is not more holy in the fight of God than another, and that idleness in itself cannot be acceptable to him. This law therefore must have had for its object, a people confidered under fome particular ideas. The Ifraelites were just come out of Egypt, where not only the stars, but alfo men, animals, plants, and all creatures in general were looked upon as deities, and where they had alfo paid divine worship to them. Now it was neceffary there fhould a day be fet apart, to keep them in perpetual remembrance of the creation, and none could be fitter for that purpose than the feventh, for the reafon before alledged. Befides, they were come out of a country where they had been kept to continual toil and drudgery; and therefore it was but juft and reasonable, that their rest on that day fhould be an everlasting memorial of the rest God had procured them, and that it fhould be wholly confecrated to his fervice. It is no crime to gather wood on the fabbath-day. The law did not inflict fo fevere a punishment upon other faults, that were much more grievous than this, because they might happen to be committed through inadvertence and infirmity. But it would have been an inexcufable ingratitude, a prophanation, and even a very criminal impiety in the children of Ifrael, to break fo eafy a command, and to rob God of one fingle moment of a day, which he had entirely referved to him felf. 4. Were all men, and all the nations in the world, bound to observe the fabbath, then it would never have been abrogated, as it actually was; and the Chriftians ought to have kept it throughout all ages, as they at first did, out of condefcenfion to the Jews. Befides, JESUS CHRIST would never have faid of a like injunction as the fabbath, that he was at liberty to obferve it, or not; that the fabbath was made for man, and not man for the fabbath (u). From his answer to the Pharifees, when they found fault with his difciples for plucking fome ears of corn on the fabbath-day, these three particulars are to be obferved. First, That he fets the fabbath upon the fame foot with the command, whereby all forts of perfons, befides the priests, were forbidden to eat the fhew-bread. Secondly, That the fervice of JESUS CHRIST, who is the true temple of God, difpenfes men from the obfervation of the fabbath, and drives it away, to use the Jewish expreffion. Thirdly, That by JESUS CHRIST's faying the fabbath is made for man, and not man for the fabbath, it is plain he looked upon it only as a ceremony appointed for the ufe of man; whereas mankind was made for the noble duties of juftice and holinefs, because they do not depend upon inftitution, but are enjoined by reafon as well as fcripture. Thefe reflections of JESUS CHRIST fet the fabbath in the fame rank with the Jewish ceremonies. St. Paul alfo places the fabbath-days among thofe ceremonies, wherewith he would not have Chriftians think themselves bound, because they were a fhadow of things to come (x)." It may perhaps be imagined, that funday having fucceeded to the fabbath, the law concerning the fabbath is confequently ftill in force. It must indeed be owned that there is fome conformity between the Jewif (*) Matt. xii. 8. Mark ii. 27. (x) Coloff. ii. 16, 17. Jewish fabbath and our funday; and that the defign of the primitive church was to make the latter infenfibly fucceed the former, as to what was of moral obligation in the fabbath; but we ought to take care upon feveral accounts, not to confound the one with the other. For, 1. The keeping of funday is not a ceremony, but a duty which we are bound to perform for thefe two reasons; that we may fet apart one day in the week for the fervice of God; and fecondly, that we may enjoy ourfelves, and give our dependants fome reft from their labours. 2. Sunday is not of divine, but of human inftitution. It is true that there is mention of this day in the New Testament under the name of the first day of the week (y), and the Lord's day (z), and it is moreover manifeft from those places, that it was a day reckoned more confiderable than the reft, and fet apart for the exercises of religious duties; but still there is no exprefs command to keep it holy. 3. We do not find, either in holy fcripture, or ecclefiaftical history, that there is an obligation of abftaining from all work on fundays, which was one of the chief articles relating to the fabbath. If people do no work on fundays, it is because they may not be taken off from religious duties, but may have leifure to meditate on holy things, which is the end for which this day was appointed. 4. Sunday is the firft day of the week, and not the feventh, which was effential to the fabbath. 5. Sunday is inftituted upon a quite different view than the fabbath was. This latter was appointed in remembrance of the creation of the world, and the deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt; on the funday, we celebrate the refurrection of Jefus Chrift, and meditate at the fame time on our chriftian hopes, and the truth of our holy religion, which was fully proved and confirmed by Jefus's rifing again. There are notwithstanding some reasons which would incline one to believe that the inftitution of the fabbath is of a longer ftanding than the law of Mofes, that it is an appointment calculated not only for the Ifraelites, but for all men in general, and that it is almoft of the fame nature as the moral law. It seems indeed, that the defign of the fab bath being to keep in men's minds, and celebrate the memory of the creation of the world, it ought to be univerfally received, and for ever obferved. But on the other hand, the fcripture making no mention of the keeping of the fabbath, for the space of two thoufand years, ferves very much to clear this difficulty, as hath been already obferved. Befides, a legiflator is feldom known to enact any laws, except in cafe of neceffity. Now this provifion against idolatry (*) was the lefs needful in those early times, when the remembrance of the creation was ftill fresh in men's minds, and upon the account of the long lives of the patriarchs, might be preserved for feveral ages, fince they had been in a manner witneffes thereof. The cafe was altered, when the remembrance of the creation came to be worn out of men's minds, and they began to worship creatures. And if God thought it proper to leave other nations in the hand of their counfel, nothing could be more worthy (y) Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. z. (3) Revel. i. 10. (*) Viz. the inftitution of the fabbath. of of his wisdom and goodness, than to guard his own people againft the worshipping of creatures, by inftituting the fabbath, and also thereby to call to their remembrance how on that day they were faved out of the hands of the Egyptians. The words in Genefis, wherein it is faid that "God bleffed the feventh day, and fanctified it," because on that day he refted from his work; and thofe in Exodus, where God's refting is alledged as the reafon of his inftituting the fabbath, feem alfo to prove, that all men 'in general are equally bound by this institution as well as the Jews. There may be fome probability in this, but it is alfo attended with difficulties. It is indeed faid in Genefis that God bleffed, that is, pronounced happy the fabbath-day, and that he fanctified, or feparated it from other days; but there is no command about celebrating, or keeping it holy. It would be fomewhat ftrange if the facred hiftorian had recorded an injunction given to Adam in particular, and not have mentioned a command wherein all mankind was concerned. When God fent the deluge into the world as a punishment for men's iniquities, among the crimes laid to their charge, we do not find that they are ever accused of having broken the fabbath, which would nevertheless have been a crime committed against the majefty of heaven. It is then very probable that in Genefis the facred historian hath spoken of fanctifying the fabbath-day by way of anticipation, as all the other hiftorians are often used to do (*). The account of the creation was not given, till after the com ing of the children of Ifrael out of Egypt, with a design to turn them from idolatry, and the worshipping of creatures. Mofes takes from thence an occafion of giving them to understand, that this is the reafon why God hath fanctified the seventh day, and appointed this festival, to be by them celebrated every week. Upon this fuppofition, the fancti, fying of the fabbath does not relate to the creation of the world, where we find it mentioned, but to after-ages. Another argument, whereby it hath been attempted to prove that the fabbath is not a mere ceremony, is, That the law whereby it is injoined being part of the decalogue, which contains the laws of morality, that are of an eternal obligation, this confequently feems to be of the fame nature. We have already fhewed that the law concerning the fabbath hath all the marks of a ceremony, and not of a moral duty. The most ancient fathers of the church have been of the fame opinion, as we have alfo obferved (+). The heathens (*) have expreffed fome regard for all the other articles of the Jewith law, and ridiculed only the fabbath, which they looked upon as a vain and trifling ceremony, not knowing for what wife reafons it had been appointed. It was notwithstanding neceflary that the law concerning the fabbath, though merely ceremonial, fhould be ranked among the ten commandments, and that for these two reafons. 1. The (*) There are feveral anticipations of the like nature in the pentateuch. (†) Justin Mart. Dial. cont. Tryph. Tertull. Theodoret in Ezech. xx. Chryfoft. Auguftin Lib. ad Marcel. de fp. & lit. c. 14. (*) Senec, ap. Aug. de Civit. c. vi. 11. Juvenal. Sat. 14. Rutil, Itin, 1. The observation of the fabbath being then a part of the divine worship, and a fence against idolatry, as God was therein acknowledged the creator of the world, it was very expedient that this law fhould be placed in the first table, which contained the duty of the Ifraelites towards God. It is moreover to be observed, that this commandment is the laft in that table, because by obferving it the children of Ifrael could therein difcover the grounds of the three firft. The 2d reafon why the law concerning the fabbath is placed in the decalogue, is plainly this, because it is an abridgment not only of the moral, but alfo of the ceremonial law. According to Philo (a), the fabbath was a summary of the latter. The fourth commandment, faith he, is only an abridgment of whatever is prefcribed concerning the feftivals, vows, facrifices, and all religious worship. Thus have we fet down the chief reafons relating to the nature and origin of the fabbath. We fhall leave the reader to determine either way, or elfe to fufpend his judgment. We come now therefore to confider the fabbath as a Jewish ceremony. This word most commonly denotes the feventh day of the week, but it hath fometimes a more extenfive fignification in feripture. It is fometimes taken for all the festivals, because they were so many days of reft. The feast of expiation in particular is frequently ftiled the fabbath, as well as the firft and eighth days of the feast of tabernacles, and the fabbatical year (b). Sometimes it fignifies the whole week (c)i because the fabbath was the most remarkable day in it. As for the fabbath properly fo called, it is often termed in the facred writings, and in Jofephus, the fabbaths in the plural (d). Which it was proper to obferve by the way, to prevent any one from, being embarrassed at it. The fabbath began the friday in the evening, which was the preparation (*), about fun-fet, and ended the next day at the fame time. What chiefly deferves our notice in this day, is, that both man and beast were obliged to rest and abftain from all fervile occupations (e). This reft was the most effential part of the folemnity and worship of that day, for the reafons before mentioned. It appears from feveral places of the New Teftament, that religious exercifes, as reading the law, praying and bleffing, were reckoned neceffary on the fabbath, but they are not prefcribed by the law; whereas reft was injoined with the utmost strictness imaginable. Hence in the fcripture-language (†) to profane the fabbath is the fame as to work upon it, as to fanctify it fignifies to reft. Even the most (a) Philo de Decal. (b) Levit. xvi. 23, 24. XXV. 4. Ezek. xx. 21. Matth. xxviii. I. Mark i. 23. Jofeph. Antiq. 1. 2. (*) Mark xv. 42. The law of the fabbath obliged the Jews to fo ftrict a reft, that they were not fuffered to dress their victuals, nor even to light their fires; which obliged them to prepare things the day before, i. e. the Friday. And for this reafon it is named the preparations of the fabbath; Lamy, p. 106. (e) Exod. xvi. 29, 30. xxiii. 12. Jerem. xvii. 22, 27. (†) Exod. xxxi. 14. XXXV. 2. Xx. 8. moft neceffary works were forbidden on pain of death (f), as gather ing manna, or wood, baking bread, lighting a fire (g); not only fowing and reaping were then reckoned unlawful, but also plucking any ears of corn, carrying any thing from one place to another, or going above two thoufand paces or cubits; which in feripture is called a fabbath-day's journey (b). The Jews had carried their fcruples in this point to fuch a height, that they imagined they were not fo much as allowed to fight in defence of their lives on the fabbath-day. They paid fometimes very dear for these fuperftitious notions, especially during the perfecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, when they fuffered themselves rather to be burnt and smothered in the flames, than defend or flop the mouths of their caves; this prince having pitched upon the fabbath-day to attack them (i). Mattathias foon convinced them indeed of their error, by teaching them that felf-murder was a greater crime, than breaking the fabbath. Notwithstanding they fell again a facrifice to this fuperftition under Pompey, who taking an advantage of it, fixed his machines against Jerufalem, without any manner of oppofition. There were however feveral things, which it was lawful to do on the fabbath-day; but they could not well be looked upon as fervile employments. Of which kind were circumcifion, and works of mercy, that were to be performed to beasts, and therefore much more to men, as JESUS CHRIST told the Pharifees, when they found fault with him for having healed a man man on the fabbath (k). All occupation in general relating to the divine fervice was allowed of on that day (), as getting ready whatever was neceffary for the facrifices, flaying the victims, &c. It is evident from the New Teftament, that the celebration of the fabbath chiefly confifted in the religious exercifes, which were then performed. But there is no injunction relating to them in the Old Teftament, except a burnt-offering of two lambs, which was on that day added to the morning and evening facrifices. But reafon alone taught them that God having referved this one day to his fervice, it ought to be spent in devout meditations, and a facred reft, as Philo hath exprefsly obferved (m). (f) Numb. xv. 32, &c. Exod. xxxi. 14. We (g) Exod. xxxv. 3. xvi. 23. Philo de Vit. Mof. p. 508. And therefore as foon as the fun was gone down, the Friday in the evening, so far that it Thone only on the tops of the mountains, they lighted their lamps. (4) Joh. iii. 4. John v. 10. Acts i. 12. Matt. xii. 1, 2. If they took a journey, they took care to be at the end of it before fun-fet. Some of their reafenings on this point were as follow, viz. It is forbidden to reap, and it is forbidden to gather the ears of corn, because that is a fort of reaping. It is not lawful to fou, and therefore neither is it to walk in ground newly fown, because the feed may stick to the feet, and fo be carried from place to place, which is in fome fort fowing. Lamy's Introd. P. 105, & 188. () Jofeph. Antiq. ii. 18. & xiv. 8. Plutarch. de Superft. p. 168. fanctuary. (m) Fh.lo de Decal. p. 585. Jews, that there was no fabbath in the |