to be taken away For as for those allegations that the rest of the Sabbath was a type of Christs rest in the grave and a part of the Iewish bondage how little force they have we have shewed before Now then if it evidently appear to all that will consider things with any indifferency by all that we have said that neither the resting from our labour one day in seven nor the continuing of that rest for the whole day nor yet the strictnesse of any rest enjoyned by the fourth Commandement are either as ceremonious or upon any other ground to be altered neither that the particular day of rest which now by Christs resurrection is altered from the last to the first day of the week is there commanded otherwise then in a generall rule equally communicable both to the Iewish and Christian Sabbath there appears no necessity of granting any thing to be mutable in this fourth Commandement more then in any of the laws of the Decalogue It hath been intimated before that mens mistake of the right interpretation of the fourth Commandement hath been a great occasion of questioning the perpetuity and immutability of the morall law and of how dangerous consequent it is to admit that there is any thing mutable therein experience teacheth us when we find how ready men are to embrace and hold that dangerous errour of casting aside the whole law and that so far as to deny it to be a rule of direction unto us Christians in the course of our practice whereby they open a wide gap to all licentiousnesse and by that means overthrow the very life and power of godlinesse to the high dishonour of God and to the extream perill of their own souls so that we see how neerly it concerns all such as have any true zeal for the furthering of Gods honour and their own salvation and their brethrens to endeavour by all the means that they can the establishing and maintaining of this truth that the morall law given by God to Adam in the beginning and renewed afterwards by Moses upon mount Sinai is an everlasting rule left by God unto his Church for the right ordering and guiding them in all their ways The premises then being duly weighed and layed together we have a sufficient ground to argue in this manner All the laws written in the Decalogue are morall and immutable in all things But the fourth Commandement concerning the observation of the Sabbath day is one of the laws of the Decalogue Therefore this law of the Sabbath is perpetuall and unchangeable in all things which are concerned therein And so much concerning the morality and perpetuity of the fourth Commandement in the Decalogue by way of digression SECT IV. A continuation of the consideration of the rest of the Laws recorded in the Scripture with such instructions as may be drawn from them HAving now established the perpetuity of that Law which we call Morall in all the Commandements thereof it is time to returne to that from which we digressed namely the delivering of rules for our direction in drawing out observations from the Laws recorded in Scripture for our instruction and there being three kinds of these Laws Morall Judiciall Ceremoniall as we have shewed before of these the Morall law comes first to be considered Now that Law being given to Adam the roote of mankind and that not so much to his person as to the nature of man which was wholly in him when he received this Law from God and consequently binding all those who are partakers of that nature it must needs be acknowledged that whatsoever commands we find therein we must guide our selves by as the rule of our practice Which that we may the better doe it will be needfull to lay before us some rules All duties to God and man are commanded in the Morall Law that may direct us in the right interpretation of these Commandements Before we give these rules it will be necessary to lay before us this evident ground of truth that these ten words as they are called comprise all the heads of duties to be performed both to God and man This is clearly manifested by our Saviours answer to the Lawyer that tempted him Luke 10.26 enquiring what he might doe to inherit eternall life to whom Christ replies that whatsoever duty was needfull to the attaining thereof was to be found in the commandements where he wils him to seek it Now these precepts being delivered in such briefe expressions as they are it must needs follow that every one of the tearms in them must needs be of exceeding large comprehension First therefore Rules for interpreting the Law whereas we find these Laws of the Decalogue penned some in the form of a command and most of them in the forme of a prohibition Rule 1 we must conceive that under every command there is implied a prohibition of whatsoever is contrary to what is commanded All the Commandements forbidding any sinne command the contrary duty and commanding the duty forbid the opposite sin and in every prohibition a command of all duties opposite to that which is forbidden For example in the second Commandement which under the name of Images forbids the inventing or using of any form of worship of mans devising there is withall commanded the worship of God according to his own will in the use of the ordinances prescribed and warranted by his Word as prayer and hearing of the Word receiving the Sacraments c. And in the third Commandement under the prohibition of taking Gods name in vaine is commanded the taking up of it with all holy reverence and feare Secondly Rule 2 under the name of any duty commanded there is required not only the performance of the outward act of that duty The Law besides the outward act requires the obedience of the heart but withall the inward obedience of the heart to the Law which requires it Rom. 6.17 and the letting out of all the affections of the soule in the performance of it as Psal 119.167 the Prophet professeth that his soul had kept Gods Testimonies and that he did love them exceedingly whence it is that both our Saviour Christ and his Apostles after him both comprise all duties commanded in the Law under the name of Love being an affection of the heart and tell us that the holy affection of love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 implying that whatsoever the act be which we perform yet if it proceed not from that holy disposition of the heart And the use of all helps to any duty commanded it is not answerable to the Law Againe together with the duty commanded in any Law there is required the use of all helps and meanes which may further us thereunto on the other side where any sinne is forbidden there the inward roote of that evill And forbids the originall corruption of the heart with all motions flowing from thence even as far
the Sabbath was altogether needlesse and superfluous Thirdly they insist strongly upon this that if God had given Adam such a law at that time then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of that law Now say they if the Patriarchs had been bound to the observation of that law they had certainly kept it but that neither all or any of them observed any such is manifest by the history of their lives written by Moses wherein there is no mention of any such thing For the first of these three arguments which is Answer to the first that it was impossible for Adam in Paradise to keep a Sabbath they reason thus The Sabbath say they was appointed for the publike worship of God 1. That supposeth publick worship to be the whole duty of the Sabbath as all men must needs acknowledge But Adam and his wife could not make a publike assembly nor consequently worship God publikely nor by the same observe a Sabbath according to the Law To this we answer in the First place Though publike worship be the principall yet it is not the sole duty of the Sabbath Honoring God forbearing to do ones own waies or to find his own pleasure or to speake ones own words are duties of such an holy day of Rest as God delights in Isa 58.13 as well as publike worship And the Fourth Commandement which sets apart an whole day unto the Lord entirely and commands therein a totall cessation from all our employments in our ordinary calling makes it evident The sequestring of our selves from our ordinary secular affaires for religious duties is the full scope of that fourth Commandement which if a single person shut out by sicknesse or any other casuall accident from publike Assemblies perform he keeps an acceptable Sabbath unto God though he cannot joyne with the Congregation in the duties of publike worship Againe why may not two persons where there are no more 2. Two where no more are may be esteemed a publike assembly be esteemed to be a publike Assembly It is cleare that our Saviour esteems the meeting of two or three for prayer a gathering together Mat. 18.20 And then it 's plaine that Adam and Eve meeting together in Paradise and employing the whole day in prayer and other holy and religious exercises may in a true and proper sense be said to worship publikely so that in this argument brought against possibility of keeping a Sabbath by Adam and Eve in Paradise 3. It is no good argument Adam could not then keep the Sabbath therefore he had no Law for it the propositions are both faulty Besides this is no good argument Adam and Eve could not at that present keep a Sabbath therefore they had no Law given them by God to command it The fifth Commandement prescribing the duties of Parents to their Children is questionlesse a Law of nature shall we say that this Law was not at the least written in Adams heart from the beginning because he had then no child We think it wisdome to make laws for warres in time of Peace although there can be no execution of them for the present The Next Argument against the Institution of the Sabbath in Paradise Answer to the second is that then Adam needed no Sabbath neither for his body nor for his mind For his body they say he needed no Sabbath because that he being exercised in no painfull or toylsome labour but exercised only in such work as might be accounted rather a recreation then a labour needed no rest at all or refreshing of his body thereby 1. Ease by rest though it be a consequent is not the scope of the Sabbath To this we answer that the ease of man and beast from labour although it be a consequent of the rest of the Sabbath yet was it never the scope of it seeing the moderation of labour belongs properly to the same commandement which enjoynes labour that is unto the Eight as the Apostle also interprets it Eph. 4.28 The Fourth Commandement forbids labour indeed but not so much for mercy as for Piety nor so much for easing of the toyle of the body as for the preventing of the distraction of the mind by labour seeing we know the body cannot labour but the mind must needs be more or lesse employed withall which therefore at that time cannot so freely be wholly exercised in Spirituall duties as it ought So that Adam might have use of a Sabbath in Paradise although he needed it not for the ease of his body 2. Adam might make use of the Sabbath in respect of his minde Yea but say they Adam much lesse needed a Sabbath in respect of his mind then he did in respect of his bodie because his mind in that state of Innocency being continually filled with heavenly thoughts he could not choose but keep a perpetuall Sabbath To this Objection we have answered in part already that the Sabbath requires of us not only the filling of the mind with heavenly Meditations but besides a totall sequestration of the whole man to the exercise of all holy duties forbidding us to finde our own pleasure or our own waies Isa 58.13 that is take up any employment either of body or minde about any of those affaires which may properly becalled our own such as are all our secular affaires Now although Adam in Paradise had not in that ease and pleasure of his in keeping the Garden his minde so wholly taken up with that businesse as ours are now in our more toylsome works yet it must needs be and was his duty too to attend and to have his minde exercised in the thoughts of those things that he tooke in hand which on the Sabbath ought to be wholly laid aside In one word Adam was and ought on other dayes to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of earthly things but on the Sabbath day he was to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of heavenly things All then that can be made good in this parcular is only this that Adam in some respects lesse needed a Sabbath then we doe whence cannot possibly be inferred that he therefore needed none at all nay upon the same ground it will follow that because he being riper in knowledge stronger in faith and more quickned and fervent in affection lesse needed the Sacraments or other like helps as we doe it was not fit for him to have any Sacrament at all As well as of the Sacraments c. Rather we may conclude that because Adam infinitely excelled us in all these abilities therefore though he lesse needed yet he was more fit to keep a Sabbath then we are having more leisure and being more heavenly minded then we are All this while we speake of the Sabbath as if it were given to man only for his own good whereas the principall scope of it is the honouring of God which was Adam duty as well as ours So that in respect of
by vertue of another under whom it commands is humane 2. In the subject matters prescribed 1. Principles of faith The second difference between the Authority of God and man is in respect of the subjects or matters prescribed which are either principles of saith or rules of life for the former because God is true every man a lyer Rō 3.4 therefore in grounds of faith Which only God can deliver 1. Because many of them are unsearchable by man we admit no testimony but Gods alone for two reasons First the imperfection of our knowledge arising partly by the nature of the things to be beleeved whereof many are unsearchable by mans wisdome and therefore must be revealed by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 12. and partly from the weaknesse of the means of our knowledge which is the information by sense that looks onely on the outward appearance 1 Sā 16.9 so that it is impossible that man should know any thing in matters of faith but by revelation from God which also he apprehends weakly and imperfectly So that in matters of faith there is no infallibility in mans knowledge and that which is depends upon the credit not of the man but of the Spirit which reveals it Another reason why mans testimony is no sufficient ground of faith 2. Because men may lye is because men may deceive as well as be deceived wherefore though they often speake truth we are not sure that they doe so always because it is not contrary to their nature to lye Whereas Gods knowledg is infallible 1. Because he hath light in himself 2. And knows by vision not by discourse as it is unto Gods Tit. 1.2 Neither of these imperfections are found in God whose knowledge must needs be every way perfect because he sees by his own not by a borrowed light which must therefore be without any mixture of darknesse 1 John 1.5 And because the means of Gods knowledge is by vision not by discourse yea by such a sight as pierceth through the very nature of all things seeing God himself is in and through all Ephes 4.6 Besides the most of the things which we beleeve 3. And must needs understād what he freely gives are things freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 which therefore he must needs understand fully seeing the spirit in man understands the things of a man although no man else know them 1 Cor. 2.11 Now in the next place there can be no more question of Gods fidelity in revealing then there is of his infallibility in understanding all things seeing truth is Gods nature And can no more deceive then be deceived which therefore he can no more swerve from then from himself So seeing we finde Gods testimony every way infallible and mans uncertain it must needs be granted that it is peculiar to God alone to establish grounds of faith Againe for the regulating of mans practise 2. And rules of life onely to be prescribed by God 1. Whose will is infallibly good 2. And the duties prescribed are his services there is a wide difference between Gods and mans Authority for if we respect the substance of duty that can be prescribed by none but God alone both because onely his will is infallibly good Psal 143.10.119.39 and therefore only fit to be the rule of righteousnesse and besides because the duties commanded being all of them immediately or mediately services unto God it was most fit that God alone should appoint the duties of his own service The truth is in matters of practise mans authority hath to doe only in two things First in applying the rules of morall duties to particulars for the preservation of order and peace thereby Secondly in compelling men to obedience in such duties as are prescribed In brief then divine Authority establisheth principles of faith and prescribes the substance of morall dutie humane authority meddles not in laying down any grounds of faith at all and in morall duties prescribes not the substance but onely the order and manner of outward performance of that which divine authority hath commanded The third difference between divine and humane Authority 3. In the extent of this authority which bindes the consciēce belonging onely to God is in the extent of them both Humane authority being ordained for preservation of order and by it of peace in civill society for the furtherance and supporting of godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 reacheth no farther then to binde men to conform to order in the course of their practise but divine Authority having an higher scope even the renuing of the heart and bringing under the thoughts thereof to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 bindes the conscience that is both the judgement of man to allow that which is commanded as holy and just with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 and the will to choose it as good and the affections to embrace it Rom. 7.22 accordingly yea the whole man to follow it with the strength of constant endeavours after the Prophet Davids example Psal 119.106.112 Hence it follows that in obeying mens commandements he that doth what Authority requires so he perform it in a willing submission thereunto in obedience to God which the Apostle cals obeying for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 hath performed his duty neither hath cause to judge himself a transgressour though he approve not the law it self as good and holy nay though upon good ground he think the contrary to that which is commanded more fit and convenient so he think not so out of any self-conceipt rash judgement or distaste of the Authority that commands But in obeying Gods Commandements it is far otherwise For though a man fulfill the law in the outward act yet if he allow it not as holy and just if his endeavour be not to conform his will to Gods will therein if he rejoyce not in performing it as a good man doth Prov. 21.15 his own conscience ought to condemn him as a transgressour and sinner against God at least in some degree So then divine Authority bindes the conscience by a double band both of the power that commands and of the justice of the commandement but humane Authority bindes onely by vertue of the power that commands not by the equity of the commandement further then it agrees with Gods law or conduceth to order and peace for which Authority was established The last difference between divine and humane Authority 4. In the sanctions annexed to the precepts is in respect of the sanctions annexed to their laws which are proportioned to the nature and quality of the obedience required and to the power of him that requires it For Gods commands in his laws are specially inward holinesse righteousnesse love c. and that under the penalty of the curse and wrath of God 1. Reaching to the soul 2. And reaching to eternity to bee poured out on the soul as well as on the body both in this life
2. The proportion of time to be allowed for holy duties wherein we must respect 1. The Duty and therein 1. What must be done We must study the whole Scripture are our fittest times for Prayer As for the proportion of time to be allotted for this exercise it must indifferently respect both the Duty and the person that undertakes it In the exercise it must be considered both what must be done and in what manner For the former seeing all Scriptures were written for our Instruction 1 Cor. 10.11 not onely the Laws and Commandements which we are to doe and obey Deut. 29.29 but Examples too not only the New Testament but the Old also it must needs be our duty to know and consequently to study them all wherefore we must so proportion our time for this exercise that we may often goe over by reading the whole body of the Scriptures The manner of Reading the Scriptures 2. In what manner With great deliberation as holding out 1. Things weighty must be with great deliberation and that not onely because the matter contained in them is weighty and of a mysterious nature the Phrases significant the expressions briefe and sometimes by the propriety of the language wherein they were written unusuall and therefore not easie to be understood of the vulgar 2. And nearly concerning our selves but also because that which we read so nearly concerning us and must be carefully laid up in our hearts and written there Pro. 2.5 and 7.1 and be hidden in them Ps 119.11 that it may be our continuall meditation ver 97. and dwelling in us Col. 3.16 may not onely furnish us for every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 but also enable us to instruct our friends and neighbours talking unto them upon all fit occasions of wisdome and judgement Psal 37.30 31. and at home our families as we sit in the house and walke by the way Deut. 6.7 This time allotted for the reading of the Scriptures must not onely be proportioned to the worke And allot time accordingly but to the persons too that study them and that with due respect had Having respect 1. To mens abilities both to their abilities and employments The weaknesse of mens abilities whether of naturall understanding and memory or of knowledge gotten by learning which must needs be weak in young beginners especially imposeth on them necessarily the more labour and paines in study and consequently requires more expence of time in reading If the Iron be blunt and one whet not the edge he must put to the more strength saith Solomon Eccl. 10.10 As for mens callings 2. And emploiments 1. Requiring more study by Ministers Magistrates Husbands Parents and employments Ministers who need to be furnished with all knowledge are required to give themselves wholly to this study 1 Tim. 4.13.15 Magistrates to have the book with them to read in it all the dayes of their life Deut. 17.19 Iosh 1.8 Husbands who must teach their wives at home 1 Cor. 14.35 Parents who must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and talke of the Law in their family Deut. 6.7 As they need a greater measure of knowledge 2. More time to be allotted where mens callings are easie for the necessary discharge of their duties so must they allow the more time that they both attaine it and have it ready for daily use Again seeing all mens Employments are not alike but some are more toilesome and others being more easie afford more leasure for the attending of those holy duties it must be considered how much may be conveniently spared from such necessary businesses as their callings cast upon them seeing God requires Mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 9.13 Howsoever Yet all must set a part some time for this duty even those who are most straightned by the businesse of their imployments must notwithstanding so order their affaires that they spare some fit portion of time for these duties of Gods service who can easily recompence it unto them by prospering their labours and assures us that he will be no mans debtor for the least service done for him Mal. 1.10 Of two things men are to be admonished First Three caveats to avoid 1. Negligence 2. Incombrance with too much businesse that they bring not themselves into straights of time either by negligence in their callings which often puts them to labour at unseasonable times or by loading themselves unnecessarily with multiplicity of businesse and worldly imployments which when they have undertaken being not able to dispatch in convenient times they take liberty to make use of those times for worldly affaires that are fit to be set apart for holy duties By either of these wayes men being drawn to omit these duties at the first at last by disuse of practise lose withall the very desire and resolution to performe them These must know that God in matters of his service dispenseth with inevitable but not with voluntary necessities He will indeed have Mercy and not Sacrifice but neither negligence nor covetousnesse rather then Sacrifice Secondly 3. Not to mistake suspension for a discharge frō the duty men must take heed that they mistake not a dispensation for suspending these duties for a full discharge from them Employments in secular affaires are not better then holy duties neither is the service of men better then the service of God Consequently the one ought not to be left for the other Onely whereas our affaires are so limited to their season that they must sometimes be done at present or not at all whereas holy duties suspended for a time may be performed afterwards God is pleased that his Services shall give precedence to our urgent necessities not that they shall be excluded by them Wherefore he that by inevitable necessity is enforced to omit Prayer or Reading in the time appointed must redeeme the first opportunity for the performance of them as soone as he may afterwards This holy exercise of Reading the Scriptures daily being every way so necessary so comfortable so profitable let all that desire to grow in knowledge Faith and Obedience that expect Gods blessing upon their soules and labours attend daily at the gates of Wisdome Pro. 8.34 encouraged by that gratious promise We shall know the Lord if we follow on to know him Hos 6.3 Especially in these times under the Gospell wherein it is promised that all the earth shall be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the Sea Hab. 2.14 CAP. IX Of the Manner of Preparation before the Reading of the Scriptures OF what necessity carefull Preparation is to the Reading of the Scriptures hath beene sufficiently manifested in the first Chapter wherein we shewed that the Truths revealed in Scripture are in themselves deepe and great Mysteries that our understanding is shallow and full of darkenesse and thereby unable to comprehend them Lastly that our rebellious carnall dispositions are with
in it we must labour earnestly to work our hearts to the love of those Counsells of God which we embrace by faith for their Righteousnesse Psal 119.128 Purity ver 140. Perfection ver 96 97. and especially for the usefulnesse and wonderfull benefit of them to our selves that we may desire them with all our soules Psal 119.131 and delight and rejoyce in them ver 162.174 To this purpose it will be needfull to set before us the wonderfull efficacy of the Word which not only counsells Psal 119.24 and directs us in our waies v. 105. but helps us farther in clensing them ver 9. in quickning the spirit ver 93. giving wisdome v. 98 99 100. converting the soul Ps 19.7 bringing great reward that we obtained by observing them ver 11. and great peace which they have that love them Psal 119.165 These eminent excellencies of the Word set before us in such particulars cannot choose but make these heavenly counsells precious in our eyes as they are to holy David Psal 119.72.127.162 and bring the soule to delight in them exceedingly Such fervent affections This will make us serious in devising how we may put the counsels of God in practise if they once quicken a mans spirit cannot choose but move him to advise seriously with himselfe how he may bring both his heart and practise to conforme to those holy counsells and directions which he finds laid before him in Gods Word wherupon he must necessarily fall to the considering of his disposition condition employments and occasions and to the devising of a way how to frame out of the Word rules to himself for the ordering of them aright according to the mind and will of God with the Prophet David Psal 119.59 bethinking himself what means he may make use of to that purpose taking the Word with him as a light in his hand to guide his steps Psal 119.105 joyning to the company of godly persons v. 63. chasing away the wicked that might withdraw him vers 115. and this he doth with all speed vers 60. with a resolution to hold on in this holy course to the end vers 112. unto which he binds himself by a solemn vow and covenant v. 106. A man having thus resolved upon the practise of such duties as the Word prescribes For which end we are to take hold of the first Opportunities offered must embrace the first opportunity offered unto him to put his resolution in execution Partly because Opportunities are not alwaies presented and besides because the time of this life which is allotted for the practise of the duties required is short and the duties themselves are many wherein the more we abound the more we increase our reward and further our account at the last day 2 Cor. 9.6 And lastly because the inlargement of the heart is requisite to the running of the way of Gods Commandements Psalme 119.32 which therefore it will be needfull for us to make use of when it comes upon us knowing that we cannot command it when we will Now in setting to the Practise of such duties as the Word prescribes although we must have respect to all Gods Commandements after Davids example Psalme 119.6 for that is our Righteousnesse Especially for those duties which are layed before us in Reading the Word Deuteronomy 6.25 yet seeing all duties cannot be performed at once we must take more speciall care for the present not only of those things which our imployments in our particular callings or incident occasions press upon us but of those also which the Word which we have read or heard directs unto conceiving that God thereby more especially commends them unto us for that present We know that we are not onely to do what God hath commanded In all our Practise we must observe not only what is commanded but withall as it is commanded but besides to do it as he hath commanded Deut. 5.25 without turning aside to the right or left hand verse 32. that is to perform the duties which God prescribes in such Manner Forme and Order as he requires them to be done Wherefore he that desires to be accepted in his Obedience ought to set the Word of God before him as David doth his judgments Psalme 18.22 as a man doth the coppy by which he writes This is done by keeping the rules given us in the Word fresh in our memories reviving them by often meditation This use David made of the Word which he caryed alwaies with him as a Lanthorne to direct him in every step Psalme 119.105 having it ever with him verse 98. and having respect to his statutes continually verse 117. Thus it behoves us to make use of the Word after we have read it Examining our waies how neere they come up to the rule or come short of it But withall because we know the rules thereof are not only given for direction but besides for examination of our waies it will be good for us to call our selves daily to account how our practise answers the rules that are from time to time set before us in reading or hearing the Word Both that on the one side we may be incouraged in conforming our practise to the Law and rejoyce in the grace of God working in us with thankfulnesse That wee may be either thankfull or humbled and on the other side when we find that we have swarved from the duty required and the rule set before us we may be humbled and grieved for our failings and driven to seek unto Christ to make up our peace and may pray more earnestly for Gods assistance to look better to our waies for time to come as David doth Psal 119.131 132 133 176. I make no question but that the consideration of these directions given for the profitable reading of Scriptures will work diversly upon divers persons * 1. Obj. Such a strict rule will discourage some 1. As conceiving it impossible to be followed 2. Or requiring more time then can be spared 2. Object And others to mourne when they come short of what is prescribed To the first 1. The difficulty ariseth from their unwilling minds 2. As much time may be spared from their vanities To the second 1. We deal with a gratious Father who accepts a willing mind 2. Only we must endevour to come as neer to the rule as we may Some conceiving the rules impossible to be observed in that exact manner as is prescribed or at least that such a strict observation of them will cause greater expence of time labour then they are willing to spare are deterred from the performance of the duty as the Jewes were from following our Saviour upon the hearing of his Sermon Joh. 6.60 61. Some others men of tender hearts may pondering all these duties in their thoughts be driven to mourn in secret when they find their own performances so unanswerable to the rules formerly delivered and may doubt whether they are accepted or no. To
the principall end of the Sabbath Adam needed that Law for the observation thereof as well as we In the last place it is urg'd that if the Sabbath had been instituted in Paradise Answer to the third then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of it and had certainly observed it Now that the Patriarchs did not observe it it is evident say they because we find no mention upon record of the observation thereof by any of them either before or after the Flood till Exod. 16. immediately before the giving of the Law We answer that if they can make it appeare that none of the Patriarchs did observe the Sabbath we will be willing to grant them that they had no Law that bound them to any such observation But it will be a very hard matter to make that appeare by any convincing argument Yes say they if they had observed it there would have been left some record of it by Moses who wrote their lives as say they he hath left us instances of their observing of the other Nine Commandements but for their observation of the Sabbath day he makes not so much as the least mention at all To this we answer divers things First 1. It followes not we have no recording of the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath therefore they observed it not we except against this form of arguing from Negative authority which according to the sentence of Logicians proves nothing at all and hereof though we might give other instances we will content our selves with one only concerning the point which we have in hand In all the Books of Ioshua Iudges Ruth For 550 years after Moses we have no record of keeping the Sabbath the two books of Samuel and the first booke of Kings containing the history of the Church for 550. yeares and written much more largely then the books of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus we finde not upon record so much as the very name of the Sabbath shall we therefore conclude from thence that the holy men of those times especially Ioshua Samuel and David kept not the Sabbath when we know they had a Law that bound them thereunto and yet we have instances enough out of the same books of their keeping of the other nine Commandements It will not be sufficient to except against the instance produced by us that we know these holy men kept the Sabbath though there be no record of their keeping of it because we are sure that they had a Law that bound them to keep it but the Patriarchs had no such law this I say is no just exceptiō against our instance for it is to beg the point in question All that they can gaine by this Allegation is that it is not so certaine that the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath because it is not so certaine that they had a Law that bound them to observe it Now this is a wild form of arguing It is not certaine though we prove it is or at least not so certaine that the Patriarchs had a Law that bound them to keep the Sabbath therefore it is certaine that they kept it not As for that colour that they make use of for the strengthning of their exception against our instance that Moses records the Patriarchs keeping of the other nine Commandements It were enough that we have said already that we have the like evidences in the books of Ioshua Objection Iudges c. of those holy mens keeping of the other nine Commandements We have records of the Patriarchs keeping the other nine Commandements But to give a fuller answer I conceive they will not say that in the book of Genesis there be instances of the Patriarchs observing of every duty required and prescribed in those Nine Commandements Answer but will name us some duties only which they performed in obedience to every one of them Not of all the duties of all those nine 4. And we have records of the Patriarchs publike worship And we say that we finde instances of the Patriarchs observing of the Fourth Commandement for we read that they worshipped God publikely Gen. 4.26 chap. 12.8 which that phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord implies as I conceive they themselves will not deny And I am sure they acknowledge that publike worship is a duty of the Sabbath But hereunto they will reply that the performing of this publike worship proves not the observation of the Sabbath or seventh day for that worship To which we answer that using of publike worship necessarily supposeth a time a fit time and a time of Rest for that worship for so much themselves acknowledg to be of the Law of Nature And it is probable on the seventh day Adde hereunto what is recorded of the sending out of Noahs dove just at the distance of seven daies Gen. 8.10 12. Surely this could not be done casually that they should accidentally light just upon the distance of seven daies so many times together If then it were done purposely why was that number chosen above all others was there any mysterious holinesse in that number If conjectures might take place we might with great probability conceive that Noah and his children had upon those daies dedicated to his worship been suing for peace and sent out to see whether there might be any tydings of a comfortable answer to their prayers These I confesse are no infallibly-concluding arguments to prove the Patriarchs observation of the Sabbath or seventh day but seeing it is possible nay more very probable that Moses in this relation points at some such thing it is enough to overthrow the opposites conclusion which must be this That it is certaine that Moses makes no mention of the Patriarchs observation of the seventh or Sabbath day Secondly we answer that the place Exod. 16.23 2. It appeares Exod. 16.23 that the Sabbath was known before the Law was given proves evidently that the observation of the Sabbath was a thing sufficiently known to the children of Israel before the Law was delivered unto them upon Mount Sinai For when the Elders of Jsrael wondering that the people had gathered twise so much Manna on the sixth day as they had done each of the five daies going before come to Moses to enquire of him what the reason of that strange event might be ver 22. he answers them presently To morrow is the holy Sabbath of the Lord c. which is all one as if he had said as he doth afterwards in expresse termes ver 29. that the Lord gave them on the sixth day a sufficient portion of bread for two daies that no man might breake the rest of the Sabbath by going out to gather food upon that day In that place you see Moses speaks of the Sabbath as of a thing which the children of Israel well knew beforehand or else he had spoken Parables to them in naming a day and referring the into an Ordinance of which
methodically in the interpretation of the Commandement we must first enquire what the scope is at which it aimes The appointing of a day of rest cannot be the scope of the fourth Commandement For all Laws being rules directed to some end proposed cannot so well be interpreted any way as by the end unto which they are directed Now the appointing of a day of rest cannot possibly be the last scope of this Commandement seeing we know rest from labour is enjoyned to give us freedome for holy duties and the exercising of our selves therein But of rest for holy duties which consequently must be the principall thing intended in the fourth Commandement But then it will be questioned to what kind of holy duties this day is consecrated For there are many that imagine that God hath set it apart only for duties of publike worship Publick and private But this opinion seemes not to agree with the letter of the Law which in expresse tearms gives the whole day unto the Lord for his own immediate service in religious worship Now we know publike worship takes not up the whole day It must needs be granted therefore the Lord appointed that day of holy rest for the performance of something more unto God then publike worship and so much is expresly affirmed Isa 58.13 where we are forbidden to find our own pleasure or speak our own words upon that day which as all men must acknowledge must needs extend to the ordering of our carriage in private as well as in publike so that the setting apart of a whole day of rest unto God for his publike and private worship seemes to be the full scope of this fourth Commandement Next to the scope of this Law 3 Parts of the fourth Commandement the 1. Summe 2. Explication 3. Reason we are to consider advisedly the frame and composure of it and therein we are first to take notice of the principall parts of the Law which we shall find to be three First we have laid down unto us the summe of the Law Exod. 20.8 Secondly we have the explication of that sum ver 9. Thirdly we have the reason of all v. 11. Each of these two first parts containe three heads of duties pointed out in the summe and opened and unfolded in the explication and confirmed in the reason of the Law The first duty is Preparation intimated in the word Remember The second the Sequestration from ordinary employments implied in the word Sabbath The third is Sanctification of that rest expressed in the phrase to keepe it holy All these are explained in their order Our Preparation must be by the dispatch of all our Secular affaires in six daies Our rest must be a cessation by all persons from our usuall labours and imployments in secular affaires The Sanctification of our rest must be by employing our selves in holy duties The confirmation of all follows in the reason of the Law of Preparation and rest from Gods own Act of Creating the world in sixe daies and ceasing from his work on the seventh and the Sanctifying of that rest from Gods Commandement and ordaining the seventh day to be a day of rest unto us for ever Now wherein the strength of that Confirmation lies will be the maine point in question of which hereafter To come now to the Explication of the words and phrases in this Commandement The first word in the summe of this Law Remember is diversly interpreted some conceive that it implies the importance of the duty commanded as that word is used many times to intimate some matter of speciall observation as Deut. 9.7 Others there are that think it points at the Antiquity of that Law given many ages before and therefore to be called afresh to minde as the Psalmist saith he will remember the works of the Lord his wonders of old Psal 177.11 and 143.5 and withall some conceive that he taxeth the peoples forgetfulnesse of that Law and neglect of the observation of it in the time of their bondage in Aegypt Some or all of these senses may be implied in this word Remember but beyond all these we may probably conceive that it may import Remember implies Think upon and by dispatching of thy busines provide for the Sabbath Think upon and accordingly before-hand provide for the observation of this holy rest by dispatching of all the works of thy calling that nothing may be undone which providence and diligence might prevent that might hinder thy rest on the seventh day As for those which conceive that in this Law labour upon the sixe daies is commanded as well as rest upon the seventh they are much mistaken The precept for labour is delivered in the eight Commandement as the Apostle interprets that Law Eph. 4.28 In this place is commanded the dispatch of our secular affaires before the Sabbath whether it be done in six daies or fewer it is not materiall as to this Law The next tearme to be explained Sabbath is a day of rest which only and not seventh is expressed in sum and conclusion of the Commandement is the name of the Sabbath or day of rest and easing from labour as that word properly signifies which is repeated againe in the conclusion of the Commandement And it is not to be passed by without observation that whereas the old Sabbath from the beginning till Christ came was the seventh day or last of the weeke and both in the explanation and reason of the Commandement is appointed to be one of the seven yet God mentions not the name of seven either in the Summe or in the Conclusion of the Commandement We have therefore reason to conceive that seeing God in this Law was to prescribe something of the Law of Nature The day of rest being of the law of nature the set day of positive institution which is the appointing of a day of holy Rest to be consecrated unto God for his worship which the very light of nature teacheth and in the explanation and reason of the Law to adde something which is of positive Institution namely the proportion of the time and the set day wherein this rest was to be observed he first settles that which is of the Law of nature and afterwards establisheth that which is Positive God purposely makes choise of such fit expressions especially in his Law in which he is most exact as may best acquaint us with his minde Wherefore seeing this is a fit Method to be observed by him and seeing the composure of this Law agrees with it we have reason to conclude that the Lord himselfe intended it in this place The last phrase in the sum of this Commandement remains which is To keep it holy To keep holy is to employ the day in holy duties of Gods immediate worship Now to keep a day holy is to employ it in holy actions directed to the immediate service and worship of God in the use of such
of holy rest consecrated to the Lord thy God Now things are said to be Gods for the peculiar interest that he hath in them whether by Creation as Psal 100.3 He made us and therefore wee are his people By redemption or purchase so the children of Israel God challengeth to be his own because he had bought them Isa 43.1 By deputation or designation as Christ is called Gods king Psal 2.6 and David a Type of Christ Psal 89.19 20. Or by advancing or honouring so a day may be called Gods because he hath advanced or honoured it above other daies Psal 118.24 Or lastly by consecration and dedication to God so the Priests are the Lords Levit. 20.26 the tythes vessels c. the Lords for his service Now in both these latter respects the day of holy rest is the Lords day as he calls it his Sabbath Exod. 31.13 Both because his works have advanced that above any other day and besides because upon that ground it is consecrated to him and set apart for his service To restrain men from violating of the holy rest of the Sabbath it is sufficient that it is the Lords but to make a deeper impression of it upon mens hearts he thought fit to adde The Lord thy God a dreadfull name to his people Deut. 28.58 This foundation being laid that the Sabbath is the Lords No manner of works that is of thy calling not excluding he hath a sufficient ground to take upon him to dispose of it and therefore in the next ensuing clause strictly enjoyns In it thou shalt do no manner of worke he means none of the works mentioned before properly called our own works 1. Works about Gods service or works of our particular callings As for works about Gods service such as were those about the service of the Tabernacle justified by our Saviour Mat. 12.5 Works of necessity for the creatures preservation which also Christ allows Mat. 12.11 2. Works of necessity from which also God himself ceaseth not Joh. 5.17 Works of mercy 3. Works of mercy though not of absolute necessity such as was the restoring of the mans withered hand Matth. 12.12 13. yea though it be to our selves vers 7. they are not to be accounted among the works forbidden upon this day If there were any stricter rest then this enjoyned the Jews which perhaps will not so easily be proved it is not required by any restraint in this Commandement and therefore not exacted upon us Christians As for the forbidding of the kindling of a fire and dressing of meat Exod. 16.5.13 35.3 they were inhibitions which determined as it is most probable with the Israelites peregrination in the wildernesse and laid upon them by other laws so that hitherto we meet with nothing ceremoniall in this fourth law The last main branch of this law is the reason or confirmation of it No reason annexed to any law but only to this fourth Commandement But before we undertake the opening of the phrases and tearms in which it is penned we cannot but take notice of one thing by the way that we find no reason annexed to any other Commandement of the Decalogue but to this alone We find indeed some Sanctions annexed to the second third and fift Commandements but none save this fourth is confirmed by a reason The cause hereof can be no other but this because whereas the duties commanded in other laws are either laws of nature or at least approvable by naturall reason as soon as they are delivered Because the grounds of other laws are evident in themselves but the ground of this law could not be known unless it had been revealed because the grounds upon which those lawes are founded are evident in themselves the grounds of this fourth Commandement could not have been known unlesse they had been revealed by God himself Indeed that God must be publikely worshipped That a set time must be appointed and that it must be a time of rest from private employments are dictates of naturall reason But why we must observe a weekly Sabbath and not a monthly and why the seventh or first day of the week rather then the third or fourth no man could have found out the reason unlesse God had revealed unto us the Creation of the world in six daies and his resting upon the seventh by the consideration whereof the equity of this law clearly and manifestly appears and upon the manifestation thereof is as easily approved and assented unto even by the light of naturall reason So then the reason alledged in this Commandement shews us not why God ordained a Sabbath which the very light of nature taught even the very heathen as we know but why he commands a weekly Sabbath and why upon such a day of the week rather then upon any other That therefore which we are to search after in the examining of this reason is how the equity of these two particulars is discovered therein that we may acknowledge this Commandement also to be just and good as S. Paul speaks of all the rest Rom. 7.12 yea equall and right concerning all things as the Prophet David speaks Psal 119.128 and thereupon submit unto it not by constraint but by a willing mind 1 Pet. 5.2 Now concerning the former of those two particulars why God allots out such a proportion of time as one day weekly for his Sabbath we have already in a great part discovered the equity thereof in the explication of this law wherein it appears that so much time may be spared without prejudice to our particular callings which if it should be denied God makes farther manifest by this reason annexed which we have before us To make it appear that six daies in the week are sufficient for the dispatch of our secular affairs one ground must be supposed Why we may spare one day of seven for this holy rest which is unquestionable that mens labours about the things of this world are onely for the conservation of the creatures and fitting of them for mans use That ground being laid this reason for the strengthning of our faith laies before us the example of God himself who created the world and all things therein in six daies from whence we may strongly reason that he that without the help of mans labour created the world in six daies can easily by mans labour of six daies support and conserve the world If it be questioned whether he will do it reason will easily conclude that the same goodnesse that moved God to give a being to things that were not will much more move him to conserve and provide for the things that are being all the work of his own hand seeing we know him to be a faithfull Creator as the Apostle calls him 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore we find that the godly for the strengthning of their faith and dependence on God upon any incident occasion usually have recourse to the creation of the world
as the means to assure themselves of his protection or supply in any thing that they need as Psal 119.73 Jer. 14.22 unto which God himself directs us Isa 45.11 12. Our help stands in the name of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth Psal 121.2 The Lord having made it appear that the consecrating of a day weekly unto God for his worship will be no prejudice to our secular affairs Why we must observe such a particular day gives us next a reason why he makes choice of the seventh day rather then any other to be this day of holy rest even because himself rested from all his works of creation upon that day Now that this rest of God is the ground of appointing this to be the day of rest all men acknowledge but how the reason must be drawn out from this ground and wherein the force of it consists is all the question For whereas in Gods rest there is a double consideration the one of the act it self simply the very resting of God from his work the second of the consequent of it If we draw the reason from Gods act of resting it must be the seventh day If from the honouring of that day thereby it enforceth the observation of the first day as well as of the seventh the advancing and honouring of that day above other daies thereby If we draw the reason of the instituting of this day from Gods simple act it necessarily inforceth the observation of that very seventh day from the creation after Gods example But if we draw it from the consequent of his rest the advancing and honouring of that day thereby it binds us as well to the observation of the first day of the week now as it did the Jews to the observation of the seventh day heretofore Those that oppose the morality of the Sabbath labour to draw the reason which is laid down in this fourth Commandement for the observing of this day of rest Wee cannot make Gods act of resting the ground of instituting the Sabbath from Gods bare act of resting himself upon that day which if they do they must form their argument in this manner That day in which God himself rested from his works he appointed to be a day of mens resting from their works but that was the seventh or last day of the week therefore God ordained that to be the day on which men should rest from their works Now against the argument framed in this manner there lie two main exceptions 1. Gods example is not the ground of any Commandement the first of them is the example of God neither is nor can be any warrant to us to do the like neither do we ever find it proposed unto us as a rule which we must follow This is true that Gods or Christs examples are are set before us sometimes as incitements to stir us up to the performance of such duties as are required of us by the law as Luke 6.36 Be mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull and Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ but we never find any act of Gods or of Christs proposed unto us as a rule to teach us what we should do Gods actions declare that it is his will that it should be done but when he directs us what he will have us to do he sends us unto the law and to the testimony Isa 8.20 Neither do we ever find that the meer act of God was ever the ground of any law Although as in this particular case and in the institution of some other feasts some consequent or something that accompanies that act may be an occasion of an institution Perhaps to this some may reply Objection 23 that in this fourth Commandement we have first a law given in these words We have the precept first and then Gods example to encourage us to observe it The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and then we have Gods example to stir us up to the practice of that duty required in that law To this we answer that we have a law indeed that commands the observation of an holy day of rest unto God Answer We have no precept for the particular day of rest before the reason and a second branch of that law which appoints the proportion of the time of that rest that it shall be one day in the week but concerning the third branch without which the law it self is not perfect that is which day of the week shall be the day of that rest is not expressed as we have partly already shewed in opening the explication of this Commandement but only in the reason annexed unto this law Unlesse therefore it can be proved that the tearm seventh mentioned in the explication of this Commandement signifies the last day of seven we have no law precedent to Gods example here mentioned that commands the observation of the last day of the week for the day of rest As hath been shewed already that seventh in the explication of the Commandement notes not the particular day Now the weaknesse of the reasons alleaged to prove that this tearm seventh used in the explication of this law signifies the last day of the week we have shewed already And by one reason have made it more then probable that this tearm seventh in that place signifies only indefinitely one of seven and not particularly such a certain day of the seven The second reason which farther manifests that truth and makes it evident And is further proved because God mentions it not at all in the conclusion of the Commandement we have deferred untill now and it is this If God had intended to command that the last day of the week should be observed for the Sabbath he must and would have mentioned it in the conclusion of that reason by which he shews us the equity of the observation of that day rather then any other Now he is so far from doing that that he forbears the mentioning of that name of seventh in the conclusion at all That this which we alleage may have the greater sway with us take speciall notice that the conclusion of this Commandement hath the very same words which we find in the first giving of this law Gen. 2.3 whether the words themselves were taken out of that history I will not peremptorily define though it seems most probable Whereas he precisely names it in the Law given to Adam Gen. 2. This is cleer the words in both places are the same in every title else save only that in stead of the tearm seventh in Genesis God useth the name Sabbath in this Law This questionlesse he doth not without reason for God neither forgets nor mistakes nor speaks unadvisedly as men do too often now what may be the reason why God makes choice of this word Sabbath in the conclusion of this Commandement This is evident that by
4. Recordation and application afterward hearing of the word without recordation meditation and particular application after we have heard profits not much more then our meats do without digestion Adde unto all these 5. Instructions to the family 6. Works of mercy instructions to the family Works of mercy in visiting of the sick comforting the afflicted relieving the poor c. and we shall find little spare-time left on the Lords day for other then religious and holy employments As for the objection that the Jews are precisely restrained from going out of their places to gather Manna on the Sabbath day or kindle a fire throughout their habitations on that day Exod. 35.3 For the restraint from going out to gather Manna we know that must needs be taken away when Manna ceased and bound the Jews no longer who had liberty otherwise not only to go out of their places but to go small journies on the Sabbath daies as appears Acts 1.12 As for the inhibition to kindle a fire on the Sabbath day some conceive it respected only the building of the Tabernacle which work though God would have hastned yet he would not have the rest of the Sabbath violated for the furthering thereof nor so much as a fire kindled in any of their tents about that work to which they alleage that charge of building the Tabernacle and of forbidding work on the Sabbath day go both together both Gods direction to Moses Exod. 13.11 13. and in the delivery thereof to the people Exod. 35.2 3 4. Howsoever that inhibition of kindling fire was but temporary during the Israelites peregrination in the wildernesse The reasons by which it appears that this restraint of kindling a fire on the Sabbath day was only temporary Restraint from kindling a fire on the Sabbath was but temporary 1. It hath not the form of a continuing ordinance 2. It crosseth our Saviours rule The Sabbath was made for man 3. The loosing of a beast on the Sabbath allowed 4. Christ was at a great feast on the Sabbath which could not be without a fire are these First we find not the usuall clause which is added in most ordinances which were to continue added in this restraint that it should be observed throughout their generations Secondly this seems to crosse our Saviours generall rule Mark 2.27 That the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath he means for mans comfort and refreshing for which kindling of fire and dressing of meat may be and are in a sort necessary Thirdly our Saviour allows the loosing of a beast from the stall and leading of him to the water on the Sabbath day now we know the beast might be provided for by setting water in the stall over-night which would refresh it sufficiently and better then meat dressed overnight could comfort many men Fourthly we find our Saviour present at a great feast Luk. 14.1 where many and it seems persons of quality vers 7.12 were bidden now it is very unlikely that the provisions for that feast were dressed over night and if it were dressed on that day neither would the Pharisee have permitted nor our Saviour have countenanced the dinner with his presence if dressing of meat kindling of fires on the Sabbath day had been forbidden by the law Now why the dressing of Manna while the Israelites were in their peregrination in the wildernesse was forbidden though the dressing of other meats might be allowed afterwards there may be some reason given For Manna it may be might be as good and comfortable eaten cold as hot and the preparing overnight might be no inconvenience at all howsoever it is out of question that in that unsetled condition of the Israelites wandring in the wildernesse when they were enforced to pick up fewell where they could get it baking and boyling must needs be more troublesome and laborious then it was afterwards in Canaan where being setled in their dwellings they had all things whereof they were to make use for such works provided and ready at hand But to conclude suppose the strictnesse of the rest unto which the Iews were bound Howsoever such strictnesse of rest was not required of them by the fourth Commandement to have been as great as they imagine it must needs be granted that there is no clause in the fourth Commandement that enjoyns it which requires no more then a rest from our ordinary secular employments that we may be at leisure to attend wholly upon the duties of religious worship that we consecrate the whole day unto God as the words of that law do cleerly expresse it So the rest of the laws that enjoyn such strictnesse of rest being taken away the fourth Commandement may remain fully in force in every clause of it And as it hath been already intimated it concerns us to take speciall notice of Gods expression Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work by which he can mean nothing else but the works of our particular callings which only may be properly called our works for there be generall works which be proper to all callings and subordinate thereunto as to eat and drink and to cloath our selves and to make use of the rest of the comforts of this life by which we are strengthned and enabled to labour in our particular callings These cannot properly be called our works and are as well to be done on the Sabbath as on other days with this difference only that whereas they are done on other days to enable us to labour they are to be done on the Sabbath to strengthen us to holy duties These reasons which we have laid down before amount to little lesse then a Demonstration that the rest of the Sabbath must be the rest of a whole day or the seventh part of the week which we Christians have both as much cause and as much need to consecrate unto God as ever the Iews had in times past And that we may do it with as little detriment to our selves in our secular affairs and with as much assurance to have our labours of six days so blessed that they shall be sufficient for the dispatch of our needfull employments is evident by the reason which is annexed to that Commandement which proves it by the creation of the world by God in six days a ground of faith which concerns us as well as the Iews Wherefore seeing we have as great reason as great helps and as great encouragements by the assurance of Gods blessing upon our six days labour to sanctifie an entire day of holy rest unto God as the Iews had And seeing the expresse words of the law appoint the whole day to be consecrated unto God why should not we take our selves to be as strongly bound as the Iews were to the keeping of the holy rest of this whole day which we call the Sabbath seeing there appears no sufficient reason why we should judge any jot or title of this law
as the originall corruption and Propension of the heart thereunto with all the evill thoughts and motions of the minde that flow from thence are forbidden Thus our Saviour interprets murther to reach not only to the outward violence done to the person of our neighbour but to the hating of them inwardly in the heart yea even to rash and unadvised anger towards him And he extends adultery as far as the lusting after a woman in ones heart Mat. 5.22 28. In the Third place take speciall notice of the names which God gives unto every sinne forbidden in the Law 3. We must judge of sins as God in his Law judgeth of them anger is murther lust adultery c. by which we may easily judge both how God himselfe values it and how he would have us to value it As in the sixth Commandement where he forbids anger and malice he calls them murther In the seventh where he forbids lust and wantonnesse he calls them adultery In the eight where he forbids idlenesse fraud mercilesnesse to the poore he names them all theft Now God we know is the only impartiall Judge of all things and we are sure he speakes of things as he iudgeth of them and consequently seeing he calls the thoughts and motions to sinne by the names of the acts of it we learne so to judge of our sins not as the world judgeth of them but as they are weighed out unto us by the balance of the Sanctuary not small and scarce worthy the observation but foule and abominable Thus whereas men think vaine thoughts scarce worthy the least censure David hates them Psal 119.113 and whereas we take no notice of idle words our Saviour tells us we shall answer to God for them Mat. 12.36 This valuing and esteeming of sinne according to the foulnesse of it as it is just in it selfe so is it of singular use unto us as well to make sinne so hatefull unto us Which will move us 1. To tremble at motions to sinne that we may flie from it as from a Serpent trembling at every motion or allurement thereunto as also to bring us to an abhorring and loathing of our selves Ezek. 36.31 2. Loath our selves 3. To esteem and embrace Christ and lastly to raise up our hearts to an high esteem of Jesus Christ hungring and thirsting after him and admiring and adoring the riches of Gods mercy in giving him out of his free love to be a meanes of purchasing our peace and taking away from us the guilt of so many foule and abominable transgressions A Fourth direction for the making a right use of the Morall Law Rule 4 is to consider the force and weight of every Commandement thereof 1. In respect of the authority all Commandements are equall wherein we are to take speciall notice of three things First that in respect of the authority that commands all the Laws are equall as S. James tels us 2. In respect of the object the Commandements of the first Table are groatest James 2.11 upon which ground he infers in the same place that whosoever offends by transgressing of any one of these Laws is guilty of the breach of all the rest because he offends against that authority by which all those Laws are established In the second place in respect of the objects of the duties commanded in that Law the Commandements of the first Table are of grcatest importance according to our Saviours owne determination Mat. 22.38 because the services therein required are more immediately directed unto God and consequently his honour is more immediately concerned in them then in the duties of the second Table in the observing whereof although we honour and serve God yet our services therein are immediately directed to men Consequently infidelity love feare and dependence on the creature we are to abhorre as the sins of the highest nature by which above all others God is most dishonored although the world judge of them farre otherwise Lastly 3. The negative binds more strongly then the affirmative the negative Commandements bind us more strongly then the affirmative in this respect because the negative oblige us alwaies and to all times as a man is not to commit Idolatry to blaspheme Gods name c. at any time whereas the affirmative Commandements although they bind us alwaies yet they bind us not to all times as though one is still bound to pray heare c. yet he is not found to perform them at all times Fifthly Rule 5 although we find not the promises of rewards and mercy The promises and curses belong to every Law although they be not expressed and threatnings of wrath and vengeance expressed in every Commandement and annexed thereunto yet that which we find expresly set down in some of the Laws we must understand and conceive to belong to the rest of the Laws in which there is no such thing expressed even a curse denounced against every one that confirmes not all the words of the Law that is every Commandement and every duty required in any one of them to doe them And a blessing promised to the keeping and yeelding obedience to the whole Law Both which we must not limit as some doe to outward and temporary blessings And are not only temporary but spirituall and eternal and curses but must extend beyond them to those which are spirituall and eternall even the powring out of the full measure of the wrath of God upon the body and soule of every person who is a transgressour of the Law and that to all eternity and the rewarding of every man that yeelds sincere and constant obedience in every thing which the Law requires with all manner of blessings upon soule and body for evermore Sixthly Rule 6 all those premises of blessings and threats of curses Yet they must not be the ground of obedience be annexed to the whole Law yet our ground of yeelding obedience to that Law must not be so much either the hope of the one or feare of the other although by reason of the infirmity of the flesh both for the awing and quickening of our hearts we may make profitable use of both But subjection to the authority that commands with the Prophet David Psal 119.120 166. as the submitting of our selves to the righteous and holy will of God whose we are wholly and therefore owe unto him all that we can doe with our best abilities whence the Psalmist presents his earnest request unto God to teach him to doe his will Psal 143.10 that is both what God wills and because he wills it And the way to interest our selves in Gods Promises is as the Apostle tells us Heb. 10.36 The doing of his will Indeed as the Lord is our God by the strongest and justest of all titles both because we are his creatures and beyond that his redeemed ones so the manifesting of his will unto us either in his Law what he would have
us to doe or in his dispensations towards us what he would have us to be ought to be the ground of our submission both to doe what he commands and to be what he ordaines concerning us in the course of his Providence Upon this ground it is that as well those glorious works For want whereof all works though never so specious are abominable done according to the rules of morall honesty by the heathen who neither knew God nor his Law As also the like actions done upon the same grounds by many amongst us that carry the name of Christians cannot possibly be accepted by God because though those things done be the same that he commands in his Law yet the will and command of God is not the ground upon which they are done but rather a respect to civill honesty and often a desire to honour our selves by conforming thereunto so that to speak truth we doe therein not so much the will of God as our own will Seventhly the method and order in which God delivers his Law unto us must not be neglected For instance in the preface of the Law Rule 7 Take notice of the method of the Law God before he gives any one Commandement laies before us the interest that he hath in us that he hath purchased us to himselfe and therefore we are his and consequently to be ordered and disposed by him according to his own will This method teaches us a leston without which no service of ours is accepted that all our services must be tendred unto God as duties as we are taught to doe by our Saviour himselfe Luk. 17.10 which as it reserves unto God the honour of his free grace when he rewards our services for which he owes us nothing seeing they are all but debts and duties so withall it takes away all our boasting even in our best services Againe when God begins his Law with that Commandement to have the Lord for our God it teacheth us to lay that for the foundation of all duties of obedience that we have avouched the Lord to be our God This method Joshua observes in renewing the Covenant betwixt God and his people immediately before his death Iosh 24.15 putting them first to choose what God they will serve which when they had done then he presseth them with the duties of his service verse 22.23 And indeed this is the most effectuall of all motives both to draw us on to all duties of obedience and to hold us fast to continue therein that they are services to that God whom we have chosen and set up to our selves for our God Neither can there be an higher aggravation of any sinne against God and his Law then this that we have thereby in a sort cast off Gods yoke and denied the Lord to be our God This foundation being once laid that we have advanced and set up the Lord to be our God the Lords next care was in the second Commandement to prescribe the meanes by which we may hold communion and fellowship with him which he appoints to be only in such ordinances as himselfe hath established and no other way expecting blessings from him and rendring our services to him in them alone In the third Commandement God requires us to make publike profession of this Covenant that we have made with God but still in sincerity and uprightnesse of heart alwaies mentioning his name whether by way of attestation in an oath or upon any other occasion with such reverence and feare as becomes the Majesty of so great and holy a God The fourth Commandement appoints the time not only of meeting together in publike for Gods worship but besides that of sequestring our selves from al worldly employments that we may enjoy an holy communion with God in those things that are spirituall and heavenly The same method that the Lord useth in setting down the Commandements of the first Table he observeth in ranking the Laws of the second First he establisheth authority which is the bond and foundation of civill society in the fifth Commandement Secondly he provides for the safety of mens persons forbidding murther or any wrong or hurt tending thereunto in the sixth Thirdly in the seventh Commandement under the name of adultery besides the prohibiting of all uncleannesse in the propagation of posterity the Lord forbids the inordinate use of any creature as meats and drinks c. Fourthly the eight Commandement provides for the support of community by honest labour and discreet and charitable distribution after the necessities of our selves and ours are supplied of the profits of our labours for the reliefe of our neighbours wants Fifthly in the ninth Cōmandement God establisheth truth among men without which commerce in civill society cannot stand Lastly in the tenth he settles propriety in such things as God by his dispensation hath shared and allotted out unto every man apart so that no man may so much as in his thoughts reach out after any thing that an other man possesseth by a just title but may content himselfe with his own portion Eightly whereas the Laws of men bind us only by the power of the authority that commands or though to that indeed for conscience sake of that Law of God Rule 8 by which authority is established the Laws of God bind the conscience immediately by themselves The Laws of God and they only bind the conscience and not only by the power of the commander So that those Laws which are given by God being once made known unto us we are bound to acknowledge them to be just holy as the Psalmist doth Ps 119.39.128 140. as manifesting the will of God which is the rule of righteousness and holines upon that ground to embrace them and submit unto thē to esteem our selves unrighteous and wicked if we swerve from them But as for the laws of men though we are bound to submit unto them because they have upon them the stampe of that authority which God hath established and set over us yet neither are we bound to judge the Laws themselves to be righteous and holy nor consequently to esteeme our selves unholy and wicked if we yeeld not obedience unto them unlesse withall we despise that authority that commāds them or be an occasion of disturbing the publike peace for the conservation whereof the authority and power of the Magistrate was ordained Lastly the obedience which the Lord requires of us unto this Law of his which we call Morall Rule 9 Our subjection to the law must be 1. Voluntary 2. Upon knowledge must necessarily have these foure conditions In the first place our subjection therunto must be every way free and voluntary such as the Prophet David professes his was Psal 119.30 173. In the second place that it may be so this free choice of ours must bee firmely grounded upon the cleare and distinct knowledge of the justice and equity Psal 119.128 of the purity and holinesse Psal
establish in his kingdome both the Psalmist and the rest of the Prophets describe and set out unto us at large These which we have mentioned are some of the speciall things How to affect our hearts in the reading of these Prophesies whereof we are to take notice in reading the writings of the Prophets wherewith if we mean throughly to affect our hearts we must not only be perswaded that these things which were written beforehand were written for our learning as Saint Paul speaks Rom. 15.4 but must besides set them before our eyes as precedents and examples as he represents and applies them 1 Cor. 10.6 So that in reading of these Prophesies delivered to the Iews we must represent them to our selves not so much as the people of such a Nation but under the notion of the Church of God which now claime to be as they were at that time So that not only any people that is owned and esteemed to be a Church of God but besides any particular person that is a member of that Church ought so to heare and read the words of these Prophesies as to apply them to themselves in particular to take themselves taxed in their reproofes threatned in the judgements denounced against them and comforted in their promises seeing we know that all these are directed to and executed upon the Iews as not being such a Nation but as being the people and the Church of God So that in them as in a patterne there is laid before us the course and rule of Gods administration towards his Church in what Nation of the world soever it be planted Having now in briefe considered what use may be made of the reading of prophesies How to make use of examples recorded in Scripture we have now left us in the last place to be considered only the examples of the actions of men what use we may make of them for our own instructions and how farre we may follow them by way of imitation in the course of our practice Now it must be remembred that we have already taken notice of the actions of men in relation to the Providence of God dispensing either in mercy or judgement to every one according to his deeds We are now to consider the actions of those which are godly how far they may be of use to us for instruction First Examples are not the rule of our practice but the Law we must lay down this an evident truth that we have no rule but the Law onely that can warrant us in any thing that we doe That is our righteousnesse if we observe to doe all the Commandements of the Lord our God as he hath commanded us Deut. 6.25 The things that are revealed belong to us and to our children that we may doe them Deut. 29.29 As for the Apostles exhortations to us to be followers of him 1 Cor. 4.16 Phil. 3.17 they must be understood with the limitation expressed 1 Cor. 11.1 Be followers of me as I also am of Christ Now these examples which we are to take notice of are either the examples of Christ or of holy and godly men Concerning the examples of Christ In the examples of our Saviour that we may know what to imitate in them we must confider in him his Deity his Offices and his humane nature in which he was made under the Law Gal. 4.4 What he did by the power of his Deity we cannot imitate In respect of his Deity he did many things unimitable by us â—s all his Miracles which were wrought by his Divine power of which men are unfurnished and and some other acts of his which he did by his Soveraigne powre And what he did by his Soveraigne power we may not as Lord of all As when he sent his Disciples to fetch away another mans Asse Mat. 21.2 this was just in him which was Lord of all things to command that which was his own but leaves no warrant for us to imitate it being forbidden in the Law to meddle with that which is another mans As for those things which were acted by our Saviour What he did by vertue of his Offices they may imitate that are called to those offices by vertue of his Offices some of them may by fitly proposed for imitation to as many as are called unto the same offices so farre as those offices are communicated to men For it is true that unto the offices of a Priest and Prophet God hath left a succession of men in his Church but not to doe and execute all that Christ himselfe did and might doe by vertue of those offices Unlesse in the office of his Priesthood when he offered himselfe a sacrifice for sinne especially in that office of Priesthood wherein he offered up himselfe unto his Father a Sacrifice for the sinnes of his people which none could do but himselfe alone As for the offering up of Prayers unto God the teaching and instructing of the people in all the Counsells of God reproving of mans wicked lives clearing the truth of God from the corrupt glosses of false teachers they are duties wherein all that are called by God unto those publike offices of instructing the Church not only may and ought to imitate Christ but are bound withall to striv as much as they may to come up to those holy examples that he hath left unto them But wheresoever amongst our Savious actions we find recorded unto us The examples of his obedience to the law we must make use of any example of his obedience unto the Law there we have not onely sufficient warrant to imitate him therein as going before us in the way of Gods Commandements but besides may draw from such actions of his a strong motive to double our endeavours To stir up our selves to the like obedience having him for our pattern to tread in the steps wherein he walks before us and to submit with all readinesse to those duties which we find practised by the Sonne of God himselfe in obedience to his owne Law which seeing he gave unto his Church he might by all right have dispensed with at his pleasure which himselfe allead geth Luk. 6.5 in defence of his Disciples challenged by the Pharisees for breaking the Sabbath that if it had been a breach of the Sabbath he being Lord of the Sabbath had power to dispence with it In the next place for the examples of godly men Mens examples must be followed no farther then they are warranted by the Law we have no warrant to follow them farther then they are warranted by the Law which as we have shewed already is the only rule which we must follow And even in such actions of theirs we have many cautions which we must take with us for direction that we may not misapply their examples as we shall see by and by First therefore we must consider that some things which the Scriptures approve in them And