Deterred therefore by a holy and salutary dread, the faithful should use every exertion to avoid the violation of this commandment: if " for every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account on the day of judgment;" [1] how severe the account which they shall have to render, whose crime involves the awful guilt of contemning the name of the Eternal God!
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.
"REMEMBER THAT THOU KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY. SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR AND SHALT DO ALL THY WORKS; BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH OF THE LORD THY GOD: THOU SHALT DO NO WORK ON IT, THOU NOR THY SON, NOR THY DAUGHTER, NOR THY MAN-SERVANT, NOR THY MAID-SERVANT, NOR THY BEAST, NOR THE STRANGER THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES: FOR IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND THE SEA, AND ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN THEM, AND RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY: THEREFORE THE LORD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY: AND SANCTIFIED IT." [2]
THIS commandment, as is required by the natural order, prescribes the external worship which is due to God, and is, as it were, a consectary of the preceding commandment. If we sincerely and devoutly yield internal worship to God, guided by the faith and hope we have in him, we cannot but honour him with external worship and thanksgiving: [3] this duty we cannot easily discharge whilst occupied in worldly affairs; and hence the necessity of appointing a fixed time for its performance. As, therefore, this commandment, if duly observed, is productive of much fruit, it is of the highest importance that the pastor use the utmost diligence in its exposition. The word " Remember," with which the commandment commences, must animate him to the zealous performance of this duty: if the faithful are commanded to " remember" this commandment, it becomes the duty of the pastor to recall it frequently to their recollection.
The importance of its observance may be inferred from the consideration, that a faithful compliance with its injunctions facilitates the observance of all the other commandments. Amongst the other works of piety by which the Sabbath is to be sanctified, the faithful are bound to assemble in the Church
