Saviour arofe, and was "declared to be the Son of God with power," fhould be religiously, gratefully and joyfully obferved, in praise, prayer, &c. For this day is divers times mentioned in the new teftament, as the day on which Chriftians affembled together in a more especial manner, in the first age, for religious purposes.†

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IT must be remembered also, that the primitive chriftians came together thus on the first day of the week, under the immediate eye, countenance and direction of the infpired apoftles; who ufed to meet and pray with, teach, exhort and preach to them, thereon: At which time also the Lord's Supper used to be celebrated. So we read particularly, [Acts XX. 7.]" And upon the first day of the week,when the difciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, &c." THIS example of the firft Chriftians, confidering all circumstances, and particularly their meeting on this day, under the immediate inspection of, and with the infpired apoftles, is fufficient to give that day the preference to any other, for the purpofes aforefaid: Efpecially when we confider it as the day of that grand and important event, the very basis of the Chriftian religion, Chrift's refurrection; from whence it is called "the Lord's day." Public, focial worship being a duty, and fome particular time being needful to be fixed on for that end; here are pofitive reafons for the firft day, rather than another: And no man can pretend any particular reafon against this, or object against it; except upon the footing of the antiquated Jewish fabbath, with which we have

Compare John XX. 1. Acts XX. 7. 1 Cor. XVI. 2. & Rev, 1. 10.

no concern-But this is only example, you will fay; not precept. Now, instead of infifting upon it, as I think One might do with great reafon, that this example, all circumftances being confidered, ought to have the force of a command with us; I obferve,

THAT the words of the apoftle [Heb. X. 23, 24 & 25,] can be confidered as nothing fhort of à pofitive precept, to the purpose aforefaid. “Let "us hold faft the profeffion of our faith without 86 wavering And let us confider one another ἐσ to provoke unto love, and to good works: Not "forfaking the affembling of ourselves together, ἐσ as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one "another"-Now, thefe words ought, in all reafon, to be understood and interpreted in conformity to the known general practice of the Chriftian church in that age; which was to affemble for the exercises of religion on "the first day of the week" more especially, tho' not exclufively. So that in any natural and fair conftruction of this paffage, the apoftle must be confidered, (1.) As giving his intire approbation of this general ufage among Chriftians; as one way in which they were to "hold fast their profeffion," to excite one another "to love, and to good works," &c. (2.) As folemnly warning Chriftians against neglecting to meet together for the faid purposes on the firft, or Lord's day"Not forfaking the affembling of ourselves together." And (3.) As blaming and reproving certain of the loofer, and lefs fincere profeffors of christianity, who even in that age abfented themfelves

felves from these affemblies of the faithful-" as the manner of fome is"-This is no forced or laboured, but an eafy and natural conftruction of the apostle's words. So that this practice, fo reafonable in itself, and conducive to many impor tant ends, civil and temporal, as well as religious and eternal, wants neither apoftolic example nor precept for its fupport; and even to bind it upon the confciences of all who acknowledge fubjection to Jefus Chrift.

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WHY then should any as it were turn Jews, or become "Mofes's difciples," for the fake of ef tablishing an illiberal, Mofaic fabbath, to be obferved with an unfcriptural, Jewish, and even Pharifaical rigor, altogether aliene from the genius of the gospel; inftead of contenting themselves with the Lord's day," to be obferved with grateful praises, with religious joy and festivity, as that day was observed by the body of Chriftians for two or three centuries at leaft? What need is there for having recourfe to Mofes and his law, for the divine inftitution of any fabbath that Christ's difciples ought to obferve! Tho', by the way, "the Lord's day" is not properly called the fabbath. It is never called fo in fcripture; and giving it that name fince, has been the unhappy occafion of filling many people's heads with Jewish and antichriftian notions about it

BUT not to digrefs: It being plainly the will of Chrift and of God, that the Lord's day should be observed, as has been fhewn, entirely upon the plan of the gofpel; it will be an heinous fin in you, if you neglect the public worship thereon;

K 3

fpending

fpending that time in idlenefs, in unneceffary worldly labors, or in diverfions, which you ought to spend in the exercifes of religion with the people of God. If you do thus, you will not in any measure deferve the character of being fober-minded. Forfake not therefore, the affembling of yourselves with them on this day, as the manner of fome, I might fay, of many is. For even in this town, where the Lord's day is, perhaps, as generally and regularly obferved as in any other place without exception, it is fuppofed by fome, that at least a fourth or fifth part of the people, tho' they can hardly look out at their windows or doors without feeing one or more places of public worship, are yet hardly feen in them twice a year. And yet poffibly thefe very perfons may be fo ftrangely deluded as to think themselves Chriftians! Let me tell you, myyoung brethren, that whatever wrong and fuperftitious notions fome may entertain about a particular fabbath under the gofpel; yet a due obfervation of the Lord's day, is a most material branch of chriftian fobriety. The neglect of it is of pernicious confequence in many refpects; as is feen in fome parts even of New-England, where, by this means, the people are but little better than favages. The duc obfervance, or the neglect of the Lord's day, will probably have a very extenfive influence, good or bad, upon your whole temper, and general converfation. And it is evident from long experience and obfervation, that thofe perfons who are remarkably negligent of this branch of chriftian fobriety,

are

are generally very defective in all others: The exceptions are very few, if any.† But,

III. It is not only a common and unneceffary neglect of the public worship, that is inconfiftent with christian sobriety; All light and inK 4 decent

The SABBATISMOS, fabbatifm or "reft," which is faid to "remain to the people of God," Heb. IV. 9. means not any particular day to be observed by Christians as a fabbath, in diftinction from other days; but in general, an holy reft from fin, and rejoicing in Chrift Jefus, as "the end of the law for righteoufnefs;" and more especially, that future reft from all pain and forrow, which is promised to the faithful in the kingdom of heaven. And fabbaths are par ticularly mentioned, Col. II. 16, 17. amongst other Judaical and ceremonial things, which were only a "fhadow" of the better things to come by Chrift; and to be then discontinued-"Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in

" and years.

drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the new moon, "or of SABBATHS: which are a fhadow of things to come; "but the body is of Chrift." The fame apoftle, Gal. IV. reminding Chriftians that they were redeemed from the law, that they might "receive the adoption of fons," ver. 5. and ver. 7. Says, "Thou art no more a fervant, but a fon"And he then upbraids the Judaizers and Sabbatizers in the following words: "How turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye defire again to be bro't "into bondage. Ye obferve days, and months, and times, I am afraid of you, left I have bestowed upon you labor in vain :" Ver. 9, 10, 11. If a man will ob ferve any fabbath upon the plan of the Mofaic law, or with a Jewish, fervile rigor, I infift on it, that he ought, upon his own principles, to be circumcifed alfo, and "to keep "that whole law."- As far as I am acquainted with the learned Mr.CALVIN'S fentiments refpecting" the Lord's day," my own are very nearly the fame with his: Except that I cannot go fo far as that learned man is faid to have done, in countenancing recreations thereon-And I am far from thinking it unreasonable, or any hardship, if, in Christian countries, the civil authority interpofes to prohibit people from fuch worldly labors and diverfions on the Lord's day, as would be an interruption to the devotions, or religious exercifes of others.