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on the new moons, it is not improbable but that the prophets, and other perfons learned in their law, were used to explain it on those days to the people. Where no fuch perfons were at hand, it is probable that masters of private families read the fcriptures in their own houfes; or feveral families might join, and affemble together for the purpose, and this might give occafion to the inftitution of Synagogues, which anfwered the fame end. Thefe affemblies were in univerfal ufe in our Saviour's time, and had been fo, as is generally agreed, from the time of Ezra, if they were not as old as the time of king David, who is thought to allude to them in fome of his Pfalms.

Chrift having rifen from the dead on the first day of the week, which is diftinguished by the appellation of the Lord's day, and having afterwards appeared to his difciples on that day, in preference to any other, it feems from thence to have grown into a custom, with the apostles and primitive chriftians, to affemble for public worship on that day, rather than on the feventh; and though

though the chriftian Jews probably continued for fome time to meet on the feventh day alfo, yet, by degrees, the obfervance of that day for the purpose of public worship grew out of use.

Our prefent practice was certainly that of the earliest chriftians, whofe cuftoms we are able to trace, and there having never been any controverfy upon the fubject, we may fafely conclude, that they derived it from the apostles; and their authority is fufficient

for us. Nor does it make any material difference whether we be certified of their practice by their own writings, or any other fufficient evidence. In fact, it does not seem to be very material, what particular day of the week we fet apart for reft and public worship, provided we confcientiously appropriate the fame portion of our time to that use.

That fome portion of time should be fet apart for the purpose of public worship, feems to be highly reasonable of itself, exclufive of all exprefs authority; fince focie

ties, as fuch, depend upon God, as well as the individuals that compofe them; and therefore they owe him the fame homage; and it is moft natural, that public thanksgivings, confeffions, and petitions, fhould be made by as many of the fociety as can conveniently affemble for that purpose. Every perfon, therefore, who confiders himself as a member of focicty, and having a common intereft with it, fhould, on this account, attend the public worship of God; and what time is fo convenient for this purpose, as the day of reft from labour and worldly bufinefs. The mind will naturally be moft compofed, and, on every account, the fitteft for religious exercifes on that day;.. and the devotion of individuals is greatly strengthened by the example of others joining with them.

It is an additional argument in favour of public worship, that the custom promotes fociety and friendship, by affording frequent opportunities for the people of a neighbourhood meeting and fecing one another, efpecially as the bufinefs of the day

tends

tends to promote mutual love, and all the focial virtues.

The fabbath, among the Jews (and, for the fame reafon, it fhould apply to the Lord's day among the chriftians) is exprefily ordered to be a day of rest for the.. cattle, as well as for man. It must be exceedingly wrong, therefore, to make the labouring cattle work on that day; and in this view it is a moft reasonable and merciful inftitution.

As the most important ufe of a weekly day of rest (on which the attention of the mind is withdrawn from the ufual cares of life) is serious and useful reflection, in order to the moral culture of the mind, it must be wrong, as evidently interfering with this end of the institution, to give way to exceffive levity, and efpecially to ufe noisy and riotous diverfions on that day; though chearful, rather than an auftere manner of spending it, is favourable to its proper use. Our Saviour was far from approving of the rigorous and fuperftitious manner in which

VOL. II.

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the

the Pharifees fpent their fabbath, and we cannot think that more gloom and rigour becomes the chriftian than the Jewish inftitution. Since all pofitive ordinances are in their own nature fubordinate to duties of moral obligation, it is evident, that the rest of the fabbath should give place to labour, when acts of justice, benevolence, and mercy, must otherwife be neglected.

§ 2. Of facrifices.

BEFORE I proceed any farther in my account of thofe fcripture precepts, which are not properly of a moral nature, but are fubfervient to moral purposes, I fhall treat briefly of facrifices. Of the origin of facrifices, confifting either of the prefentation of fruits, or the killing and burning of animals, we have no account; but we find that they were permitted, and even exprefsly appointed by God, on a great variety of occafions.

If,

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