538 THE SA$BATH PERPETUAL, &C. Israel shall keep the sabbath, it is a sign between me and you in all your generations. We may give, for instance, these things following, which seem to be peculiarly appointed to the Jews, and to belong to the Jewish sabbath, viz. That seventh day precisely, which indeed might be, or might not be, the same which the patriarchs had, viz. the seventh from the creation ; but that seventh day, or sabbath, which they should keep, was pointed out_to them only by the manna withheld ; Exod. xvi. 23, 25. Let me add here, the addition of numerous sabbaths, which were appointed them, besides the seventh day of every week ; Lev. xxiii. And that absolute and universal rest, which was enjoined them on their sabbath, beyond what the necessity of the relief of nature, or the worship of God required, commemorates their resting from sla- very, andmay justly be reckoned the ceremonialholiness of the Jewish sabbath ; for therewas contained in it a rigorous severity of abstinence from all common affairs : traffic and labours what. soever, even for the conveniences of life; Exod. xxxi. 15., And also, the not making fires, or dressing victuals on that day; Exod. xxxv. 3. and xvi. 23. Not walkingor travelling above one or two milesat most, which is called a sabbath-day's journey ; Exod. xvi. 29. Acts i. 12. Not bearing anyburdens whatsoever; Jer. xvii. 21, 22. The punisltnent of the profanation of the sabbath with death; Exod. xxxi..14. and xv. 35. and the double sacrifice of lambs on that day; Numb. xxviii. 9, 10. These things, in their strict observance, do not belong to the natural and original law of God, they are not absolutely ne- cessary either for giving due natural rest to creatures, or for the weekly worshipof God, and improvement in religion ; and therefore they may be reckoned among the peculiar laws of, the Jews. As these .things are plain scripture, so it would take up too much time to prove all this at present by citing particular texts at large. VII. " The New Testament, or the dispensation of Christ by his apostles, seems to have abolished every thing of the sab- bath which was purely Jewish, and which belonged to the cere- monial or the political laws given to the nation of Israel by Moses." This is the evident meaning of those texts wherein christians are forbid to subject themselves to the bondage of Jewish rites and formalities ; ,Gal. iv. 3, 9, 10. When we were children, that- is, in the state of Judaism, we were in bondage under the elements of the world, that is, the rudiments and dis- ciplineof the Jewish state ; but when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, to redeem them thlit were under the law But nowafter that ye have known God, in the revela- tion of the gospel, how turn ye again to those weak and beg- garly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage
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