Legal Sabbath observance (Nathan L. Rice)

[Reformed Covenanter]

The command to remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, was never designed to forbid the performance of works of necessity and of mercy. There is a wide difference between taking delight in the duties and privileges of the Sabbath, and making a merit of the rigid external observance of it.

Nathan L. Rice, ‘The Origin and History of the Sabbath’ in The Christian Sabbath: Its History, Authority, Duties, Benefits, and Civil Relations. A Series of Discourses (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1863), p. 60.

N.B. The opposite error is the bigger problem in our day, but, still, it is a useful reminder.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I do fear that within the camp defending the Lord's Day it is likely true a weak defense, downplaying sins forbidden (when the fourth commandment is moral in regard to things forbidden as well as commanded as the other nine) in favor of playing up the benefits of the day and don't sweat the negatives, etc., is the predominant danger out of fear of the boogieman of the legal overstrict observance. But the latter is a real danger particularly when the world makes a conscientious observance difficult. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[VictorBravo]

There is a wide difference between taking delight in the duties and privileges of the Sabbath, and making a merit of the rigid external observance of it.

Thank you, Daniel. I think the idea of taking delight in the Sabbath is the strongest incentive for observing it.

My homely analogy is that the negative restrictions are like guardrails on a narrow road. When you drift off, things get noisy and painful. But the easiest way to avoid hitting the guardrails is to look at where you are going. Instead of staring out the sides, steering and swerving to avoid hitting them, look ahead at the target. The way is a delight.