_Reading_ is an exercise that ought to be particularly attended to on the Sabbath. We would do well to converse intimately and constantly with pious men in their writings, when we are not called to other duties. The great variety of journals and semi-romances, with which the professedly religious presses teem, has, at least, a questionable effect upon intelligent and vital religion. If the Sabbath were more devoted to the study of such books as Doddridge's Rise and Progress, Scougal's Life of God in the Soul, Flavel on Keeping the Heart, Owen on the Spirit, and Baxter's Saints' Rest, we would _feel_ in ourselves, and others would _see_ in us an increase of grace, which it is to be feared we do not enjoy from the food prepared to our fastidious palates. Above all, let the Bible be the book that is to be read on the Sabbath. The day is holy, the book is also holy. In the hurry of business through the week, we often feel that we are deprived of both enjoyment and profit in searching the Scriptures. But on the Lord's day we have leisure. All around us is quiet. The solemnities of the day give additional interest and sacredness to what we read. We can read much more at once than during the week, and profit by noticing the connexion of one passage with another. Many persons complain that they have little time to read, during the six days of labour. Such ought to devote, I was going to say, _all_ the Sabbath, to the study of the Scriptures. This was very much the method of our fathers. As they had few books, the _Bible_ claimed their attention on the Sabbath. And the nature of their religion, and their eminent piety, may well recommend to us their example. Members of the same family ought, on the Sabbath, to converse together on the state of their souls. Much may be done for their comfort and the promotion of religion, by thus communing together. We may speak in public of experimental religion, make the exercises of others the subject of remark; we may talk to Christians of other families about religion; but if our children and members of our household never hear us speak of these things, when only our own little circle is around us, they will very readily infer that it is not a subject greatly interesting to us. That which possesses our hearts we love to dwell upon in conversation with our own family. _Meditation_, though a difficult duty, is essentially necessary to a healthful state of mind, and is suited to no day more than to the Sabbath. The cares of the world are then shut out, and every thing seems to constrain us to turn our thoughts within.