the Law and in this sense every true believer doth fulfil the Law though his compleatness be in Christ for love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 so that the commanding power of the Law is such a just measure that every one that loves acts his part towards the fulfilling of it Lastly it further appears to be the Ten Commandments by the use Christ makes of what he had before asserted Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commendments and shall teach men so shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven vers 19. that is forasmuch as this Law must stand till Heaven and Earth pass and I came not to destroy it therefore beware of breaking of it for whosoever you are that break any any part of it and shall teach men so you shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven To prevent further mistakes he repeateth the Law in many particulars and gives the sence shewing how far their righteousness should exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees vers 20. By all which it plainly appears that this Law which Christ came not to destroy is the Law of the Ten Commandments or the Laws that were comprehended in them 6. The Apostle confirmeth and establisheth this Law after the death of Christ as plainly appears Rom. 3. the drift of which Chap is to set Jews and Gentiles in a like condition by nature all breakers of the Law of God and so become guilty before him vers 19. and that therefore no flesh could be justified by the deeds of the Law the Law being for another purpose to convince of sin vers 20. or to bring sin to the knowledge he proves that Jews and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised are justified by and through faith and not by any Law of works vers 27 28 29 30. But lest the Gentiles should think because they could not be justified by the works of the Law that therefore they might look upon the Law as a thing done away or made void he puts this question to the uncircumcised Gentiles Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law He puts this question out of question whether the Law be in force to believing Gentiles or no with a God forbid which shews the greatness of his zeal against such a perswasion it being the same answer which he gives to another gross question whether we should continue in sin that grace might abound and as if that were not enough he adds to it yea we establish the Law 7. This same Apostle doth prove that the Law was in force at the time of his conversion he saith he had not known sin but by the Law he had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Rom. 7.7 He was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and he dyed vers 9. that is not without the letter of it for that he had and did in a great measure conform to it but without powerful convictions for sin by the Law and in this sence when the Commandment came sin revived and he dies that before was alive in his own apprehension For without the Law sin was dead vers 8. and by the Law is the knowledge of sin and sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived him and by it slew him Wherefore the Law is holy the Commandment is holy just and good vers 11.12 not that the holy and just Law was made death unto him God forbid but sin that it might appear sin by this good Law wrought death in him that by the Commandment sin might appear exceeding sinful vers 13. And if so then this Law did not dye with the body of Christ though we are dead to the Law by the body of Christ that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter and that we should be married to another even him who is raised from the dead we being dead to that spirit of bondage in whith we were held that we set our obedience to the Law no longer in the room of Christ as our head and husband Christ by his blood having purchased us from that power that the Law had over us by reason of sin So that our service is not to satisfie the Law as a woman serves to please her husband that we are dead to but we are not dead to serve in newness of spirit in obedience to Christ as our husband vers 4 5 6. In this sence the Apostle delights in the Law of God after the inward man vers 22. Though another Law in his members stood in great opposition to it vers 23. Mind this chap. well and it will appear so plain that he that runs may read that the Apostle intends no such thing as to take us from our obedience to the Law nor yet the abrogating of the Law But on the contrary 8. The same Apostle urges the Law in the very letter of it unto the Ephesians Chap. 6.1 2 3. Children saith he obey your Parents for this is right Honour thy father and thy mother which is the first Commandment with promise He proves his exhortation to be right from the Commandment and he takes notice of the order of the Commandments it is the first Commandment of that second Table and it hath a promise annexed to it he speaketh in the present tense he doth not say it was the first Commandment but it is the first with promise that thy dayes may be long on the earth he urges the promise to them for their encouragement and to prevent mistakes he shews the extent of it that it was not only to the Jews that they should live long in the land of Canaan but to the Gentiles also therefore the interpretation is large that thy dayes may be long on the earth 9. James gives a full confirmation to what I am treating of chap. 2.9 He convinces them of sin by this Law in having the faith of Jesus Christ with respect of persons as appears by vers 10.11 For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all he shews what Law he means and how it is that he that offends in one point is guilty of all because He that saith do not commit adultery saith also do not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the Law And John saith Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgressionof the Law chap. 3.4 and in the next verse he explains what Law he means and saith it was such transgression that Christ was manifest to take away now if this Law of God was done away by the death of Christ sin could not be a transgression of it so long after neither could any be convinced
of sin by it because it was not but the Apostle saith whosoever commits sin transgresseth the Law which shews it was in force then and not only so but that likewise it should so remain 10. Let it be considered whether that this opinion that the Law is done away doth not clash with redemption it self The Apostle states all men under the Law and by breaking of it they came under the curse Gal. 3.10 And Christ was made under the curse to redeem his people from under the curse of the Law vers 13. that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through faith vers 14. Now if we were not under the commanding power we could not be under the curse for that follows disobedience and if so then Christ was not made a curse for us neither can the blessing of Abraham come upon the Gentiles upon that account if the Jews were only under the Law and under the curse of it Christ dying to redeem them from the curse could not bring the blessing of Abraham upon the Gentiles And again the Apostle saith that Christ was made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4.4 5. Now if we were not under the Law we could not be redeemed by Christs being under the Law nor receive the adoption of sons thereby but it is manifest that every one is under the commanding power of the Law and by nature under the curse and Christ hath only redeemed his people from the curse but that they are redeemed from their obedience to the Law of God I find no Scripture that saith so but on the contrary 11. God complaineth of the blindness of his servants and of the deafness of his messengers that he sent Isay 42.19 20. and their blindness and deafness appears in this that they did not hear nor understand Gods design in the gift of his Son that it was not to destroy his Law or to slight it but to magnifie it and make it honorable verse 2. Before it was in Tables of stone but now in the fleshly Tables of the heart service was done from a spirit of bondage but now from a spirit of adoption and in this sense I conceive the Law is said to be magnified and made honorable and upon this account that God is well pleased for his righteousness sake that is I conceive for his sons sake 12. This opinion that the whole Law is abolished doth pull up true Magistracy by the roots the office of rulers being for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well But if the statute and judgements be not in force there is no corporal punishment to be inflicted upon any though theeves murderers or the like and so there is no room for the Magisterial power at all but men are left in this respect as the beasts of the field to shift one among another as well as they can But the Apostle saith The Law is made for the Lawless and disobedient for ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for man-flayers 1 Tim. 1.9 10. Now this is the Law of penalties that 's manifest in that it is said it was not made for a righteous man but the Ten Commandments were for the righteous for the Psalmist saith Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Psalm 119.97 Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments for therein do I delight vers 35. And how shall we have Governers as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning Isay 1.26 if they have no Law to govern by If any say we shall have Laws from Christ and shall not need those Laws that were for the Common-wealth of Israel to that I answer I know no word of God that doth give us ground to believe for any other Laws or Scripture then what we have and suppose that God should revive his work in this nation and bring his enemies under and put opportunity into the hands of his Saints to chuse men fearing God and hating covetousnesse to rule the Nation while the Lambs army march on What could they do if the Scripture were not their Statute-book if they should turn Law-makers would not that be their sin there being no Warrant in the Scripture for it And would it not bring all into confusion again and make another Babel For the great question which is to be resolved in the latter dayes will be Who is our Statute-maker Which the Saints put out of question Isay 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Statute-maker the Lord is our King he will save us and not King Omri with his Statutes Mic. 6.16 And when the Saints come to own this truth in good earnest their opposits tacklings will be loosed they shall neither strengthen their mast nor spread their sailes vers 23. and Malachi tells us what Laws our King hath made which the Saints are to own when the day of the Lord burns as an oven all the proud and the Sun of righteonsness arises upon all that fear him when they shall tread down the wicked with so much ease that they shall be as ashes under the soles of their feet so that it shall be counted the Lords doings And in the day that the Lord shall do this Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and judgements Chap. 4.3 4. I shall now endeavour to answer some objections which are usually brought against this truth though several of them are partly answered in the grounds aforementioned I shall therefore say the less and begin to speak something to that Scripture in 2 Cor. 3. on which the objecters do chiefly build their perswasion and indeed at the first glance thereon without comparing of it with other Scriptures it hath more colour for such a purpose then all the Scriptures that ever I heard brought from which Scripture this is objected That the Ten Commandments were the ministration of death and of the letter and are done away Answer That they were the ministration of death and of the letter is granted for the Scripture saith so but the Scripture doth not say they are done away as will appear if we consider the drift of the Apostle he endeavoureth to shew the difference between the ministration of the spirit and of the letter vers 6. the one being a bare reading of the Law from which no life was communicated to those that heard it vers 14 15. and in vers 9. the Apostle calls it the ministration of condemnation that is it lays open sin and the curse for sin but it is the Gospel ministration which holds forth justification and strength against sin not that the Ten Commandments in themselves were death to any God forbid as the Apostle saith in Rom. 7.13 But sin when it is finished
bringeth forth death and the Commandements preach death to the transgressers of them so that they are called the ministration of death and condemnation because man hath broken them and so is under the curse of them which Christ hath delivered believers from 3.13 and the ministration of it is really done away that is as I said before The reading of the Law by a Typical priesthood which the Jews would have set up in the room and place of the ministration of the spirit and whereas they lived under the hearing of the bare letter of the Law which gave no strength to perform we live under the hearing of the Gospel which is spirit and life John 6.36 But that the matter of the Law or commanding power of it should be done away this Scripture doth not in the least prove but it is used in the hand of the spirit to convince of sin This the same Apostle proves Rom. 7.7 Who saith he had not known sin but by the Law he had not known lust except the Law had said thou shalt not covet this will appear evident if you consider the 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. verses of this Chap. Obj. 2. Another Scripture is frequently urged Acts 7.37 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear From which it is concluded that we are to hearken only to Christ and not to Moses Answ If by hearing of Christ you mean hearing only what he spake with his own lips when he was on earth then we are not to hear his Apostles but if you mean by hearing of him is to hear what he spake upon earth and what he spake by his spirit in his Apostles then why are we not to hear what he spake by his spirit to his Prophets seeing we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the chief Corner-stone Ephesians 21.20 And if such who are of this perswasion would be true to their principle to hear Christ hear him what he saith Luke 16.31 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets they will not believe though one rise from the dead And he counsels to keep the Commandments Matth. 19.17 18. and reproves for the breach of them as also for the making of them void by traditions Matth. 15.6 as might be made appear by many other Scriptures Therefore there is nothing of weight in this objection to shake the thing asserted Obj. 3. Moses was faithful over his house as a servant so Christ is faithful over his house as a son Now if Christ hath not given us all the Laws that we are to observe this is to make Christ less faithful then Moses Answ Doubtlesse Christ as a son is faithful over his house as Moses was faithful over his house as a servant But we are to consider what was Moses his house and what is Christs house Moses his house I conceive was the Tabernacle his faithfulness did appear in that he did all things according to the pattern shewed to him in the mount Christs house are the Saints the true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man Heb. 8.2 5. of which the other was a shadow And as Moses as a servant gave forth ordinances for his house so Christ as a son hath given out ordinances for his house but the Ten Commandments are a Law which belongs to men as they are men though they be no part of Christs house it being as before is proved the Law written in their very hearts Obj. 4. But when certain of the Sect of the Pharisees arose and said it was needful to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses the Apostle proves them to be tempters of God in putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which they nor their Fathers were able to bear Act. 15.5 10. Answ Are the Ten Commandments such a yoke as is not to be born Is it a yoke to have no other God but Jehovah and to abstain from murder theft adultery and the like For so it must be if you judge that the whole Law is here slighted But the thing in difference here is whether such and such laws are to be kept or no and the stress that is laid upon the keeping of them namely the pressing of them as things without which they could not be saved as vers 1. and therefore the Apostle in answer to this shews that the Gentiles had received the Gospel and did believe God having given to them the Holy Ghost and put no difference between them and the Jews purifying their hearts by faith vers 7 8 9. and that through the grace of Jesus Christ both sews and Gentiles should be saved vers 11. and as the Apostle opposeth the keeping of these Laws for such a purpose as to be sared thereby so the bare keeping of them is forbidden and therefore saith James ver 19 20. My sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of Idols and from fornication from things strangled and from blood So that the Apostles judgement is that the Gentiles should keep some part of the Law And therefore the question was not Whether any part of the Law should be kept and the reason seems to be in vers 20. why they would write no more for Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogue ever Sabbath day So the Apostles and Elders write vers 24. For as much as we have heard that certain men that went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls saying you must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment Now can we be so gross as to think that is subverting mens souls and contrary to the commandments of the Apostles and Elders to bid them love the Lord their God with all their hearts and with all their strength and to worship him alone and not take his name in vain and the like for this is to keep the Law But the difference was about other Laws as well as circumcision and they are as really forbid to keep them as they are forbid circumcision and therefore it cannot be the Law of the Ten Commandments but the Law of shadows as is manifest Chap. 21. when Paul came to Hierusalem the brethren told him that it was reported that he taught all the Jews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customes vers 21. therefore they counsel Paul to purifie himself with some others that it might be seen that he walked orderly and kept the Law vers 24. But as touching the Gentiles which believe we have written and concluded that they observe no such things vers 25. so that
it 's very clear that 't is circumcision and the customes that 's here called the Law of Moses which the Gentiles were commanded not to keep but to think the Gentiles should be forbidden to keep that Law of God that was written in their natures is abominable and contrary both to Scripture and reason Obj. 5. But the Scripture saith Cast out the Bond-woman with her son for the son of the Bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the Free-woman which Bond-woman was an Allegory of the Covenant from mount Sinai and therefore to be cast out Answ The Apostle is here shewing how impossible it is for works and grace to stand together in point of justification for this people were seeking to be justified by the works of the Law He shews the difference betwixt the two Covenants one of works gendering to bondage the righteousness of the Law being this that the man that doth these things should live in them Rom. 10.5 the other of grace or free promise without any respect to mans righteousness he shews the sons of the Covenants are like unto their mothers the sons of the one Covenant are born after the flesh the sons of the other by promise and that those that are born after the flesh persecute those that are born after the spirit Nevertheless what saith the Scripture Cast out the Bond-woman and her son For the son of the Bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the Free-woman That is The Covenant of works with those that seek to be justified thereby Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 But if we should understand the Ten Commandments in themselves to be the Bond-woman then it is impossible for them that keep them to be heires or children of the promise but they must be cast out as children of the Bond-woman which is very erronious and contrary to the current of Scriptures For the doers of the Law are justified before God Rom. 2.13 though not for doing And mark how the Apostle forbids this notion Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid Shall we continue in sin or transgress the Law that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6. Is the Law sin God forbid Rom. 7.7 Was the Law which was good made death unto me God forbid 13. Shall we transgress the Law because we are not under the condemning power of it Christ having redeemed us from it God forbid Rom. 6.15 Certainly the Scripture did foresee how apt men would be to slight and make void the Law of God under specious pretences as their being believers and Gentiles which had not the Law given to them but that they are under grace and the like But if the uncircumcision keep the righteousnesse of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision Rom. 2.26 Consider these Queres 1. If the whole Law was done away by the death of Christ why did the Apostle spend so much time to prove that by the works of the Law none could be justified Gal. 3. seeing there was no Law to work upon Had it not been a nearer way to have told them that the Law was abolished 2. If the whole Law was done away at the death of Christ how can any part of it be now in force If it be said it is upon a new account shew me any one Law that Christ hath once destroyed and again revived seeing the Apostle saith if he should build again the things that he destroyed he should make himself a transgressor Gal. 2.14 3. What Scripture is it that proves that we have any one of the Ten Commandments given out upon a new account 4. If the whole Law be done away what Law is there for the punishment of evil doers theeves murderers and the like 5. If the Ten Commandments were to be abolished how is it that the Lord hath annexed so many great and precious promises unto the keeping of them and delighting in them as in Psal 1.1 2 3 4. and many other places which do of right belong unto such as keep the Commandements Rev. 27.14 6. How is it that the Apostle saith the Law is good if a man use it lawfully 1 Tim 1 8. if at the same time there was no Low 7. If the Law was done away at the death of Christ when was it given again upon a new account If before his death in the 5. of Matth. then how is it that the Law that was given on Sinai stood in force till his death Could they stand both in force at once If not till after the death of Christ then when was it given out seeing we find not any of the Commandements so much as mentioned for a long time after the death of Christ Can we think the Saints and the world were left without Law 8. How is it that we contend for Governors as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning seeing there is no Law for them to rule and govern by if this doctrine be true that the whole Law is done away Thus I have endeavoured in a weak measure to prove that the Ten Commandments are not only in force to unbelievers but also to believers But believers are not under the Law so as to be justified or condemned by it not under it as a Covenant of works and ministration of death but under it as it 's a righteous rule of life a holy just and good Law so they are under it and do delight in it Rom. 7.22 Psal 119.70 72 97. 1 Cor. 9.21 It is time for the Lord to work for they have made void thy thy Law Psal 119.122 Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold vers 127. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way vers 128. The seventh day is the Sabbath NOw if the Ten Commandments be in force every jot and title of them it must necessarily follow that the Seventh day is the Sabbath and is to be observed according to the commandment But because there is much opposition against this truth I shall offer something in particular to it which may tend to the clearing of it First it was instituted by God before the fall of man as appears in Gen. 1.31 And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good But when men had sinned God changes his voice and then the ground is cursed for his sake Chap. 3.17 Further God was six dayes upon his work of creation and rested not until the seventh day now betwixt the end of the sixt day and the beginning of the seventh there is no interval or space of time Chap. 1.31 Chap. 2.2 then why should it be thought that the Sabbath was a shadow to hold forth rest by faith in Christ seeing Adam had not sinned and so had no need of a Saviour and why should we run into such
the good and benefit of man that man might rest from his own labours and be refreshed as the Lord was Exod. 31.17 and thus you see how clearly our Lord hath given the sense of this Law it is lawful to do well upon the Sabbath day to visite the sick and to heal them and to do works of mercy to our own and others bodies the Sabbath being made for man 5. Jesus Christ declares himself to be Lord even of the Sabbath day Matth. 12.8 and he takes his title thus the Sabbath saith he was made for man and not man for the Sabbath therefore the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Mark 2.27 and here seems to be two things from whence Christ takes this title First the Sabbath was made for man that is as before was said Christ being Lord of the Sabbath doth no more make it void then his being Lord of the Supper and Lord of the Harvest doth make the Supper and the Harvest void for Adam and so for all men being made for him before his fall now Christ being the son of man the chief man or second Adam the man of Gods right hand the heir of all things is of right Lord even of the Sabbath 2. The Sabbath was made for man that is for the good of man and in mercy to man as is said before therefore Christ being the Author of all good the giver of all mercy he is Lord of it and therefore Christ doth not slight the Sabbath as some do imagine by saying he is Lord of it as though he were not to keep it or that his intent were to change it that were to strip himself of his title or else to entitule himself Lord of that which was not but in that it is said Christ is Lord of the Sabbath it proves the Sabbath to be in force as Christ proves the resurrection Mark 12.26 27. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob he is not the God of the dead but of the living so Christ is Lord of the Sabbath day he is not Lord of dead Types and shadows or of that which is not in being but he is Lord of the lively Oracles of which I conceive the Sabbath is one Act. 7.38 Obj. But did not Christ break the Sabbath and teach men so to do in bidding the impotent man take up his bed and walk it being unlawful to carry a burthen upon the Sabbath day Answ The Scribes and Pharisees said so indeed and that his bed was a burthen but they were very unfit Judges they being ignorant of the right observing of the Sabbath and sought likewise to take advantage against Christ in his words and actions their saying the mans bed was a burthen and that it was unlawful for him to carry it doth prove no more that so it was then their saying that the disciples brake the Sabbath in plucking the ears of Corn and Christ in healing the diseased but was not this a work of mercy the man having lien lame so long in the porch now being cured Was it not meet that he should be released from the place and take his bed with him to lye upon at night for it s likely he had no other And who can say that his bed was a burthen for in some Countries that which they call their bed is no heavier then a good Cloak or Coat but consider what grosse wickednesse naturally flows from this opinion The objecters themselves and all must acknowledge that the whole Law was in force till the death of Christ the very shadows till he nailed them to his Cross then the fourth Commandment doubtlesse was in full force now to say that Christ brake it and taught men so is to say Christ sinned and taught men to sin for sin is the transgression of the Law and this roots up redemption by Christ for if Christ was a sinner he could not be a Saviour he had not been a meet-offering for the sins of others if he had been a sinner himself but he was offered up a Lamb without spot Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 1.19 and was made sin for us that knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.2 And therefore this objection is so gross that every sincere heart that sees the tendency of it will not touch it and indeed I had not mentioned it here but that many through weakness have taken it up as a sufficient ground to prove the making void the Sabbath for want of looking into the bottom of it 6 Another ground to prove the Sabbath yet to be in force may be taken from the words of Christ to his disciples Matt. 24.20 But pray ye that your flight be not in winter nor on the Sabbath day which is part of the answer Christ gave them when they came privately to him to ask him when the destruction of the Temple should be the signes of his coming and the end of the world It is generally conceived that this part of Christs answer relates to the destruction of Jerusalem and indeed that is the shortest time that can be thought it relates unto as doth appear by the question which was asked him but suppose it so doth it not plainly appear from hence that the Sabbath was to remain in full force after the death of Christ The destruction of Jerusalem being about 40. years after the death of Christ and yet he commands his disciples to pray that their flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day now can we think that Christ would lay such a foundation for superstition as though the Sabbath was to be at the ruin of Jerusalem when it was to cease at his death or can we think-that Christ would teach his disciples to pray false or to pray that their flight should not be on the Sabbath when indeed there was to be no Sabbath this is gross to imagine but as sure as winter was to remain winter so the Sabbath was to remain the Sabbath and if their flight had been upon it it would have been the more tedious it being a day of rest and refreshment to them wherein they used to rejoyce and praise the Lord as it appears by that Psalm or song for the Sabbath day Psalm 92. But although this Scripture looks to the destruction of Jerusalem yet I conceive it looks further even to that distress that Jerusalem shall be in at the second coming of Christ and that for these reasons First those things that Christ spake of were accomplished in a measure in the Apostles dayes and yet they are not compleatly fulfilled for instance Christ told his disciples that they should be delivered up to be killed and they should be hated of all Nations for his name sake this was in the Apostles dayes and hath been since and false Prophets did arise then and so they have since then vers 4.11 So that those things which Christ spake lookt to several times and therefore I conceive he saith
and as God did rest the seventh day from all his works so they that enter into rest do cease from their own works as God did from his and this is not as soon as men believe for the Apostle provokes himself and others to labour to enter into it which were believers and therefore if you will have the Sabbath a Type from this Scripture though it is no where so called it must be a Type of eternal rest which Saints do enter into when they cease from their own works as God did from his and that will not be till they lay down this Tabernacle which will not hurt the thing asserted And indeed I cannot deny but the Sabbath is an earnest of that rest and Saints that are spiritual in the observation of it find it so and of great use to put them in mind of that glorious rest as the bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord puts us in mind of the sufferings of Christ so this being a day of rest and delight being stript of all worldly incumbrances and devoted to the Lord to pray unto him and to praise his Holy Name and to meditate upon Heaven and Heavenly glory Obj. But many say if the Sabbath be in force then the penalty must needs be so and then those that do not keep it must be stoned therefore this opinion is dangerous and will lead Saints to destroy one another Answ This is a very gastly objection but indeed it is a very weak one I do not find that any more then one was stoned and it was for presumptious breaking of the Sabbath but suppose that penalty be in force every Saint is not a Magistrate to put it in execution if a Saint should kill a man Saints as they are Saints are not to execute him all that they can do is to endeavour his repentance but it belongs to the true Magistrate to inflict the punishment the penal Laws of God take hold of presumptious sinners not for sins of ignorance and therefore it is not to be thought that any punishment will be inflicted upon any for breach of the Sabbath till it be universally acknowledged so then if God hath annexed death to the breakers of it doubtless it will be just but we find in Nehemiahs time that although they had made a market-day of the Sabbath Treading of Wine-presses lading of Ashes and selling of all manner of provisions upon it yet he doth but contend with them he contends with both Jews Gentiles the Nobles of Judah and the men of Tyre but inflicts no punishment upon either Nehe. 13.15 16 17 21. But what a strange thing is this that men should count it a dangerous opinion to hold that the Sabbath is not in force because of the penalty suppose it be so the same may be said of the rest of the Commandments for instance the first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods but me he that worshipped a strange God was to be put to death now shall we not own this Commandment because the breakers of it were so punished again he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed now is there any danger in the owning of this command Thou shalt do no murder because the punishment is in force too again the fifth Commandment is Honour thy father and thy mother but he that cursed father or me ther was to be put to death now shall we not honour father and mother and so shall we break this Commandment because this punishment belongs to the breakers of it So that this objection is of no weight nor use at all except it be as a bears-skin put upon the truth to afright children away least they should look into it Obj. But we do not find any of the Apostles urge this command in any of their Epistles namely Or as it is in the margin of some Bibles that Law which said do not commit Adultery said do not kill so that the 10. Commandments are distinguisht from other Laws and they are all of them to be kept because the same Law-maker doth by one and the same Law command one as well as the other that the Sabbath day should be observed Answ Neither do we find that the Apostles urged the 1.2 or 3. Command in particular as laid down in the Table but they are frequently urged in the general as in Rom. 7.12 Ch. 13.8 9 10. and generals comprehend particulars and James saith Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all and he proves it thus because he that saith do not commit adultery saith also do not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the Law The same argument may be drawn for the thing in hand he that saith do not commit adultery saith also keep the Sabbath now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou break the Sabbath thou art become a transgressor of the Law Chap. 2.10 11. And Paul saith Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7.19 John saith in his first Epistle Chap. 5.2 3. By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and if the Apostles had not spake a word to this command in general nor in particular 't is no ground for us to lay it by except the observation of it were forbidden because it is so plainly commanded by God explained by Christ observed by his disciples both before and after his death as was said before and will further appear by and by Obj. We do not find that any of the Churches kept the Sabbath Answ That is no proof that they did not keep it but 't is clear that the Church of Jerusalem kept it though it is not plainly exprest for they were so zealous for the very customs that Paul is counselled to purifie himself least they should be offended at him Act. 21.21 24. now if they were for the observation of those things that were but shadows there is no doubt but they were very strict for the observation of the Sabbath and if there were such offence taken against Paul for preaching against circumcision and the customs we need not question but if the Sabbath had been preached against but we should have heard a great noise of it in the Scriptures and seen strong convincing reasons why it was abolisht and it is as clear that the Apostles kept the Sabbath since the resurrection of Christ as before Paul went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate down and after the reading of the Law preacht the Gospel Act. 13.14 15. and told them of the ignorance of those that dwelt at Jerusalem of the voice of the Prophets which were read every Sabbath day vers 27.
together on the first day of the week and did break bread and Paul taught unto them Act. 20. Answ This is all the meeting or preaching that ever we find was upon the first day except the disciples being together for fear of the Jews mentioned before that meeting was at evening so this seems to be because when they came together Paul preached with them and continued his speech until midnight it is not likely then that they observed the day and came together in the morning seeing he continued his speech so long And secondly as we have the cause of the disciples being together with their doors shut so we have the cause of this meeting Paul was ready to depart on the morrow vers 7. upon an extraordinary occasion Paul having many things to communicate to them as appears by his discoursing with them till midnight and talking till break of day vers 11. But that which makes the Objecters lay such stress upon this Text is because the disciples came together to break bread which they judge to be the Lords Supper Suppose it were so what doth this make for the observation of the first day more then Christs first instituting the supper upon the fifth day of the week as is generally conceived doth make for the observation of it But there is no proof that this was the Supper of the Lord that they came to pertake of but it seems to be such breaking of bread as the margin of some Bibles refers unto Acts the 2.46 They continued dayly with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladnesse of heart So Luc. 24.30 35. And it is explained what breaking of bread it was vers 11. where it is said when he was come up again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a good while till break of the day he departed here is eating and talking it is not solemnized as the Supper of the Lord But some would have this common breaking of bread and the other in verse 7. to be the Supper it is very unlikely that here should be two sorts of breaking of bread at one time by the same persons and yet nothing spoke distinctly by which we might know the one from the other so that the most that can be said is but a supposition it cannot be proved that this was the Lords Supper And how weak a ground this is for the observation of this day as a Sabbath or more then any other day or to limite the administration of the Supper to this day I leave to the truly wise in heart to judge Obj. But the Church had their gatherings upon the first day of the week from which it appears that it was the day that they met together upon 1 Cor. 16.2 Answ The words are these Vpon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Here is no proof for their meeting together but rather on the contrary every one of them was to lay by him in store as God had prospered him no publique gathering but private laying up but because the Apostle saith in the close of the verse that there be no gatherings when I come therefore it is thought the Scripture cannot be so understood because it would not prevent gatherings but is this fair when a Text of Scripture stands alone to put such a sense upon it as doth plainly contradict the very letter of it when it saith let every one of you lay by him in store then to say the meaning is to have publique gatherings and but one store and would not the end of the Apostle be fully answered namely to have no gatherings if each of them did lay by them in a store as God had prospered them in the world ready against the Apostle came they knowing of his coming and when he came was it not as easie to carry it with them to him as for us to carry our Bibles to a meeting and what need would there be then of gatherings And this way of giving would not be Pharisee-like but according to the words of Christ Mat. 6.11 Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven but when thou doest thine almes let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth vers 3. that thine almes may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly ver 4. Obj. But John was in the spirit upon the Lords day and had that glorious revelation upon it which is conceived to be the first day of the week Rev. 1 10. Answ It is true John was in the spirit on the Lords day but the question will be what day that was if any one of the seven it must be the Sabbath for no other day is so called but it God calls it his Holy Day Isay 58.13 and Christ saith he is Lord even of the Sabbath day and if so then it is his day for he is Lord of it and that by way of eminency not as some would have it to shew that he is Lord of every day but as it is the Sabbath for so it is said the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day So that this notion that the Lords day is the first day is meerly taken up on trust one from another without one word in the Scripture to prove it so Ob. But it wil be yet objected by those that are for no Sabbath from the words of the Apostle Col. 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ from whence it is concluded that the Sabbath was but a shadow The Apostle speaks here of such Sabbaths as were a shadow of things to come but the seventh day Sabbath was in commemoration of something past to wit the work of creation as appears in the Commandments and none are to be judged for not observing of it Answ There were Holy-dayes and Sabbaths besides the seventh day Sabbath or the Sabbath of the Lord thy God for so it is called in the commandment as doth appear in Levit 23.39 now because it is implyed in the words of the Apostle that Sabbaths were shadows and done away by the body of Christ doth it therefore follow that all Sabbaths were so any more then where the words of the Apostle implies that men shall be saved proves that all men shall be saved and if we consider the verses before it will plainly appear that the Apostle is not speaking of any of the Ten Commandments in the 15. verse the Apostle is speaking to the Gentiles shewing how they were dead in their sins and in the uncircumcision of their
flesh but now quickened by Christ and all their trespasses forgiven them In the 14. verse he shews what further benefit they had by the death of Christ bloting out the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us and contrary to us he took it out of the way nailing it to his cross and the Scripture upon which the objection is bottomed hath its dependence upon this and comes in with a therefore let no man judge you in meats and drinks and so forth as though the Apostle had said forasmuch as Christ hath blotted out nailed to his cross those ordinances that were against you which are Gentiles you are not to be judged for the non-performance of them Now the Ten Commandments were never against the Gentiles nor contrary to them for the same Apostle saith the matter of them was written in their hearts as was said before and they did by nature the things contained in them and therefore they were not contrary to them but circumcision and other ordinances stood as a wall against the Gentiles which Christ brake down by taking them out of the way and nailing them to his cross having abolisht in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Gross having slain the enmity thereby Eph. 2.15 16. So that it is clear the Apostle is speaking of such Commandments as are contained in Ordinances and not those Commandments that are so eminently distinguisht from Ordinances but those Ordinances which were against the Gentiles and made them and the Jews two as meats and drinks New-Moons and Holy-dayes and Sabbath dayes Christ by his blood having taken these away hath made them one but that the Ten Commandments should be struck at there is no colour in this Scripture for it or that the Sabbath should only be taken out from them nailed to the Cross with New-Moons meats and drinks and other shadows and Ordinances which were against man when as Christ saith the Sabbath was made for man so that in this place there is no proof for the abrogating of this Command of God Ob. But how is it that the Apostle saith Rom. 14.5 6. that one man observes one day above another another observes every day alike and yet he doth not blame either of them Answ I make no doubt but if the controversie here had been about the Sabbath whether it were to be observed or no but it would have been plainly exprest and not past over so slightly but the Apostle is speaking of indifferent things which men were not to be judged for their doing or not doing and not of Commandments But because it is said that some esteem every day alike therefore some conclude that this takes in the Sabbath day but we must compare Scripture with Scripture and find out such a sense as may bring them into a harmony and sometimes interpret general terms by restrictive Scriptures for instance Christ bids his disciples go preach the Gospel to every Creature we must understand it thus to every creature that is in a capacity to hear the Gospel The Apostle saith that every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused now some are poison and are to be refused but his meaning is every Creature that is eatable is good and not to be refused So here every day is alike that is every working day which God hath made alike but the seventh day he hath sanctified and made it a Sabbath of rest and so not like the other and this interpretation is according to the Scripture Exod. 16.4 Behold I will rain bread from Heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day and in verse 12. They gathered every morning every man according to his eating yet on the Sabbath day there was none to gather And in our common speech it is so we call the six dayes every day men say we work every day or we travil so far every day when they mean only the six dayes that they count working dayes So the Apostle speaking to them that kept the Sabbath speaks in the same language and we have no ground to think otherwise for there is no Scripture that we find before this that hath any seeming dislike against the observation of the Sabbath but much on the contrary Obj. Ye observe dayes and years and times and months I am afraid of you least I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Gal. 4.10 11. Answ This cannot be understood that the Apostle here strikes at the meer observation of dayes a thing of such dangerous consequence for he would not have them judged that observed one day above another in Rom. 14.5 6. and in this place he himself judges these as persons that had so far degenerated that he was afraid that he had bestowed upon them labour in vain but it is manifest that these Galatians were gone back to circumcision so were debters to the whole Law seeking justification thereby Chap. 5.2 3 4. and so they observed days and years according to the Law that was a shadow of good things to come solemnizing the days months and years with those things that were appointed for them as burnt-offerings meat-offerings the waving of the sheaf the Passeover and unleavened bread and the like as you may see at large Lev. 23.8 9 10 11. and so on for they could not be said to observe times and months and yeers according to the Law except they did such service and this gave the Apostle just ground to fear that he had bestowed on them labour in vain But to imagine that to observe the Sabbath according to the Commandment or to observe a day voluntarily to the Lord is so dangerous is contrary both to Scripture reason Obj. We which believe are entred into rest which the Sabbath was but a Type of as appears by the words of the Apostle Heb. 4.3 Answ If eternal rest by faith be the Antitype of the Sabbath the Sabbath ceased to be in force to every man so soon as they believed which is ridiculous to think and contrary to the current of Scriptures but the Apostle saith We which do believe do enter into rest for he that is entred into his rest is ceased from his own works as God did from his vers 10. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the example of unbelief vers 11. Mind this Chap. well and I am perswaded you will see that the drift of the Apostle in mentioning the seventh day here is but to amplifie and set forth that perfect rest which they that believe do and shall enjoy of which the Land of Canaan was but a Type and to shew that Gods rest was before the Land of Canaan vers 4. and that yet there remains a rest to the people of God