chance, or was it design? If it was chance it was evidently an ill chance, for those who plead either for the seventh day sabbath, or for the aboltion of the fourth commandment.

Whatever the superstitious and censorious Pharisee might think of the disciples, because they plucked the ears of corn, and refreshed their hungry and fatigued bodies, as they were going to meeting, it is evident from our Saviour's allowing and vindicating it, that works of obvious necessity, mercy and piety, were not forbidden upon this day.

It is equally evident that the command to labor six days, was only in order that all their secular, ordinary and servile labor might be done upon these, because while the commandment was, by all considered obligatory, there were many days appointed for religious and ceremonial services,

These facts then shew that the fourth com mandment in sanctioning the observation of the first day Sabbath, does not hinder or forbid the occasional observation of other days in religious services, nor yet the performance of necessary and merciful works on the Lord's day. If it did either, then it was inconsistent with the. by laws of Old Testament times, as well as with ecclesiastical enactments, & Christian usage in the New.

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The Old Testament writers by prophetic vision saw the change of the order of the days. perfect consistency with their fullest belief of the permanent sanetion of the Moral Law, and the

standing authority of the fourth commandment. they wrote of the change from the seventh to the first day. Beyond all question, when speaking prophetically of our times, they contemplate the continuance of Sabbatic institutions. Without this indeed they would have considered the dis pensation inferior to their own, and would not have wished to see such a time. Thus the prophet and psalmist David, in the cxviii Psalm, after having sung the sufferings of Christ, he sings also his following glory:-"The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner." When did this take place? The gospel will tell you that it was the day in which he rose from the dead, or first day of the week. He was there; he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by his resurrection from the. dead.

But the same eminent type of our Lord, in allusion to the same time, says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." It is evident that this day must be considered as some how peculiarly made. He has made all the days, in a certain sense, for. he teaches the planets to, revolve, whereby day. and night, and seasons of the year are measured. All these vicissitudes are regulated by the great Jehovah. What then is particular upon this day mentioned by the prophet David? Every christian can readily answer this. It was on this day his Son," the sun of righteousness arose." He will therefore be particularly glad in it. This

is the day God hath made evangelical light to shine out of great darkness, and so should be a day in which hosaunas should be sung, and salvation declared in Sion.

On this day should the souls and the bodies of the redeemed be affectionately bound to the altar of instituted worship, that they may be offered living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. On this day, Christians will rejoice to receive blessings from the Church or house of the Lord. In holy elation of mind they will give thanks to God in remembrance of his grace and mercy, which continues forever in the appointment and continuance of means and times of administering salvation.

Such is the view which the psalmist took of our privileged times. Alas! that so many who enjoy the advantages of these times should professionally or practically obscure their glory. Isaiah, the evangelical prophet, who like David speaks of the sufferings and glory of Christ, rather in the language of history than of prophecy, saw the continued observation of the Sabbath as a Christian duty and a Christian privilege. In the fifty-sixth chapter, where he prophecies of the accession of all people to the Church or house of the Lord, he says in the name of the Lord, "keep ye judgment, and do justice, for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it, that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keep. eth his hand from any evil." The poor eunuch

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was not only a dry tree in the state, but also was excluded from dwelling in the temple, performing its service, or enjoying its privilege. But not so in the dispensation of which he prophecies. He and the Gentile stranger are to have their place in dis more liberal dispensation of the covenant of grace. Still however they are not to neglect the Sabbath. This would be the lazy, licentious liberty of the profligate reprobate, not the glorious liberty of the sons and children of .God. "For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls, a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves unto the Lord to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant, even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. These sacrifices shall be acceptable, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people."

Can any thing be more obvious than that the prophet had a gospel scene before him, and yet he saw a sabbath? It is true he beheld sacrifices also; but have we no sacrifices? Yes, certainly. The sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart-of doing good and communicating-of offering our ouls and bodies were always pleasing sacrifices

in his sight, and still are a reasonable service. The time then of which the prophet speaks, must synchronise with the time of which Christ says"Neither in mount Gerizim nor yet in Jerusalem: shall men worship the Father, that is exclusively, But every where men shall call on the Lord, and Be accepted." And when did this take place? After the advent of Messiah, or in New Testament times and yet according to the prophet, there is a sabbath to Le kept from polluting i Ezekiel alsp, xlii. chapter, 27th verse prophecies of the same time and of the change and observation of the sabbath day. "And it shall be, when those days are expired, that upon the eighth day and so' forward, the priest shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace off ferings, and I will accept you, saith the Lo.d God."

Our Christian sabbath is upon the eighth day from creation, and so forward. Upon that day spiritual sacrifices are accepted. By this change, if you just consider that mournful day in which the disciples had no rest, because they thought their Master was gone, never more to return, blotted out of the calendar of christians, the first day sabbath just comes in its room-a day in which their troubled minds were comforted and restored to rest, in the manifestations of their risen Redeemer. At any rate, it is very evident, count as you will, that the fourth commandment was always practicable. There never was a week without a sabbath; there never was a week with