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would not allow this, therefore his disciples also did not profane the Sabbath by plucking and eating ears of corn on it. Neither doth it follow, that the fourth commandment forbids only doing any kind of work, because that is a profanation of the sabbath; for we have shown before, that the fourth commandment enjoins not only rest, but also publick worship on the sabbath. (b) Christ also calls the keeping of the sabbath a sacrifice, Matt. xii. 7, and sacrifices behooved to give place to mercy; from which they will conclude that the sabbath is ceremonial, as well as the sacrifices: but it is evident that he doth not call the keeping of the sabbath a sacrifice, but the superstition of the Jews, who made the commandment of God of none effect by their traditions; since they were not willing, that any necessary work should be done on the sabbath, as plucking ears of corn to appease hunger, healing the sick and infirm. See Luke xiii. 10-17. xiv. 1-6. John v 5-17.

6. The sabbath, it is said, was a type of the rest of the New Testament, in which the church rests from the burthensome service of the Old Testament; for Paul calls the rest which remains for the people of God, sabbatismos, and he adds, "he that is entered into his rest hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his," Heb. iv. 9, 10, by which the apostle therefore showeth that this spiritual rest was typified by the sabbath. Since now the antitype, the spiritual rest of the New Testament, is come, therefore the type, even the sabbath, ought to be abolished. Some will deny that Paul represents the sabbath in that passage as a type, although they admit that he alludes to it. Let us not however be so unyielding, but rather admit freely and readily that the sabbath was a type of the rest, that remaineth for the people of God; but even then it will not follow that the sabbath is now abolished. For (1) the rest,' sabbatismos, is not the rest of the New Testament, but of eternal salvation, which the people of God wil' enjoy after this life in heaven. This is evident, because, (a) the apos le speaks of the rest which is not enjoyed at present, but which remaineth. But the believing He.

brews enjoyed even then the rest of the New Testament, to which they had already attained through the humiliation and exaltation of Christ, and through the spirit of the feast of Pentecost, and it did not therefore remain for them. (b) He speaks of that rest, into which Israel could enter under the Old Testament by faith, and into which they did not enter because of their unbelief. See Heb. iii. 18, 19. iv. 2, 6. Now the Israel of the Old Testament could not surely enter into the rest of the New Testament by faith, inasmuch as the New Testament was not yet come nor offered to them, as it was by

the preaching of the Baptist and of Jesus, Matt. iii. 2. iv. 17. From which it therefore followeth, that Paul doth not teach, Heb. iv. 9, 10. that the rest of the New Testament was typified by the sabbath, but only the blessed rest of heaven. (2) He speaks of the sabbath before the fall, upon which God rested from his works, and which he gave to man that he might rest as God had done, Heb. iv. 10. Gen. ii. 2, 3. Now that sabbath could not typify any matter of the New Testament, since before the fall there could not be any respect to sin, and therefore none to any Mediator of the New Testament. And so it follows indeed, that that sabbath was a type of the everlasting rest, and that when this rest is come, the celebrating of the sabbath will cease; but not that the sabbath shadowed forth the rest of the New Testa ment and is therefore abolished.

Perhaps it may be thought, hearers, that I insist too long upon the dispute concerning the sabbath; but the great pains which men have taken to invalidate the Christian sabbath, obligeth us to this, I will however desist, having spoken sufficiently on this subject, and will teach you the duties of the sabbath according to the instructor. He informs us that three great duties belong to the keeping of the sabbath; first that which is required before the sabbath; then the public duties, which we ought to perform on the sabbath; and lastly the end of keeping the sabbath.

That which is required beforehand, in order that we may keep the sabbath, is "that the ministry of the gospel and the schools be maintained." Inasmuch as the Lord's day i et apart for the public worship of God, it is therefore necessary, that the service of the church or the ministry of the gospel, should be exercised, and there fore also maintained: but whereas it hath not pleased God to bestow the extraordinary gifts of his spirit always, as he did formerly upon his apostles, it is therefore necessary, that schools, either of a lower or higher order, should be maintained for exercising youth, in order to prepare them for the ministry of the gospel, and for other special functions of the civil community that they may cherish the service of the church. Even in the times of the prophets there were schools in which the sons of the prophets were taught and exercised.

The duties which we must perform on the sabbathday in public, are in general, " diligently to frequent the church of God." If any person have so much leisure, that he can afford time on other days to come to the congregation of God's people, let him do that alse

(b) We must

for the good of his soul ;* but he must do it particularly on the sabbath, as God hath commanded, Lev. xxiii. 3. We read frequently in the Acts of the Apostles, that the people of God had this custom`: "Paul also preached on the first day of the week to the disciples, who were come together at Troas," Acts xx. 6, 7 But what nust we do in the church? shall we go thither only to see and to be seen? no, but we must go, (a)" to hear the word of God," as "at Antioch, almost the whole city came together on the sabbath to hear the word of God," Acts xiii. 44. We ought to have ears there to hear what the Spirit saith to the church: "the ears of all the people" ought to be" attentive to the word," Neh. viii. 4. also go to the church of God on the day of the Lord," to use the sacraments," as the believers" at Troas came together on the first day of the week to break bread,” Acts xx. 7. We ought certainly not to receive the sacraments privately in a corner, as the Papists do, but in the congregation of God's people. (c) We must also then and there" publicly call on the Lord God." We must call upon him also in private, but in order to serve God publicly, we must call upon him also publicly in the congregation on the sabbath: thus Paul and the Christians "went on the sabbathday out of the city to the river, where prayer was wont to be made," Acts xvi. 13. (d) We must also go to the church on the sabbath, "that we may contribute to the relief of the poor, as becometh Christians;" this the apostle recommended to the Galatians and Corinthians, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.

But will it suffice and satisfy the demand of the fourth commandment, to set apart one day in this manner, and to do no more than that no, God surely ordained the sabbath, that he might sanctify his people the sabbath must also serve to the end, "that we may cease" and rest "all the days of our lives from our evil works :" the exercises of the sabbath ought surely to invite and urge us to this, and we must for this end "seek for the Lord to work in us by his Spirit," not only on that day, but on every day, by means of the word, the sacraments and the prayers of the sabbath, and we ought to retain a relish of those exercises, and thus inhale and solicit the

• The author appears to refer here to a custom of the cities in Holland, of having divine service in the churches every day of the week, except Mon days and Saturdays, and on those days also when they are festivals. This is feasible there, as they have in those cities usually several more ministers than churches. Thus in Amsterdam the Reformed have eleven churches and thirty ministers, in Rotterdam they have four churches and twelve ministers. 2 K

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operations of the Spirit of the Lord, by a continual uplooking to him, and depending on him, like the spouse, Song iv. 16. And so will begin in this life the everlasting sabbath and rest, which remainoth for the people of God," according to Heb. iv. 9.

APPLICATION.

What think ye, beloved, can such a keeping of the sabbath be deemed a yoke and a burthen, which doth not become the free people of the New Testament? those who relish the power, the advantages and the delights of the sabbath will not judge so concerning it.

But how shamefully is this day, which God hath hallowed and blessed, unhallowed by many! for there are few who remember it to keep it holy. Will not one and another defer a part of his daily labour until this day, that he may do it on the Lord's day? on this day men will indulge in sleep more than on other days, they will work, trade, travel, divert themselves, and seek their pleasure, yea, practise every kind of vanity and abomination. If they come to the church of God, they think that they have done well, when they have been there once: do they attend of:ner, it is a burthen, they cry and sigh with sinful Israel, Amos viii. 5. "When will the sabbath be past?" They are satisfied with doing the outward duties of the sabbath, without spirit and life; or if they do aught themselves, they take no heed to their children nor servants, as if the sabbath were not ordained for them also,

How do ye dare act thus? This is surely a commandment of God, delivered amidst thunder and lightning, and it hath the Lord for its example, more than any other command of the law. Do ye not know, that God is angry with those who profane the sabbath? the land of Canaan was laid waste, and Israel carried away captive to Babylon, on account of this sin, Levit. xxvi. 34. Neh. xiii. 17. God would, on account of it, "kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusa Iem, which could not be quenched," Jer. xvii. 27. and "he would pour out his fury upon his people in the wilderness, to consume them." Lzek, xx. 13. Ye need not excuse yourselves by thinking, that there are many learned men, who say that we are not obliged to keep the sabbath under the New Testament; for they are not the word of God, from which we and others have proved, that the fourth commandment, as well as the other commandments of the

law, are an everlasting rule to us. And why will ye adopt the sentiments of one learned man, rather than those of another? is it not because ye can reconcile them better to the lusts of your carnal case, pleasure and profit? or is it because ye think that they agree better with the word of God? If so, I would advise you to consider whether all our Netherland divines do not, with the Synod of Dordt, say, "that the fourth commandment is moral, so far as it appropriates a certain and stated day to religious worship, and so much rest also, as is necessary for religious worship, and holy meditation on it," &c. Is there indeed a single learned man, who doth not say, that the first day of the week ought to be observed, if not on account of the fourth commandment, nevertheless either on account of maintaining good order, or for the sake of an ecclesiastical or civil institution? Ye have therefore no reason for profaning the day of the Lord in such a wanton manner. But ye surely sin more grievously, and against your own conscience, who say and maintain your own selves, that the fourth commandment is moral, and do still violate the sabbath.

Therefore humble yourselves on account of this sin, seek reconciliation for it in the blood of the Lord of the sabbath, and bring your hearts to him, that he may, as he hath promised, write also this commandment in them, and that ye may once set about keeping the sabbath in good earnest. It is surely reasonable, easy and pleasant: God promiseth to do great things for them, who keep the sabbath, "he will give them in his house, and within his walls, a place and a name better than that of sons and of daughters; he will make them joyful in his house of prayer, and will accept of all their religious performances," Isaiah Ivi. 4-7. Yea, " ye shall then delight yourselves in the Lord, and he will cause you to ride on the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father." Friends, how can ye be so averse from keeping the sabbath! ye surely wish for a place in heaven; well, there we will have an everJasting sabbath as Paul speaks, Hebr. iv. 9.

Do ye desire to keep the sabbath in such a manner, that ye will derive a blessing from it, prepare yourselves then for it beforehand, endeavour to conduct properly on it and to make a right improvement of it, after it is ended.

1. Ye must, in the first place, prepare yourselves for it beforehand. The Lord God saith therefore to you, "Remember the sabbathday to keep it holy." If we have not thought of it beforehand, and if we begin the work of the sabbath with a heart wholly disor dered, and distracted with carthly concerns, our souls will not be in

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