not seek after God: how will "your hearts die within you" when the judgment is set, and the books are opened! Then it will be too late to seek him: he will not be found of you! But now is the time ! Oh come, ye sinners-come! "Seek ye after God, and your souls shall live;" "acquaint yourselves with God, and be at peace;" delay not, tarry not; life is uncertain, death is sure; "now is the accepted time, to-day is the day of salvation!" "Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out."

2. Here is unspeakable encouragement for those who seek him :

-you shall find him; fear not; be not dismayed; wait still upon him; knock again and again; "cry the more a great deal," like the blind man: God has waited long for you, now do you patiently wait upon him: He will return, and visit, and comfort you; you shall soon rejoice, “and your joy no man taketh from you."

3. Let all who have found him, seek him!

"Follow on to know the Lord;" crave larger manifestations of his love. Whatever you have known or felt of his love, "you shall see greater things than these!" Expect progress in knowledge, experience, power! Be not satisfied; press onward; live nearer to God in holy, intimate communion; dwell in him, and walk in him. More particularly, crave his presence in the reception of the memorials of his love: come to his holy table in a meek spirit, seeking all grace, but expecting "to eat and be satisfied;" come perhaps with heavy heart, but expecting to "praise him ;' and you shall not be disappointed: "verily, ye shall be fed;" ye shall find "his flesh meat indeed," and his blood "drink indeed!"

LII.

OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH.

Matthew xxii. 40. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

INSIDIOUS attempts have been frequently made to oppose one commandment of God to another, or to draw subtle distinctions between their relative importance, extracting thence the notion of venial and mortal sins, so profitable to the Romish Church. Our Lord is refuting this very cavil in the passage before us. "Which is the great

commandment in the law?" asked a subtle Jewish casuist, "tempting him" Jesus pointed him to the entire decalogue under its two familiar divisions, viz. the first and second table-the duty to God and the duty to man, (ver. 37-39); and upon the integrity of that law-upon its entire, unbroken truth-he declared that all revelation was suspended: "Upon these two commandments hang all the LAW and the PROPHETS!"

A most important and fundamental truth is here propounded, bearing irresistibly upon the perpetuity of the sabbatical institution; insomuch, that not only the whole law or decalogue, but the whole verity of revelation, must stand or fall along with it! May we have grace to receive this Divine commandment, and meekly to obey it!

I. THE AUTHORITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE DECA

LOGUE.

II. THE AUTHORITY THUS GIVEN TO THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH.

III. HOW THAT SABBATH SHOULD BE OBSERVED.

I.—THE AUTHORITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE DECALOGUE: 1. As established in the Old Testament.

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(a) The law of the two tables was not a new revelation: There
is not a single enactment in the law which had not been pre-
viously made known to man! The Patriarchs had known
long before that they must not steal, nor commit adultery,
nor covet, nor disobey parents, nor pollute the name of
God, nor worship idols; and all who are not wedded to a
system acknowledge that in like manner the Sabbath was
revealed to Adam in paradise before the fall! The decalogue
was simply a summary of that Divine will which had been
orally communicated to man; and was now engraven on
stones."
(b) This compendium of God's will was delivered to man under
circumstances altogether peculiar to itself. There had been
nothing like it, nor has been since. It was not only "by
the ministration of angels," by thunderings, and lightnings,
and voices, and terrible sights and sounds, which made
even Moses "exceedingly fear and quake," (Heb. xii. 21);
but by the "VOICE" of God himself, that they were uttered
from heaven; and by his own finger they were twice written
on tables of stone: and Moses emphatically subjoins—" HE
added no more!" (Deut. v. 22.) Thus he shuts up this law
as a thing peculiar, perfect, finished. (Also Exod. xix. xx.)

(c) These laws are universally applicable: nothing Jewish is found in them-nothing which all men may not do, or avoid, as commanded, or forbidden. Nothing sacrificial, nothing ceremonial, nothing typical: they are great, general, moral, and spiritual obligations, which bind and govern every nation under heaven.

(d) Many peculiar observances were added by Moses obligatory only on Israel: such as the laws of adultery, of theft, of reprisals-as expounded in Leviticus and Numbers: and so also with regard to the Sabbath, and the peculiar modes of its observance; but none of these institutions formed any part of the decalogue, though they are often confounded with it by the enemies of the Sabbath: but if these Mosaic additions prove anything, they prove too much: if the Sabbath law is narrowed by them, and made distinctive and peculiar, the laws against theft, murder, and adultery, are equally invalidated! But the decalogue is a whole: it is God's law, and all the Old Testament proves it.

2. This is effectually confirmed by the New Testament.

Our Lord, in the text and context, establishes the integrity of the law beyond contradiction; suspending the truth, inspiration, and authority of the whole Bible upon this grand summary of revelation. He continually referred to the decalogue as "the Law"-the accredited will of God. "Thou knowest the commandments," &c. (Mark x. 19); "What is written in the law? How readest thou?" (Luke x. 26); "I am not come to destroy the law," &c.; no, not one of the least commandments," &c. (Matt. v. 17-19); and then he proceeds to prove its deep spirituality

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and extent.

His Apostles, after him, followed his example. The same law of the two tables is continually referred to as the law to Christians as the second table, in Rom. xiii. 9; the entire decalogue by St. James, (James ii. 10, 11); proving, "that if we offend in one point, we are guilty of all." And one commandment, which would seem to bear more of a national character than any other, is quoted by St. Paul as implying an obligation and a promise to Gentile Christians! "Children, honour your father and mother,. that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long upon the earth." (Ephes. vi. 1-3.) He who denies the authority and integrity of God's holy law as a rule of conduct to Christians, fights against God!

II.—WHAT AUTHORITY IS THUS NECESSARILY IMPARTED TO THE SABBATH?

The case is proved! If the fourth be one of the commands of the decalogue, and if that decalogue be one law,

one perfect moral and spiritual obligation, then must the Sabbath be as obligatory on all men as the remaining nine, unless there be some internal or external evidence of its repeal or inapplicability.

There is nothing peculiar, national, or Mosaic, in the law itself. The reason assigned for its observance is drawn from the creation alone, and therefore was, and is valid to all. No ceremonies are prescribed—no modes of worship-only general principles are enforced read by itself, or in its place, there is nothing in it by which any one could discover that it was addressed to a particular people.

It has never been repealed: it was in full observance in the time of our Lord, and was ratified, explained, and honoured by him. While refuting Rabbinical traditions respecting it, he declared "that the Sabbath was made for man;" not for the Jew, nor for the Gentile, but "for MAN:" and he revealed himself as "Lord also of the Sabbath-day," (Mark ii. 27, 28); assuming to himself Divine authority, and imparting to the Sabbath perpetual obligation! Under these circumstances, nothing short of a clear, Divine abrogation of the sacred season can justify the presumption of wiping the fourth commandment out of God's eternal law !

It is admitted, that little trace of it can be found in the apostolic writings. The change from the last day of the week to the first was gradual. We know that Jesus rose on the first day from the dead: that he met his disciples on that day; and again on that day week; and that on the same day the Holy Ghost descended; and that from that time forth Christians assembled for worship on that day. This looks as if "the Lord of the Sabbath" had changed the times, and that our Sunday is "the Lord's Day," (Rev. i. 10.) They who avail themselves of the change of a day in the lapse of 6000 years, to evade a moral or spiritual obligation of a sabbatic rest of one day in seven, discover either a distaste for the spiritual law, or a proud disposition to choose for themselves, and throw off the yoke of God's authority.

III.—HOW THEN SHALL THIS OBLIGATION BE DISCHARGED? -How can we best keep holy this blessed day? Briefly consider

1. The Law itself

-The only positive injunction is "to keep it holy"-to sanctify it, to set it apart from secular purposes, and dedicate its hours to God. The mode and measure of the dedication is left to each man's own conscience.

Several negative injunctions are added, as in the other commandments: we are not to pursue our trade, business, or profession; to do no manner of work; to rest from all secular employments, and to use our influence over others, and constrain them to do the same. All these are general rules ap

plicable to all, and to be relaxed only in respect to works of necessity, charity, and mercy; as we are taught by our Lord's examples and precepts.

2. The evangelical prophet expounds this law spiritually :

-He shews that its observance, whether positive or negative, is to reach and affect the heart: "We are not to speak our own words, nor think our own thoughts, nor do our own pleasure on that holy day." (Isaiah liii. 13, 14.) It is to be the consecration of the intellect and affections: their cheerful abstraction from all worldly things, and their exclusive devotion to the things of God; thus shewing that the spiritual nature of this law was even then understood. 3. The general object of the institution will be a guide to its correct observance.

It is intended, not merely as a needful rest to the weary body, and too anxious mind; but also for the cultivation of the soul, and its improvement and growth in the things of God. All, therefore, that promotes this object should be cultivated on this day: reading, meditation; private as well as public prayer; the instruction of others, of our families, and of the young: such society and such books as tend to feed the flame of devotion. On the contrary, every thing should be studiously avoided which tends to secularize the mind, to distract the thoughts, to estrange them from God: all vain conversation and trifling society; all books, especially newspapers, which crowd the imagination with topics of contention and worldly projects. We shall not say of anything, "What harm is there in this? why may I not do it?" but rather, "Will this promote my soul's good this day? will it tend to my spiritual improvement? If not, I will avoid it!"

1. Brethren, reverence the Lord's day :

-Don't listen to the quibbles of man on the subject: joyfully accept it, humbly obey the commandment, and meekly wait for a blessing in the path of obedience. Nothing leads to so many evils as Sabbath-breaking: nothing is charged with more promises and blessings than the dedication of this day to God.