ngelical, the latter, a legal method. _The contrary of
this is clearly evident from Article XXVIII. of the Augsburg
Confession_, and it would be _almost incomprehensible how the author
could fail to perceive this_, were it not for his manifest desire to
make the sanctification of the Sabbath as binding a duty as any other
precept in the decalogue, and his apprehension that this could not be
accomplished any other way, than by maintaining the divine appointment
of the Sunday.

Once more, let us listen to the the [sic] testimony of that
learned and impartial historian of our own country, _Dr. Murdock_,
himself, though a native American, a highly respectable German scholar:
"The XXVIII. Article of Augsburg Confession," says he, "teaches that as
to Sundays and other holy days, and rites and forms of worship, bishops
may and should appoint such as are convenient and suitable; and the
people should observe them, NOT AS DIVINE ORDINANCES, but as conducive
to good order and edification." Murdock's Mosheim, Vol. iii., p. 53,
Harper's edition.

I. _What is the charge of the Definite Platform against the Augsburg
Confession on this subject?_ It is, that

The Augsburg Confession "treats the Sabbath as a mere Jewish
institution, and supposes it to be totally revoked whilst the propriety
of our retaining the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath as a day of
religious worship, is supposed to rest only on the agreement of the
churches for the convenience of general convocation.

II. What ground does the Plea take?

It denies the position, and affirms the contrary, as above stated, while
it supposes the Confession to object not to the divine institution and
obligation of the Lord's Day, but to the corruptions which the Romish
church had connected with it, and especially the idea that the
observance of the Lord's Day was a meritorious work, which would secure
our justification before God.

The observations of the Plea against the self-righteous abuse of the
Sabbath are just and Christian, but do not affect the position of the
Platform. The author also intersperses other useful practical remarks,
which we have not have room to quote. The simple point of difference,
of any moment, is that relating to the question whether our obligation
to observe the Christian Sabbath rests on its appointment by God or by
the church. Indeed, it can scarcely be said that this question remains,
for the author of the Plea, at the close of his discussion, vi