The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-05-26

man was concerned interrupted, in Eden
God entered upon his Rest, as related
to mans primeval Eden, when man was
created and placed in that Paradise.
Through long, long ages-six symbolical
days-God was preparing that Rest.
At last the time for realization had
come. The work was finished. The
Rest, so far as God was concerned, was
not destroyed by mans apostasy it was
mans part in that Rest that was over
shadowed and apparently lost. When
God re-created man-as is done in the
work of Redemption-the work of crea-
ton was, as it were, resumed Christ
broke the bands of Death, and gave T"in
him was life. john i: 4, new life to
the world. This was creation in the
highest sense-it was the realization
of the work which God had contemplated
from the beginning. Therefore, as it was
on the first day of the week that Christ,
by his Resurrection, wrested the sceptre
from the Prince of the Power of the Air
and brought life and Immortality to
light, it was appropriate to celebrate
this day, as Justin Martyr denominates
it" the chief and first of days" If it
was proper to commemorate the First
Creation, more was it proper to commem-
crate the Resurrection from the Dead
the New Creation If it was proper to
commemorate the entering into the pri-
meval Eden, more was it proper to com
memorate the entering into the new Eden.
To-day shalt thou be with me in Para
disc"
By this resurrection Christ, says the
inspired writer, having ceased from his
own works" Gas God did from his) en-
tered into his Rest, whittier those who
become united to him, do follow him.
THIS is the Rest Goods Eternal Sabbath)
that "remaineth to the people of God. =.
The Sabbath day, be it the seventh or
the first day of the week, is typical of
Gods Eternal Rest.
By recurring to the 4th verse of
the chapter (Hebrew ivy, comparing
the same in the Greek testament with
the 9th, it will be seen that the
writer Identifies this Rest with the
" seventh creative] day; the seventh
day following the six creative days. COW
cred the period called Gods Rest. Now
originally the seventh (human) day (of
"a hours) symbolized and commemorated
this Divine Sabbath typically repro
duced it every seventh day,-because
then God ceased from his works and en-
tered into his rest; but now it is Christ,
in new creation, who has ceased from
his redemptive work, and entered anew
into the forfeited Paradise; therefore we
keep the First Day, on which he rose from
the dead. The jar which was given to
the original intention of the Sabbath by
mans sin, necessitated the shifting of the
day which was to be consecrated to God.
Gods Sabbatical Rest under this
view, now exists. "There rcmaineth
therefore Sabbatism not of twenty -four
hours to the people of God" Heb. iv
g. There was an evening and morn
ing to each other day; but Moses
pauses at the seventh; he does not say
" there was an evening, there was morn
ing" According to the review here pre-
sented, we are now in the evening (the
night of the Sabbath Rest "a night
brought on by mans apostasy); the Re
Morn will be the seventh day
morning-when redeemed man will be
united to Christ in the enjoyment of the
Everlasting Rest.
Gods Days, in the which he framed
the worlds, commenced before the sun
was brought into existence, and could not
therefore have been solar days; the HUI
man days were necessarily inferior days,
merely counterfeits of the Divine Days.
They commenced when the sun and moon
were set in the heavens for signs and
seasons, and days, and years" on the
Fourth Creation Day. And, as each Gre
alive day ends, Moses Gas we have re-
says, And there was evening,
there was morning, until he describes