because it is a state of eternal rest and peace; and every regenerate person becomes a likeness of the Lord after the six days of temptation, trial, and labour, which always precede the state of rest, or Sabbath. Thus the rest of the celestial man is, "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father." (Isa. lviii. 13, 14.) The fourth verse opens with the words, "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth." The birth of the celestial man is here declared; he passes through six successive days of the regeneration; every day he becomes more perfect, for "the path of the just is a shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day," until he finally enjoys the Sabbath, by entering into the celestial state; and this tranquillity and peace is secured, because all anxiety, doubt, and fear are subdued.
The celestial man is further called the Sabbath, because, having subdued the evil and the false in temptation, he has overcome all the infernal spirits; they have, in consequence, ceased their malignant assaults, he is no longer infested by their presence, and hence rest has ensued; but, inasmuch as victory could only have been secured by the Lord, it is, in consequence, said, "The Lord rested from all the work he had created and made." There can be no
