ging motives. Sinners would be glad to escape mifery, provided they need not feel their guilt and repent, and they would be glad of heaven, if they might retain their fins. The finner will not acknowledge himself to blame. He cannot therefore fee or feel it to be any evil, merely to be fecluded from the prefence of God. While he carries a difaffected fpirit towards God, inimical and hoftile to his character and government, he is not fenfible of that evil which confifts in being removed from his prefence. But this is what he chooses. Hence, then, in this view, he does not wish to efcape from a hell, when it is confidered as the place which is congenial to his nature, and where he may gratify his malignant temper towards the Supreme Being. But this is the hell which the gofpel fets forth for our warning. glory conftitutes the happiness of his children. And it is for this very reason that the finner has an averfion to the Chriftian's heaven. He delights in finful happiness, but not in a happiness confifting in the glory of God. His felfish corrupt feelings, are not captivated and charmed with thofe joys which are the refult of pure benevolence. The fault which he finds with heaven, is, that it requires his affections to be removed from himself, or the creature, and fettled fupremely upon God.In fhort, happiness in connection with holinefs, is not the object of his defire. A heaven of holy happiness is .no joy to him.Hence then, it appears that heaven, is an object adapted to ftrike only benevolent minds. Holy minds feel that motive. They who know what it is to be bro't to love God with all the heart, and to make him and not themfelves their ultimate end, will know how to eftimate the value of heaven, which confifts in the enjoyment of him. I proceed to add two practical reflections. 1. How does the confideration of hell operate upon the finner while unrenewed? He looks bare It is an argument which applies directly to difinterested minds; to those who are willing to acknowledge that they are finful, felfish beings, juftly to blame, for fetting up themfelves, and loving the creature more than the creator: To those who are fenfible that they have been led aftray by felf love, that they have been under the fupreme dominion of inter-ly at the calamity. He regards efted views, and are now brought to see their extreme vilenefs, and that they alone have been to blame, and not God. Such feel the evil of being caft out from God's prefence, and hell is with them a mot moving confidera tion. Heaven, alfo, is of fuch a nature as is not adapted to men's interefted, corrupt paffions. It is not a motive, or an object with the felfifh. "I am thy fhield, and thy exceeding great reward." God is the fupreme good. His the natural, and not the moral evil. He is terrified with the thoughts of eternal damnation. His felf-love excites him to dread the pains of hell. The thought of being made to lie down in forrow, is a moving confideration; it appals his heart, and ftrikes him with terror. This is a law work, and ufually precedes, or is connected with faving repentance and converfion. God first, ordinarily, puts us under conviction, and a fpirit of bondage, before he appears for our deliverance. be experienced only by thofe who are made in God's likenefs. And happy are they who are made veffels of mercy prepared for glo And for this purpofe he makes ufe of threatenings. He opens the finner's eyes to affecting views of the miseries of hell. The finner's mind is yet selfish and car-ry; who are fitted, by a work of nal. He is not yet properly affected with the fcripture views of hell, as aftate of oppofition to God and rejection from his prefence. But God is pleased that such convictions, in a greater or lefs degree, fhould take place, previous to his granting the finner evangelical, faving repentance. 2. Chriftians are difinterested when they have respect unto the recompenfe of the reward. Having refpect to this reward, is not at variance with difinter estedness of chara&er, but implies it. For no man can truly defire the favor of God as his chief good, without a cordial approbation of his character, and that for its own excellence. And this is difinterested affection. Such as approve of God's character, and make his glory their ultimate end, do manifeft a regard to the happiness of being in general. The confideration of heaven is a virtuous motive, calculated to work only upon benevolent or holy minds. It is a motive to take hold of thofe only, who are exalted above private felf-love, who feek their well-being in a right manner, as being in connection with the general good, who have their fouls turned upon the glory of God, and the greateft good of his creatures. Saints fear a mifery which is connected with fin, and a teftimony of God's difpleafure against it. Their hopes are upon a reward capable of being enjoyed only by thofe who are formed in the image of God. We need not fear being mifled, while we feek a holy joy, fuch as can VOL. III. No. 4. S grace upon the foul, for the enjoyment of God for ever. Y. Z. TO THE EDITORS OF THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAG AZINE. GENTLEMEN, IT is, doubtlefs, of high im portance, that every friend of religion and good morals step forth and ftand firm at his poft, for the Chrift hath made us free. Infifupport of that liberty wherewith dels and men of bad morals are exerting every nerve to prevent the obfervance, and to destroy the Should the following thoughts on influence of the holy fabbath. that fubject, meet your approbation, you will please to give them a place in your useful Magazine. ROM the account given by devoted fix days to the work of creation-took a review of the things he had made-pronounced them very good, and rested on the feventh day: Therefore, God bleffed the feventh day, and fan&ifiedit; becaufe that in it he had refted from all his work which God created and made. By this inftitution, God taught our first parents, that they might devote fix days to fome reafonable fecular employment; but, that the feventh day should be a reft from fervile labor, and devoted to moral duties a day, to remember their Creator, and to review their works and conduct for the week paft, whether, like his, they were all very good. This was an eafy and reafona. of our firft parents; and God could no more fee all very good, but in the Mediator. The work of redemption, or new creation by Chrift, was actually completed on the first day of the week; and God, in him, faw all very good again, and refted. A reft therefore, remains for the people of God; for he that is entered into his reft, he alfo hath ceafed from his own There is, therefore, a fimilar rea- ble service for a rational creature; and, as fuch, of moral and unchangeable obligation. Accordingly, when God gave the moral law from Mount Sinai, he inferted this inflitution of the fabbath into that code, Exod. xx. 8-11. He who faid Thou shalt not kill, alfo faid, Thou fhalt remember the fabbath day to keep it holy.-And, it is highly probable, the fabbath was obferved from Adam to Mo-works, as God did from his.fes, by the fons of God. The end of days, or procefs of time, when Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord-and the day, when the fons of God met together, mentioned by Job, were, probably, the fabbath day. And, indeed, voltiges of a feventh day fabbath have been found, for many ages, among Heathens who hated the Jews, and cannot be fuppofed to have derived it from them, or to have obferved it out of conformity to them they muft, therefore, have derived it from their progenitors by oral tradition. But, be this as it may, it is certain, in the affair of gathering the manna, Mofes mentions the fabbath, as a day, well known and understood by the Hebrews, Exod. xvi. 23. From that time to this, a fabbath has been obferved among the fons of God; and its moral nature muft, and will enforce obfervance to the end of time. add, that Chrift, as Lord of the fabbath, had right to change and enforce it; and his refting from his works, on the first day of the week, moft richly deferves the memorial. Agreeably to this idea, the prophet speaks of the eighth day, or day after the Jewish fabbath, as a peculier bleffing to the gofpel church; Ezek. xliii. 26, 27. Seven days fhall they purge the altar and purify it; and they fhall confecrate themselves. And when thefe feven days are expired, it shall be, that on the eighth day, and fo forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings: and I will acThe change of the fabbath, cept you, faith the Lord God.from the last to the first day of the These words, doubtless, have reweek, can, in no fenfe, weaken its ference to the gofpel day; and to moral obligation; and is, doubt the acceffion of the Jews to the lefs, of divine authority. Whe- Chriflian church, when, accordther the fourth chapter to the ing to the language of the cereHebrews be in full proof of this monial law, they fhall purify the point, as many believe, I cannot altar and confecrate themfelves now confider. Suffice it to fay, feven days, including their formwhen God had finished creation, er fabbath, as a preparation for a he faw all very good, and refied., fabbath on the eighth day, or first This reft was broken by the fin day of the next week, and fo for ' ward, without limitation. Thus, there is a fimilar reafon for the change of the fabbath to the eighth day, that there was for its inftitution on the feventh dayand this change was actually foretold, to the Jews, by a prophet of the Lord. It is further worthy of notice, that our Saviour constantly vifited his apostles, on the firft day of the week. And the remarkable outpourings of the Holy Ghoft, as mentioned in the Acts of the apoftles, were generally on that day, while the difciples were met together for divine fervice. Thus, the Christian fabbath, was a day peculiarly fet apart, and bleffed of the Lord; and as fuch, was and ftill is called the Lord's day. The primitive Chriftians always observed it, nor does it appear, that they obferved any other day, as a fabbath, after the afcenfion of Chrift. It is true, indeed, they refpected the Jewish fabbath, and frequently took occafion, on that day, to inftruct the people in the principles of the Chriftian religion; but conftantly enjoined on their followers, not to neglect the affembling of themfelves together, on the first day of the week, as the manner of fome was. Thefe obfervations on the inftitution, perpetuity and change of the fabbath are fufficient; and have led me beyond my intended brevity on this part of the fubject. I will now attend to the use and defign of the fabbath. The fabbath was made for man, and not man for the fabbath. The obfervance of the fabbath, can add nothing to God's effential glory and happinefs; our goodnefs cannot extend to him. The benefit is ours. It is great for time and eternity, and demands pur high eftimation of that day. The best judges, not infidels, but thofe who have confcientiously observed the fabbath, speak highly in commendation of it, and have always manifefted a folicitude to prevent its neglect. And the high titles given to the fabbath, by the primitive fathers, fhow their eftimation of it. They called it, "the Lord's day-the chief of days-the queen of days-a day of gladnefs and delight." Agreeably to which, David expreffed his love to the ancient fabbath-A day in thy courts is better than a thoufand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. But if we confider the reasons of its inftitution, and the duties required on that day, the fabbath will appear to be a day of high importance and benefit to man. Man, as a reasonable creature, is capable of receiving and giving a rational manifeftation of God's glory. It was, therefore, highly fit and reafonable, that God fhould require man, as his first service and duty, to contemplate his works of creation and providence. This was a glorious employment. God could require no lefs; and man could, in nothing, fo ennoble and benefit himfelf. And had man continued innocent, the fabbath would have been always a delight; and we never fhould have heard of the wearifomeness of that holy day. Doubtlefs, in the inftitution of the fabbath, God meant to give man a neceffary reft from fervile labor; and an opportunity to contemplate, admire and adore his divine perfections, and thus, to fecure to himself divine honors and holy reverence, as the creator and governor of the universe. What can fo exalt the divine character, in the human mind, as fuch a weekly contemplation? | once in a week, is necessary; and What can fo effectually teach man his total dependence on God, and fill his heart with admiration, love and gratitude for the good he receives, and fo, in every thing, lead him, by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving, to make known his requests unto God? Such a day of reft is fecurity for God, that he will always have a tribute of praise, as creator and governor of the world; and also, gives man a glorious opportunity, for maintaining a regular and friendly intercourse with heaven. And, indeed, it is reasonable to believe, that this is the only way, in which, the knowledge of God and creation, could have been preferved from falling into contempt and oblivion; for, where the fabbath is neglected, the people foon become grofsly ignorant of God and his works, as experience abundantly teaches. But under the gofpel, we have additional reafons for keeping the fabbath Not only creation, but all the works of redemption call for meditation and praife. The if we are well difpofed, will be pleafant. Many useful reflections will naturally arife in the mind of every one, upon fuch a review; as, how have I been profperedwhat bleffings have I receivedhow many dangers and evils have I efcaped-what duties have I performed-what fins have I committed-what are my views in life-what are my profpects beyond the grave? In fuch a review, the vast realities of eternity will naturally affect our minds, and tend to excite us to know and do the will of God. Thus, the fabbath, from the reafons of its inftitution, and duties enjoined, appears to be of high importance, and great benefit to man. ftill more And it will appear evident, that the fabbath was made for man, if we confider the civil and religious influence, which it has on families in particular, or on fociety in general. On the former, Mr. Addison, fomewhere, has obferved, "That if the keeping of one day in feven, were only an human infti Chriftian fabbath gives us a pe-tution, it would be the best culiar opportunity to ftudy Chrift's character as God-man mediator 'method to polish and civilize mankind. Tis certain, country to enquire into the truths he teach-people efpecially, would dees in the gofpel-to exercise the various graces which he enjoins, and fo, to fecure the bleffings which he promises to them who love and ferve him. That day fhould be devoted to thofe duties which prepare for eternity. As finners, we have much to do, and but little time, in which we can do it. The fabbath gives every one a proper and convenient opportunity for this work. How hould we prize this divine inftitution! How fhould we rejoice, in the return of this day of holy reft! A review of our lives, at least generate into a kind of favages, 'were it not for the frequent return of times, in which, whole neighborhoods meet together with their best faces, and in their cleanlieft habits, to converse to"gether to hear their duty explained and to join together in adoration of the Supreme Being. Sunday clears away the ruft of the whole week-not only, as it refreshes in their minds notions of religion, but puts them upon appearing in the beft manner, and exerting fuch qualities as renders them agreeable to cach other." |
