He

rave very

earth, that

cor and mrivalled bound to

is own peculiar

cm So

The Lord's

eating is,

orced and

junur, dif

men is the

rewirer and

rebuses and

Sanur of the

er ∞ honor with it, is zes, honors,

bbath, are

the world, tha

and fa

Ar

beds in a publick manner upon the fabbath-day. There was no neceflity for doing this at the time in which it was done. Nor can we fuppofe that he ordered it to be done on purpose to provoke and exafperate his enemies against him; for it is contrary to his nature and command to give unneceffary offences. But if we fuppofe that he meant to awaken their attention to confider that the jewish fabbath, as it ftood in its peculiar adminiftration to them, was only temporary; and, like the greateft part of their difpenfation, was foon to pass into a higher flate, this affigns a good reafon for his conduct therein.

This appears more evident ftill in the matter of the ears of corn. Matthew 12. 1. At that time Jefus went through the corn fields on the fabbaths. So it fhould be read.

By Luke 6. 1. We find that it was the fecond fabbath after the firft, the pharifees found fault with him. That is, they found fault with him upon his allowing it to be done two fabbaths, fucceffively. And he vindicates himself and difciples, by alluding to David's breach of a temporary

temporary command, in a certain cafe, without being cenfured for it. And afferts that he was

Lord of the fabbath: and therefore had power

intimating,

over it,
bringing it under a

I

I think, his design of

new administration.

But be this as it will, that the fabbath is removed into the first day of the week, is clear from the teftimonies above. And confequently, the christian fabbath, has in it every thing that is poffible to be in a fabbath; all the contents, all the principles and all the ideas that can contribute to give it greatness and authority.

The primitive faints had a prospect of this transcendent day under the gospel, and fung over it, and prophefied of its coming; and, by an anticipating faith made it present, when as yet it was many years forward in futurity. An inftance of this we have in Pfalm 118. 23. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

The day here alluded to, is fome way or other made remarkable and folemn: and, that it is the first

day

It is faid to be the first of fabbaths, and first of the fabbaths. The apoftles generally in most things, rather obferve a conformity to the Septuagint than the Hebrew, not as preferable, but better known. Their phrase is, EMERA TWN SABBATWN, the day of the fabbaths. So they called the laft day of the week, because it was the day upon which the fabbaths were fucceffively celebrated and held. The apoftles exprefs themselves in the fame form, only they are obliged to put MIA, inftead of EMERA. The feventy had but one idea to express, but the apoftles many; as first day of the week, first day of the resurrection, first day of the fabbath, firft morning and first evening, as above: And because all thefe ideas could not properly be put down, they expreffed them all compendiously in one word, and faid, The MIA of the fabbath.

*

This day, therefore, introduced the chriftian fabbaths, and fettled the order and fucceffion of them. It was the first day of the fabbaths.

It is farther obfervable in these paffages, that the fabbath in the chriftian church, under the

miniftry