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choly consequences which soon manifested themselves as the fruit of that one doctrinal error into which some reformers did certainly fall regarding the Sabbath. For, though there was much in their circumstances to account for their falling into it, and though it left untouched, in their opinion, the obligation resting on all Christians to keep the day of weekly rest holy to the Lord,-yea, though some of them seemed to think that one day in seven was scarcely enough for such a purpose, yet their view about the Sabbath of the fourth commandment as a Jewish ordinance, told most unfavorably upon the interests of religion on the continent. I have no doubt that this was the evil root from which chiefly sprung, so soon afterwards, such a mass of Sabbath desecra tion, and which has rendered it so difficult ever since to restore the day of God to its proper place in the feelings and observances of the people. So long as men of such zeal and piety as the reformers kept the helm of affairs, their lofty principles, and holy lives, and self-denying labors, rendered their error meanwhile comparatively innoxious. But a colder age both for ministers and people succeeded; when men came to have so little relish for the service of God, and were so much less disposed to be influenced by the privileges of grace, than to be awed by the commands and terrors of law, that the loss of the fourth commandment, which may be said to be the only express and formal revelation of law upon the subject, was found to be irreparable. The other considerations, which were sufficient to move such men of faith and piety as the reformers, fell comparatively powerless upon those who wanted their spiritual life. Strict and positive law was what they needed to restrain them, which being now in a manner removed, the religious observance of the day of God no longer pressed upon them as a matter of conscience. The evil, once begun, proceeded rapidly from bad to worse, till it laid fearfully waste the heritage of God, and scarcely left in many places so much as the form of religion. No doubt many other causes were at work in bringing about so disastrous a result; but much was certainly owing to the error in question. And it reads a solemn and impressive warning to both ministers and people, not only to resist, to the utmost, all encroachments upon the sanctity of the Lord's day, but also to beware of weakening any of the foundations on which the obligation to keep that day is made to rest; and here, as well as in other things, to seek with Leighton, that they may "be saved from the errors of wise men, yea, and of good men."

THIRD

PERMANENT DOCUMENT

OF THE

American and Foreign Sabbath Union.

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God's Way of teaching it the best Way,

14

The Dictate of the Heart of God, 16 Family Government a divinely-ap

pointed Means of Grace,......17 Its Effect on the Conscience, ....17 An Introduction to, and Preparation for the Government of God, 18 Sources and Mode of verbal Instruction, .......18

The Voice of Nature...........18 The Teaching of Revelation,....19 The Influence of Facts from the Works and Word of God,......19 The Influences of the Holy Ghost, 21 Given by God to those that ask him, ......21 The Failure of a Man's Salvation his own Fault,..

...

22

Page. The Right, the Duty, and the Object of teaching every Child to read, 22 The Right and the Duty of reading the Bible daily,..

Duty, Benefits, and Necessity of
Parental Example,

The Right and Duty of Family
Prayer,

23

.23

23

23

..23

Its Effects on Children,.
Echo of the Reasoning in Heav

en,

.....

Influence of Faith in God on Char

acter and Prospects,.. 24 The Sabbath a Family Institution. 25 Not good for the Family to be alone,.

.26

.25 God made a "Help-meet" for it...25 A Gift to the Human Race, ......25 Object and Value of that Gift,........26 Diligence in Business, if continued seven Days in a Week, destructive, Dissipation, Amusement, and Sloth on the Sabbath destructive,....27 Importance of Honesty, Form of the Sabbatical Command, 28 Parental and divine Government coalesce,

...

Parents punished by Sabbath-breaking Children,

.28

....29

Parents blessed by Sabbath-keeping Children, Material and Spiritual Laws, ....S0 Influence of the Sabbath on Children, Influence on the Fatherless and the Widow,.. On Young Men. Its Voice when

......

.30

..34

a Young Man leaves, for Life, his Father's Dwelling,........35 The most hazardous Period of

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THIRD SABBATH DOCUMENT.

ONE great object of Jehovah is to make known himself, and thus promote his own glory and the highest good of men.

In pursuance of this object, and in the best way to promote it, he established, at the creation, two great, fundamental, and permanent institutions. The first was that of MARRIAGE, or the union, for life, of one man and one woman, as the head of one family. The next was THE SABBATH, or a day of weekly rest from worldly business and cares, and of special devotion to the worship of God and the promotion of the spiritual good of men. Both were established in Paradise, before the fall, and were "made for man." Both are suited to his nature, adapted to his capacities, and essential to the supply of his wants. They were so at the beginning; they are so now; and they will continue to be so, in all countries, to the end of time. They are parts of one whole, and mutually aid and sustain each other.

Though created in the image of his Maker, and surrounded with every thing beautiful to the eye, charming to the ear, and delightful to the taste, it was not good that man should be alone: he was not made to be alone, with no companions but the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field. Though very good for the purposes for which they were made, they could not be companions for him they could not sympathize with him; they could not understand his feelings, or enter into and be partakers of his joys. Yet he was social, and

needed a friend on earth as well as in heaven; one seen as well as one unseen; one who would be a helpmeet for him. So God made one, and gave her

to him. He received her as the gift of God, to be henceforth united to him in bonds so tender, lasting, and kind, that he said, "This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh;" this is a part of me. Now I am complete as a whole for the purpose for which I was made; viz., to receive the knowledge of God, and to communicate it to others; and thus to reflect the image and show forth the glory of Jehovah. For this cause shall a man leave his father, who begat him, and who brought him up as a child; his mother, who nursed him, who dandled him upon her knees, and whom he loves as his own soul; and he shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one one head of one family, composed of one man and one

woman.

And wherefore one only? With God was the residue of the Spirit; he had all power, and could have created many women for each man: why did he create but one? Because one was enough—all that was needed, and all that would consist with the accomplishment, in the best manner, of the end which he had in view: the communication of the knowledge of himself by parents to children, the training of them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and the spreading of the blessings of salvation through the world. For this there must be one head, composed of one man and one woman, and one only; that there may be oneness of affection and judgment, oneness of counsel and effort. This could be secured Therefore God made

so perfectly in no other way. but one, and established marriage with but one; forbidding any husband to put away his wife except for that cause which he himself specified. This arrangement, like all the works of God, was very good

PERFECT.

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