Were the sabbath not commanded to be kept holy, yet would it be highly necessary to our well-being to continue its observance. Jonas Hanwell, Esq. The neglect of the sabbath has proved the great inlet to all manner of wickedness.-Jonas Hanwell, Esq. He who profanes the sabbath is guilty of sacrilege. Lord Chief Justice Hale observed that, according to his care in observing the Lord's day, he commonly prospered in his undertakings the week following. Nefastis diebus nihil cum populo agi utile.-Livy. Festo die si quid prodegeris, profesto egere liceat— Plautus. CONCLUSION. THEME C. Never contend about Trifles. INTRODUCTION. .... 1ST REASON.-It is not worth contending about a straw. 2ND REASON.-As crotchets and trifles take their colour from persons' tempers, whims, or opinions, much more than matters of great moment do, it is no use contending about them; because "a man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still." 3RD REASON. A quarrel about a trifle generally produces a greater breach than a contention about some grave and important matter. When subjects of serious consequence are under debate, the parties are willing to hear reason and appeal to truth; but when matters of fancy are under dispute, each maintains his opinion by preconceived notions or rooted prejudice; and, after all has been said, each party may exclaim, "De gustibus non est disputandum." 4TH REASON.-To contend about trifles shows a little and weak mind, "pleased with a rattle, and tickled with a straw." 5TH REASON. It is an evidence of a litigious, obstinate, dogmatical temper, which requires every one to see exactly eye to eye with itself. 6TH REASON. It is a contention for the sake of contention; a quarrel merely for the triumph of a victory; a dispute in order to have one's own way; and not for the sake of truth. QUOTATIONS.-A fool's lips enter into contention.— Prov. xviii. 6. Avoid foolish questions, genealogies and contentions, for they are unprofitable and vain.-Tit. iii. 9. .... The end of the commandment is charity, . . . from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling, .... understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.-1 Tim. i. 5–7. Foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes and the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men.-2 Tim. ii. 23, 24. : They that are vainglorious must needs be factious; and must needs be violent to make good their vaunts.Lord Bacon. Never fight for a straw. Alter rixatur de lana sæpe caprina, CONCLUSION. THEME CI. Ye (Christians) are the Light of the World. INTRODUCTION.. 1ST REASON.-Light is an emblem of purity: thus our divine Redeemer calls himself the "Light of the world:" and Christians are to be "blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom they shine as lights in the world."-Phil. ii, 15. 2ND REASON.-Light is very conspicuous. Shakspeare says, "how far the little candle throws his beams !" If it be so with the little candle, much less can a Christian lie hid from observation. Every professor of the gospel is a marked character; he is "like a city set on a hill which cannot be hid."-Matt, v. 14. 3RD REASON-Light serves to direct the wanderer on his way. "If any man walk in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him; but if any man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of the world." (John, xi. 9, 10.) Christians are to be a “light to the feet, and a lamp to the path" of those amongst whom "they live, and move, and have their being." 4TH REASON.-Light purifies. Places kept in the dark very soon become dank and unhealthy, but light keeps them pure and sweet.. So Christians are the medium in God's hand of purifying the world from its widely-diffused moral corruption. 5TH REASON.-Light invests objects with their proper shape and colour. In the dark no shape is discernible, no colour reflected; the most beautiful things are "without form and void." So also the heart of man, in its natural state, is a chaos, in which is no beauty, no outline of "the image of God" can be distinguished; no reflection in all his actions of the "Sun of righteousness" is visible: But Christians are so to shine, "that men may see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven."-Matt. v. 16. 6TH REASON.-Light gives to plants both health and vigour. Without light the healthiest plant would soon blanch, and dwindle, and die; it is the same with the mind without the light of the gospel. The ignorance of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans upon what Solomon calls "the very beginning of wisdom," was most awful; and that of modern heathen nations is no better. Christians are the missionaries who carry the light of truth to these "dark places of the earth," and wherever the gospel enters "it giveth wisdom to the simple." 7TH REASON. When light is reflected, it makes even opaque objects luminous. So Christians are a glory to any land, for "righteousness exalteth a nation." 8TH REASON.-Light is an emblem of joy: thus the Psalmist says, "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." If there had been only ten righteous men in Sodom, God would have preserved it from destruction for their sake. Again; all the crew in which Paul sailed were saved from shipwreck for Paul's sake; and all Egypt from famine for Joseph's sake. Who can tell, therefore, how many blessings come upon a nation for the sake of the people of God that dwell therein? SIMILES. HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. QUOTATIONS.-Ye are the salt of the earth.-Mati. v. 13. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.-Prov. iv. 18. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.-Eph. v. 8. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.—Isa, ix. 2. I send thee unto the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.-Acts, xxvi. 18. I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.Acts, xiii. 47.; see also Isa. xlii. 6, 7. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.—1 Pet. ii. 9. He (i. e. John the Baptist) was a burning and a shining light.-John, v. 35. Ye are the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness.-1 Thess. V. 5. Titus, iii. 3-8. Colossians, i. 10-13. I will give him the morning star.-Rev. ii. 28.; see also 2 Pet. i. 19. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. -2 Cor. iv. 6. CONCLUSION.. THEME CII. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour. INTRODUCTION. 1ST REASON.-He is ore exalted in his birth: The righteous man is born of Gou, to whom he is a son; and by whom he has been constituted a "king and priest for ever." Christ is his elder brother; angels and spirits his kinsmen in the Lord. Where is the monarch can show a parentage like that? Where is the noble can boast such a lineage? Where is the worldling who can claim |