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127. What blessings are promised to those who keep the sabbath holy?

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour 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: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Is. 58. 13, 14. || and 56. 2,4-7.

Have you experienced the spiritual blessings of sanctifying the sabbath? Have you had foretastes of the everlasting sahbath which remains for the people of God?

128. What threatenings have been denounced or executed against sabbath-breakers?

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 in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath-day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath-day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them: and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries. Ex. 31. 14, 15. Jer. 17. 27. Ez. 20. 12, 13, 15, 16, 23. || and 22. 8, 14-16, 31. Num. 15. 32-36.

Have you never read of apparent judgments executed on sabbath-breakers, in the present age? Can you violate the sabbath without apprehensions of God's displeasure?

129. How must we fast to be accepted and profited?

Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your GOD.- Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily, I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward. Lev. 23. 27, 28. Mat. 6. 16-18. Is. 58. 6—8. || Joel 1. 14. and 2. 12-17. National deliverances have been connected with National humiliation. 2 Chron. 20. 2-4, 20-22, 29, 30. Est. 4. 3. and 8. 16. Jonah 3. 5--10.

Have you kept solemn seasons of humbling your souls and Fending your hearts before GOD? Has not such fasting been succeeded by holy joy?

130. Are we required at all times to exercise patience toward God and toward men?

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. See that none render evil for evil unto any man ; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.- For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman wait

eth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience·· for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affiction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. Ps. 37. 7, 8. Eccl. 7. 8, 9. 1 Thes. 5. 15. Heb. 6. 12. and 10. 36. Jam. 5. 7, 8, 10, 11. || Rom. 15. 4, 5. and 2. 6, 7. and 5. 3, 4. Rev. 3. 10.

Can you calmly wait God's time to fulfil his promises? Can you bear insults and injuries from men without impatience? Have you learned something of these precious lessons in the school of Christ?

131. What are some of the directions of God to the young?

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.- Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.- Flee also youthful lusts: but follow_righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Prov 23. 26. Lev. 19. 37. Eccl. 12. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 22. ||1 Kin. 2. 3. Eccl. 11. 9, 10. Tit. 2. 4-6. Gen. 39. 2, 8, 9, 23. 1 Sam. 2. 26. and 3. 19.

Have you obeyed these reasonable requirements? Will you, can you longer refuse obedience to them? Can you be so base as to withhold your choice days from the service of your GOD and Redeemer?

132. How shall the young secure all necessary, temporal, and spiritual blessings?

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of GoD.- But seek ye first the kingdom of GOD, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Ps. 119. 9. Prov. 2. 3-5. Mat. 6 33. || Ps. 19. 7-11. Prov. 4. 1, 10-13. (w)

What but vital piety can render the young, truly amiable, useful and happy? Will any of you choose the way of trans gressors, rather than wisdom's ways?,

(w) See Appendix, Note W.

133. What peculiar inducements for seeking the Lord in youth do the Scriptures afford?

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of Gon.- I love them that love me: and those that seek me early shall find me.For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. Mark 10. 14. Prov. 8. 17. and 9. 11. || Is. 55. 6.

Is Christ willing to receive little children to the arms of his mercy, and shall any of them refuse to come to him by penitence, faith, and love? How much love Christ has manifested towards you, and can you love and serve him too young?

134. What are some of the appropriate Scripture directions to those in middle age?

I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? 1 John 2. 14, 15. 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10. Mat. 6. 25. || 1 Pet. 3. 8—12.

Is it not immensely important that the vigour of manhood be sacredly devoted to the love and service of GOD? Which reigns in your hearts, the love of the world or the love of the Father?

135. What is said in the Scriptures with respect to marriage? So God created man in his own image, in the image of GoD created he him; male and female created he them. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him a help meet for him. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh.- For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers GOD will judge.

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Gen. 1. 27. and 2. 18, 23, 24. 1 Cor. 11. 12. Heb. 13. 4. || John 2. 1, 2. 1 Cor. 7. 2-6, 29–31.

Should not pious motives govern in the selection of a partner for life? Does not true religion in both parties contribute much to the happiness of the conjugal relation?

136. Is divorce expressly forbidden by Christ, except for a breach of the Marriage covenant?

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And he answered and said unto them, Ilave ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away, doth commit adultery. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. Mat. 19. 7, 8, 4-6, 9. and 5. 31, 32. || Rom. 7. 2, 3. 1 Cor. 7. 10-13, 16.

Should not this consideration render persons judiciously cautious in the choice of a bosom companion? Is it not a violation of the spirit of these precepts for the married to be frequently wishing themselves single again for more than one cause?

137. What are some of the most important duties of husbands?

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Eph. 5. 25, 28. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Col. 3. 19. Eccl. 9. 9. Prov. 18. 22.

Would it not much diminish domestic trials if all husbands loved their wives and dwelt with them according to knowledge?

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