The Doctrine and Law of the Holy Sabbath, Sermon 1
Exodus 31.12, 13.
And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying, Speak thou alſo unto the Children of Iſrael, ſaying,
Verily my Sabbaths ye ſhall keep; for it is a ſign between me and you thro' out your Generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth ſanctify you.
IN theſe words the great Law of the Sabbath is repeated to Moſes, and by him unto the Children of Iſrael, with an awful preface and a moſt powerful reaſon annexed. The preface is much the ſame with that from Heaven, and Sinai, before the ten Commandments; And God ſpake all theſe Words ſaying, I am the Lord thy God. Let us reverently attend and anſwer, I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak.
THE Commandment is here given in the moſt auguſt, authoritative and peremptory manner: Verily my Sabbaths ye ſhall keep. More Authority and Commandment can't well be put into fewer words.
Laſtly, HERE is a ſpecial and moſt weighty reaſon annexed, to inforce the precept: for it is a ſign, &c. It is great condeſcention and grace in God to us, to annex a reaſon to any of his Commands. His ſovereign Will is the higheſt reaſon. But there is much of Majeſty and much Grace in this reaſon: It is a ſign between me and you: And will God in very deed give us ſuch a ſign and token between Himſelf and us? will he in very deed deal ſo with man upon earth? And give a ſtanding ſign too thro' out all the Generations of man on earth? O the favour and grace to duſt, while he humbles himſelf to behold the things that are above!
BUT what is the Lord's Sabbath a ſign of thro' all our Generations? Why it ſignifies and lets us know 1. that he is the Lord: Lord of the world, Lord of our time, Lord of our lives; the great Proprietor and abſolute Diſpoſer of them. And 2. that he is the Lord our Sanctifier: that I am the Lord that doth ſanctify you.
BUT how the Sabbath is a ſign of this, and why this is a reaſon for our keeping and ſanctifying the Sabbath, is to be ſaid under the Doctrines, which are theſe two:
1. That the Great GOD vehemently requires of us the Sanctification of his Sabbath.
2. That it is a ſign between Him and us that He is the Lord our Sanctifier.
1. D. THE Lord our God has moſt ſtrictly and vehemently required the Obſervation and keeping Sabbath. Verily my Sabbaths ye ſhall keep. Words can't be ſtricter than theſe are. And in this manner the precept is always given: Ye ſhall keep my Sabbaths, I am the Lord. Lev. 19.30 — I ſhall only obſerve to you how ſtrictly and vehemently this law of the Sabbath is inſiſted on thro' the whole Bible.
I. IT was a Law to man from the beginning of the world, and the firſt Law (and ſecond Bleſſing) that was given to man, even in Paradiſe, in his ſtate of innocence. For if man had never ſinned, yet there would for ever have remained to him the keeping of a Sabbath, every ſeventh day: As you read, Gen. 2.1, 2, 3. Thus the heavens and the earth were finiſhed and all the hoſt of them, ond on the ſeventh day God ended his Work which he had made, and he reſted on the ſeventh day from all his work which he had made; and God bleſſed the ſeventh day and ſanctified it, becauſe that in it he had reſted from all his work which he had created and made. So from the Creation of the world God inſtituted a weekly Sabbath, for the perpetual ſolemn praiſes of the Creator from the Sons of men. He ſanctified the Day, to be the ſpecial Time of their bleſſing Him and his bleſſing them. *Bp. Patrick.The ſeventh day was ordained a Univerſal and Everlaſting holy Feſtival from the Day wherein Man was created. This magnifies the Sabbath and makes it honourable, and ſacred for ever to us, that it was the firſt of God's Laws to man. Thus we keep the Earths birth-day †Dr. Edwards.: It is a ſacred Feſtival in memory of the Worlds nativity. And it leaves us no room to queſtion Adam's keeping the Sabbath day.
THIS ſolemn and early Injunction of a Sabbath to man is a Circumſtance that puts great honour and dignity upon the Sabbath-day. It was ordained for the ſpecial honour and perpetual worſhip of the Lord our Maker, immediatly upon the Creation of our firſt Parents, and in their paradiſaic ſtate.
WE read of Noah, Gen. 8.10, 12. that he ſtaid yet other ſeven days, and again he ſent forth the Dove out of the Ark. It appears by this, ſays Bp. Patrick, that on the ſeventh day Noah expected a Bleſſing rather than on another day; it being the day devoted from the Beginning to religious ſervices.
II. THE ſanctification of the Sabbath was one of the firſt things given in Commandment to Iſrael upon their leaving Egypt. God was now gathering and forming to himſelf a Church in the earth, and it was fitting and neceſſary to remember them of his Sabbath upon their ſetting out toward Canaan, the Type of the everlaſting Sabbatiſm. They had it may be almoſt loſt the Remembrance of his Sabbaths in Egypt, at leaſt many of them; but Moſes is directed by God to mind them of it, and that not as a novel but an ancient thing. See Exod. 16. It was upon the firſt proviſion of Manna for the Camp of Iſrael: In the 4 and 5 verſes of that Chapter, the Lord ſaid to Moſes, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people ſhall gather a certain rate every day; but on the ſixth day they ſhall prepare twice as much as on the other days: Accordingly, as we read on from the 22 verſe of that Chapter, on the ſixth day the people gathered twice as much bread, two Omers for one man; and the Rulers came and told Moſes: Then he ſaid unto them, This is that which the Lord hath ſaid, To morrow is the Reſt of the Holy Sabbath to the Lord; then ye ſhall not find it in the field; ſix days ye ſhall gather it, but on the ſeventh day (which is the Sabbath) in it there ſhall be none: See, for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath; therefore he giveth you on the ſixth day the bread of two days: Abide every man in his place, let no man go out on the Sabbath day. So the people reſted on the ſeventh day.
YOU will eaſily obſerve from the whole of this paſſage, that it ſuppoſes the people of Iſrael acquainted with the Law of the Sabbath. It was not now Inſtituted, but the Inſtitution was improved and acted on; firſt by God in his Providence for the magnifying the Day to Iſrael, a double portion of Manna falling (it is likely) on the ſixth day; and then by the People, they gathering thereon the portion of two days.
THIS was before the peoples arrival at Sinai, even upon their entring into the Wilderneſs; and it remained to them thro' it a laſting Sign and Miracle from heaven in honour of the Sabbath day. For if on any other day of the week they left of their manna till the morning it bred worms and ſtank, but it kept good and ſweet when they laid it up for the Sabbath day.
"THUS the Law of the Sabbath was given to Iſrael before the delivery of the Law from Sinai, and the Day was kept before the Decalogue was given: the Inſtitution was before the Law of Moſes.†Dr. Edwards.
III. THE Law of the Sabbath was one of the ten Words, the ten Commandments, given from Sinai, in that auguſt and fearful manner as you all know. On Sinai God repeated this his Law out of the midſt of the fire. God himſelf came down that day from Heaven with his mighty Angels; he came down in thick darkneſs and flames of devouring fire: Sinai was altogether in a ſmoke and the mountain quaked greatly; the Congregation below were ready to die with fear leſt the lightnings ſhould conſume them. Who of all fleſh, but they in that ſingular day, ever heard the voice of the living God ſpeaking out of the midſt of the fire and lived? In this manner did the great God give the fourth Commandment unto his Church, that they ſhould remember it and keep it for ever, and not dare to forget it. Deu. 4.9, 10. Only take heed to thy ſelf and keep thy ſoul diligently, leſt thou forget the things which thy eyes have ſeen, and leſt they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; eſpecially the day that thou ſtoodeſt before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord ſaid unto me, Gather the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they ſhall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their Children.—O that we and our Children may ever remember how, in what majeſty and terror, God has commanded us to keep holy the Sabbath day.
I need not add, how that after the great God had ſpoken this Law from heaven, he alſo wrote it on a Table of ſtone, with his own finger, to perpetuate the Remembrance and obſervation of it; and to imprint it upon the harder hearts and conſciences of men: And he only who wrote in the Table of ſtone, can write it on the fleſhly tables of our hearts. And that the whole might be yet more reverend and ſanctifying to us, he laid it up within the Holy of Holies, under the Mercy-ſeat.
Moreover, It pleaſed the Holy God to enlarge, in many weighty words, on this Law of the Sabbath, when he came down on Sinai. He charged them to remember this Law: he call'd it the Sabbath of the Lord their God: he told them when, and how, and why he ſanctified it. There is ſomething very awful in God's uſing all theſe obliging and conſtraining words. 'Twas a Law worthy to be thus ſolemnly revived and long inſiſted on: a very important point for the honour of God and our Salvation.—Wherefore let the Majeſty of that Day be evermore in the eyes and ears and hearts of the people of God.—To go on,
IV. THE Law of the Sabbath was repeated and inculcated upon the delivery of the Ceremonial and Judicial Law; yea it was inſerted into the latter, as being indeed a line and hedge about all the Statutes and Judgments of God given by the hand of Moſes; to keep them all from being broken. For indeed piety and religion, and alſo juſtice and righteouſneſs, flouriſh or decline among the Covenant people of God, as the Sabbath is ſanctified or profaned among them. A ſpecial honour is put upon the fourth Commandment, and a ſpecial reverence to it is required from us, by God's repeating it to his Church on theſe great Occaſions. I will name them diſtinctly.
1. WE have in my Text and Context the Law of the Sabbath repeated upon the delivery of the Ceremonial Law. God having finiſh'd here his Orders and directions to Moſes concerning the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the Ark, the Mercy-ſeat, and all the furniture of the Tabernacle; the Table, the Candleſtic, and the Altar of Incenſe, the Altar of burnt-offering, the Laver and his foot; the Holy Garments, the anointing Oil and the ſweet Incenſe; Then the Lord added,— Speak thou unto the Children of Iſrael, Verily my Sabbaths you ſhall keep; it is a ſign between me and you thro' out your Generations, &c.
NOW the moſt learned Expoſitors upon my Text agree, that this Commandment is here repeated on this Occaſion, that ſo the people of God might not think that even the ſacred work of the Tabernacle might be done upon the Sabbath day. Even that Work of God, of whatever importance, neceſſity and haſte it were, would not warrant them to break the holy Reſt of God's Day. Mr. Clark therefore gives the Senſe of my text thus, Verily my Sabbaths you ſhall keep; i. e. notwithſtanding the work of the Tabernacle be holy, and diligently and ſpeedily to be done, yet I'll not have any of it done on the Sabbath day. And ſo Mr. Henry, Even Tabernacle-work muſt give way to the Sabbath reſt: †Sic volo iſta fieri, ut nihilominus opifices ceſſent Sabbatho opere. Pareus in loc. They might not think this ſacred Work would warrant them to break the Sabbath. Bp. Patrick.It means the work and labour of preparing and rearing the Tabernacle; not the Holy Services of it afterward; for ſo the Prieſts profaned the Sabbath and were guiltleſs; their Labours being in themſelves holy, like the work of Miniſters on the Lord's days under the Goſpel. So God himſelf has given the diſtinction between ſervile and holy work or labours. Lev. 23.25.
BUT the true and great Reaſon, as it ſeems to me, why God repeated the Law of his Sabbath unto Iſrael upon his giving the Ceremonial Law to them, was this— Becauſe the Ceremonial law was originally deſigned by God, and always ſubordinated and ſubſervient unto the Sanctification of the Sabbath, in the worſhip and ſervices of the Tabernacle and Temple. It was eminently inſtituted for this one end, the ſolemnizing of the Lord's Sabbaths at the Tabernacle. Then the offerings and ſacrifices were doubled, and therefore neceſſarily the Services of the Prieſts. Theſe were made for the Sabbath; and therefore no wonder that when theſe were inſtituted the Law of the Sabbath was repeated. But then,
2. THE Judicial Law which God gave to Iſrael by the hand of Moſes, had the Law of the Sabbath inſerted into it This forenſic or judicial Law was for the Civil Government of that People of God, and contained a Body or Syſtem of Laws to be obſerved by the Magiſtrates and Rulers, for the good order and peaceable and quiet living of the people, in all Godlineſs and honeſty. Theſe Judgments Moſes began to ſet before them, by order from God, preſently after the delivery of the moral Law or ten Commandments. You have a great part of them in the 21, 22, and 23. Chapters of Exodus: And at the 12. verſe of the 23. Chapter you find an abſtract of the fourth Commandment, inſerted thus,—Six days ſhalt thou do thy work, and on the ſeventh day thou ſhalt reſt, that thine ox and thine aſs may reſt, and that the Son of thy handmaid and the ſtranger may be refreſhed. Here, as I take it, the fourth Commandment was made a Law of the State to Iſrael, whoſe Legiſlature was properly a Theocracy, and their Rulers and Magiſtrates had the Executive power and truſt committed to them. And doubtleſs God thus honour'd the Law of the Sabbath to Iſrael his people, by inſerting it in the Body of their Judicial Laws, to teach civil Governments to do the like in all parts and ages of the World, to whom the knowledge thereof ſhould come. And accordingly the good Government over us have in their wiſdom and piety Enacted the ſtrict Sanctification of the Lord's day, and have forbid the profanation of it under ſuch and ſuch penalties; wherein they have but done the part of a Chriſtian Government.
THUS the ſacred Law of ſanctifying the Sabbath ſtands in Scripture as a hedge about the whole Moſaic Law, both Ceremonial and Judicial. For (as One ſays) where no Conſcience is made of keeping the Sabbath, farewel both Godlineſs and honeſty. God in his wiſdom and gracious care has therefore ſet the fourth Commandment (as it were) between the two Tables of the moral Law; and alſo drawn it (as it were) as a line about all his poſitive laws, ſtatutes and judgments; that none ſhould break over this and violate them.— But I go on,
V. GOD has from the beginning very dreadfully threatned, and terribly puniſhed the violation of the Sabbath. Laws are of little force without a Penalty, nor that without an Execution. The Threatnings of God, and his Judgments on ſinners, are as a flowing ſword to guard his Holy Sabbaths from profanation, and to keep men in the way to the tree of life. And here,
1. VERY dreadful are the Threatnings of God againſt thoſe that profane his Holy Sabbaths. In our Context the threatning is, v. 14. Every one that defileth the Sabbath ſhall ſurely be put to death; whoſoever doeth any work thereon, that ſoul ſhall be cut off from among his people. This was the penalty then incurred by Sabbath-breakers, and then inflicted by the Lord of the Sabbath. How ſevere a penalty! If any dar'd openly to profane the Sabbath in Iſrael, ſo that the Crime came to the notice of the Judge and were prov'd upon the offender, "the Magiſtrate "muſt cut him off by the ſword of Juſtice: But if the profanation were more hidden and cou'd not be prov'd upon him, or if the Magiſtrate were remiſs and did not do his duty, then God wou'd take the work into his own hand, and cut him off by a ſtroke from heaven. This the Sabbath breaker might juſtly fear, and no doubt often ſuffer'd. But the ſpiritual Judgment of God and his Eternal puniſhment of this Sin, is infinitly greater. And if men deſpiſe God's Sabbaths, as it provokes him greatly to cut them off from among his people now, ſo without repentance he will cut them off for ever.
2. VERY dreadful have the puniſhments of this Sin been, by the immediate Commandment of God, to Rulers, or by the hand of his Providence.
BY the immediate and direct Command of the High God the firſt open and preſumptuous breaker of the Sabbath was puniſhed with death. You have the melancholly and diſmal Story, Num. 15. from the 3…, to the 36. verſe. And while the Children of Iſrael were in the wilderneſs, they found a man that gathered ſticks on the Sabbath day: and they bro't him to Moſes and unto Aaron, and all the Congregation: And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, the Man ſhall be ſurely put to death; all the Congregation ſhall ſtone him with ſtones without the Camp: And he died, as the Lord commanded Moſes. God made him an Example, to deter others for evermore from the like Sin.
BUT then alſo, God has in his Holy Providence dreadfully judg'd and puniſh'd for the Sin of Sabbath-breaking. How many he cuts off by untimely deaths for this ſin we know not; but there is reaſon to fear they may be many. Read the threatning and warning, Levit, 26.31, 34. I will make your Cities waſte and bring your Sanctuaries into deſolation, and ſcatter you among your Enemies; then ſhall the land enjoy her Sabbaths; as long as it lieth deſolate it ſhall reſt, becauſe ye did not reſt in your Sabbaths when ye dwelt in it. All this was fulfilled in the doleful ſeventy years Captivity of the Jews in Babylon. Then the Holy Land enjoy'd a long and ſad reſt, without a worſhipper or place of worſhip. See the 2. Cron 36.20, 21. And they burnt the houſe of God, and brake down the wall of Jeruſalem, and carried away the Remnant to Babylon, to fulfil the Word of the Lord, until the Land enjoy'd her Sabbaths. We read alſo how that when the Jews were return'd from Babylon, and again fell into this Sin, Nehemiah told them that the paſt wrath had been provok'd by this, and that more would ſtill be ſo: Nehem. 13.17, 18. 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.
BUT this for the fifth head, That from the beginning God did very dreadfully threaten and terribly puniſh the violation of the Sabbath.
VI. THE holy Prophets of the Lord did in their times vehemently inſiſt on the ſanctification of the Lords Sabbaths; they complain'd of and declared againſt the profanation of it, and they made in God's name the moſt gracious Promiſes to the people of God in caſe of their religious Obſervation thereof. Theſe three things, added unto what I have ſaid before, will give you the whole voice of Scripture thro' the Old Teſtament of the ſanctification of of the Sabbath-day.
1. I ſay, The Holy Prophets of God did in their times vehemently inſiſt on the keeping God's Sabbaths. I ſcarce know a ſtricter precept and fuller direction in this point thro' the whole Book of God, than thoſe words of the Prophet Iſaiah, the 58. Chap. and 13. v. 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. Here the Prophet taught the people of God how to Sabbatize, and requir'd them ſo to keep the Sabbath; and his words are written for our admonition and learning.
1. WE muſt turn away our foot from the Sabbath: from trampling on it, (ſays a late pious Expoſitor) as profane, atheiſtical people do; from travelling on it, as many worldly men are ready to do; and from thoſe walks and diverſions on it, which men of pleaſure and licence are apt to take.
2. WE muſt not do our own ways, nor find our own pleaſure on God's holy day. We muſt not follow our Callings, which is to do our own ways; nor follow our ſports and recreations, which is to find our own pleaſures. Eſpecially we muſt beware of the defiling and polluting pleaſures of ſin, which are unlawful on any day.
3. WE muſt not ſpeak our own words: Not give our ſelves that liberty of ſpeech on the Sabbath day, which we may lawfully take on other days. Our words muſt be then guarded, grave, and ſeaſoned with grace. We muſt ſpeak God's word; ſpeak of Him and of his Works, out of his Word: not talk of our worldly affairs and buſineſs as on other days.
4. IT muſt be honourable to us becauſe the holy of the Lord. The holy duties of it ſhould be pleaſant and delightful to us. We muſt honour it as the Lord's day; the day which the Lord has made; made for himſelf, and ſanctified to his honour and ſervice; made ſacred to us, and to be ſpent in holy duties: We will rejoyce and be glad in it. Pſal. 118.24.
AFTER this manner Iſaiah preſcribes and requires the keeping a Sabbath: how ſpiritual and reverend! and thus from one Sabbath to another ſhould all fleſh come and worſhip before the Lord. Iſai. 66.23.
LET us paſs on to the Prophecies of Jeremiah, and obſerve how he alſo inſiſts on the Sanctification of the Sabbath. Jer. 17.20, 22. Hear ye the word of the Lord ye Kings of Judah, and all the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem that enter in by theſe gates; thus ſaith the Lord, Take heed to your ſelves and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the Gates of Jeruſalem; neither do ye any work, but hallow the Sabbath day as I commanded your Fathers. This Commandment was to the King and all the people together: The higheſt and loweſt are equally under this Law and muſt be obedient. And to the Rulers it belongs to ſee to it that the Sabbath be ſanctified by their People.
A like Order both to Prince and peaſant, for the religious obſervation of the Sabbath we have from the pen of the prophet Ezehiel, 46. Chap. 1,2. The Gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the Eaſt ſhall be ſhut the ſix working days; but on the Sabbath it ſhall be opened, and the Prince ſhall enter by it,— and the Prieſt ſhall prepare his burnt-offering,— and he ſhall worſhip at the threſhold of the Gate,— and it ſhall not be ſhut until the Evening. It is the duty of Princes, and it is the priviledge of peaſants, to go up to the Sanctuary of God on his Sabbaths, then and there to worſhip him with holy reverence, as unworthy to tread the threſhold of his Gates.
IN this frame and ſpirit we find Nehemiah, and the Princes, Prieſts and Levites with him, ſigning a Covenant to walk in the Laws of God and to keep his Sabbath. Nehem 10.31. We cannot walk in God's laws and not keep his Sabbaths; In our Covenanting with God to walk in his laws, we do in a ſpecial manner covenant to keep his Sabbaths. This is a ſpecial Article in God's Covenant with his People.
THUS have the Holy prophets inſiſted on the Obſervation of the Sabbath in their days and times.
2. THEY complain'd grievouſly of the profanation of it. For this they had too often ſad occaſion. What evil thing is this that ye do? ſaid holy Nehemiah to the people of his day;— Ye profane the Sabbath day. It griev'd the good Governour to the heart to ſee it. He called it a moſt evil thing. He ſpake of it with a pious anger and indignation, to ſee God ſo diſhonoured; and with a holy fear of the Conſequence of ſuch a provocation. In like manner the Prophets, Ezekiel and Amos. Ezek. 22.8. Thou haſt deſpiſed my holy things, and haſt profaned my Sabbaths. 20.13. My Sabbaths they greatly polluted, then I ſaid I would pour out my fury upon them to conſume them. Amos 8.5, 8. Shall not the Land tremble for this? and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and will not the end thereof be as a bitter day?— It is a ſorrowful and fearful Symptom, when peeople are ſick of their Sabbaths; weary of the ſacred reſt, and tir'd with the holy work.— But on the contrary, and to add no more,
3. THE Prophets of the Lord have made many great and precious Promiſes to the people of God, in caſe of their religious Obſervation of the Holy Sabbath. The God who has bleſſed the ſeventh day and put his Name upon it, will bleſs all them that keep it holy. Spiritual Bleſſings are the ſpecial and more natural fruit of Sabbath Sanctification; but the outward bleſſings of Providence are alſo the reward of it. This is the way to enſure the ſpiritual and temporal Bleſſing together. Iſai. 56.2. Bleſſed is the man that doeth this, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. This brings a bleſſing on all our imployments, but eſpecially upon our Souls. Here then,
1. THE ſpiritual Bleſſing, yea all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places, is the promiſe to the Perſon that keeps God's Sabbaths. Iſai. 56.4, 5, 6. For thus ſaith the Lord to them that keep my Sabbaths, and chooſe the things that pleaſe me, and take hold of my Covenant; even to them will I give in my Houſe and within my Walls, a place and a name better than of Sons and Daughters; I will give them an everlaſting name that ſhall not be cut off:— I will bring them to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my houſe of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their Sacrifices ſhall be accepted upon mine Altar.
NOTE here, That theſe three things go together; the religious Obſervation of the Sabbath, the Chooſing the things that pleaſe God, and the taking hold of his Covenant. Look where you will and ſhew me one that keeps God's Sabbaths, and you ſhall find him one that in all other points likewiſe chuſes the things that pleaſe him; And ſuch may and will and do lay hold of God's Covenant. It is from a ſincere univerſal deſire of pleaſing God and glorifying him, that the pious worſhippers of God ſet themſelves to obſerve and keep his Sabbaths. Such have (thro' grace) conſented and come up to the Terms of God's Covenant, have taken him for their God, his Word for their Rule, and given themſelves up to him, in his holy ways and among his people.
AND now how great and precious are the Promiſes made here to this holy Sabbatizer? even all the Bleſſings of the Covenant of Grace are aſſured to him; preſent peace and communion with God and ſupplies of Grace, and the everlaſting love and mercies of our Heavenly Father. They have a Name among the Children of God, a Name in the Church on earth, a Name written in Heaven; an everlaſting Name that ſhall not be cut off.— Thus the Spiritual Bleſſing is the Promiſe to the perſon that keeps God's Sabbaths. And then
2. THE Temporal bleſſing is promiſed to the People that do this. To prove this I need only turn you again to the 58. Iſai. 13, 14. If thou call the Sabbath a delight, &c Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf 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. Here are the temporal Rewards; even riches, honour, power, ſafety, proſperity and dignity; to the place and people, the Country or Nation, that keep God's Sabbaths.
GOD promis'd his Iſrael that he wou'd make them high in Name and honour, if they ſought his honour and obſerv'd his will; and that their Nei'bours ſhould ſee him bleſs them. He promiſed them to feed 'em, to defend 'em, and to advance 'em. He promis'd that if they would zealouſly and religiouſly keep his appointed Feaſts, no man ſhould deſire their Land when they went up unto 'em. He alſo bid them prove him, if he did not open the Heavens over them to pour down Bleſſings, if they duly regarded his Worſhip and Sanctuary. And doubtleſs this will always commend a People to his favour and bleſſing in the courſe of his Providence; and he will be their ſhield and ſtrength, and the lifter up of their head.
IN a Word, We have the promiſe and the threatning repeated, the Bleſſing and the Curſe; Jer. 17.24, 25, 27. And it ſhall some to paſs if ye diligently hearken to me, ſaith the Lord, to bring in no burden thro' the gates of this City on the Sabbath day; but if ye hallow the ſame;— then ſhall there enter ſtill into it Kings and Princes ſitting upon the Throne of David, riding in Chariots and on horſes; and this City ſhall remain for ever; and burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, meat-offerings and Incenſe of praiſe, ſhall ſtill be in the houſe of the Lord:— But if ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in the Gates of Jeruſalem, which ſhall devour its palaces, (whereof the Temple was a principal one) and it ſhall not he quenched.—That is to ſay,
THE religious Sanctification of God's Sabbaths would have been a means of preſerving the Royal Houſe of David, and the Holy City of God; But for the profanation of the Sabbath both the one and the other were bro't to ruine. The prophet aſſured them from God, that in caſe they would keep his Day, He would keep the Court, the City, the Country and the Church, and make all to flouriſh: But on the contrary, if they went on to profane the Lord's Sabbaths, the Lord would deſtroy them all together. And ſo it was: The Enemy prevailed againſt Jeruſalem, and kindled a fire in the Gates of the City, which burnt down the Palace of the King and the Temple of God, and none could quench it.
AND thus I have ſhewn thro' Moſes and the Prophets, how ſtrictly and vehemently the Holy God has required and inculcated the Sanctification of the Sabbath day.
WHICH was the thing to be prov'd,— Verily my Sabbaths ye ſhall keep. The Inſtances given, from the precept to Adam unto and by the laſt of the Prophets, are ſo many plain and affecting proofs, as well as ſingular Illuſtrations, of my Doctrine. The method which I have taken is, I think, the moſt ſimple and natural Expoſition of what the Scripture has ſaid upon this head, ſo far as I have gone.— God bleſs what we have heard for the Increaſing in us the Reverence of his Holy Day, the ſtrict Obſervation of it, and the fear of profaning it. Amen.