ed for his own. And he hath declared his Will concerning the limitation of it; Six daies fhalt thon labour, &c. But the feventh is the Sabbath, fo that one in a week he muft have. If this Commandement enjoyn no particular and fet time under the Gospel, then are there but nine Commandements. Why should the Sabbath be put among the moral Lawes of the Decalogue, if it were only ceremonial? And wherein does the defignation or limitation of one day in a week, for Gods fervice feen ceremonial? It being a memorial of Gods creating the world in fix daies, and refting the feventh, this being a benefit wherein all mankind intercommon, the fewes can claim no property therein feveral to themselves.

2. If we look upon the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement, we shall find it ftript of all legal obfervances: For those things which are urged as ceremonial, and feveral of the fewes touching the Sabbath, are all post-fcripts and by-laws, not one emergent from the fourth precept. As no fire to be kindled, Exod.16.23. No meat to be dreffed, Exod.17.5. These were peculiar to the Fews: We muft diftinguish therefore between thofe precepts of the Sabbath that occur ellewhere & the fourth Commandement: What is ceremonial touching the Sabbath,we must apply to them, what is moral, we must reftrain to this. See Mr. Leftrang's learned Treatife of the Sab. bath.

'Thus

Chap.6. Thus we have feen how God had from the Creation, to the Law, from the Law, to Chrift, a day appointed, and that by himself, to his own Worship. And hath he leffe reafon to require it under the Gospel? Surely no.

IIII. From Chrifts refurrection, on the first day of the week very early in the morning (Luke 24 1. Fohn 20.1.) The Sabbath was changed to that day in honour of our Saviour, who that day rifing from the dead, finished the work of our Redemption.

The Jewish Sabbath slept its laft in the grave with our Saviour, though its fhadow indeed walked a while after; but it felf, the old Sabbath expired then; and immediatly entred the Lords day. From the refurrection of Chrift im. mediatly, when Chrift himself was but newly up, from that very day whereon he arose, doth Auguftine derive the beginning of the Evangelical Sabbath: The Lords day faith he, by the re Jurrection of Christ was declared to be the Chrifti ans day; and from that very time (of Chrifts refurrection) it began to be celebrated as the Chriftian mans Festival, Epift.ad Jan. 19.c.13. This was the first day of our Saviours appearing to his Difciples, and the first Chriftian Sabbath he honoured with his beatifical prefence, Foh.20.19, 2,26. The next was the eighth day after.

V. Well, our Saviour is afcended. Let us now fee what honour the holy Ghaft (whom he promi

fed to fend his Apostles) hath conferred on this day. The holy Ghoft defcendeth; But on what day? Why the first day of the week. It was when Pentecoft arrived, and that fell that year on that day. On this day the Apostles were folemnly, though closely affembled in prayer and holy duties, and the holy Ghoft defcended upon them Alts 2.

VI.The next mention of Apoftolical obfervation of this day occurreth, Acts 20.v.7.The first of the week the Difciples being come together to break bread, (ie. The Sacramental or Euchariftical bread) Paul preached to them. That for his pra Etife: Now his precept for the day is plainly im plied, 1 Cor. 16 1. As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia, fo do ye. v.z. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in ftore as God hath profpered him, that there be no gathering when I come. He ordains their collections for the poor Saints, and oblations should be on that day: And why should that day be the Almes day or Collection day, rather than any other, had it not been obferved holy in those times, and that the Congregation did ufe on that day to aßemble? The Collection therefore being enjoyned on that day, the Lords day was confequently enjoyned.

VII. About fixty years after, (as Calvlfius out of Ireneus computes) we meet with this day apparrelled in a Chriftian Name, not stil'd

the

the first day, but the Lords day; which probably was then current among the Chriftians, else the holy Ghost would not have used it, Rev.1. 10. St. John faies he was in the Spirit on the Lords day, i. e. in fpiritual exercises and Medita· tions, and by meanes thereof in fpiritual raptures, and clevations of foul.

VIII. The Church facceeding the Apostles held her fe f obliged to the fame obfervation. For even in times of perfecution, before any, either Imperial Edict, or Canon of Council enjoyned it, the obfervation of this day was fo taken notice of by the Heathen, that it became a conftant interrogatory to the Chriftians in their examining, Have you kept the Lords day? To which their anfwer was ever ready, I cannot intermit it, for I am a Chriftian, and the law of God prompts me to it, Baron. 30.3. Memb. 5.

Now if any man fhill enquire how the Sabbath came to be tranflated into the Lords day. I answer, Chrift in the fourty daies he ftaied upon the earth after his refurrection did fundry times appear to his Difciples, teaching them the things appertaining to the Kingdome of God, Acts 1.3. Therefore 'tis probable the Apostles were infructed by Chrift concerning the change of the day (from the feventh, to the eighth) and had fpecial order immediatly from himself, concerningit. 'Tis evident Chrift is Lord of the Sabbath, Mark 2.27. And therefore had power

nor

not only to abrogate the old Sabbath, but to furrogate and fubftitute the new in its room. But whether this day were inftituted immediatly by Chrift himself, or by his Apostles, guided and infallibly inspired by his holy Spirit, after his afcention,ftill the day will be of Divine Institution. And this Act of theirs will appear but the execu tion of a particular Command from the Spirit of Chrift to that purpose.

For confider how Chrift fent thefe Apostles; As my Father (ent me, fo fend 1 you, John 20.21, = He that beareth you, heareth me, Luke 10. 16. Go, Mat.28.19. There is their miffion. Teach all Nations, There is their Commiffion. What? Why, What things I command you: and to affift and help you, Lo, I am with you alwaies, to the end of the world; not in corporal prefence, but by my Spirit, the Comforter whom I will send you, John 15.26. And he shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you, John 14.26. This Spirit of Truth fhall not freak himself, but whatfoever he shall hear, that shall he fpeak: He fhall receive of mine, and fhew it

you.

Thus we fee the Apostles were undoubtedly infpired by the Spirit of Chrift, who revealed his will unto them. And that they were thus acted by the holy Ghoft, they themselves teftifie in their firft Council; It feemed good to the holy Gheft and to us, Acts 15.28.

Y

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