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referred, in this passage, to the institution of the Sabbath on the Mount; still, the reason assigned, viz. God's resting on the Sabbath day, is such as to bind, not the Israelites only, but all mankind, to the observance of one day in seven, as a day of holy rest.

To this objection, it may be replied,

First. That should we admit the fourth commandment to be of the nature of a positive precept; this would not prove that it is not of perpetual obligation. There may be commands in force under the gospel, and to the end of the world, which are not of a moral, but positive nature. Of this sort are the commands to administer baptism and the Lord's supper. And why may not some positive commands and institutions be in force in all ages of the church, and under every dispensation? But,

Secondly. The duty of worshipping God and of devoting some portion of time to religious services is founded in the reason of things, and results from that relation, which subsists between mankind and their Creator and Moral Governor. But if it be the duty of men, in all ages, to consecrate a part of their time to holy rest and the offices of devotion; then it is important, that they should know, what proportion of it they ought thus to consecrate. And since, by their own, unassisted reason, they cannot ascertain and fix this; it is necessary, that it should be done by a Divine precept of universal and perpetual obligation. And hence it may be observed,

Another unanswerable argument in favour of the perpetual and universal obligation of the Sabbath, is derived from Exodus xx. 8, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." This is one of the Ten Commandments, which were written upon tables of stone, to denote their durability and perpetual obligation. These commandments differ materially from the injunctions of the Ceremonial Law. This Law was designed for the Israelites only; and not even for them, after the death of the Messiah: whereas the Ten Commandments were designed for all nations, down to the end of time. Though Christ abolished the Ceremonial Law; yet he did not repeal the Ten Commandments. These are, therefore, still binding upon men; and must be so, while time lasts. To this argument, I know of but one plausible objection; which is this: "The Fourth Commandment is of a positive and not of a moral nature. The other Nine Commandments are of a moral nature. They are founded in the nature and rea- Thirdly. That the fourth comson of things, and would have al- mandment is founded in the reason ways been binding upon mankind, and fitness of things, as well as the had they not been given at Sinai, others. There is a particular proor engraved upon tables of stone. portion of time, which it is fittest But, the Sabbath is a positive in- and best, in the nature of things, stitution, resting entirely upon the that men should keep holy. This will and pleasure of the Institutor, God knows, and this He has pointwithout any previous foundation in ed out. ed out. By his command, he has the reason and nature of things. told us, that it is fittest and best, Although the other Commandments, that we should keep one day in therefore, are of universal and per- seven as holy time. And since he petual obligation; the Fourth is has told us so, we are as much Temporary, and limited to the Jew-bound to keep one day in seven as sh nation."

a Sabbath, as we are to refrain

gious services. And if God ought to be worshipped, then there ought to be some particular portion of time set apart for that purpose.— As there are but a few of mankind, who have sufficient leisure, amidst the ordinary cares and concerns of life, to attend to the duties of Religion; it is necessary, that there should be a cessation of labour, for this end, as well as for the rest and refreshment of the body. It is also obvious, that there should be some fixed and stated portion of time set apart for Divine worship; that those, who belong to the same society or community, may not interrupt and disturb one another. And, without doubt, there is some particular proportion of time, better suited, in the nature of things, than any other, to answer the purposes of a Sabbath. stated seasons of rest and devotion, may be too far asunder, so as not to afford sufficient refreshment to the laborious part of mankind, nor give sufficient opportunity for religious worship; or they may be too near together, so as to hinder the necessary employments and avocations of life. But, though there is, unquestionably, a certain proportion of time, best suited, in the nature of things, to the important purposes of a Sabbath; yet reason alone is not able to discover, precisely, what that proportion of time is, whether one day in six, or one day in seven, or one in eight. To teach men their duty in this respect, as well as in a thousand others, there was need of a Divine Revelation. Accordingly,

The

God had no sooner finished the work of creation, than he separated and sanctified a seventh part of time, to be observed as a holy Sabbath. Of this the sacred Historian gives us an account in the second chapter of Genesis. Then the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the sev

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enth day, God ended his work, which Ile had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all his works, which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his works, which God created and made.” It is very evident from this passage, that it is the will of God, that mankind. in all ages, should observe a weekly Sabbath. It is expressly said, that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: and the reason assigned, is, that, after the six days' work of creation, He rested, on the seventh day, from all his work, which He had made. God might have created the universe in six seconds, as well as in six days, if He had seen fit. It is not to be supposed, that He was fatigued with the work of creation. When it is said, He rested, the meaning is merely, that He ceased. And thus He taught all men, by his Divine example, to labour six days, and rest on the seventh, devoting it to God and religion.

Dr. Paley, and others, who deny the perpetual obligation of the Sabbath, labour to make it appear, that, as Moses wrote this passage in the second chapter of Genesis, after the giving of the Law on Mount Sanai, his meaning must be, not that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day then, immediately upon the creation; but that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, at the time of giving the Law, for this reason, because He made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh.

But, to this it may be replied:

First, That to take this to be the meaning of Moses, is to suppose that he wrote very immethodically, and in a way calculated to deceive his readers; which is not easily reconciled with the infallibility of an inspired penman. But,

Secondly, Admitting that Moses

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referred, in this passage, to the institution of the Sabbath on the Mount; still, the reason assigned, viz. God's resting on the Sabbath day, is such as to bind, not the Israelites only, but all mankind, to the observance of one day in seven, as a day of holy rest.

To this objection, it may be replied,

First. That should we admit the fourth commandment to be of the nature of a positive precept; this would not prove that it is not of perpetual obligation. There may be commands in force under the gospel, and to the end of the world, which are not of a moral, but positive nature. Of this sort are the commands to administer baptism and the Lord's supper. And why may not some positive command's and institutions be in force in all ages of the church, and under eve

Another unanswerable argument in favour of the perpetual and universal obligation of the Sabbath, is derived from Exodus xx. 8, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." This is one of the Ten Commandments, which were written upon tables of stone, to denote their durability and perpetual ob-ry dispensation? But, ligation. These commandments differ materially from the injunctions of the Ceremonial Law. This Law was designed for the Israelites only; and not even for them, after the death of the Messiah: whereas the Ten Commandments were designed for all nations, down to the end of time. Though Christ abolished the Ceremonial Law; yet he did not repeal the Ten Commandments. These are, therefore, still binding upon men; and must be so, while time lasts. To this argument, I know of but one plausible objection; which is this: 'The Fourth Commandment is of a positive and not of a moral nature. The other Nine Commandments are of a moral nature. They are founded in the nature and reason of things, and would have always been binding upon mankind, had they not been given at Sinai, or engraved upon tables of stone. Bat, the Sabbath is a positive institution, resting entirely upon the will and pleasure of the Institutor, without any previous foundation in the reason and nature of things. Although the other Commandments, therefore, are of universal and perpetual obligation; the Fourth is temporary, and limited to the Jewish nation."

Secondly. The duty of worshipping God and of devoting some portion of time to religious services is founded in the reason of things, and results from that relation, which subsists between mankind and their Creator and Moral Governor. But if it be the duty of men, in all ages, to consecrate a part of their time to holy rest and the offices of devotion; then it is important, that they should know, what proportion of it they ought thus to consecrate. And since, by

their own, unassisted reason, they cannot ascertain and fix this; it is necessary, that it should be done by a Divine precept of universal and perpetual obligation. And hence it may be observed,

Thirdly. That the fourth commandment is founded in the reason and fitness of things, as well as the others. There is a particular proportion of time, which it is fittest and best, in the nature of things, that men should keep holy. This God knows, and this He has pointed out. By his command, he has told us, that it is fittest and best, that we should keep one day in seven as holy time. And since he has told us so, we are as much bound to keep one day in seven as a Sabbath, as we are to refrain

from idolatry, or to obey any other of the ten commandments.

The great stress which God lays upon his precept to keep every seventh day holy, so much greater than he lays upon any precept of the Ceremonial Law, furnishes evidence, that it is his will, that men, in all ages, should keep a seventh part of time as a Sabbath. He made this precept one of the Ten Commandments, engraved it with his own finger, upon stone, and required it to be deposited, with the others, in the Ark of testimony. And the prophets, whom he inspired to instruct and admonish his people, speak of the due observance of the Sabbath, as constituting a very material part of true religion. Thus we read in Isaiah, 58th chapter: "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."

I add, that it is foretold, that the Sabbath should be observed, under the Christian dispensation. Thus, in Isaiah, 56th chapter, God says, speaking of the reception of the Gentiles into the Church, under the New Testament, "Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.”

Such is some of the evidence. that it is the will of God that one day in seven should be observed as a Sabbath, by all men, in all ages of the world.

REFLECTIONS.

1. Those, who think the Sabbath abolished, under the Christian, dispensation, are in a great errour. This is, professedly, the opinion of some, though, comparatively, of few, in the Christian world. They consider the Sabbath as a mere ceremonial observance, first enjoined at Sinai, and done away by the abrogation of the Mosaick ritual. But, we have seen, that the Sabbath was first instituted at the creation of the world; and when re-enacted on the Mount, was made one of the Ten Commandments, which, being of a moral nature, are of universal and perpetual obligation. The errour, therefore, of such as hold that the Sabbath is abolished, is great; as it sets aside a sacred moral duty, and emboldens men to transgress the express command of God.

2. A violation of the holy Sabbath, must be very offensive to God. The Sabbath is of moral obligation, and the due observance of it, is enjoined by the positive command of God. No reason can be assigned, why a breach of the Sabbath should not be as displeasing to God, as a breach of any other of the Ten Commandments. They all rest on the same foundation, the nature and fitness of things, and are all sanctioned by the same Divine authority. It is presumption, therefore, for any to flatter themselves, that God will hold those guiltless, who transgress the fourth, any more than those who transgress any, or all of the rest: for, as the apostle says, "He that keepeth the whole Law, and yet offendeth in one point, is guilty of all."

3. No reason can be assigned,

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why the Sabbath should not be ob- | the duty of speaking the truth, the duty of dealing justly, or any other moral duty whatever. And if rulers have a right, it is manifestly their duty to enforce the observance of the Sabbath by legal sanctions. For as nothing is more conducive to the welfare of a comNei-munity, than a due observance of the holy Sabbath; so nothing is more injurious to the publick interest, than an unrestrained violation of it. To violate the Sabbath is to be cruel to the beasts, to oppress the labouring class of the community, to interrupt those, who are engaged in the sacred duties of the day, and to remove the highest moral restraint from every species of vice and crime. It would seem, therefore, that if Legislators and Magistrates would be a terrour to evil doers, and not bear the sword in vain, they must enforce the external observance of the Sabbath.

served as strictly, under the Christian, as under the Mosaick dispensation. The obligation of men to observe the Sabbath, neither began nor ended with the Law of Moses. The institution of the Sabbath, is of prior and of higher obligation, than the Ceremonial Law. ther the duty of keeping the Sabbath, nor the manner of keeping it, has any necessary connexion with the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaick economy. It is the duty of Christians, as well as of the Israelites, to keep the Sabbath day holy: and that which was implied in keeping it holy, before the Law, and under the Law, is implied in keeping it holy under the Gospel. 4. It is right for civil rulers to enforce the external observance of the Sabbath, by law. To keep the Sabbath, is a moral duty, and to break it, is a crime. It is not seen, therefore, why civil rulers have not as good a right, to enforce the duty of observing the Sabbath, as

MORALIS.

FOR THE HOPKINSIAN MAGAZINE.

ESSAYS UPON HOPKINSIANISM.
No. III.

The propriety and utility of the

appellation HOPKINSIAN.

kind of men, to mention the several properties or circumstances, in which they agree among themselves, and in which they differ from men of other classes or kinds. This

would render discourse and writing so prolix, as to be extremely tedious and burdensome. Hence, in the original formation of language, it appears, that next to verbs, which express the action of the senses in perception, or the

The true design of names, is, to prevent the necessity of a circumlocution, or description of the things signified by them. If no proper names were used, it would be necessary, in speaking or writ-states of mind consequent upon it, ing of an individual person, to mention the several qualities or properties, which distinguish that individual from others; such as his shape, size, colour, place of residence, occupation, &c. And if no appellatives, or common names, were used, it would be necessary, in speaking or writing of a class or

proper names, applied to individual persons or things, came next in the order of invention; to which succeeded appellatives, or names common to sorts or kinds of persons and things. The utility, and even necessity of common names, will hardly be called in question. And there can be no impropriety

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