Saviour, without any alteration in the substance of the commandment. 7." If the command by which the Sabbath was instituted, be binding upon Christians, it must bind as to the day, the duties, and the penalty; in none of which it is received."* The duties of the Sabbath, are, without doubt, essential to the institution; but the day is not essential. By the penalty, our Author, I suppose, means that of death, which was directed to be inflicted on the Sabbathbreaker under the Jewish dispensation. But if there be any argument in this assertion, it will prove, that the punishments incurred by a breach of the other Commandments of the moral law, ought to be inflicted upon offending Christians. It will prove, that the idolater, the blasphemer, the adulterer, and the stubborn rebellious son, as well as the Sabbathbreaker, ought to be put to death under the gospel dispensation. 8. "The observance of the Sabbath was not one of the Articles, enjoined by the Apostles Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 8vo. edition, vol. ii. page 82. in the 15th chapter of Acts, upon them," which from the Gentiles were turned unto God." In addition to the ceremonial pollutions, from which the Gentile Christians were commanded to abstain, the Apostle mentions the crime of fornication. But we are incompetent to judge, why the breach of one command only of the moral law is interdicted in this place. Little weight ought surely to be attached to such negative arguments, respecting the obligation of the Fourth Commandment of the moral law, since they oppose the positive declaration of our Saviour, that he came not to remove one jot or tittle of this law; which the Apostle Paul also declares was not intended to be made void by faith in Jesus Christ. Those of your readers, who are unacquainted with the work whence the above quotations are taken, may be ready to conclude, that the Author meant to speak disrespectfully of sabbatical institutions, which is by no means the case. He has shewn their great utility, and has proved that "the assembling upon the first day of the week for the purpose of public worship, and religious in * Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 8vo. edition, vol. ii. page 82. struction, is a law of Christianity, of divine appointment." He concludes also, that "the resting on that day from our employments," is a duty binding upon the conscience of every individual in a country, in which a weekly Sabbath is established."* 66 We who live under the British Government are so happy as to come under the obligation of so excellent a law, which declares, that 66 every person and persons whatsoever shall, on every Lord's-day apply themselves to the observance of the same, by exercising themselves thereon in the duties of piety and true religion, publicly and privately." 29 Car. II. c. 7. The most careful consideration which I have been able to give this subject has produced a firm persuasion in my mind, that the obligation to this duty is, however, of universal extent; and this seems to have been the view which the primitive Christians had of the subject, as appears from a quotation which our Author has made from the works of Irenæus. “Unusquisque nostrûm sabbatizat spiritualiter, meditatione legis gaudens, opificium Dei admirans."-" Each of us spends Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 8vo. edition, vol. ii. page 91. the Sabbath in a spiritual manner, meditating on the law of God with delight, and contemplating his workmanship with admiration." Let it be remembered, that Irenæus had been instructed by Polycarp, who was the disciple of the Apostle John;* that in this passage he is not describing any doctrine or practice peculiar to himself, but the general conduct of Christians; that he appropriates the title of "Sabbath" to that day which was set apart for religious exercises, and which was undoubtedly the first day of the week; that the manner of spending this day by the early Christians, corresponds with the description of the Sabbath given by Isaiah; that what the Jewish prophet commanded, the Christians practised: and can any reasonable doubt remain, that the Christian Church had * Thus Irenæus speaks. "I can describe the very spot in which Polycarp sat and expounded, and the sermons which he preached to the multitude, and how he related to us his converse with John, and with the rest of those who had seen the Lord; how he mentioned their particular expressions, and what things he had heard from them of the Lord, and of his miracles and of his doctrines. As Polycarp had received from the eye-witnesses of the Word of Life, he told us all things agreeable to the Scriptures."Milner's Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. page 312. Second Edition, "Life of Irenæus." |