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 and hallowed." Hence it is said, "the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it."

It is remarkable that in the same Commandment, as given in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy, a different reason is assigned for keeping the Sabbath. It is as follows: "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm: therefore, the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day." Thus in Exodus, the reason assigned for man's keeping the Sabbath is, that the Lord made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh; whereas, in Deuteronomy, the reason assigned is, that the Lord delivered the Israelites from Egypt. Now, though the reasons assigned appear so different in the literal sense, yet in the spiritual sense they signify precisely the same thing, namely, man's regeneration, and also the Lord's work of redemption by which regeneration was made possible to man. For by Egypt is signified the natural mind—man's state by nature and before regeneration. In that state, man is a servant, for he is under the bondage to infernal spirits, who occupy his evil passions and lusts, and so rule over him. But the Israelites, by whom are represented the men of the church who are willing to be regenerated, the Lord delivers from this bondage: he "breaks the yoke, and lets the oppressed go free." By a "mighty hand and an outstretched arm," that is, by his Almighty power, working by an infinite variety of means, and through a long course of years,