perftitious; to heal the fick on any day, could never be a violation of a law of God: and it was a fufficient answer to

fuch as thought otherwife, that the Sab- Mark ii. bath was made for man.

27.

21.

I, &c.

But our Lord did more than this. He commanded one perfon, whom he had just enabled to walk, to carry his bed John v. 8. along with him on that day; though it Jer. xvii. was expressly written in the prophet, that no burden fhould be born upon the Sabbath. And when the Pharifees found Matt. xii. fault with his difciples for rubbing the ears of corn, he vindicates them by comparing the law of the Sabbath, to the Levitical rules concerning the fhewbread, and facrifice. He represents fome of the ceremonies attending their temple-worship, and the rite of circumcifion, as properly and reasonably taking place of the respect due to the Sabbath, and excufing the profanation of it: and adds, In this place is one greater than the Temple: The fon

of

90

Gal. iv. 9,
IO, II.

of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day: plainly declaring, that he had power to alter these legal inftitutions; and intimating also perhaps, that he intended to use it.

But that the Jewish Sabbath is not now binding to Christians, appears no where fo plainly as in the Epiftles of St. Paul.

Now after that ye have known God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye defire again to be in bondage? re obferve days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, left I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. And if you doubt what are the times and days he speaks of in a manner fo difparaging, Colof. ii. hear him again: Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances, that was against us, nailing it to his cross. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in reSpect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days.

14, 16.

Behold

Behold the great Apoftle afferting the liberties of mankind, with an earnestness fuitable alike to the ftrength of his genius, and the importance of his fubject! as if he had faid,

fet

IO.

22.

"Thefe ritual ordinances were a burden upon us doubly grievous: the ob. Gal. iii. servance of them was flavery, and difɔ- Gal. iii. bedience death. A law fo voluminous Rom. iii. and rigorous, muft conclude all under fin, 19and be alike fatal to every man living; up, like the hand writing upon the wall against the profane King, as it were on purpose to pronounce over our head the fentence of condemnation. But thanks be to God in Jefus Chrift, it is at length extinct; dead in his death, never to revive more. Call us to no account henceforth on this antiquated subject, nor presume to name to men the children's toys. We can yield to no intreaties, no authority, not even of the

very chiefeft of the Apostles, in this capital 2 Cor. xi.

5.

caufe;

caufe; but ftand faft in our freedom, and refufe utterly to wear again the yoke of bondage. The Jewish diftinction of meats Titus i. and days is at an end. To the pure all

15.

Rom. xiv.

5,6.

things are pure. Chriftians keep a con

tinual feftival of obedience and thankf giving: God has granted us here a more valuable rest, from the ceremonies of the Law, and the fervitude of fin; and has prepared for us an everlasting Sabbath, which we fhall celebrate with the faints and angels, and with himfelf in heaven."

If, after all, fome of the first converts to Christianity among the Jews, could not conquer all their prejudices at once, but had still a leaning towards the Law; like the nation that, impatient of freedom, petitioned in form to be again flaves; the Apostle, for themselves, has condefcend. ed to their request: One man esteemeth one day above another; another efteemeth every day alike. He has confented, that they might be left to their own choice: and

regard

regard the day to the Lord; or not regard it, and that also to the Lord; with the fame fincere intention to please and honour him, and with the very fame fuccefs.

I.

Weak and fcrupulous minds might be allowed to fatisfy themselves, by retaining these remnants of the religion of times paft; and the God of the fpirits of all flesh would behold their mistake with pity, and their fincerity with approbation: but persons of more knowledge, and a ma- 1 Cor. viií. turer age in Chrift, would easily perceive Hebr. v. that they were fet at liberty from fuch 14. ceremonies, and would be thankful for it; finding them now infipid, and being defirous of ftronger food, of spiritual doctrines, and a more reasonable service; a worship, which they might be allowed to perform within the Veil, approaching Hebr. vi. nearer to God's prefence, illuminated more 19. fully by his Spirit, and partakers even of his Divine Nature.

But

2 Pet. i.4.