SERMON V.

ON THE SABBATH.*

NEHEMIAH XIII. 17.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbathday?

V.

THE verses immediately preceding this SERM. inform us more particularly of the very nature of the offences, committed in profanation of the sabbath-day, in Judah and Jerusalem, which the nobles or magistracy encouraged or connived at:-" V. 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing "in sheaves, and lading asses; as also winegrapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem, "on the sabbath-day: and I testified against "them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

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* Preached at Brighthelmstone.

"There

SERM." There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, "which brought fish and all manner of ware, "and sold on the sabbath unto the children

v.

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of Judah and in Jerusalem." But it is not of so much moment, that we sholud ascertain exactly, how the sabbath was profaned, the crime itself, and the consequences, are what most concern ourselves. The crime was heinous and great, and according to the method of God's dispensations in those days, drew down upon those that were guilty of it, great and almost immediate punishment. "V. 18. Did not our fathers thus, and did not our God bring

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Let

all this evil upon us, and upon this city?” The sabbath-day is a day we continue to distinguish from other days, but whether by hallowing it as we should do, or profaning it as they did in Judah and Jerusalem, deserves some consideration. the original institution of the sabbath be referred to whatever cause it may, Reason must approve the two most conspicuous uses of it; of rest from labour, and opportunity for our devotions. It would be impossible to prove, perhaps, that the exact quantity

V.

quantity of rest, which the human frame SERM. stands in need of, is such as is secured by the appointment of the sabbath; but, as to the other point, we may be certain, that one day out of seven is not too much to devote to the especial service of our Creator," in whom we live, and move, and have "our being." Possibly, had God never instituted and appointed a particular day of rest, men would have found one for themselves; but I doubt whether this would ever have been done with any sort of equity or impartiality; each individual would have favoured himself. Those able to command an interval of rest, would have taken it; but the man-servant and maid-servant, the cattle, and the stranger, probably would have been little attended to. Not so with the day of God's own appointment; no individual is favoured by his decrees; in him, the very ox that treadeth out the corn findeth a friend; much more all of the human race, who by his especial will and providence are placed at present in a state of relative dependence; and, independent of all other tes

timony,

SERM. timony, this seems to me to amount to inV. ternal evidence enough of the divine origin

of the institution. The command is full of that general and compréhensive beneficence, which can alone be referred to the God and Father of us all. For too true it is, that if we look around us but ever so little, we shall soon see, that even now that it is so clearly promulgated, few men are capable of acting up to the true spirit of it. Did not the laws of the state interpose to enforce the observance of the command, however men might be inclined to take rest themselves, there is no saying how little would be granted to those dependent on them; and, as it is, how sadly, in very many instances, is its merciful design departed from! In cases of extreme emergency, we have an excuse to plead; we have a right to argue, as our Lord himself taught us, that "the sabbath was made for

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man, and not man for the sabbath." But let us beware how we judge of these emergencies; they will be found upon due consideration to be very few. It is lawful to do good on the sabbath-day, to almost

any

any extent, but to do any thing less, at SERM. the expence either of our own rest, or V. that of others, is grossly inexcusable. In our own case it is a neglect of God's command, in the case of others it can be nothing less, but heightened indeed besides by the heavy aggravation of infringing a right which God himself had designed, by especial interposition, to secure to all alike. What can we say then in defence of those, what can they say in defence of themselves, who pay no regard, in this respect, to the Rest of those dependent on them? Let the laws of the state, or the customs of society, or even the voluntary obedience of those subservient to us, encourage us as they may to infringe the commandment upon common occasions, we have really. no right whatever to do it. We are enjoined to rest ourselves, not for the purposes of idle and dissipated relaxation, but for the purpose of our more free and undisturbed devotions; and for the same indispensable ends are we bound to afford to others the same opportunities: but of those that administer to our service, and