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SERMON XXII.

MATTHEW xii. 8.

FOR THE SON OF MAN IS LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH DAY.

In discoursing hitherto upon this subject, it has been my principal endeavour to show you that our observance of the Lord's day is not derived from the Jewish commandment. I have reasoned with you at large upon this subject. I have shown you that our observance is in direct opposition to the letter of the commandment, forasmuch as we have selected the first day of the week for this observance, instead of the seventh. I have reasoned further, that the whole of the law of the ten commandments is abrogated, even as a rule of life, to those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ; and that there are particular considerations which tend to show the abrogation of this particular commandment; as for example, that it was expressly given as a sign between God and the nation of Israel; given as a benefit before the Law, and confirmed by the Law; but

in both cases coextensive only with the Jewish nation, and with those who have joined themselves to it by circumcision, which was the only method of constituting a Jew. Again, that there is no injunction throughout the whole of the New Testament for the keeping of the sabbath day; and that there is much done by the Lord Jesus Christ, and much said by St. Paul, to the disparagement of it.

I closed my last Sermon with this remark concerning St. Paul's writings; and having particularly referred to the fourth chapter of his epistle to the Hebrews, I shall commence my observations today with a careful examination of that chapter; first of all reminding you of a remark I made at the close of my last Sermon upon this subject,that it would be a great grief indeed to my mind, if you should infer, from any remark I have made, that I would invalidate the solemnity of this observance. My object is not to invalidate, but to increase the solemnity of it, by bringing conviction to every mind that it is the mind of Christ, it is his clear and plain will, that we should maintain such observance in the spirit which belongs to it, not the spirit of bondage, but the spirit of holy delight in God, his will, and his way. This remark it is my intention to illustrate and confirm by opening those several observations with which I pursued this second part of our subject, the question what evidence we have that it is the mind of Christ that we should keep the Lord's day holy? The former question was, Why not reduce it to the commandment?

why not place the observance of this day on the enactment of the fourth commandment? I consider that part of my subject as sufficiently opened; but it remains for me to enlarge considerably upon the second question. And the first remark which I make upon that our question is, that Christ neither did nor said anything to disparage the principle of observance, which is that of acknowledging a future and an unseen state in which we shall enter into God's own rest,-our duties arising out of simple creation, our duties arising out of that relation which we have merely as the creatures of God, being superseded. I thus state, in as correct and as precise a form as I can, what I understand to be the principle of observance, in order that you may connect my remarks with the plan I am pursuing,—namely, that of showing you, first of all, that there is nothing in the acts or teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ or his apostles which should discourage such a principle.

Now the object, as you perceive, is, first of all, to ascertain the nature of the observance, that we may not be blundering in the outset, and so carry that blunder throughout the whole of our investigation; to show that it is no other institution than that which we are contending for, that is the demand of God upon our observance. And I have selected the 4th chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, because in the consideration of that chapter we shall find that the several occasions on which the rest of God is referred to will

fall under our enquiry. In order that you may go with me in the just and careful interpretation of this portion of the Word of God, it is necessary that I should state its connection to you, and that I should begin my comment therefore with part of the preceding chapter.

You are aware, I trust, that the great object of the epistle to the Hebrews is to show the superiority of the Gospel to the Law, and to convince the Hebrew converts that they had done wisely in forsaking the old institution for the new, for that there was clear evidence from the ancient institution itself that it was the design of God to supersede it by the second. The apostle therefore commences with showing the superiority of the Person by whom this dispensation was mediated; his superiority, in the first place, to the angels, which occupies the first chapter; his superiority, in the second place, to Moses, which occupies the former verses of the third chapter. And when he has thus enforced a dutiful observance of the institution from the high dignity of the Person, he proceeds to enforce the principle upon which the acceptance of it rests, the principle of faith. I begin my comment therefore with the 7th verse of the 3rd chapter. "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness." Now understand, beloved, this is an address to the Hebrew converts; to persons not only resident in the land of Judea, but also Jews by origin; but who, being Jews

by origin, had turned from their ancient and paternal religion to the religion of Jesus Christ. "Wherefore," says he,—that is, such being the dignity of this Person, whom I have just attested to be the superior of Moses the lawgiver of our fathers,-"Wherefore," as the Holy Ghost saith, "Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Now you observe, this is a clear testimony to the inspiration of the Old Testament. This apostle bears witness that the Holy Ghost gave to David these words, which we meet with in the 95th Psalm; for there follows a lengthened quotation from the 95th Psalm. You understand me. When St. Paul quotes these words as spoken by the Holy Ghost, what else or less can he mean than that the Holy Ghost was the inspirer of David when he wrote down this passage in his book of Psalms? "Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years." He refers to the conduct of the Israelites when they proposed returning into Egypt, and had actually appointed a leader to conduct them thither, in consequence of the disappointment which they felt at the report made by the spies who had been sent to search the land. The spies brought a favourable report of the land, but declared that the inhabitants of it were invincible; and only two of them gave a faithful and spiritual account of the matter; only two of them urged their countrymen to go on,

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