But the law concerning the
Sabbath is a Levitical ceremony, and _St. Paul_ expressly says,
Col. ii., Let no one judge you, if you do not observe the Sabbaths,"
(Niemend [sic] soll euch richten, so ihr die Sabbathe nicht haltet;) why
then (it may be asked) do you insist so rigidly on this precept? Answer.
This precept in the words of Moses embraces two things, one _common_,
that is necessary to the church at all times, and a _particular day_,
which concerned only the government of Israel. The _common_ part (of
this precept) is the proper public office (or duty) to preach and to
observe the divine ceremonies, which God has at any time enjoyed. This
_common_ precept binds all men; for this honor all rational creatures
owe to God, to aid in sustaining the office of preacher, and Christian
assemblies, (public worship,) according to the condition and calling of
each one, as shall be farther stated hereafter. _But the particular
part, concerning the seventh day_, DOES NOT BIND US: therefore we hold
meetings on the _first day and on any other days_ of the week, _as
occasion offers_."
Such then being the views of the illustrious reformers, one of whom
penned the Augsburg Confession, and the other sanctioned it, we might
naturally expect to find them expressed in the Confession itself, which
a bare recital of a few passages, will prove to be the case.
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