SECT. 8.] OF THE LORD’S DAY. 443
ously expressed by the evangelists. This, with me, determines this whole matter. (4.) Mere cessation from labour in the night seems to have no place in the spiritual rest of the gospel to be expressed on this day, nor to be by any thing distinguished from the nights of other days of the week. (5.) Supposing Christians under the obli- gation of the direction given by Moses before mentioned, and it may entangle them in the anxious, scrupulous intrigues which the Jews are subject unto about the beginning of the evening itself, about which their greatest masters are at variance; which things belong not to the economy of the gospel. Upon the whole matter, I am * inclinable to judge, and do so, that the observation of the day is to be commensurate unto the use of our natural strength on any other day, from morning to night. And nothing is hereby lost that is needful unto the due sanctification of it; for what is by some re- quired as a part of its sanctification, is necessary and required as a due preparationthereunto. This, therefore,is our first rule ordirection :—
I. The first day of the week, or the Lord’s day, is to be set apart unto the ends of a holy rest unto God, by every one, according as his natural strength will enable him to employ himself in his lawful occasions any other day of the week.
There is no such certain standard or measure for the observance -of the duties of this day, as that every one who exceeds it should by it be cut short, or that those who, on important reasons, come short of i should be stretched out thereunto. As God provided, in his services of old, that he who was not able to offer a bullock might offer a dove, with respect unto their outward condition in the world; so here there is an allowance also for the natural temperaments and abilities of men. Only, whereas if persons of old had pretended poverty, to save their charge in the procuring of an offering, it would not have been acceptable, yea, they would themselves have fallen under the curse of the deceiver; so no more will now a pretence of weakness or natural inability be any excuse unto any for neglect or profaneness. Otherwise, God requires of us, and accepts from us, “according to what we have, and not according to what we have not.” And we see it by experience, that some men’s natural spirits will carry them out unto a continuance in the outward observance of duties much beyond, nay, double perhaps unto what others are able, who yet may observe a holy Sabbath unto the Lord with acceptation, And herein lies the spring of the accommodation of these duties to the sick, the aged, the young, the weak, or persons any way distempered. “God knoweth our frame, and remembereth
that we are dust;” as also that that dust is more discomposed and weakly compacted. i in some than in others. As thus the people gathered manna of old, some more, some less, (oN "BD WS, “every
444 PRACTICAL OBSERVANCE [ EXERC. VI.
man according to his appetite,” yet “he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack,” Exod. xvi. 17, 18; so is every one in sincerity, according to his own ability, to endeavour the sanctifying of the name of God in the duties of this day, not being obliged by the examples or prescriptions of others; according to their own measures.
9. II. Labour to observe this day, and to perform the duties re- quired in it, with a frame of mind becoming and answering the spirit, freedom, and liberty of the gospel.
We are now to serve God in all things “in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter,” Rom. vii. 6,—with a spirit of peace, delight, joy, liberty, and a sound mind. There were three reasons of the bondage, servile frame of spirit which was in the Judaical church, in their observance of the duties of the law, and consequently of the Sabbath :—
(1.) The dreadful giving and promulgation of it on mount Sinai; which was not intended merely to strike a terror into that generation in the wilderness, but through all ages during that dispensation, to influence and awe the hearts of the people into a dread and terror of it. Hence the apostle tells us that “mount Sinai gendered unto bondage,” Gal. iv. 24 ;—that is, the law, as given thereon, brought the people into a spiritually servile state; wherein, although secretly, on the account of the ends of the covenant, they were children and heirs, yet they differed nothing from servants, chap. iv. 1-3.
(2.) The renovation and re-enforcement of the old covenant, with the promises and threatenings of it, which was to be upon them during the continuance of that state and condition. And although the law had a new use and end now given unto it, yet they were so in the dark, and the proposal of them attended with so great an obscurity, that they could not clearly look into the comfort and liberty finally intended therein; for “the law made nothing perfect,” and what was of grace in the administration of it was so veiled with types, ceremonies, and shadows, that they could not see to the end of the things that were to be done away, 2 Cor. iii. 13.