"Now concerning the collection for the
saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon
the first day of the week,
let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath
prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."
-- 1 Corinthians 16:1,
2
Subject: That it is the mind and will of God
that the first day of the week should be the day that should be especially set
apart for religious exercises and duties among Christians.
We
find in the New Testament often mentioned a certain collection, which was made
by the Grecian churches, for the brethren in Judea, who were reduced to pinching
want by a dearth which then prevailed, and was the heavier upon them by reason
of their circumstances, they having been from the beginning oppressed and
persecuted by the unbelieving Jews. This collection or contribution is twice
mentioned in the Acts, 11:28-30 and 24:17. It is also noticed in several of the
epistles: as Rom. 15:26 and Gal. 2:10. But it is most largely insisted on, in
these two epistles to the Corinthians: in this first epistle, 16, and in the
second epistle, 8 and 9.
The apostle begins the directions, which in this place he delivers concerning
this matter, with the words of the text — wherein we may observe,
I. What is the thing to be
done concerning which the apostle gives them direction — the exercise and
manifestation of their charity towards their brethren — by communicating to
them for the supply of their wants, which was by Christ and his apostles often
insisted on, as one main duty of the Christian religion and is expressly
declared to be so by the apostle James, chap. 1:27, “Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows
in their affliction.”
II. We may observe the time
on which the apostle directs that this should be done, viz. “on the
first day of the week.” By the inspiration of the Holy Ghost he insists upon
it, that it be done on such a particular day of the week, as if no other day
would do so well as that, or were so proper and fit a time for such a work. —
Thus, although the inspired apostle was not for making that distinction of days
in gospel times, which the Jews made, as appears by Gal. 4:10, “Ye observe
days, and months,” etc., yet here he gives the preference to one day of the
week, before any other, for the performance of a certain great duty of
Christianity.
III. It may be observed that
the apostle had given to other churches, that were concerned in the same duty,
to do it on the first day of the week: “As I have given orders to the churches
of Galatia, even so do ye.” Whence we may learn, that it was nothing peculiar
in the circumstances of the Christians at Corinth, which was the reason why the
Holy ghost insisted that they should perform this duty on this day of the
week. The apostle had given the like orders to the churches of Galatia.
Now Galatia was far distant
from Corinth: the sea parted them, and there were several other countries
between them. Therefore it cannot be thought that the Holy Ghost directs them to
this time upon any secular account, having respect to some particular
circumstances of the people in that city, but upon a religious account.
In giving the preference to this day for such work, before any other day, he has
respect to something which reached all Christians throughout the wide world.
And by other passages of the
New Testament, we learn that the case was the same as to other exercises of
religion, and that the first day of the week was preferred before any other day,
in churches immediately under the care of the apostles, for an attendance on the
exercises of religion in general. Acts 20:7, “Upon the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.” It
seems by these things to have been among the primitive Christians in the
apostles’ days, with respect to the first day of the week, as it was among the
Jews, with respect to the seventh.
We are taught by Christ,
that the doing of alms and showing of mercy are proper works for the
Sabbath-day. When the Pharisees found fault with Christ for suffering his
disciples to pluck the ears of corn, and eat on the Sabbath, Christ corrects
them with that saying, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice;” Mat. 12:7. And
Christ teaches that works of mercy are proper to be done on the Sabbath, Luke
13:15, 16, and 14:5. — These works used to be done on sacred festivals and
days of rejoicing under the Old Testament, as in Nehemiah’s and Esther’s
time, Neh. 8:10 and Est. 9:19, 22. — And Josephus and Philo, two very noted
Jews, who wrote not long after Christ’s time, give an account that it was the
manner among the Jews on the Sabbath, to make collections for sacred and pious
uses.
DOCTRINE
It is the mind and will of
God that the first day of the week should be especially set apart among
Christians for religious exercises and duties.
That this is the doctrine
which the Holy Ghost intended to teach us, by this and some other passages of
the New Testament, I hope will appear plainly by the sequel. This is a doctrine
that we have been generally brought up in by the instructions and examples of
our ancestors, and it has been the general profession of the Christian world,
that this day ought to be religiously observed and distinguished from other days
of the week. However, some deny it. Some refuse to take notice of the day, as
different from other days. Others own that it is a laudable custom of the
Christian church, into which she fell by agreement and by appointment of her
ordinary rulers, to set apart this day for public worship. But they deny any
other original to such an observation of the day, than prudential human
appointment. Others religiously observe the Jewish Sabbath, as of perpetual
obligation, and that we want a foundation for determining that that is
abrogated, and another day of the week is appointed in the room of the seventh.
All these classes of men say
that there is no clear revelation that it is the mind and will of God, that the
first day of the week should be observed as a day to be set apart for religious
exercises, in the room of the ancient Sabbath, which there ought to be in order
to the observation of it by the Christian church as a divine institution. They
say that we ought not to go upon the tradition of past ages, or upon uncertain
and far-fetched inferences from some passages of the history of the New
Testament, or upon some obscure and uncertain hints in the apostolic writings.
But that we ought to expect a plain institution, which they say we may conclude
God would have given us, if he had designed that the whole Christian church, in
all ages, should observe another day of the week for a holy Sabbath, than that
which was appointed of old by plain and positive institution.
So far it is undoubtedly
true that if this be the mind and will of God, he has not left the matter to
human tradition, but has so revealed his mind about it, in his Word, that there
is to be found good and substantial evidence that it is his mind. Doubtless, the
revelation is plain enough for them that have ears to hear: that is for them
that will justly exercise their understandings about what God says to them. No
Christian, therefore, should rest till he has satisfactorily discovered the mind
of God in this matter. If the Christian Sabbath be of divine institution, it is
doubtless of great importance to religion that it be well kept, and therefore,
that every Christian be well acquainted with the institution.
If men take it only upon
trust, and keep the first day of the week because their parents taught them so,
or because they see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so
conscientiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing for
themselves that there are good grounds in the Word of God for their practice.
Unless they do see thus for themselves, whenever they are negligent in
sanctifying the Sabbath or are guilty of profaning it, their consciences will
not have that advantage to smite them for it, as otherwise they would. — And
those who have a sincere desire to obey God in all things, will keep the Sabbath
more carefully and more cheerfully, if they have seen and been convinced that
therein they do what is according to the will and command of God, and what is
acceptable to him. [They] will also have a great deal more comfort in the
reflection upon their having carefully and painfully kept the Sabbath.
Therefore, I design now, by
the help of God, to show that it is sufficiently revealed in the Scriptures, to
be the mind and will of God, that the first day of the week should be
distinguished in the Christian church from other days of the week, as a Sabbath,
to be devoted to religious exercises.
In order to this, I shall
here premise that the mind and will of God, concerning any duty to be performed
by us, may be sufficiently revealed in his Word, without a particular precept in
so many express terms, enjoying it. The human understanding is the ear to which
the Word of God is spoken; and if it be so spoken, that that ear may
plainly hear it, it is enough. God is sovereign as to the manner of speaking his
mind, whether he will speak it in express terms, or whether he will speak it by
saying several other things which imply it, and from which we may, by comparing
them together, plainly perceive it. If the mind of God be but revealed, if there
be but sufficient means for the communication of his mind to our minds, that is
sufficient: whether we hear so many express words with our ears, or see them in
writing with our eyes, or whether we see the thing that he would signify to us,
by the eye of reason and understanding.
Who can positively say that
if it had been the mind of God, that we should keep the first day of the week,
he would have commanded it in express terms, as he did the observation of the
seventh day of old? Indeed, if God had so made our faculties, that we were not
capable of receiving a revelation of his mind in any other way, then there would
have been some reason to say so. But God has given us such understandings, that
we are capable of receiving a revelation, when made in another manner. And if
God deals with us agreeably to our natures, and in a way suitable to our
capacities, it is enough. If God discovers his mind in any way whatsoever,
provided it be according to our faculties, we are obliged to obedience, and God
may expect our notice and observance of his revelation, in the same manner as if
he had revealed it in express terms.
I shall speak upon this
subject under these two general propositions.
I. It is sufficiently clear,
that it is the mind of God, that one day of the week should be devoted to rest,
and to religious exercises, throughout all ages and nations.
II. It is sufficiently
clear, that under the gospel-dispensation, this day is the first day of the
week.
I. Prop. It is
sufficiently clear that it is the mind of God, that one day of the week should
be devoted to rest and to religious exercises, throughout all ages and nations:
not only among the ancient Israelites, till Christ came, but even in these
gospel times and among all nations professing Christianity.
First,
from the consideration of the nature and state of mankind in this world, it is
most consonant to human reason that certain fixed parts of time should be set
apart, to be spent by the church wholly in religious exercises, and in the
duties of divine worship. It is a duty incumbent on all mankind, in all ages
alike, to worship and serve God. His service should be our great business. It
becomes us to worship him with the greatest devotion and engagedness of mind,
and therefore to put ourselves, at proper times, in such circumstances as will
most contribute to render our minds entirely devoted to this work, without being
diverted or interrupted by other things.
The state of
mankind in this world is such that we are called to concern ourselves in secular
business and affairs, which will necessarily, in a considerable degree, take up
the thoughts and engage the attention of the mind. However, some particular
persons may be in circumstances more free and disengaged. Yet the state of
mankind is such that the bulk of them, in all ages and nations, are called
ordinarily to exercise their thoughts about secular affairs, and to follow
worldly business, which in its own nature, is remote from the solemn duties of
religion.
It is therefore
most meet and suitable that certain times should be set apart, upon which men
should be required to throw by all other concerns: that their minds may be the
more freely and entirely engaged in spiritual exercises in the duties of
religion and in the immediate worship of God, and that their minds being
disengaged from common concerns, their religion may not be mixed with them.
It is also suitable
that these times should be fixed and settled, that the church may agree therein
and that they should be the same for all, that men may not interrupt one
another, but may rather assist one another by mutual example: for example has a
great influence in such cases. If there be a time set apart for public
rejoicing, and there be a general manifestation of joy, the general example
seems to inspire men with a spirit of joy: one kindles another. So, if it be a
time of mourning, and there be general appearances and manifestations of sorrow,
it naturally affects the mind: it disposes it to depression, it casts a gloom
upon it, and does as it were dull and deaden the spirits. So, if a certain time
be set apart as holy time, for general devotion and solemn religious exercises,
a general example tends to render the spirit serious and solemn.
Second,
without doubt, one proportion of time is better and fitter than another for this
purpose. One proportion is more suitable to the state of mankind and will have a
greater tendency to answer the ends of such times, than another. The times may
be too far asunder. I think human reason is sufficient to discover that it would
be too seldom for the purposes of such solemn times, that they should be but
once a year. So, I conclude, nobody will deny but that such times may be too
near together to agree with the state and necessary affairs of mankind.
Therefore, there
can be no difficulty in allowing that some certain proportion of time, whether
we can exactly discover it or not, is really fittest and best — considering
the end for which such times are kept, and the condition, circumstances, and
necessary affairs of men; and considering what the state of man is, taking one
age and nation with another — more convenient and suitable than any other,
which God may know and exactly determine, though we, by reason of the scantiness
of our understandings, cannot.
As a certain
frequency of the returns of these times may be more suitable than any other, so
one length or continuance of the times themselves may be fitter than another, to
answer the purposes of such times. If such times, when they come, were to last
but an hour, it would not well answer the end. For then worldly things would
crowd too nearly upon sacred exercises, and there would not be that opportunity
to get the mind so thoroughly free and disengaged from other things, as there
would be if the times were longer. Being so short, sacred and profane things
would be as it were mixed together. Therefore, a certain distance between these
times, and a certain continuance of them when they come, is more proper than
others, which God knows and is able to determine, though perhaps we cannot.
Third,
it is unreasonable to suppose any other, than that God’s working six days and
resting the seventh, and blessing and hallowing it, was to be of general use in
determining this matter. It was written that the practice of mankind in general
might some way or other be regulated by it. What could be the meaning of God’s
resting the seventh day and hallowing and blessing it, which he did before the
giving of the fourth commandment, unless he hallowed and blessed it with respect
to mankind? For he did not bless and sanctify it with respect to himself, or
that he within himself might observe it: as that is most absurd. And it is
unreasonable to suppose that he hallowed it only with respect to the Jews, a
particular nation, which rose up above two thousand years after.
So much therefore
must be intended by it, that it was his mind, that mankind should, after his
example, work six days and then rest and hallow or sanctify the next following:
that they should sanctify every seventh day, or that the space between rest and
rest, one hallowed time and another, among his creatures here upon earth, should
be six days. — So that it hence appears to be the mind and will of God that
not only the Jews, but man in all nations and ages, should sanctify one day in
seven: which is the thing we are endeavoring to prove.
Fourth,
the mind of God in this matter is clearly revealed in the fourth commandment.
The will of God is there revealed, not only that the Israelitish nation, but
that all nations, should keep every seventh day holy, or which is the same
thing, one day after every six. This command, as well as the rest, is doubtless
everlasting and of perpetual obligation, at least as to the substance of it, as
is intimated by its being engraven on the tables of stone. Nor is it to be
thought that Christ ever abolished any command of the ten, but that there is the
complete number ten yet, and will be to the end of the world.
Some say, that the
fourth command is perpetual, but not in its literal sense: not as designing any
particular proportion of time to be set apart and devoted to literal rest and
religious exercises. They say that it stands in force only in a mystical sense, viz.
as that weekly rest of the Jews typified spiritual rest in the Christian
church, and that we under the gospel are not to make any distinction of one day
from another, but are to keep all time holy, doing everything in a spiritual
manner.
But this is an
absurd way of interpreting the command, as it refers to Christians. For if the
command be so far abolished, it is entirely abolished. For it is the very design
of the command, to fix the time of worship. The first command fixes the object,
the second the means, the third the manner, the fourth the time. And if it
stands in force now only as signifying a spiritual, Christian rest, and holy
behavior at all times, it does not remain as one of the ten commands, but as a
summary of all the commands.
The main objection
against the perpetuity of this command is that the duty required is not moral.
Those laws whose obligations arises from the nature of things and from the
general state and nature of mankind, as well as from God’s positive revealed
will, are called moral laws. Others, whose obligation depends merely upon
God’s positive and arbitrary institution, are not moral: such as the
ceremonial laws, and the precepts of the gospel about the two sacraments. Now,
the objectors say, they will allow all that is moral in the decalogue to be of
perpetual obligation. But this command, they say, is not moral.
But this objection
is weak and insufficient for the purpose for which it is brought, or to prove
that the fourth command, as to the substance of it, is not of perpetual
obligation. For,
1. If it should be
allowed that there is no morality belonging to the command, and that the duty
required is founded merely on arbitrary institution, it cannot therefore be
certainly concluded that the command is not perpetual. We know that there may be
commands in force under the gospel and to the end of the world, which are not
moral. Such are the institutions of the two sacraments. And why may there not be
positive commands in force in all ages of the church? If positive, arbitrary
institutions are in force in gospel-times, what is there which concludes that no
positive precept give before the times of the gospel can yet continue in force?
But,
2. As we have
observed already, the thing in general that there should be certain fixed parts
of time set apart to be devoted to religious exercises, is founded in the
fitness of the thing, arising from the nature of things, and the nature and
universal state of mankind. Therefore, there is as much reason that there should
be a command of perpetual and universal obligation about this, as about any
other duty whatsoever. For if the thing in general, that there be a time fixed,
be founded in the nature of things, there is consequent upon it a necessity,
that the time be limited by a command. For there must be a proportion of time
fixed, or else the general moral duty cannot be observed.
3. The particular
determination of the proportion of time in the fourth commandment, is also
founded in the nature of things, only our understandings are not sufficient
absolutely to determine it of themselves. We have observed already that without
doubt one proportion of time is in itself fitter than another, and a certain
continuance of time fitter than any other, considering the universal state and
nature of mankind, which God may see, though our understandings are not perfect
enough absolutely to determine it. So that the difference between this command
and others, does not lie in this (that other commands are founded in the fitness
of the things themselves, arising from the universal state and nature of
mankind, and this not), but only that the fitness of other commands is more
obvious to the understandings of men, and they might have seen it of themselves.
But this could not be precisely discovered and positively determined without the
assistance of revelation.
So that the command
of God, that every seventh day should be devoted to religious exercises, is
founded in the universal state and nature of mankind, as well as other commands.
Only man’s reason is not sufficient, without divine direction, so exactly to
determine it. Though perhaps man’s reason is sufficient to determine that it
ought not to be much seldomer, nor much oftener, than once in seven days.
Fifth,
God appears in his Word laying abundantly more weight on this precept concerning
the Sabbath, than on any precept of the ceremonial law. It is in the decalogue,
one of the ten commands, which were delivered by God with an audible voice. It
was written with his own finger on the tables of stone in the mount, and was
appointed afterwards to be written on the tables which Moses made. The keeping
of the weekly Sabbath is spoken of by the prophets, as that wherein consists a
great part of holiness of life, and is inserted among moral duties, Isa. 58:13,
14, “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on
my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable;
and shalt honour him, not doing thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself
in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth,
and fee thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord
hath spoken it.”
Sixth,
it is foretold that this command should be observed in gospel-times, as in Isa.
56 at the beginning, where the due observance of the Sabbath is spoken of as a
great part of holiness of life, and is placed among moral duties. It is also
mentioned as a duty that should be most acceptable to God from his people, even
where the prophet is speaking of gospel-times, as in the foregoing chapter, and
in the first verse of this chapter. And, in the third and fourth verses, the
prophet is speaking of the abolition of the ceremonial law in gospel-times, and
particularly of that law, which forbids eunuchs to come into the congregation of
the Lord. Yet, here the man is pronounced blessed, who keeps the Sabbath from
polluting it, verse 2. And even in the very sentence where the eunuchs are
spoken of as being free from the ceremonial law, they are spoken of as being yet
under obligation to keep the Sabbath, and actually keeping it, as that which God
lays great weight upon: “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 place and a
name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name,
that shall not be cut off.”
Besides, the
strangers spoken of in the sixth and seventh verses, are the Gentiles, that
should be called in the times of the gospel, as is evident by the last clause in
the seventh, and by the eighth verse: “For mine house shall be called an house
of prayer for all people. The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel,
saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides those that are gathered unto
him.” Yet it is represented here as their duty to keep the Sabbath: “Also
the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to 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.”
Seventh,
a further argument for the perpetuity of the Sabbath, we have in Mat. 24:20,
“Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day.”
Christ is here speaking of the flight of the apostles and other Christians out
of Jerusalem and Judea, just before their final destruction, as is manifest by
the whole context, and especially by the 16th verse, “Then let them which be
in Judea flee into the mountains.” But this final destruction of Jerusalem was
after the dissolution of the Jewish constitution, and after the Christian
dispensation was fully set up. Yet, it is plainly implied in these words of our
Lord, that even then Christians were bound to a strict observation of the
Sabbath.
Thus I have shown
that it is the will of God that every seventh day be devoted to rest and to
religious exercises.
II. Prop. That it
is the will of God that under the gospel dispensation, or in the Christian
church, this day should be the first day of the week.
In order to the
confirmation of this, let the following things be considered.
First,
the words of the fourth commandment afford no objections against this being the
day that should be the Sabbath, any more than against any other day. That this
day, which according to the Jewish reckoning, is the first of the week, should
be kept as a Sabbath, is no more opposite to any sentence or word of the fourth
command, than that the seventh of the week should be the day. The words of the
fourth command do not determine which day of the week we should keep as a
Sabbath. They merely determine, that we should rest and keep as a Sabbath every
seventh day, or one day after every six. It says, “Six days thou shalt labour,
and the seventh thou shalt rest;” which implies no more, than that after six
days of labour, we shall upon the next to the sixth, rest and keep it holy. And
this we are obliged to do forever. But the words no way determine where those
six days shall begin, and so where the rest or Sabbath shall fall. There is no
direction in the fourth command how to reckon the time, i.e. where to
begin and end it. But that is supposed to be determined otherwise.
The Jews did not
know, by the fourth command, where to begin their six days, and on which
particular day to rest: this was determined by another precept. The fourth
command does indeed suppose a particular day appointed; but it does not appoint
any. It requires us to rest and keep holy a seventh day, one after every six of
labor, which particular day God either had or should appoint. The particular day
was determined for that nation in another place, viz. in Exo. 16:23-26,
“And he said unto them, this is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the
rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake, today, and
seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be
kept until the morning. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath
unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather
it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.”
This is the first place where we have any mention made of the Sabbath, from the
first Sabbath on which God rested.
It seems that the
Israelites, in the time of their bondage in Egypt, had lost the true reckoning
of time by the days of the week, reckoning from the first day of the creation.
They were slaves and in cruel bondage and had in a great measure forgotten the
true religion. For we are told that they served the gods of Egypt. And it is not
to be supposed that the Egyptians would suffer their slaves to rest from their
work every seventh day. Now, they having remained in bondage for so long a time,
had probably lost the weekly reckoning. Therefore, when God had brought them out
of Egypt into the wilderness, he made known to them the Sabbath, on the occasion
and in the manner recorded in the text just now quoted. Hence, we read in
Nehemiah that when God had led the children of Israel out of Egypt, etc. he made
known unto them his holy Sabbath, Neh. 9:14, “And madest known unto them the
holy sabbath.” To the same effect, we read din Eze. 20:10, 12, “Wherefore I
caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the
wilderness. Moreover also, I gave them my sabbaths.”
But they never
would have known where the particular day would have fallen by the fourth
command. Indeed, the fourth command, as it was spoken to the Jews, did refer to
their Jewish Sabbath. But that does not prove that the day was determined and
appointed by it. The precept in the fourth command is to be taken generally of
such a seventh day as God should appoint, or had appointed. And because such a
particular day had been already appointed for the Jewish church, therefore, as
it was spoken to them, it did refer to that particular day. But this does not
prove, but the same words refer to another appointed seventh day, now in the
Christian church. The words of the fourth command may oblige the church, under
different dispensations, to observe different appointed seventh days, as well as
the fifth command may oblige different persons to honor different fathers and
mothers.
The Christian
Sabbath, in the sense of the fourth command, is as much the seventh day as the
Jewish Sabbath, because it is kept after six days of labor as well as that. It
is the seventh reckoning from the beginning of our first working-day, as well as
that was the seventh from the beginning of their first working day. All the
difference is that the seven days formerly began from the day after God’s rest
from the creation, and now they begin the day after that. It is no matter by
what names the days are called: if our nation had, for instance, called
Wednesday the first day of the week, it would have been all one as to this
argument.
Therefore, by the
institution of the Christian Sabbath, there is no change from the fourth
command; but the change is from another law, which determined the beginning and
ending of their working days. So that those words of the fourth command, viz.
“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them
is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and
hallowed it.” These words are not made insignificant to Christians, by the
institution of the Christian Sabbath. They still remain in their full force as
to that which is principally intended by them. They were designed to give us a
reason why we are to word but six days at a time, and then rest on the seventh,
because God has set us the example. And taken so, they remain still in as much
force as ever they were. This is the reason still, as much as ever it was, why
we may work but six days at a time. What is the reason that Christians rest
every seventh, and not every eighth, or every ninth, or tenth day? It is because
God worked six days and rested the seventh.
It is true, these
words did carry something further in their meaning, as they were spoken to the
Jews, and to the church before the coming of Christ. It was then also intended
by them that the seventh day was to be kept in commemoration of the work of
creation. But this is no objection to the supposition that the words, as they
relate to us, do not import all that they did, as they related to the Jews. For
there are other words which were written upon those tables of stone with the ten
commandments, which are known and allowed not to be of the same import, as they
relate to us, and as they related to the Jews, viz. these words, in the
preface to the ten commandments, “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” — These words were
written on the tables of stone with the rest, and are spoken to us, as well as
to the Jews. They are spoken to all to whom the commandments themselves are
spoken, for they are spoken as an enforcement of the commandments. But they do
not now remain in all the signification which they had, as they respected the
Jews. For we never were brought out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage,
except in a mystical sense. — The same may be said of those words which are
inserted in the commandments themselves, Deu. 5:15, “And remember that thou
wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God commanded thee
out thence, through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm: therefore the Lord
thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day.”
So that all the
arguments of those who are against the Christian Sabbath, drawn from the fourth
command, which are all their strength, come to nothing.
Second,
that the ancient church was commanded to keep a seventh day in commemoration of
the work of creation, is an argument for the keeping of a weekly Sabbath in
commemoration of the work of redemption, and not any reason against it.
We read in
Scripture of two creations, the old and the new, and these words of the fourth
command are to be taken as of the same force to those who belong to the new
creation, with respect to that new creation as they were to those who belonged
to the old creation, with respect to that. We read that “in the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth,” and the church of old were to commemorate
that work. But when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, those that belong
to this new heaven and new earth, by a like reason, are to commemorate the
creation of their heaven and earth.
The Scriptures
teach us to look upon the old creation as destroyed, and as it were annihilated
by sin; or, as being reduced to a chaos again, without form and void, as it was
at first. Jer. 4:22, 23, “They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have n
knowledge. I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void: and the
heavens, and they had no light!” i.e. were reduced to the same state in
which they were at first; the earth was without form and void, and there was no
light, but darkness was upon the face of the deep.
The Scriptures
further teach us to call the gospel-restoration and redemption, a creation of a
new heaven and a new earth; Isa. 65:17, 18, “For behold, I create new heavens,
and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But
be you glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for behold, I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” And Isa. 51:16, “And I have
put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand,
that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto
Zion, Thou art my people.” And Isa. 66:22, “For as the new heavens and the
new earth which I will make,” etc. — In these places we are not only told a
new creation, or new heavens and a new earth, but we are told what is meant by
it, viz. The gospel renovation, the making of Jerusalem a rejoicing, and
her people a joy, saying unto Zion, “Thou art my people,” etc. The prophet,
in all these places, is prophesying of the gospel-redemption.
The gospel-state is
everywhere spoken of as a renewed state of things, wherein old things are passed
away, and all things become new: we are said to be created unto Christ Jesus
unto good works. All things are restored and reconciled whether in heaven or in
earth, and God has caused light to shine out of darkness, as he did at the
beginning. And the dissolution of the Jewish state was often spoken of in the
Old Testament as the end of the world. — But we who belong to the
gospel-church, belong to the new creation. Therefore there seems to be at least
as much reason that we should commemorate the work of this creation, as that the
members of the ancient Jewish church should commemorate the work of the old
creation.
Third,
there is another thing which confirms it (that the fourth command teaches
God’s resting from the new creation, as well as from the old), which is that
the Scriptures expressly speak of the one as parallel with the other: i.e.
Christ’s resting from the work of redemption is expressly spoken of as being
parallel with God’s resting from the work of creation. Heb. 4:10, “For he
that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God
did from his.”
Now Christ rested
from his works when he rose from the dead, on the first day of the week. When he
rose from the dead, then he finished his work of redemption. His humiliation was
then at an end: he then rested and was refreshed. — When it is said, “There
remaineth a rest to the people of God;” in the original, it is, a sabbatism,
or the keeping of a Sabbath: and this reason is given for it, “For
he that entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God
did from his.” — These three things at least we are taught by these words:
1. To look upon
Christ’s rest from his work of redemption, as parallel with God’s rest from
the work of creation. For they are expressly compared together, as parallel one
with the other.
2. They are spoken
of as parallel, particularly in this respect, viz. the relation which
they both have to the keeping of a Sabbath among God’s people, or with respect
to the influence which these two rests have as to sabbatizing in the church of
God. For it is expressly with respect to this that they are compared together.
Here is an evident reference to God’s blessing and hallowing the day of his
rest from the creation to be a Sabbath, and appointing a Sabbath of rest in
imitation of him. For the apostle is speaking of this, verse 4, “For he spake
in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh
day from all his works.” Thus far is evident, whatever the apostle has respect
to by this keeping of a Sabbath by the people of God: whether it be a weekly
sabbatizing on earth or a sabbatizing in heaven.
3. It is evident in
these words that the preference is given to the latter rest, viz. the
rest of our Savior from his works, with respect to the influence it should have
or relation it bears, to the sabbatizing of the people of God, now under the
gospel, evidently implied in the expression, “There remaineth therefore a
sabbatism to the people of God. For he that entered into his rest,” etc. For
in this sabbatism appointed in remembrance of God’s rest from the work of
creation, does not remain, but ceases, and that this new rest, in commemoration
of Christ’s resting from his works, remains in the room of it.
Fourth,
the Holy Ghost has implicitly told us that the Sabbath which was instituted in
commemoration of the old creation, should not be kept in gospel-times. Isa.
65:17, 18. There we are told that when God should create new heavens and a new
earth, the former should not be remembered, nor come into mind. If this be so,
it is not to be supposed that we are to keep a seventh part of time, on purpose
to remember it, and call it to mind.
Let us understand
this which way we will, it will not be well consistent with the keeping of one
day in seven, in the gospel-church, principally for the remembrance and calling
to mind of the old creation. If the meaning of the place be only this — that
the old creation shall not be remembered nor come into mind in comparison with
the new, that the new will be so much more remarkable and
glorious, will so much more nearly concern us, so much more notice will taken of
it, and it will be thought so much more worthy to be remembered and
commemorated, that the other will not be remembered, nor come into mind — it
is impossible that it should be more to our purpose. For then hereby the Holy
Ghost teaches us, that the Christian church has much more reason to commemorate
the new creation than the old; insomuch, that the old is worthy to be forgotten
in comparison with it.
And as the old
creation was no more to be remembered, nor come into mind; so, in the following
verse, the church is directed forever to commemorate the new creation, “But be
you glad, and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for behold, I create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy;” i.e. Though you forget
the old, yet forever to the end of the world, keep a remembrance of the new
creation.
Fifth,
it is an argument that the Jewish Sabbath was not to be perpetual, that the Jews
were commanded to keep it in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt. One
reason why it was instituted was because God thus delivered them, as we are
expressly told, Deu. 5:15, “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land
of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty
hand, and by a stretched-out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to
keep the sabbath-day.” Now can any person think that God would have all
nations under the gospel, and to the end of the world, keep a day every week,
which was instituted in remembrance of the deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt?
Sixth,
the Holy Ghost has implicitly told us that instituted memorials of the Jews’
deliverance from Egypt should be no longer upheld in gospel-times, Jer.
16:14-15. The Holy Ghost, speaking of gospel-times, says, “Therefore, behold
the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth
that brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that
brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the
lands whither he had driven them; and I will bring them again into their own
land.” They shall no more say, The Lord liveth that brought, etc. i.e.
at least they shall keep up no more any public memorials of it.
If there be a
Sabbath kept up in gospel-times, as we have shown there must be it is more just
from these words to suppose that it should be as a memorial of that which is
spoken of in the latter verse, the bringing up of the children of Israel from
the land of the north: that is the redemption of Christ and his bringing
home the elect, not only from Judea, but from the north, and from all quarters
of the world. — See Isa. 43:16-20.
Seventh,
it is no more than just to suppose that God intended to intimate to us that the
Sabbath ought by Christians to be kept in commemoration of Christ’s
redemption, in that the Israelites were commanded to keep it in remembrance of
their deliverance out of Egypt, because that deliverance out of Egypt is an
evident, known, and allowed type of it. It was ordered of God, on purpose to
represent it. Everything about that deliverance was typical of this redemption,
and much is made of it, principally for this reason: because it is so remarkable
a type of Christ’s redemption. And it was but a shadow, the work in itself was
nothing in comparison with the work of redemption. What is a petty redemption of
one nation from a temporal bondage, to the eternal salvation of the whole church
of the elect in all ages and nations, from eternal damnation and the
introduction of them, not into a temporal Canaan, but into heaven: into eternal
glory and blessedness? Was that shadow so much to be commemorated as that a day
once a week was to be kept on the account of it, and shall not we much more
commemorate that great and glorious work of which it was designed on purpose to
be a shadow.
Besides, the words
in the fourth commandment, which speak of the deliverance out of Egypt, can be
of no significance unto us, unless they are to be interpreted of the
gospel-redemption. But the words of the decalogue are spoken to all nations and
ages. Therefore, as the words were spoken to the Jews, they referred to the type
or shadow. As they are spoken to us, they are to be interpreted of the antitype
and substance. For the Egypt from which we under the gospel are redeemed, is the
spiritual Egypt; the house of bondage from which we are redeemed, is a state of
spiritual bondage. — Therefore the words, as spoken to us, are to be thus
interpreted, “Remember, thou was a servant to sin and Satan, and the Lord thy
God delivered thee from this bondage, with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath-day.”
As the words in the
preface to the ten commandments, about the bringing of the children of Israel
out of Egypt, are interpreted in our catechism (and as they have respect to us):
[they] must be interpreted [as being] of our spiritual redemption. So, by an
exact identity of reason, must these words in Deuteronomy, annexed to the fourth
command, be interpreted [as] of the same gospel redemption.
The Jewish Sabbath
was kept on the day that the children of Israel came up out of the Red sea. For
we are told in Deu. 5:15, that this holy rest of the Sabbath was appointed in
commemoration of their coming up out of Egypt. But the day of their going
through the Red sea was the day of their coming up out of Egypt. For till then
they were in the land of Egypt. The Red sea was the boundary of the land of
Egypt. — The Scripture itself tells us that the day on which they sung the
song of Moses, was the day of their coming up out of the land of Egypt; Hos.
2:15, “And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day
when she came up out of the land of Egypt;” referring plainly to that
triumphant song which Moses and the children of Israel sang when they came up
out of the Red sea.
The Scripture tells
us that God appointed the Jewish Sabbath in commemoration of the deliverance of
the children of Israel from their task-masters, the Egyptians, and of their rest
from their hard bondage and slavery under them; Deu. 5:14, 15, “That thy
man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And remember that
thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee
out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm: therefore the
Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day.” But the day that the
children of Israel were delivered from their task-masters and had rest from
them, was the day when the children of Israel came up out of the Red Sea. They
had no rest from them till then. For though they were before come forth on their
journey to go out of the land of Egypt, yet they were pursued by the Egyptians
and were exceedingly perplexed and distressed. But on the morning that they came
up out of the Red sea, they had complete and final deliverance. Then they had
full rest from their taskmasters. Then God said to them, “The Egyptians which
ye have seen this day, ye shall see no more for ever;” Exo. 14:13. Then they
enjoyed a joyful day of rest, a day of refreshment. Then they sang the song of
Moses, and on that day was their Sabbath of rest.
But this coming up
of the children of Israel out of the Red sea, was only a type of the
resurrection of Christ. That people was the mystical body of Christ, and Moses
was a great type of Christ himself. And besides, on that day Christ went before
the children of Israel in the pillar of cloud and of fire, as their Savior and
Redeemer. On that morning Christ, in this pillar of cloud and fire, rose out of
the Red sea, as out of great waters, which was a type of Christ’s rising from
a state of death and from that great humiliation which he suffered in death. The
resurrection of Christ from the dead, is in Scripture represented by his coming
up out of deep waters. So it is in Christ’s resurrection, as represented by
Jonah’s coming out of the sea, Mat. 12:40. It is also compared to a
deliverance out of deep waters, Psa. 69:1-3, 14, and 15. These things are spoken
of Christ, as is evident from this, that many things in this Psalm are in the
New Testament expressly applied to Christ. [Compare verse 4 with John 15:25,
verse 9 with John 2:17, and verse 2 with Mat. 27:34, 48; Mark 15:23; John 19:29,
and verse 2, with Rom. 11:9, 10, and verse 25 with Acts 1:20.] Therefore, as the
Jewish Sabbath was appointed on the day on which the pillar of cloud and fire
rose out of the Red sea, and on which Moses and the church, the mystical body of
Christ, came up out of the same sea, which is a type of the resurrection of
Christ — it is a great confirmation that the Christian Sabbath should be kept
on the day of the rising of the real body of Christ from the grave, which is the
antitype. For surely the Scriptures have taught us that the type should give way
to the antitype, and that the shadow should give way to the substance.
Eighth,
I argue the same thing from Psa. 118:22-24. There we are taught that the day of
Christ’s resurrection is to be celebrated with holy joy by the church. “The
stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner. This is
the Lord’s doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord
hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” The stone spoken of is Christ:
he was refused and rejected by the builders, especially when he was put to
death. That making him the head of the corner, which is the Lord’s doing and
so marvelous in our eyes, is Christ’s exaltation, which began with his
resurrection. While Christ lay in the grave, he lay as a stone cast away by the
builders. But when God raised him from the dead, then he became the head of the
corner. Thus it is evident the apostle interprets it, Acts 4:10, 11, “Be it
known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus
of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,” etc. —
“This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders, which is become
the head of the corner.” And the day on which this was done, we are here
taught, God has made to be the day of the rejoicing of the church.
Ninth,
the abolition of the Jewish Sabbath seems to be intimated by this: that Christ,
the Lord of the Sabbath, lay buried on that day. Christ, the author of the
world, was the author of that work of creation of which the Jewish Sabbath was
the memorial. It was he that worked six days and rested the seventh day from all
his works, and was refreshed. Yet he was holden in the chains of death on that
day. — God, who created the world, now in his second work of creation, did not
follow his own example, if I may so speak. He remained imprisoned in the grave
on that day and took another day to rest in.
The Sabbath was a
day of rejoicing, for it was kept in commemoration of God’s glorious and
gracious works of creation and the redemption out of Egypt. Therefore we are
directed to call the Sabbath a delight. But it is not a proper day for the
church, Christ’s spouse, to rejoice, when Christ the bridegroom lies buried in
the grave, as Christ says, Mat. 9:15, “That the children of the bridechamber
cannot mourn, while the bridegroom is with them. But the time will come, when
the bridegroom shall be taken from them; then shall they mourn.” — While
Christ was holden under the chains of death, then the bridegroom was taken from
then. Then it was a proper time for the spouse to mourn and not rejoice. But
when Christ rose again, then it was a day of joy, because we are begotten again
to a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Tenth,
Christ has evidently, on purpose and design, peculiarly honored the first day of
the week, the day on which he rose from the dead, by taking it from time to time
to appear to the apostles, and he chose this day to pour out the Holy Ghost on
the apostles, which we read of in the second chapter of Acts. For this was on
Pentecost, which was on the first day of the week, as you may see by Lev.
23:15-16. And he honored this day by pouring out his Spirit on the apostle John,
and giving him his visions, Rev. 1:10, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s
day,” etc. — Now doubtless Christ had his meaning in thus distinguishingly
honoring this day.
Eleventh,
it is evident by the New Testament that this was especially the day of the
public worship of the primitive church, by the direction of the apostles. We are
told that this was the day that they were wont to come together to break bread.
And this they evidently did with the approbation of the apostles, inasmuch as
they preached to them on that day, and therefore doubtless they assembled
together by the direction of the apostles. Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day
of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto
them.” So the Holy Ghost was careful that the public contributions should be
on this day, in all the churches, rather than on any other day, as appears by
our text.
Twelfth,
this first day of the week is in the New Testament called the Lord’s day;
see Rev. 1:10. — Some say, how do we know that this was the first day of the
week? Every day is the Lord’s day. But it is the design of John to tell us when
he had those visions. And if by the Lord’s day is meant any day, how does
that inform us when that event took place?
But what is meant
by this expression we know, just in the same way as we know what is the meaning
of any word in the original of the New Testament, or the meaning of any
expression in an ancient language, viz. By what we find to be the
universal signification of the expression in ancient times. This expression, the
Lord’s day, is found by the ancient use of the whole Christian church, by
what appears in all the writings of ancient times, even from the apostles’
days, to signify the first day of the week.
And the expression
implies in it the holiness of the day. For doubtless the day is called the
Lord’s day, as the sacred supper is called the Lord’s supper, which
is so called, because it is a holy supper — which is so called because it is a
holy supper, to be celebrated in remembrance of the Lord Christ and of
his redemption. So this is a holy day, to be kept in remembrance of the Lord
Christ and his redemption.
The first day of
the week being in Scripture called the Lord’s day, sufficiently makes it out
to be the day of the week that is to be kept holy unto God. For God has been
pleased to call it by his own name. When anything is called by the name of God
in Scripture, this denotes the appropriation of it to God. — Thus God put his
name upon his people Israel of old; Num. 6:27, “And they shall put my name
upon the children of Israel.” They were called by the name of God, as it is
said, 2 Chr. 7:14, “If my people which are called by my name,” etc. i.e.
They were called God’s people, or the Lord’s people. This denoted that they
were a holy peculiar people above all others. Deu. 7:6, “Thou art a holy
people unto the Lord;” and so in verse 14, and many other places.
So the city
Jerusalem was called by God’s name; Jer. 25:29, “Upon the city which is
called by my name.” Dan. 9:18, 19, “And the city which is called by thy
name,” etc. This denoted that it was a holy city, a city chosen of God above
all other cities for holy uses, as it is often called the holy city, as
in Neh. 11:1, “To dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city;” and in many other
places.
So the temple is
said to be a house called by God’s name; 1 Kin. 8:43, “This house that is
called by name.” And often elsewhere. That is, it was called God’s house, or
the Lord’s house. This denoted that it was called a holy place, a house
devoted to holy uses, above all others.
So also we find
that the first day of the week is called by God’s name, being called in
Scripture God’s day, or the Lord’s day, which denotes that it is a
holy day, a day appropriated to holy uses, above all others in the week.
Thirteenth,
the tradition of the church from age to age, though it be no rule, yet may be a
great confirmation of the truth in such a case as this is. We find by all
accounts that it has been the universal custom of the Christian church, in all
ages, even from the age of the apostles, to keep the first day of the week. We
read in the writings which remain of the first, second, and third centuries, of
the Christians keeping the Lord’s day (and so in all succeeding ages), and
there are no accounts that contradict them. — This day has all along been kept
by Christians, in all countries throughout the world, and by almost all that
have borne the name of Christians, of all denominations, however different in
their opinions as to other things.
Now, although this
be not sufficient of itself without a foundation in Scripture, yet it may be a
confirmation of it, because here is really matter of conviction in it to our
reason. Reason may greatly confirm truths revealed in the Scriptures. The
universality of the custom throughout all Christian counties, in all ages, by
what account we have of them, is a good argument that the church had it from the
apostles. And it is difficult to conceive how all should come to agree to set up
such a custom through the world, of different sects and opinions, and we have no
account of any such thing.
Fourteenth,
it is no way weakening to these arguments, that there is nothing more plainly
said about it in the New Testament, till John wrote his Revelation,
because there is a sufficient reason to be given for it. In all probability it
was purposely avoided by the Holy Spirit, in the first settling of the Christian
churches in the world, both among the heathen and among the Jews, but especially
for the sake of the Jews, and out of tenderness to the Jewish Christians. For it
is evident that Christ and the apostles declared one thing after another to them
gradually as they could bear it.
The Jews had a
regard for their Sabbath above almost anything in the laws of Moses, and there
was that in the Old Testament which tended to uphold them in the observance of
this, much more strongly than anything else that was Jewish. God had made so
much of it, had so solemnly, frequently, and carefully commanded it, and had
often so dreadfully punished the breach of it, that there was more color for
their retaining this custom than almost any other.
Therefore Christ
dealt very tenderly with them in this point. Other things of this nature we find
very gradually revealed. Christ had many things to say, as we are informed,
which yet he said not, because they could not as yet bear them, and gave this
reason for it: that it was like putting new wine into old bottles. They were so
contrary to their old customs, that Christ was gradual in revealing them. He
gave here a little and there a little, as they could bear; and it was a long
time before he told them plainly the principal doctrines of the kingdom of
heaven. — He took the most favorable opportunities to tell them of his
sufferings and death, especially when they were full of admiration at some
signal miracle, and were confirmed in it, that he was the Messiah.
He told them many
things much more plainly after his resurrection than before. But even then, he
did not tell them all, but left more to be revealed by the Holy Ghost at
Pentecost. They therefore were much more enlightened after that than before.
However, as yet he did not reveal all. The abolition of the ceremonial law about
meats and drinks was not fully known till after this.
The apostles were
in the same manner careful and tender of those to whom they preached and wrote.
It was very gradually that they ventured to teach them the cessation of the
ceremonial laws of circumcision and abstinence from unclean meats. How tender is
the apostle Paul with such as scrupled in, in the fourteenth chapter of Romans!
He directs those who had knowledge, to keep it to themselves, for the sake of
their weak brethren. Rom 14:22 — But I need say no more to evince this.
However, I will say
this, that it is very possible that the apostles themselves at first might not
have this change of the day of the Sabbath fully revealed to them. The Holy
Ghost, at his descent, revealed much to them, yet after that, they were ignorant
of much of gospel-doctrine. Yea, they were so, a great while after they acted
the part of apostles in preaching, baptizing, and governing the church. Peter
was surprised when he was commanded to eat meats legally unclean, and so were
the apostles in general, when Peter was commanded to go to the Gentiles, to
preach to them.
Thus tender was
Christ of the church while an infant. He did not feed them with strong meat, but
was careful to bring in the observance of the Lord’s day by degrees, and
therefore took all occasions to honor it: by appearing from time to time of
choice on that day, by sending down his Spirit on that day in that remarkable
manner at Pentecost, by ordering Christians to meet in order to break bread on
that day, and by ordering their contributions and other duties of worships to be
holden on it — thus introducing the observance of it by degrees. And though as
yet the Holy Ghost did not speak very plainly about it, yet God took special
care that there should be sufficient evidences of his will, to be found out by
the Christian church, when it should be more established and settled, and should
have come to the strength of a man.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's Jonathan Edwards Collection by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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Online since 1986