SEMERON, mentioned above, when Chrift and the universe were begotten together, and paffed into a new state. This is the day on which the worship of the new world is to be carried on. Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. This is the day which the Holy Ghost faith is to be kept for the new worship, as appears in the ninety-fifth pfalm, from which this paffage is cited.

In the pfalm above, David calls all men into the prefence of God, to fing, worship, kneel and bow to the rock of falvation: to adore him, as high above all gods, and in poffeffion of all worlds; that is, as afcended up far above all heavens, above thrones, principalities, powers, names and dominions; and in poffeffion of the universe under a new title. Says he, fing to his name: O come and fing and adore with reverence. But when? What time are we to come together into his prefence? There must be time, a day publickly known and appointed for the work. The old creation had a weekly day confecrated for the worship belonging to it, which was the laft in each week. Is there a day here

a

in the new? If there is, which is it? To-day. The day in which the rock of falvation was fixed, and Jefus was begotten into a new fonship; which fonship is the pillar on which the universe refts. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

David therefore by the power of the spirit, looks over into the new creation, and calls to all the inhabitants, and bids them to take care to keep their fabbath; for that their fathers trifled with the fabbath of the old, till they had provoked God to fwear in his wrath that they fhould never enter into it. God told them that he had created the universe in fix days, and confecrated the seventh for a day of reft, to admire the work, because better could not be done. He commanded them to enter into his reft, to acknowledge the perfection of the work, and the glory, wisdom and power of the author. But they would not believe him. They doubted and contradicted, and attributed the work, fometimes to idols of their own making; fometimes to the universe itself; and fometimes to chance; and fometimes to nothing. They hardened their hearts, they tempted

him with doubts, they erred, and provoked him at last to swear in wrath, that fince they would This is David's not enter, they should not. warning to the inhabitants of the world to come, taken from the profanation of the fabbath of the old creation, and the terrible punishment inflicted for the fame.

The apostle therefore joins him, and adds below, Take heed brethren, of an evil heart of unbelief; for we are made partakers of Chrift, if we hold faft the beginning of our confidence ftedfaft to the end, in order to which, it is faid to-day. That is, we are made partakers of Chrift's reft, if we make use of it for the worship and confident adoration of the new creation, in order to which, the day is fixed and named with repetition and energy, and diftinguished from all others. Does any one then enquire after the fabbath of the new creation? It is to-day. It is the day of the generation of Jefus Chrift from the dead, and the new birth of the universe. Not yesterday, the laft day of the week; nor to-morrow, the second. Yefterday, the old feventh as facred any day, is never to be remembered

more

more.

It, and the creation belonging to it, are paffed by to-morrow, on the other hand, the fecond day of the week, is never to be a fabbath; for the works of God are finifhed, and confequently there is no poffibility of another fabbath-day. It is a crime to think of yesterday, and folly to expect to-morrow for a day of rest. The old world and its inhabitants might have improved yesterday, but you cannot, for it is over for ever: and to expect another is a wicked reflection on the new creation, as if not compleat and perfect. To-day therefore must be attended to, and reverenced as holy, else, we are unavoidably without a fabbath-day.

SEMERON is here full of energy, taking to itself all that belonged to yesterday and to-morrow; as if it was the only day that ever was, or will be; and alone worthy of improvement, attention and reverence; comprehending. every work and event of moment, profit or delight. SEMERON is therefore to be founded through the whole creation, was pronounced with the highest energy of infpiration; and is to be kept facred by every human creature, with joy and confidence

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confidence, as the rest and fabbath of the new

creation.

Yesterday is loft; the fathers flighted and loft it through unbelief; and as to us, it is no longer in force; yea, it is a crime to think of it it is now to be used only for the common business of the prefent life; and he that will not use it for that end, does abufe and pervert the defign of it.

The apoftle therefore does in the fourth chapter and firft verfe, warn us thus, Let us therefore fear, left a promife being left us of entering into his reft, any of you fhould feem to come fhort of it. What we are exhorted to in the That is, caution, circumfpection

words, is fear. and watchfulness.

This fear is to be exercised

to prevent our falling into the fin and difafters of those who refused to enter into God's former reft, who by the oath of exclufion were caft away. They failed: be then afraid left you fhould do the fame. But here a queftion might arise, to wit, How does it appear that we and they, in this particular, are upon a par? Wherein do our circumstances appear to be parallel? This he handles in the remaining part of this paffage; wherein