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GOD'S DAY.

OD'S division of time is into periods of seven days. Of these he grants us six for our own use, and retains one for himself. But we must not infer from this, that during six days we need not think of God, and are exempt from his service; that we may live as though there were no God during the week, if we show some respect for him on the sabbath. Every day we are to remember our Creator and Preserver; but one day we are required to devote exclusively to him.

This law regarding the sabbath took its appropriate place in the decalogue at Sinai, yet the day had been observed from the beginning, and was already intrenched in the affections of the godly. All through the generations of the patriarchs, and in subsequent times, the seed of Abraham kept this day. In the sixteenth chapter of Exodus, it is spoken of as a well-understood institution. "This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord." And in the thirteenth verse, "So the people rested on the seventh day." It is to be observed that this was said while the people were journeying towards Sinai, and before the moral law had been given. So that when this commandment of the sabbath was announced, it begins, "Remember the sabbath-day." That is, you already know about the day, see to it that you continue to observe it sacredly.

Two institutions were founded in Eden for human welfare-one was the sabbath, the other was marriage. In great mercy to the race of man, our parents were permitted to carry these with them when they were expelled from Paradise. Heavy as was the curse on the man and the woman, and woful as that curse has made all generations, no tongue could describe the wretchedness of our condition, had marriage and the sabbath been lost among other blessings of Eden. By maintaining marriage in its purity, and the due observance of the sabbath, man approximates the condition in which his Creator placed him. He who would abolish marriage, or set aside the sabbath, is the enemy of man as well as of religion.

The observance of the sabbath does not rest upon vague speculations; the arguments which commend it to us are neither scanty nor weak. Infidelity grapples with a stronger foe than at first sight appears, when it assails the

day of the Lord. Only a few of these arguments can be introduced here.

It is God's commandment. An impression has been created in some minds, that the sabbath is a day appointed by the church; and that its observance is as much optional as is the observance of Christmas or Easter. But the position of the fourth commandment forbids such a supposition. It stands nearly in the centre of a list of Divine regulations, which are to control man's worship of God, and his duties towards his fellow-beings. By what authority may any mortal erase one of these rules? Who has authorized the blotting out of the fourth, any more than the second or the eighth? If the law of the sabbath is not binding, how then is the law of murder? This is not exclusively The social and political regulations delivered to Moses when in secret council with Jehovah on the mount, were for Israel; but these laws spoken in the hearing of the people, and written on the tables of stone, were for all men even unto the end of the world.

a Jewish law.

Some object that we have already subverted this command, since we do not keep the seventh day of the week. But the spirit and just requirement of the precept are fully met by the observance of one seventh portion of time. The first day of the week is the Christian sabbath, because upon that day the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead, thus creating a new era in the earth's history. God rested the day following the creation of the world, and that day became hallowed. Jesus Christ arose from the grave on the first day of the week, thereby finishing his work of atonement; and that day is blessed and made holy unto the Lord. Hence we name it the Lord's day. As far back as we can go, even to the apostles, we find that this day had taken the place of the Jewish sabbath.

In this commandment God enumerates particulars, as he does not in the other precepts of the decalogue. The very persons are mentioned, who are not to be permitted to work even if they desired to labour; none of the family, nor the servants, nor the guest in the house. Even the domestic animals which serve man are to share in this repose; "that thine ox and thine ass may rest." designed that all his creatures in all parts of his earthly dominions should enjoy their sabbath rest. This holy day ought to be the weekly lull in that oppressive rule, which sin has taught men to exercise over every living

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thing." And he is an extortioner who deprives the brutes of this day of rest and safety, which is their inalienable right, conferred by that same Creator who bestowed them on man for his use.

In this commandment we are shown the equity of God's demand, "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God." As though he said, "Six days are yours, and they are enough for work: your Sovereign and Benefactor asks only one for himself. And that day is his; you have no right to it. It is his tribute money for your preservation." Every sabbath-breaker robs God of his dues.

Special honour is bestowed on this law of the sabbath, in the fact that God himself is represented as observing it in the first instance. "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day." He was not wearied, and therefore in need of rest; but having, completed creation at the close of the sixth day, he made the next day sacred to himself, upon which to receive the homage of men for what he had formed. The hosts of heaven could rejoice over that work then finished, and which during six days they had watched with wonder and adoration, as from chaos onward through succeeding stages the earth advanced towards perfection. And the morning's sun which awoke Adam from his first night's slumber was the sun of the sabbath, calling him to engage in the work of adoration and praise. The day which dawned upon a completed creation was the holy sabbath. Thus was established a rule for all the generations of men, that after the work of six days we are to pause, and spend one in the worship of God. And God "blessed the sabbath-day." He has sanctified it with his benediction as he has not any other day of the week. Well does Ignatius call it," the prince and sovereign of days." The sabbath is designated among those things which are endeared to God. Of these the first three are God's book, God's people, and God's day. His book and his day are continually before his people, that they may obey the one, and observe the other. Hence the sabbath is often referred to in the Scriptures. Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel speak of it. God declares he will most certainly punish a violation of this day. And with equal distinctness a blessing is pronounced on those who observe it. "Blessed is the man that doeth

this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it," Isa. lvi. 2. “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," Isa. lviii. 13, 14. "Thus saith the Lord, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbathday, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem: neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbathday; neither do ye any work; but hallow ye the sabbathday, as I commanded your fathers. . . . But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath-day, 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." Jer. xvii. 21, 22, 27.*

Another reason for keeping the sabbath is, that neither man nor beast can thrive without the rest of that day. This is proved beyond all denial, by actual experiment. A manufacturing company kept their teams employed seven days in the week, as that was the time required to go to the market and return. After several years, a change was made, when it was found that by permitting the animals to rest on the sabbath, they could be driven the same distance in six days, and be kept in better condition.

Several drovers started from Ohio with cattle for Philadelphia. It had been their custom for years to drive every day of the week. One of them at last was convinced of the duty of resting on the sabbath. So on Saturday afternoon he obtained pasture and prepared to remain over until Monday. His comrades were greatly surprised, that i he should thus incur the loss of a whole day. Finding that their expostulation was of no avail, they went on. But in the course of the week he overtook them. The next sabbath, while he was resting his drove, they passed him. But during that week he again overtook them. And in the end he reached the city, in advance of his associates, while his cattle were in much better condition *See also Ezek. xxii. 28, and xxiii. 38.

than theirs. They frankly admitted the success of the experiment, and the advantage of keeping the fourth commandment.

When labouring men work on the sabbath, there is nothing gained. This was tested in England on a large scale in a manufacturing town. For several years ten thousand men were employed seven days of the week. To make them contented with this arrangement, double wages were paid on Sunday. But they could not be kept healthy nor moral; and all relating to the establishment fell into confusion. A new superintendent assumed charge of the works, who insisted upon the observance of the sabbath. And it was soon found that more could be accomplished in the week, while there was a decided improvement in the health and morals of the operatives.

A committee was appointed by the legislature of Pennsylvania, to inquire concerning the employment of labourers on the state works. They reported, as the result of their investigations, that both man and beast could do more work by resting one day in seven, than by working all the time.

At a meeting of the New Haven Medical Association, it was unanimously agreed, after a full discussion, that men who labour but six days in the week will be more healthy, and live longer, other things being equal, than those who labour seven.

Said a merchant who for twenty years was engaged in a very extensive business, "If it had not been for the sabbath, I should have been in my grave long ago."

These statements, and scores of similar proofs, settle the question whether we lose by keeping the sabbath. Labour on that day will be at the sacrifice of health and of success. The distinguished judge and Christian, Sir Matthew Hale, gives a very decided testimony on this point, in his counsel to his children.

"I will acquaint you with a truth that above forty years' experience and strict observation of myself hath assuredly taught me :

"1. Whenever I have undertaken any secular business on the Lord's day, which was not absolutely necessary, that business never prospered well with me.

"2. Nay, if I had but set myself to forecast or design any temporal business to be done or performed afterwards, though such forecasts were just and honest in themselves,

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