a nimble faculty to climb trees and made choice of the fairest fruit and then he presented it to the woman that she might view it and look upon it 3 By this means he gained her natural appetite to it for the Text saith She saw it was good for meat and that it was a desire to her eyes and that it was a tree to be coveted to make one wise And thus by this means her deceitfull servant got in upon her 4 Upon this advice of her faithfull servant she took thereof and did eat 5 As soon as she was gained to the will of Sathan then at the same time he made her his instrument to gain her husband as soon therefore as she had tasted of the forbidden fruit she reached out her hands and gave some of it to her husband and he did eat without any suspicion of hurt from her that was given to him to be a meet helper and her act of giving was prevalent with him because instead of telling him that death was in her eating she used words of perswasion as it is most evident because he is said to hearken unto the voice of his wife Gen. 3. 17. and then the eyes of them both were opened and then they knew that they were naked afore this they knew that they were naked without cloaths and yet they were not ashamed because their created nakednesse was covered and adorned with pure created qualities Gen. 3. 7. Gen. 2. 25. But now the case of their nakednesse was altered by the justice of God for Gods determinate sentence was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death and this death was formally executed upon them according to the time and manner threatned and now Adam knew what evil was and what death was experimentally as the fallen Angels did for now they were made naked and bare of their pure created qualities A digression to shew that the death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. was executed â—e death â—â—â—â—atned in â—â—â— 2. 17. was eâ—â—â—uted on mâ—â— nature in thrâ—â— degrees on mans nature in three degrees Consider that the first Covenant was made with Adam concerning mans nature in general as I have formerly noted and accordingly did God execute that death upon Adams nature as it was the original of mans nature in general 1 Therefore as Paul speaketh They were deprived of the glorious Image of God Rom. 3. 23. And this deprivation saith M. Perkins was inflicted by God as a deserved punshment for the sin of Adam and See Pâ—â—ins on the Cred. p. 162. See P. Martyr in Rom 5 and Bâ—â—an in his Com. pl. p. 104. this losse of Gods Image saith Peter Martyr was from the justice of God and I find it commonly held by other eminent Divines that God for the sin of Adam took away his created perfections from Adam as he took away his spirit of Government from Saul because he spared Agag against Gods positive Command 1 Sam. 16. 14. for they were not yet confirmed and therefore they were but lent him in case he disobeyed but the Graces of Gods Spirit which Christ hath purchased for the Re-creation of the Elect after Gods Image cannot now be utterly lost by the commission of many sins because they are purchased to be confirmed to them and not to fail untill they come to the fruition of an eternal Paradise in heaven The Image of God wherewith Adams Nature was adorned would have kept him and all his Posterity for ever from death if he had but first eaten of the Tree of Life but because he did first eat of the forbidden Fruit he was deprived of Gods Image And then secondly Death in Sin fell upon his Nature When the Souls of men are Created and placed in their Bodies saith Mr. Perkins God forsakes them not in regard of their substance or faculties of their Soul but only in respect of his See Perkins on the Creed p. 162. own Image whereof the Soul is deprived And he asketh this question How can the Soul dye the second Death His answer is That the Soul dyeth not by being utterly abolished but because it is as though it were not and because it ceaseth to be in respect of Righteousnesse and Fellowship with God and indeed saith he this is the death of all deaths when the Creature hath subsisting and being and yet is deprived of all comfortable fellowship with God 2 The second degree of that Death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. was death in sin and this death fell upon Adams nature at the very See Perkins in the right way of dying wel instant as soon as God had substracted his Image from him for we see by experience that as soon as the God of Nature hath substracted the light of the Sun from our Horizon there remains nothing but obscure darkness and then no Artificers nor Scholars can work or write after their Masters perfect Copy but instead thereof they work and act irregularly and transgress against their Masters copy Even so as soon as God in Justice had substracted the Light and Life of his Image from Adam what remained but obscure darkness in his minde and then what could he do else but think and act irregularly and that continually as long as he did continue in that darkness and this darkness after the light it self is mystically applied to mans corrupt estate Eph. 4. 18. Eph. 5. 8. being alienated from the life of God Eph. 2. 1. When the Soul is deprived of Gods Image saith Mr. Perkins then follows a defect or want of righteousness and I may also say then follows a natural proness to all kinde of iniquity so that the very thoughts and imaginations of the heart are only evil and that continually and this frame is called Original sin to us though Adams Original sin was his actual eating of the forbid-Fruit and this is the second degree of that death threatned in Gen. 2. 17. 3 A third degree of that death was that Adam was now under the power and slavery of Satan which had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. to do his wil and pleasure in all things to the full and to be under the power of a Tyrant is death Psal 18. 4. But it pleased God in his eternal Counsel and Providence to provide Jesus Christ to take possession of the world as the right Heir of it as soon as Adam fel and so to uphold all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 2 3. by which means both Satans power tyranny and malice and mans corrupt desires and endeavours are restrained and ordered so that now they cannot do that wickedness which else they would do and were it not for See Capel on Tempt p. 55 56. and see more in ch 3. in R. 2. this Government of Christ at the instant of Adams fall no man can imagine what destructive mischiefs would have faln at that very instant upon the whole Creation which was the very
God as a necessary duty for God inforced his obedience to that act by an expresse command saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the earth Gen. 1. 28. Hence it follows 1 That they would not have omitted the act of Generation as soon as they had a fit opportunity which they should have had if they had slept but one night together in their innocency 2 If they had but once done the act it would doubtless have taken effect for God had promised to bless it and to make it powerful there cannot be any barreness in innocency and then Adam should have begotten and Eve should have conceived their first-born Cain without sin But the Scripture doth tell us that never any man was so conceived and born but Jesus Christ alone whose conception was not by the ordinary way of generation between Man and Woman but by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost hence it follows 1. That the Serpent had seduced the Woman before she knew her Husband after the manner of all flesh And 2. Hence it follows That she was seduced in the very day of her creation Master Calvin saith If they had stood but a short time the See Calv. on Gen. 3. 6. Blessing of God had not been in vain for propagation And Paul may wel allude to Eves being deceived by the Serpent even whiles she was a Virgin for he writeth thus to the Corinthians I have espoused you to one Husband that I might present you a chast Virgin to Christ but I fear lest by any means that as the Serpent beguiled Eve so your minds should be corrupted 2 Corinth 11. 1 2. The Apostle compares the guiles of false Teachers to the guiles of Satan and he compares their sincere mindes as long as they kept fast to the Truth to the Virgin Evt for so long as they kept their mindes unpolluted with false Doctrin they were Virgin-like but as Eve the Virgin was beguiled and defiled by Satans fair but false Doctrin so the Apostle feared lest their minds should be corrupted by the fair though false Doctrin of their false Teachers from that plainesse that is towards Christ for the Tempter did tempt them by many seducing Teachers 1 Thessal 3. 5. and the Spirit saith the Apostle speaketh evidently that in the latter days namely in the days of the Gospel some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrins of Devils 1 Timâ—thy 4. 1. as the Virgin Eve once did Erasmus maketh this Comparison As Evah a Virgin married and undefiled beleeved the speech of the Serpent brought forth Disobedience and Death so many a Virgin married and undefiled beleeved the Angel brought forth Obedience and Life Conclusion Having proved hitherto by five Reasons that Adam fell in the day of his Creation it follows by good consequence That the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adams Innocency but after his Fall CHAP. II. Proving by three Reasons that Adam was Re-created in the very same day in which he was Created and Fell. 1. IT is evident to me that Adam was Re-created in the very self-same day in which he was created and sell by the order of Reason 1 Gods dealing with him immediately after his Fall For immediately after he had bitten of the forbidden fruit and was thereby dead in corruption and sin from the life of Gods Image in which he was created Then God of his rich mercy came to him in the * The câ—ol or wind of the day means the Eventide as the Seventy translate it which begins at Mid-day for the Evening begins when the Sun begins to decline and then there doth usually arise a cooling wind called a Sea-turn which the God of nature hath ordained to cool the air in hot Countries cool or in the wind of the same day Gen. 3. 8. to confer with him and to enquire of him into what state and condition he had brought himself by eating of the forbidden fruit saying unto him by way of Query Adam Where art thou not in what particular place art thou as some ignorant persons do understand it for God was come to the very place where Adam was But into what case hast thou brought thy self by eating of the forbidden fruit And unto this searching Query Adam made a plain Answer saying in ver 10. I heard thy voyce walking in the Garden and I was afraid and because I was naked of thy Image in which I was created I hid my self This plain Answer of Adam doth imply two things 1 His fear of Gods wrath 2 The Reason of it 1 His fear of Gods wrath in these words I heard thy voyce walkking in the Garden the word implies That it walked along by him like roaring Thunder among the trees of the Garden And with such a dreadfull voice Christ manifested himself to the Israelites when he gave the Law at Mount Sinai to awaken and over-aw their sinful consciences as Gen. 3. 8. compared with Ex. 19. 16. doth manifest and explain the matter and in this respect the dreadfull voice of Thunder is called Gods voice Psal 29. 3. And this dreadfull voice of God did so terrifie his guilty conscience that it forced Adam to say I heard thy voice walking like Thunder in the Garden and I was afraid for the guilt of his conscience told him that he had grievously transgressed against Gods positive command in eating of the forbidden fruit 2 He gives another reason why he hid himself among the trees of the Garden namely because I was naked both in body and soul of my created qualities and therefore I hid my self among the trees of the Garden And thus Adams conscience was convinced of his sin and terrified with Gods dreadfull voice of inquiry concerning his sin and guilt and thereupon he made a plain confession That he was afraid and that he hid himself because he was naked The Text runs thus in Gen. 3. 8. They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool or in the wind of the day And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the Garden vers 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou vers 10. And he said Who told thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat And by this searching Qâ—ery Adam Where art thou Adam was convinced and terrified with the sense of his sin and with the dread of Gods wrath and when he saw that he could by no means escape it he made a plain confession of his sin and misery and that he hid himself because he was naked of Gods Image and subject to inordinate lusts and thereupon to shame and horror of conscience and â—n like sort it is said that Aaron made the people naked to their shame when he made a Molten Calf for them to worship as a God Exod.
execution without any delay of time even as soon as the Commandment Covenant concerning the two Trees was given he did enter into the body of the Serpent and did actuate the tongue of the Serpent to speak his mind And therefore in the first place he did most cunningly preoccupy the womans objection yea Moreover said he Hath God indeed said ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden This word Moreover sheweth that some other speech of the womans in opposition to the Serpent had gone before which the devill did now answer by perswading her that the forbidden fruit was therefore detained from them because it was better for their future good than the Tree of life was For saith the Serpent it will make you excell in all kind of knowledge like God To this insinuating Interrogation which doubtlesse the woman thought to be no other but the voyce of some good Angel or servant â—he maketh this reply Of the fruit of the Trees of the Garden we may eat but of the fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye Then the good Angel in the Serpent for the woman knew not that any of the Angels were fallen as yet said to the woman Ye shal not dye at all for God doth know that in the day ye shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as * This term Gods was such an Equivocal term that it might well deceive the woman for she could not conceive it to have an evil sense from a good Angel as she thought this â—o be but she was deceived for it was a fallen Angel that spake this to her and meant that she should be as Gods namely like themselves for the devils are called Gods 1 Sam. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 5. and that they should know by experience as they did what good they should lose and what evill they should get by eating the forbidden fruit but the woman taking this voyce of the Serpent for the voyce and counsel of a good Angel or Servant was perswaded that her eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill would better her condition for the woman knew that their state and condition might be bettered for she knew that her eating of the Trâ—e of life would better their estate because it was ordained to confirm them in their created perfections and in that respect she seeing the Tree of knowledge to be good for meat and a desiâ—e to the eyes and a tree to be coveted to make one wise did take and eat Gen 3. 6. and she wâ—s the more easily beguiled because she knew not that any of the Angels were fallen Adam câ—uld not know saith P. Martyr by reason in his mind that the Devil was fallen at first or else saith he his will had been governed by his mind and in this respect Adamâ— disobedience is called but a stumble which may happen to the wisest men when they discern not the bâ—ock that lyes hid in their way and so the first offence in Rom. 5. 15. is translated the incoâ—siderate stumble by good Linguists Adams inteâ—rity of nature was such by creation that he was not ignorant of any moral duty and therefore he could not wil any moral evil but he might wil to eat any fruit that was good by creation It was not a sin against the law of his nature so to will and therefore in caâ—e he had forborn the act of eating the forbidden fruit he had not sinned by his desire to eat but because he knew not that any of the Angels were fallen he could not but think that the Angel that spake in the Serpent had received some new Commission from God to perswade him to eat of the forbidden fruit for his best good and after this sort the devil in the old Proâ—het perswaded the young Prophet to eat and to drink in his house though the young Prophet knew that Gods posâ—tive command was to the contrary It is likely he thouâ—ht that the old Prophet had received some new commission from God to perswade him and so he was deceived to his utter ruine and death 1 King 13. Gods knowing good and evill And thus the fallen Angels did perswade the woman that she should excell in the Theory of all kind of knowledge more than she had by creation if she did but once taste of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill Now mark the Devils dexterity how cunningly and how speedily he fitted his temptation to the womans liking First It was most suitable to her natural appetite of eating Secondly It was most suitable to her naturall desire of attaining a further degree of knowledge which she might desire and she knew that she might also attain it if she had but first eaten of the Tree of life The Devill knew the operation of the forbidden fruit better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed condition but the devill under the pretence of being an Angel of light and of being her faithfull servant in wishing her to eat of this fruit for her good deceived her for he knew the operation of the forbidden fruit by his own spiritual death better than Adam Eve could do as yet namely as long as they stood unconfirmed for the Devill knew what that evill was by experience which Adam and Eve could not so well know untill they had eaten they knew that the Tree of knowledge was called the Tree of evil death and that it was death to eat of it and this they might have known more fully in the Theory of it had they but known of the fall of the Angels before they had eaten but God was pleased to conceal the fall of the Angels from them and to let them do their worst to make Adam fall because he knew how to bring a greater good out of it at last than if they had stood still in their integrity 5 The Adverb Now hath relation to the time when the woman disobeyed namely it was now before she had tasted any other fruit in the Garden This time of her eating I have at large explained in my second Reason and therefore do refer the Reader thither But there are severall things to be marked in the dexterity of the Devill in taking hold of the very first opportunity of time to speed his temptation 1 He beguiled the womans apprehension on the sudden by The Devâ—â—â—as exceedir â— nimble â— speed hâ—â— temptatâ—â—n and theâ—â—fore he compâ—sed many aâ—â— together â— basten thâ— act of Adams disobedient eating his specious though deceitful perswasions for he perswaded her it was for her greatest good to eat of the Tree of knowledge and thereby he presented the greatest amity to her that might be in a faithfull servant 2 He did at the same instant climb the tree for Serpents have
32. 25. for by that sin God was departed from them and so they were made naked both of Gods graces and of Gods protection and the like is expressed in Rev. 3. â—8 Rev. 16. 15. Ezek. 16. 22. Hos 2. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 3. God did purposely enter into a parly and communication with Adam that thereby he might prepare him for a Reconciliation saying to him in ver 11. Who told thee that thou art naked By this and the former searching Queries God was pleased to help Adam to search himself the more deeply and to affect him the more throughly with the sight of his sin and with the sense of his miserable spiritual death in sin because he intended to shew him mercy but the Lord did not propound any such searching Queries to the fallen Angels because he intended not to shew any merciful Attonement or Reconciliation to them though notwithstanding he hath shewed some common mercy to them in that he hath not sunk them into the lowest hell as yet Mat. 8. 29. But judgement without Mercy to them he hath deferred till the Day of Judgement 2 Pet. 2. 4. 2 Thes 1. 9. And these searching queres made Adam and Eve to answer as those that are deeply convinced and humbled in the sight and sense of their Spiritual nakednesse and misery that they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit and they freely confessed without any extenuation after what manner they were brought unto it The woman saith Adam in vers 12. which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat even she that was made of my Rib and she that thou gavest to be a meet Helper unto me Gen. 3. 12 Gen. 3. 13. she gave it unto me and therefore I took it from her hand from whom I could suspect no hurt and did eat And the Lord said unto the Woman what is this that thou hast done or why hast thou done this And the Woman said The Serpent whom thou gavest to attend upon us as a diligent and faithful servant be guiled me and I did eat ver 13. I thought the Serpent had been acted by a good Angel that could not perswade to sin and by this word Beguiled the woman comprehended the whole manner and order of the Devils deceitful temptation Some Interpreters I grant do conceive That Adam and Eve in their several answers did not make a plaine confession but did rather labour to extenuate their sin by posting it off from themselves to others but all circumstances considered their answers and confessions must needs be plain and naked or else they had not been fit to imbrace the means of Reconciliation which God was now pleased to manifest unto them And therefore without delay God did first curse the Serpent as it was the Devils instrument in vers 14. and then secondly he curseth the Devil himself in ver 15. saying I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed He even He shall break thy head and thou shalt peirce Him in the foot-soals Thus God did threaten the Devil in the Serpent namely to break in peeces his subtil Head-plot by the work of Redemption and Reconciliation which should be wrought by the Seed of this Woman which the Devil had poysoned and corrupted thinking thereby to destroy all Man-kinde that should come of her to the end of the World but God threatned the Devil to break this Head-plot of his and that he woud put such an enmity in the Seed of the Woman against him and his seed as should prevail and bring them all to a deeper ruine at last and as God did thus curse the Devils Head-plot to ruinate it by the Seed of the Woman in the hearing and presence of Adam and Eve to whom it was a Prophetical Prediction and a Promise so questionlesse he did not fail to instruct them more fully herein and after what manner this Seed of the Woman should break the Devils Head-plot namely that through Death he should destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. and that he should spoil Principalities and Powers and make a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Death on the Crosse Col. 2. 15. for he overcame him that had the power of Death by Death for his Soul was not separated from his Body by the power of Satan and his instruments and by the power of their tortures but by his own power and in that respect his death was accepted of God as a propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement and reconciliation This good news of a Reconciliation by this means was no doubt heartily welcome to poor dejected Adam and Eve they being fully lost and condemned in their own Consciences did out of doubt receive this Prophetical demonstration of their Redemption and Reconciliation wiâ—h all gladness and joyfulness of Spirit for true humbled sinners are fit to take down such Cordials with joyfulness and God was pleased to open their minds and hearts to beleeve in this Seed of the Woman and to imbrace this blessed means of their Reconciliation by his Death and Sacrifice which he should accomplish in due time even then when the Devil should peirce him in the Foot-soals upon the Crosse and by this means God was pleased to Re-create Adam and Eve in the cool of the same day wherein they were created and fell Reas 2 Secondly it is evident that Adam and Eve were re-created Adam dâ—th testifie that he was Râ—câ—eated in the day of his Creation and Fall by giving his wife the new name â—evah life in the daâ— of their Creation and Fall because Adam did testifiâ— both his Wifes faith and his own faith by calling her Hevah Life for Adam gave this new Name to his Wife as soon as God had manifested the destroying of Satans Head-plot through the work of Reconciliation by the Seed of the Woman Before the said threatning to break the Devils Head-plot by the Seed of the Woman Adam called his Wifes name Isha Woman or of Man because she was taken out of man Gen. 2. 23. â—ut after the said threatning to ruinate the Devils Head-plot by reconciling Man by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. then in vers 20. Adam called his Wife Hevah that is to say Life because she was the Mother of Life Gen. 3. 20. or the Mother of that Seed that gives life from the death of sin and in this respect she is also the Mother of all that are elected to live the life of faith and from this president it is usual in Scripture to give new names upon new occasions especially upon the manifestation of some new work of Grace upon any as Gen. 17. 5. Es 62. 2. Revel 3. 12. Adam was not so senceless as to give his Wife the new Name Hevah because she was the first living Woman or the first Mother of Natural life to others for all men know that it cannot be
that act command man to sanctifie such persons to the Lord Every first-born of the Sons of Israel saith the Lord are mine both of Man and Beast for in the day that I smote every first-born in the Land of Egypt I sanctified them unto me Numb 8. 17. that is I commanded my people to sanctifie them to my service which they did perform First By setting apart some of the clean kind for Sacrifice And secondly by redeeming the rest with money which money God commanded to be imployed to his service either by buying some Sacrifices of Attonement therewith for the publick or else it must be for the repairing of Gods Sanctuary as Exod. 13. doth explain it 2 When God did sanctifie the Temple for the publick place of his Typical worship 2 Chr. 7. 16. 2 Chr. 30. 8. he did thereby command man to sanctifie it by performing every particular just as he commanded Solomon might not build the Temple after the fashion that he thought best but he must do it in all particulars as God commanded 1 King 9. 3. God did not leave any sanctified thing that did any way appertain either to the service of the Tabernacle or of the Temple neither to Moses discretion nor to Solomons wisdome but when God sanctified these places for his worship he commanded how and after what manner Heb 9. 19. 21. every thing should be done Ex. 25. 8 9 10. Exod. 39 42 43. Heb. 9. 19 21. 3 When God sanctâ—fied Cities of Refuge he did thereby command his people to sanctâ—fie them it is said that they sanctified Kedesh in Galilee for a place of refuge Jos 20. 7. they did sanctifie it because God had commanded them to sanctifie it Deut. 19. 2. they might not sanctifie any City but by vertue of Gods command as it is expressed in Num. 35. 6 11. 4 When God sanctified Festival dayes or Festival Sabbaths he did thereby command the Sons of Israel to sanctifie them Lev. 23. and Jeroboam is branded as a wicked opposer of Gods sanctified Sabbaths because he commanded a standing Holy-day to the Lord of his own head 1 King 12. 32 33. From these and such like examples it follows that when God sanctified the seventh day he commanded Adam and Eve to sanctifie the seventh day in the use of such Ordinances as he was pleased to blesse the seventh day withall Jesus Christ did not leave the sanctifying of the seventh day to Adams discretion in an arbitrary way how much time he would set apart for Gods service but by sanctifying the seventh day God commanded Adam to set apart the whole day for his service in such publick and private duties he had blessed the Sabbath withall 2 The word Sanctified implies another command to faln When God sanctified the seventh day he did thereby command Adam to prepare himself for the better sanctifying of the seventh day Joel 2. 15. Adam namely to prepare himself to the sanctification of the Sabbath First By an outward And secondly By an inward preparation Sanctifie a Fast call a solemn Assembly Joel 1. 14. that is to say Prepare your selves to meet me in a day of publick Fasting as it is explained in Joel 2. 15. Blow the Trumpet in Zion Sanctifie a Fast Call a solemn Assembly that is to say Warn the people by a Trumpet to prepare themselves to sanctifie a Fast Joels three terms in vers 5. are all Synonima and do all imply that Gods people must prepare themselves for a day of Fasting First Outwardly by sanctifying or washing their bodies and garments And secondly Inwardly by true humiliation of soul and in this sense also God commanded Joshua to sanctifie the people against they came into his presence on the morrow Jos 7. 13. Now all that Joshua did to sanctifie the people was no more but to warn them by a Proclamation through the Camp which usually was attended with the sound of a Trumpet saying Sanctifie your selves it is as much as if he had said God hath commanded you to sanctifie your selves First Outwardly by washing And secondly by inward repentance against you come into his presence on the morrow So when God commanded Moses to sanctifie the people to hear the Law delivered at Mount Sinai Moses did no otherwise sanctifie them but by commanding the people to prepare themselves in a sanctifiâ—d manner First By inward fear and reverence And secondly by outward washing and by abstinence from their wives two dayes together for their more reverent attention of Gods Law Exod. 19. 10. Jos 3. 5. Exod. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 16. 5. Num. 11. 18. Exod. 19. 10. Jer 6 4. So in like sort when God said Sanctifie War it is a command to prepare for War Jer. 6. 4. Jer. 51. 28. From these and such like instances it follows That when God sanctified the first seventh day he commanded Adam and Eve for the more solemnity to prepare themselves for the sanctifying of the seventh day God having made a promise to them in the end of the sixth day that the Seed of the Woman should break the head of the Serpent he sanctified the next day for a Sabbath of rest because he had blessed it with Ordinances and thereby he did command Adam and Eve to prepare themselves against they came into his holy presence on the morrow for sin had defiled them and therefore they needed to prepare themselves not onely by outward washing but also inwardly by true repentance Act. 22. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Es 29. 23. or else instead of receiving good by that blessing wherewith God had blessed the seventh day they might expect a curse at least an outward curse upon their bodies as it fell out upon Aarons Sons when they did not sanctifie the Lord in his worship according to his command the Lord struck them with present death saying I will be sanctified in all that come neer me Lev. 10. 3. and when some of Ephraim and Manasses did come to the sanctified Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah God was displeased with them because they had not prepared themselves thereto according to the sanctified or commanded preparation of the Sanctuary but Hezekiah prayed for them and the Lord heard him and healed the people 2 Chr. 30 18 19 20. 2 I will speak a little more of the word Sanctified as it implies a command to fallen man to prepare himself to sanctify the seventh day for all sanctified things must be remembred by way of preparation before hand that so they may be done in due time and order or else God that is jealous of his sanctified things will be displeased And therefore one Reason why the word Remember was after added to the fourth Commadement was not to adde a new sense to that Command more than it had to Adam under the word Sanctified but to increase the charge of preparation with more vehemency which at the first was couched under the word Sanctified for now the people of God had forgotten the
wherewith God hath blessed the seventh day and therefore such kind of exercises must needs be as sinful to be done by Christians upon the Lords Day as they were by the Jews upon the Sabbath days Quest 6. Were Recreations on the Sabbath punished among the Jews by the Magistrates with the same kind of punishments that working on the Sabbath was Ans They did not punish all sins alike but they made a difference for they punished the sin of working servile works on the Sabbath namely such kind of works as belonged to mens particular Callings on the Week-days with the heaviest kind of death that was in use among them namely with stoning to death as I have noted it in Chap. 10. 11. But the said Recreations or things that were not properly work they punished only with scourging for Maymony speaking of the day of Attonement which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism and therefore in all respects it must be observed with as strict a rest as the seventh day was saith thus All work for which men are to be stoned if they do it on the Sabbath Day they are to be cut off if they do it on the day of Attonement and whatsoever is unlawful to be done on the Sabbath which is not work is unlawful to bee done on this day and if he do it he is to be scourged as he is to be scourged for doing it upon the Sabbath Day See Ainsw in Levit. 23. 20. Thus we see that the Hebrew Doctors do make a difference of Sins and Punishments according to the difference of days and times 1 They held That servile working on the seventh day was to For cutting off see Ainsw in Exod. 22. 20. Lev. 20. 10. 17 18. Num. 9. 13 be punished with stoning to death 2 They held That servile working on the day of Attonement was to be punished with cutting off which is several ways to be considered 3 They held That servile working on their other festival Sabbathâ— was to be punished with Scourging or with Excommunication See Ains in Lev. 23. 5 7. But 4 All other things that were done on the seventh day which were not work though in some sort Recreations c. are like work the Magistrates punished with Scourging only or with Excommunication for a time for these two were esteemed among the Iews to be much alike equal punishments as I have shewed in the Iews Synagogues Discipline And truly such kind of Recreations are as sinful to be used by Christians on the Lords Days as they were to the Iews on the Magistrates are bound to punish the prophanation of any part of the Lords Day whether it be by Work or by Recreations either by Scourging or by some Mulct that is equivalent Sabbath Day because they take off the Heart from the advantage of improving the publick Ordinances to the Spiritual good of the Soul which God intended when he blessed and sanctified the seventh day for mans best good I say therefore that no conscientious Christian ought to take liberty to do such things on the Lords Day neither will any conscientious Magistrate permit such things to be done on that day though it be after all publick exercises are ended yea I do beleeve that godly Magistrates will not only be grieved at the practise of such sins but they wil be forward and ready to put out their power to suppresse such sinful practises by punishing such Malefactors either with scourging or with some mulct that is equivalent thereto Six dayes thou shalt labor and in the seventh day thou shalt cease in Earing time and in Harvest thou shalt cease Exod. 34. 21. Exod. 34. 21. Under these two words Earing time and Harvest All or any other works of a mans particular Calling are comprehended Hence I reason thus If the Plownan by whom the King is maintained Ecclâ—s 5. 9. must cease not onely from plowing but also from the Inning of his harvest upon the Sabbath day yea though all the six dayes had been rainy weather and that day fair then it follows that works of lesse consequence and of lesse necessity as civill Recreations and the like ought not to be done on the Lords day because it is the sanctified time of Gods publick worship as the seventh day was and therefore Christians are bound to have the like tender regard and the like tender care of it as Gods sanctified time though it be not a sanctified sign as the seventh day was and seeing God is pleased to give unto us six whole dayes for our necessary works and for our necessaâ—y recreations he may well require Christians to give unto him the full improvement of the seventh day for the bettering of our souls by his publick and private Ordinances or else we may expect a curse rather than a blessing from the carelesse observation of that day God is jealous of the prophanation of any part of his sanctified time for when the greedy Earth-worms among the Jews did but wish in secret in their hearts that the Sabbath were gone that they might set out their corn to sell Aâ—os 8. 5. Amos 8. 5. God took notice of their inward prophaning of his holy time and he was so displeased with them for their Inward earthly wishes that he Sware by the Excellency of Iacob saying Surely I will never forget any of their workâ— Shall not the land tremble for this and every one mourn that dâ—elleth therein vers 7 8. Now seeing God was so displeased with them for their secret prophanation of the sanctified time of his worship by their worldly thoughts and desires yea though it were but after Godâ— publick worship was ended then doubtlesse seeing Jesus Christ hath still reserved the seventh part of time for his publick worship he will not allow Christians now more liberty than the Jews had either to prophanâ— thoughts or to sporâ— and recreate themselves on the Lords day no though it should be after the publick exercise is ended God requires the heart on that day as well as the body to be imployed on spiritual things onely The promise in Es 58. 13. to such as make conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath in the inward man I confesse is made to that Sabbath of Sabbatism called the day of Attonement but yet this day of Attonement must be considered as it was a Sabbath of equal respect in regard of the sanctified time of Gods worship to the seventh day and therefore that which is unlawfull to be done in the one is unlawfull to be done in the other also both in respect of the outward and also in respect of the inward man Quest 7. Did not the Jews hold it lawfull to do works of mercy and works of present necessity on the Sabbath day Ans 1. In the dayes of our Saviour some of the Jews were so supestitious of the outward rest of the Sabbath that they were often offended with our Saviour because he did works of mercy and works