all the Ten to signifie that Faith and a New Heart are necessary Antedecents for both Negative and Positive obedience to follow for a man must Be good before he can Do good Eight Note 8. Negatives include Positives Every Negative command includes a Positive command i e when God forbiddeth evil Expressely he biddeth good Implicitly e g Thou shalt have no other gods before me †Exo. 20.3 there is the evil of idolatry forbid Expressely thou shalt have Me for thy God there is the good of choosing God commanded Implicitly Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain * Ver. 7. this is the evil forbid thou shalt talk Vertuously and Graciously of thy God this is the good commanded Thou shalt not Kill commit Adultery Steal c †Ver. 13 14 15. these are evils expressely Forbid thou shalt Prevent murder adultery theft in Others by good counsel if thou canst this is good implicitly Commanded Positives include Negatives And Positive commands include Negative commands e g Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy * Ver. 8. there is good expressely Commanded remember it not to Prophane it with thy Own works words thoughts there is evil implicitly Forbid Honour thy father and thy mother †Ver. 12. is good Commanded dishonour them not is the evil Forbid Ninth Note 9. A negative includes negatives A Negative command includes Many negative commands The sin forbid is forbid in Act Word and Thought and the Occasion of it and whatsoever hath a Tendency to it And these Inclusive commands are Expressed as they are Branched out in the Bible e g Thou shalt have no other gods before me q d No National god imaginable no Personal or private god of wood to worship in thy House no god of Gold in thy Heart thy Self Wife Child House Land Friend Goods Gold shall not be thy gods as they will Be if loved more than Me. And see with what Caution the Occasion of idolatry is forbid in these Texts * Deu. 12.30 Thou shalt not Kill not with Hand Ch. 13.1 3. Mouth murder nor with Tongue to be a Mouth-murderer as some call a Slanderer and so we may call an evil Counceller Not with Heart to be a Heart-murderer he that hates his brother is a murderer †1 Joh. 3.15 Kill not by evil Counsel or bad Example neither Do nor Say any thing that may Tend to or Occasion thy neighbours death in Body or Soul Thou shalt not kill thy Self Not with violent Hands nor with Words spoken against thy own life nor by Carelesnesse of deaths and dangers nor by ill Diet not by Drunkennesse nor by Gluttony Plures periere Gula quam Gladio more die by the Board than by the Sword Thou shalt not commit adultery Not in Act nor in Heart whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his Heart * Mat. 5.28 Christ calleth a Thought an Act to signifie that Smal sin in Mans sight is Great sin in GOD's sight Thou shalt not occasion it by unclean Cogitations and Contemplations nor by adulterous Discourses with Delilahs Remove thy way F AR from her and come not nigh the door of her house †Pro. 5.8 Simile As he that carrieth Gun powder about him had need keep far from Fire so he that carrieth Corruption had need keep far from Temptation As when children meet a Horse Simile Cart or Cow they will if timerous run Ten times farther out of the way than need so let men learn to flee from Sin Keep thee Far from a false matter * Exo. 23.7 Avoid it passe not by it turn from it and passe away †Pro. 4.15 The law is Spiritual * Ro. 7.14 it forbids the Least evil motion and First carnal conception it commands our Spirits and Hearts to be holy it condemneth for the most Secret sin in the Soul It is called the Royal law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingly law †Jam. 2.8 it is the law of the King of Kings No earthly Kings law can condemn a man for a secret thought against the King Dissimile but this Divine Law of the King of Heaven can and doth it condemneth a man for the most Secret thought against the Law-giver Tenth Note 10. A positive includes positives A Positive command includes Many positive commands e g Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy q d Remember it to Prepare for it to begin it Early to spend it in holy duties in holy discourses in holy meditations to be in the Spirit to cause all under you to keep it holy Honour thy Father and thy Mother Honour them in Deed in Word in Thought in their Presence in their Absence in their Old Age when tempted by the Devil and by the disobedient to dishonour them when they Please thee when they Displease thee Rebuke and Correct thee N B A Negative command inclusively commands All lawfull means to avoid the evil forbid and a Positive command inclusively commands All lawfull means to perform the good commanded On these things I have but Harped and Touched for One of these Ten Words is a great Text and to shew what is contained in a Commandment would make a long Sermon for thy commandment is Exceeding Broad †Psal 119.96 ¶ This tenth Note having some respect to the Sabbath A lesson for the Lords day leads me to leave this Lesson with you viz Fail not to learn your children to Reverence the Sabbath day FAR be it from you to follow our English Heathens Hatefull Heathens who let their children Loose to serve Satan on the Sabbath day Tell them of the Sore judgments God hath sent upon Sabbath-breakers for which Search the Scriptures and See the Practice of Piety Practice of Piety preferred one of the Best Books but one that ever was written and is like to rise up in judgment against many N B God delivered no other commandment as he delivered this for the Sabbath e g. 1 It hath a Memento presixt viz Remember 2 It is amplified with Arguments more than all the rest except the Second 3 It is delivered Positively keep it holy and Negatively thou shalt not do any work and so is no other commandment delivered FAIL not in this for the Fear of God this Glorious and Fearfull name THE LORD THY GOD * Deu. 28.58 Eleventh Note 11. Heaven and Earth made in Six dayes The GREAT GOD that was but Six dayes in making Heaven and Earth was twice Forty dayes and Forty nights in writing and delivering these Ten Words †Ex. 24.18 to remain a Law and Rule for mans life And Moses was as long waiting Ch. 34.28 prostrate on his Face fasting to receive them * Deu. 9.9 10 11 18. he did neither eat bread nor drink water but did uncessantly attend this Heavenly
to a Sick person at point of death who Can and Will cure him on Free-cost for which the Sick will Love him when he is Well ¶ 3 The Jews under this Legal Thunder were prone to put themselves under the hot Bolts of it to avoid the Stroke of it to run upon the Flaming Sword for Shelter from Slaughter As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse †Gal. 3.10 and yet under it they would run with their daily Dialect viz What shall we do * Act. 2.37 Sirs what must I do to be Saved †Ch. 16.30 So do we under Conviction without special Direction ¶ 4 They that are under a C G by which they are saved without Works are under a holy Covenant of good works N B. In a Covenant between God and man God Requires and man Consents God requires Holinesse of Life man consents to it else no Conversion This holy Covenant the Jews were and we are under God required them to be holy Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy * Lev. 19.2 they consent All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient †Exo. 24.7 i e Christian duties under a C G. This covenant Christians are â—ow under Gods command to the Jews was Be ye holy * Lev. 20.7 it is the same to us Peter pleads the same Precept be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy †1 Pet. 1.16 N B. The Matter of this covenant was Proposed when the law was Delivered the ten commandments are called the Words of the Covenant * Exo. 34.27 28. but the covenant is not Made till we be Converted till we cordially Consent Adam brought us into a C W and under the Curse of it Jesus Christ brings us into a C G and under the Blessings of it but we must bring our Selves into this Covenant i e it must be our voluntary Act yet Gods Work God putteth this Cry into the hearts of Converts viz Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Covenant †Jer. 50.5 ¶ 5 This holy Life must spring from a holy Heart which God doth not only Require and Command but also Promise to effect in the Elect both Jew and Gentile Take some instances both of Precepts and Promises Circumcise thy heart * Den. 10.16 there is the Precept thy God will circumcise thine heart †Ch. 30.6 here is the Promise Cleanse your hands * Jam. 4.8 there is the Precept I will cleanse you †Ezek. 36.25 here is the Promise Make you a new heart * Ch. 18.31 there is the Precept A new heart also will I give you †Ch. 36.26 here is the Promise ¶ 6 This Covenant the Jews were apt to break and so are we They have broken the everlasting Covenant * Isa 24.5 Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the covenant of Eternity everlasting for all ages a covenant of eternity i e Gods decree for a holy conversation is as Ancient as Election he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy †Eph. 1.4 For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven * Psal 119.89 This word and covenant Christians break by Sin for which God breaks them by Sorrow for though we fail God he will not fail us Some will contrary to God keep it as a C W to be Saved or else cast it quite off and so be Damned ¶ 7 The carnal Jews at length were utterly rejected for their Sins but the spiritual Jews were Saved though in their sins there was in a Sense a continuance †Isa 64.5 I will NO more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will Vtterly take them away but I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and I will save them by the Lord their God * Ho. 1.6 7. Thus those of Us that are not Christians indeed it will come to passe that God will No more have mercy on such no not so much as a drop of water to cool the Tongue in Hell fire but they that are sincerely Sanctified shall certainly be Saved Thus we are under the Law as the Jews were Fath. How are we Not under the law as the Jews were Q Min. The universal Body of the Jews were by Divine constitution a National Church a Sacred Society under a C G thus was never any Nation but they What one Nation in the Earth is like thy people even like Israel whom God went to redeem for a people to himself †2 Sam. 7.23 ¶ 2 They were under the Primitive Publick immediate ministry of the Law on Mount Sinai thus no other people ever was he sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and judgments to Israel he hath not dealt SO with any Nation * Psal 147.19 20. To them were committed the Oracles of God †Ro. 3.2 to them the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants the giving of the Law the service of God and the Promises * Ch. 9.4 They were under the immediate ministry of God himself Ye have seen that I have talked with you from Heaven †Exo. 20.22 The Lord talked with you Face to Face in the Mount out of the midst of the Fire * Deu. 5.4 Ask from the One side of Heaven to the Other whether there hath been any such thing †Ch. 4.32 ¶ 3 They were under an Engagement to keep Gods Commandments different from us viz 600000. delivered at once their deliverance from Egyptian bondage was Litteral and Universal their whole Body being about Six hundred thousand men were all brought out * Exo. 12.37 they left not an Hoof behind †Ch. 10.26 But our deliverance from Egyptian bondage is Mystical and Particular and comparatively it is but a smal Part of us Gentiles who are thus Redeemed ¶ 4 The Jews were under the M L as accompanied with the C L. If they sinned against the M L they must to their Ceremonial Sacrifices of sin-offerings And they must pray in or towards the Temple such a Place They must confesse sin over the head of the Scape Goat these were Types of Christ by whom they were to be forgiven By reason of these Ceremonial Shadows elements rudiments tutours and governours fit to teach the Church by in it's Minority the Apostle compares them to Children * Gal. 4.1 3 Col. 2.17 20. q d in their A B C or in their Accidence ¶ 5 The Jews were under the Law as preached Clearly and under the Gospel as preached Darkly The O T was a clear Law and a dark Gospel In the O T the N T was vailed in the N T the O T is revealed And upon this account They are said to be under the Law and We are said to be under the Gospel
they shall be a Sign between Me and You that ye may know that I am the Lord your God Ezek. 20.20 Blessed is the Man that doth this and the Son of man that layeth bold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Isa 56.2 Also the sons of the Stranger that Joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it even them will I bring to my hold Mountain and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer Ver. 6 7. And he saw that Rest was Good and the Land that it was Pleasant and bowed his shoulder to bear and became a Servant unto tribute Gen. 49.15 LONDON Printed by J A for the Author 1681. The General Contents of the Third Dialogue THE Parents complaint of himselfe The Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. Mr A with his Every day Sabbath confuted Mr L with his Never a day Sabbath confuted The change of the Sabbath for Mr S's conviction The beginning of the Sabbath the times contended for descoursed viz Morning Noon Even Midnight Six Objections against the true time Answered The time of Christs Resurrection occasionally discoursed The day of Adams fall occasionally discoursed Satans old enmity against the Sabbath Noted The month-day and week-day of Christs death discoursed The next day no Sabbath proved The Jews various division of the day into hours Of the Passeover Wave-day Seven-weeks Pentecost The Jews custom in Translating the Passeover The opinion of Pentecost on the first day disproved Of the Disciples meeting on the Pentecost Of Gods countenancing the Pentecost Of Jesus's exact observation of the Passeover and Sabbaths Moral and Ceremonial and the whole Law The day of Jesus's death declared and proved Divers Questions arising thereupon Answered An account of the Authors way in this work The Parent Cautioned and Counselled Ten Directions dropped for the Sabbath day Wherein we have an account Of The Day of Adams fall The day of Jesus's death Of The Sabbath ensuing the Wave-day the Pentecost Of The time of Jesus's burial The time Jesus lay dead Of The time of Jesus's Resurrection The beginning of the Sabbath All contrary to the Common Account A THIRD DIALOGUE Concerning the SABBATH-DAY Min. BEN BEN BEN Ben. Where what who calls me before I can see Min. O! Sleepy-head hear you not low hastily some one knocks at the door Pray rise and know the matter Ben. Sir I have been down to know his name and his businesse and he tells me it s he that sat so long with you under the Tree and he desires to speak with you Presently Min. Strike a light and let him in and tell him I will rise Fath. God Save you Sir I am compelled to come and visit you at an unseasonable time I hope you will hold me excused Min. Sir you are welcome to me but I wonder to see you in Town so Soon and am surprized to see you look so Sad. Pray what is the matter is all well at home Fath. All in health praised be God Parents complaint of Self but I am under Grief upon Grief It hath been a Sad time with me since we sat under the Tree though I concealed it from you in our last conference SAD I have Reason to be Sad indeed to think how sadly I have neglected my poor children Souls O to think how many times we have walked by the way and not a word of God! to think how many times they have been twatling about me in the house and not a word how many times they have been packed to bed and pulled out and not a Word of God have I spoken for their good O it hath cut me to the quick and put me upon prayer for pardon space and grace to do my duty And I did addict my self to it and began to find peace in it But yesterday after the afternoon Sermon as I was instructing my children about the Sabbath Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. in came Mr S in anger and told me I kept the wrong day and said I should keep the Seventh day first appointed and never reprealed When he was gone Mr A came in and Laughed at me and my practice as a low thing viz to keep One day in a week and told me I should keep Every day as He did When he was gone Mr L came in and told me I should keep Never a day Sabbath for that command for a Sabbath was Ceremonial and long since ceased at Christ's death And my Children listened to this last with delight and now they slight the Sabbath and whatever I say for it and tell me Mr L is counted a wise man And under this Sorrow upon Sorrow I am so disquieted I am almost distracted In your last conference at end of the Tenth Note when you pressed it upon me to learn my Children to reverence the Sabbath I had a mind to ask you what Scripture proof we have for the change of the Day but I was loth to interrupt you but now being driven out in distresse I pray let me hear your reply to all these Opinions but chiefly for the change of the Sabbath Day Min. Did they use to be thus Opposite Fath. A little by the By when other businesse brought us together but now they came on Purpose and assaulted me as Never before Min. Just now as soon as you are set upon a Solemn work when the good seed is sown then comes the Devil †Lu. 8.12 Indeed you are to be pitied and so are they but I fear some of them will be plagued As for your former Sorrow it s Alway better than laughter * Ecl. 7.3 Sometimes better than joy there is sorrow that Dries the spirit this will Water it and so I praise God for it and passe it But this Last is the Pest that carries the Poyson in it for which I must provide some Antidote to expell it As for my reply to these persons Mr A who keeps every day Sabbath and Mr L who keeps never a day Sabbath Every day Never a day you may put them together for he that keeps Every day keeps Never a day and so look on them as two persons possessed by Satan above the dominion of God and under the dominiof the Devil But let us take them asunder again and speak to them apart ¶ 1 This Every day Sabbath is none of God's ordinance Mr A consuted for God's command is Six dayes shalt thou labour †Exo. 20.9 it must therefore be the Devils ordinance and to him it s observed as the Priests which God did not appoint are said to be ordained for the Devils * 2 Chro. 11 15. Mr A is blown up into the Air with a blast from the bottomlesse pit and puft up with Pride a Sabbath day a week is a weak thing with him he is a 7-fold Saint or under a 7-fold Deceit in the border of Heaven whence he is like
many t to say no more he knows the way I take * Job 23.10 Prayer and Professors are Strangers Prayer is another thing than many imagine and many times I think I never prayed yet but if ever I prayed it was for this And praised be his holy name he hath heard me and helped me through this intricate work which was the hardest knot to untie that ever I took in hand in my Time I gave up my self to the Conduct of God As I was never for on work by any mans Word Letter or Print or ever had the least hint of this Opinion from man so I never asked any creature any one Question concerning it in all the time I have been upon the search of it This I tell you to this end viz If you think I erre you may blame no man but my self and if you think I am right you may give God and not man the praise ¶ Sir Parent Cautioned here is a Providence which you may not lightly passe over viz This concern of the Sabbath falling on me so soon after our Conference under the Tree which seems to be for your Sake I thought not of it in our First Dialogue I was concerned with it in our Second Dialogue though not being ready for it I did not tell you of it but I am no sooner prepared for this Third Dialogue but you are driven out by Yesterdayes opposition to draw me to it And let me tell you In all this labour I have had you in my eye much desiring your Sound settlement for the Sabbath Here is a voice of God speaking to you which I desire you may hear And I pray consider seriously with your self what account you will give at the Great Day if you will not hear Gods voice so Audible nor see his word so Visible but will bottom your Sabbatical opinion on mans Tradition which hath no ground in Gods word Fath. I am shattered and unsettled like a troubled Sea after a Storm by this New sudden assault of my Old opinion but when there comes a Calm and my mind Quiet I suppose I shall settle upon your foundation so you may freely speak what you have farther to say as if I was already of your mind Min. I counsel you to pray God to settle you on a sure foundation Parent Counselled as day and night I have done and by which means I am at length come to the desired Haven towards which I have been long rowing And though by the way I have had many a fall down into the deep yet I ever rose upon this Text * MAT. XII XL And my Antagonists being Answered upon this even firm sound ground I Stand * MAT. XII XL and from this Opinion I shall Never depart while I Live except Christ comes from Heaven and declares me deceived ¶ Having set the Sabbath upon its own Base or rather shewed you where GOD hath set it Praest at pauca avidè discere quam multa cum taedio devorare Erasmus and on what Foundation he hath Bottomed its Beginning and as I hope settled you upon that Foundation I shall for your profitable practice Drop a few Directions for the Sabbath Day and so dismisse you ¶ 1 Remember the Sabbath day before it comes to Prepare for it 1 Direct Memento and let none of yours remember it to Prophane it If you forget or neglect the Sabbath you lose it and let it fall If the Sabbath falls Sin and Satan too rises to your Ruine REMEMBEâ— is a word of THUNDER Remember the Sabbath is Never to be forgot while the World stands A Popish Opinion Popish writers say There was no Sabbath before Sinai but the Sabbath came in with the First man and must go out with the Last man REMEMBER Prepare Simile If a great man was to come to your House you would make great preparation REMEMBER the Great GOD is to come this day to your Heart Lift up your heads O ye Gates c. and the King of Glory shall come in †Ps 24.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag The Septuagint Title of this Psalm shews it to be A psalm for a Sabbath ¶ 2 Begin the Sabbath when the Sabbath begins i e at Even 2 Direct End the work of the precèdent day when the day ends i e at Even If you care not when you Begin the Sabbath peradventure God will not care when you End it nor how unprofitably you Spend it ¶ 3 Rise early in the morning 3 Direct Sleep not away the Sabbath so you may sleep away Salvation and the Soul Be not Sleeping when you should be Praying Pray him to give Blessing to the Sabbath who gave Being to the Sabbath Let the body be early Up and the heart early Ope. Before you rise count Christ is calling as to Zacheus viz Make hast and come down UP for to day I must abdie at thy house * Lu. 19.5 ¶ 4 Be not slothfull in duty on the Sabbath day 4 Direct The sluggard is Satans Cushen Simile Come not to a Sermon to be a Seat for Satan to sit on Satan entered Jâ—â—â—s Simile at Supper-time into idle souls at Sermon time The Sabbath is a day of Merchandise for the Soul †Better than of Silver and Gold Idlenesse is Never good nor Ever so had as on Sabbath-dayes Some had rather sweat their browes Six dayes for the Body than their brains One day for the Soul Do your duty on this day or you do nothing and do every duty in Season You cry O the Times we must hear comfortable Doctrine to strengthen our Faith In vain is comfortable Doctrine without conformable Life A Christian weakens his Faith more by a Sin than a Minister can strengthen it by a Sermon ¶ 5 Be spiritual in every duty on the Sabbath day 5 Direct In order to This be spiritual on Other dayes He that is carnal Six dayes is not like to be spiritual One day Be not content with outward expressions and actions without inward affections not with the Body of duty without the Soul of duty not with the Gift without the Grace of duty ¶ 6 Beware of your own Works 6 Direct Do nothing but of necessity viz what you cannot do the day before nor forbear till the day following e g To quench Fire To stop Water †Sea-bank breaches To save the life of Man or Beast To move Malt To gather and save Saffron In such case we break the Sabbath except we break it But do these Spiritually and with Speedy dispatch ¶ 7 Beware of your own Words 7 Direct What may not be Done may not be Said or talked of Talk not of News except necessary This discourse eats as a Canker Simile and hath eat out the Life of Religion long ago We talk much of the Papal Plot as if we were well acquainted with it but this Part of the Plot we are ignorant of viz Satans design to make us talk away our Time till we talk our selves down the Stream Simlie like the Fool whose lips swallow up himself †Eccless 10.12 If men were acquainted with their ignorance of God they would think all their time too little to talk of God ¶ 8 Take heed of your own Thoughts 8 Direct By them many break the Sabbath and few know it What men do Openly or speak Audibly is seen and heard by men but a man may think Ang thing Every thing and all men know Nothing but God knows all The body tongue or hand may be bound up from sin and the heart Bent for it against God Such secret Sabbath breakers are reserved in Store for the day of Wrath. ¶ 9 Be sorry for the sins of Sabbath dayes Sigh and Cry 9 Direct for all the abominations that abound on Sabbath dayes God groans under them if you are at ease while God is pressed God will take no pleasure in your Rest ¶ 10 Be acquainted with the emptinesse of Religion 10 Direct without a due observation of the Sabbath day The 4. command for a Sabbath is called Gustos primae tabulae keeper of the first table the 5 command for honour of Parents is called Custos secundae tabulae keeper of the second table He that keeps not the 4 command is locked out of the First table and is like to do GOD no Service he that keeps not the 5 command is shut out of the Second table and is like to do Man none well but to be Abominable and Disobedient and to Every good work Reprobate * Tit. 1.16 That these Drops may Water Epilogue c make Better LORD put Life to every Line and Letter Fath. That his may be as you do Say I will go hasten home and Pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ERRATA Pag 13 lin 25 for bitternesse read bitternesses Pag 19 lin 22 for Low read Law Pag 37 lin 24 for plentitudinem read plenitudinem Pag 136 lin 17 for full Horrour read full of Horrour