Sabbath, or Lord's Day
James Dodson
Nehemiah and the Sabbath breakers.
THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH OR LORD’S DAY HOMEPAGE.
“It is easy to demonstrate by Scripture and argument, as well as by experience, that religion is just as the Sabbath is, and decays and grows as the Sabbath is esteemed: the immediate honor and worship of God, which is brought forth and swaddled in the first three commandments, is nursed up and suckled in the bosom of the Sabbath.”—Thomas Shepard, Theses Sabbaticae. (1649).
WORKS ABOUT THE SABBATH OR LORD’S DAY:
The Sabbath’s Sanctification.-1641-William Gouge (1575-1653).-An excellent catechism on the Sabbath and Sabbath keeping. Gouge was a Westminster divine and he gives much practical advice on the proper observance.
Sabbath Keeping Ordinance.-1642-The Parliament.-An Act against all unnecessary activities or business being conducted upon the Lord’s day together with a condemnation of turning that day into a day of recreation.
An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better observation of the Lords Day.-1644-The Parliament.-An Ordinance which contains numerous specific examples of forbidden activity for Lord's day observance together with penalties for violations.
The Violation of the Sabbath. in A Testimony and Warning Against Some Prevailing Sins and Immoralities: Addressed to Christians in General.-1805-Reformed Presbytery, of Scotland.-In this section of this Testimony, the Reformed Presbytery discusses the matter of Sabbath sanctification together with many examples of violations and instructions for improving the Lord’s day.
The permanent sanction of the Moral Law.-1818-James Milligan.-In this section, which is the longest, Milligan offers a tour de force of argumentation for the perpetual morality of the moral law as contained in the Ten Commandments. His many insights and arguments show in various ways how we know the moral law remains binding during the Gospel era. Perhaps of equal interest is the very interesting defense of the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s day.
The Sabbath. A Discourse on the Duty of Civil Government in Relation to the Sanctification of the Lord's Day.-1829-James Renwick Willson.-A sermon on the duties and responsibilities of the civil authorities with respect to enforcing proper Sabbath observance among Christians.
The Lord’s Day, the Christian Sabbath.-1850-James Chrystie.-This article, from the Covenanter Magazine, examines whether or not the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath and defends Calvin from charges that he relaxed views of this matter.
The Sabbath.-1866-John Cunningham.-This is a series of articles on the Christian Sabbath. Written by Dr. Cunningham, these articles demonstrate his mastery of the Hebrew language and sources from which he vindicates and expounds the doctrine. This series contains some of the most original and interesting material on the origins and applications of the Christian doctrine.
Sabbath, or Sunday.-1882-David Steele.-A brief article on Sabbath keeping and why calling the day “Sunday” is inappropriate.
The Sabbath-Day.-1896-W.F.V. Bartlett (1831-1903).-An excellent overview of the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath together with admonitions and encouragements for its right keeping.
Nicknaming the Sabbath A Protest against using other than the Scriptural names for the Lord’s Day.-1930-Thomas Melville Slater (1869-1951).-This small tract, written for the Reformed Presbyterian Committee on Witness Bearing, explains why Christians should be careful in their terminology regarding the Lord’s day.