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PREFACE.

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wise king, Solomon, observes, (Eccl. iii. 1.) "Το ing there is a season, and a time for every purpose Daven." And if there be a time and season allowed

thing and purpose, even the meanest things and in the world; surely an infinitely wise God will aloper time and season for the best things and purid particularly for his solemn worship and service, the most necessary and excellent purpose in the It is not enough that we give God, from whom we our time, a share of every day for his service; no, him also some whole days for his solemn and public yea, it is agreeable to the dictates of the light of and of sound reason, that one whole day of every ould be dedicated to him for that end.

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ations through the world have had their seasons and s for devotion and sacrifices. The heathens who ped dumb idols, had their festivals and holy-days, cicularly one day of the week, which they esteemed cred than the rest. The Turks, who have taken up most unreasonable delusions and impostures, do in the impressions of the rationality and equity of g, that there should be a certain day of the week set - the solemn worship of God. Indeed the light of without some other help, could not have determined versally to dedicate the seventh day of their time to re than the sixth or eighth: but seeing the wise Cree world, and author of time, thought fit from the beto measure time by days, and parcel out these days a remarkable periods as weeks, or the revolution of ys, to be constantly observed all the world over, it consonant to reason and equity, that one day of each ould be holy to the Lord.

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But, besides the light of nature, we elation for this point: God hath expre word one day in seven, to be kept hol ship; neither hath he left the particu choice, but hath chosen it for them. Testament, he points out the first day Christian Sabbath to the end of the v dent in the following treatise.

The Jews have their Saturday Sabb in, and call the Queen of the week: T the Friday, as being Mahomet's birthand some other Pagan nations observe it above all other days of the week. nating badge of the professors of Christ world, to celebrate the first day of the resurrection-day, and hence called the though the Jews and some few others p day from the creation is unalterable b command, it is shewed in this treatise, fourth command are so framed, that th any day of the week that God doth ple the Sabbath, whether it be the first or la For when it is said, "The seventh day Lord thy God;" it doth not mean the s creation, but any seventh day after six God pitches on; upon which account seventh day, but the seventh day. N day mentioned in the first words of t contain the substance of it; for it is said the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" not th is the seventh day mentioned in the las mand, which contain the formal reason only, "The Lord blessed the Sabbath da not the seventh day.

As to the first day of the week, our Ch great Lord of our time hath appropriate self, marked it with his seal, and hath p calling it, Rev. i. 10. Hemera Kurial even as he calls the holy supper, 1 Cor. = riakon, the Lord's supper; because the tion as well as the other, and set apart 1, or lover of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be indifbout the keeping of this holy day: For as the holy g of this day is an open and visible owning of the us (whose name it bears) for our Lord and Master; glect of this day is a plain disowning of him, and an ghting of the benefits of his resurrection. O that ald think on this, and consider what they do, when lect or contemn the Lord's day!

memory, and shewing forth his glory

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th the way of Sabbath-sanctification be the good old pointed by God ever since he created man upon the et there is no way more hated, no duty more opSatan and wicked men: which we need not be sur, seeing it is a special fence to all religion, and a wark against the torrent of impiety that runs in the And that true piety is so low in most places, and immorality so generally prevail, is mainly to be to the abounding neglect and contempt of the holy = for common experience doth testify, that where 's day is most strictly observed, there Christian ge, piety and morality, do prosper most; and where ath is disregarded, there all these do decay. The ation whereof should excite all the lovers of God ness, to use their utmost endeavours to support the nd maintain the dignity of the Sabbath against all ies.

consideration hath moved me to contribute my mite S excellent subject, in the following treatise, which - controversial and partly practical: for confuting nies of the Sabbath, and for instructing all in the arrant for sanctifying this holy day, and in the right of doing it. There are two essential things in the religion, which all should make conscience of; - to believe its truths, and faithfully to practise its The first of these hath great influence upon the for, if the Christian truths be not firmly believed, stian duties will be ill performed. Now, the best promoting both the Christian faith and Christian is the sanctification of the Lord's day.

not been for the observation of the Sabbath, the Christianity had been quite razed out of the minds est part: for as the Lord's day, of itself, is a bright y memorial of our redemption by Jesus Christ; so

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