THE SCRIPTURE ACCOUNT

OF THE

SABBATH

COMPARED WITH

HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN'S

"THOUGHTS ON THE SABBATH."

IN WHICH

THE ANTIQUITY OF THE SABBATH IS MAINTAINED;-

ITS PERMANENT OBLIGATION PROVED-ITS MEANING EXPLAINER
ITS IDENTITY WITH THE LORD'S-DAY ESTABLISHED ;-

THE OBJECTIONS OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN AND OF SEVERAL OTHER
AUTHORS ANSWERED;—AND VARIOUS TOPICS, CONNECTED WITH
THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT, OCCASIONALLY INTRODUCED AND EXAMINED,
WHICH, IT IS HOPED, MAY PROVE INTERESTING TO ALL
CLASSES OF CHRISTIANS.

"Call the sabbath a delight, holy of the Lord, and honourable-then
shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord."

ISAIAH lviii. 13, 14.

BY EDWARD STOPFORD, LL.D.

ARCHDEACON OF ARMAGH, AND VICAR-GENERAL OF RAPHOE.

LONDON:

J. HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY.

1837.

972.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY IBOTSON AND PALMER,

SAVOY STREET.

6. Feast of Pentecost

4. Divisions of Time, and Festivals of the Israelites

5. Feast of the Passover

7. Feast of Tabernacles and Atonement

11

17

8. Early modes of Communication between God and Man

19

9. Whether the Sabbath were known before the time of

14. Connexion of the Commandments with the Original

and Everlasting Covenant

91

100

-

102

15. A Revelation, Laws, and Commandments before Moses

16. Distinction necessary to be observed between different

Classes of the Laws of the Israelites

17. The Israelites and Jews the Depositories of Revelation

for the purpose of communicating it to the other

nations of the world

18. The Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath

19. The Sabbath in the New Testament

20. Objections answered,

(a) Miscellaneous Objections

21. (b) Objection, John ix.

-

107

115

130

147

151

SECTION

22. (c) Objection, Mark ii. 23, Disciples plucking ears of

corn

23. (d) Objection, Primary and secondary Objects of the

Rom. xiv.

PAGE

152

156

157

160

- 168

172

Acts xv. 5

24. (e) Objection, Fourth Commandment; "Remember"

25. (ƒ) Objection, Col. ii. 16

26. (g) Objection, Gal. iv. 9, 10.

27. Baxter's Objections, first, (h) John i. 17

28. Baxter's Objections, (i) John vii. 19, 23.

29. Baxter's Objections, (k) 2 Cor. iii. Heb. vii. Eph. ii.

30. Laws of Nature. Moral Laws

-

31. Whether the Fourth Commandment be a Moral or

Positive Precept

32. Change of the Sabbath

33. Paley and Jeremy Taylor

34. Warburton-Divine Legation of Moses

35. P. S. Additions

36. Conclusion

-

195

THE SCRIPTURE ACCOUNT

OF THE

SABBATH,

&c.

SECTION I.

It is now about four years since his Grace the Archbishop of Dublin published his "THOUGHTS ON THE SABBATH." A person, proposing to answer that publication, after such a lapse of time, may expect to be asked, why he did not answer it before-and why he answers it now?

From the first time I read that pamphlet, I have felt convinced that his Grace's view of the question was altogether erroneous. I have always considered the observance of the institution of a Sabbath as resting on divine authority, and of permanent obligation, as a fundamental article of the Christian, as well as of the Mosaical and patriarchal dispensations. But in proportion as my opinion of the great importance of the subject was high, I was unwilling to lower it by a feeble advocacy :-in proportion to my estimate of its value, were my hopes and expectations, that the eminent theologians of our church, the professors of divinity and of sacred literature and languages in our universities, would have stood forth to defend this citadel of

B