The great OBJECT of the Sabbath is to make known Jehovah, to perpetuate the acknowledgment and worship of him, and to promote the spiritual and religious interests of men.

THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE KEPT, in order most fully to accomplish these objects, is indicated by the directions of God in the Scriptures. these directions are the following, viz.

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"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates," that is, under thy control. "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." That is, he set it apart from other days, to be devoted, not to secular, but to sacred purposes. Ex. 20:8-11,

Hence his directions, Deut. 5: 12-15, "Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day," which is the day that comes next to the sixth working day, "is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou."

SERVANTS are creatures of God, as well as masters. They are also sinners, and need his grace. They have been redeemed by the blood of his Son, and may obtain salvation through him. They are bound, on the Sabbath, to unite with others in acknowledg

ing and worshipping Jehovah, and in promoting their own spiritual good, and that of their fellow-men. Of course, it is their duty and their right to rest from labor. Yet, as they are in some respects dependent upon, and under the control of others, they may be urged, and placed under peculiar temptations to continue their work. God, who is no respecter of persons, and regards the souls of servants as well as masters, has, therefore, especially noticed their case. It is worthy of attention that the reason he gives why masters, and parents, and children, and cattle, and strangers, should rest, is, that the servants may rest also. It is, therefore, evidently his will that all classes of persons should rest from worldly business on the Sabbath.

It is equally plain that this is his will with regard to BEASTS OF BURDEN. It manifests the kindness of Jehovah, and also his intention that none should be forced to invade the sacredness of the Sabbath, that he should mention thus particularly the case of servants and of cattle.

Though heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, and he has ten thousand times ten thousand round about him, he does not forget the poor or the dumb. Not a servant escapes his notice, nor a beast is beneath his care. He never for a moment overlooks the defenceless, who cannot protect themselves, or plead their own cause. He compassionates their condition, and sympathizes with their wants. When, after six days of labor, they need, in addition to the rest of the nights, the rest also of one day, he guaranties it to them. And it was with reference to them, as well as others, that he made the Sabbath, set it apart for sacred purposes, gave it to men, forbade them to labor during its hours, and commanded them to keep it holy.

To keep the Sabbath day, then, in a proper manner, oxen and owners, servants and masters, children

and parents, workmen and employers, sojourners and citizens, all, on this day, must rest from worldly business, except so far as works of necessary mercy, and the best discharge of the appropriate duties of the Sabbath as a holy day, may require.

"Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh thou shalt rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed." Ex. 23: 12. Such is the nature of both man and beast, that, after six days of labor with suitable diligence, their most healthy refreshment that which is needful for their greatest comfort and usefulness, that which will be most for the honor of God and the good of the world. requires one day of rest. They have a right to it, and one which does not come from men, or from human governments, but from God. No man can knowingly, under ordinary circumstances, or for purposes of gain, deprive them of it without great guilt. It is injustice towards the creature, and rebellion against the Creator.

"Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; in earing-time and in harvest," those seasons when men are most urgently pressed, and most strongly tempted to continue their employments, "thou shalt rest.' Ex. 34: 21.

"Six days may work be done, but the seventh is the day of rest, holy to the Lord. Whosoever doeth any work shall surely be put to death." 31: 15.

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Death to the open, presumptuous Sabbath-breaker, by the hand of the magistrate, was a penalty in force among the Jews while God was their civil ruler. It was adopted by his direction, and was designed to make them a peculiar people, and keep them so till the death of Christ. But it was not designed to be binding on other people, or on them after the close of the Jewish dispensation.

Of course, it was not, like the Sabbath law, written by the finger of God on the tables of stone, or put in the decalogue with the moral laws. It did not belong there, as it was not to be a permanent regulation. But the Sabbath law did belong there. It was, like those associates, A MORAL LAW. It expressed an obligation which grows out of the nature of things, and which will continue to be binding to the end of the world.

Of course, it was placed in the moral code, in accordance with that great law maxim, "Noscitur a sociis;" "it is known by its associates." Like them, it is a moral, permanent, universal law; while the penalty - death by the hand of the civil magistrate

penalty, like the Those were both Both had a civil only of local and

was adapted to the object which was then to be accomplished, in making the Jews a peculiar people. Of course, it was placed in the ceremonial code, among other local and temporary regulations, and was itself local and temporary. The fourth commandment was, in its nature and in its first commandment and the fifth. moral laws of perpetual obligation. penalty annexed to them, which was temporary application. The man that set up an idol, and attempted to induce the people to worship it, whether he succeeded or not, and the son that openly and presumptuously rebelled against his father, were, by God's direction, put to death by the magistrate. But those penalties were not written on the tables of stone, nor placed in the permanent moral code; while the laws for the violation of which death was the penalty, were placed there. They belonged there; they are there now; and, till heaven and earth pass away, they will remain there, and bind all who know them, to the end of time. So with the fourth commandment. It is like its associates, in being a moral, permanent, universal law; and also in its violation,

having had, for a time, by God's special direction, death as its civil penalty.

Because the obligation to inflict that civil penalty is done away, some have contended that the obligation to keep the command is done away. This is a great mistake. The law is one thing, and stands upon its own immovable basis; the civil penalty, introduced for a time to accomplish a special purpose, is a very different thing, and may be, or may not be, connected with it, according to the appointment of God. As well might men argue that the first command and the fifth command are not binding, because the civil penalty once attached to them is done away.

The civil penalty for theft in some countries has been death. That penalty has afterwards been abrogated. But are the people of those countries released, on that account, from their obligation to obey the command, "Thou shalt not steal"?

The civil penalty attached by God, for a time, to the violation of moral laws, showed how essential he considered the observance of those laws to the civil, as well as moral welfare of a people. The record of that fact shows the same now, as far as that record is known. Though sentence against a similar evil work is not executed so speedily now as it was then, yet, as the Lawgiver is the same, and the moral obligation to keep the statute the same, it is certain, that if the crime be not forsaken, judgment in due time will come, and destruction will follow.

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"Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary. I am the Lord." Lev. 26: 2. days may work be done; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation," or public assembling. "Ye shall do no work: it is the Sabbath of the Lord." Lev. 23: 3.

"Thus saith Jehovah, Take heed to yourselves,