We pray daily, "Thy will be done." What is His will? "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." If we know His will and do it not, there is peril for us. If we know these things, happy are we if we do them. .. and the same CHAPTER XL. THE SABBATH OF THE SOUL. "Immediately the man was made whole, day was the Sabbath."-ST. JOHN v. 9. "Blessed warfare over, Endless Rest alone; Round about the throne." ... THERE are seven recorded instances in the Gospels of our Lord's healing disease on the Sabbath day, and there are indications that there were many more cases which are not recorded. He seems, indeed, to have chosen that day specially as a day of miracle, and above all for miraculous healing of disease; and this is the more remarkable because these acts of His were singularly irritating to the Jewish authorities. Their superstitious inventions with respect to the Sabbath made them consider such acts unlawful, and a violation of the Sabbath rest. Our Lord here, as in so many other instances, set Himself in direct opposition to the customs and prejudices of His day, and by word and act taught two great truths; that the Sabbath was made for man, and that He Himself was Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath has gone; the ceremonial Mosaic Sabbath was buried in Christ's tomb, and was for ever left there when He rose on the first day of the week; but these two truths remain, nay, they have attained fresh vigour and blessedness by the resurrection, "The Sabbath was made for man," and "The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath." For what was the Sabbath? Was it not rest-a day of rest from the world's work and toil? The Sabbath itself has gone, but its rest remains ours still. One day in seven is still set apart for rest from the things of daily life. The Christian Sunday is indeed more than this, but it is among other things this; and a vast blessing it is. The world is very absorbing; work is very deadening and wearying when it is carried on for six days; but what would become of us if every one worked on day by day from year's end to year's end, all through life, without break or rest, without our Sundays? The antichristian revolution that came to a head in France in the last century saw and understood this, and abolished Sunday, and in the name of liberty made men work without rest all their lives through. France groans under that wound still. The Church there has tried, and is trying, to heal it, but not with entire success; the ungodly spirit that "changes times and laws," still avails to deprive working men of their day of rest, and makes them sad, and sullen, and vindictive, they know not why. What they want is the knowledge and touch of the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath rest was made for man, and without it there is unrest, because a great fundamental natural law is violated. The beneficent laws of Christ, as taught by His Church, take away many, and ameliorate all the ills of life; but the laws of Christ, and the gentle guidance of the Church, are being more and more thrust away from the affairs of daily life, and men chafe and groan under the tyrannies of human substitutes, and beneath the newly found agonies that are entailed by the vaunted progress they boast of. King Trade cries now what King Pharaoh cried once, “Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us sacrifice unto our God. Let there more work be laid upon the men.” We boast of rapid travelling, of never-resting posts, of distance and time annihilating telegraphs; but those for whose benefit they are supposed to exist tell us that their yoke is made heavier by Y these so-called boons; they work harder than their fathers did, yet prosper less. There is no quiet, sober trade, no steady growth, and no rest; it is a scramble, a game of chance; there is no security that the best and most deserving man will win. Will it ever be that true principles will prevail? will it ever come that men will use this world without abusing it? will Christ's prescription ever be fairly tried, and men seek "righteousness" first and so gain what is needful for this life, and have heart to enjoy it, because they are at peace with God and have found rest for their souls ? "The man was made whole, and the same day was the Sabbath." There was Sabbath rest for the poor diseased, pain-racked body. Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, spake, and there was a calm. Disease causes fever-heat, rapid pulse, restlessness; health is evidenced by repose, or by gentle, orderly action; no wild rushing or wearying toil, but only the quiet Sabbath day's journey. When disease has run its course upon the tossing fevered frame the man sleeps, and he does well; those who watch begin to hope. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" Nay! is not all healing but the incoming of Sabbath rest? The two cannot be severed; God Himself hath joined them evermore together. The demoniac raged and howled among the tombs day and night; with glaring eyes he came bounding along, like some wild beast, over rocks, bruised and bleeding, and screamed, "Torment me not." One spake the |