The Apostles, infallible guides in Religion, being commissioned and immediately qualified and inspired by the Redeemer.
2 THESSALONIANSii. 15.
Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our Epistle.
The wordtraditions,here, means those orders, truths, doctrines, or ordinances which the Apostles, under the guidance and special direction of the holy Ghost, delivered to the Churches planted and formed by them.Traditionis what is transmitted from one to another, to guide and direct Christians, either in their belief or conduct. Two ways did the Apostles of our Lord employ in making known the mind and will of God to the Churches which were formed by them, in various parts of the world. And they gathered Churches and settled Ministers in almost all quarters of the then known world. These two ways were bywordandEpistles,by public discourses or by private conferences, and by written Epistles. And the text is an exhortation to the Thessalonian Christians, and inthem, to all Christians in all ages and Countries, where the Gospel in the course of divine providence should be preached, to be firm and unshaken in their adherence to the truth, duties, doctrines, and ordinances of the Apostles, whatever dangers might threaten, difficulties arise, or temptations assault.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by our word, or our Epistle.TheirwordandEpistletaught one and the same Religion, without the least difference or a single contradiction.
What is proposed, in the progress of this discourse, is to prove that the Apostles areinfallibleguides in religion, being commissioned, and immediately qualified and inspired by the Redeemer.
In order that my meaning in this proposition may be fully comprehended, it will be necessary to state, a little more at large, the idea intended to be illustrated and established in the present discourse. It is this: We as christians, are invariably to adhere to, and abide by Apostolic traditions, using the word, in the sense of the text; or by their precepts and examples. Jesus Christ, the author of the Gospel-dispensation, and head over all things to the Church, invested them with full power and authority to order, to arrange, and to directinfallibly,in all the concerns of the Churches: in the doctrines which we are to receive, as the articles of our Creed: in the duties to be performed by us, in all our various relations: and in the ordinances to be attended upon by us. They omitted no truth which they were to deliver. They preachedno doctrine, which their divine Master, had not given them in charge to preach. They observed, as astandingordinance, no institution, which he did notexpresslyappoint, or order them to observe. They were, moreover, secured from error both in doctrine and discipline. They never were mistaken or deceived respecting any points of the Religion, which our Lord came from heaven to erect. His kingdom is not of this world. It is like no worldly kingdom. It is injured, and its original purity and glory are defaced, whenever it is incorporated with any civil forms of government. In this kingdom, the Apostles acted altogether under their king. They taught nothing contrary to his mind. They practised, in things divine, or as inspired builders, nothing, which the great Master-builder did not approbate. We are tobuildupon the foundations of the prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. We are safe, then, and only safe, when we take the Apostles for ourinfallibleguides in thefaith, order, worship,andinstitutionsof our Churches. We are tobuildupon their foundation. They spake as they weremovedby the holy Ghost. They were endowed with hismiraculousgifts. They had such evidence of it, as was to themintuitive. And they could prove it to others, by the works, which they wrought.—As believers in a divine Revelation, we cannot be consistent with ourselves, if we admit that the Apostles orinspiredpenmen of the New-Testament, weremistaken,or actedwithoutauthority from their Lord, in any thing delivered by them; or observedstatedlyby them. To admit that they might noteither know the mind of Christ; or knowing it, were ever neglectful of it, is at once to give up all divine Revelation. If we may say that, inonepoint, they acted asweakandmistakenmen. Others may say they did inotherpoints with equal propriety. How then is it possible to know what to hold, or what to give up? The whole must either be retained, or rejected. There is no selecting. If the Apostles, in their example and precepts, had not full power and ample authority, then we are under no obligations to keep, for instance, thefirstday of the week as the Sabbath, or holy time, becausethey did,or to receive any of their doctrines orordinances,or to follow any of theirdirections.Of course, we must reject all the scriptures, except our Lord’s ownparticulardiscourses.—Let us, then, enquire after the authority of the Apostles. In the words now before us, St. Paul commands us to adhere,strictlyandexactlyto what he delivered to the Churches.Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold to the traditions as ye have been taught.There is a peculiar force in the wordsstand fast.The meaning it to be firm: be fixed: never give up, deny, or depart from; but invariably keep to all that you have been taught by us, the Apostles of our common Lord.—To the Corinthian Christians, he has a similar direction.Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things and keep theordinancesas I delivered them unto you.The arguments to prove that the Apostles are ourinfallibleguides in Religion, being commissioned and inspired by the Redeemer, may be comprised in these six. They were his chosen witnesses to the world.—They received their commission from him.—The divine spirit was their perfect director.—Miraculous workswere done by them.—They required intire submission to their teachings.—And they took care to commit the Gospel to writing—and the Gospel-ministry to faithful men, commanding them to deliver sound doctrine, and to shun all doctrines which they had not delivered.
1stly. They were hischosenwitnesses to the world. It seems to have been not only expedient, but necessary, that our Lord should have some chosen or special witnesses of his life, doctrines, works, and sufferings. These were indeed open to the view of all. The whole Jewish nation could not but know them. His mighty works were not done in a corner, or before a few partial and interested friends. They were done on the most public occasions, before all classes of people, enemies as well as friends. He did not retire to some private apartment to work his miracles, taking with him two or three particular adherents and then ordertheseto publish them abroad. But notwithstanding the open and public nature of his mighty works, it was necessary that he should chuse a certain number of persons to accompany him constantly, through the whole course of his Ministry, to be to the ends of the earth, his faithful witnesses. They were to transmit to the latest ages a genuine account of his holy life, his heavenly doctrines, and the nature and end of the Gospel-dispensation.These witnesseshe calledApostles.And he took them from the ordinary ranks of life, in order to cut off all occasion of objecting against his religion as the work and contrivance of man. They were illiterate. They were, also, destitute of riches. Had he selected hisApostlesfrom, among the great, the rich, and the learned,their success, in preaching his Gospel, would have been imputed to human and natural causes. Once only did he, during his Ministry, send these chosen disciples to preach to the Jews. He kept them with him, to instruct them fully into all the concerns of his kingdom, that they might be under the best possible advantages to testify of him, and his doctrines, and life. But he did not leave the people destitute of the means of knowledge. He pitied them. He accordingly provided for their instruction in the truth, by appointingseventy disciplesto preach the glad tidings of life eternal, through the whole province of Judea. He chosetwelveApostles, doubtless in allusion to the number of tribes, into which the people of Israel were divided. And the conjecture that theseventywere appointed, in allusion to the number of thegreat councilof the nation, thesanhedrin,is founded in probability. The apostles, then, were appointed tobear witness forChrist to all the world. They were to testify, every where, to all hedid,and to all hesufferedas Saviour: his holy life, his divine doctrines, his wonderful miracles, his bitter passion, his cruel death, his glorious resurrection, his triumphant ascension. They were always about his person. And they were with him, duringthat interesting,thatmarvelous,thatinstructiveperiod, offortydays from his resurrection to his ascension. During this term, our Lord gave them all the light and information, about their duty, and his kingdom, which they needed. Happy Apostles to converse, for forty days together, with a risen Saviour! He said every thing to them, that was needful, to convince them, to confirm them—to enlighten them—to console them—and to arm them to meet dangersand difficulties in their arduous work. He taught them in all that was requisite they should be taught.To whom he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.They were eyewitnesses of his ascension. They saw him taken up from the earth. A cloud, miraculously prepared, received him.For while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.They wereappointedto be witnesses of the truth of these things. Christ tells them, particularly, that they were to bear witness of these things to all the world.And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.They only, of all men, were qualified to be witnesses of these things; for they had seen them, and heard them: they had constantly accompanied him, during his Ministry. They knew all those things, as well as it is possible for man to know any thing, which he sees with his eyes, or hears with his ears. Even at the very time of Christ’s ascension he tells them,ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
2ndly. They received their commission from himimmediately.If we attend to the commission which our Lord gave them, we shall see how clear the evidence is, that they areinfallibleguides in things of Religion, indoctrines, duties, truths, and ordinances.They were sent by Christ to proclaim pardon and salvation, and to set up his church among all nations. He told them what to expect, in the discharge of their duty—that the disciplewas not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord:—that hethat receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me:on the other hand,he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.They bore his name, acted under his authority, and delivered his messages. They preached his doctrines, and not their own opinions. They celebrated his ordinances, not their own institutions. They never went beyond his will, or neglected it. When they speak; I hear the voice of the Lord. When they acted in matters of church-order and discipline; I feel, that it is precisely the same as if the Mediator himselfbid usto do the like. During his personal Ministry, he once sent them through the whole land of Judea, to proclaim from city to city the glad tidings of pardon and salvation. They had alargercommission after his resurrection. They had power to carry the gospel of his kingdom amongallnations, and to collect Churches. Their commission is as full as it can be.Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo! I am with you always even unto the end of the world.In these words we have theexpressinstitution of the ordinance of Christian Baptism. Public worship and the Gospel-Ministry, we are here told, are to be continued unto theendof the world. They, the Apostles, were to go amongallnations without any distinction of Jew or Gentile, bond or free, barbarian or scythian.Wherefore there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncircumcision, barbarian, or scythian, bond or free; but Christ is all and in all.Theywere to bring them all, if possible, to embrace the Gospel. They were togatherChurches: toordainMinisters: toappointall the orders of the Churches—to teach them what to believe—toelect deacons—and lay down the plan of worship and discipline. The whole forty days their Lordwas withthem, from his resurrection to his ascension, he wasteachingand directing them. He spake ofthings pertaining to his kingdom.All power in heaven and on earth was his: and he gave them all the authority which could be needful. He failed not to furnish themcompletelyfor their work. And what he imparted to them, that they communicated, and no more. They made no additions of their own. How remarkable are these words, in their commission,teaching them to observeallthings, whatsoever I havecommandedyou!They taught nothing of their own. They were the mere instruments or organs by whom Christ spake.
3dly. The divine spirit was theirperfectdirector inallthings, both as to doctrine and discipline. They delivered thewholecounsel of God, and nothing but the counsel of God. They kept back nothing; they omitted nothing through fear of man; nor advanced any opinions of their own to gain the favour or affection of any man; or body of men.Wherefore,says the Apostle Paul,I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto youallthe counsel of God.They never taught anyfalsedoctrine, or went into anywrongpractices, or set up anyinstitutionswithout a divine warrant. Their precepts and their example, consequently, are binding upon all Christians. Neither may be disregarded.Both are to be followed, for they were divinely inspired. No other men, since the holy oracles were completed, ever were divinely inspired; or ever will be. Those whom God inspires, aresafe guides; areperfectguides in things pertaining to his kingdom. They areinfallibleguides, because our Lord, in the most express manner, promised them such guidance, aid, and constant direction of his spirit, as should befullysufficient:—Such as should effectually secure them from all error in doctrine, faith, and worship. He often promised this infallible direction or aid. And he did not fail to make good his gracious promise. They were never without the special and infallible teachings of the spirit of truth. John xiv. 16, 17.I will pray the father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever: even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive.verse 26.But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.—Here is a full proof that the Apostles had such assistances and teachings from the spirit, as rendered them infallible guides to the Churches; to all mankind.He shall teach youallthings, and bring to your remembrancewhatsoeverI have said unto you.They could not, accordingly, mistake in any point; or omit: or forget any thing. Again—John xvi. 13, 14.Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. He shall not speak of himself: butwhatsoeverhe shall hear, that shallhe speak.The spirit was to guide them into alltruth—to enable them to foresee future events. How full are these promises! If we can believe any thing; we must admit that the Apostles, enjoying those extraordinary and miraculous assistances, are infallible guides in Religion. Those promises now cited, and all others of a like tenor, are peculiar to the Apostles, and in their full latitude apply to no others. No christian or Minister has any right to them, or can apply them to himself, without high impropriety. They prove, as clearly as words can, that the Apostles were secured from all error of doctrine or discipline, and rendered as infallible in their teaching, directing, and guiding mankind, as completely as ifChrist himselfhad been personally present with them, to tell them always what to do, and what to teach. Nay, farther, they were commanded not to take one step in their arduous work of spreading the glories of the Gospel-kingdom until these very promises were fulfilled in them; until baptised of the holy Ghost, or endowed with his miraculous inspiring influence.And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endowed with power from on high.
4thly. Miraculous works were done by them. All inspired men are enabled to give public and occular demonstration that they are inspired. Those who claim to be inspired, but have no power to work miracles, are impostors; and ought always to be looked upon by their fellow-men as deceivers. Miracles are the testimony of God himself set to the doctrines and instructions of inspired teachers, as a seal. Thealwise, and infinitely gracious God, who always acts with perfect rectitude, never inspires any to be his messengers to reveal his will, without enabling them to exhibit proper testimonials that he has sent them. For it is at our peril to listen, a moment, to such as claim any immediate communications from him, without evidence. Whom he calls or sendsimmediately,he always empowers to show the needful tokens, lest we should be deceived or imposed upon by fraud or artifices. As inspired men, the Apostles, had power to work miracles. They had power imparted to them, to restore to the maimed, new-created limbs—to heal the sick by a word or command—to eject demons by merely ordering them to depart from those possessed with them—to strike dead with a single word—to give life from the dead—to confer the gift of the holy Ghost upon others by laying on the hands—to foretel future events. Such extraordinary powers were a full proof that God had sent them. By these signs, he authorized them as his messengers. All mankind are, consequently, bound to receive them as such, to submit to their directions, and to follow their example in discipline. We may particularly notice the gift of tongues conferred upon the Apostles. Without this, they could not possibly have been furnished to execute the commission which they had received,to go and teach all nations.But they could not teach the Gospel to various nations without understanding their languages. And they could not, by study and human means, supposing them to be favoured with the best, have been such adepts in the various languages, as to preach in them, the glorious truths of the Gospel. But without any study, they could at once, speak to all nationsin their own tongues, the great things of religion. What more striking proof could be exhibited, that God was in truth with them, and had divinely inspired them? We are obliged, therefore, to stand fast, and hold to their traditions, their doctrines and examples. Thus says the Apostle to the Hebrews,How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord himself, and was afterwards confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his will.God bears witness to his servants whom he immediately employs to deliver his messages to the Children of men by miracles.And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.We are to receive no pretender toimmediate inspiration,unless God bear him witness withsignsandwonders.We are never required, as reasonable creatures, to admit any one, ascalledandcommissioned immediatelyof God, unless he be able to prove it to us, bymiraculous powers.
5thly. The Apostles demand entire submission to their teachings. They knew that they were divinely inspired and commissioned by the Redeemer; because they had such miraculous powersconstantly.They could not be self-deceived. They did not mistake a warm and heated imagination, or a spirit of delusion, for inspiration, as many poor deceived persons have done, in various ages of the world; for they had the power of working miracles, to satisfy themselves and all others. We find them, of course, acting agreeablyto this. They set up their example as a rule, as well as their doctrines. Their example or practice, in things of discipline and of Church-order is binding on all Christians, and as obligatory as their precepts. They absolutely commanded all men, wherever they went, to receive their doctrine as the word of God. They had no hesitancy about this. Thus St. Paul.If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write, are the commandments of the Lord.It would be blasphemy in any, but the Apostles to do this. So the Apostle John.We are of God; he that knoweth God, heareth us: he that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.They had a full knowledge of what was false doctrine, and what was true. So far did they carry this, that if any obstinately refused to follow them, and to receive their doctrines, they withdrew all connexion of a religious nature from them—held no communion with them, but cut them off from the society of the faithful.If any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him that he may be ashamed.—Such as dissent, and go off from the plain doctrines of the Apostles are to have a mark set upon them—all intimacy with them is prohibited:note that man, and have no company with him that he may be ashamed.The practice of the Apostles is set up also as binding on all christians, in respect to Church-order and discipline.Be followers together,says one of them, of me,and mark them that walk so as ye have us for an example.Thus in the text.Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle.As much as ifthe Apostle had said, stand fast in the faith, comfort and hope, doctrine, holiness, and profession of the Gospel—and steadfastly maintain the important points of truth and duty, in which ye have been instructed by us, whether by word of mouth, while we were with you, or by this and our former Epistle, which contain an important part of the faith that is delivered to the saints, as theonlystandard ofdoctrines, worship,andobedience.
The Churches, also, let it be farther and carefully remarked, which were formed by the Apostles under their inspection were patterns for all succeeding ages.—But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God.Nay, Christians are commended for strictly adhering to theordinancesof the New Testament-dispensation.Now I praise you, brethren,thatye remember me in all things, and keep theordinances,as I delivered them unto you:the two great Gospel-ordinances delivered unto the Churches, are baptism and the Lord’s Supper.—If any refused to admit Apostolic precept, and Apostolic example, others were commanded to withdraw from them: to treat them as grossly erroneous:—as unfit for communion: as in fact denying the religion of the Gospel.Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after thetraditionwhich ye received of us.The wordtraditionhere is used in a good sense, and means the doctrines, ordinances, and truths delivered by the inspired Apostles. It is a word, indeed, which has been greatly abused. Superstitious people hold to oraltraditionas equallyvalid with thewrittenword of God. And self-confident and impious people call all religion,tradition.
6thly. The Apostles took all due care to commit the Gospel-ministry tofaithful men,commanding them to deliversounddoctrine, and to shunalldoctrines which they had not delivered and penned down, as directed by the holy Ghost.And the things that thou has heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou tofaithfulmen, who shall beableto teach others.To faithful men.Men onlyare to be public teachers. Faithful men, are men of integrity, sound judgment, and seriousness, in the judgment of Charity.—Again they must beableto teach. To beableto teach is to be men of great knowledge—men of learning—men of extensive reading and thought:—Unlearned men are notableto teach. They only pervert scripture, and expose religion to contempt. An ignorant teacher is an absurdity; yet surprising as it is, people have itching ears to heap up such to themselves.—Ministers of the Gospel are commanded to feed their people withsounddoctrine, to give to every one aportionof meat in due season.But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. Sound doctrine,is uncorrupted, true doctrine. We may know whatsound doctrineis, by seeing what the Apostles preached, and most of all dwelt upon. All divine truth issound doctrine.Now if we did not know, or could not find out whatsound doctrineis, we should never be commanded to preach—or to adhere to—or to contend for it. The Apostles have delivered thetruedoctrines of Religion—have laid down thetrueplan of worship. And they were plain Preachers. We do know, we can easily know, what they delivered,as the great and essential doctrines of Christ. They command us all, Ministers, and private Christians, to shun all doctrinesdifferentfrom theirs.Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. Strange doctrines,are such as are not found in scripture, or such as the Apostles delivered not. This command supposes, we can know whatdiversandstrange doctrinesare. For if we could not, it would be fruitless to tell us to avoid them. The Apostles, then, considered themselves as delivering to the world, the onlytruesystem of Gospel doctrines. They did so. They are consequently, to be wholly relied upon, in all things, pertaining to the kingdom of God. Where we can find Apostolic practice or example, in duties and ordinances,statedlyobserved, we are perfectly safe, and only safe in conforming ourselves thereunto.—I have now offered a variety of arguments to prove to all, that the Apostles areinfallibleguides in Religion, being commissioned and inspired by the Redeemer immediately.—I trust the arguments are satisfactory. The subject is not often discussed. It is however a most important one.—And I close the discourse, with this single remark. If the Apostles were not secured by the extraordinary assistances of the divine spirit from all error, in doctrine, discipline, and ordinances, and be not infallible guides—if we may not build, with all possible safety, upon their foundation, we must give up all the scriptureas a cunningly devised fable,and commence unbelievers in any divine Revelation at all.
The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world.
ACTSxx. 7.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.—
There is no part of the Christian Religion, but has had, in one age and another, its enemies. There is no duty of it, however plain or important, but first or last, objections have been made against it, by those who were disinclined to perform it. Neither is there any one of all the Virtues of morality, taken in its true meaning and just extent, which has not been opposed by perverse and wicked men, whose vicious lives, or whose loose principles, made it their supposed interest to dispute or deny its obligation.
We are not, therefore, to be surprised, when we find so plain a point as our obligation to sanctify,and observe as holy time, the first day of the week under the Gospel-dispensation, denied, or reproached as a human invention. For there is indeed nothing, in the Christian Religion, either so obvious, or so excellent in its nature, that has wholly escaped censure. This being the case, it becomes us carefully to examine the holy scriptures, to see what they enjoin upon us respecting all parts of our duty to God, as well as to man and to self.——In the present discourse, I shall, in dependence on divine help, make it my business to state, and to dwell upon the evidence from scripture, to prove that the first day of the week is holy time, and set apart by Christ, to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world.—
In the arguments, which may be adduced and illustrated, the divine authority of the writings of the Old and New Testament, will be taken for granted. Such only as believe in them, it is expected, will yield to the force of arguments drawn from them.—It is proper, likewise, just to remark here, before we enter upon the proposed proof, that if we reject the Old Testament, we may as well, and must if self-consistent, reject the New. For if one be divinely inspired, the other must be also. If one be false, or spurious, the other is also. Both, therefore, must stand or fall together, because they are intimately connected:—and so intimately connected, that both are either true or false. This every one will allow, who has carefully and diligently read and compared them, or taken proper pains to see their connexion. This connexion has been evinced by several very able and judicious writers.—Let it be further remembered, that nothing inthe Old Testament is done away, but the positive or ceremonial part:—The moral part is as much in force, now, as ever. It never indeed can be repealed.—We have our Lord’s own words to bear us out in this assertion. He tells us most expressly, thathe came not to destroy the law and prophets but to fulfil them—or to confirm them.
As the subject before us has been a good deal debated in the world, and is of a most important and interesting nature, it is hoped the hearer will give not only a candid, but a critical attention. The more critical, the better; for I am persuaded, that no part of truth or Religion will suffer by the closest inspection, or most severely critical examination.—We want and wish for no assistance from superstition to befriend the glorious cause of the christian religion. If it cannot stand upon its own broad basis, and do not recommend itself, by its own superlative excellence and reasonableness, let it fall; and let its enemies triumph.—We invite them to examine:—We urge them to a free and fair enquiry.—
In the words now read, St. Luke, the writer of the history of the Acts of the Apostles, gives us an account of public worship, as conducted by the inspired Apostles; the time when it was attended upon, and the different exercises of which it was composed. The time when, was the first day of the week, or what has generally been called, the Christian Sabbath. The Preacher, who was the apostle Paul, delivered a discourse to the professing Christians, who had assembled together to keep as holy time, the first day of the week. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated as a divine ordinance. They broke bread sacramentally.St. Paul administered the sacramental supper. And they had such comfort and sweet experience of God’s presence and blessing, that the exercises of public worship were protracted to an unusual length.—Herewe have the example of the Apostles, and their converts to the Gospel, for keeping as holy time, the first day of the week.—The first day of the week appears from these words to have been the common time for public worship. For the historian speaks of their coming together, not as an occasional, butstatedassembling. The very manner, in which he speaks of their meeting for public worship, must satisfy every candid mind, that it was astatedorcommontime. And most certainly the Apostles would not have ventured of themselves, or from their own power, to set apart, and to observe as sacred, a day for public worship. For this, they had a special order from him, who is head over all things to the Church. Their example in observing, as sacred time, and for public worship, the first day of the week is as binding upon us, as an express precept.
Many excellent and pious books have been written upon the sanctification of the Sabbath—the manner in which it is to be sanctified has been often well described—directions how to do it have been given—motives to induce people to keep it holy unto the Lord have been enlarged upon—and the change of the Jewish into the Christian, the seventh into the first day Sabbath has been, by learned Divines, clearly proved.—Much indeed hath been said and written concerning the Sabbath; and well said and well written. But the enquiry we propose now to consider, is whether it be themindandwillof God, that under theGospel-dispensation there should be anydistinctionof days, or any time set apart asholy? This is seldom discoursed upon. It is however a very interesting question, and worthy of a careful attention.—When I cast my eye upon some few writers, who have employed their time and abilities to disprove the morality of the Sabbath, and to diminish the regards of Christians to it, I feel a deep sorrow. How unhappy that the mind should be puzzled and confounded by such writings! And how hurtful to religion is every attempt to dissuade people from esteeming the Lord’s day, asholytime. For if the Sabbath be once generally looked upon, as a human device, it will of course be neglected.—One writer, in a system of moral philosophy, which he saw fit to publish, has laboured to make it appear, that the Sabbath is not a divine institution. This single thing will tend much to injure the Churches, and to corrupt the public morals.——
In order to do justice, as far as we are able, to the subject before us:—we will begin our enquiry with the original institution of a Sabbath, or a seventh proportion of time, set apart from the common concerns of life, to religious purposes.
1stly. A sabbath is a day of sacred rest. The meaning of the word is rest; and it necessarily presupposes labour and toil as preceding it. A Sabbath day is a day of rest—a rest in God, or devoted to him, to his fear and service. The great question is when was such a dayfirst appointed? Reason teaches us that we ought publicly to worship and serve God, the fountain of life and being. If it teach us this, it will teach us that some particular time, or day should beappointed to the important duty. It cannot inform us what portion of time, or what day. After we are told that God has set apart a seventh proportion of time, it consents to such a portion or part of time as altogether suitable. We cannot suppose that when God made man, that he would leave him without any assistance or direction about the time, when, he should worship and serve him. As he made him a rational being, so he would take care to favour him with all necessary guidance and instruction about his duty to him. And we accordingly find he was particularly attentive to him, to fix his duty, and point him to his only happiness. For man is only happy, when intent upon duty. If we turn to the Book of Genesis, ii. 1, 2, 3. We shall find that the Sabbath was appointed immediately upon finishing the great work of creation. As soon as God had made the heavens and earth, and had formed man in his own image, he instituted the Sabbath, not for his own, but for man’s benefit.Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made: and God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it, he had rested from all his work, which God created and made.There are three words here used respecting the seventh day. Godrestedon the seventh day: heblessedit, andsanctifiedit. No one can be so absurd and foolish as to imagine that the Supreme Jehovah wanted rest, because fatigued with the labour of Creation. With infinite ease, did he speak the whole Universe into existence. And it might have been instantly done, or all in a moment, in the twinklingof an eye, as well as in six days, if it had been the divine pleasure. He had important ends in view, in employing six days in the formation of the heavens and earth, as he hath in all his conduct.The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, nor is weary.As therefore he was not fatigued or worried with labour, he needed norestas to himself. The wordresthere cannot mean eternal rest, or his own divine happiness, because in this sense of the word God always rested; for he was completely blessed from all Eternity. His happiness is the same from everlasting to everlasting. The meaning of hisrestingon the seventh day—blessingit—andsanctifyingit, is setting it apart to religious uses, as a day in which his blessing may be hoped for eminently. To sanctify a day, is to distinguish it from others—to consecrate it to holy purposes. And his resting on the seventh day is an example to man, after six days of labour, to set apart to religious uses, the seventh. There are some circumstances respecting the original institution of the Sabbath worthy of notice. It was appointed as soon as God had ended the work of creation. It is the veryfirst institutionorexpresslaw of God. As soon as he had formed man, he gave him the law of the Sabbath: and he gave it to him because he had finished the work of creation. This is particularly expressed. The very institution of the day pointed out the use of it:—it was to lead man’s thoughts to the author of nature, to remember with gratitude and reverence the works of creation—to fix his mind upon God as the only object of religious homage and praise—and to keep him from Idolatry, and impiety. It was necessary that man should have atimeordained for worshippingand particularly glorifying his Maker. He was planted in Paradise. And Creation was filled with the glory of the Lord. It spake forth in silent language his praise. But man was not to be an idle spectator of the wonders of the divine workmanship. His business was to adore and rejoice in the fulness of his portion: to eye with rapturous delight the power that formed him, and spread around him in such rich profusion the beauties of nature. The Sabbath was ordained to furnish him with thestatedopportunity, and to remind him of the duty of worshipping his Creator. God saw that he needed such an institution, though perfectly innocent; and though brought into existence in a state of complete maturity of reason and judgment. The Sabbath was appointed before sin had entered the world, and defaced the divine image in man. If man, in his primitive state of rectitude, and when sin had found no place in his heart, needed a day of rest in God—or a seventh part of time to be consecrated to the great exercises of religious homage, how much more does he now, in his fallen state?
There is but one objection that was ever raised, against the belief that the Sabbath was appointed at the close of creation, before man apostatised, and that is the account here in Genesis ii. 1, 2, 3 of the very appointment of the Sabbath, was inserted by way of anticipation; or that Moses mentions it in his narrative too soon. This is the same thing as to charge the sacred historian with inaccuracy. It is to say, he was incorrect, and made an unhappy mistake. And if the Sabbath was not instituted in Paradise, he indeed is extremely incorrect, and injudicious to mention the appointment ofit more than two thousand years before it took place; as he did, if it were not instituted till the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, as is alledged by some. The only reason they offer for supposing the Sabbath isherespoken of, by way of anticipation, is the silence of the Scripture upon the subject, till we come down to the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt. They pretend not that it was unnecessary. That man needed it not.—Besides, whoever duly attends to the manner, in which the fourth Commandment is worded, will be compelled to admit that it refers to this original paradisaical institution of the Sabbath. The reference is very obvious.Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the Sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.In these words, Moses refers us back, in the plainest manner possible, to theoriginalappointment of the Sabbath, at the finishing of the work of creation.—It is true that we find noexpressmention of a Sabbath observed from Adam to Moses, a space of two thousand and five hundred years. But that there was one observed is probable. For it is not likely, that a merciful and gracious God would leave man for so long a period without setting apart some stated time for his worship, by his express authority. He revealed his will, in small degrees, from period to period, in the early ages of the world. Therewere pious peoplethento serve him. For he always had a seed to serve him, in the world, and to bear testimony to the truth. They undoubtedly maintained public worship. And they had stated times and seasons for it. For we read,then began men to call on the name of the Lord.
The account given us of the patriarchs is very short. But there are several things, which make it appear altogether probable, that they observed a day of sacred rest. It is said, Noah sent the dove out of the Ark at the end ofseven days: and again at the end of otherseven days.This intimates at least that he measured time by weeks; and that the end of each week was regarded by him, with some peculiar solemnity. Cain and Abel offered their sacrifice inprocess of time: the original is, in theend of days.While the Children of Israel were in Egypt, andthere,for the first time, observed the passover, Moses commanded that, on the first day of unleavened bread, there should be aholy convocation,a day in which they were to do no manner of work, and were to convene to worship God. And this holy convocation, is called elsewhere theSabbathLev. xxiii. 24, 32, 39. Moses speaks of thisholy convocation,as if they knew what it meant; and had been accustomed, in the house of their bondage, to observe it. About a month after giving the law from Mount Sinai, the Manna fell, as heavenly support to them, in the wilderness; and on the sixth day there fell double the quantity, as on other days. The people were surprised at this event, and could not account for the reason of it. Moses explains it to them, in these words,This is that which the Lord hath said; to-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbathunto the Lord.We know not that God had spoken to them of the Sabbath, but when he had completed the work of creation. Moses addresses them, reasons with them, and reproves them, as if they were well acquainted with the Sabbath. Some have doubted whether they observed any Sabbath in Egypt. Their tyrannical Masters it is true greatly oppressed them. And most likely, forbid them to rest on every returningseventhday. The long time they were in bondage, had mostly destroyed no doubt the remembrance of the Sabbath. But some of them kept it, it is natural to suppose, as well as they could. God in a very solemn manner, renews the appointment of the Sabbath, in the fourth commandment.—It may be of weight here to ask, how the nations in general, in the first ages, and so down through all generations, come to divide and measure their days bysevens,or byweeks? That they do, and have done, all history declares. But no planet or heavenly body directed them to this, or suggested the hint. The celestial bodies measure out years, months, and days; but not weeks. Is not this a circumstance strongly indicative of the original Institution of the Sabbath—and division of time by weeks; that after six days of labour, a day of rest is to be observed?——The learned Grotius tells us, that two of the most ancient writers now extant, speak of the seventh day as sacred. And it is certain that one day in seven has been distinguished among many heathen nations, ancient and modern, with religious ceremonies and festivals. But how comes this? Must it not be conveyed down, from generation to generation, by tradition? Does it not then lead us to a belief, that there was a Sabbath appointed, whenthe world was made? And can we suppose that pious people, from the creation to the flood, and from the flood to the time of Moses, had nofixedday to assemble together for publicly serving and worshipping the Deity? Is this reasonable? Is it probable?—It appears then that the Sabbath was instituted, when God had finished the work of Creation, and was observed, in the world, from Adam to Moses.
Here it is proper to remark, that there is nothing in the fourth Commandment to militate against observing as holy time, the first day of the week. It directs us to keep as holy time, every seventh day.Six days shall thou labour, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.The seventh part of time is here consecrated to God.The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,a day to be kept holy to God, different from all other days. Every day indeed we ought to remember him who is the source of all good. But the seventh after six working days is, in a particular manner, to be kept holy unto God.Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.We never could know from the fourth commandment, where to begin the Sabbath, or where to end the six working days; or when to begin to work or to rest. All that this commandment does, is to appoint for holy uses, the seventh part of time, or one day in seven. And so far, it is moral and not positive. There is a fitness, in the reason of things, that some part of our time, or days should be especially devoted to God, and religious worship; how great a part, or when to begin, or end our day of sacred rest, is left for God to decide by his own appointment; and accordingly ispositive.It will then be asked,how the Jews could know, what day to keep as the Sabbath day, or when to begin, or to end their six days of labour? There was another precept pointing out the precise day. Exo. xvi. 23, 25, 26.And he said this is that which the Lord hath said, to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.This is the first place that we have any mention of the Sabbath, from its institution at the close of creation, which isexpress,though there are some intimations of it, as before observed. The people, three days after they left the banks of the red Sea, where God so gloriously wrought for them, murmured at Marah, because of their thirst. They then came toelim,and thence tosin,on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And here they murmured again, for the want of bread; concluding that they were all to perish with hunger. God, again, by a standing miracle supplied them with food—he rained bread from heaven.—On the sixth day, there were to gather twice as much as on other days, as a supply for the seventh—which was the Sabbath.—Here the day was fixed,whento begin their Sabbath.—When, they had reached Sinai; the moral law was given to them in awful solemnity:—and one part of it, contained the due observation of a seventh part of time. It is then, as fully proved as any thing can be, that the christian Sabbath is, according to the fourth commandment, as much the seventh day, as the Jewish Sabbath. It is observed every seventh day, the seventh from our first working day, as well as theirs. When, therefore, we keep the first day of the week, as holy time, we do, in no sense, go counter to the fourth commandment. To object against thefirst day Sabbath, as a departure from this commandment, bespeaks great ignorance.—And Christ, when he instituted the first-day Sabbath, did not abolish, weaken, or destroy the fourth commandment.—I have dwelt the longer upon the original institution of the Sabbath, in Paradise, because if we can prove that God hath actually set apart a seventh portion of time, from the beginning, it will happily open the way, to establish, beyond all contradiction, that under the New-Testament-dispensation, we have a Sabbath: and if we have, it must be thefirstday of the week, as will be evinced from other arguments.
2dly. When God set apart the people of Israel to be a peculiar people unto himself, he directed them to devote, one day in seven, to him as holy time. In giving them the moral law, as an epitome of all their duty, he took care to insert the law of the Sabbath.Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.The due observation of the Sabbath is placed among the great and essential points of morality. God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. The people were told it was the Sabbath of the Lord their God. It was his day. He had a special interest in it; a peculiar property. It was a day, in which he was to be honoured, the work of Creation commemorated, and their deliverance from a cruel servitude duly noticed. It is prefaced thus,I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and house of bondage.It was a day to be observed by them to distinguish them from other nations, as worshippers of the true God, and to preserve them from Idolatry. The most rigid rules were prescribed for sanctifying it. The most severe penalties were annexed tothe breach of it. A Sabbath-breaker was among the most vile and abominable characters. The whole day was to be devoted to God and Religion. When they kept the day as holy, they were prospered. Calamities and judgments were inflicted upon them, when as a nation, they neglected God’s holy Sabbath. All the prophets who were raised up, one after another, called them to observe the Sabbath, warned them against any contempt of it, and placed the sanctification of the Sabbath upon a footing of equality with the moral Virtues. As the priests were the guardians of the ceremonies and rites of their religion, so the prophets were the restorers, and guardians of moral duty. Their placing the due observation of the Sabbath so high, as a moral duty, is a full proof how they viewed it, and how God viewed it. A violation or profanation of the day was to be punished with awful severity. We find that God’s giving them the Sabbath, is enumerated among his great and signal mercies to them; the wonders of his Goodness, Nehemiah ix. 14.And madeth known unto them thy holy Sabbath.If a mere ceremonial rite, would it be calledGod’s holy Sabbath?God’s giving it unto them, or instituting it, is spoken of, as an instance of his distinguishing kindness. The prophet Ezekiel represents it under the notion of asignbetween God and his people. Ezek. xx. 12, 13.Moreover also, I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me, and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do he shall live in them: and my sabbath they greatly polluted.Here the Sabbath is spoken of, as God’s Sabbath,and a sign between him and his people: as a mean of their religious and moral improvement; of their sanctification. The sin of profaning or neglecting it, is represented as most heinous; and as calling down upon the people the heavy displeasure of the Almighty. Sabbath-breakers were a class of transgressors peculiarly odious to him. See, in what terms of profound respect, the prophet Isaiah speaks of the Sabbath: and how high, in the scale of duty, he placed the due sanctification of it.If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shall honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:—Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.Do the prophets ever speak of mere ceremonial laws or observances in this manner? I appeal to every person, who knows any thing at all about the scriptures. Be pleased only to remark a moment. The people are called upon not to trample under foot the Sabbath—not to find their own pleasure upon it—not to speak their own words, that is, converse about worldly subjects as on other days, not to do their own ways. It is spoken of as God’s day by way of eminence, the holy of the Lord and honourable.—Again; the man who keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, is pronouncedblessed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it: that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it.Isaiah speaking of Gospel-days says that public worship is to be weekly attended upon—and on the Sabbath,as the appointed day.And it shall come to pass from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come before me, saith the Lord.This is a prophesy of Gospel-days. That it is so, every one will be satisfied, who reads it in its connexion. And no words can moreexpresslydeclare that there shall bestatedpublic worship under the Gospel-dispensation; and that it is to be observedweekly—and upon theSabbath,as theappointedday.—The people of God, then, under the Jewish dispensation were to keep the Sabbath, as a day of sacred rest, holy unto the Lord. When they neglected it they were frowned upon—when they strictly observed it, they were smiled upon—it was kept during the whole of that dispensation, till the introduction of christianity.—It was kept from Adam to Moses, and from Moses to Christ. The great original reason for setting it apart for holy purposes, in the beginning, was to remember the Creator and his works: to have asettime to worship and serve him, who is the author of all our mercies—and to cultivate a holy temper of heart, and prepare for a holy happiness after death. The superadded reasons for the people of Israel to keep a sabbath, a weekly day of sacred rest, were their deliverance from a cruel bondage, by the miraculous interpositions of Providence, and the distinguishing kindnesses bestowed upon them—as a people separated to God from the rest of the world.And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.These are the particular reasons why the Jewswere to keep the Sabbath day.—The particular reasons why the Jewish Sabbath was to be kept, have long ago ceased, even when that dispensation, under which the Jews lived, was abolished. Therefore the Jewish Sabbath is done away. But there are particular reasons why Christians, under the Gospel-dispensation, should keep a weekly Sabbath; as well as why the Jews, under their dispensation, should keep a weekly Sabbath.
3dly. There is the same propriety that Christians, under the Gospel, should keep a day of sacred rest, weekly, to remember the work of redemption, as the Jews should, to remember their deliverance from oppression and servitude in Egypt; and much greater, as the former is infinitely more important than the latter, and as the one was only a type of the other. The great reason of the original appointment of a seventh portion of time to be consecrated to religious use, was to commemorate the work of Creation. That there was a Sabbath appointed, in the beginning, none can deny, who are capable of understanding the plainest words, and are not resolved to pervert them; and has also been satisfactorily evinced, I trust, in another part of this discourse. To this primitive institution of the Sabbath before thefallof man, the best expositors suppose our Lord refers, when he says,The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.—We cannot forbear to remark, here, that, in these words, our Saviour does not intimate, in the most distant manner, the abolition of a seventh portion of time to be devoted to pious ends. He expressly says the Sabbath was made for man, for his comfort and benefit—thathe might have a rest. If it ever were really for the good of man, that there should be a weekly Sabbath, it is always for his good—as necessary at one time as another: and under one dispensation as another. Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer, does not hint to us that the surpassing excellence of his religion would render a weekly Sabbath needless—or that all days were to be Sabbaths:—or that his people would be so holy, as to be above keeping any time as holy.
Besides, it is altogether pertinent to argue, as is always done by the friends of the Christian Sabbath, that there is such a day to be kept holy, weekly, to the end of the world, from thegreatnessof the work of Redemption. If it were fit to keep a Sabbath, weekly to remember the work of Creation, it is more fit to keep one in memory of the work of Redemption. Christ, as God, made all things. By the word of his Almighty power he spoke the heavens and the earth into being.—And he appointed a Sabbath to commemorate those works, which are great and marvellous.—But his work of redemption is still more marvellous. Its dimensions cannot be measured. We can only exclaim in devout admiration, O the height, the depth, the length, and breadth of it. All heavens admire and adore. Men may well stand in pleasing astonishment. It is so great and wonderful as to be called a new Creation. And the perfect felicity procured for man by it, is called new heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. When Christ, as Creator, rested from the work of the first Creation, he instituted the Sabbath to commemorate it. When he, as Redeemer, rested from his work of redemption, he instituteda day of restto be kept by all his followers,in memory of it. This is the very argument of the Apostle, Heb. iv. 10.For he that entered into his rest, he hath also rested from his own work: as God did from his.Christ rested from his work, when he arose from the dead, which was on thefirst dayof the week. His humiliation was then finished, and his exaltation begun.The restwhich remains for Christ’s followers is a sabbatism or keeping a Sabbath; a Gospel-Sabbath is then the emblem of the heavenly Sabbath.—God’s people of old were to keep a Sabbath in memory of the work of Creation: And Christians are to keep a Sabbath in memory of the work of Redemption. Christ, then, has a Sabbath in his dispensation. For he is the Lord of the Sabbath. But how could he be the Lord of the Sabbath, if there were none. If, then, God’s antient people of the Jews, were by an express command to keep the Sabbath as a memorial of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage; and if that deliverance were a type of our deliverance from sin, by the work of redemption, it will follow that Christians should keep a Sabbath, weekly, as a memorial of that work.—This is a common argument in favour of the reality of a Sabbath, under the Gospel-dispensation, to be kept to the end of the world; but is as forcible as common. The enemies of the Christian Sabbath may cavil at it, but can never, by all their art and sophistry, overthrow it.—With it, I close the present discourse. Only requesting the hearer, to weigh all that hath been offered, or that shall be, in the next discourse, in the balance of cool deliberate reflection and examination. If the New-Testament hath no Sabbath to be sanctified by the people of God, too long have we already, been attached to a human invention. We must bid it vanish.
The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world.
ACTSxx. 7.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.
I do not know that I can introduce this discourse, more pertinently, than in the words of a pious writer.—“Let any man,” saith he, “show me in the law of the Sabbath, either weakness or unprofitableness, and I yield and bid it vanish. But it hath and will have, as much strength and force as any law can have, from the author, the consent, multitude, custom and express approbation of all ages. Profit it hath too; and that very great; as hath been experienced by serious and well-disposed minds in every age of the world. It is of importance therefore not only to the well being of a Christian, but even to the very being and keeping up of religion in the world.”—If I wished to know the state of religion among a people, or in the heart of a goodman, one of my first questions would be, what attention or regard is paid to the Sabbath. The profane denier or neglector of the Sabbath cannot have any real love to Religion. If he imagine himself to be among the number of the friends of God and the Saviour, he must misjudge concerning himself, and be in a great delusion. A profanation and denial of the Lord’s day bespeak an unrenewed heart.—It is hoped the audience will renew their attention, while the subject before us is resumed.—I proceed to state and dwell upon the arguments, from scripture, to prove that the first day of the week is holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath, unto the end of the world.
We have already, in the former discourse, illustrated three arguments to establish this important point.
1stly. The Sabbath was instituted when God had finished the work of Creation, and was observed in the world from Adam to Moses:
2dly. The people of Israel were to observe and keep it holy unto the Lord:
3dly. If they were to keep the Sabbath as a memorial unto God, of their deliverance from servitude in Egypt, then Christians are to keep a Sabbath as a memorial of the work of redemption, of which deliverance from Egyptian bondage was only a type.—We proceed, now, to argue the institution of the Christian Sabbath from what—
4thly. Is said in prophecy, of a Sabbath to be observed in Gospel-times. The most remarkable passage to this purpose, is the following,The stonewhich the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.These words, all expositors antient and modern, refer or apply to the day of our Lord’s resurrection. When he arose from the dead, and the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea resigned its charge, he was declared to be the head-stone of the corner. He was the stone, which the builders refused. What may convince all that these words are to be thus applied, is that the Apostles thus apply them. And while we interpret Scripture, as they do, we are infallibly right. Our Lord’s resurrection from the dead was evincive of his power; of the truth of his mission:—and it was on the first day of the week.—This is expressly declared by the Evangelists, and was never denied. And this is thedaywhich the Lord made, or constituted, set apart for special uses, which must be the meaning of the word here.This is the day which the Lord hath made; made,—how did he makethis day,the day of Christ’s resurrection? All time is his. The day is his; the night also;—darkness and light are his. If thefirstday of the week be the Lord’s day, in no higher or different sense, how could it be said, with any propriety,this is the day the Lord hath made?The day of Christ’s resurrection is then the Lord’s day, in some eminent, or peculiar way; is adayhe hath made different from any, and all other days.We will rejoice and be glad in it.The reason why God’s people or Church were torejoice and be glad in it,was that the Lord had made it, or appointed and instituted it. It was to be religiously celebrated and observed. Here, then, we have a plain account,in prophesy, of a Sabbath or day to be religiously observed by the people of God after Christ’s resurrection—and upon thevery day;—the first day of the week. For he arose from the dead on that day. This must have great influence to convince all, who are willing to be convinced.—Can any shut their eyes upon the light, which is exhibited to us from this passage? Isaiah, at the very close of his prophesy, says, speaking of the Gospel-dispensation;And it shall come to pass from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord.This certainly implies, that in Gospel-times there shall be a weekly Sabbath, as a stated season of worship for all nations, who enjoy the Gospel.—Again, the same prophet speaking of the Gospel-dispensation, says,blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting.This man is a blessed man. He is happy in himself, and shall be blessed of God. The meaning of this prophesy of Gospel-times and blessings, is this. Under the Christian dispensation, there shall be aweekly Sabbathto the end of the world; and blessed is the person who duly observes it.—It is impossible for us to deny the Christian Sabbath, if we understand these prophecies of Gospel-times and blessings, in their plain and natural sense.——It cannot be the meaning of these prophecies, that the Jewish Sabbath was to be kept, because we have an express account of the abolition of the seventh-day Sabbath. All may be convinced that the seventh day Sabbath is abrogated from Rom. xiv. 5 and 6—compared with Col. ii. 16, 17.One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks, and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.—Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is Christ.And Gala. iv. 10, 11.Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.In all these three different passages the Apostle puts the Jewish or seventh-day Sabbath upon the same footing with the rites and ceremonies of that abolished dispensation. Their seventh-day Sabbath, their meats and drinks, and laws about clean and unclean meats are all put together, and declared tobe shadows of good things to come.We have the substance, that of which they were the types or shadows. We are not therefore to cleave to the shadows. They cannot be binding on us. We are no more obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath, than any of their ceremonial laws and institutions. The ceremonial laws and ordinances are expressly abolished, and calledrudimentsof the world.Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world: why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances. Touch not—taste not—handle not: which all are to perish in the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men? which things indeed have a show of wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.The levitical laws or Mosaic rites are stiled weak and beggarly Elements, and Christiansare forbidden to observe them.But now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?The whole Jewish dispensation is done away. It was but introductory to a more perfect system. The ceremonial institutions are calledcarnal ordinances. Which stood,says the Apostle,only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation.The Apostle in all these passages, has referenced only to the rites of the ceremonial law. He tells us, as plainly as words can express, that the Jewish dispensation, with all its rites and ordinances, is abolished. Circumcision—the Passover—the legal Sacrifices—the observation of the Jewish feasts—their holy days—months—new moons—their Sabbath—their priesthood—their laws about meats and drinks are all done away. These were the weak and beggarly elements, the rudiments of the world, the carnal ordinances, of which the Apostle speaks. And the passages of Scripture above cited have no reference, not even the remotest, to the Gospel-dispensation, to the Christian ordinances, or Christian Sabbath. And to apply those passages to the Gospel institutions, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the Christian Sabbath, is to pervert them, in the grossest manner. Some, I am sensible, cite these passages of holy Writ to prove that no particular day, under the Gospel, is to be kept as holy time; and no ordinances to be observed. This however is a horrible perversion of them. For the right way to understand Scripture is to attend to the connexion and subject-matter of the discourse. And that St. Paul is only speaking of Jewish days,meats and ordinances, every one may be fully convinced, who will take his Bible and read them. Because we are released from obligations to observe the Jewish Sabbath, and Jewish ordinances, will it therefore follow that we have no Christian Sabbath, or Gospel-ordinances? Certainly not. Such a conclusion can be deemed just by no man, till he have resolved to pervert all Scripture, which militates against his own particular tenets.—No person, who is willing to receive his principles of religion from Scripture, understood in its plain sense, can believe that the Apostle in Rom. xiv. 5, 6 rejects the Christian Sabbath—when in the whole chapter, he says not a single word about the Christian Sabbath or Christian ordinances.——We proceed to observe—
5thly. That Jesus Christ himself distinguished, by peculiar marks of honour, thefirst dayof the week—the day of his resurrection. That he intended there should be aweekly Sabbath,in his Religion, to be observed as holy time, even as long as the world should stand, is fairly inferred from his mentioning the Sabbath in the manner we find he did, in the following passages.And he said unto them, the son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.—But how could he be Lord of the Sabbath, if there were no Sabbath in his Religion, or under the Gospel-dispensation?And he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.How absurd would it be to say, theSabbathwas made for man, for his comfort, rest, and moral good, or his benefit, if there were to be no Sabbath from that time to the end of the world, or under the Christian dispensation?Speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem, and giving his followers the necessary warnings, directions, and instructions, our Lord says,But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day.But if there were to be no Sabbath-day under his dispensation, his spiritual religion, how comes such a direction as this, from the mouth of our Lord? the destruction of Jerusalem was many years, after his resurrection. And he knew when it would be—how long it was to be after his religion had been instituted. And he directs Christians, his disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day. Did he mean the Jewish Sabbath? If he intended to have no Sabbath in his spiritual religion, why did he not say so? Why has he not intimated or given some hint that there was to be no Sabbath under the Gospel. Here was a fit opportunity for telling his disciples, that there was to be no Sabbath under the Gospel. Did he forget it? It could not be the Jewish Sabbath, for that was done away.