212 ABROGATION OF THE SABBATE. 



No reforcnce made to the ivcel; moro than to the year. 



is distinguished as the glorious dawning, *' not of a week, but 

 of a dtspensatwnJ'^ It has no more relation to an hehdomadal 

 period, than it has to a montlil}/, a ycarh/, or a centennial one. 

 J. N. B. informs us that the import of the word ^^ must he its 

 literal meaning, unless sufficient reasons can be given to show 

 the contrary. The literal meaning of the word in question is, 

 a period of twenty-four hours." {p. 177.) This absolutely 

 excludes the hypothesis of a weekly return ! If the " Messiah's 

 exaltation" took place on a ^^ literal day^^ it certainly did not 

 again take place on that day week, any more than it did on 

 that day year If 



* Dr. Gill, the commentator, after stating the various applications 

 of the word " day" here, to "Resurrection-day," " Lord's day," &c., 

 thinks it is "rather the whole Gospel dispensation, made a bright day 

 by the sun of righteousness, and which is the now present day of sal- 

 vation." {Commentary^ in loco.) 



Prof. J. A. Alexander, of Princeton, remarks upon the passage, 

 '<By the 'day' we are here to understand the happier times which 

 Israel, through God's grace, was permitted to enjoy. This day he is 

 said, as the author of this blessed revolution, to have made — created. 

 Some understand by dai/ the festival or celebration at which the psalm 

 was intended to be sung. The day, in this sense, God is said to have 

 made or instituted, not so much by positive appointment as by having 

 providentially afforded the occasion for it. In a still higher sense, the 

 words may be applied to the new dispensation, as a glorious change in 

 the condition of the church, compared with which the restoration from 

 captivity was nothing, except as a preliminary to it, and a preparatiou 

 for it. Tkere is no allusion to the tveekly Sabbath, except so far as it was 

 meant to be a type of the rest of the church from the heavy hurdens of 

 the old dispensation." (The Psalms translatcd and explained: — in loco.) 



f Bishop HoKNE, indeed, commenting on this text, observes : *'Easter 

 day is in a peculiar manner consecrated to Him who by his resurrection 

 triumphed over death and hell. On that day, through faith, we triumph 

 with him; we rejoice and are glad in his salvation." {Commentary on 

 Psalms, in loco.) I hope this application will not frighten my friend 

 out of consistency ; for the passage is really just as appropriate to the 

 annual as to the hebdomadal festival. " This is the day which the Lord 

 hath made." 



