for first the refreshing of the bodies of men and beasts though it be a Consequent yet was never the Ground of the Institution of the Sabbath The moderation of our labours belongs to the eighth Commandement that enjoynes labour As for the quickening of Adams spirit why might not he need a Sabbath as well as a Sacrament And although every day were a kind of Sabbath to Adam in respect of his easie labour and his Holy conversing with God even in his works about the Creatures yet there is great difference between labouring moderately and not at all And to serve God in ordering the Creatures according to his will and to serve him in the duties of his owne immediate worship So every day ought to have been spent by Adam in an holy manner but not as a Sabbath Besides though the Sabbath were made for man yet it was not made for man alone but principally for Gods Honour in his publick worship in which respect Adam as much needed a Sabbath as we do being created for Gods Glory as well as we Secondly as Adam needed a Sabbath so he had meanes to observe a Sabbath he and his wife when there were no more persons in the World made a publick Assembly There is is a gathering of two or three as well as of a multitude Matth. 18.20 And Christ is present with them as well as with a greater number Nay further a man that is shut out from publick meetings may keep a Sabbath alone So then there being no impediment why this Commandement for the observation of the Sabbath might not be given to Adam in Paradise and Moses recording it in the first place amongst those lawes that were then given him we have no ground to doubt but that Adam had this Law then given unto him and in him unto all mankind So that we may 5. Observe The law given by God for the observation of the Sabbath Day is a law Universal and Perpetual UNiversal it must needs be 1. Because in Adam it was given to the whole nature of Man which was intirely in him at that time when he received it 2. And the use as well as the ground of it reacheth indifferently unto all men who are alike interessed in all the works that God hath wrought both of Creation and Redemption and alike obliged to honour him for them and have like need of those Spirituall comforts and refreshings which the religious observation of that brings unto supports the soul withal Upon the same ground it must needs be perpetual for if it bind all men it must of necessity bind all ages which also our Saviour necessarily implies in his answer to the Pharisees question about divorce Matth. 19.8 wherein he affirms the divorce supposed to be permitted by Moses to be unwarrantable because it crossed the Law of Marriage given to Adam in Paradise which Answer must necessarily suppose this ground that whatsoever Law was given to Adam in the Beginning those Laws that respected his present condition as his Labouring in Paradise and Eating of the Tree of Life excepted binds all his posterity in all Ages Besides the placing of this Commandement amongst the precepts of the Decalogue which our Saviour ratifies in every jot or tittle of them Matth. 5.18 further manifests the mind of God for the continuance of this Law which our Saviour wills his Disciples to be careful to observe Matth. 24.20 even at the destruction of Jerusalem 40 years after his Ascension when all other Mutable and Temporary Lawes were taken away Nay although there be this difference between this precept concerning the Sabbath and some other lawes of the Decalogue that this doth not appear so evidently to be a Law of Nature as they do yet it must necessarily be a law of Nature in the greatest part As that there must be a time for publique Worship a time of Rest from other Employments a fit time a set time a time that must return according to some time computed by Weeks or Moneths or Years For all these even by the light of Nature Heathen men acknowledged as is manifest by their practice in all Ages and Countreys Nay the Creation and Redemption of the World being once revealed even the light of Naturall reason would have directed men to make choice of those dayes in which those great works were perfected for the dayes of observing this holy Rest Now it must needs be granted that seeing the ground of fixing the Sabbath upon the Last or First day of the Week was the marking out and advancing of those dayes above others by the most eminent of Gods Works therefore mans exercise upon those dayes must be in the Contemplation of those and the rest of his works that our hearts may rejoyce in Him who hath in them manifested his Infinite Goodnesse Wisdom and Power Whence 6. Observe Meditation in Gods Works that our hearts may be raised up to an holy Rejoycing in Him is and ought to be a Christians chief Exercise for the right sanctifying of the Sabbath Day Observ 6 THe 92. Psalm composed of purpose for the Sabbath as appears in the Title of it handles no other argument but the setting out the works of Gods providence in governing the world in righteousnesse And it is as evident by the doubling of the daily Sacrifice upon that day by Gods Commandement Numb 28.9 that the Will of God was that mens thoughts should be much exercised in the meditation of that glorious work of their Redemption shadowed out under those sacrifices and purchased by the Blood of Christ And indeed as all Gods works praise him so do we by remembring them and meditating on them most highly honour and advance Him as is evident by the Psalms composed for that purpose Psal 104.107.145 Rev. 4.11 And for our selves our hearts are by that means wonderfully quickened and enlarged and filled with love towards him see Psal 18.1 116.1 and brought to an Holy Dependance on him and Confidence in him which is a fruit that is produced by this holy meditation on Gods works Psal 78.7 Now Gods honour and the encrease of Piety in us were the ends of the Institution of this holy Rest It is true that this exercise must be accompanied with those other holy duties of Prayer and Praises Preaching and Hearing of Gods Word administring the Sacraments and the like as conducing all of them if they be rightly used unto the same end VERSE 4. THese are the generations of the Heavens That is in this manner they took their Beginning From and By God alone and according to his Will by the Mighty Word of his Power In the day That is in that Time that it pleased God to take up in forming them which we know was in Six dayes and not in One But we find the Word Day in Scripture is used commonly to signifie Time Indefinitely This recapitulation of the works of Creation wherein they are challenged and ascribed unto God
him c. p. 105 God gives Bountifully p. 106 Gods blessings upon his Children ought to be remembred in Particular p. 107 Verse 27. Gods Purposes and Promises are all Yea and Amen p. 109 Gods Special Favours ought to be often Remembred ibid. The Distinction of the Sexes of Man and Woman is ordained by God Himself p. 110 Verse 28. It is by Gods blessing that Man must be sustained and upheld p. 110 God will have men to take notice of the Blessings that he bostowes upon them p. 111 God can easily bring Multitudes out of One p. 112 All men and Nations are of one Blood and have but one Father ibid. Mans Replenishing the Earth is by Special Command from God p. 113 Those that have Possessions in the Earth may so manure them that they may be useful and fraitful p. 114 All the Creatures of the Earth are the Servants of Man ibid. Verse 29. God created Man without Means p. 117 That God that hath given us life will give Means to preserve our life p. 118 Gods goodnesse in supplying us with necessary provision requires special observation p. 119 Men that have the greatest Possessions in the world must receive their Allowance from Gods Hand ibid. Mans Food is the gift of God p. 120 All the provision that God hath allowed Man for his Food is drawn out of the Earth p. 122 God doth strangely counterballance our Honours in all his dispensations unto us p. 123 Plain and Ordinary Fare may and ought to content the best amongst men ibid. Gods Allowance of Food to Man is of great variety p. 125 God gives us not our Provisions at once but by a continual Supply ibid. It is onely by Gods Decree and Blessing upon the Creatures that they have strength to nourish us p. 126 Verse 30. God allowes Sufficient Provision for the Creatures that he hath made p. 127 Men and Beasts are allowed by God the same Provisions of Food c. p. 128 Verse 31. The whole Frame of the Works which God made in the Creation of the VVorld is perfectly good p. 129 CHAP. II Verse 1. IT must be our Care to observe how God Disposeth and Ordereth that which he hath wrought Page 3 The Creatures that God hath made are to be looked on as an Army arrayed in an excellent and well composed Order ibid. God perfecteth every work that he takes in hand p. 4 Verse 2. God Commands nothing but that which is Convenient p. 6 God makes his Lawes Equal and Reasonable ibid. God Creates no more then what he made in the Beginning p. 7 God ceaseth not from his Works of Providence c p. 8 Verse 3. The Worship of God ought to be Mans first and chief care p. 13 God makes great account of the Sanctifying of his Sabbaths p. 14 The Sabbath Day is a day of Blessings ibid. The Sabbath is a Day of Rest set apart to an Holy Use ibid. The Law given by God to observe the Sabbath Day is Perpetual p. 18 Meditation in Gods Works is a Christians chief Exercise p. 19 Verse 4. He that gives things their Being may Order them as he will p. 21 When we mention the Being of the Creatures we ought to Remember Him that made them ibid. Verse 5. Every Herb and Plant is Gods Creature p. 22 The Mercies of God must be taken Notice of ibid. That which is brought to passe without ordinary Means must needs be wrought by the Power of God ibid. There can be no Rain on the Earth unlesse God send it p. 23 It is by Rain from Heaven that all the Herbs and Plants on the Earth do grow ibid. God makes use of Mans Labour to cherish the Fruits of the Earth p. 24 The Fruitfulnesse of the Earth comes onely by Gods Blessing p. 25 Verse 6. God wants no Means to effect whatsoever he will p. 26. God can bring things to passe without any Means at all ibid. Gods power is never clearly discovered till all Means be removed p. 27 Every Creatures ought to be useful unto that from whence it is produced ibid. Verse 7. The Substance of Mans Body is exceeding Base and Vile p. 28 God hath framed Mans Body into aa excellent piece of work p. 29 The Soul of Man comes Immediately from God himself p. 30 The Life of Man consisting in the union of the Soul with the Body hath a very weak foundation ibid. The Life of Man is onely by his Soul pag. 31 None worthy the Name of a Living Soul but he that lives by a Reasonable Soul p. 32 Verse 8. The Fruitfulnesse of one part of the Earth above another is from God Alone p. 34 Man can have no more title to any part of the Earth then God allowes him page 35 God bestowes upon men his Best and Chiefest Blessings p. 36 Verse 9. God takes Special Notice of all things that he bestowes upon us p. 39 Every Plant on the Earth growes where God Appoints it p. 40 Gods Bounty abounds unto men ibid. It is usual with God to mix delights and pleasure with usefulnesse and profit in all his blessings p. 41 The best amongst men have need of Outward Means to put them in mind of their Duties p. 42 Spiritual and Religious Duties ought to be remembred in our Employments in the things of this Life p. 43 Gods Commandements ought to be still before the face of his Children p. 44 God teacheth his Children by things of Ordinary and Common use ibid. God engageth himself by his Word to do us good p. 45 The continuance of Present and hope of future Life are assured by Gods Providence p. 46 All Gods Promises must be understood under the Condition of the performance of our Obedience p. 47 Good and Evill are bounded and limited only by the Will of God ibid. Verse 10. Gods Blessings are every way Compleat and Perfect Page 49 Springs and Rivers of Waters are not the least of Gods Mercies ibid. Verse 11. Gold is a Creature of great Price with Men. p. 50 God is none of the Creatures in which our Happinesse consists p. 53 Verse 15. Every Son of Adam is bound to some Employment or other in a particular Calling p. 55 Mens Callings and Employments are by Gods Own Appointment p. 57 Duty and not Gain should be the Ground of the undertaking of all our particular Callings p. 58 Mans Labour at last redounds unto himself p. 60 Mans Employment ought to be in those places where it is most needed ibid. The Labour of man makes nothing at all but only by his Husbandry c. p. 61 Verse 16. Experience of Gods goodnesse is the best Means to encourage us to chearful obedience unto Gods Will. p. 64 Mans Labour about the things of this life gives him good title unto that which he enjoyes p. 65 All Mans labour is for his own good ibid. The best way to quiet our hearts in what we want is to set before our eyes what we do enjoy p.
God although he thought it not fit to change the Sabbath unto another day till that work should be accomplished which should occasion the change of it yet took speciall care to pen the Fourth Commandement in such expressions that when the time of accomplishing that work should come the day might be changed without altering the letter of the Law Wherefore having occasion in the fourth Commandement to alledge the same reason for the Continuation of the Sabbath that he gives here for the Institution of it and that in the same form of words which he here useth yet in the conclusion inferred upon that reason he changeth the Particular term Seventh unto that which is more General Sabbath saying not as here Therefore the Lord Sanctified the Seventh Day but Therefore the Lord Sanctified the Sabbath Day Implying that the time which he required to be observed must be one Resting day of Seven leaving the Particularity of the day to be designed by the work upon which the observation of it was to be grounded so that both the Jews from that same Law might have warrant for the observation of the Last day of the Week and we that are Christians might have the like warrant for the observing of the First day of the Week Some there are that conceive these words not to contain in them the Narration of what God instituted at present but by way of Anticipation a manifestation of what he Ordained and Appointed to be observed in the Law afterward delivered to his people upon Mount Sinai Exod. 20. As if Moses had said here This Rest of God the Seventh day was the reason why God in the delivering his Law upon Mount Sinai appointed his People to keep that Seventh day for a day of an Holy Rest To whom we answer 1. What ground is there to be drawn out of any Circumstance of the text that enforceth us to admit such an Anticipation and without such a ground who dare suppose it If we may pervert the Order of the Scriptures at our pleasure without warrant from the Letter of the text it self no Man shall be able to draw any binding Argument out of Scripture to conclude any thing at all 2. Anticipations in Scripture are most Commonly if not Alwaies used that by representing before hand somewhat which was done afterwards the whole narration might be made more clear and perspicuous or at least that the Occasion or consequents of such other things as are related might be Considered and laid together that we might the more easily and distinctly observe the VVay of God in his VVork Now in this place to mention the occasion of that which was done more then two thousand years afterwards helps nothing to the understanding of any thing there related and consequently there is upon that ground no cause of supposing such an Anticipation 3. Such an Anticipation in this place must needs be acknowledged to be utterly superfluous seeing the very ground of Instituting the rest of the Sabbath which is mentioned here is expresly and wel-nigh in the same words set down in the very body of the Law given upon Mount Sinai Now it cannot be Imagined that the Holy Ghost in an History so succinctly penned as this is would insert any thing unnecessarily and superfluously 4. Such an Anticipation in this place necessarily supposeth that the Book of Genesis was written after the delivering of the Law upon Mount Sinai for if the Law were not given before the Book of Genesis was written how could this Anticipation here shew the reason of a Law which was not then in being Now that the Book of Genesis was written after the Law was given is impossible to be proved Nay if conjectures might be admitted it seems more probable that Genesis was written while Moses was yet in Midian before he undertook the bringing up of Israel out of Egypt for besides that he was then best at leisure that Book must needs be of singular use to encourage the Children of Israel to undertake their journey into Canaan for which their Fore-Fathers had forsaken their own native soil which God had so many waies made over unto them wherein they had been sojourners so long a time and wherein God had so wonderfully protected and prospered them even to admiration all of them being great encouragements to enter into the possession of so good a Land so freely bestowed upon them Others there are that conceive that those words contain only a narration of what God himself did not what he appointed or ordained Man to do or observe afterwards and will have the words in the first clause to expresse what God did He rested and in the later to expresse how he did it He Sanctified and Blessed his Rest or kept it as an Holy Rest To whom we answer 1. How can God be said to Sanctifie his Rest in this Sense seeing his Actions and Holines of them cannot be severed but whatsoever he doth is Holy because he doth it The actions of Men indeed and the Holinesse of them be two things and are many times too far asunder but God is holy in all his Works Psal 145.17 and in ceasing from his Works And therefore to say that God Rested and that he Sanctified his Rest is to speak Improperly and Superfluously 2. If that be the sense of the term Sanctified how shall we interpret the next word Blessed In what sense God by his own Act of Resting may be said to Blesse the day of his Rest cannot easily be imagined neither do we find any other place of Scripture wherein that phrase bears such a sense 3. The letter of the Text and Series of the Narration seem to oppose this sense wherein we have related unto us three distinct Actions of God First He made 2. He Rested 3. He Blessed and Sanctified the Rest And those three are laid down as succeeding one another at least in Nature if not in Time Yea and to be in a sort the ground one of another The full perfecting and finishing of the Creation was the ground of Gods Resting and his Resting was the Ground or Occasion at least of Blessing and Sanctifying the Day of Rest or appointing of it to be a day of Holy Rest So that as in the words of the second verse He rested from all the works which he had made imply the making of the works before the Rest so in this Verse He Sanctified the Rest because he had Rested must needs imply that the Rest went before the sanctifying of the Rest and to be distinct from it A third sort there are that think those words Sanctified and Blessed to imply Not what God then did but what he purposed and intended to do afterwards and parallel for the strengthening of that conjecture with these words that phrase Jer. 11.8 where God saith that he sanctified and Ordained Jeremy to be a Prophet in the womb which cannot be understood of the Actuall Sanctifying of Jeremy at present but
must be conceived to imply what he meant to do afterwards To this we Answer 1. That Instance out of Jeremy is not clear nor convincing For if by Sanctifying we mean Infusing of Holinesse why may not the Spirit of God if he please sanctifie Jeremy in the womb as well as it moved John Baptist in the womb If we understand Sanctifying for Designing or setting apart to that office why might not God as well actually by some message to his Parents or otherwise as well appoint Ieremy to be a Prophet in his Mothers womb as he designed Iohn Baptist to the Like office before he was conceived 2. This is a strange Inference out of that place in Ieremy the Word Sanctified must be so taken there because it can have no other Sense therefore it must be taken so here where it may have another and fairer construction and more suitable to the Circumstance of the text in this history To come to the Observation to be gathered out of those words It is observable that the first of all the Lawes recorded in Scripture to be given to Man provides for the establishing of his owne immediate Worship VVhence 1. Observe The Worship of God ought to be Mans first and chief care Observ 1 THis Truth God hath clearly manifested in the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai wherein he takes order in the first Table which our Saviour tearms the great Commandement for his own immediate worship which also Holy Men alwaies endeavoured to begin with in the first place as Noah after the flood Gen. 8.10 And Abraham as soon as he came to Canaan Gen. 12.7 8. Reason 1. Gods Honour is the main end wherefore we and all things are which is most advanced amongst Men by his VVorship 2. And the performance of those duties of his VVorship Sanctifies all things unto us 1 Tim. 4.5 and drawes down Gods Blessing upon us and all that we have and above all increaseth in us Holinesse unto which we are especially called Let us then be sensible of Gods great goodnesse and tender respect of Men that is content that Sacrifice shall yield to Mercy Matth. 9.13 which is his own VVorship wherein he is so much honoured and which he sets at so high a rate for the providing for our necessities Onely let us take heed of stretching this indulgence beyond the true bounds 1. Let not the inward duties of Piety give way to any of our most urgent occasions 2. Neither let the Outward acts of VVorship be omitted but in cases of urgent necessity 3. Then be rather suspended for the present then wholy laid aside if there may be opportunity to performe them afterwards It cannot be denyed but that God gave Adam Rules for the whole form of his Worship but we find in this Relation of Moses nothing mentioned but the Sabbath under which many of the rest may be pointed at Howsoever we find this Law of the Sanctifying of the Sabbath honoured so far as to be mentioned and recorded in the First place and may thence 2. Observe God makes great account of the Sanctifying of his Sabbaths Observ 2 1. AS serving for a Publique and Notorious Badge of our Profession Ezech. 20.12 2. An Especiall means of preserving and encreasing of Religion being as it were the Mart-Day for the Soul wherein we have Commerce in a sort wholly with God in Spirituall things tendring unto him and pouring out before him the Affections of our Souls in Prayers and Praises and God pouring out Grace and Comfort upon our spirits in the use of his holy Ordinances Whence it is that God enjoyns it so strictly Commandement 4th encourageth to the observation thereof by such large promises Jer. 17.24 25 and punisheth the neglect of it with such fearfull plagues Jer. 17.27 Neh. 13.18 God doth not only Sanctifie the Sabbath or set it apart to holy uses but blesseth it withall that is ordains it to be unto man a day of blessings Whence 3. Observe The Sabbath-Day Sanctified as it ought is a Day of Blessings Observ 3 CHiefly upon the Soul by the encrease of Grace and Holinesse in the use of the means of Grace which are dispensed especially upon that day to the conscionable use whereof God hath annexed a special blessing of Power and Efficacy from himself to make those that frequent them joyful in His house of Prayer and withall to accept their Sacrifices in a special manner Isa 56.6 7. Although it is true withall that the Religious observation of that holy Rest as well as other duties conscionably performed brings down more then an ordinary blessing upon mens persons and estates even in Outward things Jer. 17.24 25. The Day of Rest is not only Blessed but Sanctified also that is set apart from Common use to be holy unto the Lord as that phrase is explained in the Fourth Commandement Whence 4. Observe The Sabbath is a day of Rest consecrated by God Himself and set apart from a Common to an Holy Use Observ 4 AS all other consecrated things are Exod. 29.33 34. Numb 16 38. And the Sabbath in particular Isa 58.13 and that even the whole day as it is in other Festivals Levit. 23.32 As it clearly appears in the expression used by God in the fourth Commandement where distributing the week into seven parts He appoints six for Labour and the Seventh for this Holy Rest which must therefore necessarily be such a proportion as the other six are that is a whole day Can it then be any lesse then destruction to devour Holy things and after the vowes to enquire as Solomon speaks Prov. 20.25 By taking a part of this consecrated time and imploying it to Common Uses This we do when we make use of any part of the Sabbath Day for Labour in our ordinary Callings making up of our accounts and contriving waies for the managing of our worldly affaires and giving directions for the ordering of them Or which is worse for the satisfying of the flesh in vain Sports to call them by no worse name which we abusively term Recreations by which the mind is usually more affected and distracted then it is by ordinary Labour and consequently made more indisposed to Holy duties Whereas we are expresly forbidden on that day to do or find our own pleasure or to speak our owne Words Isa 58.13 It will perhaps be answered that such a Rest was meerly Jewish laid upon them by God as a part of their Ceremoniall bondage and therefore not to be pressed upon us Christians whom Christ hath freed from that yoak which they were so precisely to observe that they were forbidden to dresse meat Exod. 16.23 Or to kindle a fire Exod. 35 3. upon that Day We answer we require not the observation of any Rest imposed on the Jewes by any temporary law such as were those restraints from dressing of meat or kindling of a fire on the Sabbath Day both which it seems Continued no longer then their peregrination in
the Wildernesse seeing we never read either of the observation of it or blame laid upon them for not observing it afterwards Seeing we find our Saviour Himselfe present at a great Feast on the Sabbath Day Luk. 14.1 And that in one of the cheif Pharisees Houses the strictest observers of the Sabbath even to Superstition Now that feast could not be prepared without a fire the kindling whereof if it had been unlawful on that Day neither would our Saviour have graced the Feast with his presence nor the Pharisees that watched him so narrowly and quarrelled with him so often for supposed Sabbath breaches have passed it over in silence No we require the observation of no other Rest then that onely which is expressed in the Fourth Commandement namely the laying aside of all the Labours of our particular callings in secular things that we may set a part the whole day of this Holy Rest unto God for his immediate Worship and service There are indeed many that conceive that Christians are not bound either by this Fourth Commandement or by any other law of the Decalogue as it was delivered by Moses nor any farther then we find it to be either to be a law of Nature or renewed by Christ or his Apostles And particularly they affirm that there must needs be acknowledged something to be Ceremonious and Muta ble in the Fourth Commandement as namely the observation of the last day of the week I which we our selves acknowledge to be changed whence they conclude no binding Argument can be drawn out of that Comandement to reach us that are Christians We answer 1. That it is true that God in the delivery of his Lawes to the Jewes looked upon them in divers respects In some things as the people of such a Nation and of such a Time which he manifested in giving them the Lawes Judiciall and Ceremoniall But in giving the Morall Law which takes in the whole Nature of Mankind he looked on them as the Body of the Church Representative to whom therefore he committed not onely those ten Lawes but besidesth e rest of his Oracles as the Apostle calls them Rom. 3.2 in trust for the use and service of the Church which also he manifested in divers particular Circumstances For there can be no probable reason given why God 1. Delivered the Decalogue by the voice and Pen of Christ the Head of the whole Church whereas he delivered the Judicialls and Ceremonials by by the voice and Pen of Moses the peculiar Minister of the Jewes 2. Why he wrote the Morals in Tables of stone whereas He appointed the Ceremonialls to be written in ordinary Volumes 3. Why he appointed those Tables to be kept by themselves in the Ark within the Sanctum Sanctorum which was as it were Christs own Closet whereas The Judicialls and Cerimonialls were laid up without the Altar of Incense the Pot of Mannah and Aarons Rod in a Room into which the Leviticall Priests had ordinary accesse unlesse it were to distinguish those Lawes which were peculiar to the Jewes from those which concerned the whole Church in generall Secondly to the Argument taken from the fixing of the day of Rest on the last day of the week in the Fourth Commandement We answer First that neither in the Summe nor Explication nor Conclusion of the Commandement we have no mention but of a Sabbath or day of Rest in the Explication we have the proportion of time appointed for this Rest which must be one whole day of seven in the Reason of the Commandement there is indeed a rule that directs us which shall be the Day but that is laid down in Indefinite terms and is indifferently applyable to either the first or last day of the week for howsoever the Seventh or last day of the week be there mentioned as it is here yet it is not to bind us to it as that particular day but as a day honoured above other dayes by manifesting the perfecting of that glorious red above other dayes by manifesting the perfecting of that glorious work of the Creation of the World So that the rule delivered from the designing of the particular day is onely this as we have shewed already in a treatise written of this argument that the day which God shall by his work advance above otherda yes shall be the Day of his Holy Rest which before Christ came was the last day of the week wherein by his Rest on that day God manifested the perfecting of the Worlds Creation but since Christ must upon the same ground be translated to the first wherein our Saviour by his rising from the dead on that day declared the perfecting of the worlds redemption which was the more eminent work of the two and consequently advanced that day above the former Secondly we say that having delivered all the rest of the Ceremoniall Lawes and compiled them into a volume a part by themselves distingushing them from the Morall Lawes by so many Considerable Circumstances as we have shewed already we cannot in reason conceive that God would leave out onely this one of those lawes to be mixed with his Moral and perpetuall and Unchangeable Lawes As for that Scruple which many stumble at that it appeares by mentioning in the Preface to the Law the deliverance from the Egyptian bondage and promising their Continuance in the Land of Canaan promised in the fifth Commandement that God intended the Decalogue onely to the Jewes because he mentions those things which concerned them alone We answer First that neither of those particulars in which they instance is any branch of any one of those Commandements but are only promised and annexed as Inducements to move them to yield obedience to those Lawes Now the duties may belong unto us though the Inducements and motives to perswade thereunto were peculiar unto them Secondly those very motives are indeed expressed in such a form as is appliable onely to them but the things intended by those expressions belong as well unto us as unto them Their deliverance out of Egypt in the Type belonged only to them but the deliverance from our Spiritual bondage represented thereby belongs as well to us as to them And the Land of Canaan pointed at in the fifth Commandement is any Land in the Earth which God gives any of his Servants as the Apostle clearly Interprets and Applies it Eph. 6.2 There remains yet behind one scruple which hath prevailed with many to doubt whether the law of the Sabbath were given to Adam in Paradise that is before his fall because say they being in that condition he neither needed any such Law either for the refreshing of his body or for the quickening of his spirit nor could possibly observe it having no other company but his wife which could not make a publique Assembly which the observation of the Sabbath requires To whom we answer First that this supposition that Adam being in Paradise needed no Sabbath is ill grounded
to be in his Hand Dan. 5.23 So that if He take away their Breath they die Psal 104 19. And that sometime he engageth Himself to continue it by promise in expresse termes Psol 21.4 2 Kings 20.6 Luk. 2.26 And alwaies to strengthen and support it unto the time determined in His own Counsell which he hath given us sufficient warrant to depend upon But above all Eternall Life is his Gift Rom. 6.23 which He hath assured unto all that are in Christ with whom their life is hid or laid up safely in God Col. 3.3 Acknowledge it then unto him alone by Living unto him alone and seek it at his Hand 1. by prayer Psal 30.8 9. with Hezekiah and Jonah seeing He is the length of our daies Deut. 30.20 And in a Course of Obedience for God preserveth not the life of the wicked Job 36.6 who live not out half their daies Psal 55.23 The Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evill a sign unto Adam that he was to take the VVill of God as his rule to direct him what to choose and what to forbear was placed near the Tree of life in the middest of the Garden as we shall see to teach him to lay hold on that Promise of God for the continuing and perpetuating of his life onely under the Condition of his obedience VVhence 11. Observe All Gods promises must be Understood and Embraced under the Condition of the Performance of our Obedience Observ 11 THus we find them all proposed unto us by God Himself under the Conditions of Faith and Obedience both in things Temporall Psal 37.3 Isa 1.19 2 Chron. 20.20 and Spiritual Psal 50.23 John 3.18 1. This brings most honour unto God to blesse us and do us good only in a way of Righteousnesse which is the end of all his Administrations both of Mercy and Judgment that he may be known to be a God that loves Righteousnesse and hates Iniquity Psal 92.15 Hos 14.9 2. It is the best means to further holinesse in us by our endeavours to become such that God may do us good and blesse us without any impeachment of His Own Honour The name of the Tree of the knowledg of Good and Evil was as we have seen given it that Adam being by Gods Allowance permitted to eat freely of all the rest of the fruits of the Garden and by the same Commandement restrained from eating of this only might know that nothing was lawfull unto him but what God allowed not unlawful or evill but what He forbad Whence 12. Observe Good and Evill are bounded and limitted onely by the Will of God Observ 12 THis our Saviour the pattern of Righteousnesse proposed to Himself as his Rule Heb. 10.19 to do the Will of God and it is the doing of His Will that makes any service of ours properly a good work or acceptable to Him Heb. 13.21 And therefore are servants directed to take this for their rule even in serving their Masters Eph. 6.6 And on the same ground we are commanded to make that our request that the Will of God may be done by us and other men on Earth as the Angels do his Will in Heaven see Psal 103.20 This indeed and this alone is that which makes any service a duty of Obedience that we perform it as the Will of God and because He wills or commands it for thereby onely we honour Him both in his Soveraignty and Holinesse when we seal unto both by conforming our wills and actions thereunto Let us then inquire after that VVill of God as the rule of our practice as we are directed Rom. 12.2 which he hath laid before us in his word Deut. 29.29 And look at nothing else in the course of our practice but the conforming of our wills and actions thereunto that we may with comfort expect the promises that onely belong to the fulfilling of his VVill Heb. 10.36 working even the works of Righteousness it self upon that and upon no other ground VERSE 10. A River Or Rivers as some understand it after the use of the Hebrew phrase which oftentimes puts the Singular for the Plurall Number as Chap. 1. verse 12. By the Tree bearing seed are understood Trees yea all Trees yielding seed By this River some understand Euphrates others both it and Tigris and some Tigrs alone Went out of Eden It did not arise in Eden but went either through or by Eden and so watered that Garden of Paradise which was in Eden a Countrey of Mesopotamia or as some will have a larger Countrey compassing both Mesopotamia and divers countreyes adjoyning thereunto To water the Garden By running through it as most will have it some conceive it compassed the Garden round imagining that Garden to be an Island lying in the bosome of Tigris or Hiddekel about ten miles in circuit inhabited to this day by Christians called Gozoria distant about two miles from Nineve but these are onely conjectures And from thence Not immediately after it had watered the Garden but a great many miles below for some refer from thence not to the Garden but the countrey of Eden through which the River flowes And from thence it became into four heads Properly Heads are Fountains from which Rivers spring but a River parting into four branches as this is described to do the beginning of those severall channels into which it divides may not unfitly be termed Heads Especially seeing in the Hebrew tongue the VVord here used signifieth indifferently either a Head or a Beginning The description or the Situation of this Garden upon so fair a River is added to commend unto us both the pleasure and fruitfulnesse of this Garden of Delights planted with all variety of fruits at present and watered with such a stream as might continue the fruitfulnesse of that soil for the future Whence 1. Observe Gods blessings are every way compleat and perfect full and lasting Observ 1 IN their kind and nature and with respect had to the use and end for which they were appointed to serve He greatly enricheth the Earth with his River which is full of waters Psal 65.9 VVhich makes glad the Cittie of God Psal 46.4 It may well be so in respect of the cause whence these blessings flow which is Gods Boundlesse Love and All-sufficiency And must be so in respect of the end at which they aim which is the manifesting both the one and the other that mens hearts might be brought to rejoyce and depend upon Him alone Let our services in some proportion be answerable to Gods Blessings wanting in their parts nothing of what is required howsoever they come short in their degrees and flowing from and supplied and continued by an inward spring of Grace which may hold us on in a constant course to keep us alwaies fresh and flourishing as a good man is described unto us Psalme 1.3 It is recounted amongst the speciall commendations of this Garden of pleasures that it was well watered by a fair River which