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fame day. 2. That place in Leviticus, concerning the celebration of the Sabbath from evening to evening, hath a reference only unto a ceremonial Sabbath, or day of atonement, on the tenth day of the feventh month, wherein the Ifraelites were to afflict their fouls; but it hath not a reference unto the weekly Sabbath.

Q. 8. How do you prove by the fcripture that the weekly Sabbath doth begin in the morning?

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A. That the weekly Sabbath is to begin in the morning, is evident, 1. By Exod. xvi. 23. This is that which the Lord hath faid, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.' If the Sabbath had begun in the evening, Moles would have faid, This evening doth begin the reft of the Sabbath; but he faith, To-morrow is the rest of the Sabbath. 2. Moft evidently it doth appear, that the Sabbath doth begin in the morning and not in the evening, by Matth. xxviii. 1. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to fee the fepulchre.' If the end of the Jewish Sabbath, were not in the evening, when it began to grow dark towards the night, but when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, which muft needs be towards the morning, and in no rational fenfe can be interpreted of the evening; then the Sabbath did also begin in the morning, and not in the evening, for the beginning and ending must needs be about the fame time. But the former is evident from this place, concerning the Jewish Sabbath's ending; and therefore confequently concerning its beginning. 3. Further, it is also faid in this place, that the first day, which is the Chriftian Sabbath, did begin towards the dawning, as it grew on towards light, and not as it grew on towards darknefs; therefore the Chriftian Sabbath doth begin in the morning 4. Moreover, the refurrection of Chrift, in commemoration of which the Chriftian Sabbath is obferved, was not in the evening, but early in the morning. Mark xvi. 9. Now when Jefus was rifen early, the first day of the week ;' therefore the Sabbath is to begin in the morning. 5. If the Sabbath did begin in the evening before, it would end in the evening after; and it would be lawful for men to work in

their callings, or to go their recreations, on the evening of the Sabbath, which furely would be very unfuitable after the holy employments of that day.*

* Others differ from the author respecting the time when the holy Sabbath begins. Notwithstanding his opinion on the subject, they think it evident, that, according to God's computation of time, the day originally began at evening. That time, as it relates to the existence of this world, and the things of it, began in darkness, is evdent from Genesis i. 2. The darkness was succeeded by light, and the darkness and succeeding light constituted the first day. Therefore Moses says, The evening and the morning were the first day. The second day began in the same manner; and the mode of reckoning is the same throughout the six days on which the heavens and the earth were made. Accordingly, the Jews, as there is sufficient reason to conclude, began their Sabbath at evening. It was expressly required, that the Sabbath to be observed on the yearly day of the atonement, should begin and end at evening, Levit. xxiii. 32. This Sabbath was to be as strictly and sacredly observed as the weekly Sabbath; and no reason is either mentioned, or to be discovered, why it should begin at a different hour. And as the whole of the day, like the weekly Sabbath, was to be sacredly observed as a day of rest, the language of the command, From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath,' naturally conveys the idea, that they were both to begin and end this, at the same hour as they did the weekly Sabbath.

We find, also, great reason to conclude, that, while our Savior was on earth, the Jews actually did, both begin and end the weekly Sabbath at evening. It is repeatedly mentioned, that the Jewish rulers took offence at people's coming to be healed, and at Christ's healing them on the Sabbath. For this reason we may conclude it was, that, on the evening succeeding the Sabbath day, when the sun was set, people brought their sick and diseased to Christ to be healed, as is mentioned, Matth. viii. 16. Mark i. 32. and Luke iv. 40. Hence we have sufficient reason to believe, that the holy Sabbath under the former dispensation, began at evening; that this was agreeable to the divine computation of days and time from the beginning; and as Christ never reproved the Jews for beginning and ending the Sabbath at evening, this manner of reckoning the day was agreeable to the command and will of God.

If we consider it as having been once established by the Deity, as it is thought we may, that the holy Sabbath should begin at evening, in the same manner as it is clear days originally began, holy time must still begin at evening, unless the time of its commencement be varied, either by an express divine command, or so evident an example of inspired men as is of equal authority. Only God himself can so sanctify time, as to oblige us to abstain from that business which is lawful on other days, and employ it in his immediate worship. And when it is established by him what portion of time

Q.9. Is this fourth commandment, concerning the keeping of the Sabbath, ceremonial or moral ?

A. Though the commandments which the Lord laid upon the Ifraelites, for the obfervation of other Sabbaths,

shall be thus sanctified, and when it shall begin and end, neither the portion of time, nor the beginning or ending of it, can be varied by any other authority than that of God. But we have no divine authority in either of the forementioned ways, for varying the time of beginning the Sabbath, from what had been originally established by him, who is Lord of it.

We have sufficient evidence, from considerations which need not now be mentioned, that the first and not the seventh day of the week is to be observed as the Christian Sabbath. Of this change from the seventh to the first day of the week, it is generally supposed the ápostle gives intimation in the 4th to the Hebrews. But nothing is there said to intimate, that the Sabbath should begin at a different hour of the day from what it did before. As there is nothing said in the word of God, so neither do we find any thing in the example of the apostles, which would give us any reason to suppose, that the Christian Sabbath is to begin at a different hour of the day from that on which the Jewish Sabbath formerly began. We read, indeed, that on the evening succeeding the day on which Christ rose from the grave, which was on the first day of the week, the apostles met together; and so on the eighth day after. But we are told that they were together on the first of these evenings for fear of the Jews. But that they considered neither of them as holy time, or any part of the Sabbath, is evident from the consideration, that they had yet no idea, nor had they, till after the next succeeding Pentecost, that the Sabbath was to be changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. That Paul preached to the disciples at Troas, on the first day of the week, and continued his speech until midnight, and even until break of day, is no evidence that either he or they considered this evening as a part of the Sabbath. He was then on his way to Jerusalem, expecting never to see them again. That he should, on such an occasion, continue his speech until late in the evening can be no evidence that he considered it as part of the Sabbath.

Neither does the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, be it at whatever hour of the day, afford any evidence, that the evening succeeding the day, and not that preceding, ought to be observed as holy time. Were the particular time of Christ's resur rection to decide on what hour the Sabbath is to begin, the precise time on which this great event took place, would certainly have been made known. For as God only can sanctify time, and deter. mine which day of the seven shall be kept holy to him, he only can decide at what particular hour of the day the Sabbath shall begin. This would no more be left to the wisdom of men to determine, than the particular day of the week, which should be observed as a

were ceremonial and abrogated, and not to be observed by Christians; yet this fourth commandment, concerning the weekly Sabbath, was moral and binding upon all nations, and that throughout all generations.

Q. 10. How doth it appear that the fourth commandment was moral and not ceremonial?

A. The morality of the fourth commandment doth appear, 1. From the time of the Sabbath's first institution, which was in Paradife, in the state of innocency, before there was any ceremony. 2. From all the arguments made ufe of to back it, which are perpetual, and not ceremonial. 3. Because it is placed in the midst of the Decalogue, or ten commandments, and all the other nine are moral, and therefore this too; and with the rest it was written by God on tables of stone, which fheweth the perpetuity of it. 4. Because the Gentiles were required to obferve this, the ftranger as well as others; but they were not under the ceremonial law. 5. From the testimony of Chrift. Matth. xxiv. 20. Pray ye that flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.' This flight was to be at the deftruction of Jerufalem, in Vefpafian's time, when all ceremonies were abolished; and yet then our Savior fpeaks of the Sabbath in force, which would aggravate their grief, if they fhould be forced to break it.

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LIX. Queft. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath ?

Anfw. From the beginning of the world to the refurrection of Christ, God appointed the feventh day of the

Sabbath. To suppose, therefore, that the simple event of the resurrection of Christ, when the hour on which it took place is quite unknown, should be a reason for altering the beginning of holy time, is to leave that to the decision of human wisdom, which it is the prerogative of God alone to decide. It is to leave it to the judg ment of men, at what particular hour holy time shall begin. Hence it may safely be concluded, that, if the resurrection of Christ had been designed to vary the hour on which the Sabbath is to begin, the precise time of the day, on which he rose, would have been made known.

For these reasons, it is supposed, that the mode of computing time, and sanctifying the Sabbath from evening to evening, originally established by divine authority, is to be invariably observed, by the church, under the gospel dispensation.

week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week ever fince, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Chriftian Sabbath.

Q. I. Is the feventh day of the week always to be kept as holy, and the weekly Sabbath unto the Lord?

A. The feventh day in number is always to be kept as holy, and the weekly Sabbath; the feventh part of our time being God's due, and by virtue of this commandment, to be feparated from common ufe, and employed in his worship, and more immediate fervice, every week: but the seventh day in order from the creation, is not neceffary always to be obferved as a Sabbath, it being in the power of God, who appointed the seventh in order, to alter that order at his pleasure.

Q. 2. Which day of the feven did God at first appoint to be the weekly Sabbath?

A. God did at first appoint the feventh day in order to be the weekly Sabbath; "Six days fhalt thou labor, and do all which thou haft to do, but the feventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work," &c.

Q.3. Wherefore did God appoint the feventh day at first to be the weekly Sabbath?

A. God did at first appoint the feventh day to be the weekly Sabbath, because it was the day of his rest from his works of creation, that thereon men might reft from their works, and remember his : "For in fix days God made heaven and earth, the fea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day," &c.

Q4. When did God first appoint the feventh day to be the Sabbath?

A. God did appoint the feventh day to be the Sabbath, immediately after the firft creation. Gen. ii. 3. ‹ And God bleffed the feventh day, and fanctified it.'

2.5. Was the Seventh day obferved as the weekly Sabbath, before God wrote the commandment for its obfervation on tables of Stone in the mount, which he delivered unto Mofes ?

A. It is more than probable that this feventh day was obferved all along by the true worshippers of God, as the other precepts of the law were obferved, though no mention be made thereof in the short history of the affairs of

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