RM. VI.1 THE LORD'S-DAY, OR CHRISTIAN SABBATH. S world, as well as to give rest to the animal bodies of men and beasts. This is another proof of the morality or perpetuity of it. The seasons of worship which men would have chosen, and even of natural rest which some men would have allowed either to themselves or their servants, probably would have been short and few enough, if God had not always devoted one day in seven to these purposes. It is evident in common experience and by observation made upon persons and churches and na- tions, that where no sabbath is observed, where one day in seven is not separated to God by a rest from the usual labours of life and a dedication to his service, religion is in a very decaying state and in great danger to be lost. As it is a common confession of persons who fall into the vilest crimes and are executed by the public justice of the magistrate, that their disregard of the sabbath was the beginning of their guilt and ruin, and led the way to all iniquity; so a careful observation of one day in seven for religious purposes has been the great spring and sup- port of virtue and piety amongst mankind, and the con= stant guardian of it in its purity and power. Now if all these considerations put together will but go so far as to make it highly probable, that one day in seven has been always the proportion of time which God has appointed for a sabbath, that is, for rest from labour and divine worship, this probability as to the time and manner of a duty should go for evidence, where no further evidence can be procured, and where the duty itself is clear and certain : And since some rest from labour, and some seasons for worship are necessary, w. cannot do a more reasonable thing than to separate that proportion of time which the wisdom of Godhas certainly separated in some of his dispensations tomen, and most probably in all of them. Before we proceed, it will be necessary to answer a few enquiries. Question I. " Why was the first day of the seven ap- pointed for christian worship rather than any of the others?" Answer. When God rested from his work of creation he appointed the seventh day for the ancient sabbath, to keep in mind the Creator of the world and his work ; and so when Christ rested from his works of redemption 04
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