Part 22

6thly. The Apostles took all due care to commit the Gospel-ministry to _faithful men,_ commanding them to deliver _sound_ doctrine, and to shun _all_ doctrines which they had not delivered and penned down, as directed by the holy Ghost. _And the things that thou has heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou to FAITHFUL men, who shall be ABLE to teach others._ To faithful men. MEN ONLY are to be public teachers. Faithful men, are men of integrity, sound judgment, and seriousness, in the judgment of Charity.--Again they must be _able_ to teach. To be _able_ to teach is to be men of great knowledge--men of learning--men of extensive reading and thought:--Unlearned men are not _able_ to teach. They only pervert scripture, and expose religion to contempt. An ignorant teacher is an absurdity; yet surprising as it is, people have itching ears to heap up such to themselves.--Ministers of the Gospel are commanded to feed their people with _sound_ doctrine, to give to every one a _portion_ of meat in due season. _But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. Sound doctrine,_ is uncorrupted, true doctrine. We may know what _sound doctrine_ is, by seeing what the Apostles preached, and most of all dwelt upon. All divine truth is _sound doctrine._ Now if we did not know, or could not find out what _sound doctrine_ is, we should never be commanded to preach--or to adhere to--or to contend for it. The Apostles have delivered the _true_ doctrines of Religion--have laid down the _true_ plan of worship. And they were plain Preachers. We do know, we can easily know, what they delivered, as the great and essential doctrines of Christ. They command us all, Ministers, and private Christians, to shun all doctrines _different_ from theirs. _Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. Strange doctrines,_ are such as are not found in scripture, or such as the Apostles delivered not. This command supposes, we can know what _divers_ and _strange doctrines_ are. For if we could not, it would be fruitless to tell us to avoid them. The Apostles, then, considered themselves as delivering to the world, the only _true_ system of Gospel doctrines. They did so. They are consequently, to be wholly relied upon, in all things, pertaining to the kingdom of God. Where we can find Apostolic practice or example, in duties and ordinances, STATEDLY observed, we are perfectly safe, and only safe in conforming ourselves thereunto.--I have now offered a variety of arguments to prove to all, that the Apostles are INFALLIBLE guides in Religion, being commissioned and inspired by the Redeemer immediately.--I trust the arguments are satisfactory. The subject is not often discussed. It is however a most important one.--And I close the discourse, with this single remark. If the Apostles were not secured by the extraordinary assistances of the divine spirit from all error, in doctrine, discipline, and ordinances, and be not infallible guides--if we may not build, with all possible safety, upon their foundation, we must give up all the scripture _as a cunningly devised fable,_ and commence unbelievers in any divine Revelation at all.

DISCOURSE XV.

The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world.

ACTS xx. 7.

_And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight._--

There is no part of the Christian Religion, but has had, in one age and another, its enemies. There is no duty of it, however plain or important, but first or last, objections have been made against it, by those who were disinclined to perform it. Neither is there any one of all the Virtues of morality, taken in its true meaning and just extent, which has not been opposed by perverse and wicked men, whose vicious lives, or whose loose principles, made it their supposed interest to dispute or deny its obligation.

We are not, therefore, to be surprised, when we find so plain a point as our obligation to sanctify, and observe as holy time, the first day of the week under the Gospel-dispensation, denied, or reproached as a human invention. For there is indeed nothing, in the Christian Religion, either so obvious, or so excellent in its nature, that has wholly escaped censure. This being the case, it becomes us carefully to examine the holy scriptures, to see what they enjoin upon us respecting all parts of our duty to God, as well as to man and to self.----In the present discourse, I shall, in dependence on divine help, make it my business to state, and to dwell upon the evidence from scripture, to prove that the first day of the week is holy time, and set apart by Christ, to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world.--

In the arguments, which may be adduced and illustrated, the divine authority of the writings of the Old and New Testament, will be taken for granted. Such only as believe in them, it is expected, will yield to the force of arguments drawn from them.--It is proper, likewise, just to remark here, before we enter upon the proposed proof, that if we reject the Old Testament, we may as well, and must if self-consistent, reject the New. For if one be divinely inspired, the other must be also. If one be false, or spurious, the other is also. Both, therefore, must stand or fall together, because they are intimately connected:--and so intimately connected, that both are either true or false. This every one will allow, who has carefully and diligently read and compared them, or taken proper pains to see their connexion. This connexion has been evinced by several very able and judicious writers.--Let it be further remembered, that nothing in the Old Testament is done away, but the positive or ceremonial part:--The moral part is as much in force, now, as ever. It never indeed can be repealed.--We have our Lord's own words to bear us out in this assertion. He tells us most expressly, that _he came not to destroy the law and prophets but to fulfil them_--or to confirm them.

As the subject before us has been a good deal debated in the world, and is of a most important and interesting nature, it is hoped the hearer will give not only a candid, but a critical attention. The more critical, the better; for I am persuaded, that no part of truth or Religion will suffer by the closest inspection, or most severely critical examination.--We want and wish for no assistance from superstition to befriend the glorious cause of the christian religion. If it cannot stand upon its own broad basis, and do not recommend itself, by its own superlative excellence and reasonableness, let it fall; and let its enemies triumph.--We invite them to examine:--We urge them to a free and fair enquiry.--

In the words now read, St. Luke, the writer of the history of the Acts of the Apostles, gives us an account of public worship, as conducted by the inspired Apostles; the time when it was attended upon, and the different exercises of which it was composed. The time when, was the first day of the week, or what has generally been called, the Christian Sabbath. The Preacher, who was the apostle Paul, delivered a discourse to the professing Christians, who had assembled together to keep as holy time, the first day of the week. The Lord's Supper was celebrated as a divine ordinance. They broke bread sacramentally. St. Paul administered the sacramental supper. And they had such comfort and sweet experience of God's presence and blessing, that the exercises of public worship were protracted to an unusual length.--_Here_ we have the example of the Apostles, and their converts to the Gospel, for keeping as holy time, the first day of the week.--The first day of the week appears from these words to have been the common time for public worship. For the historian speaks of their coming together, not as an occasional, but _stated_ assembling. The very manner, in which he speaks of their meeting for public worship, must satisfy every candid mind, that it was a _stated_ or _common_ time. And most certainly the Apostles would not have ventured of themselves, or from their own power, to set apart, and to observe as sacred, a day for public worship. For this, they had a special order from him, who is head over all things to the Church. Their example in observing, as sacred time, and for public worship, the first day of the week is as binding upon us, as an express precept.

Many excellent and pious books have been written upon the sanctification of the Sabbath--the manner in which it is to be sanctified has been often well described--directions how to do it have been given--motives to induce people to keep it holy unto the Lord have been enlarged upon--and the change of the Jewish into the Christian, the seventh into the first day Sabbath has been, by learned Divines, clearly proved.--Much indeed hath been said and written concerning the Sabbath; and well said and well written. But the enquiry we propose now to consider, is whether it be the _mind_ and _will_ of God, that under the Gospel-dispensation there should be any _distinction_ of days, or any time set apart as _holy_? This is seldom discoursed upon. It is however a very interesting question, and worthy of a careful attention.--When I cast my eye upon some few writers, who have employed their time and abilities to disprove the morality of the Sabbath, and to diminish the regards of Christians to it, I feel a deep sorrow. How unhappy that the mind should be puzzled and confounded by such writings! And how hurtful to religion is every attempt to dissuade people from esteeming the Lord's day, as _holy_ time. For if the Sabbath be once generally looked upon, as a human device, it will of course be neglected.--One writer, in a system of moral philosophy, which he saw fit to publish, has laboured to make it appear, that the Sabbath is not a divine institution. This single thing will tend much to injure the Churches, and to corrupt the public morals.----

In order to do justice, as far as we are able, to the subject before us:--we will begin our enquiry with the original institution of a Sabbath, or a seventh proportion of time, set apart from the common concerns of life, to religious purposes.

1stly. A sabbath is a day of sacred rest. The meaning of the word is rest; and it necessarily presupposes labour and toil as preceding it. A Sabbath day is a day of rest--a rest in God, or devoted to him, to his fear and service. The great question is when was such a day _first appointed_? Reason teaches us that we ought publicly to worship and serve God, the fountain of life and being. If it teach us this, it will teach us that some particular time, or day should be appointed to the important duty. It cannot inform us what portion of time, or what day. After we are told that God has set apart a seventh proportion of time, it consents to such a portion or part of time as altogether suitable. We cannot suppose that when God made man, that he would leave him without any assistance or direction about the time, when, he should worship and serve him. As he made him a rational being, so he would take care to favour him with all necessary guidance and instruction about his duty to him. And we accordingly find he was particularly attentive to him, to fix his duty, and point him to his only happiness. For man is only happy, when intent upon duty. If we turn to the Book of Genesis, ii. 1, 2, 3. We shall find that the Sabbath was appointed immediately upon finishing the great work of creation. As soon as God had made the heavens and earth, and had formed man in his own image, he instituted the Sabbath, not for his own, but for man's benefit. _Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made: and God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it, he had rested from all his work, which God created and made._ There are three words here used respecting the seventh day. God _rested_ on the seventh day: he _blessed_ it, and _sanctified_ it. No one can be so absurd and foolish as to imagine that the Supreme Jehovah wanted rest, because fatigued with the labour of Creation. With infinite ease, did he speak the whole Universe into existence. And it might have been instantly done, or all in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as well as in six days, if it had been the divine pleasure. He had important ends in view, in employing six days in the formation of the heavens and earth, as he hath in all his conduct. _The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, nor is weary._ As therefore he was not fatigued or worried with labour, he needed no _rest_ as to himself. The word _rest_ here cannot mean eternal rest, or his own divine happiness, because in this sense of the word God always rested; for he was completely blessed from all Eternity. His happiness is the same from everlasting to everlasting. The meaning of his _resting_ on the seventh day--_blessing_ it--and _sanctifying_ it, is setting it apart to religious uses, as a day in which his blessing may be hoped for eminently. To sanctify a day, is to distinguish it from others--to consecrate it to holy purposes. And his resting on the seventh day is an example to man, after six days of labour, to set apart to religious uses, the seventh. There are some circumstances respecting the original institution of the Sabbath worthy of notice. It was appointed as soon as God had ended the work of creation. It is the very _first institution_ or _express_ law of God. As soon as he had formed man, he gave him the law of the Sabbath: and he gave it to him because he had finished the work of creation. This is particularly expressed. The very institution of the day pointed out the use of it:--it was to lead man's thoughts to the author of nature, to remember with gratitude and reverence the works of creation--to fix his mind upon God as the only object of religious homage and praise--and to keep him from Idolatry, and impiety. It was necessary that man should have a TIME ordained for worshipping and particularly glorifying his Maker. He was planted in Paradise. And Creation was filled with the glory of the Lord. It spake forth in silent language his praise. But man was not to be an idle spectator of the wonders of the divine workmanship. His business was to adore and rejoice in the fulness of his portion: to eye with rapturous delight the power that formed him, and spread around him in such rich profusion the beauties of nature. The Sabbath was ordained to furnish him with the _stated_ opportunity, and to remind him of the duty of worshipping his Creator. God saw that he needed such an institution, though perfectly innocent; and though brought into existence in a state of complete maturity of reason and judgment. The Sabbath was appointed before sin had entered the world, and defaced the divine image in man. If man, in his primitive state of rectitude, and when sin had found no place in his heart, needed a day of rest in God--or a seventh part of time to be consecrated to the great exercises of religious homage, how much more does he now, in his fallen state?

There is but one objection that was ever raised, against the belief that the Sabbath was appointed at the close of creation, before man apostatised, and that is the account here in Genesis ii. 1, 2, 3 of the very appointment of the Sabbath, was inserted by way of anticipation; or that Moses mentions it in his narrative too soon. This is the same thing as to charge the sacred historian with inaccuracy. It is to say, he was incorrect, and made an unhappy mistake. And if the Sabbath was not instituted in Paradise, he indeed is extremely incorrect, and injudicious to mention the appointment of it more than two thousand years before it took place; as he did, if it were not instituted till the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, as is alledged by some. The only reason they offer for supposing the Sabbath is _here_ spoken of, by way of anticipation, is the silence of the Scripture upon the subject, till we come down to the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt. They pretend not that it was unnecessary. That man needed it not.--Besides, whoever duly attends to the manner, in which the fourth Commandment is worded, will be compelled to admit that it refers to this original paradisaical institution of the Sabbath. The reference is very obvious. _Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made the 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._ In these words, Moses refers us back, in the plainest manner possible, to the _original_ appointment of the Sabbath, at the finishing of the work of creation.--It is true that we find no _express_ mention of a Sabbath observed from Adam to Moses, a space of two thousand and five hundred years. But that there was one observed is probable. For it is not likely, that a merciful and gracious God would leave man for so long a period without setting apart some stated time for his worship, by his express authority. He revealed his will, in small degrees, from period to period, in the early ages of the world. There were pious people THEN to serve him. For he always had a seed to serve him, in the world, and to bear testimony to the truth. They undoubtedly maintained public worship. And they had stated times and seasons for it. For we read, _then began men to call on the name of the Lord._

The account given us of the patriarchs is very short. But there are several things, which make it appear altogether probable, that they observed a day of sacred rest. It is said, Noah sent the dove out of the Ark at the end of _seven days_: and again at the end of other _seven days._ This intimates at least that he measured time by weeks; and that the end of each week was regarded by him, with some peculiar solemnity. Cain and Abel offered their sacrifice in _process of time_: the original is, in the _end of days._ While the Children of Israel were in Egypt, and _there,_ for the first time, observed the passover, Moses commanded that, on the first day of unleavened bread, there should be a _holy convocation,_ a day in which they were to do no manner of work, and were to convene to worship God. And this holy convocation, is called elsewhere the _Sabbath_ Lev. xxiii. 24, 32, 39. Moses speaks of this _holy convocation,_ as if they knew what it meant; and had been accustomed, in the house of their bondage, to observe it. About a month after giving the law from Mount Sinai, the Manna fell, as heavenly support to them, in the wilderness; and on the sixth day there fell double the quantity, as on other days. The people were surprised at this event, and could not account for the reason of it. Moses explains it to them, in these words, _This is that which the Lord hath said; to-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord._ We know not that God had spoken to them of the Sabbath, but when he had completed the work of creation. Moses addresses them, reasons with them, and reproves them, as if they were well acquainted with the Sabbath. Some have doubted whether they observed any Sabbath in Egypt. Their tyrannical Masters it is true greatly oppressed them. And most likely, forbid them to rest on every returning _seventh_ day. The long time they were in bondage, had mostly destroyed no doubt the remembrance of the Sabbath. But some of them kept it, it is natural to suppose, as well as they could. God in a very solemn manner, renews the appointment of the Sabbath, in the fourth commandment.--It may be of weight here to ask, how the nations in general, in the first ages, and so down through all generations, come to divide and measure their days by _sevens,_ or by _weeks_? That they do, and have done, all history declares. But no planet or heavenly body directed them to this, or suggested the hint. The celestial bodies measure out years, months, and days; but not weeks. Is not this a circumstance strongly indicative of the original Institution of the Sabbath--and division of time by weeks; that after six days of labour, a day of rest is to be observed?----The learned Grotius tells us, that two of the most ancient writers now extant, speak of the seventh day as sacred. And it is certain that one day in seven has been distinguished among many heathen nations, ancient and modern, with religious ceremonies and festivals. But how comes this? Must it not be conveyed down, from generation to generation, by tradition? Does it not then lead us to a belief, that there was a Sabbath appointed, when the world was made? And can we suppose that pious people, from the creation to the flood, and from the flood to the time of Moses, had no _fixed_ day to assemble together for publicly serving and worshipping the Deity? Is this reasonable? Is it probable?--It appears then that the Sabbath was instituted, when God had finished the work of Creation, and was observed, in the world, from Adam to Moses.