by Rev. N. Cameron, Glasgow
Continued from Page 327 of the last issue
II. Let us now consider who are commanded to keep it holy.
(1) We have the father of the family commanded strictly to keep the Sabbath holy, and also to see to it that neither son, nor daughter, man-servant, nor maid-servant, nor his beast of burden, nor the strangers within his gates did any work on it save works of necessity and mercy. If the father should profane the Sabbath and ordered his son, etc., to do any unnecessary work on that day, the son, or daughter, or man-servant, or maid-servant etc., should not obey him, for God alone is the ruler of man’s conscience. Each one should tell father, or master, “if you transgress the law of God contained in the fourth commandment, you have no right to ask me to do it; for God commands me not to do any work on the Sabbath day. You should remember that sin is the transgression of the law, and that the wages of sin is death.”
(2) The magistrates of our cities and towns are called city fathers, and are bound to obey the fourth commandment, and to see to it that all within their gates, their own families, as regards their own sons and daughters and servants, and also to restrain all, even strangers, or aliens, who may live within their bounds from desecrating God’s holy day. I know the most of those in authority in our cities and towns will scoff at the idea, yea rather the fact, of their responsibility in this matter. But will God, who will be, and who is now, their judge, be put off by a scornful laugh at Sabbath Day profanation, or will it serve their turn to say with Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” I am very sure that parents, masters and magistrate will see their desperate madness in desecrating the Lord’s Day themselves, and in giving their consent to others to do so either in time or in eternity. The Sabbath-breaker may walk about with a high head, laugh at such as make conscience of doing their best to keep it holy; but you will yet see that scoffer, who is a tyrant in commanding to profane it with his head low enough when he will have to answer for his conduct to the august Judge of eternity. O what pangs of agony will seize the conscience of these men on that day! “Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”
(3) Kings, who should be nursing fathers to the Church of God, their Counsellors, both Houses of Parliament, and all in authority under them, are bound to keep the Sabbath day holy, and to prohibit any one who may be within their gates, i.e. so far as their authority reaches, from doing any work save that of necessity and mercy. This will include strangers, or aliens, as well as the natives of this kingdom.
How are men in the highest places of authority in this nation keeping the Sabbath day? The fact is, with very few exceptions, they themselves are the chief transgressors, and their example is followed by the vast majority of the people. Instead of making laws to safeguard the fourth commandment, they allow all manner of profanation to go without any restraint, notwithstanding the many salutary enactments on their statute books for the preservation of the Sabbath; statutes enacted by men of conscience, who had the fear of God in their hearts, and who were the builders of the British nation. But the Author of the moral law has no respect of persons. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords, and He will assuredly make kings and lords to give an account of their Sabbath desecration; but the fact that they do not do their duty will not excuse others who may now be following their example. “Be wise now therefore O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve God with fear.” Nehemiah set a good example before all governors, as we find him recording:— “In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and lading asses; as also wines, grapes and figs, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city . . . Why lodge ye without the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.” This he said to the aliens from Tyre, so that they came no more. Is this not a really good example for the Government of this country? May the Lord open their eyes, and give them grace and courage to do their duty. For God has not changed in His regard for the Sabbath, and He will assuredly, in His own time, punish men and nations for desecrating it.
To be continued in the next issue.
What wise man would bring fishes out of the water to feed in his meadows, or send his oxen to feed in the sea? As little are the regenerate meet for heaven, or heaven meet for them.
BostonGlory follows affliction, not as the day follows the night, but as the Spring follows Winter; for the Winter prepares for the Spring. So doth sanctified affliction prepare the soul for glory.
— SibbesOh, how sweet are the sufferings of Christ! God forgive them that raise an ill report on the sweet cross of Christ! Our weak and dim eyes look only to the black side of the cross, and this occasions our mistakes concerning it. They that can take it cheerfully on their backs shall find it just such a burden as wings to a bird or sails to a ship.
— RutherfordWe are too apt to bite the stone that hurts us, and not mind the Hand that threw it.
— Reynolds