings of religious instruction, religious worship, and spiritual duties for their present and everlasting felicity!

And, permit me to observe, my brethren, that if we thus attended to, and faithfully obeyed, this divine law in the sense we have noticed, how would our minds be opened to its more internal and spiritual import, and what unspeakably blessed states should we enter into! We should then, indeed, delight ourselves in the Lord -ride upon the high places of the earth, and be fed with the heritage of Jacob our father. But our time is gone-what remains must be left to another opportunity. May the few plain remarks now offered, dispose our minds to a more diligent and faithful attention, to all the holy duties and services of the Lord's most holy day!

SERMON XXXIV.

THE WORD, A PURE RIVER OF WATER OF LIFE.

BY THE REV. M. SIBLY.

Rev. xxii. 1.

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb." THUS is one of the blessings of the New Jerusalem dispensation delineated in natural expressions, correspondent to the spiritual and celestial realities of the Lord's kingdom.

The two general subjects of this book of Revelation to John, are, the nature and quality of the christian church established at our Lord's first advent, more especially in her decline, even to her latter end, and of the commencement and establishment of the New Jerusalem, or true christian church, with a description of the rich benefits with which she will be mercifully and graciously endowed by her Lord and Saviour.

In the chapter preceding, we have this prophetic statement given, of the manner of the commencement of this New Jerusalem Church: "And I (John) saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." The first christian church, as to her internal essence,-her life, and her external quality,- her form, is here described by the first heaven, and the first earth, which passed away; and the new church raised up by the Lord in her stead, is denoted by the new heavens and the new earth; the heaven and the earth, as before, meaning the internal essence and life of her members, and the external quality and form of her worship.

The discrimination between the old church and the new, is this, that while the essential principle of the old church is faith, the essential principle with the new is charity; and while the worship of the old church is directed to an invisible God, or to three personalities, each of which is considered by himself to be God and Lord, the worship of the new church is directed to a visible God, even to Jehovah Jesus. in his divine humanity.

Many and great are the blessings predictively promised to be conferred, by the Lord, on this his new church. At present, we