MR. TAYLOR' S SECOND REPLY. 145 



The Christian standard. A false issue attempted. 



" We are not under the Law." *'Now we know that what 

 tbings soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the 

 Law.'^ He, therefore, who, to sustain a Christian dutj, is 

 driven to some Exod. xx., or Levit. xix., or Deut. v., may 

 well suspect himself of beiug wise above that which is written. 



J. N. B. has attempted a kind of diversion (p. 76), by cit- 

 ing a few Patristic writers (including the apocryphal "Bar- 

 nabas"*), to prove that Sunday was commemorated by the 

 early Christians. f A single word is sufficient reply : — Wholli/ 

 irrelevant! This point has never been disputed. The ques- 

 tion under discussion has no reference whatever to a icorsliip- 



but because they are moral. ludeed, tliere are uuraerous precepts — in 

 the laws, for instance, of Solon and Mahomet — from a conformity to 

 which no Christian can pretend to exemption ; yet no one Avould say 

 that a part of the Koran is binding on Christians." [Essays on Paul. 

 Essay v.) 



* Althongh this Epistle most probably belcngs to the second century 

 rather than to the first, whatever historical interest or doctrinal 

 authority attaches to it, must be claimed decidedly by the Anti-sabba- 

 tarian. While there is nothing in it which favors Sabbatarianism (even 

 by implication), it contains the following very explicit passage: 

 *' ' Your new-moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot 

 away with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn meetings ; your new-moons 

 and appointed feasts my soul hateth.' These things, therefore, hath God 

 abolished, that the new law of our Lord .Jesus Christ, which is without 

 the yoke of any such necessity, might have the spiritual offering of 

 men themselves." Barnab. ii. 8. [Walce^s Translation.) 



f "The first Christians assembled for the purposes of divine wor- 

 ship, in private houses, in caves, and in vaults. Their meetings were 

 on the first day of the week ; and in some places they assembled also 

 upon the seventh, which was celcbrated by the Jews. Many also 

 observed the fourth day of the week, on which Christ was betrayed ; 

 and the sixth, which was the day of his crucifixion. The hour of the 

 day appointed for holding these religions assemblies varied according 

 to different times and circumstances of the church ; but it was ge7ie~ 

 rally in the evening after sunset, or in the morning before the dawn." 

 MosHEiM, [Church Ilistory, cent. ii, part ii. chap, iv. sec. 8.) 

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