88 THE LORDS -DAY, OR CHRISTIAN SABBATH. {BERM. VI. he appointed the first day, even the day in which he arose from the grave, as most proper to keep the great work of our redemption in memory. That the first day of the week was observed by the apostles and first chris- tians in honour of the resurrection of Christ, and the finishing of their redemption, is evident from several hints of scripture, and many plain expressions in the his- tory of the primitive church*. I might add here also, that as the redemption or rest from Egyptian bondage given them by God and Moses is mentioned in Deut. v. 15. as one reason of the Jewish sabbath, so our greater redemption by Christ or rest from the bondage of sin and Satan being on this day completed, seems by parallel reasoning to be a proper argument for observing the christian sabbath. Besides, it is worthy of our notice that by chusing the first dayy of the seven for a sabbath after the seventh day was abolished, there remains still one day in seven to perpetuate the memory of the creation, and it is the first day of the seven to perpetuate the memory of the work of redemption. Thus our Lord's-day includes both. Question II. " But what need is there of a whole day devoted to this purpose under the NewTestament ? Is it not enough to perform christian worship in public as- semblies, and thereby answer the purposes of the day, without observing that day as a sabbath, or day of rest ?" I answer, Answer. It is too evident an observation, that unless the whole day be separated from the business and plea- * There have been some verygreat and learned men who suppose that the apostle Paul in the fourth chapter to the Hebrews builds a christian Sabbath on this principle. See verse 4. " He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. Verse 7. Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus, that is, Joshua, had given them rest, that is, if he liad given them all that complete rest in the land of Canaan which was typified by the Jewish sabbath, then he would not afterwards have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest, ór'° sabbatism" as the Greek word is, there remaineth the keeping of a sabbath to the people of God; for he that is entered into his rest, which they refer to Jesus Christ in the workof re- demption, he hath also ceased or rested' from his own works as God did from his." See Doctor Owen, °' in his Treatise of the Sabbath." Thus the Son of God, the Redeemer, is supposed to' have appointed a day or Sabbath to celebrate his rest from his labours and sufferings, as God, the r'ather, the Creator, did when he rested from-his work*.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=