97 / 652
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 God
has
certainly
separated
in some
of
his
dispensations
to
men,
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