Arguments Against and for the Sabbatical Observance of Sunday, by a Cessation from All Labour : Contained in the Letters of Sundry Writers in the Theological Repository : With an Additional Letter to the Reverend Dr. Priestly

Arguments Against And For The Sabbatical Observance Of Sunday, By A Cessation From All Labour, Contained In The Letters Of Sundry Writers In The Theological Repository, An Additional Letter To The Reverend Dr. Priestley by Edward Evanson This late 18th-century volume is a compilation of polemical letters debating whether Christians should observe Sunday as a sabbath or keep a weekly rest from labor. It presents a threaded exchange among writers such as Eubulus, Philander, and Subsidarius, with editorial framing and letters to Dr. Priestley. The text explores whether the Sabbath-like practice derives from biblical command or civil authority, and surveys early Christian usage and witnesses from the New Testament and patristic writers. Proponents argue that the Lord’s Day was observed as a weekly day of public worship and benevolent activity, while opponents deny any explicit apostolic injunction to sabbatize the first day and contend that such observance rests on later ecclesiastical and political developments, especially Constantine’s decrees. The work also analyzes the relationship between religious obligation and civil power, the economic and moral implications of a weekly rest, and the historical development of Christian worship practices. Overall, it contributes to late Enlightenment debates on religious liberty, church authority, and the role of civil government in shaping devotional life.