Chapter XI: Part 11

4thly. Is said in prophecy, of a Sabbath to be observed in Gospel-times. The most remarkable passage to this purpose, is the following, _The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it._ These words, all expositors antient and modern, refer or apply to the day of our Lord's resurrection. When he arose from the dead, and the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea resigned its charge, he was declared to be the head-stone of the corner. He was the stone, which the builders refused. What may convince all that these words are to be thus applied, is that the Apostles thus apply them. And while we interpret Scripture, as they do, we are infallibly right. Our Lord's resurrection from the dead was evincive of his power; of the truth of his mission:--and it was on the first day of the week.--This is expressly declared by the Evangelists, and was never denied. And this is the DAY which the Lord made, or constituted, set apart for special uses, which must be the meaning of the word here. _This is the day which the Lord hath made_; made,--how did he make _this day,_ the day of Christ's resurrection? All time is his. The day is his; the night also;--darkness and light are his. If the _first_ day of the week be the Lord's day, in no higher or different sense, how could it be said, with any propriety, _this is the day the Lord hath made?_ The day of Christ's resurrection is then the Lord's day, in some eminent, or peculiar way; is a _day_ he hath made different from any, and all other days. _We will rejoice and be glad in it._ The reason why God's people or Church were to _rejoice and be glad in it,_ was that the Lord had made it, or appointed and instituted it. It was to be religiously celebrated and observed. Here, then, we have a plain account, in prophesy, of a Sabbath or day to be religiously observed by the people of God after Christ's resurrection--and upon the VERY DAY;--the first day of the week. For he arose from the dead on that day. This must have great influence to convince all, who are willing to be convinced.--Can any shut their eyes upon the light, which is exhibited to us from this passage? Isaiah, at the very close of his prophesy, says, speaking of the Gospel-dispensation; _And it shall come to pass from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord._ This certainly implies, that in Gospel-times there shall be a weekly Sabbath, as a stated season of worship for all nations, who enjoy the Gospel.--Again, the same prophet speaking of the Gospel-dispensation, says, _blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting._ This man is a blessed man. He is happy in himself, and shall be blessed of God. The meaning of this prophesy of Gospel-times and blessings, is this. Under the Christian dispensation, there shall be a _weekly Sabbath_ to the end of the world; and blessed is the person who duly observes it.--It is impossible for us to deny the Christian Sabbath, if we understand these prophecies of Gospel-times and blessings, in their plain and natural sense.----It cannot be the meaning of these prophecies, that the Jewish Sabbath was to be kept, because we have an express account of the abolition of the seventh-day Sabbath. All may be convinced that the seventh day Sabbath is abrogated from Rom. xiv. 5 and 6--compared with Col. ii. 16, 17. _One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks, and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.--Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is Christ._ And Gala. iv. 10, 11. _Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain._ In all these three different passages the Apostle puts the Jewish or seventh-day Sabbath upon the same footing with the rites and ceremonies of that abolished dispensation. Their seventh-day Sabbath, their meats and drinks, and laws about clean and unclean meats are all put together, and declared to _be shadows of good things to come._ We have the substance, that of which they were the types or shadows. We are not therefore to cleave to the shadows. They cannot be binding on us. We are no more obliged to keep the Jewish Sabbath, than any of their ceremonial laws and institutions. The ceremonial laws and ordinances are expressly abolished, and called _rudiments_ of the world. _Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world: why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances. Touch not--taste not--handle not: which all are to perish in the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men? which things indeed have a show of wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh._ The levitical laws or Mosaic rites are stiled weak and beggarly Elements, and Christians are forbidden to observe them. _But now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?_ The whole Jewish dispensation is done away. It was but introductory to a more perfect system. The ceremonial institutions are called _carnal ordinances. Which stood,_ says the Apostle, _only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation._ The Apostle in all these passages, has referenced only to the rites of the ceremonial law. He tells us, as plainly as words can express, that the Jewish dispensation, with all its rites and ordinances, is abolished. Circumcision--the Passover--the legal Sacrifices--the observation of the Jewish feasts--their holy days--months--new moons--their Sabbath--their priesthood--their laws about meats and drinks are all done away. These were the weak and beggarly elements, the rudiments of the world, the carnal ordinances, of which the Apostle speaks. And the passages of Scripture above cited have no reference, not even the remotest, to the Gospel-dispensation, to the Christian ordinances, or Christian Sabbath. And to apply those passages to the Gospel institutions, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the Christian Sabbath, is to pervert them, in the grossest manner. Some, I am sensible, cite these passages of holy Writ to prove that no particular day, under the Gospel, is to be kept as holy time; and no ordinances to be observed. This however is a horrible perversion of them. For the right way to understand Scripture is to attend to the connexion and subject-matter of the discourse. And that St. Paul is only speaking of Jewish days, meats and ordinances, every one may be fully convinced, who will take his Bible and read them. Because we are released from obligations to observe the Jewish Sabbath, and Jewish ordinances, will it therefore follow that we have no Christian Sabbath, or Gospel-ordinances? Certainly not. Such a conclusion can be deemed just by no man, till he have resolved to pervert all Scripture, which militates against his own particular tenets.--No person, who is willing to receive his principles of religion from Scripture, understood in its plain sense, can believe that the Apostle in Rom. xiv. 5, 6 rejects the Christian Sabbath--when in the whole chapter, he says not a single word about the Christian Sabbath or Christian ordinances.----We proceed to observe--

5thly. That Jesus Christ himself distinguished, by peculiar marks of honour, the _first day_ of the week--the day of his resurrection. That he intended there should be a _weekly Sabbath,_ in his Religion, to be observed as holy time, even as long as the world should stand, is fairly inferred from his mentioning the Sabbath in the manner we find he did, in the following passages. _And he said unto them, the son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath._--But how could he be Lord of the Sabbath, if there were no Sabbath in his Religion, or under the Gospel-dispensation? _And he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath._ How absurd would it be to say, the _Sabbath_ was made for man, for his comfort, rest, and moral good, or his benefit, if there were to be no Sabbath from that time to the end of the world, or under the Christian dispensation? Speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem, and giving his followers the necessary warnings, directions, and instructions, our Lord says, _But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day._ But if there were to be no Sabbath-day under his dispensation, his spiritual religion, how comes such a direction as this, from the mouth of our Lord? the destruction of Jerusalem was many years, after his resurrection. And he knew when it would be--how long it was to be after his religion had been instituted. And he directs Christians, his disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day. Did he mean the Jewish Sabbath? If he intended to have no Sabbath in his spiritual religion, why did he not say so? Why has he not intimated or given some hint that there was to be no Sabbath under the Gospel. Here was a fit opportunity for telling his disciples, that there was to be no Sabbath under the Gospel. Did he forget it? It could not be the Jewish Sabbath, for that was done away.

Further, none can deny but that he put marks of particular honour on the first _day_ of the week, the day of his resurrection. Why did he do this? Had he not a design or meaning in it? With him, as acting in the character of the only Mediator between God and Man, nothing was contingent or accidental. He was pleased to appear, from time to time, to his Apostles, on the _first_ day of the week. John xx. 19. _Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them peace be unto you._ After seven days more had elapsed, on the next _first_ day of the week, he appeared again unto his disciples:--he blessed them, and comforted them; verse 26. _After eight days, again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them, and said peace be unto you._ This was the second time he set apart and honoured the _first_ day of the week, the day upon which he arose from the dead, by meeting with his disciples, comforting and blessing them. Upon the _first_ day of the week, he poured out his spirit, in such copious effusions, on his Apostles, at Pentecost. That Pentecost was the _first_ day of the week, is manifest from Levit. xxiii. 15, 16. On _this_ day, all the disciples were of one accord in one place. Acts ii. 1. To be of one accord in one place is to be there by agreement. They were not there by accident, but by previous appointment. The day of Pentecost, as the word signifies, is fifty days after the Passover, that is, on the _first_ day of the week. They met to perform public worship, and preached. The holy Ghost, in his miraculous powers, was then given to the Apostles, which is called being _baptized with the holy ghost and with fire._ Moreover, Christ poured out his spirit, in the gift of prophesy, most remarkably, on his favorite disciple and Apostle John, on the _first day_ of the week--the _Lord's day,_ Rev. i. 10. Now if we allow that Christ had his design in thus honouring, above all other days, the _first day_ of the week; we shall be satisfied that he set it apart for religious purposes, as _holy_ time, to be observed as a _weekly_ Sabbath, in his dispensation, to the end of the world.----But,

6thly. What proves, beyond all doubt, the institution of the _first-day Sabbath,_ is that it was sanctified as a _day_ of public worship, by the primitive Churches, under the order of the Apostles. They usually assembled, on that day, for the great purposes of public worship, of celebrating the holy Ordinance of the Supper, of prayer, of preaching, hearing the word, and singing hymns of praise. They came together, on that _day,_ by the order of the Apostles. For no man can suppose that the Apostles would administer the Lord's Supper, and preach to them, and attend upon the other acts of public worship, if they, that is, the Churches had presumed to meet, without their order or direction. Besides, no person of common sense, can imagine all this was mere accident--or that the Apostles were rash and heady in it--or did what they did, without the mind and spirit of Christ. It was new times with them. They were in a critical situation. Every word, every action would be noticed. Enemies were on all sides. They would not, therefore, allowing them to have common prudence and discretion, proceed one step, without Christ's order and direction, without the mind of the holy Ghost. And we are safe, and only safe, when in our religious principles and practices, we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. _And upon the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them._ Here is our warrant for keeping the _first-day_ Sabbath. Here is a plain account of its institution presupposed, and that the Jewish Sabbath was changed into the Christian Sabbath.--Who, after this, can deny the institution of a Christian Sabbath? Who can, in the face of plain scripture, say that the New-Testament knows no _holy_ time--no _Lord's day_--No _Sabbath?_ We may as well reject any duty and all duty, as to deny and disown the _Lord's day._--Again, works of charity and mercy, are peculiarly works proper to the Sabbath. And in all the Apostolic Churches, the charitable contributions were to be made, on the _first day of the week,_ in preference to any other day. But why? plainly, because the Churches were then met together to attend public worship. And they were to make their collections on _that day_ by order of the Apostles 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. _Now concerning the collection for the Saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come._ If then, we say, that all days are _alike holy,_ and that no one is to be honoured as _holy,_ in a particular manner, we resist the holy Ghost. Christians were ordered by the Apostles to keep as holy time, the _first day_ of the week. They were COMMANDED to meet together for public worship. Heb. x. 24, 25. _And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, as so much the more as ye see the day approaching._ Upon the _first_ day of the week were they to assemble to worship God and honour the Redeemer--to pray--to preach, and to hear the word.--The _first day_ of the week is then the Christian Sabbath, and to be sanctified as such, to the end of the world.

7thly. Another consideration of no small importance to prove that the _first day_ of the week is holy time, and was set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath, to the end of the world, is that, in the New Testament, it is expressly called the _Lord's day._ Rev. i. 10. _For I was in the spirit on the Lord's day._ Very frequently is the Christian Sabbath denominated the Lord's day. This is, indeed the New Testament-name for the day. With Christians, in the early ages of Christianity, it went by this name. And so we now often call it. If it be asked, how do we know that the Lord's day means the _first day_ of the week? Is not God the proprietor of all time? Is not every day equally his, and every day a Sabbath? Nothing can be a greater departure from reason and common sense than to put such questions. It must be clear, as the Sun in the firmament, that St. John designed to inform us on what _particular day_ he was favoured with those wonderful visions, which are contained in the Apocalypse. But admit that the _Lord's day_ meant any day indifferently, one as much as another, then his calling the day on which he received his visions, the _Lord's day,_ gives us no information at all concerning the day. It would be saying, I received the visions, on the day, I did receive them. The absurdity of this must be perceived by the weakest mental eye. No man can be so blind, as not to see how ridiculously silly it would have been for the beloved disciple to have talked in this manner. What is intended by the _Lord's day_ is exceedingly obvious. We know perfectly well what is intended by it, as well as we can know the import of any word, in the New Testament, or in any antient language. In the first ages of Christianity, the whole Church used this expression, the _Lord's day,_ to denote the _first day_ of the week. In all the writings from the Apostolic times, we find the phrase employed to signify the _first day_ of the week. I appeal to all the _Christian Fathers_ up to the days of the Apostles; and to all men who have ever read any antient Church-history;--or any of the early writers in favour of Christianity, that this is the universal, invariable meaning of the expression the _Lord's day._ The early writers in defence of Christianity, speak of the _Lord's day_ in terms of the highest esteem and respect--_as the first of days--the best day--the queen of days._ And the duties and exercises of public worship, they call _LORD'S DAY SOLEMNITIES._ And the very word can import no less, than the first day of the week was set apart by our Lord, as his Sabbath--as a day to be kept holy--and as distinguished from all other days--to be sanctified to the end of the world, as it weekly returns, as the Christian Sabbath--a day to be devoted wholly to God and religion, and to be spent in the private and public exercises of Religion, except so much of it, as may be taken up in works of necessity and mercy. We say the _Lord's Supper,_ to distinguish it from our common meals, an ordinance by which his sufferings and death are commemorated. We say the _Lord's prayer_: to denote by way of eminence one particular prayer--the prayer which he taught his disciples, and which is an excellent model of prayer. And to call every day the _Lord's day_ would be as great an absurdity, and abuse of scripture, and of words, as to say that every meal of ours, from day to day, is the _Lord's Supper_: and every prayer we offer to the throne of grace, the Lord's prayer. The Sabbath is God's day by way of eminence; and he has put his name upon the _first_ day of the week to teach us how to spend it, and what use is to be made of it: that it is holy--that it is to be devoted to him--and that we may not do our own work, or find our own pleasure in it.--Where, then, is the person that dares deny the christian Sabbath? That there is really therefore such a day, a time set apart, in which to perform public religious duties is very certain from the _first day_ of the week, being called the _Lord's day._

8thly. A further argument, that there is really a _Christian Sabbath,_ is taken from those passages of scripture, which represent the happiness of heaven as the constant keeping of a Sabbath. Heaven is an eternal Sabbath. It is a state of perfect rest, devotion, bliss; and holiness. A rest which God hath prepared for his people. It was customary among the Jews to represent future happiness under the idea of a Sabbath, and to expound many of those passages in their law, where the Sabbath is mentioned as typifying or prefiguring the heavenly state. The rest of the Sabbath is an emblem of the rest of heaven. The duties of it are to fit us for the employment of heaven. The worship of it, is to prepare us for the exalted services of the temple above, where there will not be one cold heart--one false worshipper--one dissenting voice. _There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God,_ a keeping of a Sabbath. But where would be the propriety of representing heavenly happiness, as an eternal Sabbatism--an eternal rest, if there were no Sabbaths to be observed on earth by Christians? None can suppose that the joys of a blessed immortality would be represented by an old abrogated Jewish rite. But if there be no Sabbath under the Gospel, or day of sacred rest WEEKLY to be observed, they are so represented. And to say that under the New-Testament every day is a Sabbath, is to assert not only what is very unreasonable, but to confound language; and to affirm what is altogether contradictory to the whole New-Testament.

9thly. The last argument, which will be urged to prove the reality of a Christian Sabbath, is that the whole Christian Church, with very few exceptions, have kept the _first day_ of the week, as holy time. However differing in other things; and they have differed very widely on many important points, still the different communions of God's people, from age to age, since the time of the Apostles, have been intirely agreed in this, that there is a _weekly_ Sabbath under the Gospel dispensation, to be kept holy unto the Lord, and to be devoted to religious worship. This must satisfy every candid mind which has no prejudice, that the spiritual religion of Jesus Christ hath a _holy Sabbath,_ even were there no old-Testament-Sabbath, or were the fourth commandment expunged from the decalogue. That the fourth commandment is of perpetual obligation, and never was abolished has been the common belief; and is founded on arguments, which can never be overthrown. Men may cavil at and object against them. But it is one thing to cavil at, and another fairly to answer an argument. It is one of the ten commandments. And we may as well take away any other of them, or all of them, as this. It is of a moral nature. And what is of a moral nature is of perpetual obligation. It was, with the rest, given by God himself from Mount Sinai amidst thunder and lightning, fire and smoke. Moses, in all his directions to the people of Israel, speaks of it in terms of the highest respect, as a branch of the moral law.--The prophets, all place it upon a level with other parts of the laws of virtue, and duties of morality. And it would be exceedingly improper to insert a merely ceremonial or temporary law, in the list of precepts universally allowed to be moral--and of perpetual obligation, and to speak of them all as THE LAW--the MORAL LAW of the ten commandments. Thus evident is it that the fourth commandment is not to be erased from the ten. And the substance or essence of it, which is, that the seventh part of time is to be kept holy unto God, hath been in all the ages of the Christian Church strenuously maintained. In all countries, where the Gospel hath been published, we find from ecclesiastical history, that all Christians, even from the times of the Apostles, a few excepted, have observed the _first-day_-Sabbath. That this is fact, may be adduced as proofs, all the writings which speak of the doctrines and practices of the Church, of the _first--second--and third_ centuries. This will not be denied. It is asked, then, what reason can be assigned why, in the primitive purity of the Christian Religion, the _first_ day of the week was observed as the Christian Sabbath? How could this be, if it were not an order of the Apostles--if Jesus Christ instituted no Sabbath? For an ORDER of his Apostles is equivalent to his own EXPRESS institution. Is it supposable that any ambitious and aspiring Christians would, in the times next to the Apostles, set apart one day of the week as a Sabbath? Would they venture upon such an usurpation? And, before Christianity was corrupted by designing men, is it possible that the _first day_ of the week should be _universally_ kept as holy time, had not the inspired Apostles set the example? If there had been no Apostolic practice and example in this case, if the Gospel knew nothing of such a day, as we call the Christian Sabbath, the first observers of it were introducing an innovation--an important innovation. And could the innovation universally be adopted? And no one be found to object against it; or to raise a cry against such a piece of will-worship; no tongue, in the strains of pious eloquence to bear testimony against it--no pen be drawn to transmit to posterity a conscientious protest? Can any reasonable person believe this? But it may be asked, did not many _innovations,_ and _superstitious rites creep_ into the Christian system _gradually, imperceptibly_--and _without opposition?_ Were not the abominations of the Romish Church, brought in in this manner? And did not some of these _infallible Fathers,_ in the papal chair, ordain the Sabbath; as they did innumerable feast, and fast-days? Certainly not, for the _first day_ of the week was observed as a _weekly_ Sabbath, six hundred years, before Antichrist arose: observed in all countries, where the Gospel was known: among all denominations: universally even in the age next to the Apostles. This cannot be said of any _innovations_ which were ever made.--We then come to this conclusion, that the _first day_ of the week has been observed, as the Christian Sabbath, ever since the VERY DAY in which Christ arose from the dead--in all ages--in all countries--in all communions, a few only excepted. A mere handful of professing Christians, held to the seventh-day or Jewish Sabbath, and from that singularity are called seventh-day-baptists. Here and there one likewise in one place or another, have called in question the _morality_ of the Sabbath.--Can it be possible for any one to believe that the whole christian world, even in the days of the Apostles, and in the purest times, during the long period of seventeen hundred years, have been in so gross and abominable an Error, as keeping the _first day_ of the week as holy time, if the Gospel be a stranger to any such institution, as the Christian Sabbath?--When I use the terms GROSS AND ABOMINABLE ERROR, I do not use too strong terms. For a most gross and abominable Error it is, indeed, if there be no institution of the _first day_ Sabbath in the Christian Religion, or what is tantamount to it. We are, in this case, guilty of will-worship--of superstition--of instituting in Christ's kingdom a day for religious worship, unknown to the AUTHOR of our salvation. Vilely presumptuous should we be to do this. Did I believe that Jesus Christ had no Sabbath day in his Gospel, I should shudder with horror to look back on the long period of seventeen hundred years, and see almost the whole christian world, in all countries, of all communions, and in the purest times in the Apostle's days, plunged into so great and dreadful an Error--guilty of making laws in Christ's kingdom--of usurping his kingly office--and of tearing from him, his sceptre.----Besides all this, how often hath a gracious and merciful God, blessed the Christian Sabbath: poured out, in rich abundance, his sanctifying spirit, on his worshipping Assemblies: comforted, enlightened--instructed--and animated those, who have conscientiously observed the Sabbath? But if it be not a day of his own appointment, would it not be countenancing human inventions and innovations in Religion, so often to have displayed his power and grace on that day--so often to have blessed it for the consolation of his people, and their edification?--_It hath indeed been one of the chief means_ of preserving Religion in the world to this day.

I have now finished the argument in favour of the institution of the Christian Sabbath. And that you, my hearers, may feel that conviction, which it ought to produce, and that justice may be done to it, I will very concisely recapitulate what has been illustrated, and present it to you in one view. The supreme Being, at the close of Creation, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, set apart for religious purposes, a seventh portion of time. And the day thus sanctified and blessed, and which some suppose was the first day of the week, but I conceive not upon sufficient grounds, was most probably observed, from Adam to Moses. The original institution of the Sabbath was renewed by Moses, ratified by the fourth commandment, and observed most strictly by the antient Church of God from Moses to Christ. A greater obligation lies upon Christians to keep a weekly Sabbath in memory of the work of Redemption, than on the Israelites to keep one in memory of their deliverance from slavery and oppression in Egypt. We are expressly told, in prophesy, that a Sabbath was to be observed in Gospel times. The Jewish Sabbath was abolished, or the seventh day Sabbath was changed into the Christian or first day Sabbath. Jesus Christ distinguished, with peculiar marks of honor, the first day of the week, the day of his resurrection.--The first day of the week was sanctified, as a day of public worship, by the primitive Churches under the order of the Apostles.--The first day of the week is expressly called, in the New-Testament, the _Lord's day,_ the common appellation of the Christian Sabbath. The happiness of heaven is represented, as the constant keeping of a Sabbath.--The law of the Sabbath, is a moral law, and as such perpetually binding. The whole Christian Church, from the days of the Apostles, have, a few only excepted, kept the first day of the week as holy time. God hath, from age to age, blessed the Sabbath, or first day of the week, by the communications of his grace and spirit on that day. No men or body of men could appoint a day for public worship, without usurping in Christ's kingdom, to be weekly observed as a Sabbath.--No human appointments or inventions are admissible in the Christian dispensation--and the Christian Sabbath has been one of the principal means of preserving, in the world, to this day our holy religion.--These are the reasons why all Christians are to observe, as holy time, the first day of the week. These reasons appear to me abundantly sufficient to justify us in the religious observation of the Christian Sabbath, as it is usually called, and have done so to thousands of pious Christians and Ministers much wiser and better than myself, even to almost the WHOLE CHRISTIAN WORLD. That man who denies what, all the wise and good, great and learned--all Christians in all ages, deem sacred, and fully contained in the holy scriptures, had need to look well to his arguments. He ought, in all modesty and diffidence, to ask himself, "who--and what am I, that I should rise up against, and condemn the WHOLE CHRISTIAN WORLD, a few only excepted?"

Perhaps it may not be improper here, to pay a moment's attention to a question which has been sometimes asked, as an objection to the Christian Sabbath: it is this, why have we not an _express_ and _formal_ account of the abolition of the seventh-day or Jewish Sabbath, and the institution of the Christian or first day Sabbath in the room of it? In a point of such acknowledged importance, would it not be reasonable to expect some very express and minute instruction? It would be sufficient to reply, who are we, that we should undertake to say how minutely or expressly a point should be revealed; or that we should dictate to infinite Wisdom what kind of information to give us? But it is apprehended there are very obvious reasons why we have not a minute and explicit account of the change of the Jewish into the Christian Sabbath. Every thing in the Gospel dispensation is gradually opened. Consideration is had to the weaknesses and prejudices of the Jews. Christ, with admirable wisdom, adapted his instructions to the minds of his hearers: opening one thing after another, in a happy succession, as they could bear it, or comprehend him. So did his Apostles. And they followed a perfect example. It is sufficient, entirely so, if, in the end, we have COMPLETE and FULL instruction. And that we have on the subject before us, I trust is clearly proved by the foregoing reasoning.

Having finished what I intended on this important subject, I shall make the application, in the words of a late amiable writer--"If," says he, addressing himself to people on their abuse of the Sabbath, "you will proceed in profaning it, give me leave to say you will be more inexcusable than ever. You are answerable to God for your contempt of his institutions, and all the injury you hereby do, to your own souls, to the souls of others, and to the credit and interest of Religion." May I not hope, some of you are resolved, never more to abuse or mis-spend sacred time? that you and your houses will more carefully sanctify the Sabbath, and more steadily serve the Lord? Give me leave to add one general remark on the whole subject of Sabbath-Sanctification. In order to judge of the character of my acquaintance, and their real state towards God, I have always observed and enquired, _how they kept the Sabbath._ I look upon the religious observation of it, as a good proof of their piety; and a neglect of it, as a melancholy proof, that they are insincere in heart, whatever they may profess; and by taking in the whole of their conduct, as far as it hath come to my knowledge, I think I have not been deceived in my sentiments concerning them. Those that have most strictly observed the Sabbath, have been in other respects, _the best Christians_: those that have been careless herein, have shown by other instances in their behaviour, that they have not _had the root of the matter in them._ So that upon the whole, I must be of the same mind, with that pious Divine, Mr. Bolton, "it is a thousand to one that a strict observer of the Lord's day is sincere towards God; and as great odds that a Sabbath-breaker, however he may deceive himself, is a _hypocrite._"--I conclude this discourse and subject with the words of Nehemiah, after he had described his zealous attempts to promote the sanctification of the Sabbath, _Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy._ AMEN.

DISCOURSE XVII.

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The Parable of the Tares.

MATTHEW xiii. 24-31.

_Another Parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also. So the Servants of the householder, came and said unto him, sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence then hath it Tares? And he said unto them an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou then we go and gather them up? But he said, nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers; gather ye together first the Tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn._

There was something, in the manner in which our blessed Saviour taught his hearers, peculiarly pleasing and inimitably beautiful. Being the great prophet in his church, he reveals unto us the will of God for our Salvation, not only in a clear, but in the fittest manner. He spake as never man did, not only as the Religion which he preached was more heavenly and divine, than the world was ever before made acquainted with, but as the power and force with which he spake exceeded all that is human. _And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes._ His address was no doubt the perfection of propriety. His words were not calculated by any splendor to create surprise, but, being well chosen and plain, were adapted to carry conviction to the conscience, and to move the heart. He had, as is very apparent and is generally remarked, an admirable talent at moralizing and spiritualizing upon incidents and objects around him. And he did it, not with the formal airs of affectation, or appearing to invite others to take notice of his superiour sanctity--or to come and see how good he was. It was perfectly easy for him to converse on divine subjects. Whenever a fit opportunity or occasion offered to diffuse religious instruction, he failed not to embrace it. And when he undertook to illustrate any divine truth or doctrine, he seemed to be at home, and in his element--about his proper work and business. He showed that he was a teacher come from God by the heavenly truths which he delivered, as well as miracles which he wrought. He opened the nature of his kingdom, and of the Gospel by natural and easy similitudes. His Parables are well chosen and happily expressed. They will indeed bear the closest and most critical examination. They have been admired by the best judges, and will be admired as long as there shall be genius, learning, or taste in the world.

The greatest scholars have been the most pleased. And, the fact is, the Religion which he taught would be worthy of the attention of all, were it considered in no other view than as a friend to peace, literature, and civil happiness. For it can never long consist with barbarism and general ignorance among a people. Ignorance is so far from being the parent of Christian devotion, that when very great, it totally destroys it. The bitter and implacable foes, therefore, of the Christian Religion, who with its utter extirpation from the earth, and exert themselves mightily to accomplish their wish by impious scoffs and low raillery, will never be able to succeed, till they have banished learning. There may be superstition, where science is gone, but no true Religion. And the more ignorant and uninformed a people, there will superstition reign in horrors proportionally greater.

The Chapter, out of which our text is taken, is full of the most judicious and instructive Parables or similitudes.--There is no other Chapter in the New Testament, so filled up with them; this being altogether composed of them. It contains eight in number--that of the Sower and his seed, which our Lord himself at the desire of his disciples expounds;--that of the Tares, which he likewise explains;--that of the grain of mustard seed;--that of the leaven put into meal;--that of the treasure hid in the field;--that of the merchant-man seeking goodly pearls;--and that of the net which was cast into the Sea, and gathered of every kind.----Our Saviour retiring from the house in which he was, went to the side of the Sea of Tiberias, which lay near his own Country. Great multitudes were collected about him to hear his doctrine and learn his character. They pressed so near him, that he thought it most convenient to enter into a ship, which lay there, that he might be in better circumstances to address the mixed multitude, which stood on the shore, and who were all attention to every word which he spake to them. He, as a wise instructor, adapted his discourse to their several capacities and employments. Some of them, probably, were husbandmen, others merchants, and others fishermen. He taught them, heavenly doctrines, by taking Parables from their respective occupations, or from those things, with which they could not be but most intimately and familiarly acquainted.----Parables are representations or similitudes taken from objects of sense, which are plain and obvious, to illustrate and impress upon the mind, things spiritual and divine. And commonly there is one _leading idea,_ which the speaker or writer has in view, to explain and enforce. The circumstances in the Parable are to be accommodated to this _one_ or _principal thought._ If we could rightly understand our Lord's Parables, we must not lose sight of the remark now made. Infinite mischief has been done to religion by compelling every small or minute circumstance of a parable to speak forth a distinct idea, or doctrine.----

In the subsequent discourse, my intention is to expound the Parable of the tares, or to make some observations upon it, of a practical nature, and such as, it is apprehended, are just.

The word _Tares_ signifies any noxious and hurtful weeds or plants, which spring up among, or mingle with the rich and precious grain, and not any one particular or distinct weed, or poisonous plant to the exclusion of all others. All know how detrimental to the Crop such weeds or poisonous plants are. They take away nourishment from the precious grain, and render it less vigorous while it grows. They diminish the harvest in proportion to their number and strength. Accordingly they are a nuisance in the field, grieve the heart, and in the same measure as they prevail, cut off the hopes of the husbandman. And the more fertile the soil, the more luxuriant will be their growth. They make the labour, which hath been bestowed upon the field, of none effect. And it is always with deep regret, that man beholds lost labour, or unsucceeded exertions.

In the Parable of the Tares now before us, we have several truths of very great importance to us both as individuals, and as collected into a Church-State, as minister and people, speaker and hearer.----

_In the first place,_ in the kingdom of heaven, in this Parable, is the Gospel preached, or the dispensation of the doctrines of Religion.--The state of things under the Gospel is very often, in the stile of our Lord, called his kingdom, or the kingdom of heaven, it is presumed no arguments will be needful to prove that the kingdom of heaven here means the State of things under the Gospel-dispensation. This, it is well known, is the common meaning of the expression. In the primitive Apostolic times Christianity had two names of nearly the same import, _the kingdom of God--and the kingdom of heaven._ These two phrases were brought into common use by John the Baptist, who came to introduce the Messiah, under the signature, _of the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord.--In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand._ He took the phrase from the following passage in the prophesy of Daniel. _And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever._ There is an obvious propriety in calling the State of things under the Gospel-dispensation _the kingdom of God._ It is from him as the original source. It aims at his glory ultimately in all its parts. When finished, it will be given up to him, and HE will be all and in all. He, from all Eternity by his unsearchable wisdom, devised the illustrious plan of salvation which it contains. He from motives of overflowing goodness reveals it. He by his power will make it successful. His son, the Messiah, is the prime Minister in it. His spirit sanctifies, and gathers subjects into it.--_Inward Religion_ is also happily described by the name of the _kingdom of God._ It is God's kingdom in the soul: is heavenly in its nature: is heavenly in its tendency--and will issue in all the riches of heavenly glory. It comes down from God, in a very important sense, for it is the wisdom that is from above; and is therefore a divine principle, and when completed, it will terminate in God, in the enjoyment and beatific vision of him, who is the sum of all existence and blessedness.

_The sower of the seed_ is our Lord himself, and those, who are in all the ages of his Religion or Gospel kingdom, commissioned and employed by him. _The seed sowed_ is the word of the kingdom. During our Saviour's personal Ministry, he was assiduous and active in his divine work, patient and persevering under all discouragements and want of success. Herein he was a perfect pattern to all the servants of his household, who are called to minister in holy things, or to sow the seed of the word. That he has ministering servants, and that it is his will there should be, to sow the seed of the word, and to dispense holy ordinances, is as plain as any one principle of his Religion, and cannot be disputed by any, if they would be self-consistent, who seriously believe in divine Revelation. While our Lord was performing his own personal Ministry, he met with great and unjust opposition. He was reviled and abused by those, whom he came to save, whose good he sought with attentive care, and to whom he displayed all the sweetness of a tender and benevolent mind. Very often, indeed, he saw the seed sowed without the desired fruit, and all his exertions to render man happy, repaid with cruel ingratitude. But he went on with his work, as a divine Teacher, with a fortitude, which we cannot help admiring, and which ought to be continually in our eye, as an object of imitation.--_He that soweth the good seed is the son of man._

_In the next place,_ another observation upon the Parable of the Tares, is that we can have no PURE CHURCH on Earth. It is not necessary for a Church, in order to be the true Church of Christ, to be _pure._ If so, we could never have a true Church, for there never was a _pure_ one yet, nor ever will be, as long as man is imperfect and unable to lift up the veil, and see what is in the heart, infallibly. There will always be Tares among the wheat, false among true professors--the hypocritical among the sincere, the vile with the precious. The field where the seed is sowed is the world: the good seed are the Children of the kingdom, but the Tares are then Children of the wicked one. By a _pure_ Church is meant a collection of real Saints without one hypocrite, or false-hearted professor. The invisible Church which Christ, at the last day, will present in triumph to his Father, will be _pure_ or spotless, in the highest sense; there will be no hypocrites in it, or any remains of sin. Speaking of this true invisible Church, says the Apostle, _that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it, unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish._ Nothing unclean or impure can be admitted into the New-Jerusalem or Church of the first born, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. _And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life._ An unanswerable proof against the notion of a _pure_ Church, is that none can know the heart. It is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? It is one of the prerogatives of the omniscient God to look into the hidden mysteries of the heart. Before him all things are open. The darkness and the light are both alike with him. His eye pervades the whole immensity of space. It can penetrate the thickest veil of hypocrisy. No fair disguises can screen us from his all-seeing view. _All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes, but the Lord weigheth the spirits._ He searches the heart, and tries the reins of the Children of men. Before we can have a _pure_ Church, we must not only know our own hearts, so as never to be deceived or mistaken about them; but we must likewise know the hearts of others. But the Psalmist exclaims, _who can know his errors, cleanse thou me from secret faults._ And he prefers to his Maker the following petition: _Search, me O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting._ In order to have a _pure_ Church, those who admit persons to Church order and privileges, must have the power of _discerning spirits,_ or they cannot shut the door against hypocrites and deceivers. But this power none have. It was peculiar to the Apostles, and to them only upon some special occasions. For Peter when he baptized Simon the Sorcerer, believed him to be sincere. He knew not the baseness and perfidy of his heart. None of the Apostolic Churches were _pure_ in the sense now under consideration, designing and hollow-hearted men there always will be, among the sincere, as a trial of their graces--of their faith, patience, and meekness. There was a Judas among the Apostles. One traitor was found even in our Lord's own select family. He professed no doubt, as much zeal and love to his Master, as the rest of the disciples. His other fellow disciples, who were with him all the time, never once suspected his sincerity. So artfully did he assume the appearance of a friend to the cause, in which they were all embarked. But yet he was all the while insincere. He became an Apostate from the truth, and betrayed his Master with the token of friendship. His name is odious. And has come down to us, loaded with infamy. And it will still descend as an epithet of the most finished treachery.

How unreasonable then to look for perfection in any, or a _pure_ Church! Untold mischief has been done to Religion by the pretenders to a _pure_ Church. They usually divide and break up the peace of Churches. Censoriousness occupies the place of Charity. Meekness, humility, condescension, and brotherly love fall before a mad and intemperate zeal, self-confidence, ignorance, and high pretensions to superior sanctity.

Though no _pure_ Church is to be seen on earth, and the idea of it, be a vain and delusive one, yet all the real friends of the Gospel ought to strive to have the greatest purity in doctrines--in worship--in discipline, in ordinances, and conduct. That Church is the purest, which is the most scriptural in its doctrines, ordinances and worship, discipline, and manners. Churches should take the greatest care to be built upon the only foundation, the order and faith of the Gospel, rejecting all human inventions and traditions, having the word of God for their only rule of faith and practice.