disregarded; and accordingly it is assigned as a reason of their gathering twice the quantity of manna on the sixth day, which supposes that they knew before hand, that they were to rest on the seventh; though it is highly probable, that the observation of this Commandment had been neglected, for some years past while they were in Egypt; and it may be, that they were not suffered, by those who held them there in bondage, to observe this, and many other of the divine laws. Nevertheless, the memory of the Sabbath was not wholly lost among them, which Moses puts them now in mind of.

The most probable opinion therefore relating to the institution of the Sabbath, is, that it was given to man from the beginning; which may be argued,

(1.) From the reason annexed to the Commandment, to wit, God's resting from his work of creation; and it immediately follows, that when he rested from his work, he blessed and sanctified the seventh day; that so man might celebrate and commemorate his power and glory displayed therein, Gen. ii. 1, 2, 3.

Obj. To this it is objected; that God's blessing and sanctifying the seventh day, may be understood proleptically, as denoting, that at first he sanctified, or ordained that it should be a Sabbath, to his people in the following ages; and that this did not take place till Moses's time; and accordingly they suppose, that he having been speaking of the creation of the world, and God's resting from his work, gives them to understand, that this was the reason of the law, which was now given them, concerning the observation of the Sabbath, which they never heard of before.

Answ. But to this it may be replied, That this sense of the text will appear very absurd to any unprejudiced person; since if God's resting from his work, which is mentioned immediately before, as the reason of his sanctifying the seventh day, is to be taken literally, why must his sanctifying the Sabbath be taken figuratively? if the one be an account of what was just done, why should the other be an account of what was not to take place till two thousand and five hundred years after?

(2.) If God had a church in the world, and public worship was performed by them from Adam to Moses's time, then, there were set times, in which they were to meet together for that end, and consequently a Sabbath, which was equally necessary for the good of the church, in foregoing as well as following ages; and therefore we cannot suppose that it should be denied that privilege then, which had been granted it ever since; or, that from Moses's time they should be obliged to celebrate the glory of God, as their Creator, sovereign Ruler, and bountiful Benefactor; and that a seventh part of time

should be allotted them for this service, by his express command, and yet he should lose the glory, and his people the advantage arising from it, before that time.

Obj. It is objected to this, that the scripture is wholly silent as to this matter, and therefore nothing can be concluded in favour of the argument we are maintaining.

Answ. Some think that the scripture is not wholly silent as to this matter; but that it may be inferred from what we read in Gen. iv. 3, 4. in which it is said, that in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought an offering unto the Lord; which was, doubtless, an instance of public worship. We render the words in process of time; but they may, with equal justice, be rendered, as it is observed in the margin, at the end of days; that is, at the end of that cycle of days which we generally call a week, or on the seventh day; then the offering was brought, and the solemn worship performed, and hereby the Sabbath sanctified according to God's institution. But if this argument be not allowed of, it does not follow that the scripture's not mentioning their observing a Sabbath, gives us just ground to suppose that they did not observe any. It might as well be argued, that because the scripture speaks very little of any public worship performed before the flood, that therefore there was none in the world; or, that because we do not read of the church's observing a Sabbath, and many other parts of instituted worship all the time of the judges, which is said to be about the space of four hundred and fifty years, Acts xiii. 20. therefore it follows that a Sabbath, was not observed by them, during the whole of that interval, and all instituted worship was wholly neglected.

The next thing to be inquired into is, whether the Sabbath was instituted before or after the fall of our first parents? And it may be observed; that it appears to have been instituted before their fall; because the reason of its institution was God's resting from his work of creation, of which we read before the account of their fall, as appears from the scripture before mentioned.

Obj. It is objected that Adam in innocency had no manservant nor maid-servants, nor stanger within his gate; and therefore was not in a capacity of observing this Command

mant.

Answ. To this it may be replied, That before the world was increased, our first parents might observe the principal thing contained in this Commandment, by setting apart a day for religious worship: and when the world increased, the other part of the Commandment, which was only circumstantial, might take place. And, indeed, this objection might be as much alleged against Adam's being obliged to yield obedi

ence to the fifth, seventh, and eighth Commandments, as against his obeying the fourth.

III. It is farther observed, in this answer, that the day which we call a seventh part of time, was the seventh day of the week, from the beginning of the world, till the resurrection of Christ; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian Sabbath, or the Lord's day. That the seventh day of the week was observed as a Sabbath, at first, is taken for granted; and we do not find that it was abolished by a positive law, so that there should be no Sabbath; but the day was changed, by substituting another in the room of it. If, according to the fourth Commandment, there is to be but one Sabbath in the week, and the other six days thereof are allowed for our own lawful employments; and if the first day of the week can be proved, as we shall attempt to do, to be the Christian Sabbath, then it follows, that the seventh day ceases to be a Sabbath.

It may be, indeed, observed, from several ecclesiastical writers, that some in the three first centuries, observed, both the seventh and the first day of the week. As for the apostles, they often assembled with the Jews, in their synagogues, on the seventh day, Acts xiii. 14. and xvii. 2. but this was done with a design to propagate the Christian religion among them, which could not, with equal conveniency, be done on other days. And the church afterwards met together on that day, as well as the Lord's day, apprehending that though it was not now to be reckoned God's holy day, or the Christian Sabbath; yet it was expedient, that hereby they should keep up the memory of his having, on that day, finished the work of creation; and others kept it as a day of fasting, accompanied with other religious exercises, in memory of Christ's lying that day in the grave. But this can hardly be justified in them. However, it is evident that they did not pay the same regard to it as the Lord's day, nor style it God's holy day, nor the Christian Sabbath, by way of eminency. And some have expressly intimated, that whatever regard they paid to the seventh day, or what assemblies soever they held for worship therein, they did not observe it in the same way as the Jews did; neither were they obliged to hold meetings on that day, as they were on the Lord's day, it being, in part, left to their discretion; and it was supposed, that they had sufficient leisure from their secular callings; and therefore might attend to the worship of God on that day, as an opportunity offered itself; though they did not count it equally holy with the Lord's day; nor were they obliged, when the worship was over, to abstain

* Vid Athanas. Hom. de Semente.

om their secular employment*. But this I only mention casionally, to obviate an objection taken from the practice of me of the ancient church, in observing the seventh day of e week, which does not much affect the cause we are mainMining, our design being to prove that the first day of the Jeek is ordained to be the Christian Sabbath.

But before we enter on that subject, it may be necessary, to repare our way for it, to premise,

1. That it does not, in the least, derogate from the honour nd glory of God, to change the Sabbath from the seventh to he first day of the week. It would, indeed, derogate from he glory of God, if he should take away one Sabbath, and not Institute another in the room of it; for then he would lose the honour of that public worship, which he has appointed to be performed on that day.

Moreover, if there be a greater work than that of creation, to be remembered and celebrated, it tends much more to the advancing the glory of God, to appoint a day for the solemn remembrance thereof, than if it should be wholly neglected. And to this we may add, that if all men must honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, then it is expedient, that a day should be set apart for his honour, namely, the day on which he rested from the work of redemption, or, as the apostle says, ceased from it, as God did from his, Heb. iv. 10.

2. It was expedient, that God should alter the Sabbath, from the seventh to the first day of the week; for,

(1.) Hereby Christ took occasion to give a display of his glory, and in particular of his sovereign authority, to enjoin what time he would have us set apart for his worship under the gospel-dispensation, as well as what worship he will have performed therein; and to discover himself to be, as he styles himself; The Lord of the Sabbath day, Matt. xii. 8.

(2.) We, in the observation thereof, signify our faith, in a public manner, that Christ is come in the flesh, and that the work of our redemption is brought to perfection; and consequently, that there is a way prepared for our justification and access to God, as our God, in hope of finding acceptance in his sight.

3. All the ordinances of gospel-worship have a peculiar relation to Christ; therefore it is expedient that the time in which they are to be performed, under this present gospeldispensation, should likewise have relation to him; therefore that day must be set apart in commemoration of his work of redemption, in which he finished it, and that was the first day of the week..

* Vid. Ignat. Epist. ad Magn. And much more to the same purpose may be seen in a learned book, intitled Dies Dominica, in cap. iii. & alibi passim.

This leads us to consider, what ground we have to conclude that the Sabbath was changed, from the seventh to the first day of the week after the resurrection of Christ. And this will appear,

(1.) From the example of Christ and his apostles, who celebrated the first day of the week as a Sabbath, after his resurrection. Thus we read in John xx. 19. that the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst of them, and said, Peace be unto you. And ver. 26. After eight days, or the eighth day after, inclusive, again his disciples were within; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you. Where we may observe,

[1.] That it was not merely an occasional meeting, but a fixed one, which returned weekly. Therefore they met eight days after, or the following first day of the week; which was the second Christian Sabbath.

[2.] On both these days of their meeting together for public worship, Christ appeared in the midst of them, and spake peace unto them; which includes his owning the day, and confirming their faith in the observation of it as a Sabbath, for the future.

Obj. It is objected, that the reasons of the apostles' meeting together on the first day of the week, was for fear of the Jews; and not because it was substituted in the room of the seventh day, as a Sabbath perpetually to be observed.

Answ. To this it may be replied, that they did not meet together for fear of the Jews; but when they were assembled, the doors were shut for fear of them. Besides, it may be farther replied, that the fear of persecution would have been no warrant for them, not to keep the seventh-day-Sabbath, or to substitute another day in the room of it. To all which we might add, that they might more securely meet together on the seventh day of the week, than on any other day, if they were afraid of disturbance from the Jews; for then they were engaged in worship themselves; and, it is probable, would be rather inclined to let them alone, for want of leisure, to give them disturbance in their worship.

(2.) It farther appears, that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, in that this was a day, in which the church met, together with the apostles, for solemn public worship. Thus we read in Acts xx. 7. that upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them. Where we may ob

serve,

[1.] That it was not a private, but a public meeting of the