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week, we are not told what day it was, whether the second, third, or fourth day of the week; but when he meets with them on the first day, the Holy Ghost names and records that, thereby ascribing something peculiar to it above the

rest.

VI. The observation of the first day of the week is also authorised by the divinely inspired apostles of Christ, and founders of the Christian church, and that both by their example and direction.-We have them both directing and performing the duties of the Sabbath on this day, and also asserting Christ's propriety in it as his; all which is evident from scripture.

In the forecited scriptures, where we read of Christ's appearances to his disciples, we also read of their assembling together on the first day of the week several times; which certainly was for the public worship of God, and in honour of this day. For, when they met on other days of the week, it is not told what these were; but, when they met on the first day day of the week, the Holy Ghost records that; which shews it to be a remarkable day in itself, and observed as such by the disciples of Christ, and that in a religious way.

But, besides these, I shall adduce four other scriptures, that clearly demonstrate what is above asserted.

The first is, Acts ii. 1, 2. where it is recorded, that "the apostles and other brethren were met all together on the day of Pentecost in one place." This meeting was for public worship on the first day of the week, according to their wonted practice. It is not in the temple with the Jews, but in a house in Jerusalem by themselves.

Quest. How prove you that it was on the first day of the week? Ans. Because it is evident from scripture, that the passover that year fell on the Jewish, Sabbath; and Pentecost being still the fiftieth day after the passover, it consequently fell that year on the first day of the week, or the Lord's day. Pentecost is a Greek word, signifying the fiftieth, called so because of its being still the fiftieth day after the passover, a Jewish feast, which fell sometimes upon one day of the week, and sometimes on another; but this year it fell on the last or seventh day of the week. Pentecost was another feast of the Jews, but kept in re

membrance of God's giving the law that day on Mount Sinai, being the fiftieth day after their eating the passover and coming out of Egypt. And consequently, Pentecost falling this year upon the first day of the week, our Lord's resurrection day, the apostles and brethren assembled for celebrating this day by public worship. Now let us observe how remarkably God confirmed their keeping of the first day of the week, and blessed their meeting together upon it for worship: he even sent down that extraordinary effusion of the Holy Ghost upon them, for fitting and furnishing them for the extraordinary work of planting the Christian church, and converting the world. This was a solemn approbation of the Christian Sabbath, and a seal to its institution from heaven, which did confirm all Christians in the celebrating of this day for the future and many times have they experienced the gracious effusions of the Spirit on their public assemblies this day since that time. It is observed by Grotius, upon Exod. xix. 1. That it was on the first day of the week that the law was given in its fearful promulgation from Mount Sinai: but though God made that in some respects a terrible day to them, yet he makes it weekly a joyful day to us, by the comfortable promulgation of the gospel thereupon from Mount Zion.

A second scripture is, Acts xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them," &c. Whence it is plain that the first day of the week was then the stated time for Christians meeting together, for the preaching of the word, and celebrating of the Lord's supper; for this is recorded as their customary known practice. Paul had been at Troas seven days, and consequently was there upon the Jewish Sabbath; but there is no word of any meeting among them on that day. or any other day of the week: but when the first day of the week comes, the church is solemnly convened, and perform the work of the Sabbath on this day. Paul was ready to depart from that place, only he must stay till the first day of the week, that he might meet with the whole church, and preach to them before he leave them; and so, according to their custom, they all assemble together, and he sanctifies the Sabbath with them, by preaching and dispensing the sacrament, and that even till midnight; for they did not soon weary, at that time, of the work and duties of the Lord's day.

A third scripture is, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store," &c. Whence it is plain, that the apostle enjoins the church of Corinth, in conformity with other churches, to make their collections for the poor on the first day of the week. Now, why on the first day of the week and not on the seventh, or any other? but for these reasons : 1. They had their public meeting on this day, and so had more conveniency for gathering their charity on this day, than upon any other. 2. The first day of the week was now come in place of the old Sabbath, on which day collections were made in the Jewish synagogues; for the giving of alms was always reckoned a proper duty for the Sabbath day. But now the apostle will have all the duties of the Sabbath transferred to the first day of the week, and particularly this duty of public charity, there being a peculiar fitness in this day for it, in regard we are called this day to commemorate Christ's infinite charity to our souls, and also to receive new blessings and expressions of bounty from him; and therefore should be the more liberal to his poor saints. I hope there is none that will say that the apostle had not Christ's warrant for what he appointed in this matter; for in this epistle he protests, that "he delivered nothing to them, but what he had received from the Lord, and had his command for ;" see 1 Cor. xi. 23. and xiv. 43. It is as clear as light, from the foresaid testimony, and many others, that the primitive Christians had their assemblies on the first day of the week, which they would not have had without the apostles' direction; nor would the apostles have determined so, without knowing the mind of Christ.

A fourth scripture is, Rev. i. 10. where John saith of himself, that "he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day :" which, to be sure, is no other than the Christian Sabbath, getting the denomination from our Lord Jesus Christ, and his rising from the dead thereupon, and frequent meetings with his disciples this day; and to the present time it still retains this title of the Lord's day, being a day specially instituted for the honour of our Lord, and consecrated for his service and worship. The apostle wrote this book near the end of the first century, and calls this day by that name which it commonly got then, and speaks of it as a day uni

versally known and remarkable for the Christians' observation of it. The apostle at this time was banished into the isle of Patmos by Domitian the emperor, where probably he wanted the opportunity of public assemblies on this day; yet he is employed in sanctifying the Lord's day in a private way; he is in the Spirit, i. e. in a spiritual frame, and taken up in spiritual exercises, meditation and prayer (which are proper duties for the Sabbath) and the Lord rewards this his conscientious regard to this day, with the revelation of these great things which were afterwards to fall out to the church to the end of the world.

Moreover, it is observable, that the Lord puts his name on this day; for the Holy Ghost calls it here the Lord's day, and that for these reasons: 1. Because of its deriving its institution from him: so the prayer dictated by him, is called the Lord's prayer; the sacrament of his supper, instituted by him, is called the Lord's supper.

2. It is called the Lord's, because of his special propriety in it. He hath separated and set it apart from common use, and consecrated it wholly to his use and service: so the sacrament is called the Lord's table, because of its being consecrated for holy uses, and so set apart and distinguished from all other tables.

3. Because of its being dedicated to his honour and memory, being the day in which he conquered death, got a total victory, and triumphed over all his enemies.

4. It is called the Lord's day, because the Lord Jesus Christ, his person and mediation, is the principal subject of this day.

VII. Another argument for the observation of the Christian Sabbath, may be drawn from the constant and uuinterrupted practice of all Christ's churches through the world since the apostles' days: they have all continued to observe the Lord's day for holy worship. All the ancient fathers and Christians had the Lord's day in great esteem, and made it a badge of their religion, to observe it carefully; as appears from the writings of Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, &c. Ignatius, that ancient father, who lived so near Christ's times, in his epistles, highly recommends the Lord's day: "Let every one that loveth Christ, saith he, observe the first day of the week, the Lord's day, as the queen of all days." It is a remarkable saying of Augus»

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tine, "As the Virgin Mary was bless so is the first day of the week blessed

VIII. The consciences of men plea thority of the Lord's day. Surely it is preme Lord and Sovereign of men's c rects this his deputy in men, to excit closely to the observation of this day, a and smite them so sharply for the neg of it. And indeed there is no sin t commonly accuses wicked men of, that Lord's day. And hence it is, that m their last hour, when most serious, do it: acknowledging that their Sabbathleading sin, and the occasion of all the courses; having provoked God to lea them up to the lust of their own hearts the devil. Clark, in his second volume us of one Thomas Savage, (a young mar at Ratcliff, October 28, 1668, for murde vant,) that whilst he was in prison, cri came to visit him, after this manner: was! I studied how I might spend the devil's work; at that time when I sho ving God, I was busiest in serving Satar the Sabbath came, for then I had leisure and pleasures. I sometimes went into never staid the time of a whole sermon. who spent the Sabbaths in hearing and ed on them as the veriest fools in the wo men from me, that Sabbath-breaking is costly sin," &c.

Turner, on Providence, gives an accou Kirk, vintner, executed at Tyburn, July dering his wife, who in his confession quent profanation of the Lord's day: day, saith he, I committed the heinous my poor wife." Thus one sin was punis Sabbath-breaking with murder, and that Likewise, he tells of another, executed M theft; who in his confession said, "Tha est desire, that all young men especially,

not to mispend the Lord's day? And

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