not then to have done and therefore was diswaded from it but goe hee would his way was over a bridge on which when he came a puffe of wind blew his hat into the river which he seeking to recover by going into the river both he and his horse were drowned nor could he be found till fishes had foulely devoured his flesh The Magdeburgenses report that a husbandman grinding his corne on the Lords day the meale was set on fire And it is knowne to many that a Millers wife setting her Mill on going and she busie in her Mill on the Lords day in the morning the Mill-house fell upon her and kild her of which by the fall of a Stone there but a few dayes or but a week before shee had a faire warning given yet not making good use of it she there ended her dayes Fourteene youths adventuring to play at foot-ball upon the river of Trent on the Sabbath day when it was as they thought hard frozen meeting together in a shove the Ice brake and they were all drowned I might here rehearse many more casuall judgements of many sorts which have hapned upon such as have prophaned this day Fires have beene kindled it not being known how in time of peoples ryoting on this day which burnt downe many houses Some in one place some in another on this day some going out to swimme have beene drowned Some riding to merriments which commonly neglect divine service have fallen from their horses and broken their necks More of this kinde might be rehearsed but let mee conclude with the words of the Authour of the Practice of Piety If these be not sufficient to terrifie thy heart from the wilfull prophanation of the Lords day proceed on in thy prophanation it may bee the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better CHAP. XXVII Of objections which may be or are made against the produceing of Judgements in this case with answers thereto AS mens understanding leadeth them so are their hearts affected more or lesse seeme the thing never so dreadfull or terrifying to our common apprehensions as I finde in this particular case Some reject these and other like relations as fabulous and so give no credit to them holding them perhaps for Piae fraudes as formerly were the Popish legends to move feare in peoples hearts with telling of tales These fore-mentioned examples are none such it is a foule sinne to bely God nor need his cause any lies to strengthen it we live now in a clearer light than to be led away altogether with fabulous relations Others because some of the judgements seeme casuall and so commonly held in this very respect make a tush at the allegation of them But however some be apprehended as casuall many being immediate from God none but the Heathen Philistimes Priests will judge them meere chances And for such as be casuall let us consider that a Sparrow cannot light on the ground without the will and providence of our heavenly Father And are the haires of our head numbred Certainly then things which seeme most contingent and such acts as these judged so casuall must needs fall out by the will of God and the guidance of his speciall providence and his divine hand And therefore not to bee lightly passed over with a tush and slighted as a meere accident without due observation and use Some think that there is not much heed to be taken of these judgements concerning this day for that the selfe same may bee found to fall out at other times and other holydayes And therefore nothing can be concluded more peculiarly for this day than for any other from these judgements No doubt but it may so happen and fall out that a Drunkard may fall from his horse and break his neck aswell on any other holy day as on the Lords day A Cudgel-player may on another day be hurt and have his eye struck out as well as on this day One may kill another houses may bee on fire and men by swimming may bee drowned aswell at other times as on the Lords day The like accidents may fall alike at all times for God though he punish the prophanation of his owne day with his judgements yet he reserves not any speciall judgements to be inflicted upon Sabbath-breakers as peculiar to them for that sinne For if so men would not thus dispute the case and sleight the argument for the judgement would clearely decide the controversie and put men to silence But as I have said the same punishments may light upon all sorts of offenders alike at any time Neverthelesse wee may not neglect to take good notice of Gods hand not only in generall to conceive where such hurts and harms happen that there is sinne which hath procured it upon such persons as vaine and ill disposed for we are to judge otherwise of afflictions on the Godly which happen upon a Job for triall but also to endeavour to finde out the sinne in particular in a sober search and godly humility And thus much must we doe for the work of Conscience which stirreth not upon an only generality but upon knowledge of this or that particular sinne applyed home to our selves upon the breach of some precept Thus shall we instruct our selves by observing judgements to take heed of particular sinnes Now to finde out the sinne and the sinner in his sinne which God pointeth out by his hand upon him 1 Enquire into the transgression of the Law for by it commeth the knowledge of sinne which is the transgression of the Law upon this ground we cannot misse of the sinne 2 In the next place ponder seriously all the concurring circumstances concerning the punishment happening And here note 1 The notorious qualities of the person upon whom the judgement lights whether he be a common swearer drunkard fornicator a despiser of holy duties or grossely carelesse of them 2 What evill he was saying or doing when the punishment befell him 3 Where hee was in what place prohibited 4 His intention discovered to be nought ungodly or unjust 5 How he did or speake in an evill manner Lastly the time is very considerable when any such thing was done at what time the judgement hapned By all these concurring circumstances duely weighed with mature deliberation the divine hand may be observed very usefully even in common and such as be called casuall accidents As for instance A May-pole set up on the Lords day falleth and killeth one one is set up upon a holy day in time of divine service which killeth another as instances may be given The first hapneth for the prophanation of the day because they brake the divine ordinance of God who hath appointed the observation and keeping holy of the day The other for the prophane contempt of Gods divine service on that other day To play at foot-ball on the Sunday the example is fearfull of fourteene drowned together playing on the ice
for in observing the Sabbath day we professe the God of Israel as the first Commandment teacheth Then in assembling together and worshipping God we do what the second Commandment bindeth us to do and when on that day we contemplate upon the creatures take occasion thereby to praise him and shew an outward holy behaviour to advance his glory we do what the third Commandment commandeth us to do so that the holy observation of the day to the Lord keepeth up a publick practice of all our duties to every Commandment of the first Table therefore no marvell it was that God took order so soon for the keeping of the Sabbath day III. Because God intended not untill this time to set out any glorious face of his Church historically unto us but rather other things happening in the course of times from the fall as in the Story doth appear unto this time 1. From the Fall to the Floud the ill fruits of Adams fall and the increase of sin to mans destruction is recorded 2. From the Floud to Abraham the planting of the world by people with their presumptuous sinning causing them to be scattered over the face of the earth according to their distinct languages 3. From Abraham to Israels going into Egypt God moved Moses to record the carriage of Abraham Isaac and Jacob as private families upon which the Church consisted living among idolaters as pilgrims and strangers while they were in Canaan till God brought them into Egypt 4. From the entrance into Egypt to their mighty deliverance God was pleased to instruct Moses to set down how Joseph came into Egypt his troubles and honour how by him Israel came into Egypt by Josephs means the peaceable rest there till another King arose and then of their heavie bondage till God sent Moses to free them But now God intending to make glorious his people and his worship more publickly to be observed of all Israel at one set time weekly Moses relateth the Lords pleasure concerning the Sabbath not to have it neglected but solemnely to be kept as an holy rest unto the Lord according to Gods first institution thereof Gen. 2. 3. And thus much for the Patriarchall-Sabbath before the Law published upon mount Sinai FJNJS A TREATISE OF THE MOSAICALL-SABBATH By Richard Bernard Rector of Batcomb EXOD. 31. 15. Six dayes may work be done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the Lord whosoever doth any work in the Sabbath day he shall surely be put to death LONDON Printed for Edward Blackmore and are to be sold at the signe of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard 1641. The Contents 1. WHy it is called so 2. Of the Law of the ten Commandments 3. Of the Naturalitie of the Law 4. Of the Externallitie or Positivenesse of the Law 5. Of the Spirituallitie of the Law 6. Of the Moralitie of the Law 7. That there are ten Commandments 8. Of the fourth Commandment in what words contained 9. Of the meaning of the words of the Commandment 10. Of the rest upon the Sabbath 11. Of the day for the rest 12. Of the words annexed to the Commandment 13. Of the scope of the words 14. Of the directorie in the words 15. That one day in seven must be the Sabbath day 16. Of the seventh day Sabbath 17. Of the six dayes work 18. Of the restriction from work on the seventh day Sabbath 19. Of works which might be done on the Sabbath 20. Of the rigorous strictnesse supposed to be put upon the Israelites that day 21. Of the reason added unto the directorie with the conclusion 22. The arguments to prove it ceremoniall answered 23. That the fourth Commandment is no part ceremoniall 24. The fourth Commandment is a perpetuall Precept 25. How much of the Mosaicall Sabbath is in the Commandment to be kept holy 26. How the day was kept 27. Of Judaizing and true understanding thereof OF THE MOSAICALL SABBATH SECTION I. Why it is called so I Call the Sabbath here Mosaicall not as any new Sabbath from the former being the same with the Patriarchall Sabbath farther now ratified and established Nor do I so name it as if Moses were the institutor of it or no publisher of it But because God the Lord of the Sabbath did give this Commandement of the Sabbath with the rest of his divine precepts when he had ordained Moses the Ruler over his people Israel under him and for that he delivered to Moses the two Tables in which the Commandements were written to deliver them unto the people SECTION II. Of the Law of the ten Commandements THe Law of which the precept of the Sabbath is part is said by the Apostle to be holy and spirituall Rom. 7. 12 14. and if that Commandement Thou shalt not lust be boly just and good so is the whole Law and every Commandement thereof His encomiis legem integram orâ—at Apostolus saith Paroeus This whole Law hath in it Naturalitie Positivenesse Spiritualitie and Moralitie SECTION III. Of the Naturalitie of the Law 1. THe Naturalitie of the Law is so much thereof as by the principles of Divinitie in Nature written in all mens hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. and furthered by the common light of Christ Joh. 1. 9. may be known and assented unto And this knowledge is more or lesse as Naturall men partake of that naturall light for from hence ariseth the difference in naturall men and not from the common principles which be one and the same in all men From this Naturalitie in the Law it may be called the Law of Nature not so as if it were the work of Nature but for that it s in every mans nature God writing it in every mans heart Rom. 2. 15. since the fall at the time of the souls infusion into the body as God did to Adam before his fall This Naturalitie of the Law consists in generalls and cannot reach to true Specialities without some further help and better direction yet by deductions it may go far towards the Specialities This serves to make all men inexcusable Rom. 1. 20. SECTION IV. Of the Externalitie or Positivenesse of the Law THe Externalitie or Positivenesse of this Law is the openly making known of Gods Will in the Commandements given by word of mouth and after written in the two Tables of Stone This Externalitie of precepts the Lord added for his Church unto those generall rules and principles in nature and to that common light in all men For the Lord never suffered his Church to be only directed by that light in nature never since Adams fall who having it in perfection could not guide himself to it And therefore we read before Moses days of Gods Word of his speaking to Adam Noah and to Abraham viva Voce giving his charge Commandements Statutes and Laws of which the Lord maketh mention to Isaac telling him that in keeping these Abraham obeyed his voyce Gen. 26. 5. This Positivenesse or Externalitie is to guide
those Generalities unto more Specialities which naturall men could never rightly discover without this help of Gods externall precepts This consists in the Letter and written words of the Law in the Commandements and the farther meaning thereof is to be learned from other Scriptures to know what is contained in the short precepts This Externalitie properly belongeth to the outward man for the ordering of it And this Externalltie may be dispensed with in some precepts though the naturalitie cannot for this is written in every mans heart but so is not this Externalitie We see Gods dispensation in some Specialities as Gods allowing Cain to marry with his Sister also Polygamie in the Patriarches In Gods commanding Abraham to kill his sonne In the Magistrate commanded to kill the offender Deut. 13. 9. so in warre to kill Numb 31. 17. In his allowing of the Israelits to rob and spoile the Egyptians Exod. 3. 22. And what is it but a dispensation when God raiseth up some to spoile other And that children may leave their parents in case of Marriage Gen. 2. 24. and Matth. 19. 5. and that variance may be between them for the Gospel sake Matth. 10. 35. Luk. 14. 26. The Commandements of this Law in respect of the meer Externalitie manifested in Specialities may be called Positive laws as superadditaments for Specialities of those generals as for example Naturalitie teacheth me a God but the Positivenesse telleth me that I must have only the God of Israel for my god Nature teacheth to worship God but the Positive precept forbids to make any graven image or likenesse thereby to worship him but to worship in spirit and in truth Nature teacheth to honour God the Positive Commandement forbids the taking of Gods name in vaine Nature * It teacheth also that for the proportion of this time the creature must depend and waite upon his Creator who alone can make the work of six dayes serve to keep us seven By light of nature t is no way fit the servant should prescribe unto his Master but rather the Master unto his servant especially considering the ground of that distinction of servi a libere natura teacheth to have a time to serve God solemnly the Positive precept commandeth a Sabbath day and directeth us to the keeping of a seventh day Sabbath SECTION V. Of the Spirituality of the Law THe Spirituality of the Law is the spirituall extension of every precept of the Law beyond all that which the naturality reacheth unto and above the speciality of the Letter of the Commandements in the externalitie thereof I call it the Spiritualitie of the Law for that this knowledge is only attained by the spirits speciall illumination and grace And consists not in the only bare knowledge of the minde touching the extension but also in the hearts affection drawn on along with the utmost extent of the understanding to love what is commanded to hate what is forbidden to joy in obedience to sorrow for failings and falls fearing ever to offend This Spirituality is that which is promised of God in his Covenant of Grace made with his People to be written in the minde and heart Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. This is the reparation of that blessed image of God consisting in wisedome holinesse righteousnesse and uprightnesse Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Eccles 7. 29. The Naturality is common to all in and out of the Church The Externality belongeth to those in the Church and in this respect may the Law be said to be given only to the Israelits This all the outward children of the Church may attain unto and others out of the Church by conversing with and coming among them or these going unto them or getting some of the wriâ—â—ngs of the Church For it s not possible that the learned Heathen got all their knowledge by the Naturality in them and their common light but by the accession of the helps from the Church Therefore to gather that whatsoever we finde in their writing concerning God and the things appertaining to him to be all from their meer light in nature will not hold for a sound conclusion This Spirituality is proper only to the Elect The first is by inscription but bettred by diligent improvement of those principles and helps from the Church The second is by information and bettered by good education and instruction publikely and privately in the Church The third is by the speciall inspiration of Gods holy Spirit in a constant use of the means and in the grace of Self-deniall which every one must come with that will be a true obedient observer of the Law SECTION VI. Of the Morality of the Law THe Moralitie of the Law properly speaking and distinctly to common understanding is not the Naturalitie nor perpetuity of the Law as if these three indistinctly were all one But the Moralitie of the Law is the Laws power binding the whole man outwardly to the good behaviour in all good manners concerning holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man according to the Naturalitie Externality and Spiritualitie of the Law And from this consideration truely properly distinctly and clearly it is and may be called the Morall Law the brief Epitome of Christian Ethick Oeconomick Politicks and Ecclesiasticks and of whatsoever duâ—â— we owe to God or man SECTION VII That there are ten Commandements HAving thus prefaced these necessaria praecognita I come to the fourth Commandement for the right understanding whereof many things are to be made clear First that there are ten Commandements of the Law I would not speak of this but that one hath pleased to call this number vulgar Idols I. It s the number which Moses recordeth Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 4. 13. and holdeth Deut. 10. 4. and saith God added no more Deut. 5. 22. more then ten there was not nor fewer may we make them least we be guilty of the curse and break the Commandement Deut. 4. 2. of adding to and taking from Deut. 12. 32. II. Its commonly called the Decalogue by the most learned Divines III. Our Church in the Catechiâ—me would have children to be taught that there are ten Commandements IV. Saint Augustine in Epist 118. cap. 12. speaks of ten Commandements V. The Papists though they rob God of one sacriledgiously yet do not diminish his number of ten VI. The number hath thus been reckoned for three thousand and two hundred of years and more and never either denyed or lightly disregarded till the spirit of too much boldnesse in some hath dared without shame to speak contemptuously of the number SECTION VIII Of the fourth Commandement in what words contained THis fourth Commandement is and hath been hitherto accounted one of them and is a Commandement in forme of speech so delivered unto us But here we are carefully to consider which is the Commandement and in what words its comprehended The mistake herein hath occasioned all the contention concerning the perpetuity of the Commandement The Commandement