תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

may pour out our hearts, and lay open the secret desires of our souls, in the presence of that great Being, whose nature disposeth him to pity us, and whose power enables him to bestow upon us, in the fullest and most effectual manner, every blessing that can promote our most important interests? Can any entertainment be more rational, more truly divine, than to read the lively oracles of God, and to converse with our fellow Christians, upon the most interesting of all subjects, the salvation of our souls, and the means of securing an "inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away?" One should think that a bare counsel, nay, even a permission to spend one day in seven in such pleasant and profitable exercises, would be regarded as a singular privilege that deserved our warmest returns of gratitude and praise. The force of this argument is not weakened, because those who are alienated from the life of God have no relish for the pleasures which arise from the exercises of devotion. It is not the reason of the thing which leads the depraved mind to account "the Sabbath a weariness," or to say, "When will the Sabbath be over?" After six days spent in provision for the body, is one day too long to care for the soul? Nay, after deducting the time which is necessarily employed in sleeping, and eating, and drinking, can we not find as much in God, in Christ, and in heaven, as may afford us entertainment for the scanty remainder of twenty-four hours? Alas, my brethren, how shall we employ an everlasting Sabbath, if one Sabbath in the week is so tedious and burdensome? Can those be candidates for immortal glory, who think one day too long for the work of heaven, unless they relieve themselves, by consuming the greater part of it in idle conversation or trifling amusements?-My

3d Argument to enforce this commandment shall be taken from the many advantages which flow from the religious observance of the Sabbath. Hereby we shall obtain the blessing of God, according to that large and comprehensive promise, (Isaiah lviii. 13, 14.) "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath 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 thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." If we honour God on this separate day, which he claims as his special property, then may we expect to be honoured by him on the other days of the week, which he hath given us for our own use. The truth of this hath been frequently experienced by the people of God; and among these, too, by some of the most eminent characters, not only for piety, but also for learning and taste, and knowledge of the world. I shall mention one who was highly respected in his own time, and whose character and writings are to this day universally esteemed. The learned Judge Hales, speaking of his experience on this subject, hath these words: "I have found," saith he, "by a strict and diligent observation, that a due observing the duty of this day, hath ever had joined to it a blessing upon the rest of my time; and the week that hath been so begun, hath been blessed and prosperous to me. And, on the other side, when I have been negligent of the duties of this day, the rest of the week hath been unsuccessful and unhappy to my secular employments; so that I could easily make an estimate of my successes in my own secular employments

the week following by the manner of my passing this day. And this,” adds he, "I do not write lightly or inconsiderately, but upon a long and sound observation and experience." Nay, the right observance of this duty will procure national as well as personal blessings: for so God promised to his ancient church, (Jer. xvii. 24, 25.) "If ye diligently hearken unto me, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots, and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city shall remain for ever." I do not mean by these arguments to bribe you into a mercenary or political observance of the Christian Sabbath. Should you spend the whole day in reading, praying, praising, or any other forms of religious worship, merely, or even principally from a regard to your own private interest, or to the public prosperity of the nation to which you belong, I must be so faithful as to tell you, that it would not be accepted. Nay, God would number these hypocritical services among your most provoking sins. For it is the heart which God requires; and if that be withheld, he will accept of no outward homage. But I mention these things to show you, that Sabbath-breakers must be utterly inexcusable, when they transgress a law, which is not only most reasonable in itself, but which hath also peculiar promises annexed to it, of temporal prosperity and happiness. And with the same view I am now going to add a

4th Consideration for enforcing obedience to this commandment, namely, That the transgression of it is attended with many sad and fatal consequences. God hath

[blocks in formation]

frequently punished this sin, by inflicting very awful judgment both upon societies and particular persons. There was an express statute in the Jewish law, appointing the Sabbath-breaker to be put to death, (Exodus xxxi. 12, 16.); and this punishment was actually inflicted upon one who was found gathering sticks on that holy day: "All the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as the Lord commanded Moses." Num. xv. 32, 37. How alarming is that threatening, (Jerem. xvii. 27.) "If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbathday, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched." Accordingly, Nehemiah imputes all the calamities which befel the Jewish nation to this, as one of the principal causes of God's anger against that people. "Then, (saith he) I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath-day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city; yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath." And I am verily persuaded, that many of the national calamities with which we have been visited, may justly be attributed to the same cause. Nor is it greatly to be wondered at, when we consider, that this sin is not only an act of rebellion against the authority of God, but also a bold and sacrilegious invasion of his property, in applying to common use that proportion of time which he hath reserved for himself, and set apart for the immediate exercises of his worship.

But besides this, the abuse or neglect of the Sabbath must be attended with pernicious consequences on seve

ral other accounts. To this gracious institution it is in a great measure owing that any sense of God, and of divine things, is preserved in the world. Were this day rendered common, the bulk of mankind would soon Bink into Atheism or utter profaneness. What would become of the lower ranks in society, whose servitude and bodily necessities oblige them to work hard for daily bread, were it not for this separated day, on which they are invited and commanded to care for their souls? I am even afraid, that the tyranny and covetousness of many masters would incline them to deny their servants any leisure whatsoever, either for the rest of their bodies, or the improvement of their minds, had not God, in mercy, made a law for one day of rest and liberty in the week. In proportion as this law is despised and neglected, in the same proportion will religion fall into decay, the impressions of God become feeble and languid; while ignorance, brutality, oppression, and all the evils which unrestrained corruption can produce, will prevail, and render this earth the very suburbs of hell.

These are all the arguments which I shall at present use with you, for enforcing the observance of the Christian Sabbath. The proportion of time is so moderate, that even upon the supposition that the duties required were painful, there could be no just cause of complaint. Yet so far is this supposition from being true, that, on the contrary, the work assigned us on this holy day is most pleasant and delightful; insomuch that were our minds in a right temper, we would count it our happiness to spend our whole time, nay, a whole eternity, in such heavenly employment. Besides, the religious observance of this holy day is accompanied with many sig. nal advantages, and is a mean of deriving the blessing of God, both upon individuals and communities; where

« הקודםהמשך »