Now let us see, then, how we stand as Christians. Do you think it likely, however, that so merciful a religion, as that of Christ, should take this merciful ordinance of the Sabbath from us? Do you think it likely that the same God, who, under the law, ordained a Sabbath, even for the miserable brute creation, that the poor cattle might rest from their labours as well as their rich owners, should abolish it under the gospel? Of all incredible things this would be the most incredible, that God should care so much for beasts, which perish, as to provide _them_ a temporary repose from bodily toil, and none for man, who has an immortal soul to be saved, or lost, for ever; after having redeemed him, too, by the most astonishing method of the sacrifice of his own beloved Son. O they of little faith, who reason thus! But, blessed be God! it is not so. As Christians, we are still the posterity of Adam; and, if we partake, alas! of all the evils that sprung from Adam, at least we partake of this one benefit. Sin has not deprived us of it, but made it the more necessary for us. Again, as Christians, we are not indeed the posterity of Abraham, according to the flesh; and, therefore, we are not necessarily under any part of the law given to the Jews; except it might have pleased the Author and Finisher of our faith to adopt any part of it into his gospel. But this he most clearly did with respect to the ten commandments, of which the hallowing of the Sabbath is one. He fulfilled and abolished every thing ceremonial, which concerned the Jews only; he retained, and gave a new force and sanctity to every thing moral, which concerns all mankind; and, without doubt, it is in every view a moral duty, that the thing made should worship the great Maker, on solemn days, which shall often return—that they should return, as they do, on every seventh day, we owe to God’s gracious providence. “The Sabbath,” as our Lord beautifully and mercifully said, “was made for man;” and, consequently, whilst man remains upon this earth, a stranger and a pilgrim, travelling along a weary, rugged road, towards some better country in the distant prospect before him, the Sabbath too remains; on the authority of our blessed Saviour it remains, to refresh us all on our journey; to support and comfort us under the fatigue of it; and to cheer us with the thought of the everlasting Sabbath in heaven, of which it is the type and the shadow.