The pnictice of the Apostles and early Christians is justly admitted to have an influence in determining how We should understand and discharge, our religious duties, For this reason, the strongest eflbrts are made to show that they regarded the first day of the week as the Sabbath. But the Scriptures afford III) evidence of this. On the contrary, there is the fullest proof that they religiously observed the seventh day—the only day o hich is called Sabbath in the New Testament. En confirmationof this statement, we notice the distinction that is constantly made in the writings of the Apostles between the Sabbath and the first day of the week. Theseventh day is uniformly called the Sabbath, and the first day is mentioned only as such. Had the writers of the New Testament adopted any other day for the So hbath than the onc–?,otnnionly called by that name, their maninsr of speaking of these days is both mysterious and deceptive, ius it is directly calculated to mislead us respecting a religious duty. No person who regards the first day for the Christian Sabbath, will apply this name to the seventh day ; neither will line observing the seventh day, style the first day of the week the Sabbath. The reason is obvious. Such a course would be contrary to his understanding of’ truth, and it would lead others to misunderstand his sentiments. For this reason the Apostles would riot do it.
In addition to this custom of calling the seventh day the Sabbath, we find it was the custom of those early Christians to assemble for divine worship on the Sabbath day. The manner in which the Sabbath and the first day following our Lord’s cmcifixion were observed, sufficiently proves what the sentiments and practice of the disciples were at that time. It is said of them, that ” they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment,” and on the first day they ” traveled and went into the country.” In the 13th chapter of Acts, we are told that Paul and his company went to a place of worship in Antioch on the Sabbath day ; and we have a sketch of the sermon preached by Paul on that occasion. By the request of his Gentile hearers,he preached the next Sabbath, when nearly the whole city came to hear him. In Philippi, Paul and his company, on the Sabbath, resorted to the river side where prayer was wont to be made.— At this time Lydia was converted and baptized. In the 18th chapter of Acts, it is said of Paid, who was associated with certam disciples in Corinth, that ” he reasoned in the synagogues every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks ;” and this practice he continued in their city a year and a half. At Ephesus, Paul went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews, which is also admitted to have been on the Sabbath day. In’ Thessalonica, there was a synagogue of the Jews, and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures ; Acts xvii, 2.—These quotations are sufficient to show that the Apostles and primitive Christians observed the ancient Sabbath. In Acts xxviii, 17, Paul, in reply to the slanderous reports of his enemies, declares that he had committed nothing against the customs of the fathers. Now, was it the custom of the fathers to keep the seventh day for the Sabbath ? And was it contrary to their custom to keep the first day ? If so, then Paul kept the seventh day of the week, and not the first, for the Sabbath. In this thing there was a perfect agreement among all the Christians of the apostolic churches. The Jews, who were ever ready to accuse them, and render them despicable in the eves of their nation. never upbraided them with a violation of the weekly Sabbath, which with them was a crime worthy of death. These facts are ‘sufficient to prove that the Apostles and their associate Christians religiously observed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
