The Arminian Magazine--Winter, 1993

THE HOLY ROAD
--C. Marion Brown

Keil and Delitzsch translate the portion of Isaiah 35:8, translated in the KJV - "the way of holiness," as "the holy road." No matter what your denominational affiliation, doctrinal persuasion, or personal interpretation; there is but one way to the Celestial City and that is the "Holy Road!" Holiness is not an option to be experienced or enjoyed by a select few on this heavenly pursuit, it is the essence of New Testament salvation. When the sacred writer penned, "holiness, without which no man can see the Lord," he laid out as an eternal principle, the essence of the eternal nature to be reflected in all of the salvation purchased by the blood of the eternal Son.

Looking at the Scripture quoted in the opening paragraph, we see first that this way is a "separated way." "No unclean shall pass thereon" (verse 8). The defilement here is tied to allegiance and nature. In St. John we find the cleansing agent, "The Word" (John 15:3). Both the incarnate and the spoken word were to the purpose of cleansing the unclean, purifying the defiled, and purifying the sinful. The atoning work of Christ is also here referred to and the writer of Hebrews establishes this in chapter 9. St. Paul joins with the others when he states that we are "brought nigh by the blood of Christ."

Adam Clarke clearly stated that the "unclean" are those living in sin. Most of us see clearly the connection between the requirements of the "road," identified by its name - THE HOLY ROAD, and the defilement of heart and life than bans a man from traveling on this road.

The terminology is emphatic - no unclean shall pass. Jesus used a different analogy of the same idea when he painted the picture of a man at the wedding without a wedding garment. Regardless of how men may slice their "theological pie" the exclusionary rule is paramount and eternal, "no unclean shall pass thereon."

In our polluted society, where all of us are affected, this Scripture should cause us to strive to achieve and maintain a clear distance between our souls and the pollution of this present world, here identified as unclean and capable of turning us off the road.

The second characteristic of this way to the Celestial City is identified as a simple or plain way; "No wayfaring men though fools." Probably one of the major hindrances both to ourselves and our hearers is that we are so soon turned from the simplicity of the gospel. Jesus was clear in His revelation of Himself after the resurrection. Men and women may have been slow to comprehend, but when comprehended, the revelation and the message was simple and clear. Note the weeping Mary, the disciples on the Emmaus road, and other appearings clear and simple! Brethren, we cannot afford to become bogged down; the message must go forth in its simplicity and it will become available to all. For it is a simple way in which no one need to err either in doctrine or practice.

The "Holy Road" is next a safe and secure road, "No lion nor ravenous beast shall pass thereon." They may snap, growl, and paw the ground, but they cannot get you; your way is secure. James dealt with the nature of temptation when he penned the words, "Every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lusts and enticed."

To those who have been overcome by temptation, the process is always the same and it is not the result of a lion or ravenous beast! To those, who by the miracle of overcoming grace, have risen and become victorious over sin; the avenue is always the same. We must watch unto prayer, cultivate our spiritual sensitivity, and draw night to God. He alone can make us victorious and keep us so. "And they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony."

In the fourth pace, this road is secluded; "It shall not be found there." Great and inspiring stories have come to us of men and women under direct assault from lions and ravenous beasts, who have found that the road is secluded. When all hope of human intervention had trickled away in some unthought circumstance, the road was found to be a secluded way. The Apostle Paul, in the story of his shipwreck, penned "when all hope that we should be saved was lost." "Fear not, Paul, you shall still testify in Rome!" His way was secluded!

Are you "pressed out of measure" today? Is all hope that your circumstances will change, lost? Can you identify with Moses at the Red Sea, Pharaoh's hot breath behind you; mountains on each side and the Red Sea before you? Oh, yes "holy road" traveler this road is still secluded and you will be able to say with all the other "holy road" travelers, "I have finished my course and there is laid up for me a crown of life, which the Lord, the Righteous judge shall give."

In the final place this road is sure; "but the redeemed shall walk there." It is unquestionable, this way is for the redeemed. The songwriter penned, "We're not redeemed with silver and gold, with corruptible things . . . ." These redeemed ones have had their robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb.

Redemption is the buy-back of those who have no other recourse and to them redemption is a beautiful term. Bought back with resources not available to the corrupted. As Fanny Crosby wrote,

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,
His child and forever I am.

These redeemed ones have a unique understanding of this process, for they know the reality of being afar off and being brought nigh by Christ' blood. They have sloshed along the muddy, sticking, treacherous road of sinking sand and have experienced first hand the terrors and fears along the broad road. Now they have been translated onto the Holy Road and readily rejoice in the joy of sins forgiven that it brings.

In the back of the Book, Revelation 7:13-14, we see the end of the road. "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? This great multitude which no man could number. Whence came they? And he said tome these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Those who are redeemed and only those have the qualifications and necessary credentials to walk the "holy road." Make sure you are on the right road.

THE SPIRIT OF TOLERANCE
--Vic Reasoner

As leaders within the conservative holiness movement pronounce divine judgment upon each other over secondary issues, the younger generation continues to leave the movement disillusioned. If we have a future we must learn to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We need not only to revive the doctrines of our founders, but we need to exhibit their spirit of tolerance.

Are we known for our moderation? Philippians 4:5 commands, "Let your moderation be known unto all men." We should be characterized by a firm gentleness and a sweet reasonableness. Far too often we are intolerant, dogmatic, "bull-headed," and "hard- nosed."

The command to follow peace with all men is just as valid as the command to follow holiness (Hebrews 12:14). Some holiness professors seem to enjoy controversy. They come across as bombastic, harsh, critical, and divisive. The truly sanctified person, however, will go the extra mile to avoid a fight.

Paul could write that the apostolic church tolerated differences. One person could eat what another person could not eat. One man regarded some days as holy and other men considered every day to be holy. His conclusion was not to legislate uniformity, but to "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind" (Romans 14:5). That spirit was soon lost to the Church.

During the Inquisition, the Roman Catholic Church punished those who disagreed with them harshly. When Calvinism gained the upper hand, it displayed the same spirit. John Calvin had Michael Servetus burned for his errors.

Philip Melanchthon, the successor of Martin Luther, declared "in necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity," but Lutheranism was torn by bitter theological warfare.

James Arminius and his early followers were persecuted by the Calvinists, especially after the Synod of Dort. Yet at that synod Simon Episcopius, the successor of Arminius, delivered a speech so logical and magnanimous that it moved many hearers to tears.

Arminianism reintroduced the spirit of tolerance to the Church. The early Arminians were well educated and held strong convictions, but they displayed a different spirit. They had no animosity toward those who disagreed with them; they only asked that their views be permitted to exist.

John Wesley's 52 Standard Sermons were the doctrinal standard of early Methodism. Wesley wrote as a trained theologian, able to exegete the Scriptures from their original languages. He displayed a knowledge of Church history, and his logic is unanswerable. Yet instead of imitating Calvinism's intolerant dogmatism, he included two sermons on tolerance.

"A Caution Against Bigotry" is based on the incident in the life of the disciples where they forbid a man to use the name of Christ without their approval. Wesley warned us not to become so fond of our own "party, opinion, Church, and religion" that we would cut off those who differ from us, but are yet serving Christ.

His next sermon, "Catholic Spirit," again challenges us to think and let think. He declared, "If your heart is right, then give me your hand." It was not necessary for you to hold Wesley's opinions or embrace his modes of worship.

Let all these smaller points stand aside. Let them never come into sight. "If thine heart is as my heart," if thou lovest God and all mankind, I ask no more; "Give me thine hand."

When John Wesley, the Armianian, preached the funeral of George Whitefield, the Calvinist, he said there was a trait Whitefield exemplified which was not common. Wesley said he had a "catholic spirit." He loved all, of whatever opinion, mode of worship, or denomination who believed in the Lord Jesus, loved God and man, delighted in pleasing God and feared offending Him, who was careful to abstain from evil and zealous of good works.

Arminius and Wesley patiently pointed out that they were not heretics, but were in agreement with historic Christianity and the great ecumenical church councils. But they did so in a spirit of moderation. We affirm with them a quiet confidence that the Spirit of Truth is able to convince men. We cannot convince through force or legislative decree. Wesleyans have always allowed for difference of opinion upon the proper mode and subjects of baptism or the proper eschatological scheme, for example.

Toleration is our heritage, yet it can also create problems. There exists the danger that apathy can be substituted for tolerance. We must oppose the attitude that correct doctrine is not important. We must not embrace every wind of doctrine. We are to contend for the faith. But let us display the spirit of Christ as we defend His teachings.

Liberal Christianity does not accept the Scriptures as final and complete revelation. Instead they believe that Christian doctrine continues to evolve. Therefore, we might break with historic Christianity and still be led by the Spirit. In this mind-set we could contradict the Word of God by claiming a new word from God. But we run the risk of redefining the faith until we have lost it.

The spirit of toleration can open the door to compromise with liberalism. The later followers of Arminius, the Remonstrants, did become liberal doctrinally. The same spirit finally overtook Methodism.

In the twentieth century fundamentalism attempted to defend the faith. Today Calvinism is often on the cutting edge of conservatism. They have championed biblical inerrancy, a biblical world-view, the philosophy of Christian education, biblical counseling, and the distinctions between manhood and womanhood. The conservative holiness movement has been influenced by fundamentalism. Paul Bassett even wrote in the Wesleyan Theological Journal for 1978 about "The Fundamentalist Leavening of the Holiness Movement: 1914-1940."

While we may feel that the rest of the holiness movement should have taken more seriously the contributions of fundamentalism, yet inherent in fundamentalism is a spirit of legalism and intolerance passed down from its Calvinistic roots. Today the conservative holiness movement is not only contending for fundamental Christian doctrine, but it is also infected with the dogmatic spirit of fundamentalism. We run the risk of abandoning our heritage of tolerance.

ON THE SABBATH
--John Wesley

The Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley, in the process of being published by Abingdon Press, contains 13 sermons not found in the 14 volume Thomas Jackson edition. This sermon was written in July of 1730 and had been originally credited to Charles Wesley. This sermon is copyright 1987 by Abingdon Press and excerpted by permission.

The greatest blessing that God can give to any generation or society is a Divine awakening. A consciousness of our distance from a Holy God, violation of His holy laws and modifications of His requirements, is a pre-requisite for such an event. If we, as individuals or society as a whole, find ourselves distanced from God, remember He did not change! His revealed nature, given to Moses is eternal: I AM THAT I AM, I am the Lord I change not!

1. He does not change in His hatred of sin (Deuteronomy 25:16; Proverbs 21:27; Revelation 2:15).

2. He does not change in His power to forgive sin (Exodus 34:7; Psalm 130:4; 1 John 2:2).

3. He does not change in His requirements for holy living (Leviticus 11:44; Isaiah 35:8; Titus 2:12).

Sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees. Perhaps this voice from the past will help us see the "forest" as God sees it. Read carefully Mr. Wesley's sermon, which is not widely circulated. I commend it to you; read it for your own edification!

On the Sabbath
Sermon #139
Exodus 20:8

In the twentieth chapter of Exodus, at the eighth verse, it is thus written:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

"That the sabbath was not ordained in the beginning of the world, nor ever observed from the creation till the time of Moses; that being given by Moses to the Jews, it was not observed as a moral precept, but like other ceremonies was sometimes kept and sometimes not, as public or private business gave way; that, lastly, it was for ever repealed at the destruction of the temple" - these are the assertions of those who would so remember the sabbath as not to keep it holy at all.

In answer to so much of these objections as seems to require an answer, and to the conclusions drawn from them, I shall endeavor to show:

I. That the command for keeping the sabbath holy was given for wise ends, by such an authority that none but the same which gave it can repeal it;

II. That is has not been repealed by this authority, as the ends for which it was given are still in force; and,

III. What that keeping the sabbath holy is, by which we obey the command and answer the ends of it.

I. The first thing to be shown is that the command of keeping the sabbath holy was given for wise ends, by such an authority that none but the same which gave it can repeal it. I dispute not here whether or no this command was given to Adam, nor whether it was observed before Moses; nor yet whether we are to keep the sabbath upon the seventh day, as was the practice of the Jews, or on the first day of the week, according to the usage of the Christian Church from our Lord's resurrection to this day. My present inquiry is only this: What authority commands us to keep one day in seven holy? And what were the chief ends for which this command was given?

1. The authority by which it was given was God's. He it was who from the holy place of Sinai spake all those words, among which are these, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." He it was who declared again and again, "Verily my sabbath ye shall keep; . . . it is holy unto you; everyone that defileth it shall be put to death."

Now who but God hath power to repeal what God hath once established? Seeing then it was he who established this law, none but himself hath power to repeal it. Till he repeals it, it must be the duty of all men to obey it, whether the reasons for which he hath established it are known to them or no. An abundantly sufficient reason for their obedience is this alone, that he gave it, if they know no other. Not that this is the case here. The wise reasons of this command are, or may be, known to all men; the chief ends of it are almost everywhere delivered, together with the command itself.

2. The first we have in the second chapter of Genesis, verse 3: "And God blessed the sabbath day, and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his works which God created and made." And again in the twentieth chapter of Exodus: "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and all that is them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

In these words three things are plainly affirmed: (1) that God is the creator of the world; (2) that having created it in six days he ceased from his work on the seventh; (3), that hereon he blessed the seventh day, and hallowed, or sanctified it, ordaining that man, being made in the image and for the imitation of God, should imitate him in this, in bestowing six days on the works pertaining to this world, and resting from all these works on the seventh, to retire to a better world.

We see here the chief reason of this command, the great end for which it was given, even that man might learn to imitate God, to fulfil the purpose of his creation; that he might ever remember who it was that created himself, and heaven and earth; that like him, having finished his six days, he might on the seventh retire from this world, and ascent in heart and mind into the heaven of heavens, whither his Creator went in person before him.

3. Another end of this command God declared both on Mount Sinai and long after by his prophet Ezekiel: "I gave them my sabbath, . . . that they might know that I am the Lord which sanctifieth them." That these sacred days, so often as they returned, might confirm them in that important knowledge, that God was the author of their virtue and happiness as well as of their being; that should he withdraw his sanctifying power they would as naturally sink into sin and misery as, should he withdraw his quickening power, they would fall into their native dust.

4. That as they knew how holiness was to be attained, so they actually might attain it, was a third wise end of God's commanding man to keep one day in seven holy. This we learn from that other declaration of God, wherein after "Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy," it follows in the very next verse, "Ye shall keep my sabbaths;" plainly intimating that one reason why they were it keep his sabbaths was that they might be holy as God is holy; that by constantly dedicating to him one day in seven they might be enabled to spend the other six as became those who acknowledged their Creator and Sanctifier to be of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; that they might ever be mindful of taking him for their pattern, not only in one particular, but in the general course of their lives, which after his example should be holy, just, and good.

The sum of what has been hitherto observed is this: God, who hath an undoubted right to command men what he pleases, and is under no obligation of acquainting them with the reasons of his commands, was pleased to give them this command, "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy." Nay, and was also pleased to acquaint them with several of the reasons that moved him so to do, the chief of which are these: (1) that man, by imitating one particular action of God, might retain a more lively and lasting sense of God's being the Creator, of himself and all things; (2), that he might constantly remember who it is that is his Sanctifier as well as Creator;' (3), that he might be ever mindful that it is the business of his life to imitate him in all things; to make God's mercy, justice, and holiness the pattern of all his thoughts, words, and actions.

II. The next question, therefore, is whether this command has yet been repealed by the authority that gave it, and whether these ends for which it was given are still in force or no.

1. As to the former part of the question, it is roundly affirmed that God did repeal it when he was made man; to prove which a famous manager in this controversy gives us the strength of his cause in these words:

In these rigid vanities by which the Pharisees had abused the sabbath, our Savior thought it requisite to detect their follies. They taught, it was unlawful on the sabbath day either to heal the impotent, or relieve the sick, or feed the hungry; but he confutes them in them, both by his actions and by his disputations. . . Did they accuse his followers of gathering corn upon the sabbath, being an hungered? He lets them know what David did in the same extremity. . . . The cures he did upon the sabbath, what were they more than what themselves did daily in laying salves upon those infants whom they had circumcised on the sabbath? His bidding of the impotent man to take up his bed, was it so great a toil as to life up the ox out of the ditch? . . . Nor had God so spoke the word but that he could repeal it, the Son of man being Lord also of the sabbath. Nay, it is rightly remarked that he did more works of charity upon the sabbath than on all days else; and several of them when there was no extreme necessity that the cure should be performed that day, or the man perish . . . What then? Came our Savior to destroy the law? No - but to let them understand the right meaning of it, that they might no longer be misled by the Scribes and Pharisees. . . .

Further, that the sabbath was to be repealed is by this apparent, (1), that it was an institute of Moses; (2), that it was an institute peculiar to the Jewish nation.

Thus far the historian, whose numerous assertions it may be worth while to examine apart, beginning at that wherewith he ends, as being of most importance.

"The sabbath (says he) was to be repealed because it was, (1), an institute of Moses; (2), an institute peculiar to the Jewish nation." Now as every institute peculiar to the Jewish nation was an institute of Moses, all we have to do is to inquire whether the sanctifying the sabbath was an institute of Moses or no.

I therefore think it was not, because it was instituted at least two thousand years before Moses was born. So saith the text in Genesis expressly: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it."

Indeed, so soon as it shall be proved that there is an absurdity in taking this in the plain literal sense, then we shall be forced to take it in a less plain, in a figurative sense, and to say, "Though this is related as done at the creation, it was not done till the giving of manna in the time of Moses, four or five and twenty hundred years after the creation." But till this absurdity be shown we have no pretence for giving up the letter. We have no pretence to interpret any Scripture figuratively but when an absurdity follows a proper interpretation. This not being the case here, we may, we must, conclude that the sabbath was instituted at the creation; therefore that it was not an institute of Moses, and consequently that from this supposition, which is manifestly false, it cannot be inferred that it was to be repealed at all.

2. However, that it actually was repealed is inferred from the other assertions above mentioned, which are briefly these: (1), that the Pharisees thought it unlawful to do even works of necessity or mercy on the sabbath; (2), that our Savior proved they thought wrong therein, such works being lawful on any day; (3), that the Son of God, being man, could, if he pleased, set aside his own command; (4), that himself did more works both of necessity and mercy on this than on any other day; and (5), that he came, not to destroy the law but to fulfill, to teach men its right meaning.

All and every one of these five propositions we allow to be perfectly true, and would be exceeding glad to know from which of the five we are to infer the conclusion. Are we to say, the Pharisees had wrong notions of the sabbath; therefore the sabbath is abolished? Or, our Lord proved their notions of it to be wrong; therefore it is disannulled? Or, God could if he pleased set it aside; therefore he did set it aside? Or, Christ did works of necessity and mercy on the sabbath, therefore we may do works that belong neither to necessity nor mercy? Or lastly, the Son of man came to fulfill the law; therefore he destroyed this branch of it?

I hope it will not be thought an unpardonable presumption if, notwithstanding all these arguments to the contrary, I still conceive that God hath not yet repealed his command touching the sabbath; nay, and that he never will, till the Great Sabbath begins; both because he hath not done it yet, and because the reasons for which he gave it are still in full force, and must be so till the consummation of all things.

For, (1), to preserve in man a lively and constant sense of God's being the Creator of all things, this end of the sabbath must remain in full force so long as men remain upon the earth. This reason for keeping it can never be wanting so long as any of those creatures are living who, in spite of all methods used to prevent it, are so extremely apt to forget their Creator; who so readily lay hold of any pretence, nay, who are so willing without any pretence at all, if not to think that they are the work of chance or their own hands, at least to act as if they did think so.

And the second end of the sabbath can no more cease than the first. That man should be constantly and deeply sensible that he can no more sanctify than he could create himself must ever be of the last importance. It must ever be of the highest concern to men to remember that they are unable to help themselves; to keep the impression of this great truth ever strong upon their minds, that he who is born of a woman must be born again of God, or it is impossible he should please him.

3. It must ever be of equal concern to men to remember that it is the business of their lives to imitate God. I presume no one will be so hardy as to affirm that this end of the sabbath has lost any of its force; that it does not hold full as strongly at this day as it did on the birthday of the creation. It being therefore clear that God hath given this command, and that he hath not repealed it, and that it is sufficiently probably that he never will, since the ends of it must ever be in full force, all that remains is to show,

III. Thirdly, what it is to keep the sabbath holy, so as to obey this command, and answer the ends of it.

To keep either a day of a place holy is plainly this, to set it apart to religious uses. This is both the proper and the common sense of the word. By saying "This day or this place is kept holy," both the learned and unlearned mean, it is dedicated to God, it is appropriated to his service. And to unhallow or profane a holy place or day is, not to set it apart to those uses; to use it in the same manner with other things which are not dedicated to God, not appropriated to his service; to perform on the holy day or in the consecrated place the works of ordinary days and unhallowed places.

To keep the sabbath day holy, as well in the proper as common sense of the word, is therefore to set it apart to religious uses, to dedicate it to the service of God. What is implied in this we shall easily see if we consider, (2), what we must; (2), what we may; and (3), what we may not do on it.

1. We must, if we will obey this command at all, and answer the ends for which it was given us, employ a considerable part of this day in praying to and praising God. We must retire with him from this lower world into those regions that are above the firmament. We must employ ourselves in thinking on the various works he hath made, and on the goodness, wisdom, and power of the Maker; and in talking of his marvelous acts, in telling the memorial of his abundant kindness - that branch of his kindness, in particular, whereby he daily renews the face of the earth, whereby he restores lost man to pardon and peace, and gives him the second, better life of holiness. That this his last, noblest gift may not be in vain, we must now especially work together with him; we must labor to conform ourselves to his likeness, to be holy as he is holy. We must make it our peculiar business to perfect his image in our souls, to bind mercy and truth about our neck, to write them deep on the tablet of our heart.

2. Not that our mind need be every moment intent upon this; that might make even devotion a burden. No - we have bodies as well as souls; and this our Lord considered, though the Pharisees did not. He therefore took away that intolerable severity wherewith their traditions had loaded the sabbath, and made it of none effect but to hinder those ends for the furthering of which it was ordained. He brought it back to its original standard, to its just and natural extent. Accordingly both his words and his actions showed that we may do works of necessity and mercy on this day; that we may do whatever cannot be done on another day, or not without manifest inconvenience, such as giving ourselves decent and proper recreation; as feeding and watering of cattle - for this is a work of necessity; that we may relieve our sick or hungry neighbor - for this is a work of mercy.

3. This therefore we may do. But we may not do any other work on the sabbath. We may not do any manner of work therein which neither necessity nor mercy requires. We may not do any work which can be done on another day, and done without much inconvenience, the delaying of which a day longer would not give either to ourselves or our neighbor much loss or pain.

Neither may we use any such recreation on the sabbath as does not further the ends for which it was given us. Some recreation is therefore allowed on this day, because few minds are of so firm a temper as to be able to preserve a cheerful devotion, a lively gratitude, without it. It is therefore a proper work of necessity so far as it conduces to these ends. But we may not therefore go farther; we may not use such kinds of recreation, or any in such a degree, as does not conduce to these ends, as does not enliven our devotion and quicken our gratitude. Here is a short and sure rule: all such recreation as helps devotion we may use; all such as hinders or does not help this great end of its institution, we may not use on this day.

The case is just the same as to the day as to the house of God; and for this reason doubtless it is that God more than once mentions them together. "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary." We are not to reverence the sanctuary of God so much as not to show mercy, not to save life therein; we may likewise do necessary works there, such as cannot be done elsewhere, or not without great inconvenience. But we may not do common works therein, much less use common diversions. The former actions are not at all contrary to its holiness; the latter unhallow, pollute, and profane it. And when either the temple or the sabbath of God is made a day or a house of merchandise, it will not be long before truth itself will pronounce the one as abomination and the other a den of thieves.

If from what has been said it appears, (1), that this command, "Keep the sabbath holy," was given to man by God, and that for wise ends, even to keep him duly sensible that God is his Creator, his Sanctifier, and his Pattern; (2), that as God has not yet repealed this command, so the ends of it are in full force; and, lastly, that the only way of keeping the sabbath holy, of obeying this command and answering its ends, is to abstain from all diversions as well as works which neither necessity nor mercy requires, that we may set apart God's day for the service of God, which alone is to sanctify or keep it holy - then is the sabbath no institution of Moses, neither is it peculiar to the Jews, but the command to observe it, as well as the reasons of that command, extend to all ages and nations. Then - if we cut away from it the additions of the latter Jews,and that once circumstance "Let no man go out of his place on the sabbath day," wherewith God guarded it for a time from the disobedience of their stiff-necked forefathers - we may safely affirm of the Fourth Commandment, as well as of the other nine, Christ came "not to destroy, but to fulfill it; and till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from this law till all be fulfilled."

Brethren, let me add one word or exhortation. And be ye assured of this, that those who watch over your souls as they that must give account will not wilfully lead them out of the way. So that when you and we give up our great account, it will not increase your condemnation. If there be any here who will not be at the trouble of keeping the sabbath holy, who says he cannot submit to the drudgery of worshipping God; who thinks prayer and praise, meditation and pious discourse, too heavy a burden to be borne a whole day, and so resolves to spend at least a part of this day either in diversions or business; I exhort all such, all who will do one, to work rather than play. I exhort you that are parents, in particular, if ye care not to train up your children in devotion, when they come from church not to send them to the streets or market-place, but rather of the two, to school. as to the innocence of either, it is not matter which you do - but to do the latter looks more like prudence. If ye do not care for the other world, yet why should you neglect this, too? Why should ye sell your own and your children's souls for nothing? Perhaps ye may get a little for them. As to the command of God, you throw that quite out of the question; that ye reject either way. Ye no more keep that day holy whereon ye play than whereon ye work. And as to the ends of it, ye destroy them alike, one way or the other. Ye are no more endeavoring to remember your Creator, to be thankful for his benefits, and conformed to his holiness, while ye unhallow his day by common diversion, than while ye do it by common work. but by the latter ye may gain something in exchange for your souls - you may perhaps get some money for your conscience. If ye life up your hand against your God in labor rather than idleness, ye may have this comfort in your rebellion, that ye did not serve the devil for naught.

Nor that those who serve God, who keep his day holy both from common work and diversions, have less reason to expect a reward from their Master, and even in the present world. For to these,who would not be wicked even to be rich, who love God even better than gain, to these thus saith God: "If thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways,nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.