with new moons and holidays, and others which might be mentioned. Where, in the Scriptures, is the plural used, when the original institution, or weekly Sabbath, is intended? If, however, the expression above quoted does refer to the weekly rest, God's giving it to the Jews, is no evidence that the gift was not intended for the Gentiles.

"I gave them," may mean another day, the seventh, to be observed as their weekly Sabbath; a different day from the one they formerly kept, and which the Gentile nations still keep; that "my people may be a distinct people." We are satisfied that the Jewish Sabbath originated in the appointment of the passover-that they then changed from the first day Sabbath, if they kept any, to keep the seventh day Sabbath; that they might become a distinct people. If one seventh part of the time were kept holy to the Lord, it answered the design of the institution.

SABBATH NOT MENTIONED.

Others object, that as the Sabbath is not mentioned for the space of twenty-five hundred years after the creation, it could not have been instituted in Eden. But if this argument prove any

thing, it proves too much. For it is not mentioned from the time of Joshua till David ascended the throne. Circumcision is neither

mentioned nor alluded to, from a little after Moses till Jeremiah, a period of eight hundred years. Are we to believe that none of the pious kings, during that long period, were circumcised? Who then can say, that none of the holy patriarchs kept a Sabbath, because it is not mentioned during a period of twenty-five hundred years? Neither are sacrifices mentioned for fifteen hundred years-from Abel to the deluge: nor from Jacob, at Beersheba, till the deliverance from Egypt-two or three hundred years more. No mention is made of the Sabbath in the books of Joshua, Ruth, 1st and 2d Samuel, or 1st Kings, which are so much more specific and minute, and more voluminous, than the book of Genesis, in which the history of many centuries is written on three or four leaves of a common Bible. "The ordinance of the red heifer is never noticed, from the Pentateuch till the close of the Old Testament; but we know from the Apostle, that it was in constant use." The book of Psalms and some of the

Prophets, rarely mention the Sabbath; but this is no evidence that it was not kept.

"We are thus," in the language of PRES. DWIGHT, "come to this conclusion, that there are but five passages in which the Sabbath is mentioned in the Jewish writings, from the time of Moses to the return of the captivity-one thousand years. Two of these are found in prophecy; and three of them in their history. The first of these is mentioned about five hundred years, the second six hundred, the third seven hundred and fiftytwo, and the remaining ones, which are found in prophecy, near eight hundred years from the time of Moses."

If, because no mention of a Sabbath is made for so long a time, we are to believe that there was no Sabbath during that period, what shall we say of the institution of marriage? No Christian, it is believed, will deny that it was instituted in Paradise, and that the antediluvians "married and were given in marriage." But we find no mention of it after Eve was given to Adam, till long after the flood. This institution was lost during a much longer period than that of the Sabbath, if this reasoning

is correct.

It is surprising to us, that any man, in his senses, should wish to make it appear that we have no day of rest given us-no Sabbath. But such is the fact. The friends of the Sabbath are often assailed by them, in the most disgraceful and opprobrious manner, and every effort is making to remove it from the land as a useless thing. But be it remembered, the Sabbath " was intended to give the laboring classes of mankind an opportunity of resting from toil-it was intended to be a commemoration of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God in the creation of the universe-it was intended to furnish an opportunity of increasing holiness in man, while in a state of innocence-it was intended to furnish an opportunity to fallen man of acquiring holiness and of obtaining salvation. In every one of these respects, the Sabbath is equally useful, important, and necessary to every child of Adam. It was no more necessary to a Jew to rest, after the labor of six days was ended, than to any other person."

Why was it necessary that the beast of burden, belonging to the Jews, should rest one day in seven, any more than for ours? Why need the Gentile servant, among the Jews, keep the Sab

bath, if the Gentiles now need not? Why was God six days in making the world, when he could have made it as well in one day, or in one second, but to show us that in six days we must do all our work, and rest one seventh of the time? Why was our time divided into weeks, if there was to be no Sabbath? Why have heathen nations always had traditionary notions of a Sabbath; and from what source did they come ?

It is supremely foolish and wicked for any man to set himself up as an enemy to this humane and heavenly institution.. If the Bible be not true, then the Sabbath may be banished from our world, but not otherwise.

If there be any reason why the Gentiles are not bound to observe the fourth command, the same may be adduced to show that they are not bound to observe the first three or last six in the decalogue. Some are so anxious to expunge this command, that they divide the decalogue into two parts. The first three commands, which speak of the duties we owe to God, they include in the first; and the last six, which speak of the duties we owe to ourselves and to one another, in the other part; leaving out the fourth, which relates to the duties we owe, connectedly, to ourselves and our God-to our families, the stranger residing with us, and to our cattle.

It appears from the history, that God divided them into two classes, or wrote them on two tables; but he did not leave out the fourth, neither did he leave it for Moses to write, but he wrote it; and, lest it should not hold that important place which belonged to it, he was particular, at both times, when he wrote the commands, to place it, as it were, "in the bosom of the decalogue," where it must stand as a connecting link, till heaven and earth shall pass away.

We must, therefore, necessarily come to the conclusion, that the Sabbath was instituted when God had finished the work of creation, and was designed for all men to the end of time. It must be evident to most persons that are accustomed to reason and think, that this is the correct conclusion; for God has long been dealing with us Gentiles as he once dealt with his people Israel. He governs us by the same laws, and encourages us by the same promises.

OBJECTION III.-" BUT THE MORAL LAW, OR TEN COMMANDMENTS, HAS BEEN ABROGATED."

The objector to the Sabbath also often meets us with the assertion, that the moral law, or ten commandments, has been abrogated. There was given to the Jews a moral, ceremonial, and judicial or civil law. One or more of these may have been abolished, and the other still remain in full if not augmented force. We shall see if the latter is not the case with the whole of the moral law, or ten commandments. Infidels, and all those who would give full license to their covetous desires and unholy passions, often quote Paul, Acts xv. 5, 24, to prove that the law, meaning the law of the Sabbath, and indeed the whole decalogue, is now no longer in force. Some of them would have no law, neither moral nor civil. Say they, let public sentiment be the only law to regulate men's actions. But it may be well to see how Christ and his apostles understood this matter.

In the first place, then, in Matt. v. 17—19, in the memorable Sermon on the Mount, we find Christ using this language,"Think not [for some at that day talked just as infidels and deists now do] that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." But, it is asked, What law is here spoken of, the ceremonial or moral? Not the former, of course; for that, as a matter of fact, was destroyed, i. e. abrogated, at his death; which is implied in the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles being, by that event, broken down. The apostles too throw the whole weight of their inspired teachings and divinely bestowed authority, against the observance of the ceremonial law. Christ, then, did come to destroy that law. But he fulfilled the moral law, in his own person; he inculcated it in its purity, and as one having authority; his whole system of morality is based upon it. If he came to destroy the moral law, he came to undo his own work, the effect of his own mission. But Christ, in the succeeding verse, has put the matter for ever at rest. "Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments,

and shall teach men so," &c.; commandments, i. e. the moral law, which no man may break, no, not the least of them.

"One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." All the prophecies must be fulfilled; for he came not to destroy them. But all the prophecies are not yet fulfilled; therefore, not one jot or tittle of the law, of which Christ spoke, can pass away, until such fulfillment. Consequently he spoke of the ten commandments, the moral law. Now, who dare take from this law, from these commandments, the law of the Sabbath? Would the fourth precept be not so much as a jot or tittle, or one of the least of them? If not, then Christ may not call the man who tears it from the decalogue to account for his conduct. But be it remembered by all who would go to heaven, that their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees, far exceed it, or they will finally fail of reaching that holy place. The whole of the decalogue, then, as written by the finger of God on tables of stone, and all the prophecies, remain as they were at Christ's coming. The law is still, and for ever shall be, every word of it, in force; and all the prophecies shall be accomplished. The ceremonial law, and things typical of Christ, were abrogated when he hung upon the cross, and these only. The day of rest, then, necessarily reverted back, as the object of the first change was accomplished.

MATT. xxii. 36, 37. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto them, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

This Pharisee, who was a lawyer, understood what was meant by "the law and the prophets:" he evidently anticipated the answer he received. No sooner was the question propounded, than Christ gave the answer. This he did by including in one

commandment the sum of all that was contained in the first table of the law, touching his duty to God; and in the other, the sum of all that was written on the second table of the law, or ten commandments, touching his duty to man; assuring the