3. The Christian Sabbath is the first day of the week. Intimations of the reason of the change from the seventh to the first day of the week are to be found in the fact that the glories of Judaism had passed away with the advent of the MESSIAH, and were succeeded by a new and better dispensation; and it may have been deemed a fitting honour to mark the commencement of this new dispensation, by the consecration in the Church of CHRIST of that day on which the mystery of human redemption was accomplished. It was on the first day of the week that the SAVIOUR rose again, and so was “declared to be the Son of GOD with power, by the resurrection from the dead.” {9a} It was at the same time, a week afterwards, that He appeared to the disciples when they were assembled together, and confirmed by His presence the doubting faith of St. Thomas. This day, too, was marked by the descent of the Holy Ghost at the feast of Pentecost, when CHRIST was first preached by the Apostles to the Gentile world. We find from the New Testament and the earliest ecclesiastical records, that the primitive Christians always observed this day during the lifetime of the Apostles. They seem to have assembled on the first day of the week to break bread, that is, to celebrate the LORD’S Supper, and to receive religious instruction; and the custom had doubtless become universal, as it was observed in Asia Minor. {9b} St. John {9c} appears to have kept this day with peculiar solemnity, and from him we learn that it had obtained a particular designation in the Church—“the LORD’S day,” a name which it has ever since retained. In addition to this evidence, we may remark that some of the early Fathers refer to this day as the period set apart for religious worship, and allude to the difference between keeping the first day of the week and the seventh, especially on the ground of its being the day of our Saviour’s resurrection. Such, very briefly, are the general arguments for the observance of the Sabbath, derived from the words of the original institution; from the practice of the patriarchs before the giving of the Law; from the express injunction contained in the Ten Commandments, which, by the authority of our LORD and His Apostles, are binding upon Christians; and from the practice of the primitive Church during the lifetime of the Apostles, and in the ages which immediately succeeded. It is not needful that I should dwell upon them at greater length; and we proceed now to examine in what manner the Sabbath should be kept holy. II. The words of the Prophet, to which I have called your attention, are primarily addressed to the Jews, but it involves no accommodation of Scripture to consider them as applying to ourselves, since the obligation to keep holy the Sabbath day rests equally upon us, as it did upon them. They embrace many particulars of duty, and contain a promise, on GOD’S part, to bless with honour and temporal prosperity those who shall reverence His day.