And this caution in conclusion I would give, to put stop to this Jewish ceremony, to wit, That a seventh day sabbath pursued according to its imposition by law, (and I know not that it is imposed by the apostles) leads to blood and stoning to death those that do but gather sticks thereon (Num 15:32-36). A thing which no way becomes the gospel, that ministration of the Spirit and of righteousness (2 Cor 3). Nor yet the professors thereof (Luke 9:54-56).
Nor can it with fairness be said, that that sabbath day remains, although the law thereof is repealed. For confident I am, that there is no more ground to make such a conclusion, than there is to say, that circumcision is still of force, though the law for cutting of the uncircumcised is by the gospel made null and void.
I told you also in the epistle, that if the fifth commandment was the first that was with promise; then it follows, that the fourth, or that seventh day sabbath, had no promise entailed to it. Whence it follows, that where you read in the prophet of a promise annexed to a sabbath, it is best to understand it of our gospel sabbath (Isa 56).
Now if it be asked, What promise is entailed to our first day sabbath? I answer, The biggest of promises. For,
First, The resurrection of Christ was tied by promise to this day, and to none other. He rose the third day after his death, and that was the first day of the week, 'according' to what was fore-promised in the scriptures (Hosea 6:1,2; 1 Cor 15:3-6).
Second, That we should live before God by him, is a promise to be fulfilled on this day; 'After two days will he revive us: in the third day—we shall live in his sight' (Hosea 6:2). See also Isaiah 26:19 and compare them again with 1 Corinthians 15:4.
Third, The great promise of the new testament, to wit, the pouring out of the Spirit, fixeth upon these days; and so he began in the most wonderful effusion of it upon Pentecost, which was the first day of the week, that the scriptures might be fulfilled (Acts 2:16-19).
Nor could these three promises be fulfilled upon any other days, for that the scripture had fixed them to the first day of the week.
I am of opinion that these things, though but briefly touched upon, cannot be fairly objected against, however they may be disrelished by some.
Nor can I believe, that any part of our religion, as we are Christians, stand in not kindling of fires, and not seething of victuals, or in binding of men not to stir out of those places on the seventh day, in which at the dawning thereof they were found. And yet these are ordinances belonging to that seventh day sabbath (Exo 16:23-29).