-501 ams SABBATH PERPETUAL, &C. 7. Thé primitive writers'give us a clear account of the usual observation of this first day of the week by those whoprofessed thechristian religion; and theywere known and distinguished from the heathens as wells as from the Jews, by this particular cha- racter of observing the Lord's-day. It would be too tedious in this place to cite c'.1 the-testimonies of Ignatius, Justin, Martyr, ''heophilus of Antioch, Clemens of Alexandria, Tertullian, and others*, which give us an account of this matter of fact in the second and third ages of christianity ; and they speak of it as a very early custom or practice, if not from the beginning of the christian church, as planted by the apostles, even while they ex- pressly renounced the Jewish sabbatizing. New from all these matters of fact put together, we may derive two good - remarks, toward the support of the observationof the Lord's-day as á christian duty. Remark I. Apostolical practice, and the custom of the pri., mitive churches, when joined together, are in themselves a good direction to the conscience of christians under any difficulty. When the apostle Paul seems to find it difficult to give sufficient evidence of the duty of a woman's wearing long hair, and a man wearingof shorter, so as to satisfy the scruples and consciences of christians, observewhat he says, f° if any man seem to be con- tentions, let this determine these lesser disputable points, that we the apostles of Christ, have no such custom for men to wear long hair, nor the churches of God in the world: 1 Cor. xi. 16. And why should not apostolical and primitive custom be a sufficient direction for our practice in regard to a sabbath, where clearer discoveries of duty are wanting. II. The custom of primitive churches supported by the apostles' practice, makes it appear probable, that the observation of the Lord's -day was a divine institution, and that it was the will of our Lord Jesus Christ himself; manifested to his apostles, who were the prime ministers of his kingdom. Is it not highly probable, that this early 'and general practice was derivedfrom the authority of Christ, who after his resurrection, continued forty days on earth, and was often assetnbled with the apostles, speak- ing of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Gad; Acts i. 3. Was not the observation of such a day necessary to his king- dom, that is, to the institution and support of his visible church ? Is it not also unreasonable so suppose, that the apostles, who re- ceived their commission from Christ, to teach the nations to 'observe whatsoever he commanded them ; Mat: xxviii. 20. should so zealously pronounce all the Jewish sábbaths abolished, in so many places, and such express language as St. Paul does ; and that they shouldso frequently practise and encourage the assem- bling together on thefirst day of the week, as a day of christian See the Appendix to this first Discourse.
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