40 ABROGATION OF THE SABBATH. 



Assertixm, inconclusive. A challenge. Paul to the Rovtians: — all days alike. 



student of PauFs writings, infers from this passage that '^ St. 

 Paul evidently appears to have considered the Sabbath as part 

 of the Jewish ritual, and not obligatory upon Christians. '^ 

 {Mor. Phil. B. v. ch. 7.) 



I can hardly permit J. N. B., therefore, to dislodge me thus 

 summarily ; but before surrendering my castle at summons, I 

 require him to show by a single hint " from the context/^ — 

 by a single syllable from the New Testament — how he can ex- 

 clude the seventh day Sabbath from " the Sabbath-days which 

 are a shadow.'' But again; as is generally the case with 

 theories founded in error, my friend has wholly overlooked 

 another point. After he has given me, therefore, some ground 

 more substantial than assertion, for believing that this passage 

 " does not refer to the Sabbath of the Pecalogue/' I further 

 require him to show how Christians can possibly retain this 

 Sabbath, and yet not keep '^ an Iwly day V' I suppose the 

 next step in the argument (if I may be pardoned the misno- 

 mer) will be the assurance not only that " Sabbath days" do 

 not mea7i Sabbath-days ; but that '' an holy day," obviously 

 '' from the context," imports something entirely different from 

 an holy day ! and perhaps ultimately, that '^ the context'^ itself 

 falls within the same category. If, in addition to these philo- 

 logical revelations, your correspondent will also make the tri- 

 fling discovery of a Scriptural text, half so explicit — half so 

 unmistakable — on his side of either of our " Six Propositions," 

 I promise to abandon to him the whole argument withoiit re- 

 serve ! 



But, fortunately, we have corroborating testimonies to estab- 

 lish the position under review : it is not dependent on a single 

 chain of evidence — however irrefragable that chain may be. 

 ^^Him that is ^ceak in tliefaith, receive ye,'^ says Paul to 



the Bomans, ^^ but no^ to doubtful disputations 



One man esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth 

 every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his 

 own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto 



