94 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. 



of benevolence and compassion towards suffering 

 humanity, wherever such disposiiions predomi 

 nate, we cannot but admire the wisdom and be 

 nevolence of the Creator, in the appointment of 

 a weekly jubilee for the rest and refreshment of 

 labourers spent with toil. On this day, the mas 

 ter has an opportunity of divesting his mind of 

 worldly cares and anxieties, the servant of ob 

 taining liberty and respite from his toilsome em 

 ployments; and labourers of every class, of en 

 joying repose in the bosom of their families. 

 Such, however, are the avaricious dispositions, 

 and the contracted views of a great proportion of 

 mankind, that they are apt to regard the institu 

 tion of the Sabbath as an obstruction to the ad 

 vancement of their worldly interests. They will 

 calculate how much labour has been lost by the 

 rest of one day in seven, and how much wealth 

 might have been gained, had the Sabbath not in 

 tervened to interrupt their employments. But 

 all such selfish calculations, even in a worldly 

 point of view, proceed on the principle* of a 

 narrow and short-sighted policy. \Ve know by 

 experience, that, on the six days out of seven 

 appointed for labour, all the operations requisite 

 for the cultivation of the fields, and for the manu 

 facture of every useful article for the comfort of 

 mankind, can be performed with ease, and with 

 out the least injury to any class of men. And 

 what more could be accomplished, although the 

 Sabbath \vere converted into a day of labour ? 

 Were this violation of the divine command to 

 become universal, it might be shown that, instead 

 of producing an increase of wealth, it would in 

 fallibly produce an increase of toil and misery 

 in relation to the great mass of mankind, without 

 any corresponding pecuniary compensation. The 

 labouring class at present receive little more wa 

 ges than is barely sufficient to procure the neces 

 saries of life. If their physical strength would 

 permit them to work eighteen hours a day, in 

 stead of twelve, it is beyond a doubt, that, in a 

 very short time, the work of eighteen hours would 

 be demanded by their employers for the price of 

 twelve particularly in all cases where a suffi 

 cient number of labourers can be easily obtained. 

 In like manner, were the Sabbaih to be used as a 

 day of labour, the wages of seven days would 

 soon be reduced to what is now given for the la 

 bour of six. In the first instance, indeed, before 

 such a change was thoroughly effected, the la 

 bouring part of the community would acquire a 

 seventh part more wages every week than they 

 did before; and men unaccustomed to reflection, 

 and who never look beyond a present temporary 

 advantage, would imagine that they had acquired 

 a new resource for increasing their worldly gain. 

 But, in a very short time, when the affairs of the 

 social state were brought, to a certain equilibri 

 um, they would be miserably undeceived ; and 

 the abolition of the Sabbath, instead of bringing 

 long with it an increase of wealth, would carry 



in its train an increase oflabour, a continued se 

 ries of toilsome and unremitting exertions, whicu. 

 would waste their animal powers, cut short the 

 years of their mortal existences, &quot; make their 

 lives bitter with hard bondage, and deprive them 

 of some of the sweetest enjoyments which they 

 now possess. 



And as the sabbath was appointed for the rest 

 of man, so it was also intended as a season of 

 repose for the inferior animals which labour for 

 our profit. &quot; The seventh day is the Sabbath of 

 the Lord thy God ; in it thou shah not do any 

 work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy 

 man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, 

 nor the stranger that is within thy gates.&quot; This 

 injunction exhibits the compassionate care and 

 tenderness of the Creator in a very amiable and 

 impressive point of view. It shows us, that the 

 enjoyments of the lowest ranks of sensitive exis 

 tence are not beneath his notice and regard. As 

 he knew what degree of relaxation was necessary 

 for the comfort of the labouring animals, and as 

 he foresaw that the avarice and cruelty of man 

 would endeavour to deprive them of their due re 

 pose, so he has secured to them, by a law which 

 is to continue in force so long as the earth en 

 dures, the rest of one day in seven in common 

 with their proprietors and superiors. And this 

 privilege they will undoubtedly enjoy hereafter, 

 in a mc^e eminent degree lhan they have yet 

 done, w!.en man himself shall be induced to pay 

 a more cordial and unreserved obedience to this 

 divine precept, when &quot; he shall call the Sab 

 bath a delight, and the holy of the Lord honour 

 able.&quot; 



Again, the Sabbath was appointed for man. as a 

 season for pious recollection, and religious contem 

 plation. &quot; Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it 

 holy.&quot; Amidst the numerous cares and laborious 

 employments of human life, it is impossible to 

 fix the mind, for any length of time, on the divine 

 glory, as displayed in the works of creation, on 

 the important facts and doctrines of revealed reli 

 gion, and on the grand realities of the life to come. 

 And, therefore, if the labouring classes enjoyed no 

 regular season of repose for serious reflection, 

 and religious instruction, the objects of religion 

 would soon be entirly neglected, and the impres 

 sion of a future world evanish from the mind. 

 But in the wise arrangements of the beneficent 

 Creator, an opportunity is afforded to all ranks of 

 men for cultivating their moral and intellectual 

 powers, and for directing them to the study and 

 contemplation of the most glorious and interesting 

 objects. As the Sabbath was originally institut 

 ed as a sacred memorial of the finishing of the 

 work of creation, so it is obvious that the con 

 templation of the fabric of the universe, and of 

 the perfections of its Almighty Author therein 

 displayed, ought to form one part of the exercises 

 of this holy day ; and, consequently, that illustra 

 tions of this subject ought to be frequently brought 



