tionally gay, be called upon to chear the gloomy hour of the pious; the friendship of the pious may well be resorted to, not only to moderate the sallies of intemperate gaiety, but to raise the melancholy and desponding, to a lively hope of the blessings of religion. The gospel of Christ refines our friendships, and teaches us the doctrine of love on the best of motives. Our friendships, on the other hand, help to confirm us in the belief and practice of christian duties by those mutual attentions both to our temporal and eternal interests which the gospel requires of us as children of the same father, and members of the same XXVII. faith. But the gospel still goes further, as it endeavours to eradicate every party prejudice as well as petty enmity from the human breast; and directs us, as the touchstone of our religion, to love even our enemies. To produce in the heart of man every advantage of revelation, no XXVIII. duty duty necessary for this purpose should be omitted. The institution of the sabbath comes under this description; and under the same head is implied every benefit of public and private worship. This is indeed an important mean of salvation, recalling the mind from secular cares, and fixing it on that day of rest which, however distant it may appear, is much nearer than most of us suspect. But the sabbath is also distinguished by an higher name-it is called the Lord's day from the important event of the resurrection which happened on it. The use then which Christians should make of this day is evident : they should review upon it the great obligations of religion, the fall of man from righteousness, and his restoration to divine favour by the coming of Christ. Let us regard it too as a resting travels through life, place in our not only for the sake of looking back on the checquered checquered landscape we have passed, but for the purpose of refreshing our souls for greater exertions in the prosecution of our journey. XXIX. Thus relieved by grace, and strengthened in the inner man, we may be prepared for the last scene of all in this eventful history, our removal to the world of spirits. If we wish that removal to be happy, let us in time make due preparation for it. Let us withdraw into the shade of solitude, our closet, or our garden, and commune diligently with our own hearts let us pursue that train of serious thought which may most easily and happily influence our conduct in life, and lead us, through the merits of Christ, to the final blessing of a good man's death. THE END. Bye and Law, Printers, St. John's-Square, Clerkenwell. |