口罩 for thy servant heareth. Young as you are, you should consider yourself a servant of God, you should hear what he speaks, and hear in order to obey. Think of the children who sang Hosannahs in the Temple; and of Jesus himself, who at twelve years of age was found in the midst of the Doctors, both hearing and asking them questions. Pray you for God's blessing, as that child did of whom it is said that she never entered the house of God without secretly offering up this petition, Lord, help me to remember something." The way in which the young become strong and overcome the wicked one, is by having the word of God abide in them. 1 John ii, 14. Are you IN INFERIOR SITUATIONS--Clerks, apprentices, or engaged in manufactories in large cities or towns, or in laborious situations, where you are confined during the week to a close and constant employment? possibly you think yourselves at liberty to neglect hearing on the Sunday, and to spend it in walks and recreation. We allow that the inducements to the carnal mind are very strong, when, to adopt words used on another occasion, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come, to neglect the less agreeable privilege of hearing the sacred word; and to pursue, without restraint, the delightful recreation afforded to one who has been shut up all the week by the view of the simple scenery of nature, and the refreshing breezes of a pure air. Probably the necessities of your family allow you no other day for such an enjoyment. Probably your earthly master would not, or could not, allow you time for such a refreshment. You think it right to obey him, lest your temporal But-would you think it an act interests should suffer. to promote this, you spend the sabbath in idle parties of pleasure and vain amusements. What are your feelings at the close of such a sabbath? After a day so spent are you not wearied, disappointed, burdened, and dissatisfied? So far from being refreshed for the duties of another week, you are unfitted for them. There is infinitely more vexation in mis-spending the sabbath, than in any apparent mortification of our carnal pleasures by following its due and holy employment. Give the day to its sacred duties; bring your children to hear his ministers ;* and especially let the word of Christ this day reign in your heart and family, and it will spread a heavenly influence around you; you will be invigorated and quickened for all your daily toil and labours. The word of God, wherever it is received and obeyed, spreads life and fertility, joy and happiness. Are you CHILDREN? begin early to love and reverence the word of God. Be attentive to what is said by his ministers. Try at least to remember the text of the sermon which you hear. Ask your parents to explain what you do not understand. Think of young Samuel; while he was a little child, he ministered unto the Lord, when the word of the Lord was precious. He watched in the temple of the Lord, and God called him to be a prophet, and used him as an instrument of extensive good. My little children, love to hear like Samuel, who said, when God called him, Speak Lord, * In a sermon on Luke ii, 42, as to Joseph and Mary's taking Jesus at twelve years old to the temple, Latimer commends Mary for going, as the law did not oblige her, and thinks she went to hear the word of God. He adds, "Note the painfulness of Mary, that she was content to go so great a journey for God's sake. I fear this journey of her's will condemn a great many of us which will not go out of door to hear God's word.' end the shor thy servant heareth. ements Young as you are, you should onsider yourself a servant of God, you should hear abbath! what he speaks, and hear in order to obey. Think of appoate,he children who sang Hosannahs in the Temple; and of Jesus himself, who at twelve years of age was found being refres in mis-spend estined in the midst of the Doctors, both hearing and asking rtification of a and holy bring yours them questions. Pray you for God's blessing, as that child did of whom it is said that she never entered the house of God without secretly offering up this petition, "Lord, help me to remember something." The way in which the young become strong and overcome the wicked one, is by having the word of God abide in them. 1 John ii, 14. cially let the for all you by jou gin early to be Ask you child, he m Lord was pr rd, and Gla m as an Are you IN INFERIOR SITUATIONS--Clerks, apprentices, or engaged in manufactories in large cities or towns, or in laborious situations, where you are confined during the week to a close and constant employment? possibly you think yourselves at liberty to neglect hearing on the Sunday, and to spend it in walks and recreation. We allow that the inducements to the carnal mind are very strong, when, to adopt words used on another occasion, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come, to neglect the less agreeable privilege of hearing the sacred word; and to pursue, without restraint, the delightful recreation afforded to one who has been shut. up all the week by the view of the simple scenery of nature, and the refreshing breezes of a pure air. Probably the necessities of your family allow you no other day for such an enjoyment. Probably your earthly master would not, or could not, allow you time for such a refreshment. You think it right to obey him, lest your temporal interests should suffer. But-would you think it an act Idren, love alled him, Joseph and Ma ple, Latimer blige her, and ds, "Note the 's will condent to hear God's of extreme folly, and call it a wasteful idleness to be wandering among the fields when your earthly master, or your family call you to work, and have you not heavenly master, and have you not spiritual necessities? God has issued his command—Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy! Will you disregard it? God give his wages: will you undervalue them? If thou turn away thy fool from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own "ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thin own words, Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. Christians! there are much higher joys, even in this world, than contemplating the beauties of nature! 0 to have our sins washed away in the blood of Christ and to be justified freely by his grace, to be renewed by his Holy Spirit, and to become a child of God, this is true happiness on earth! And there are before you. yet higher joys still in the paradise above, the new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous ness. May the blessed Spirit of Christ give us a taste for these; let us not forfeit these for any mere temporary indulgences. Our life is now a life of faith, and not of sense; be not surprised therefore if you have to give up some temporal pleasures; those which are innocent shall be enjoyed with a double relish. In any case the time is hastening on when we shall enter the joy of our Lord, even fulness of joy. 4 But will you still say-Surely we may have Sunday for a day of pleasure. By all means let Sunday be a day of pleasure: but what is your pleasure? Is it idle conversation, feasting, and light and vain company O these are not real pleasures; they are very unsatis factory and transitory gleams of false pleasure. Delight me & self in the Lord, there is the true happiness of the ortal spirit. Hear and read his word-that tells ****labourer of satisfying joy, of the rest which remaineth' the people of God; there you have set before you t which will afford you comfort and happiness in all ir toils and sorrows. It is specially needful that I should hear, and thus learn divine truth when you , for you have not time, nor opportunity, for much idy, and deep learning; and therefore you should *'ail yourself of those advantages with which you are w favoured. In a Christian country you have, through kind providence, ministers appointed to instruct you, hose special office it is to acquire divine knowledge for her our edification. In hearing a faithful and wise preacher, ou have, in the short time of the delivery of a sermon, the result of much study and prayer applied to your articular necessities. By due attention to such sermons, joined to your own reading of God's word, you will increase in the knowledge of the Son of God, till you rade come to a perfect man, unto a measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Be not, by neglect of such Chris instruction, unhappy in both worlds. Hear, believe, and obey; and so shall you be blessed here and for Do you say that you are ashamed to appear for want of clothes fit to come in? but are you not ashamed of being away, when the of God marks in absence? Do you say there is no room? I reply, O. that our churches were ordinarily crowded as they might be! Be in good time, and you will find room. More churches would be built, if those that are erected were more crowded. Fa ever. refore ths ble re We sho asure vain are refi easure. eye you your Are you SERVANTS? you should not neglect to hear. Shut not yourselves out from so great a privilege, where you have permission to attend, and remain not in any P 督 |