MR. TAYLOR' S THIRD REPLY. 225 



Not one appearance to the assemhkd disciples. — on Sunday ! 



since the preceding day (occupied in fisliing) could not possibly 

 have been the Sabbath. (John xxi. 3, 4.)* 



s. And the last and most remarkable appearance of all took 

 place on Thursday, forty days after the resurrection. (Acts i. 

 3_9 . Mark xvi. 19 ; Luke xxiv. 51.) 



It thus appears that not a solitary instance is recorded of 

 Jesus having appeared to his assemhled disciples on the first 

 day of the week ! My friend's " chain of circumstance" is as 

 visionary and disjointedf as his dependent hypotheses are ex- 

 travagant and illogical. His premises are absolutely false, and, 

 even if true, they would tend in no wise to establish his con- 

 clusion ! 



An argument, apparently designed to corroborate his texts, 

 is sufl&cieutly curious and original to claim here a momentas 

 notice. "It is worthy of remark," says he (p. 178), "that 

 both Baptism and the Lord's Supper were appointed by our 

 Lord before his death, and confirmed, after his resurrection, as 



* Although "the Sabbath" was virtually cancelled hj the.crucifixion 

 (Col. ii. 14), yet, like circumcision, it was not formally abrogated till 

 twenty years afterward (and even then ostensibly only for the Gentile 

 Christians, — Acts xxi. 25), and its observance was retained in the primi- 

 tive Church at Jerusalem as long as the Christian Metropolis had ex- 

 istence. Hence the force of the prophetic warning, when it was said, 

 " There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be 

 thrown down." . . " Pray ye, that your flight be not — on the Sabbath 

 day!" [Matt. xxiv. 2, 20.) As well from the habits of the apostles 

 [Acts xvi. 13 ; xvii. 2 ; xviii. 4, &c.), as from the controUing prejudices 

 of their countrymen, it was morally impossible that they could have 

 been pursuing their ordinary avocations on the "Sabbath," although 

 they might not hesitate at lighter violations. (3Iark ii. 23 — 28.) 



f The " chain" is astonishingly short, even on my fri end' s own show- 

 ing. He actually cZams but two "appearances" for Sunday. {John 

 XX. 14 — 25 ; and xx. 26.) And two appearances he will admit were not 

 on Sunday. (John xxi. 1 — 14; and Acts i. 4.) So that, after yielding 

 him everything he asks, even his two "Wilcs" are just pulled out of 

 sight by two other counter links ! 



