52 APPENDIX. and almost from the nature of things, they garb it as their advice to the christian churches to follow this custom, and practised it themselves. And since all the former distinctions of days, and their holiness were abolished, and even the observation of theseventh day, wherein God finished his creation, and since there must be some day agreed upan for public wor- ship, they thought it very proper that since the great work of the redemption of Christ, which lays a foundation for the new creation, was finished on the first day of the week by Christ's resurrection from the dead that this day should succeed in the place of the day appointed as a memorial of the old creation ; and in order tokeep both these important matters always within the viewofchristians, viz. both creation and redemption, thereforeone dayin seven, and particularly the first of the seven, was recommended by the apostles to be their constant day of public worship. And thus the observation. of the Lord's-day, of which we havea plain and uncontested proof by way of di- vine solemn institution in the New Testament, will stand upon the. toot of a most reasonable practice, partly borrowed from the institutions of God in all former ages, ever since the creation, and partly from the apostolical advice, recommendation and example in the last age of the church. And if this should appear to be the case, then the only reason which I canthink of, why so expedient and almost necessary a practice was not made an express and solemninstitution, and why it wasleft rather upon the foot of apostolic advice and examplewas, that the consciences of good chris- tians, especially while the worldwas all Jewish or heathep, might have some liberty indulged them, and might not be laid under so severe a yoke of bon- dage, as sometimes such an express institutionmight happen to lay upon them in Jewish or heathen countries. This reason I have mentioned in the discourse itself, as one way of accountingfor the obscurity anddoubtfulness of such an institution, if the Lord's-day was really instituted. 1 say again, If I were to change my present sentiments, so far as I can yetjudge, I should fall into these which I have now expressed ; but I acknowledge I have not yet seen sufficient reason to depart from the senti- ments I have maintained in the discourse itself, nor to relinquish our obliga- tions to observeone day in seven for a dayof rest and worship as a perpetual law, and particularly the Lord's-day, as anappointment ofChrist and his apos- tles. We know but inpart, and we should not be too positivebeyond all our . evidence. Wheretowe have attained, let us walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing ; and let us be followers of St. Paul and the other apostles, and mark, or imitate them that walkso, as we have them for our example ; Phil. iii. 16, 17. What appears a sufficient evidence to one man, does not ap- pear so to another: Let us allfollow peacewith all men, and holiness, with. out which no manshall see the Lord ; Heb, xii. 14. For the kingdom ofhea- ven is not meats, and drinks, and days; hat righteousness and peace; Rom, xiv. 17.
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