which it comprises, have the natural law for their basis: the unbidden impulse of nature prompts us to give some time to the worship of God; and this is a truth demonstrated by the unanimous consent of all nations, who, accordingly, consecrated festivals to the public solemnities of religion. As nature requires some time to be given to necessary relaxation, to sleep, and to the repose and refreshment of the body; so she also requires, that some time be devoted to the mind, to refresh and invigorate its energies by heavenly contemplation. Hence the necessity of consecrating some time to the worship of the Deity and to the practice of religion, duties which, doubtless, form part of the moral law. The Apostles therefore resolved to consecrate the first day of the week to the divine worship, and called it " the Lord's-day:" St. John in his Apocalypse makes mention of " the Lord's-day;" [1] and the Apostle commands collections to be made" on the first day of the week," [2] that is, according to the interpretation of St. Chrysostome, on the Lord's-day; and thus we are given to understand that even then the Lord's-day was kept holy in the church.
In order that the faithful may know what they are to do, what to avoid, on the Lord's-day, it will not be found foreign to his purpose, if the pastor, dividing the commandment into four parts, explain each part with minute accuracy. In the first place, then, he will explain generally the meaning of these words: " Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day." The word " remember" is appropriately made use of at the beginning of the commandment, to signify that the sanctification of that particular day belonged to the ceremonial law. Of this it would seem to have been necessary to admonish the people, for, although the law of nature commands us to give religious worship to God, it fixes no particular day for the performance of that duty. They are also to be taught, that from these words we may learn how we should employ our time during the week; that we are to keep constantly in view the Lord's-day, on which we are, as it were, to render an account to God for the manner in which we have spent the week: and that therefore our occupations and conduct should be such as not to be unacceptable in the sight of God, or, as it is written, be to us " an occasion of grief, and a scruple of heart." [3] Finally, we are taught, and the instruction demands our serious attention, that there are but too many circumstances which may lead to a forgetfulness of this commandment, such as the evil example of others who neglect its observance, and an inordinate love of amusements, which frequently with draw from the holy and religious observance of the Lord's-day.
We now come to the meaning of the word " Sabbath."
- ↑ Apoc. i. 10.
- ↑ Chrysost. horn. 13. in Corinth. Amb. item etTheophylact vid. etiam. Can. Apost. t. 67. Igriat Epist ad Magnes. Just. apol. 2. Tertul. in apol. e. 16. et de Coron. milit. c. 3. et de idol. c. 14. et Cyp. epist. 33. Clement. Alex. lib. 5. Strom, satis ante finem. Orig. horn. 7. in Exod.
- ↑ 1 Kings xxv. 31.
