1. On the v/orks of creation. That is expressed liere in tlie commandment, " Tlie Lord made iicaven and earth, the sea," &c. The creation is a looking-glass in which we see tlie wisdom and power of God gloriously represented. God produced this fair struc- ture of the world ^v'ithout any prc-exi stent matter, and with a word, Ps. xxxiii. 6., " By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." Tlie disciples wondered that Christ could with a word calm the sea, Mat. viii. 26. ; but it was far more with a word to make the sea. Let us on a sabbath medi- tate on the iufiniteness of our Creator. Look up to the lirmameiit, there we may see " God's wonders in the deep," Ps. cvii. 24. Look into the earth, there we may behold the nature of minerals, the power of the loadstone, the virtue of herbs, the beauty of flowers. By meditating on these works of creation, so curiously embroidered, we come to admire God and praise him, Ps. civ. 24., " O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all !' By meditating on the works of creation, we come to confide in God. lie who can cre- ate, can provide ; he that could make us when we were nothing, he can raise us when we are low ; Ps. cxxiv. 8., " Our help stands in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth."
2. Meditate on God's holiness, Ps. cxi. 9., " Holy and reverend is his name." Hab. i.
,13., " Thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." God is essentially, originally, and efficiently holy ; all the holiness in men and angels is but a crystal stream that runs from this glorious ocean. God loves holi- ness because it is his own image : a king cannot but love to see his own effigies stamp- ed on coin. God counts holiness his glory, and the most sparkling jewel of his crown, Exod. XV. 11., " Glorious in holiness." Here is a meditation fit for our first entrance in- to a sabbath, God's holiness ; the contem- plation of this would work in us such a frame of heart as is suitable to an holy God ; it would make us then reverence his name, hallow his day ; while we are musing of the holiness of God's nature, we begin to be transformed into his likeness.
3. Meditate on Christ's love in redeeming us, Rev. i. 5. Redemption exceeds crea- tion ; the one is a monument of God's power, the other of his love. Here is fit work for a sabbath. O the infinite stupendous love of Christ in raising poor lapsed creatures from a state of guilt and damnation! (1.) That Christ who was God should die, — that this glorious Sun of Righteousness should be in an eclipse, — we can never enough ad- mire this love, no, not in heaven. (2.) That Christ should die for sinners, — not sinful angels, but sinful mankind. That such clods of earth and sin should be made bright stars of glory : O the amazing love of Christ ! This was illustre amove, Chrisii nmemosyni- unif Brugensis. (3.) That Christ should not only die for sinners, but die as a sinner, 2 Cor. v. 21., " He was made sin for us." He who was among the glorious persons of the Trinity, " was numbered among trans- gressors," Isa. liii. 12. Not that he had sin, but he was like a sinner, having our sins imputed to him. Sin did not live in him, but it was laid upon him. Hci e a\ as an hyperbole of love, enough to strike us iulo astonishment. (4.) That Christ should re- deem us, when he could not look to gain any thing, or be advantaged at all by us. Men will not lay out their money upon ])ur- chase, unless it will turn to their ))ro|-it : but what benefit could Christ expect in pur- chasing and redeeming us ? We were in such a condition, that we could neither deserve nor recompense Christ's love. First, We could not deserve it ; for we were in our blood, Ezek. xvi. 6. We had no spiritual beauty to tempt Christ. Nay, wo were not only in our blood, but we were up in arms, Rom. V. 8., " When we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ;" when he was shedding his blood, we were spitting out poison. Se- condly, As we could not deserve, so neither could we recon)pense Christ's love : lor, 1. After he had died for us, we could not so much as love him, till he made us lovo him, 2. We could give Christ nothing in lieu of his love, Rom. xi. 35., " Who hath first given to him ?" We were fallen to poverty. If we have any beauty, it is froi)i Christ, Ezek. xvi. 14., " It was per- fect through my comeliness which I put upon thee." If we bring forth any good
OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
283