Read and study the scriptures. This was our Lord's direction to the Jews. Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they testify of me [John v. 37; Acts xvii. 11.]. The Bereans were commended for their attention and diligence in this respect. They received the word with all readiness of mind, not with a blind and implicit faith in what they heard, even from an apostle, but they searched the scriptures daily, to know whether what he taught them was agreeable to the word of God.
The Bible is our only sure and infallible guide. It was given by inspiration of God. All other books, however good and useful, are but of human composition, and are therefore not perfect. [2 Tim. 8-16.; Isa. viii. 20.]
This sacred book, as I have already observed to you, contains all that is needful to make us wise unto salvation. It informs us of our original, how pure and innocent; and our present condition, how guilty, polluted and miserable! and the happiness or misery which awaits us in a future state. From this book we may learn, the malignity of sin, the holiness, spirituality, extent, and sanction of the law of God; and consequently, the just and certain condemnation due to our disobedience. It shews us, likewise, the way of our recovery. How perfectly the mediation of Christ is suited to vindicate the honour of the law, and to display the justice of God, in harmony with his mercy, and thereby to give peace to the consciences of convinced sinners.
I intreat you, therefore, to read the word of God carefully. Many of you have had Bibles or New Testaments given to you, and others might have them, if they had but an inclination to read.
Some of you will perhaps object, and say, as you have already said to me, We cannot read. Others, We have no time given us. If you cannot read yourselves, you might prevail on some of your comrades to read to you*. As to your having no time, I much question it. Rather you have no inclination. Too many of you can find time to jest, to talk obscenely or profanely, to read and sing idle songs; why might not some, or rather the whole of this time be employed in reading, or hearing the Bible? You might find time, if you could find a will. But remember, that such excuses as you now make, will stand you in no stead when you appear before God in judgment. There are few, if any of you, but might have opportunity of attending to these things, if you were but willing.
[*Footnote: Two or three hours thus spent on the Lord's day, in instructing each other to read, would be a very commendable employment. I have often expressed my longing desire that such a plan was set on foot among you. And if there could be a convenient building created for this purpose, I should think myself happy, not only to furnish you with books, as far as I am able, but also personally to attend and assist you, as much as my immediate calls of duty would permit.]
II. Observe and reverence the sabbath, or Lord's day. Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy [Exod. xx. 8.], is a solemn and positive command of God. To live in the neglect of this commandment, is absolutely to despise God, and to defy him, as it were to his face. Consider, my friends, you have orders frequently given you here, by your superiors, which you know you must obey, or you know the consequences of disobedience—judge then for yourselves, what have those persons to expect, who, in defiance of the authority of the great God, presume to neglect and profane the day which he has so expressly enjoined to be kept holy?
It gives me a deep and continual concern to observe how the Lord's-day is spent by many of you. What would a stranger think, who regards the sabbath, if he visited every part of this colony on the Lord's day? Ah! my brethren, I have seen and heard enough (alas! much more than enough) to form my own judgment on this subject. If my duty did not require my attendance on the public worship, and were I to visit your different places and huts, I fear I should find some of you spending the hours appointed for divine service in cultivating your gardens and grounds, others indulging themselves in mere sloth and idleness, others engaged in the most profane and unclean conversation, and others committing abominations, which it would defile my pen to describe. Now what must be the end of these courses? God says, Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. But the language, both of your hearts and actions, is, "We will not keep it holy. It is a day given us for ourselves; and we wish, and we are resolved to spend it as we please. We do not chuse to be confined, or compelled to hear so much preaching and praying." Is not this the language of your hearts? Your conduct too plainly proves it: but, my brethren, let me reason and expostulate a little with you upon this head.
Consider, what have been the consequences to many who have thus broken God's commands. I have known, and you likewise have known, those who have been brought to an untimely and disgraceful end, and who have dated their ruin from this one evil, the profanation of the Lord's day. Instead of spending it in the manner which he has enjoined, they kept bad and profligate company. By this practice, all serious impressions (if they formerly had any) have been driven from their minds. Their hearts have become more and more hardened and insensible; till at length, lost to all prudent reflection, they have regarded neither the tender solicitations and tears of parents, relations, and friends, the faithful warnings of ministers, nor the checks and rebukes of their own consciences. And what has been the event? I need not tell you, that having given way to their own wicked wills, the advice and example of their ungodly companions, and the temptations of the devil (for, be assured, that he is always at the bottom of these mischiefs) they have, at length, committed some act of depredation and villainy, which has brought them to an untimely grave.
Such, brethren, have been the free and ingenuous confessions of many of those unhappy people who have suffered death. And if you were to speak the sentiments of your hearts, I doubt not, but many of you, who by the mercy of God are yet living, would make the like acknowledgment; that breaking the sabbath was the first step towards bringing you into that pitiable situation, in which you either have been, or still are suffering. And will you still persevere in the road of misery? Will you still prefer the chains of your own depraved inclinations, to the service of God, which is perfect freedom? According to the Jewish law, a man was stoned to death, for gathering sticks on the sabbath day [Numb. xv. 32-36.], whereas you are doing a number of things on the Lord's day, which might as well be done before, or left undone till afterwards. But such is the long-suffering of the Lord, that though others have been cut off, you are spared to this hour. May his goodness lead you to repentance! Or otherwise, light as these things may appear to you now, and though you may plead a necessity for what you do, I tell you again, as I have often told you before, that a day is coming when God will call you to a strict account.