something moral also; and therefore, as to the moral part of it, it must, of necessity, be of perpetual obligation. To remove all doubt on this important subject, consider, 1. The time of its institution [Some have thought that the mention which is made of the Sabbath in the words before us, was merely by anticipation; and that the appointment never took place till the days of Moses. But if this were the case, how came Moses to specify the circumstance of God's resting on the seventh day as the reason of that appointment? It would have been a good reason for our first parents and their immediate descendants to hallow the seventh day; but it could be no reason at all to those who lived almost five-and-twenty hundred years after the event; more especially when so obvious and cogent a reason as their deliverance out of Egypt was assigned at the very same time". But if the command given to the Jews was a repetition of the injunction given to Adam, then there is an obvious propriety in assigning the reason that was obligatory upon all, as well as that which formed an additional obligation on the Jewish nation in particular. : Besides, there are traces of a Sabbath from the beginning of the world. For, if no Sabbath had ever been given, whence came the practice of measuring time by weeks? Yet that custom obtained both in the patriarchal and antediluvian ages and therefore, since it accords so exactly with what was afterwards instituted by divine authority, we may well infer its original appointment by God himself. And if its obligation existed so many ages before the ceremonial law was given, then must it continue to exist after that law is abolished.] 2. The manner of its re-establishment [Notwithstanding the long continuance of the Jews in Egypt, the remembrance of the Sabbath was not effaced: for Moses, before the giving of the law, speaks of the Sabbath as an institution known and received among them. And, without any express direction, they gathered on the sixth day a double portion of manna to serve them on the Sabbath; which they would not have done, if they had not thought the observance of the Sabbath to be of the first importance. d Exod. xx. 11. g Gen. viii. 10, 12. i Exod. xvi. 22. That they did this without any direction from Moses, is evident from the complaint which the Rulers made on the occasion; for which complaint there could have been no ground, if any direction had been given. Nevertheless, for the more effectual maintenance of its authority, God judged it necessary to publish it to them again, both upon the original grounds, and on other special grounds peculiar to that people. And how did he publish it? Did he deliver it to Moses in the same manner as he did the ceremonial law? No: he wrote it with his own finger in tables of stone, and embodied it with the moral lawk. Surely this affords a very strong presumption that God himself considered its duties, not as ceremonial, limited, and transient, but as moral, universal, and permanent.] 3. The confirmation of it by the Prophets [That its obligations should be sanctioned by the prophets, we might well expect; because they lived under the authority of the Jewish law. The mere circumstance, therefore, of their insisting on the observation of the Sabbath would prove nothing. But their speaking of the Sabbath, as to be observed under the Christian dispensation, very strongly corroborates the perpetuity of its obligations. Now the prophet Isaiah does speak of the Sabbath in such a connexion, that we cannot doubt of its referring to the times of the Gospel: and he represents the "keeping of the Sabbath" as no less necessary to our happiness, than the laying hold of Christ's righteousness and salvation'. We can scarcely think that the prophet would have so strongly marked the continuance of the Sabbath, if its obligations were to cease with the ceremonial law.] 4. The observation of it by the Apostles [The precise day on which the Jews kept their Sabbath, was indeed changed; and the first day of the week was subIstituted for the seventh. This was done in order to commemorate the resurrection of our blessed Lord; an event, the most interesting that ever occurred from the foundation of the world; an event which proved, beyond all doubt, the Messiahship of Jesus, and has served from that time as the corner-stone of all our hopes. When Israel was brought out of Egypt, God, in order to commemorate that deliverance, changed the commencement of the year from the Autumn to the Spring": can we wonder then, that, in remembrance of an infinitely greater deliverance, he should alter the day on which the Sabbath had been observed? It was in the appropriation of a seventh part of our time to God, that the morality of the Sabbath consisted; and that is preserved under the Christian, as much as under the Jewish economy. k Deut. x. 3, 4. m Acts iv. 10--12, 1 Isai. lvi. 1, 2. n Exod. xii. 2. This change was sanctioned by our blessed Lord, who repeatedly selected that day for the more public exhibition of himself to his disciples; and on that day sent down the Holy Ghost upon them P; in order that the application, as well as the completion of his redemption, might give a further sanctity to the new-appointed day. From that time the first day of the week was invariably observed for the public services of the church; and, to stamp peculiar honour upon it, it was distinguished by that endearing name, "The Lord's day"." Who that weighs all these arguments, can doubt the continued obligation of the Sabbath?] For the regulation of our conduct on the Sabbath, we should inquire into, III. The nature of its requirements The same kind of strictness is not required of us as was enjoined under the law [We have before said, that there was something of a ceremonial nature in the Jewish Sabbath. The Jews in the wilderness were not permitted to leave their habitations on the Sabbath-day, except to assemble for divine worship; and the portion of manna which they gathered on the preceding day for the consumption of that day, was, for the space of forty years, kept fit for their use upon the Sabbath by a constant miracle, on purpose that they might have no excuse for transgressing the divine command. They were forbidden even to kindle a fire on the Sabbath-day ", or to do any species of servile work. But all this rigour is not necessary now: it was suited to the burthensome dispensation of the law; but not to the more liberal dispensation under which we live. Indeed, our blessed Lord has shewn us clearly that works of necessity, or of mercy, may be performed on that as well as any other day. Being himself "the Lord of the Sabbathday," he dispensed with those rites which were merely temporary, and requires of us such services only as a spiritual mind will most delight in.] Our sanctification of the Sabbath should consist rather in mental than in bodily exercises • Luke xxiv. 13, 33, 36, 40, 45. John xx. 19, 26. P This is ascertained by calculators, as well as from its being the seventh Sabbath after his resurrection. 4 Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. s Exod. xvi. 29. x Matt. xii. 1-8. t Exod. xvi. 24. I Rev. i. 10. u Exod. xxxv. 3. [What are the proper employments for our minds, the prophet Isaiah has plainly told us: "We should account the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and should honour him, not doing our own ways, nor finding our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words "." We should endeavour to have our thoughts abstracted from the world, and to fix them with intenseness and delight on heavenly objects. On every day we should present to God our sacrifices of prayer and praise: but as, under the law, the accustomed sacrifices, both of the morning and evening, were doubled upon the Sabbath, so, under the Gospel, we should have our minds doubly occupied in the service of our God.] The subject before us suggests ample matter, 1. For reproof [Many, very many there are who hate the duties of the Sabbath; and, breaking through all the restraints of conscience, follow without remorse their usual occupations. Others, complying with the established forms, cry, "What a weariness is it b!" When shall the Sabbath be over, that I may prosecute more pleasing or more profitable employments? When they come up to the house of God, they find no pleasure in his service, but are rather, like Doeg, " detained before the Lord." Some, indeed, conceiving that they are doing somewhat meritorious, spend without reluctance the time allotted for public service; but, though they draw nigh to God with their lips, their hearts are far from him. It is not such worshippers that God seeks or approves; nor is such the sanctification of the Sabbath that he requires. On the contrary, he is indignant against all such profaneness or hypocrisy; and declares that such persons "worship him in vain." Whatever such persons may imagine, they indeed profane the Sabbath. And what the consequence will be, they may form some judgment, from the punishment inflicted on the man who gathered sticks upon the Sabbath-day. By God's express command, he was stoned to death. If, then, so heavy a sentence was executed upon him by the direction of the Most High, can we suppose that God is more indifferent about the conduct of his creatures now? or that he has loaded them with mercies for no other end than to give them a greater licence to sin? Let us well consider this: for "if they, who despised Moses' law, died without mercy," surely a far sorer punishment awaits us, if, with our additional obligations, we disregard the wonders of redeeming love h.] z Isaiah lviii. 13. c Amos viii. 5. f Matt. xv. 9. a Numb. xxviii. 9, 10. g Numb. xv. 32-36. b Mal. i. 13. h Heb. x. 28, 29. 2. For encouragement [Not only personal, but even national judgments may be expected for the violation of the Sabbath. But, on the other hand, every blessing may be expected, both by individuals k and the community', if the Sabbath be habitually and conscientiously improved. Indeed, it seems almost impossible that any one who sets himself in earnest to improve the Sabbath-day, should ever perish. God would bless to such an one the ordinances of his grace; and rather send him instruction in some extraordinary way, than suffer him to use the means in vain m. We can appeal to all who have ever laboured to sanctify the Sabbath, whether they have not found their labour well repaid? Surely "God has never said to any, 'Seek ye my face in vain': and the more diligently we keep his Sabbaths below, the more shall we be fitted for our eternal rest.] i Jer. xvii. 27. k Isaiah lvi. 4—7. m Acts viii. 27-35. and x. 1-21. 1 Jer. xvii. 24-26, III. COVENANT MADE WITH ADAM. Gen. ii. 16, 17. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. WHEN the creation was formed, it was proper that every part of it should shew forth the Creator's glory, and, as far as its peculiar nature and capacity would admit of, fulfil his will. The sun and moon and stars being inanimate bodies, it was sufficient for them to move with regularity in their respective orbits. The creatures that were endued with life, were to follow their respective instincts, and, according to their abilities, to yield obedience to man, who was God's vicegerent over them. To man more had been given: of him, therefore, was more required. He was endued with understanding and will he was capable of knowing what he owed to his Maker, and of exercising discretion in performing |