"There remains therefore, caßßlicμos, a reft for the people of God," Heb. iv. 9.

Life and immortality were now brought to light. New heavens and a new earth were created, in comparison of which, the former were not to be remembered nor to come into mind, Ifa. 1xv. 17. The Lord diftinguished the day on which he rofe, by appearing to his disciples once and again upon it; and these appearances are recorded for our instruction *. It was not neceffary to enforce the obfervance of the first day of the week by a positive precept in the New Testament, as the day, not the duty, itfelf was changed. We have also positive evidence that this day was ftatedly obferved by the churches. Thus the church at Troas met on the first day of the week, and the church of Corinth did the fame, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. Some Jewish believers, it appears, also observed the fabbath; but we have no hint of any who neglected the first day of the week, nor can we conceive this to have been a matter on which the apostle would have spoken as he did of the other, which was now grown obsolete, Rom. xiv. 6.

We know from Scripture that it is the will of God that the churches fhould affemble on this

*Surely there must be a particular reafon for our being informed of the repeated appearances of our Lord on the first day of the week, Luke xxiv. 13. John xx. 19. 26. and what so natu ral as the fuppofition that he intended peculiar honour to this day?

day. Thus we keep the seventh part of our time holy to the Lord. There is indeed a change of the day, and this we fee warranted by the example of the apoftolic churches. Probably the Lord alluded to the change, when he declared himself "the Lord of the Sabbath." Through his refurrection, which on that day we commemorate, we are begotten to a lively hope of entering into the heavenly reft; and obferving the first day of the week in faith, we enjoy the earneft of it, Heb. iv. 3. It ought then to be a day of holy joy. The churches ought upon it to affemble for the observance of the ordinances, and to enjoy fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift, and thus to ftrengthen the bond of love which knits them to Chrift and to each other.

In private, Chriftians ought to devote this day to religious exercises. Every day they are to walk in the fear of God; but in proportion as they are spiritually-minded, they will delight in that day, and feel it their duty to exclude the world from their thoughts, and, in meditation of the glory of Christ, to anticipate the happiness of an eternal Sabbath.

We are not to observe a Pharifaical Sabbath, which our Lord repeatedly cenfures. We have no right to punish the profanation of it by temporal penalties; for the kingdom of Ifrael, as governed during the theocracy, is now at an end, and whatever Jewish peculiarity was added to the ori

muft not fet afide the fourth commandment. We have a strong proof of its univerfal obligation in its being given amongst nine others, which are always to be observed. It is true that a circumftantial difference has been made on the commandment by divine authority, but ftill the precept of devoting a feventh part of our time peculiarly to God is fanctioned by the example of the apostles. Our Lord's directing his disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath, Matt. xxiv. 20. is a ftrong evidence that they were to observe a day under the Christian difpenfation, although the Jewish Sabbath was abolished *, Col. ii. 16.

Some pay a confiderable degree of outward respect to the first day of the week, while they do not confider it to be a divine institution, or at least have not their minds fully made up on the subject. It is obvious however, that such a state of mind in regard to any part of divine truth, is hurtful; and therefore every Chriftian fhould examine the subject seriously, that his observance of the day may be an act of obedience to God, and not of compliance with cuftom, or the effect of education. None will obferve this day fo confcientiously and ftrially, as thofe who have feen with their own eyes good grounds for their practice.

* Some would translate oußßalwv, (fabbaths) in this paffage, weeks, and fuppofe an allufion to be made to the weeks under the law, which were particularly holy on account of certain

SECTION VII.

Of Baptifm.

It is

BAPTISM is not a focial ordinance. appointed for individuals. As all perfons, however, who were added to the apoftolic churches were baptifed, it may be proper to confider it in this place.

We have various inftances of its being administered in private, as in the cafe of the eunuch, Acts viii. the jailor at Philippi, &c. Indeed, when the apostles came to a place where there was no church, it could not be otherwise.. These instances, however, do not render it improper to adminifter baptism in a church of Christ. Where this can be conveniently done, it may certainly be for edification, and parents ought highly to esteem the prayers of their brethren on behalf of their children, which in this cafe they have a peculiar opportunity of enjoying.

Baptism, like the Lord's fupper, is an emblematic ordinance. God has been pleased in every age, to inftruct us by fenfible representations as well as by the verbal declaration of his will. These are calculated to make a deep impreffion on our minds, and to prevent our letting flip the truth from our memories.

When the gospel was preached to our first parents, it appears that facrifices were appointed,

Gen. iv. 4. Thus a lively reprefentation was given of the great fin-offering which they were taught to expect. When God made a covenant with Noah, that the earth fhould no more be overflowed with water, Gen. ix. 11. he appointed the rainbow a visible pledge or feal of its accomplishment.

When Abraham was called to go forth from his native country, he knew not whither, he obeyed; and when it was naturally impoffible that he could have a child, he believed God that his feed fhould be numerous as the ftars of heaven. His faith was counted to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God, and conftituted the father of all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, Rom. iv. 16, 17.

God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, to be a God to him and to his feed after him, Gen. xvii. 7. Christ was the feed especially alluded to in this promife. God was peculiarly his God, and it is in virtue of our relation to him that he is our God, John xx. 17. "Hence," fays the apostle," he faith not unto feeds as of many, but of one, and to thy feed which is Chrift,” Gal. iii. 16.

While the apostle here fhews that the covenant was confirmed of God in Chrift, and pointedly alluded to him, he by no means affirms that it did not respect Abraham's natural offspring. This was exprefsly declared in the covenant, "I will