SERMON V.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT: HOLINESS OF THE SABBATH.
"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, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy sojourner who is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."—Exodus xx. 8—11.
In the exposition of this Commandment, I propose to present the internal sense first: thus shall we learn the true foundation of the holiness of the Sabbath; an understanding of which will prepare us for forming just ideas in regard to the manner in which the day should be observed.
All the ordinances of the Jewish Church were representative of spiritual and Divine things. All the ceremonies and observances enjoined upon that church represented states of thought and affection in the mind. The Jews themselves, indeed, knew nothing of the interior significance of those ordinances; yet, while they performed them with exactness and faithfulness, and in a spirit of obedience, those observances were the means of keeping not only that people, but the whole human race, conjoined with heaven. For in consequence of those ceremonies being representative and correspondential, the good spirits and angels present with them (for spirits and angels are ever present with man) perceived the interior things which were signified, and were thereby filled with delight; by which delight they were drawn nearer to the worshiper, and thus threw around him an angelic influence which tended to keep him in connection with heaven, and to protect him from the influences of hell. And, by the law of spiritual communication, the connection with heaven thus established through the ceremonial Jewish Church, influenced more or less powerfully the other peoples of the earth, and thus kept all mankind in a certain degree of conjunction with heaven. We may thus perceive the interior reason for which the Jews were required so strictly to observe the statutes, laws, and commandments enjoined upon them by Jehovah.
Among those ordinances, none was more urgently insisted upon than the observance of the Sabbath: and this on account of its lofty and far-reaching significance. By the Sabbath, in the Jewish Church, was represented, first, the union of the essential Divine and the Divine Human in the Lord, which is the same thing with the Lord's glorification; secondly, it represented the conjunction of the Lord's Divine Human with the heavens, from which conjunction life and light flow into the angels; and thirdly, it represented the heavenly marriage, or the conjunction of goodness and truth in the minds of angels, and also of men, which conjunction is the essential principle of heaven; and thus the Sabbath represented heaven itself and its happiness. "The Israelitish nation," says the New Church Doctrine, "did not think about these things,—the union of the Divine with the Divine Human of the Lord, nor about the Lord's conjunction with heaven, nor about the conjunction of good and truth in heaven;—for that people were altogether in things external without an internal; yet they were enjoined to account the Sabbath most holy, in order that in heaven those Divine and celestial things might thereby be represented."[1]
The reason that the Sabbath had this representation is, because the word Sabbath, in the Hebrew language, signifies rest or peace. Now, when the Lord had finished his combats with the hells, and glorified his Humanity, then He had Divine rest or peace. Hence, when he appeared amidst the disciples after His resurrection, he said to them, "Peace be unto you;"[2] hence, also, he is called the "Prince of peace." In like manner, from the new and more powerful influx received by the angels through the conjunction of the Lord's glorified Humanity with the heavens, they too had rest and peace. And, finally, when, in the course of regeneration, truth becomes conjoined with good in the heart of man, he has rest and peace—rest from the disturbing influences of hell, and peace of soul; and such rest and peace constitute heaven within him. All these were represented by the Sabbath. Hence we may perceive the ground of the exceeding holiness of the Sabbath-day: it represented man's regeneration, angels' joy, and the Lord's glory.
By examining, now, the particulars of this Commandment, in their internal sense, we shall perceive more clearly that the things above mentioned are signified by the Sabbath.
"Remember," says the text, "the day of the Sabbath, to keep it holy" (or, as the Hebrew word might be translated, to regard it as holy, to sanctify it). "Remember" signifies not only to keep ever in mind, but, spiritually, it signifies to hold as a ruling or an inmost principle of the mind—for what is a ruling principle in the mind is ever present, influencing man's thoughts, even though he may be unconscious of it. "The day of the Sabbath." "Day," in the spiritual sense, signifies state. Hence, "the day of the Sabbath" signifies the state of the conjunction of goodness and truth in the mind; also the state of rest and peace in the heavens, from their conjunction with the Divine Humanity of the Lord; and, above all, the state of Divine Peace in the Lord Himself, when by conquests over the hells he had glorified his humanity, and united it perfectly to the essential Divine within him. "To keep it holy," or "to regard it as holy," means that man should have for an inmost or governing principle in his mind a reverence for and worship of the Lord in his Divine Humanity. He should also have for his ruling end the attainment of the conjunction of good and truth in his own spirit, for such conjunction is heaven in the soul. These are things most holy, and to be regarded by man as most holy, namely, the Divine Humanity of the Lord, and the state of conjunction of good and truth (or, what is the same thing, the state of regeneration) which flows into man from the Lord's Divine Humanity.
"Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work." By the "six days of labor," in the spiritual sense, are meant the states of mental labor and combat, which man passes through in attaining a state of regeneration. Such is the signification of labor in many places in the Word; for instance, in that interesting passage in the Apocalypse, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow with them.'[3] Here, by "the dead," are meant they who are dead to the world, whose natural life of self-love has become extinguished, and who have received the new life of love to the Lord and to their neighbor in its place—in other words, who have become regenerated. By "the labors" from which they are to "rest," are signified their struggles and combats, the efforts which they have made to overcome their own spirits, and to put away the evils of their hearts:—by labors are signified also the inward temptations which to this end it was necessary for them to endure. But "now," saith the Spirit (that is, the truth of the Divine Word declares), they are to have rest from their labors, and to be "blessed" forever in heaven, whither "their works will follow with them;" that is, the result of their faithful endeavors will all be with them in their own hearts, and will be to them an eternal reward.
Such, then, is the meaning of "labors," in the internal sense. It is said six days, because the number six, in the Word, signifies a state of combat, while the number seven signifies the holy and happy state which results from the combat and victory. It is added, "And do all thy work;" because, while man is engaged in the "work" of regeneration, he has to "do" and to strive as of himself; he has to force himself; he has to deny himself, and take up his cross. He goes, for instance, to the Divine Word and learns a commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not commit adultery," or some other of the Lord's commandments. Then he has to bring these commandments into act by effort and striving and struggle, just as if he were alone, and had no one to help him. The Lord leaves him apparently to himself, in order that he may strive as of himself, for only in that way can a new character be formed within him. Thus, it is said, "do thy work," as if the work of regeneration were accomplished by man himself; and so it is, to appearance; hence says the Apostle, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."[4] Yet it is only an appearance: it is, in truth, the Lord who does the work; for He alone can overcome the mighty powers of hell who are seeking our destruction, and who must be fought with in conquering any evil of our hearts. Nevertheless, since we must strive as of ourselves, it is called "our work." But when the work is completed—when the seventh day, the state of regeneration is attained, we shall look up, humbly and thankfully acknowledging that it was the Lord alone who fought for us—that he is indeed the only Savior.
"But," continues the text, "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." As the six days of labor signify the states of combat which precede and lead to regeneration, so the seventh day signifies that state of regeneration itself, with its rest and peace: hence the seventh day is called the Sabbath, which as before said, signifies rest. While man is in the process of regeneration, he acts from truth, but after he has attained regeneration, he acts from good. The only way in which regeneration can be effected, is by man's learning truths from the Divine Word, and then applying them to life, by doing them; that is, by resisting in himself the evils which those truths forbid, and compelling himself to perform the duties which those truths enjoin. Now, this is a state of effort, striving, struggling; hence these are called days of labor. But every time that man compels himself to do a truth, that is, to act as that truth teaches or commands, or to resist the evil which that truth forbids, then the Lord casts something of evil out of man's heart, and in its place sends down the opposite good affection or inclination, and conjoins it to the truth which has been thus practised, and there results a conjunction of good and truth, and with it comes a heavenly peace—an interior joy of the spirit. This is the reward of a temptation overcome. This is a little seventh day, a temporary Sabbath, let in, as it were, amongst the six days of combat: it is a little resting-place in the journey and battle of life—just as the Israelites, in their journey through the wilderness, came occasionally to delightful oases or places of refreshment after their trials and fatigues. But when the work of regeneration is fully effected,—which, however, hardly takes place in this life,—when evils have all been overcome, and good has been conjoined to truth a thousand and a thousand times, by continual efforts to keep the Divine Commandments,—then at length man comes into the full Sabbath of the soul, the full conjunction of good and truth. Then he no longer acts from truth, but from good,—no longer from hard duty, but from love and delight, and then he is in joy and peace. His seventh day is come—the "Sabbath of the Lord his God"—that peace "which passeth all understanding" is now his: he has attained the eternal Sabbath of heaven.
The particulars of this state are now described in the words that follow, understood in their spiritual sense. "In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maidservant, thy cattle, nor thy sojourner that is in thy gates."
Terms, which in the literal sense signify persons, in the spiritual sense denote principles. Here, by all these names of persons and things in a family or household, are signified principles and affections within the mind itself. Man's mind is a kind of household or family circle. There is, first, the leading and ruling love, with its corresponding principle or truth: these are as the father arid mother. Then from these are derived various secondary thoughts and affections: these are as the sons and daughters. Moreover, there are many subsidiary and subservient principles and desires, which as it were give aid and support to the ruling love: these are as the man-servants, maidservants, and cattle. Add to these, there may be in a household a sojourner, stranger, lodger: this, in the spiritual sense, signifies knowledge in the memory. The reason of this signification of sojourner is, that, among the Israelites a sojourner was a stranger, a foreigner, who was dwelling among them, and learning their religion, with the intention of becoming one of them. Now, as the sojourner was merely in the condition of a learner—one acquiring knowledge, hence in the spiritual sense, by a sojourner is signified knowledge itself. It is said, "who is in thy gates" or "at thy gates," because knowledge is merely at the gate or entrance into the mind, merely in the memory.
Now, none of these, it is said, shall do any work on the Sabbath: that is, in the state of regeneration, the whole mind is at peace, from the highest principles to the lowest, from the inmost to the outermost. By doing work, in the Jewish Church, was represented acting from self. And the command to do no work on the Sabbath, was given in order to represent that when man is regenerated, he does not act at all from himself, but altogether from the Lord. Not only is he led and guided by the Lord, as to his highest thoughts and ruling affections, but even his lower and worldly thoughts and inclinations are all kept under the Divine guidance, and even the very knowledges in his memory are made use of to serve the Lord and his fellow-men. That such is the signification of the rest of the Sabbath, is plain from the following passage in Isaiah:[5] "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and shall call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, to be honored; and shalt honor 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." Here we see the state of the Sabbath characterized by man's "not doing his own ways, nor finding his own pleasure, nor speaking his own words," meaning that in the Sabbath of the soul, in the state of full regeneration, man acts wholly from the Lord, and not at all from self: and the same is meant by doing no work on the Sabbath-day.
In the conclusion of the Commandment, a reason is given for man's keeping the Sabbath, thus:—"For in six days the Lord made the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." Now, every reflecting mind sees that this is not to be taken literally,—that the Almighty, the Infinite Creator, should have made the universe in just six days, and then was tired and needed rest;—when it is expressly declared in another place that the Creator of the ends of the earth "fainteth not, neither is weary;"[6] and when, moreover, as we know from the facts of science, the world was not made, in six days, but was long ages in the process of formation. Besides, why should this be a reason for keeping the Sabbath? what is there holy about making a natural universe and resting when it was made? But the spiritual sense beautifully explains the passage, and shows the command and the reason given for it to be perfectly in harmony. By creation in the spiritual sense is signified regeneration—for regeneration is, as it were, a new creation, a new birth of the soul. By the six days are signified, as before explained, the states of labor and combat through which man passes while in the process of becoming regenerated; and by the seventh day, or the Sabbath, the state of blessed rest and peace of mind into which he comes when his regeneration is completed. It is here said, that the Lord labors and the Lord rests, because it is He, in truth, who regenerates man—it is He who carries on the work. "While man is still full of evil passions and bad dispositions, the Lord, in endeavoring to check and eradicate these, strives and, as it were, labors with him; this is what is meant by the six days of labor. But when evils are overcome and cast out, and man comes into a state of obedience and submission to the Divine will, the Lord no longer labors with man, but leads him softly and pleasantly. Then the Lord is said to "rest and this state of man's mind is represented by the seventh day, or the Sabbath, which is "blessed and hallowed." Hence it is said, "the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it."
It is remarkable that in the same Commandment, as given in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy, a different reason is assigned for keeping the Sabbath. It is as follows: "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm: therefore, the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day."[7] Thus in Exodus, the reason assigned for man's keeping the Sabbath is, that the Lord made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh; whereas, in Deuteronomy, the reason assigned is, that the Lord delivered the Israelites from Egypt. Now, though the reasons assigned appear so different in the literal sense, yet in the spiritual sense they signify precisely the same thing, namely, man's regeneration, and also the Lord's work of redemption by which regeneration was made possible to man. For by Egypt is signified the natural mind—man's state by nature and before regeneration. In that state, man is a servant, for he is under the bondage to infernal spirits, who occupy his evil passions and lusts, and so rule over him. But the Israelites, by whom are represented the men of the church who are willing to be regenerated, the Lord delivers from this bondage: he "breaks the yoke, and lets the oppressed go free." By a "mighty hand and an outstretched arm," that is, by his Almighty power, working by an infinite variety of means, and through a long course of years, the Lord gradually draws man out of his unregenerate state; and after leading him through many trials and temptations, through the spiritual wilderness, brings him at length into the heavenly Canaan,—a state of regeneration, which is the heaven of the soul here, and which will be heaven in fulness hereafter. And this state is what is signified by the Sabbath.
We thus see, that, in the internal sense, the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt represented the same thing as is signified by the six days of creation, namely, the regeneration of man. By that deliverance, also, in the supreme sense, is signified the Lord's great work of Redemption, which he accomplished while in the world. That redemption consisted in the Lord's overcoming the Powers of hell, and delivering men from their influence. This he effected by admitting into himself temptations from the hells, and conquering in those temptations. By this means, while he effected man's redemption, he also accomplished his own glorification. He cast out all the hereditary evils and infirmities of his own maternal humanity, and glorified it and made it Divine. Then had he internal rest and peace after his terrible combats in temptation, and he became himself the "Prince of peace." And this holy and Divine state of the Lord was represented, in the supreme sense, by the Sabbath. Hence we see the ground of the holiness of the Sabbath in the Jewish Church, namely, that it represented the highest and holiest things, the regeneration of man, the glorification of the Lord,—heaven itself.
- ↑ Arcana Cœlestia, n. 8886.
- ↑ John xx. 19.
- ↑ xiv. 13.
- ↑ Phil. ii. 12.
- ↑ lviii. 13, 14.
- ↑ Isa. xl. 28.
- ↑ Deut. v. 15.