532 TnE SABBATH PERPETI?AL, &C. ment ; for it is evident, that he divided his days by sevens in send- ivgout this creature ; Géa. viii. 10, 12 But suppose the bible were entirely silent on this subject ; yet it may be justly remarked here, that as there is an express institution of a sabbath in the beginning of the bible, without any plain and uncontested example of the practice in the pa-, triarchal ages, so in the first christian age, there are several plain examples of the practice of keeping the Lord's-day with- out any express institution of it in the New Testament. But as from such christian examples we reasonably infer an institution, so from the ancient institution, we as reasonably infer there were some patriarchal examples of the practice : But this is only a hint by the way. Question. But may it not be reasonably supposed, as soma writers have done, thatMoses only mentions in the second chapter of Genesis, in the history of Adam, a certain sabbath by way of anticipation, which should be instituted in time to come among the Jews? Answer 1. Can it be imagined, that in so short a history of the creation of the world, Moses should take such particular notice of a certain day, -as blessed and sanctified by the Creator, which should not be actually sanctified and blessed till two thousand and four hundred years afterwards ? Could this be 'lone only by way of anticipation. -2. Are not the finish- ing the creation and the institution of a sabbath expressly joined in close connection, in both places of the Mosaic history ? And why should we not believe, that when God rested on the seventh ' day from all his work, he blessed this seventh day, and sanctified it, at that very time ? Gen. ii. 2, 3. and Ex. xx. 11.-,-3. Did he bless and sanctify this day only for himself and his own rest ? No surely, but for the rest of man, and to be keptholy byAdam and his posterity. The sabbath was madefor man, as our Savi- our expressly tells us, Mark ii. 27._ And the reason given to man for the appointment of a sabbath, viz. God's resting front his worksof creation, as it is expressed in the ii. Genesis, is the some in the xx. of Exodus : And why then should we not sup- pose it to be given by God to Adam, as well as to the Jews by Moses ? Yet again, -4. I ask leave to say; I can hardly per- suade myself, that God ever left the world so many ages with- out so necessary, or at least so very important a means to pre- serve the true religion in it as the sabbath is. Any religion without some appointed seasons for the celebration of the rites of it, is in great danger ofbeing lost and forgotten bythe bulk of '* Besides former writers, Doctor Hunt in his a Essay on Revelation;' &c. p. 46. is of this mind. Nor can it be supposed here, that Noah by knowing the influence Of the moon on the waters, rent out the dove at two succeeding dis- tances of wren days : For he could never expect the waters to be abated from the face of the ground at the neap-Bides, whatever be might do at the spring- tides ç when as they rise the highest at the flood, they fall the lowest at the ebb,
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