blindly attached to a previously formed system, discordant and multifarious opinions must be the consequence. Those who, with meek reverence, strive to collect the hallowed truths of Scripture by the cool exercise of interpretive criticism, will not differ as to the nature of the sabbatical duties, more than may well be forgiven to each other in the spirit of Christian charity.

Be it our endeavour, then, to gather into a focus the disseminated beams of Revelation which illustrate this branch of the inquiry. It were easy, after the example of some. writers, by pursuing this subject through its various ramifications, to accumulate a multiplicity of precepts. But to descend to particulars, and to discuss every minute point connected with the practical duties of the sabbath, would not only occupy too large a space, but would, moreover, lead us to dwell upon matters, many of which must, after all, be left to the decision of individuals. It is not uncommon for those who agree in the rule to differ in its application, especially in questions relating to the lesser points of moral conduct, which, admitting some variety, according to the diversified situations and characters of men, must be referred, ultimately, to every one's own conscience. Without attempting an enumeration of specific instances, which would not be of much practical utility, my sole aim is, to deduce those

general principles by which private persons ought to be guided in preserving, and ecclesiastical governors in enforcing, the sanctity of the weekly festival. This shall be attempted, not from any confidence in the Author's own competency, still less through the presumption of dictating to the consciences of others; but in the humble hope that the aid of the Spirit of Truth will not be wanting in a cause so sacred. In pursuance of this object, the inquiry naturally divides itself into two parts; the first respecting the negative, and the second respecting the positive duties of the Lord's day; or, in other words, it may be considered as a day of rest, and a day of holiness.

SECTION I.

The Sabbath considered as a Day of rest and
relaxation.

THE sabbath, according to its original institution, is to be a day separated from all others, and devoted to sacred purposes, which implies a cessation from worldly labours and employments; and this is further confirmed by the express enactment of the fourth Commandment: "Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work; but the seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." From the various applications of the Hebrew word here rendered "work," it appears evidently to denote, as Taylor in his Concordance explains it, "any work, business, or affairs done or transacted by God or man;" and of course the prohibition is full, direct, and unequivocal against secular employment on the Lord's day. The Almighty points out the proportion of

time which he allows for the management both of our temporal affairs, and spiritual concerns; and to let the former trench on the time which he demands for his own immediate service, is incompatible with this solemn requirement.

Yet not every kind of work is forbidden, but only that which is the principal occupation of the preceding portion of the week. "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;" that is, all the labour required in the station of life in which man is placed: whatever may be his avocation, he is to execute it on six successive days; but "the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work;" that is, as is clear from the parallelism of the expressions, any work which is the proper employment of the six days. Works of every description are not prohibited, for some are absolutely necessary, but that specific work alone which is allowed on the six days before mentioned. Whatever is the general and customary employment of these days, ought to be omitted on the seventh; for that work which is permitted, or rather enjoined, on the former, is directly forbidden on the latter. Hence the meaning of the precept is, that the seventh day ought to be a cessation from those worldly occupations to the performance of which the other days are devoted. The sum and substance of the command is thus explained by a

"Thou shalt not

sensible writer on the subject. follow any trade, or worldly employment whatsoever, whether it be the labour of the body, the hands, or the head, which on other days is pursued for the sake of worldly enjoyment, and to provide for this bodily dying life "."

Agreeably to this interpretation, the statute cannot fairly be charged with being harsh, or impracticably rigid. The Jews were bound, under the penalty of death, to observe a still stricter rest on the sabbath; but theirs was a law of carnal commandments, restraining the people under a severé tutelage, and burthensome by various severe prescriptions, from the obligation of which Christ has set his disciples free. Judaism was a dispensation of rigour and severity; Christianity is a law of mercy, of tenderness, and of liberty. The sabbatical enactments which remain binding upon believers, in the Gospel, are neither unreasonable nor austere, only requiring a septenary rest from the business of our callings, and daily

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b Wright, Treatise on the Lord's Day, cap. iii. sect. 1. Non facies in ea, (scil. septima die) omne opus: quod? utique tuum. Consequens est, ut ea opera sabbato auferret, quæ sex diebus supra induxerat: tua scilicet, id est, humana, et quotidiana." Tertullian, Advers. Marcion. lib. ii. § 21. p. 392, C. Others of the fathers agree in limiting the prohibition to servile and secular works; Irenæus, Advers. Hæres. lib. iv. cap. xx.; Jerome, Comment. in Isa. cap. lviii.; Augustine, Homil. 151 de Tempore, tom. 10. §