and it is fo called, because God hath enjoined us to reft this day from our earthly work and labour, that we may folemnly call to mind his refting from his works, both of creation and redemption; publicly adore him therefore, folace our fouls in his goodness, repofe and reft in the arms of his mercy, and meditate upon that "eternal reft which remains for the people of God" in the other world.

This being the true import and meaning of the word Sabbath, we ftill retain it, and commonly use it to fignify the Lord's day, our Chriftian Sabbath.

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There are fome indeed who are offended at the retaining of the name Sabbath, under the New Teftament times, pretending that it is properly Jewish; though, in the mean time, they are fond of the words priest and altar, which are much more 'fo. But it is furely a mistake to fay, that the name Sabbath is Jewish, or peculiar to the Jews, and fo not to be used by Chri ftians: For we see the Lord gives it that name in the moral law, which is of perpetual use, binding Christians as much as Jews: "Remember the Sabbath day tokeep it holy." So it was not the Jews, but the great God, that gave the Sabbath its name. Nay, Chrift our Saviour doth, in the New Teftament, call his own day by the name of Sabbath, Matth. xxiv. 20. Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day." Now, it is evident, that our Lord doth there mean the Christian Sabbath, or his own day; for he is not only fpeaking to Chriftians, but concerning the flight of Chriftians, which he knew was to fall out forty years after the Jewith Sabbath was abolished, and the Lord's day come into its place. Surely he would not bid Chriftians pray that their flight might not fall on the Jewish Sabbat!, when he both forefaw, and intended, that then they would reckon themselves under no obligation to obferve the Jewish Sabbath, nor under any reftraint of fleeing or travelling on that day: (which even the Jews themfelves believed at that time, they might lawfully do in time of eminent hazard, as appears by the decree which they made relative thereto under the Hafmonians) and therefore he must mean

the

the Chriftian Sabbath, upon which he bids Chriftians pray that their flight may not happen. Not that it was unlawful for them to flee or travel on that day in time' of danger, but because it would be a great addition to their trouble, if their flight fhould happen at fuch a time, as to deprive them of the opportunity of God's worthip and ordinances.

It is of no weight, what is objected by fome, that the Chriftians, who lived in Judea among the Jews, could not be allowed by them to travel on their Sabbath, and therefore (fay they) Chrift bids them pray that their flight might not fall upon it. For in the first place, The Jews not having the government then in their hands, they had no power of reftraining or punishing of crimes. 2dly, The time which Chrift fpeaks of was a time of war and confufion, occafioned by the Roman armies invading the land, when no notice could be taken of fuch cafes as travelling on the Sabbath. 3dly, The moft fuperftitious were at that time put to flee and travel as well as the Chriftians which they then thought it lawful to do, as we told before. 4thly, If Chrift had fpoke fo concerning the Jewish Sabbath, it had laid fome foundation for Chriitians to fall into mistakes concerning the obligation of the Jewith Sabbath, and other ceremonies: which, to be fure, our Lord would not have given them. And, if there had been any fuch occafion given, the Judaizing Chriftians would certainly have improven it againft the apoftles; which yet we do not find. Lafily, The learned Owen, Durham, Brown, and other writers on this fubject, understand Christ as fpeaking in this place of the Chriftian Sabbath.

But granting that the name Sabbath were indeed Jewith and improper, (as fome would have it) yet I am fure it is ftill preferable to that of Sunday, which is truly Heathenith, though commonly used by them in their liturgy to the offence of many Chriftians: For it is well known that the Heathen idolaters ca led this day Sunday, because of their dedicating it to the created Sun, which was the chief of their planetary gods that they ordinarily worshipped, as may be gathered alfo VOL. IV.

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from 2 Kings xxiii. 5. Ezek. viii. 16. And hence, fome of the ancient Heathens (of whom Tertullian fpeaks) fancied that the Sun was the God of the Chriftians, because they celebrated the first day of the week.

I know it is objected, that some of the primitive apologifts for Christianity, as Justin Martyr and TertulJian, in their writings, call the Lord's day Sunday. But the reafon of their fo doing is plain; they were writing to Heathens, to whom the doctrines of Christianity and i ftitution of the Lord's day were things new and ftrange, and who would not have known what day they meant, if they had fpoken of the Lord's day; and therefore they call it by the name they gave it, Sunday: For when we treat with others, we must exprefs things by the names that are common and current among them, unless we intend to be barbarians to them.

But the primitive Chriftians did not use to call it Sunday among them felves, but, commonly, the Lord's day, not the Sabbath; partly to distinguish it from the Jewish Sabbath that was fo lately abolished, and partly to wean the Jewish converts the more effectually from Judaifm But the true reafon why fome in this age feem to be offended at the word Sabbath, as being applied to the Lord's day, is, because they cannot allow of any thing that would infer an obligation upon them to keep fuch a ftrict holy rest upon the Chriftian Sab- · bath as the Jews did upon their Sabbath: but I will have occafion to fpeak of this afterwards.

I need not stand long here, to fhew the different fignifications of the word Sabbath among the Jews; only in a word, befide the feventh day of each week, or weekly Sabbath, (which is the most ordinary acceptation of the word in fcripture) it is put alfo fometimes to fignify a whole week, because every.aveek had a Sabbath included in it, Lev. xxiii. 15. "Seven Sabbaths lhall be complete," i. e. weeks. The Pharifce faith, Luke xviii. 12. I faft twice a week;" orig. neufteuo dis tou SabbaLikewife the word Sabbath is fometimes put to fignify feven years. Lev. xxv. 8. "Thou shalt number

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unto thee seven Sabbaths of years," i. e. (as it is there explained) feven times feven years. Seven years was called among the Jews, a Sabbath of years, because their land refted from culture or husbandry every feventh year, in answer to the church's refting every seventh day. Hence it is faid, Lev. xxv. 4 The feventh year

fhall be a Sabbath of reft unto the land" Befides this,' they had their great fabbatical year, or Jubilee, which was every fiftieth year: For, according to Lev. xxv 9. they were to reckon feven Sabbaths of years, or seven times feven years, which is forty-nine, and then to obferve their Jubilee, or fabbattical year. Lastly, The other facred feafts which the Jews kept monthly or annually, are alfo called Sabbaths, in regard of their refting from labour on these days, as on the weekly Sabbath. Hence, Lev. xxiii. 24. the firft day of the feventh month, which was their "feaft of trumpets," is called a Sabbath: But the weekly Sabbath is commonly called in Scripture, by way of eminency, the Sabbath; to diftinguish it from all other Sabbaths, and give it the preference to all the other feafts of the Jews. Queft. II. For what ends hath God appointed a weekly Sabbath?

Anf 1. God hath appointed it for manifefling of his own glory, and particularly for difplaying his fovereign power and authority over all his creatures. It must certainly be a high acknowledgment of God's univerfal dominion and supremacy, to have all the world ́ every week, in one day, lay afide their own business, that they may jointly worship him in a public and folemn manner.

2. He appointed the Sabbath for the benefit of his creatures, and particularly in compaffion to fallen. man; for he faw man's heart would be fo glewed to the world, fo drench'd in fenfuality, that, were he left to himself, he would not allow one day in a month, nay, in a year, for divine worship; but would have drudged himself, his fervants and beafts, even to death in purfuit of worldly things, without minding any thing that is better. Wherefore a merciful God hath Arily commanded man to reft one day every week,

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from all worldly concerns, that thereby he might, in a manner, be laid under a neceffity to mind his foul and the things of another world; and, in the mean time, the poor toiled beafts, as well as mens bodies, might have Tome rest and ease, for their prefervation and fupport. But more particularly, the Sabbath is defigned for our fouls eternal welfare; in regard,

1. The Sabbath tends highly to our instruction, and to the keeping up the lively impreffions of the truths of Christianity in our memories. The Sabbath recurring every week,, doth ftill of new lay before us a compendious view of these effential doctrines. The creation of the world, man's fall, Chrifl's incarnation and fatisfaction, bis death, refurrection and victory, for completing our redemption: Befides that glorious and eternal reft above, provided for the people of God.

2. It tends to promote holinefs, spirituality, and heavenly mindednefs, in us; and that two ways. 1. By calling us off from temporal to fpiritual employment. Senfual objects through the week are ready to alienate Our affections from God, and wear fpiritual things out of our minds; for recalling whereof, the Sabbath feafonably returns, and prefents and entertains us with divine objects.

2. By affording us a lively emblem of heaven, and the converfation of the glorified faints, in celebrating that eternal Sabbath above: For, as in heaven there is no buying, felling, nor any worldly business, but a continual fpeaking of God, enjoying communion with him, adoring and praifing him for ever, without any mixture of other affairs; fo the Lord will have an emblem or reprefentation hereof, as near as may be, given weekly to his people on earth, by the Sabbath, wherein they muft lay afide all worldly things, and be wholly employed in the fervice of God, and work of heaven: And this is in order both to keep them in mind of, and make them meet for, that inheritance of the faints in light.

Quest. III. What is to be understood by the morality of the Sabbath, or fourth commandment, fo frequently spoke of?

Anf.