Forty-Six Sermons in Volume II of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the Sermon entitled XIII 'The perpetuity and change of the Sabbath'.
Today we begin a series of sermons on 1 COR. xvi. 1, 2, 'Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let event one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.'
The main point that Edwards will teach over the sermons is that it is the mind and will of God, that the first day of the week should be especially set apart among Christians, for religious exercises and duties.
This week Edwards gives us his first proposition that supports his main point: 'It is sufficiently clear, that it is the mind of God, that one day of the week should be devoted to rest, and to religious exercises, throughout all ages and nations; and not only among the ancient Israelites, till Christ came, but even in these gospel times, and among all nations professing Christianity.'
Edwards supports his proposition with the following subpoints:
(i) From the consideration of the nature and state of mankind in this world, it is most consonant to human reason, that certain fixed parts of time should be set apart, to be spent by the church wholly in religious exercises, and in the duties of divine worship;
(ii) Without doubt, one proportion of time is better and fitter than another for this purpose;
(iii) It is unreasonable to suppose any other, than that God’s working six days, and resting the seventh, and blessing and hallowing it, was to be of general use in determining this matter, and that it was written, that the practice of mankind in general might some way or other be regulated by it;
(iv) The mind of God in this matter is clearly revealed in the fourth commandment;
(v) God appears in his word laying abundantly more weight on this precept concerning the sabbath, than on any precept of the ceremonial law;
(vi) It is foretold, that this command should be observed in gospel-times; as in at the beginning, where the due observance of the sabbath is spoken of as a great part of holiness of life, and is placed among moral duties;
(vii) A further argument for the perpetuity of the sabbath, we have in Matt. xxiv. 20. “Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day.”
What grabbed me
I'm sorry to say that I disagree with Edwards on this matter. Carson's work on this issue is too convincing.
Nevertheless, I did like what Edwards said about how we need to get our doctrine from the Scriptures: 'If men take it only upon trust, and keep the first day of the week because their parents taught them so, or because they see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so conscientiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing for themselves, that there are good grounds in the word of God for their practice. Unless they do see thus for themselves, whenever they are negligent in sanctifying the sabbath, or are guilty of profaning it, their consciences will not have that advantage to smite them for it, as otherwise they would.—And those who have a sincere desire to obey God in all things, will keep the sabbath more carefully and more cheerfully, if they have seen and been convinced that therein they do what is according to the will and command of God, and what is acceptable to him; and will also have a great deal more comfort in the reflection upon their having carefully and painfully kept the sabbath. '
There's no surer way to keeping God's commands than hearing them direct from his Word.
Next week's reading
Read the Sermon entitled Sermon XIV 'The perpetuity and change of the Sabbath'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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