SERMON VI.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT: OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH.
"Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy."—Exodus xx. 8.
Having explained, in the preceding discourse, the true foundation of the holiness of the Sabbath, namely its being representative of the glorification of the Lord and the regeneration of man, we are now to consider in what manner the day itself should be observed.
Under the Jewish Dispensation, the requirements in regard to the outward observance of the Sabbath were of the strictest kind, and the penalty for the violation of them was no less than death. This ordinance we find in the thirty-first chapter of Exodus, as follows: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but on the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work on that day shall surely be put to death."
Further particulars in regard to the manner of observing the day, we find in the sixteenth chapter of Exodus. In that chapter is described the remarkable circumstance of manna being "rained down" upon the Israelites for food. They were told that they were to go out every morning to gather it, except on the Sabbath: on that day they were not to go out, but were to collect enough on the previous day, to serve for two days. They were also to cook their food on the previous day, and not on the Sabbath. The command is expressed in the following words: "This is what the Lord hath said: To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake what ye will bake to-day, and boil what ye will boil; and what remains over lay up for you, to be kept until the morning. And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field. See, the Lord hath given you the Sabbath; therefore, he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days: abide ye every man in his place: let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."
They were also forbidden to kindle a fire on the Sabbath-day.[1] The reason was, that fire signifies love and the life thence derived: hence, to kindle a fire or make a fire for one's self, represented love derived from self, or self-love, which is evil, In like manner, to work on the Sabbath represented to act from self or from the proprium. But the Sabbath, as shown in the former discourse, represents a state of rest and peace in regeneration, when man does nothing from self but all from the Lord. Now, when the Jews did work on the Sabbath, they violated the representation, which violation was perceived in heaven, and spirits and angels, in that case, could no longer be present with them. And such violation was punished with death, not only as an example and warning to others, because it was of the utmost importance to the welfare of the human race that the connection with heaven should be maintained,—but also because the punishment of death represented that he who acts from self and not from the Lord, is in evil, and thus is in a state of spiritual death.
In like manner, it was forbidden to bake and to boil, on the Sabbath; because to bake denoted preparation for the conjunction of good, baking being effected by fire, and fire signifying good or love: so to boil denoted preparation for the conjunction of truth, boiling being done by water, which signifies truth.[2] These operations were commanded to be done, not on the Sabbath, but on the day previous; because the Sabbath signified conjunction itself, the conjunction of good and truth; whereas the operations of baking and boiling represented only preparation for conjunction; which belongs to a previous state. So minute and particular were all representatives in the Jewish Church.
In the Book of Numbers, fifteenth chapter, there is an instance related of the punishment of death for the violation of the Sabbath. The account thus reads: "While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath-day. And those that found him gathering sticks, brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died, as the Lord commanded Moses." The cause of so severe a punishment was probably this. The term here rendered "sticks" signifies properly "trees," or the branches of trees: now a tree signifies perception: hence to gather trees, or branches of trees, represented to gather up or frame in the mind perceptions or views of truth from the proprium or from one's own reasonings, and not from the Lord. He who does this, falls into deadly falsities. Now stoning to death, in the Jewish Church, represented spiritual death from falsities; for a stone represents truth, or, in the opposite sense, the false. Thus, the punishment inflicted upon this man represents, it may be said, the state of unbelievers, who, despising the Divine Word, wish to gather together and frame principles and doctrines from their own minds. They will perish in their falsities.
We have thus presented a brief sketch of the manner in which the Sabbath was required to be kept under the Jewish Dispensation, and shown, also, the ground of that requirement, namely, because the Jewish Church was representative, and by representatives was kept in connection with heaven: hence a violation of those representatives tended to destroy that connection, which, nevertheless, was not only of the utmost consequence to themselves, but upon it depended the preservation of the whole human race. Hence the absolute necessity of keeping those representatives inviolate, by the severest enactments.
But when the Jewish Dispensation was brought to its end, and the Lord came into the world, then those representative ordinances were abrogated. For when He who is the antitype comes, then the type or representative ceases. Moreover, it was no longer necessary that connection with heaven should be maintained by means of representatives, for the Lord Himself in his Humanity was now the bond of connection. All things were united in Him, for He was the first and the last. He was on the earth as to his body, He was in heaven as to his spirit, and above all heavens as to his essential Divinity. Thus earth, heaven, and the Divine were made one in him.
This being the case, the representatives of the Jewish Church were now abrogated, and among them the Sabbath so far as related to its merely representative character. Hence, the strict and severe commandments in regard to the external observance of the Sabbath were now no longer binding. This the Lord showed by various acts in seeming violation of the Sabbath, and for which the Pharisees, as we read, often rebuked him. Thus he healed the sick on the Sabbath-day: he told the palsied man to take up his bed and walk,—a thing which the Pharisees declared it was not lawful to do on the Sabbath. He also permitted his disciples to gather ears of corn and eat them on that day, and pronounced them "guiltless" in so doing.[3] "For," said he, "the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath," by which was meant, says the Doctrine of the New Church, "that the Sabbath was representative of him;"[4] hence, that he was its Lord or Master; and implying also that now that He had come of whom the Sabbath was a mere representative, that representative was abolished.
Thus, then, the strict rules enjoined upon the Jews in regard to the observance of the Sabbath, are not applicable to Christians. Still an observance of the Sabbath is required. This Commandment is not abrogated. It is true, the day now observed by Christians is not the same with that of the Jewish Sabbath: that was on the seventh day of the week, and ours is on the first. The cause of the change was, that, in the place of observing the Jewish Sabbath, the early Christians were in the habit of meeting together to celebrate the day of the Lord's rising from the tomb, which was on the first day of the week. Hence we properly call the Sabbath the "Lord's Day," and so it is named in the Apocalypse:[5]—"I was in the spirit," says John, "on the Lord's Day." Our Author, in commenting on this passage, remarks, "The words, 'I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day,' signify a spiritual state at that time from Divine influx. 'I was in the spirit' signifies a spiritual state in which he was when in his visions: 'on the Lord's Day' signifies influx then received from the Lord, for in that day the Lord is present, because the day is holy."[6] This passage alone is sufficient ground for members of the New Church accounting the Lord's Day holy, and observing it accordingly: but there are other passages which we shall proceed to adduce.
In the exposition of this Commandment, contained in the "Universal Theology," there are the following remarks in regard to keeping the Sabbath:—"'Remember the Sabbath-day that thou keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Jehovah thy God.' By this," says the Doctrine of the New Church, "is meant, in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, that six days are for man and his labors, and the seventh for the Lord, and for man's rest derived from Him. Sabbath, in the original tongue, signifies rest. The Sabbath, among the sons of Israel, was the sanctity of sanctities, because it represented the Lord; the six days represented his labors and combats with the hells; and the seventh represented his victory over them, and thus rest. And since that day was the representative of the close of the whole of the Lord's work of redemption, therefore it was holiness itself. But when the Lord came into the world, and thence the representatives of that day ceased, then that day was made a day of instruction in Divine things, and thus also a day of rest from labors, and of meditation on such things as relate to salvation and eternal life, as also a day of love toward the neighbor."
In the Apocalypse Explained, in commenting on those words of John, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day," our Author thus speaks: "The Lord's Day is the day of the Sabbath; and the Sabbath, in the Ancient Churches, which were representative, was a most holy day of worship, by reason that it signified the union of the Divine and Human in the Lord, and hence, also, the conjunction of his Divine Humanity with heaven. But after the Lord united his Divine with his Human, then that holy representative ceased, and that day was made a day of instruction."[7]
Now, in these important passages we find a guide as to the manner in which the Day is to be kept in the Christian Church—in the New Church. It is here declared that by "the Lord's Day" is meant the Sabbath. Not, indeed (as before remarked), that the day we now observe, falls on the same day of the week as the Jewish Sabbath. But the particular day is of no consequence: the Institution is the same, but with the modification above given, that it is no longer merely a representative day, but a day of instruction. The command is, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh is a Sabbath to the Lord thy God." Now, it matters not where you begin to reckon, whether from the first day of the week, or from the second, since the merely representative character of the day is abolished. It is enough that one day in seven is by Divine commandment to be devoted to the Lord, to "instruction in Divine things," "to rest from labors" and to "meditation on the things that relate to salvation and eternal life."
This, then, is to be our guide as to the manner of spending the Day. We are not to spend it in earthly and worldly labor; we are not to spend it in sport and amusement: it is a day consecrated to the Lord: it is a day for meditation on the things that concern our salvation: it is a day for spiritual instruction. Nor let us imagine—as some have supposed—that we shall ever become so perfect, or that the world will even become so spiritualized, as not to need to set apart particular days for the worship of the Lord, and for meditation on Divine things. For we are taught in the Writings of the New Church, that even in the heavens, and among the angels, where there is the perpetual Sabbath of the soul—that is, a state of perpetual love and charity, and of interior worship of the Lord—nevertheless there are special days set apart for meeting together in public worship, and for instruction in the truths of the Divine Word.[8] From those Writings we learn, that in the heavens there are temples or houses of worship, as on earth, and that there are preachings in those temples; thus that the angels are ever receiving more and more instruction in Divine truth, and so are forever perfecting[9]—for higher truth leads to higher good. Now, if this is the case even in heaven, and amongst those who are already saved, let us never imagine that we poor creatures shall on earth have attained, or can ever attain, to such a state of wisdom and goodness as to have no need for the outward observance of the Sabbath, and for meeting with our fellow-believers in public worship.
The great benefits to be derived from attendance on public worship, are thus strongly set forth in the New Church Writings:—"Worship, in the internal sense, signifies conjunction by love and charity. Man is continually in worship, when he is in love and charity, external worship being only an effect. The angels are in such worship; wherefore with them there is a perpetual Sabbath: whence, also, the Sabbath, in the internal sense, signifies the kingdom of the Lord. But man, during his abode in the world, ought not to omit the practice of external worship also; for by external worship the internals are excited; and by external worship the externals also are kept in a state of sanctity, so that internal things can flow in; moreover, man is thus imbued with knowledges, and so prepared to receive heavenly things: he is also thereby gifted with states of sanctity, though he may be ignorant of it, which states are preserved by the Lord for his use in eternal life, for in the other life all man's states return."[10]
Now, here is most important information. Observe, the distinct uses mentioned are four in number: 1. By external worship, internal things are excited; 2. by external worship, externals are kept in a state of sanctity, so that internal things can flow in; 3. moreover, man is thus imbued with knowledges, and so prepared to receive heavenly things; 4. and lastly, he is thus gifted with states of sanctity, even though he be ignorant of it, which states are preserved by the Lord for his use in eternal life." Now, let the man who can do without all these advantages—stay at home on the Sabbath and read his book, or walk abroad into the fields and "commune with nature," as it is termed. He will reap the consequences in the next life and to eternity. Even though he may be, on the whole, a good man, and be saved at last, yet he will suffer the consequences of breaking this Commandment, as long as he lives, that is, forever. "He," says the Scripture, "that breaks one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven."[11] Even though he should reach heaven, he will not reach that elevated place in heaven which he might have attained, had he attended regularly a place of worship on the Sabbath-day, and thereby acquired heavenly knowledges, and received from the Lord states of sanctity, which might have been laid up for his use in the next life. The man, who, in his pride of self-sufficiency, imagines himself independent of the benefits of public worship, may be assured that in such a state of mind he is far from the Lord: "the Lord knoweth the proud afar off."[12] And, unless he humble himself, pray to the Lord for forgiveness for his sin, and make amends by returning to the path of duty, while he is still in health and strength, he will doubtless have to pass through states of severe vastation hereafter, even though he be eventually saved.
But those, on the other hand, who keep this Commandment, by attending regularly the services of public worship, and who moreover spend the intervening hours, as far as practicable, in reading the Holy Word and the precious writings of the church, and in instructing their families in the same, will reap a harvest of spiritual blessings, both in this life and in the life to come. They will be armed and strengthened, on the Sabbath, for the temptations of the week—for the trials of the daily life; they will be brought into communion with angels, while listening, in company with others, to the Holy Word; and they will have states of sanctity laid up by the Lord in the interiors of their spirits, which will come forth with power and delight in the life after death. Such will be the benefits of a regular and humble attendance on the services of the Sanctuary. And bring your children with you: train them up to go regularly to church on the Lord's Day: let them never think of staying at home, except for illness. Says the wise man, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Is it too much to devote one day in seven to the worship of the Lord, and to "meditation on the things that pertain to salvation and eternal life"—when the main object of our life in this world is to prepare for the life eternal?
- ↑ Exod. xxxv. 3.
- ↑ Arcana Cœlestia, n. 8496.
- ↑ Matt. xii. 7.
- ↑ True Christian Religion, n. 301.
- ↑ i. 10.
- ↑ Apocalypse Revealed, n. 36.
- ↑ Ap. Ex., n. 54
- ↑ See T. C. R., n. 750.
- ↑ See Treatise on Heaven and Hell, n. 221.
- ↑ A. C., n. 1618.
- ↑ Matt. v. 19.
- ↑ Ps. cxxxviii. 16.