Sabbath Third Proposit Let it be consider'd that the substance of the whole Moral Law or ten Commandments I mean materially not formally was written in the Heart of Adam in Innocency and as written there it contained the Covenant of Works And so long as he kept that Law perfectly he stood justified and all Mankind in him and also that he had but one positive Precept given him to try his Obedience according to the Tenor of this Covenant and Law of his Creation is very evident viz. Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil Adam broke all the Commandments c. which positive Command he broke and in breaking it broke all the ten Commandments as to the matter or substance of them and consequently the fourth as to what was simply moral therein Dr. Lightfoot 's Miscel p. 282 283. Thus Dr. Lightfoot Adam saith he heard as much in the Garden as Israel did at Sinai but in fewer words and without Thunder At one clap he broke all the Ten Commandments I. He chose himself another God when he follow'd the Devil II. He idoliz'd and defil'd his own Belly making it as the Apostle phrases it his God III. He took God's Name in vain when he believ'd him not IV. He kept not the Rest and State wherein God had set him V. He dishonour'd his Father which was in Heaven and therefore his days were not prolong'd on Earth VI. He murder'd himself and all his Posterity VII From Eve he was a Virgin but in his Eyes and Mind he committed spiritual Adultery VIII He stole like Achan that which God set aside not to be meddled with c. IX He bare witness against God when he believ'd the witness of the Devil before him X. He coveted an evil Covetousness like Ammon which cost him his Life and all his Progeny Fourth Proposit That tho a time of Rest and a sufficient time to worship God be moral yet the particular precise day or time must be by Revelation i. e. by some positive Precept or Example made known to Mankind it being in God not in Man not in Nature not in Grace And God hath reserved to himself a Power to require or to alter both the time place and modes of his Worship as seems good in his sight tho the second and fourth Commandments be moral and of the same nature with the rest Moreover God if he please may make a positive Precept perpetual and alike obligatory as simple moral Precepts are tho they differ in respect of their own nature Fifth Proposit All natural and pure moral Precepts do as I conceive oblige all Mankind and are unchangeable in their nature as to the matter of them and differ greatly from Laws or Precepts merely positive Pure or simple moral Precepts are good good in themselves and therefore commanded but Precepts merely positive and arbitrary are commanded of God and therefore good and that Goodness that is in simple moral Precepts I do not conceive See Mr. Shepherd on the Sabbath p. 10 11 12 13 14. as Mr. Shepherd hints if I mistake him not refers to Man i. e. sutable to his good chiefly but in reference to God from the rectitude of whose holy Nature they proceed Moreover 't is acknowledg'd also that all Precepts naturally and simply moral are written in the Hearts of all Men tho much blur'd by Sin for otherwise the Gentiles had not the Law written in their Hearts but a part as to the matter of the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. Simple moral Precepts are known by the Light of Nature as to the matter â—or substance of them Precepts naturally moral may be known without Revelation or the knowledg of the Scripture What Precepts are moral tho I know some learned Men seem to differ from others here particularly Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer who affirm that some Precepts may be moral by a positive Command See Mr. Cawdrey Sabbath Rediv p. 2 3. and these others call moral-Positives which I understand not yet I deny not as I said before but that God may make a positive Command perpetually obligatory But more to this word moral when I come to speak of the fourth Commandment in Exod. 20. Now mere positive Precepts cannot be known unless God by his Word or in some supernatural way discovers them to his Creatures and such was Circumcision the precise seventh-day Sabbath the Passover and divers other things under the Law And such is the first day of the week under the Gospel as a day of Rest and of the solemn Worship of God as also Baptism the Lord's-Supper c. Sixth Proposit That the whole Moral Law is chang'd from Moses to Jesus Christ not only chang'd as a Covenant of Works but as a Rule of Life for tho the Moral Law as to the matter or substance of it perpetually remains as a Rule of Righteousness yet not as given in the hand of Moses Exod. 20. but as in the hand of Christ consider'd as Mediator who is our sole Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19. and that we are to receive the Law from his mouth who is our antitypical High-Priest And behold a Voice from the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son hear him hear him exclusively of Moses The Disciples would have had three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and another for Christ i. e. they would have Moses to teach them or be under his Ministration but in this Transfiguration wherein was a clear Representation of the Gospel Church-state signified by the Kingdom of God in a Figure they saw there was none to be heard as a Law-giver but Christ alone And when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no Man save Jesus only ver 8. Certainly their Eyes are not open'd throughly who go to Mount Sinai to know what their Duty is in respect of any part of Gospel-Worship or day of Worship Compare this place of Scripture with Acts 3. 22 23. For Moses truly said to the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you So Heb. 1. 1 2 3. And again it is said Joh. 8. 35. that the Servant abideth not in the House for ever Moses was a Servant and he had his day and he is gone but the Son abideth for ever Seventh Proposit That as old things are done away and all things become new so is the old Seventh-day Sabbath And it behoves us to call the Gospel-day of Worship or that Day appointed by Christ in the New Testament by that Name or Names given therein to it viz. the first day and the Lord's-day and day of Rest or Sabbath as Dr. Owen aptly enough calls it on Heb. 4. 11. Therefore tho the day of Rest under the Gospel is not call'd a Sabbath yet I shall blame none that so call it since Sabbath signifies Rest
and this is our only Sabbath or resting day under this new and last Dispensation but the great Antitype of the Seventh-day Sabbath being come we do not find that Name directly given to our day of Rest in Gospel times Eighth Proposit That the Moral Law or Law of the ten Commandments as given Exod. 20. contain'd directly an Administration of the Covenant of Works and was not given to Israel as God's People as in a special and peculiar relation to himself according to the new Covenant or Covenant of Grace but as his People in that legal external typical Covenant made with the whole House of Israel Let it be consider'd also that that Law and Covenant was not made with nor given to any other People but the People and House of Israel only so that as it had but its time consider'd as a Law given by Moses or as in his hands it did cease as so consider'd and could not oblige any to observe it as there formerly deliver'd while it was in force but such only as were under it tho I deny not but affirm the whole World were under the Covenant of Works in the first Adam and oblig'd by the Law of God written in their Hearts to discharge all Duties that are naturally and simply moral c. Moreover I shall enquire whether the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth lie in the Observation of the precise seventh day or not And now Brethren by these Propositions all may perceive upon what foot of account or mediums I purpose to go or take in handling this great and long controverted Subject But there is one Proposition more which I thought to have mention'd now but must refer to the next time SERMON II. The ninth Proposition by way of Premise The method propos'd One general Proposition laid down Why the Law was added on Mount Sinai No Seventh-day Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency Nor no positive Law given to him to observe it Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain MY Brethren the first thing I promised was to lay down several explanatory Propositions to make my way the more easy to what I have to say and I past thro eight I shall add but one more Ninth Proposit 9th Proposit by way of premise There are several things to be consider'd in respect of this Controversy which being noted by Dr. Owen I shall recite them Those about the thing it self saith he are various Dr. Owen 's Exercit. p. 7 8 9. and respect all the concerns of the day enquir'd after Nothing that relates to it no part of its respect to the Worship of God is admitted by all uncontended about for it is debated amongst all Persons 1. Whether any part of time be naturally and morally to be separated and set apart to the solemn Worship of God or which is the same whether it be a natural and moral Duty to separate any part of time in any Revolution of it to Divine Service I mean so as it should be stated and fixed in any periodical Revolution otherwise to say that God is solemnly to be worshipped and yet that no time is requir'd thereto is an open Contradiction 2. Whether such a time suppos'd be absolutely and originally moral or made so by positive Command suted unto general Principles and Intimations of Nature and under this Consideration also a part of time is call'd moral metonymically from the duty of its observance 3. Whether on a supposition of some part of time so design'd the space or quantity of it have its Determination or Limitation morally or be merely positive and arbitrary For the Observation of some part of time may be moral and the quanta pars arbitrary 4. Whether every Law positive of the Old Testament were absolutely ceremonial or whether there may not be a Law moral positive as given to and obligatory on all Mankind tho not absolutely written in the Heart of Man by Nature that is whether there be no Morality in any Law but what is a part of the Law of Creation 5. Whether the Institution of the Seventh-day Sabbath was from the beginning of the World and before the Fall of Man or whether it was first appointed when the Israelites came into the Wilderness This in it self is only a matter of Fact yet such as whereon the determination of a point of right as to the universal Obligation to the Observation of such a Day doth much depend * So that according to the Doctor if it was not instituted in Paradise tho given forth in the Wilderness it can't be universally obligatory on all Mankind and therefore hath the investigation and true staâ—â—ng of it been much laâ—our'd in and after by learned Men. 6. Upon a supposition of the Institution of the Sabbath from the beginning whether the Additions made and Observances annexed unto it at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai with the Ends whereunto it was then design'd and the Uses whereunto it was employ'd gave unto the seventh day a new state distinct from what it had before altho naturally the same day was continued as before For if they did so that new state of the day seems only to be taken away under the New Testament if not the day it self seems to be abolish'd †The Doctor still as it seems to me builds chiefly on its Institution in Paradise where we can find no Institution referring to innocent Adam for that some change is made therein from what was fixed under the Judaical Oeconomy cannot modestly be deny'd 7. Whether in the fourth Commandment there be a foundation of a distinction between a seventh day in general or one day in seven and that seventh day which was the same numerically and precisely from the foundation of the World For whereas an Obligation unto the strict Observation of that day precisely is as we shall prove plainly taken away in the Gospel if the distinction intimated be not allowed there can be nothing remaining obligatory unto us in that Command whilst it is supposed that that day the Doctor means the seventh day is at all requir'd of us from thence ‖ So that the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day 8. It is especially enquir'd whether 〈◊〉 seventh day or one in seven or the Hebdâ—madal Cycle be to be observ'd holy unto thâ— Lord on the account of the fourth Commandâ—ment 9. Whether under the New Testament 〈◊〉 religious Observation of days be so taken 〈◊〉 way as that there is no Divine Obligation â—â—maining for the observance of any one daâ— at all but that as all days are alike in theâ—â—selves so are they equally free to be disposâ— of and used by us as occasion shall requirâ— For if the observation of one day in seven 〈◊〉 not founded in the Law of Nature expressâ— in the original positive
Command concerninâ— it * He alludes to Adam in Paradise where we can find no express positive Command and if it be not seated morally in thâ— fourth Commandment it is now certain thâ— the necessary observance of it is taken away 10. On the other extream whether thâ— seventh day from the Creation of the Worldâ—â— be to be observ'd precisely under the New Tâ—â—stament by virtue of the fourth Commanâ—â—ment and no other The assertion hereâ—â— supposeth that our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord of the Sabbath hath neither chang'd 〈◊〉 nor reform'd any thing in and about the reâ—ligious observation of an holy day of Rest unto the Lord whence it follows that such an Observation can be no part or act of Evangelical Worship properly so call'd but only a moral Duty of the Law †Let our Jewish Sabbatarians consider well what the Doctor positively asserts here 11. Whether on the supposition of a non-obligation in the Law unto the observation of the seventh day precisely and of a new day to be observ'd weekly under the New Testament as a Sabbath of the Lord on what grounds it is to be observ'd 12. Whether from the fourth Commandment as one Day in seven or only unto some part or portion of Time or whether without any respect unto that Command as purely Ceremonial For granting as most do the necessity of the observation of such a Day yet some say that it has no respect at all to the fourth decalogical Precept which is totally and absolutely abolished with the rest of the Mosaical Institutions Others say that there is yet remaining in it an Obligation to the Sacred Separation of some Time or portion of Time unto the solemn Service of God and some say that it precisely requires the sanctification of one Day in seven 13. If a Day be so now to be observed it is enquired on what Ground or on what Authority there is an alteration made from the Day observed under the Old Testament to that now in use that is from the last Day to the first Day of the Week whether was this Translation of the Day of the solemn Worship of God made by Christ and his Apostles or by the Primitive Church c. 14. If this were done by the Authority of Christ and his Apostles whether by an express Institution of this new Day or whether a direct Example be sufficient no Institution being needful for the First Day for if we suppose there is no Obligation to the observance of one Day in seven indispensibly abiding and on the supposition that an Obligation to keep one Day in seven doth abide then no Institution is necessary or can be properly made as to the whole nature of it * No express Institution is needful for the observance of the first Day but Examples only if the 7th part of Time or one day in seven do abide in the 4th Command Thus far the Doctor who says many other things necessary to be considered about the observation of a Day of Worship whether as to the Work of the Day it ought to be kept with the like strictness as the Jewish Sabbath in all respects and what Duties are to be performed on it as also as to the proper Limits of that Day some pleading it ought to be from Evening to Evening as the Jews kept it or from Morning to Evening that is from after twelve a Clock in the Morning to twelve the next Evening c. From what the Doctor notes it appears that the Case in controversy calls for much study and diligence and it may be accounted an Act of great weakness in any Persons to observe the Seventh Day to the disturbance of the Church without enquiring of such as God has enlightned in these things and to whom the care of their Souls are committed to see what can be said against it Is it wisdom to advise with those only that are for it and not with such also as are directly against it This shall suffice for the Propositions I first proposed I shall endeavour to clear most of those things that seem difficult which may have been the occasion of some Persons if not all going astray and falling into the Error I purpose clearly and largely to detect This brings me to the next general Head of Discourse proposed Secondly I told you I should lay down diveâ—â— Arguments to prove the Truth of our Proposition That it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath iâ— Gospel-times First The General Proposition I shall lay down one General Proposition to discover the Method I shall pursue foâ— proving what I have taken in hand 1. If the Law of God written in Adam's heart in Innocency did not oblige him to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath that Law cannot oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 2. If a positive Law or express Institution supposed to be given to Adam before or just after his Fall doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 3. If the Law written in the Hearts of the Gentiles or the most refined and enlightned among them doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 4. If the Law of Moses or the Law written in the two Tables of Stone doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 5. If the Gospel by any Precept or Example doth not oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath 6. And lastly If the Law written in the Hearts of all Gospel-Believers by the Holy Spirit doth oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord Then I infer it is not their Duty to keep the Seventh-Day c. for I know no other way or means whereby Gentile Believers can pretend to know they are obliged to keep the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath or a Day of Rest and solemn Worship But by none of these ways or means believing Gentiles are obliged to keep the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath c. therefore it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep it To proceed 1. Let it be considered that if the keeping of the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath i. e. that precise Day from the Creation of the World were a purely natural or simply moral Precept no doubt but it was legibly written in Adam's Heart I mean as a Law of Creation and so part of the holy Image of God or of the same nature with all other moral Precepts that result from the Perfections of God's holy Nature and not from the Soveraignty of his Will only And if it was so written in Adam's Heart in Innocency he needed no positive Law to make it known to him What was any thing that was purely or simply moral even that which belonged to good Manners or to true natural Godliness or Righteousness not made known to Adam to perfect Adam this certainly cannot be That spiritual Worship which is due to God Charnock on the Attributes p. 131. saith Mr. Charnock is known
by the Light of Nature But much more say I was it clearly manifested to Adam in Innocency But furthermore saith he the outward means or matter of that Worship which would be acceptable to God was not known by the Light of Nature the Law for a spiritual Worship by the Faculties of our Souls was natural and part of the Law of Creation tho the determination of the particular Acts whereby God would have this Homage testified was of positive Institution and depended not on the Law of Creation Tho Adam in Innocence knew God was to be worshipped yet by nature he did not know by what outward Acts he was to pay this Respect or at what Time he was more solemnly to be exercised in it than another This depended on the Directions God as the Soveraign Governor and Lawgiver should prescribe you shall therefore find the positive Institution It is observable that this great Man is not here concerned to confute the Seventh-day Sabbatarians but about another thing yet affirms with many other Learned Men that Adam by the Law of Creation did not know in Innocency at what time God was more solemnly to be worshipped than another 2. No doubt but the substance of all the ten Precepts was wrote in Adam's Heart The Substance of all Moral Precepts written in Adam's Heart yet it appears the knowledg of the Seventh-day to be kept as a Sabbath was not written there tho that which was simply and naturally moral of the fourth Commandment was Secondly I argue thus If the precise Seventh-day was written in Adam's Heart The Law of the 7th day Sabbath not written in Adam's Heart there had been no need of an Institution or positive Law to make it known to him for what more need had he of an outward Revelation of this than of the other Commandments Take here what a Learned Man hath said * Mr. P. a Minister at Rouen in France p. 3. If the keeping of the Seventh-day were a Moral Duty our Father Adam by that Light of Nature God put in his Mind when he created him would have known it as well as he knew all other things in themselves good and necessary but he neither had nor should have had any knowledg thereof if God had not injoined it to him by a particular Command as those which maintain the morality of the Sabbath do avouch So that this followeth manifestly that the observation of the Seventh-day depends merely on Institution My Brethren Let this be considered well that if the knowledg of the Seventh-day wholly depended on the Will of God or on mere Institution and resulted not as all pure and simple moral Precepts do from the holy Rectitude of God's Nature it follows that the precise Day pertains not to the Essence of the Fourth Commandment but the simple Morality of that Precept lies only in a time of Worship And certainly if God by a mere positive Command had not given it to Israel they had no more known it their duty to keep it than the Pagan World did who were wholly ignorant thereof as I shall prove And be sure if God wrote not the Law or knowledg of the Seventh-day Sabbath on Adam's Heart the Seventh-day is not of the same nature with simply moral Precepts which God engraved on his Heart even the substance or tenor of all the Ten Commandments and made him know them naturally without any instruction by word of mouth But it appears by their own Assertion it was instituted c. Therefore the knowledg of the Seventh-day as a special time of Worship was not wrote in his Heart Our Opponents dare not deny but the substance of the whole Moral Law was wrote in his Heart and they foresee it is dangerous to deny it From whence it appears that all the other Precepts are simply moral and so is a time of Worship but the precise Seventh-day by their own concession was instituted in Man's Innocency and so depends wholly upon an express positive Command declared to Adam by audible Words resounding in his Ears Mr. Tillam says Tillam 's Book p. 7. It was instituted before the Fall and founded in Mount Paradise Answ Tho I believe no such matter nor can any Man prove it yet to grant it for Argument-sake then I say it follows it was not written in Adam's Heart for the being perfect he would naturally have known it without being told it was his Duty to keep it For consider that he was created on the Sixth Day and understood what was naturally and universally good i. e. all those Duties that were essential parts of Godliness and Righteousness or things belonging to good Manners Now if so why need he be told he must keep the Seventh-day or why must that Precept come under express Institution and none of the rest Object God saw good to bring all the ten Commandments under express Institution on Mount Sinai as well as he brought the seventh-day Sabbath in Paradise under express Institution Answ I deny it not God did then see good so to do considering how the Nature of Man was corrupted and his Law written in his Heart was blotted and blur'd by the Fall But let it be consider'd that the Law was not written in two Tables of Stone so much for a Rule of Life as for other reasons The Reasons why God added the Ministration of the Law wrote in two Tables of Stone 1. It was added and written there to aggravate Sin on the Conscience It was added saith Pual because of Transgression Gal. 3. 19. it was to make Sin appear exceeding sinful Rom. 7. 13. 2. It was written there to shew the Creature his sad and woful condition and to make known how unable fallen Man was to fulfil the Righteousness of God 3. And as a Schoolmaster to lead such as were under it to Christ in whom perfect Righteousness only is to be found Man being not able to keep perfectly that holy and just Law 4. And to shew them as I conceive that nothing but the Finger of God could write his holy Law in the stony Hearts of Sinners as shall be further demonstrated hereafter for that whole Ministration of the Law and Covenant I shall prove was a shadow and typical and so no standing Law or Ministration as there written but as it is in the hand of Jesus Christ 5. That whole Law and consequently the Seventh-day Sabbath was given on Mount Sinai as it suted the Judaical Oeconomy as well their Political as Ecclesiastical state There are many Additions made to the Seventh-day Sabbath together with other Ends annex'd and Designs and Uses thereto employ'd which is granted by such as assert it was given to Adam in Paradise * This gave a new state to it saith Dr. Owen p. 8 9. Secondly If it had been given to Adam in Innocency he not knowing without an Institution it was his Duty to keep it I argue from hence it follows that he had the
same need of knowing what special Worship he outht to be found exercised in on that day What a Sabbath instituted and no Sabbath-Service appointed on that day But this I shall further handle when I come to speak of the pretended Institution and express Command given to Adam in Innocency Thirdly If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was wrote in Adam's Heart some Remainders of the knowledg of that day would have been left in the Heart of his Offspring as there is of all other Precepts that are simply moral tho much blur'd and almost quite obliterated in some yet there were many Heathens who retain'd or recover'd much knowledg of God's Law first written in the Heart of Man yea they were led to the knowledg of all pure moral Precepts i.e. that there was but one God and that he was to be worshipped and his Name not profan'd that they should not murder commit Adultery steal c. nay and also to the knowledg of the fourth Commandment as to what was simply moral in it viz. a sufficient time to worship that God yet they were none of them led to know that they ought to keep the seventh day as a Sabbath Fourthly Moreover if the Seventh-day Sabbath had been a simple or pure moral Precept and written in Adam's Heart it would have been written in the Hearts of all God's New-Covenant Children as he promised he would write his Law there in Gospel-times and evident it is that all Believers in Christ whether Jews or Gentiles have the Image of God restor'd to them it being stampt upon their Hearts by the Spirit of God hence it is said who after God are created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 24. nay they are all said to be renew'd in Knowledg after the Image of him that created them Col. 3. 10. But in the second Impression of God's holy Law and Image thus written on our Hearts there is not one line nor lineament of any knowledg that it is our Duty to keep the seventh day as a Sabbath to the Lord which I shall further evince hereafter Fifthly Take what a learned Man saith If Adam was bound to keep the Sabbath I demand by what Law by the Law written in his Heart Why then he was bound to keep a Sabbath before there was a Sabbath to keep for the Law was ingraven on his Heart on the sixth day as a branch of that Divine Image of God concreated with him whereas the Sabbath to be sure could not be instituted till the seventh day if then Sixthly Before I close this let me note here what is said concerning this very thing by the Antient Fathers and Primitive Christian Writers who it appears deny'd the knowledg of the Seventh-day Sabbath was written in Adam's Heart Just Mart. Respon ad qu. p. 69. Theod. on Ezek. c. 20. See Justin Martyr Theodoret saith that these Commandments Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not steal and others of that kind were generally implanted by Nature in the minds of Men but for the keeping of the Sabbath it came not in by Nature but by Moses's Law Chrysostom affirms saith my Author that neither Adam nor any Man liv'd without the Law imprinted on the Soul of Man as made a living Creature but neither he nor any other of them say the seventh day was one of those Laws Also Rivet and others who plead for the Antiquity of the Sabbath dare not saith he refer the keeping of it to the Law written in Adam's Heart So that I may from what has been said positively affirm the Precept of keeping the seventh day was not written in Adam's Heart in Innocency and therefore that believing Gentiles are not oblig'd to keep the seventh day from that Law From hence also I infer it could not be written in the Hearts of any of the Jews or Gentiles for doubtless Adam by nature knew that which corrupt Man never so perfectly knew and it were great Presumption in any since Sin was so generally prevailing to say they knew in a natural way that which Adam knew not Besides is it not great folly for any to say this since the Law in Adam's Heart was the original And shall a blur'd Copy be deem'd more perfect than that or the muddy Stream be clearer than the Chrystal Fountain Therefore since it appears the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was not written in Adam's Heart but that he needed an express positive Law to know it or discover it to him I infer much more need there was for poor Gentiles nay for Believers to have an express Law to discover it to them And since our Opponents affirm that the Commandment of the precise seventh day as a Sabbath is of the same nature and quality with the first Commandment and all other simply moral Precepts i. e. not only a time of Worship or one day in seven but the precise seventh day from the Creation I infer then what a woful condition are all we in that break or violate in the very Letter a simply moral Command nay and teach Men so to do may and how could our Saviour then be without Sin who made Clay on that day and did many other Works and commanded a Burden to be born and also commended Acts of Mercy which was but a moral Duty above keeping of the Seventh-day Sabbath Matth. 12. comparing the strict Observation of that with Sacrifices which all know were but mere positive Laws to Israel under that Legal Dispensation But more of this hereafter Object But tho it was not written in Adam's Heart that he should keep the seventh day as a Sabbath yet it was given to Adam in Innocency by a positive Institution Answ This is sooner said than proved No positive Law given to Adam to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath but let me tell you that the Law of Nature our Opponents acknowledg was antecedent to the Institution of the Sabbath and that all purely moral Precepts were certainly written in Adam's Heart Now can the precise seventh day be Adam's Duty to keep before it was sanctified to that end this is to say a thing was before it was and that the Law of Creation teaches that which it was impossible to teach and also that Revealed Religion may be known by natural Dictates or Principles which is absurd to affirm besides all confess that mere positive Precepts or Commands in instituted Worship may be alter'd or chang'd as the great Lawgiver pleaseth But to proceed to answer what is affirm'd about its Institution in Paradise as given to innocent Adam we will come to and well weigh the words of this pretended positive Precept given to Adam in Paradise Gen. 2. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his Work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his Work which he had made Ver. 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from
it they knew noâ— what they should do with him and this was whilst they were in the Wilderness and they put him in ward for it was not yet declar'd what should be done unto him By which it appears saith he to be a new thing not yet adjusted for had it been a Law from the Creation it is scarce possible that all Men should have been ignorant whether any Punishment or not or what Punishment did belong to the Violation of a Law of such standing Object I know that Dr. Owen saith Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 62. if the original of the Sabbath was here then the National Observation of it is introduced with a strange abruptness c. Answ To which I answer that it doth not so appear to me however let every Man read the words of Moses again and how he repeats the same over and over To morrow is the Sabbath c. To day is a Sabbath unto the Lord â—gain The Lord hath given you the Sabbath â—an any thing be brought in more solemnly â—ut I see how Men will try their Wits to deâ—â—nd their own Scriptureless Notion of a Sabbath given in Paradise as well as in pleading 〈◊〉 other groundless Practices Object But since you grant a Sabbath before 〈◊〉 Law on Mount Sinai or Ceremonial Laws â—ere given doth not this prove it is a moral Preâ—â—pt Answ No not at all because we find that sacrifices and offering the Firstlings of the â—locks Gen. 4. 7. 7. 2. 14. 20. 28. 2. and first Fruits of the Ground were offered to God from the beginning and therefore should we grant that the Seventh-day Sabbath had been practised from the beginning â—â—so yet that would no more prove it a moral â—nd perpetual Law than it proves the offering â—f the Firstlings of the Flocks and the First-â—ruits c. to be perpetual Laws or moral Duties the Sabbath being a sign and shadow as well as they were so We come now to the â—â—urth part of our first general Proposition Object The seventh-day Sabbath was given in the 20th Chapter of Exodus The grand Argument for the Jewish Sabbath consider'd and answer'd with all the other â—ine moral and perpetual Commandments wrote in two Tables of Stone by the finger of Jehovah himself and therefore it obliged believing Gentiles to keep it and all Mankind 1. To this I answer that if I can prove it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers nor any Believers in Christ in all the World to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from hence I shall overthrow our Opponents strongest Fort and so utterly confute them which I doubt not by God's Assistance I shall fully do and in order hereto shall lay down three Propositions First The method proposed in answering this Argument I affirm the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the observation of the precise seventh day from the Creation Secondly That the Law of the ten Commandments as formally given to Moses and written with the finger of God in two Tables of Stone and given to the whole House of Israel were not given to the Gentiles nor to any other People in the World save the Strangers that were within their Gates or were proselyted to the Jewish Religion Thirdly That the whole Law is changed and that what was Ceremonial or shadows 〈◊〉 things to come ceased at the death of Christ and all Precepts of the Moral Law or what 〈◊〉 simply moral as they were formally given by Moses are taken out of his hand and put into the hands of Christ consider'd as Mediator our Lord and only Lawgiver I shall now begin with the first of these Propositious First I shall give you the sense of the Learned about a pure moral Precept First The Term Moral being but a scholastical Expression and not properly signifying that which is usually understood by it Cawdry 's Christian Sabbath p. 1 2 3. say Mr. Cawdry and Mr. Palmer we have ever judg'd it a Bone of Contention Moral relating to a Law signifies in it self any Precept serving to regulate the Manners of Men. Dr. White saith White on the Sab. p. 26. A Divine Law call'd Moral is a just Rule or Measure imposed by God directing and obliging to Obedience of things holy honest and just The same is twofold simply moral or moral only by some external Constitution or Imposition of God Divine Law simply moral commands or prohibits Actions good or evil in respect of their inward nature and quality Dr. Owen saith Owen on the Sab. p. 118. Moral Laws are such as have the Reasons of them taken from the nature of the things themselves requir'd in them for they are good from their respect to the nature of God himself c. Laws Positive as they are occasionally given so they are esteem'd alterable at pleasure being fixed by mere Will and Prerogative without respect to any thing that should make them necessary antecedently to their being given they may by the same Authority at any time be taken away and abolished Mr. Shepherd saith Shepherd on the Sab. p. 6 7. A Law strictly and especially moral is that which concerns the Manners of all Men of which we now speak and may be thus describ'd viz. It is such a Law as is commanded because it is good and it is not therefore merely good because it is commanded And thus Austin saith he describ'd it long since Also Cameron and multitudes of other Writers and learned Men. But mere Divine positive Laws are commanded of God and therefore good Some say that is simply moral that is the Law of Nature or which naturally obligeth all Men and is distinguished from Laws Ceremonial and Judicial Thus one expresseth himself i. e. Primrose of the Sab. p. 4. This Law Moral all Men take to be the Law of Nature and reciprocally they take the Law of Nature for this Law for that which is naturally and universally just Mr. Cawdry and Palmer say Cawdry Sabbatum p. 3. It implys any Law of God exprest in Scripture whether it can be prov'd natural or not which from the time it was given to the end of the World binds all succeeding Generations of their Posterity to whom it was given and more especially it obliges the Church c. I think Mr. Baxter in this case has said excellently well Baxt. on the Sab. p. 77. Moral saith he signifieth that which by nature is universal and perpetually obligatory He answers this Question Do not Divines say the Decalogue written in Stone is the Moral Law and of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes for by moral they mean natural and so take moral not in a large sense as it signifies a Law de moribus as all Laws be whatsoever but in a narrower sense as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual Obligation Now then that which I call a pure of simple Moral Law or Precept is that which is a Transcript
of God's holy Nature and therefore commanded whether written in the Heart of innocent Adam or in God's Word or Law and doth universally and perpetually oblige the whole World to conform thereunto Now having let you know what is to be understood by a simple Moral Law I shall shew that the Law of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not a Law of this nature i. e. a pure moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory on all Men tho I deny not but there is that in the fourth Commandment which is moral in the sense I have given viz. 1. A time Three things contain'd in the fourth Commandment a sufficient time to be set apart from all worldly Business for Rest and the Worship of God and this is all I can find simply moral in the fourth Commandment 2. There is something more contained in it which God by a positive Command requir'd from the Soveraignty of his Will as that which he sees just and reasonable namely that one day in seven be set apart as a day of Rest and for his Service and that this should be perpetual to the end of the World I know Divines call this positively moral and tho I cannot see reason so to call it yet I grant as much I think as they mean thereby 3. God did also command the whole House of Israel under their Legal and Typical Church-â—tate to observe the seventh or last day of the week in remembrance of his finishing the Works of the first Creation And now that the precise seventh Day was a â—hadow or a sign I have and shall prove and 〈◊〉 was only a Law to the Israelites during that Typical Dispensation and their Political Church-â—tate which Christ nailed to his Cross and â—uried with all other Shadows and Legal Ceremonies But before I proceed I might give you the Observations of divers Expositors on the order and manner of the Expressions in the fourth Commandment As first the essential part Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy not the seventh day True in the next words God declar'd that the seventh Day should be the Jews Sabbath whom he took into a Legal and Typical Covenant and Church-state to be his own People The seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not thy God in Christ upon the terms of the new Covenant no no but thy God in a legal and external Covenant And so their Sabbath was given to them upon the terms of the Law of Creation or the Covenant of Works which is a legal relative and external Covenant God enter'd into with the whole House of Israel or Nation of the Jews even them and all their natural Seed as such My Brethren upon this foot of account was the Seventh-day Sabbath founded not in Christ or on a new Covenant bottom nor given to New-Covenant Children as such but it waâ— bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works and only given to that People whom God brought out of the Land of Egypt and redeem'd from Egyptian Bondage And when he enters into that Covenant with them he positively says therefore he gave them his Sabbaths Deut. 5. 1. which was a shadow of a far greater Work than that 〈◊〉 Creation and of a greater Redemption thâ—â— that out of Egypt I heard lately of one 〈◊〉 said this was his chief reason of observing 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath because it was given 〈◊〉 God's Covenant-People c. not being able to discern between that legal and typical Covenant made with the whole Nation of Israel which took in their fleshly Seed as such anâ— the Covenant of Grace Moreover Expositors observe concerning the close of this Commandment ver 11. Wherefore God blessed the Sabbath-day and sanctified it that 't is not said the seventh day here but the Sabbath-day One day in seven and not the precise seventh Day from the Creation is by a positive Command in this place intimated to be God's Will and Pleasure to be observed to the end of the World But the precise Seventh-day Sabbath given to Israel I shall prove is not the moral part of the fourth Commandment but a shadow of what was to come and principally refers to Christ and to that spiritual Rest Believers enter into when they first close with him I know Divines call one Day in seven a moral positive as I just now told you by moral they 〈◊〉 as I conceive that which ought perpeâ—â—ally to be observed but that Day which God from the Soveraignty of his Will commanded the Jews was 't is plain the seventh and when Christ came who has given us the true Rest and rose from the dead he appointed as I shall hereafter prove the first Day of seven upon the account of his finishing his Work i. e. the work of Redemption as God commanded the Israeâ—â—tes to keep the seventh-day because on it he â—ested when he had finished his Work viz. â—hat of Creation Now then tho there is something naturally â—nd simply moral in the fourth Commandment â—nd tho God doth here intimate from his own â—rerogative or Arbitrary Will that he will â—ave one day in seven perpetually observed as a â—ay of Rest and sacred Worship yet that â—art of it that speaks of the seventh-day was â—erely positive and typical and so ceased with â—he Covenant of Works Indeed Dr. Owen has excellently shewed how his Commandment is of a mixt or compound â—ature partly simply moral partly positively â—oral and partly typical or Ceremonial the â—â—st he refers to the precise seventh day when he says P. 120 121. It was instituted for an outward present religious Observation to signify and represent something to come And such saith he were all the particulars of the whole System of the Mosaical Worship whereof the Law of the Sabbath was a part And in â—rief the whole Law of the Sabbath was as 〈◊〉 its general nature positive and arbitrary â—nd so changeable and particularly ceremoâ—ial and typical and so is actually changed and abolished Now to proceed The precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be a simple moral Precept and therefore in that lies not the Morality of the â—ourth Commandment In order to prove this â—et me lay down this Proposition viz. If the Law of the observation of the precise seventh Day hath not in it one Character of a Law that is simply moral then the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not confist in the observation of that precise Day but that it has not one Characteâ— of such a Law I shall endeavour to prove First That the precise seventh Day is not the Morality of the fourth Commandment proved largely A simple moral Precept that I meâ— which is naturally moral obliging all Mankiâ—â— for ever as to the very matter of it or this it self as so considered abstracted from 〈◊〉 positive Command is naturally holy as â—â—sulting from the Nature of God But the seventh Day in which our Brethâ—â— place the essence or substance of the fourâ— Commandment or the
Morality of it is 〈◊〉 more holy naturally than any other day of 〈◊〉 week Object If they say but God sanctified thâ—â— Day 1. I answer they will not say that God added any inherent Holiness to that Day 2. But if they should say he did then 〈◊〉 would overthrow the Morality of it i. e. as 〈◊〉 this first property of a simple moral Precept for then it will follow it was made holy 〈◊〉 an Act of God's Arbitrary Will and Pleasure and that it was not so naturally as that Day was created or proceeded from the Holiness of God because as we have shew'd all puâ—â— moral Precepts as to the matter of them are not good merely because God commands them 〈◊〉 are in themselves good as resulting from the Holiness of his Nature For evident it is that every Day of the 〈◊〉 had one and the same efficient Cause namely Divine Creation and all days and things Goâ— made were very good and God's sanctifying the seventh Day was but his setting it apart foâ—â— some holy use Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 82. the Day saith Dr. Owen was not capable of any inherent Holiness God then sanctified says he this Day not that he kept it holy himself which in no sense the Divine Nature is capable of nor that he purified it and made it inherently holy which the nature of the Day is not capable of nor that he celebrated that which in it self was holy mark that well but he set it apart to holy use So that from hence it follows if the Morality of the fourth Commandment lay in the precise seventh Day it wants the first Character of a simple moral Precept God might have set apart at first any other day if he had pleased as well as the seventh Secondly The seventh Day never known universally to be a Sabbath Every Precept or Law simply moral which obliges all Men to Obedience perpetually must be made known to all Men either by the Law of Nature or by Revelation from God himself in some supernatural way the Righteousness of God requires this because the Violation of simple moral Precepts is damnable 1. Now were there such a Law written in Mens Hearts I mean to keep the seventh Day some one Man or another would that way have known it But no Man hath ever so known it therefore no such Law is written in any Man's Heart and if not one Man that way ever knew it then not all Men universally besure 2. And as the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath is not revealed to all the World by the Lord this way so he never gave any Commission to Moses nor to any of his Prophets to promulgate it or reveal it to all Mankind therefore I argue it wants the second Character of a simple moral Precept Thirdly That Law which upon urgent necessity may be omitted or laid aside or be broken can be no Precept simply moral but the keeping of the Seventh-day Sabbath upon divers urgent necessities might be omitted or broken Josh 6. 15. the Jews themselves might war and go to battle on that day 1 King 20. 29. and our Saviour shews they might pull a Sheep or any other Beast out of a Pit or Ditch on the Sabbath-day Joh. 5. 10. nay our Lord wrought with his Hands and made Clay on that day did many Miracles and commanded the Man he healed to bear a Burden i. e. to carry his bed on that Day But Precepts simply moral in respect of the negative part oblige perpetually and by no means must be transgressed for as a Divine saith A Man must not tell a Lye to save the World Can any pretended necessity make it lawful to worship another God or prophane his Name or steal murder or commit Adultery I know what is said about the Israelites borrowing of the Egyptians and of God's commanding Abraham to slay his Son but those actions are to be accounted for as being extraordinary cases Obj. Works of Mercy may be done on the Sabbath-day and Christ speaks of Works of Mercy Answ Of what nature are works of Mercy I hope not of a higher concern than the discharge of a simple moral Precept And can one simple moral Precept have more Sanctity in it than another What violate the very letter of one moral Law to do that which is but implyed as the necessary consequence of another nay break a Command of the first Table to keep a Command of the second Table This is a hard case Fourthly That Law or Precept which is equalled to or compared with Sacrifices is no simple moral Precept but such is the Law or Precept of the Seventh-day Sabbath therefore 't is not a simple moral Precept That our Saviour himself doth equal it to or compare it with Sacrifices see Mat. 12. 3 4 5 6. 1. Our Lord justifies his Disciples in plucking the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day and compares their so doing to David's eating the Shew-bread vers 3. which was unlawful by a mere positive Law 2. He shews them how the Priests in the Temple prophaned the Sabbath and were blameless vers 5. Some think they slew Beasts on that Day however our Lord saith they prophaned the Sabbath c. But then says he If ye had known what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless vers 7. What can he intend less than this viz. If ye had known the difference between a pure moral Precept and such a Precept as is nothing more than a Sign a Shadow like those of Sacrifices or a mere positive Law that I am Lord of and can take away and give another at my pleasure you would not have condemn'd the guiltless For tho all God's mere positive Precepts have great Sanctity in them and ought carefully to be kept yet when a simple moral Duty comes in competition with such as are but positive or ceremonial the lesser must give place to the greater as we commonly say Of two evils choose the least But if the precise Seventh-day Sabbath was a pure moral Precept equal with and of the same nature of that Precept of shewing Mercy there had been no ground for our Lord thus to have answered the Jews for if it had been so no doubt he would have said I must indeed blame my Disciples because they have broke one of God's righteous Precepts whose Nature and Quality is above that of David's eating of Shew-bread or Sacrifices But he who was the great Expounder of the Law knew best the vast difference between a moral Precept and such as their Sabbath and Sacrifices were Our late Annotators on this place express themselves to this purpose The meaning is that God preferreth Mercy before Sacrifices where two Laws in respect of some Circumstances seem to clash one with another so as we cannot obey both our Obedience is due to the more excellent Law Now saith our Saviour the Law of Mercy is the more
excellent Law God prefers it before Sacrifice which had you considered you would never have accused my Disciples who in this point are guiltless Why a more excellent Law Is it not because the one is a moral Law proceeding from God's Nature and the other but merely positive and Typical and so arbitrary And why do the Annotators apply that to Sacrifices Our Lord remotely refers to that but directly and immediatly to the Seventh-day Sabbath and mentions Sacrifices to show that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath was no moral Law but of the same nature with the Law of Sacrifices and that of the Shew-bread Besides our Saviour's bringing in on this occasion those words for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath clearly shews that he as Mediator had power to change dispose of or take away the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath for what a Person is Lord of he may do what he will with So that it may be lawful for any man to do any work on that Day when it ceas'd and was abolished as indeed it now is with all other Shadows and legal Ceremonies But none sure will say Christ as the Son of Man or as Mediator is Lord of any pure moral Precept so that he can give liberty to men to worship other Gods or to make graven Images and bow down to them or take God's holy Name in vain or commit Murder Adultery or steal c. No no it would be Blasphemy with a witness to say this such is the vast difference between Laws that result from the nature of God and mere positives shadowy and Ceremonial Precepts which were given for a time as an Act of God's Prerogative and good Pleasure and when the Antitype is come were to cease for ever Obj. But what say some If Christ brake the Seventh-day Sabbath he sinned thus a rash Person lately exprest himself Ans 1. Because our Lord came not to destroy the Law c. but to fulfil it and was obliged exactly to keep the whole moral Law of God that it might be imputed to us with his passive Obedience to justify us before God as his full and perfect Righteousness that therefore he was obliged to conform to all Typical and Ceremonial Laws of which he himself was the Antitype none I think ever asserted he had another way to fulfil all such Laws than by his actual Obedience to them And 2. Let it be considered in respect to the Typical Sabbath the Antitype being now come which was that Evangelical Spiritual Rest in and by Christ which all entered into that believed in him at that time for having given rest to all that came to him he had thereby in part fulfilled that figurative and typical Law and by his shewing such strange indifference about his observance thereof and his carriage towards it at every turn did clearly intimate that that Typical Sabbath was departing or in a dying condition tho not quite dead till he himself suffered and dyed on the cross and was afterwards gradually and decently buried it having as one observes an honourable Funeral when further light was given to God's People about it But no more at this time SERMON V. Six Arguments more to prove the Seventh-day Sabbath not moral That it was a Sign and Shadow to Israel of the Covenant of Works Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. THE last Day I gave four Reasons to prove that the simple moral part of the fourth Commandment lies not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath I have six more to add Fifthly The 7th day Sabb. not given forth afresh by Christ or his Apostles That the precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be that part of the fourth Commandment which is purely moral I argue thus Whatsoever is a simple moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory is by our Saviour or his Apostles confirmed or given forth anew in the New Testament but the Seventh-day Sabbath is not so confirm'd or given forth therefore is not a simple moral Precept To prove the Major or first Proposition let it be considered that the moral Law is transfer'd from Moses to Jesus Christ or taken out of Moses's hands as a Lawgiver and put into the hands of Christ considered as Mediator and this was signified by those words Mal. 2. 7. The Priests Lips should keep knowledg and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Whatsoever was doubtful the High-Priest Deut. 17. 9. was to determine In this the Priests under the Law were a Type of Christ signifying that when Christ came who is God's Messenger all should receive the Law from his Mouth who was to be the great Interpreter of it and accordingly we find he opened the nature of the moral Law in Mat. 5. and other places shewing the spirituality thereof and how men may be said to break the Commands against Adultery Murder c. by the lusts and malice in their hearts tho they never actually commit either of those Sins Nay I know not one simple moral Precept which our Lord or his Apostles did not confirm or give forth anew who no ways extenuated the guilt of the breach of it but with far greater severity aggravated every transgression thereof Rom. 1. 18. Paul shews how the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. Now neither our Lord nor his Apostles seemed to confirm or give forth anew the old Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath but contrarywise as I have shew'd he seemed to excuse his Disciples when charged with the breach thereof and allow'd others to do that which was deem'd unlawful on the Sabbath-day as bearing a burden c. If our Adversaries can prove that every simple moral Precept of the Decalogue was not confirm'd by Christ or his Apostles let them do it Obj. I know they say that neither Christ nor his Apostles ever confirmed or gave out anew that Command Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Answ As to Idols they are directly forbid 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world there is none other God but one And St. John saith Little Children 1 Joh. 5. 11. keep your selves from Idols and again Flee from Idolatry Now what is a Graven Image but an Idol Every Graven Image made to be worshipped is an Idol tho every Idol is not a Graven Image Where do they read that an Image made of Bread is forbid in Moses's Law True the second Command forbids all Idols and all Idols are forbid in the Gospel Nay Idols are in a more nice manner defined and condemned in the Gospel than by the Law of Moses We read that a Man may idolize or make a God of his Belly Phil. 3. 19. and Paul declares that Covetousness is Idolatry Col. 3. 5. Object But where do we read in the New Testament that it is unlawful
Covenant of Grace no doubt but they had abode in that Covenant to this day and for ever but they are cut off and now are in no actual Covenant relation with God at all Sure the Covenant of Grace cannot be utterly broken 2. Moreover then they should not have needed to look for the Law in two Tables of Stone because that whole Moral Law should not only be written in the New Testament the Book of the New Covenant but in their Hearts also 3. Now when a Covenant is abolished as the old Covenant is will any dare to plead for the sign of it which obliges them to keep the whole Law No plain it is the sign i. e. the old Sabbath is gone with the Covenant it self Quest If the old Sabbath was a sign of that of which you say what was it a Type or Shadow of Answ It was a Type or Shadow of our blessed Rest in Christ Heb. 4. For we which have believed do enter into Rest This is the Antitype of the seventh-day Rest when no Labor is to be done nor any burden of Sin to be born by Believers this is that Rest God is pleased with and here we also rest from all Labour or Works of our own as God did from his at first Macarius saith Hom. 39. in Mat. 12. that Sabbath given to Moses was a Type and Shadow only of that real Rest given by God to the Soul My Brethren what comfort is here to you that enter into this Rest What Joy may hence spring in your Hearts who are delivered from Bondage and grievous Burdens Gal. 5. 1. Stand 〈◊〉 therefore in that Liberty wherewith Christ has made you free and be not again entangled with the yoke of Bondage lest Christ profit you nothing Seventhly I might prove that the Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath even from that Memorandum that is fix'd in the beginning of the Command viz. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Now tho one day in seven be by a positive Law made perpetually obligatory in the fourth Command yet that is not as so considered a simple moral Precept much less not the precise seventh Day and this because it is brought in with Remember denoting clearly the difference between this Command as to any particular day and that which is purely moral in this Command for that which is connatural to us or an inherent Law of Nature is so engraven in our Hearts that inlightned Persons especially are not very subject to forget it But a mere positive Precept which is not so written in our Hearts by Nature we are too ready to forget therefore God as I conceive to this Precept added this Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy 'T is not said Remember ye have no Gods but me or remember you do not take the Name of the Lord in vain or remember you do not disobey your Father and Mother or that you do not steal commit Adultery Murder c. no such charge is given there why so because these Precepts being simply moral are written in our Hearts The word remember as one notes hath not primarily any reference either to the Works of God or to the finishing his Works but to God's destination of the Day to be in time to come the Churches Sabbath Not remember how your Fathers kept it or God instituted it from the beginning but it is a new Ordinance and of another nature i. e. the chief of all Ceremonies c. Eighthly 'T is naturally impossible for all Men to keep the precise 7th day throout the World To prove that the precise seventh Day is not a simple moral Precept I argue thus That which all Men throughout the World are not able precisely to observe or keep or which is morally impossible for them so to do can be no simple moral Precept but all Men throughout the World are not able to observe the seventh precise Day from the Creation it being morally impossible so to do therefore it is no simple moral Precept I shall not so much insist on that part that it is impossible for any Man much less for the whole World to know which is the precise seventh Day from the Creation as what some learned Men have shewn viz. that it is morally impossible to keep such a precise seventh Day 1. This must be premised that the Saturday Sabbatarians affirm that the precise seventh Day is to be kept saying in this the Morality of the fourth Command lies which consists of 24 hours and hath a Morning or Sun-rising and an Evening or Sun-setting throughout the whole year and it was that precise day of the week in which God rested from all his Works Now Dr. White p. 177 178 179. as one observes in some habitable Regions and under some Climates the year is not distinguished by weeks containing each of them seven days neither are there several natural days of twenty four hours consisting of Morning and Evening by means of the rising and setting of the Sun as these Instances and Examples following do declare Continuance of the Sun above the Horizon 1. deg 70. In the Southern part 〈◊〉 Groinland Finmark Lapland and in the North of Russia and Tartaria one day lasteth from the 10th of May unto July 14. 〈◊〉 five of our days 2. deg 75. In the North of Groinland the Isle of Chery Nova Zembla Lancasâ—er and Horse-Sounds the day continueth from April 21 until August the 2d of our day 102. 3. deg 80. In the North of Bassinsâ—Bay and Greenland the day continueth from April the 6th until August 17 and of our days 133. 4. deg 85. In Regions and Places undiscovered the day continueth from March 23. until August 31. of our days 161. 5. deg 90. Under this Degree the day continueth from March the 10th until September the 13th of our days 187. Now from the Premisses this Argument ariseth The Law of the fourth Commandment enjoyneth the observation of such a Sabbath day as is distinguished from the other days of the week by morning and evening by the rising and setting of the Sun and by the presence and absence thereof within the space of every 24 hours But in many Regions of the World and under sundry Climats there are no ordinary Weeks containing seven particular days distinguished each from other by morning and evening and by the rising and setting and by the presence and departure of the Sun Therefore the Sabbath-day of the fourth Commandment cannot be observed in many Regions of the universal World by such Nations as live under a Climate where there are no such Weeks and Days as the Law of the fourth Commandment enjoineth to be observed For the Subject of that Commandment is a natural day of 24 hours and where that subject is wanting how is it possible for any Law that wanteth its proper Subject to be in force Now if any shall conceive that altho
in the Regions and Climates aforesaid there be no such particular day as is expressed in the fourth Commandment yet there is a sufficient and equivalent space of time which may be measured by hours My answer is That the Law of the Decalogue requireth the keeping holy of such a Seventh-day as is distinguished from the day before and the day after by a new return arising presence and going down of the Sun But Time and Hours in general do not yield or constitute such a Day And saith another Author Mr. Ironside p. 133 There is no moral Law of Nature in Scripture but is it self possible to all in all parts of the World in regard of the thing commanded But a natural Sabbath-day as made to consist of 24 hours or of a Day and a Night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the World to be observed If it be objected That this makes equally against the first Day as against the Seventh I answer We do not say the observation of the first Day is a moral Precept but merely positive No doubt but the Seventh-day was instituted for Israel whose Habitation was fixed in the Land of Canaan See a late Author on the Sabbath T. C. recommended by Dr. Bates and Mr. How c. 10. p. 40. The day of God's Rest saith he which is the seventh Day from the Creation is the same universal Day with all People but it can't be the same Day of the week with all People If the Day of God's Rest be Saturday with some it must needs be Friday or Sunday with others So likewise the time of Christ's coming to Judgment if it be saith he on the Saturday with some it will be on Friday or Sunday with others This he proves because the Earth is not plain but round The Jews saith he neither did nor could keep the very Seventh-day on which God rested in all places but as we according to God's Command work six days and rest the Seventh so did they And as Sunday with Christians was ever the day following six days of labour so was the Saturday with the Jews If this be so it can't be deny'd that the Seventh-day of God's resting cannot be kept by all nor do any know they do keep it Ninthly Christ Lord of the Sabbath can dispose of it as he pleases The morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath because of Christ's Lordship over it as Mediator That Commandment over which Christ was absolute Lord as the Son of Man cannot be moral for a moral Precept is part of God's Eternal Law Ironside p. 53 54. over which the Son of Man can have no power saith a Learned Author being made under the Law But Christ as the Son of Man Mat. 12. 8. was Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. as himself twice has told us Object So it is said he is Lord of the dead and living Answ This saith our Author is to play with the ambiguity of the words 'T is one thing for Christ to be Lord of the Church to guide govern perfect quicken raise and glorify her Eph. 1. 20 21 22. and another to be Lord of a Law or Constitution to moderate dispense with order alter and abolish it for in what other Construction can any one be said to be Lord of a Law Obj. Christ can't be said to refer to this because he had not then abrogated the Sabbath Answ 1. I have shewed that spiritual Rest signified by the seventh-day's Rest was given to all them that believed in Christ so that the Antitype being come the Type was a flying away and was in a dying state at that very time tho all typical Ordinances were not utterly abolished till his Death and Resurrection 2. 'T is as if our Lord should have said you magnify the Sabbath as if that was one of the greatest Commandments and the main end of Man's Creation but you must know the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath as were all legal Rites and Ceremonies And if it be thus I that am the Messiah am by my Office Lord of the Sabbath and I can and will abrogate it and appoint another day in its room Certainly Man was made to discharge all pure moral Precepts they being originally stampt on his Heart as Christ who was made under the Law was ordain'd to keep the Law for us and not the Law made for him Man was made in the Image of God and under a holy Law and Covenant of perfect Obedience to serve his Creator and by the observation of that holy Law written in his Heart as the Law of his very Creation he bore the Image of God in the World Mark 2. 27. serving him in Righteousness and Holiness to the Glory of his Name and for this he was made yet Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for him i. e. for his good in respect to his Body and Soul 1. As to his outward Rest c. 2. As a help to discharge all Duties of instituted Worship the better for the good of his Soul 3. And chiefly to point out or shadow forth to him the true Rest by Jesus Christ and so that typical Sabbath was to remain no longer than till that true Rest was come and finally established for then it could be of no further use to Man for which end it was chiefly appointed for him Object I know some object from these words the Sabbath was made for Man that therefore it was for every Man Answ The Woman was made for Man also but must every man have a Wife therefore God ne'r design'd that for such to whom he hath given the Gift to live without marrying So neither were all Men to have this Sabbath no none but they to whom it was given tho it was made for Man yet not for every Man in the World but only for the whole House of Israel and the proselyted Stranger within their Gate as I shall shew in the next place Tenthly The pure Morality of the fourth Command consists not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath The simple Morality of the fourth Command lies not in one day in seven because it lies not in one day in seven but in a sufficient time for Rest and the Worship of God tho I do assert and stedfastly believe that by a positive Precept contain'd in the fourth Commandment one day in seven God will have observed to the end of the World which I think is the sum 〈◊〉 what the Learned mean by a Law positive â—â—ral Not that precise day for mind the words Exod. 20. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy In this Clause it does not directly point at one peculiar day more than another the Light of Nature requires a time and God positively lays claim to a seventh day or one day in seven perpetually to be observed as a day of Rest
believe 3. They have a vehement desire to infect others or to draw many to be of their Opinion 4. A desire of Conference under pretence of taking Satisfaction but on purpose to vent their Notions more freely and get the good opinion of others and occasion of insulting 5. Commend themselves thro Pride and diminish the Credit and Honour of others and care not what pious Congregations they divide and trouble to augment their own Company 6. Make a Profession of new Light that hardly any before them ever attained and that all are in darkness but themselves 7. Pretend to Conscience and that they would imbrace the Truth when they see it yet after clear Demonstration of Truth they remain stubborn and persevere in their Errors 8. They matter not Church-dealings nor any just and righteous Censure nor regard their own most solemn Church-Engagements so that they can but please their own fancy and feed on their new Notions the more greedily And hardly can a Man receive an Error but he will prove a Seducer of others 9. They shew great Zeal and concernedness of Mind if they find any oppose their Errors as if their All lay at stake 10. And if they receive one Error they are ready to receive more 11. They commonly seem uneasy under the Word where they are Members and catch at any thing to blemish their Minister and will wander abroad to hear as their fancies lead them as if under no Government tho they grieve and afflict the Church and Members to whom they belong breaking Christ's Bands and casting his Cords from them To close 1. Take heed of erronious Books and if you doubt do not presently turn your Doubts into Practice 2. Beware of your own private Interpretation of Scripture and confer with such as have better Judgments than your selves 3. Suspect all private Opinions which differ and dissent from the general Doctrine as taught by Christ and his Apostles and owned in the two next Ages after them or that dissent from the general Doctrine and Practice of such whom you believe in this Age have obtained the clearest Light remember the way of Truth is no By-path but trodden by the Primitive Flock or Gospel-Churches 4. Besure hear what can be said against your Notion as well as what you hear for it There is one thing I should have noted touching the Error of these Sabbatarians viz. their Notion brings in an external force upon the Conscience in matters of Religion for they must force their Children and Servants not only to rest but to worship God on the seventh Day tho against their Light or they are guilty of Sabbath-breaking But I will add no more O that God would put a Rebuke on and stop all the Errors of these evil days and increase Love among his People Let us all cry for more of the Anointing or for the latter Rain and the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that is now just at the door And Reader if thou dost receive any profit by what is here wrote give the Glory to God and let me have thy Prayers who am thy Soul's Friend and Servant in the Gospel Horsly-down Southwark this 12th of Jan. 1699-1700 Benj. Keach The Contents of this Book The First Part. SErmon I. The occasion of these Sermons with the Scope of the Text Pag. 1 to 6. The Terms opened and eight Explanatory Propositions p. 6 to 16. Serm. II. The 9th Proposition containing many things about this Controversy out of Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 23 to 27. The General Proposition from whence the Author proceeds in his whole Work in six Particulars p. 28 29. No Law of the Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency shewed in six Particulars p. 29 to 35. No positive Command given to Adam to keep the 7th day as a Sabbath proved by 12 Arguments p. 37 to 56. Serm. III. The Patriarchs kept not the 7th day proved in 12 Arguments p. 58 to 74. Serm. IV. The Sabbath begun in the Wilderness of Sin Exod 16. p. 75 76. What a Moral Precept is shew'd from the Learned p. 88 89. The simple Morality of the 4th Command consists not in the observance of the precise 7th Day proved by 4 Arguments p. 86 to 91. Serm. V. Eight Arguments more to prove the same p. 93 to 124. The 7th Day a sign of the Covenant of Works p. 〈◊〉 104. What a Shadow of p. 107. Serm. 6. The Law of the Decalogue was only given to Israel and Proselites p. 125 to 133. Objections answered from Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 4. 5. and James p. 133 to 135. The Moral Law in the hand of Christ as Mediator p. 136 to 147. No Precept nor Precedent to keep the 7th day in the New Testament p. 147 to 152. Serm. VII Ten Arguments against the 7th Day p. 155 to 158. The Law of the 7th Day Sabbath not written in the Hearts of Gospel-Believers p. 156 157. Twelve dangerous Consequents attending the Opinion of these Sabbatarians p. 161 to 172. The second Part. SErmon I. The Scope of the Text opened p. 175 176. The first Day of Divine Appointment Man has no power to appoint a weekly Day of Worship p. 178 179. The Equity of one Day in seven p. 180. How to distinguish Moral Precepts from Ceremonial p. 181 182. Pentecost proved the first Day of the Week A long citation of Mr. Warren who cites Dr. Ulher's Letter to Dr. Twiss from p. 186 to 198. Serm. II. The Foundation of the first Day partly containing Citations of Dr. Owen on Heb. 4. from p. 200 to 221. This is the Day the Lord hath made p. 210 to 214. First day confirmed by the Examples of the Gospel-Saints and Churches p. 214 to 223. Serm. III. First day proved from Acts 20. 7. p. 224. Also from Rev. 1. 10. The Lord's Day proved to be the first Day of the Week p. 224 to 248. Serm. 4. Proving there is one Day of the Week for preaching the Word in season and that 't is the first Day p. 248 249. The first Day proved from 1 Cor. 16. 12. p. 250. to 264. When the first Day begins and how it ought to be kept from p. 266 to the end Faults escaped the Press which before you read pray correct with your Pen. PAge 23. in the Contents line 6. for no read any P. 93. l. 5. for six r. eight P. 104. l. 11. for God's Covenant r. is called the Covenant P. 132. last line save one r. not without Law to God P. 140. l. 26. for breaking r. breakers P. 142. last line for by r. is P. 143. l. 3. blot out Law P. 147. l. 33. r. Sabbath was made blot out not P. 180. l. 27. for he r. our P. 205. Title for Heb. 4. 11. r. Heb. 4. 9. and so P. 207. P. 219. l. 16. f. had they met r. meeting together P. 249. l. 25. for approved it r. and he approved of it P. 263. l. 26. for when they that
Scriptures which mention the Sabbath speak of it as of a holy Sign looking towards Christ and the state of Grace and Glory in him and not towards the state of Innocency It is most certain Adam in that state was perfect with all natural Perfections and at all times equally disposed to obey and serve God to remember his Creation and to honour his Creator he needed no observation of any day to be put in mind of any thing he had before known and which God had revealed to him his Memory was perfect his Will was every day ready to do whatever he knew to be right he needed no Sign to admonish him of his Duty or to move him to do it in due season he did not labor nor weary himself every day to him was a day of Delight and Pleasure of Rest and Recreation In a word his whole Life was a constant and obedient serving oâ— God and there was no inequality nor lesâ— Worship of God perform'd by him in onâ— day than in another for he fully served God at all times Whoever denies this must needs deny Man's Perfections and constant Conformity to God in the state of Innocency For where one day is kept better than anâ—â—ther there is an inequality and no constaâ— Uniformity in himself nor Conformity to 〈◊〉 Will of God In the second place they who hold the Sabbath was first instituted after Man's Fall and yet written in Man's Heart in Innocency and that he was then bound to keep it fall into many Absurdities as 1. That Man was bound to keep a Sabbath before ever it was instituted 2. That God did by his Word teach Man in vain i. e. that which he was fully taught already and had written in his heart 3. That God gave Man a Law in vain after his Fall because he was become unable to keep it 4. They that hold that the Law of the Sabbath was not written in man's Heart but was by a Positive Law given in the State of Innocency of the same nature with that of eating of the Tree of Knowledg make this Commandment of the Sabbath utterly void by Man's Fall even as that of eating c. is now void Thus far Mr. Walker I might add certainly there was a vast difference as to the Cause and Design of God's giving a Sabbath to Man in Innocency and when fallen Could a Sabbath sute equally with perfect and â—allen Man Or could there be the same need of a Sabbath to both Certainly if God had â—ot given that Command by Moses the keepâ—â—g that precise Day would not have been known 〈◊〉 be the Duty of any of Adam's Off-spring â—om a positive Law given to him in Innocency Ninthly To put the matter further out of â—oubt pray mind the words of this pretended â—ositive Command God rested on the Seventhâ—â—y what then but he also blessed and sancâ—â—fied it what tho Because God sanctified 〈◊〉 Priest may others do so too He might 〈◊〉 the Seventh-day apart for his People in afterâ—â—es Because God sanctified it must Adam â—nctify it or keep it holy without a Comâ—â—and Is it said therefore Thou Adam shalt â—eep this Day as a Sabbath No doubt Moses â—ould not only have mention'd God's blessing â—nd sanctifying that Day had it been given to Adam as a Sabbath but God's express Command would have been mention'd by him and would also have called it the Sabbath-day I might now come to the last Argument viz. If it had been commanded Adam and all his Posterity to keep the Seventh-day after he fell â—he Patriarchs that lived before Moses kept it But more of this next time Tenthly If Adam had the Sabbath positively given to him in Innocency besure it was injoined with some Penalty as the Command of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was We also find the Penalty of the breach of the Seventh-day Sabbath was Death but as we read of no Positive Command given to him to keep that Day so of no threatning if he broke or violated it therefore certainly it was never enjoyn'd upon him Elevehthly When the Sabbath was institured for the House of Jacob God declared it was a Sign between him and them or a Shadow of things to come Col. 2. 16 17. it referred to Christ or to that Rest all Believers do enter into Exod. 31. 13 14. Speak thou unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Ezek. 20. 21. that ye may know that I am the Lord that sanctify you Exod. 31. 13. Ye shall keep my Sabbath therefore it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death For every one that doth any work on the Sabbath-day shall be cut off from amongst his People vers 14. It was a sign God set apart that People with a Ceremonial Sanctification to signify that alone by Jesus Christ all the true spiritual Israel should have Gospel-Sanctification as well as it was a sign of the Covenant of Works but it could be no sign of this Sanctification to Adam in Innocency nor of any other Gospel-blessing therefore doubtless the Sabbath was not given to Adam in Innocency Twelfthly What reason can be given that God should allow Adam in Innocency six days to labour in and require but one i. e. the seventh as a day to his Creator No it is evident from hence the Sabbath refer'd to fallen Man who God foresaw would need six days to do all his Labour and it shews God's great Mercy to Man and Beast in that woful condition of Servitude It might not be our Duty to keep the Sabbath tho given to Adam in Innocency under the Curse I might add should it be granted that God gave Adam a positive Command to keep the seventh day in Innocency how can our Opponents thence prove it the Duty of all to keep the said day A Command to him in Innocency may not oblige any Man in his fallen state except the same be renewed I find two of the chiefest Writers I have met with who are approved Orthodox plead not for the Sabbath as given to Adam in Innocency See Sabbatum Redi Part 3. p. 336. viz. Mr. Dan. â—awdrey and Mr. Herbert Palmer Take their words We purpose not to maintain that the Sabbath was given to Adam in Innocency before the Fall but they hint it might be given to him after the Fall and that he fell the same day he was created P. 337. Moreover they say If it was given before his Fall it doth not follow it should oblige at this day for the positive Precept of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was given in Innocency and yet doth not universally oblige Adam's Posterity nor should if the Tree were at this day known A positive Precept binds only during the pleasure of the Lawgiver c. so say I the same must be granted when it was given Exod. 16. 20.
and Political Church-state and from hence it seems to me they were not injoyn'd to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath that is they had no instituted stated and stinted Worship nor any in a Magistratical Capacity to inflict Punishment 〈◊〉 such as violated the pretended Sabbath 〈◊〉 had they been put into such a Capacity 〈◊〉 doubt but God had given them his Sabbath with the like Sanction to them as afterward that the Penalty might have been inflicted 〈◊〉 Offenders as he did after the Sabbath was â—â—deed given to the House of Israel in the Wiâ—derness of Sinai Nehemiah clearly intimates that the Saâ—bath was only made known to Israel Tâ—â— madest known to them thy holy Sahbaths was first made known to Moses Exod. 16. 20. and then him to the Children of Israel therefore 〈◊〉 known to him or them before The Scripture is certainly to be taken 〈◊〉 this sense and not in that sense which soâ—â— would have the Holy Ghost intend viz. thâ—â— it was made known more clearly to that People with the mode of its observation c. but certainly it was never known till God reveal'd 〈◊〉 to Moses nor given as a Law to any till giveâ— to the People of Israel in the Wilderness 〈◊〉 Sin SERMON IV. 〈◊〉 the Commencement of the Sabbath and that it was in the Wilderness of Sin What a moral Law or Precept is That the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day Four Arguments urg'd to prove this Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. I Have my Brethren endeavour'd to shew and prove 1. That God did not write the Law of 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath in Adam's Heart that 〈◊〉 is no Law of Creation wrote in the Hearts of the Gentiles and of all Mankind and so no â—atural or simple moral Precept 2. That it was not given to Adam by any express positive Command either before or immediately after he fell and so none of the Paâ—riarchs did observe it We can find no original of the Seventh-day Sabbath as to any observance of it hitherto therefore must look for its beginning or original or any actual or express Command for the observation thereof somewhere else which indeed we have in Exod. 16. 23. True The 7th day Sab. begun in the Wilderness of Sin some of the Jewish Rabbins affirm that it was given to Israel Exod. 15. 25. at Marah There he made them a Statute and an Ordinance and there he proved them It is called a Statutâ— and Ordinance in the singular not Statutes 〈◊〉 Ordinances and probably it might be the Statute of the Sabbath tho 't is not expressed 〈◊〉 the falling of Manna chap. 16. tho others by 〈◊〉 figure think it may comprehend not only thâ— Sabbath but all other Precepts of the Law I know that Dr. Owen seems not to be of opinion that this Statute refers to the Sabbath neither can we determine the case yet it is very probable it might be that But we find 〈◊〉 directly and expresly commanded chap. 16. 2â— To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord c. And many learned Men do asseâ—â— that here was the Institution and original 〈◊〉 the observance of it Mr. Grascome Thus a late Writer expresses himself The first time we find the observation of the Sabbath-day injoyned is 〈◊〉 the Wilderness of Sin before they came 〈◊〉 Mount Sinai where the ten Commandmentâ— were deliver'd as if it were purposely 〈◊〉 distinguish the day which is Ceremonial anâ— of divine positive Institution from the Woâ—â—ship it self The words in Exod. 16. 23. express plainly enough the Institution of this day by way of Information to the People viz. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which you will bake to day c. And when the day came or begun Ver. 25. Moses said Eat that to day for to day is a Sabbath to the Lord And in ver 26. Six days ye shall gather it but on the seventh day which is the Sabbath in it there shall be none Observe by the way that here is not one word on what day the Manna first fell so that none can tell this was the seventh day from the Creation but that it was the seventh day after the six days of its raining of Manna is eviâ—ent But to return to our business in hand Here â—â—ay is the original or first beginning of the â—â—bbath that we read of as to any Precept or â—â—junction on the People or any observation of 〈◊〉 which was as one observes about a month â—â—fore Moses receiv'd the Law on Mount Sinai Some it is true would infer that the Sabâ—â—th was known and observ'd by the Jews beâ—â—re because they say it is here spoken of 〈◊〉 a thing well known 1. I answer in the words of our late Author Grascome's History of the Sab. p. 76. This is a force put upon the words and a gross mistake for it is evidently spoken of as a new thing else what means that frequent Inculcation to make the People take notice of it if it had been familiar to them before And what means the coming of the Rulers of the Congregation to Moses to consult him as on an unusual and unknown matter Exod. 16. 22. 2. And let me add they were told that they should gather it six days and that there should be none found on the seventh and yet some of the People went to gather it on the seventh day as not being yet well acquainted with their Sabbath ver 26 27. and this displeased the Lord and therefore Moses again told them ver 29. See for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day Bread for two days He hath given you the Sabbath Doth not â—his imply he had not given it to any before To you and none else to you and to none that went before you as he spake to them afterwards Deut. 5. 2 3. As to his Laws and Covenant on Mount Sinai the Covenant which God made with us in Horeb the Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers but with us even 〈◊〉 who are alive this day Their Fathers had the Covenant and all the Precepts before materially as to the substance of them or what was simply moral but theâ— had not this Covenant nor those Precepts formally given to them and so not the precise seventh day 3. If the People did know there was a Sabbath given in charge to Moses before Manna it might refer to that chap. 15. yet they might not know what particular day it was to begiâ— on or which day should be the day of their first Sabbath nor know yet how to keep it Foâ— 4. As the same Author notes the case of thâ— Man who gather'd Sticks on the Sabbath-day shews they were still unacquainted with Sabbath-days Duties Numb 15. 32 33. or rather wholly ignorant of the Penalty of the breach of
for a Man to marry his own Sister Answ 1. Where all Uncleanness and Lusts of Concupiscence and Fornication are forbid there a Man is forbid to marry his own Sister 2. Is not this sort of Incest forbidden and condemned 1 Cor. 5. 1. where the incestuous Person is condemned for marrying his Father's Wife If it be unlawful for a Man to marry his Brother's Wife or his Father's Wife it is unlawful to marry his own Sister because nearer of kin 3. All manner of Incest is forbid to believing Gentiles in Acts 15. 29. this was one of those things contain'd in the Law that is given forth anew to believing Gentiles The Holy Ghost inspir'd the Apostles to write to the Gentiles to abstain from Blood Meats offered to Idols things strangled and from Fornication now Incest is by Paul call'd Fornication 1 Cor. 5. 1. I hear there is Fornication amongst you c. Tho in strict speaking say our late Annotators by Fornication we mean Uncleanness of single Persons yet by this word often in Scripture is understood all species of Uncleanness Nor is it probable that the Holy Ghost refers to the Uncleanness of single Persons in Acts 15. but to somewhat more doubtful and therefore I conceive all sorts of Incest in this place are forbidden 4. If any should say How can they know it was unlawful for a Man to marry his own Sister I answer 'T is not only known as I have shew'd by the New Testament and forbid there but also by the very Light of Nature for such Fornication 1 Cor. 5. 1. saith Paul is not so much as once nam'd among the Gentiles that is among the more civiliz'd Heathens who had no other Law than the Light of Nature which teaches Men to abhor such a Marriage For doth the Light of Nature teach a Man that it is a shame to wear long Hair and not teach him it is a shame to marry his own Sister 5. Moreover tho I said the whole Moral Law is transfer'd from Moses as a Lawgiver to Christ as Mediator yet the Old Testament and the Law as written by Moses as well as the Prophets are of great use in many respects 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction and Instruction in Righteousness c. Sixthly The Seventh-day Sabbath proved to be a sign of the Covenant of Works The Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the observation of the precise seventh Day because that day was a sign or shadow of something to come I did at first prove in opening my Text that the weekly Jewish Sabbath is comprehended in those days the false Brethren taught the Galatians to observe Gal. 4. 10. and gave many Arguments to evince that tho there is one day in seven by a positive Law perpetually to be kept Col. 2. 16. yet the old Jewish seventh day from the Creation and under the Covenant of Works was a shadow of things to come But I shall add here something out of an approved Author further to confirm this That Sabbath Warren on the Sab. against Tillam p. 106 107 c. saith he and the particular seventh day which the Jews observed was certainly of a shadowy nature being instituted at first with reference to Christ as all other Shadows were having a Type after fix'd to it And of this we may safely expound that forementioned Text Col. 2. 16. Let no man judg you in Meats or in Drinks or in respect of an holy day or New Moons or Sabbaths which were shadows of things to come but the Body is of Christ The only question is whether their weekly Sabbath was here intended Some are jealous lest in pressing it so far it should prove prejudicial to our weekly Christian Sabbath but this is a mere causless Jealousy For let us ponder the scope and design of the place and it will appear that the Apostles design is not to level Christian Days and Duties but such as the Jews observ'd and would have introduced with Circumcision 'T is apparent that in all those three places Rom. 14. 5 6. Gal. 4. 10 11. Col. 2. 16. he crys down the Ordinances of the Law or Old Testament not the Institutions of the Gospel Look what the Jewish false Teachers cry'd up St. Paul cried down So as to argue from hence against all difference of days under the Gospel is evidently to stretch the Text beyond the Scope but to urge it against all Jewish holy days their weekly Sabbath and all is not to force it For 1. The Apostle seems to speak distinctly and distributively enumerating the several sorts of days in observation among the Jews Holy-days New-Moons Sabbaths and the gradation from yearly Holy-days to monthly New-Moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths is visible enough to such as are not blinded with Prejudice Mr. Shepherd speaks much to the same purpose Sheph. on the Sabb. Part 2. The plural term Sabbaths is usually put for the singular the Sabbath or seventh day Thes 20. p. 204. now under dispute Yea I cannot find any one Text in all the New Testament where it is applied in the same number to any other day or Sabbath but the old Seventh-day Sabbath * Mat. 12. 15. Mark 1. 21. cap. 2. 24. cap. 3. 2. Luk. 4. 31. cap. 13. 10. Act. 13. 14. Seven or eight times the same word as is here set down in the plural number is used for the old weekly Sabbath and not so much as once for any yearly Sabbath therefore in all reason that precise weekly Sabbath must be here I will not say included only but principally intended Even in the Old Testament wherever New Moons and Sabbaths are coupled together unless the Phrase be figurative as in Isa 66. 23. the Jews weekly Sabbath is denoted by it as appears by those Scriptures cited in the Margin †2 Kings 4. 23. 1 Chron. 23. 31. ch 8. 13. ch 31. 3. Neh. 10. 33. Ezek. 45. 17. Amos 8. 5. in most of which their annual Sabbaths are excepted and distinguished by another name scil Feasts to which answers the word Holy-days in this place Col. 2. 16. For indeed the word in the Original signifies a Feast or Festival-day Thus let Scripture expound Scripture and Truth will be Truth in spite of Error take the whole Sentence together Holy-days New-Moons Sabbaths and if it be an Old Testament Phrase it always implies the old Seventh-day Sabbath or take the word Sabbaths singly by it self and if it be a New Testament Term as 't is like it is it ever signifies the same seventh day unless when put for week which here it cannot be The Conclusion then is undeniable that the Jews Seventh-day Sabbath was a shadowy Sabbath Dr. Owen also repeats what some learned Men say upon this place Col. 2. 16. Let no Man judg you in Meats or Drinks or in respect of an Holy-day or the New-Moon
bringing a better hope did And so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament In all this it is plain that it is the whole Frame of the Mosaical Law that is changed and the New Testament set up in its stead Heb. 9. 18 19. Neither was the first Testament dedicated without Blood For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the People according to the Law c. Here the Law before said to be changed is said to contain every Precept And Ephes 2. 15. it is the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which Christ abolished in his Flesh which cannot be exclusive of the chief part thereof Object This is the Doctrine of the Antinomians that the Law is abrogated even the Moral Law Answ It is the Doctrin of the true Antinomians that we are under no Divine Law neither of Nature nor of Christ But it is the Doctrin of Paul and all Christians that the Jewish Mosaical Law is abolished Object But do not all Divines say that the Moral Law is of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes because it is God's Law of Nature and the Law of Christ Object But do not most say that the Decalogue written in Stone is the Moral Law and of perpetual Obligation Answ Yes for by the word Moral they mean Natural and so take Moral not in the large sense as signifying a Law de moribus as all Laws are whatsoever but in a narrower sense as signifying that which by nature is of universal and perpetual Obligation So that they mean not that it is perpetual as it is Moses's Law and written in Stone formally but as it is that which is natural And they mean that materially the Decalogue containeth the same Law which is the Law of Nature and therefore it is materially in force still But they except still certain Points and Circumstances in it as the prefatory Reason I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt and especially this of the Seventh-day Sabbath Quest How far then are we bound to keep the Law Answ 1. As it is the Law of Nature 2. As it is own'd by Christ and made part of his Law And therefore no more of it bindeth directly than we can prove to be either the Law of Nature or the Law of Christ Thus Mr. B. Object But Christ saith he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil them and that not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass away till all be fulfilled Answ The whole Moral Law Christ hath fulfilled in our Nature for us and in our stead in his Life And by his Death he hath antitypically fulfilled all the Prophecies concerning himself in reference to such things and hath abolished the Ceremonial Law also for till then not a tittle of that could pass away Is a fulfilling the Law a destroying it Besides all simple moral Precepts of the Law as in Christ's hand stand firm for ever therefore he came not to destroy the Law yet is he the end of it for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. tho as a Rule of Life in his hands it obligeth them perpetually Moreover Ch. 5. 20. Brethren 't is said the Law enter'd Chap. 7. 9. that the Offence might abound c. and the Commandment came c. Now this entering of the Law and coming of the Commandment The use of the Law at in Christ's hand chiefly refers to the Law as it is in Christ's hand set home with Power by the Spirit upon the Conscience The bare entrance of the Law on Mount Sinai as in Moses's hand was with Thundering and Lightning but without Rain I mean without Contrition or Brokenness of heart Men may read Moses's Law and hear it preach'd every day nay write it on the Walls of their Houses and carry it in their Bosoms but yet it may have no operations on their Hearts no 't is the Ministration of the Law in Christ's hand by his Spirit that wounds the Conscience pierces and melts the hard Heart that God's Law may be written there The Ministration of the Law in Christ's hand answers the chief design of God in giving it forth and renders the Minstration of it by Moses of little or no use for as in his hand it is done away but the Law by the Spirit greatens Sin or makes Sin abound and Grace superabound Sin thus by the Law becomes exceeding sinful and it doth not only wound but slay the Soul Sin taking occasion by the Commandment Rom. 7. 11 12. deceived me and by it slew me Wherefore the Law is holy c. O blessed be God for the Law as it is in Christ's hand Thus Sin reviv'd 〈◊〉 I dy'd saith Paul I dy'd as to any hope of Justification or eternal Life by the Law The Jews who had the Law only as in Moses's hand were puff'd up or fill'd with Pride they as Paul before Conversion or the coming of the Commandment in and by the Spirit as in Christ's hand were alive so he thought himself alive in a justified state but when the Commandment came it was then quite otherwise with him So that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and also to make it of great use to all that receive the Spirit of Christ which Spirit is a Spirit of burning before it is a Spirit of Consolation or a Spirit of Boâ—dage before it is the Spirit of Adoption and so a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3. 24. Thus we do not make void the Law through Faith but establish it God in Christ hath magnified the Law and made it honourable and that three ways 1. In sending his own Son in our Nature to keep it perfectly and to die for our breach thereof Christ was made under the Law to this very end O how doth it magnify the Law to see Godman thus conform to it and die to bear the Penalty thereof for us 2. He magnifieth the Law in putting it into the hands of his own Son as Mediator to give it forth Doth not the Dignity and Glory of the Lawgiver add to the Glory of the Law given Is not Christ a more glorious Person than Moses See Heb. 1. 8 9 10. 2. 2 3. This Man was accounted worthy of more Glory than Moses Heb. 3. 3. But alas some would have Moses partake of some part of Christ's Glory he must be their Lawgiver 3. By making of it as in Christ's hand of far greater use to Believers as I have shewed than ever it was in the hands of Moses and so to answer God's Design in it Let me only add that all Moses's Law even the Decalogue was political as one observes God's Law was for the particular political Government of the Jewish Nation as a typical Church and political Body and therefore when their Kingdom or Policy ceased the Law as Political and their figurative Sabbath could not
I take to be the Foundation of the observance of the first Day and that which I mentioned last is a clear confirmation thereof In order to do this consider that each Day to be observed either under the Law or Gospel must be comprehended in the fourth Command and that the change of the old Day takes not away the perpetual Obligation of one day in seven nor the reason of that positive perpetual Law Now there are but two great and general Instances in which God is said to rest viz. 1. That after the first Creation was finished God rested from all his Work namely from Creation-work so as he never will create any material thing again to the end of the World As to his creating the Soul that is not the creating of any new Species of Beings 2. The Rest of God-man after he had finished the Work of Redemption or the second Creation which is never to be repeated Now there is a moral Reason which is deducible from the fourth Commandment that whenever God rests there is a Foundation of a day of Rest for Man comporting with the nature and tendency of each Covenant to which that Rest doth refer Thou shalt do no manner of Work c. for in six days c. The word for implys a moral Reason which makes it applicable to any Rest of God therefore to God's Rest from the Work of Redemption I mean that of God-man which is also deducible from Heb. 4 Christ rested from his Work as God did from his Therefore there remaineth a Rest for the People of God Heb. 4. â— 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he that is entered into his Rest hath also ceased from his Works as God did from his Here is the Institution of the Lord's Day For tho this Rest hath a particular relation to the Gospel-day of Rest i. e. of that Grace Rest and Peace Christ procured for us by his doing all that we had to do and of that burden of Punishment he bore which we had to undergo for our Sins yet not exclusive of a particular Sabbath or day of Rest but it is directly intended here as the Foundation and Institution of it because that Rest in the former Verses which has a more particular respect to the Rest in Canaan is spoken of not excluding God's resting the Seventh-day Now in pursuit of this I shall here cite some material Passages out of Dr. Owen on the Sabbath who has fully confirmed what I here assert How the Creation of all things was finished Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 256. and the Rest of God and Man that ensued thereon hath been saith he declared It hath also in part and sufficiently as to our present purpose been evidenced how the great Ends of the Creation of all in the Glory of God and the Blessedness of Man in him with the Pledg thereof in a sabbatical Rest were for a season as it were defeated and disappointed by the entrance of Sin which brake the Covenant that was founded in the Law of Creation and rendered it useless unto those Ends Hence it could no more bring Man to rest in God but yet there was the continuation of the obligatory Force of the Law and Covenant and hence of the Sabbatical Rest in the Church of Israel with the especial application of its Command to that People In this state of things God had of old determined the Renovation of all things by a new Creation a new Law of that Creation a new Covenant and a new Sabbatical Rest to his Glory by Jesus Christ And this Renovation of all things accordingly to be accomplished in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. 'T is said Old things are past away and behold all things are become new the old Law the old Covenant old Worship Pag. 258. old Sabbath and all that was peculiar to the Covenant of Works as such in the first Institution of it and its renewed Declaration on Mount Sinai all are gone and antiquated And what now remains of them as to any usefulness in our living to God doth not abide on the old Foundation but on a new Disposition of them by the Renovation of all things in Christ Eph. 1. 10. A new Law of Obedience is introduc'd by the new Creation in Christ Jesus And there is a great Renovation thereof shewed in God's writing his Law in our Hearts not here to be insisted on God brings over * That is God brings over the Law as given on Mount Sinai into the hands of Christ in this State the use of the first Law as renewed and represented in Tables of Stone for a directive Rule of Obedience to the new Creature whereby the first original Law is wholly supply'd Hereunto he makes an addition of what positive Laws he thinks meet So the Moral Law tho materially always the same yet this old Law as brought over into this new State is new also for all old things are become new And it is now the Rule of our Obedience not merely to God as Creator but to God in Christ bringing us into a new Relation to himself in the Renovation of the Image of God in our Souls and the transferring over of the Moral Law as a Rule accompanied with new Principles Motives and Ends. And now observe all the Rests of God are founded in his own Rest in his Works for a pledg hereof a day of Rest must be given and observed But as the Apostle tells in another case Pag. 262. The Priesthood being changed Heb. 7. 12. there must also of necessity be a change of the Law so the Covenant being changed and the Rest which was the end of it being changed and the way of entering into the Rest of God being changed a change of the Day must of necessity thereon ensue And no Man can assert the same day of Rest precisely to abide as of old but he must likewise assert the same way of entering into â—t which yet as all acknowledg is changed The day first annexed to the Covenant of Works that is the seventh day was continued under the old Testament because the outward Administration of the Covenant of Works was continued But now the new Covenant being absolutely established and the other abolished both as to its Nature Use Efficacy and Power no more to be represented nor proposed unto Believers even the whole of it Yea and its renewed Administration under the Old Testament being removed taken away and disappearing Heb. 8. 13. the precise day of Rest belonging unto it was to be changed also and so it came to pass On these Suppositions we lay Pag. 164. § 7. and ought to â—ay the observation of the Lord's-day under the New Testament according to the Institution of â—t or Declaration of the Mind of Christ who â—s our Lord and Lawgiver concerning it A New work of Creation or work of a new Creation is undertaken and compleated * Isa 65.
intimate r. when they intimate The Jewish Sabbath Abrogated or the Saturday Sabbatarian confuted c. SERMON I. The occasion of the Author 's preaching on this Subject The scope and coherence of the Text open'd The Terms explain'd and the Doctrines raised Divers preliminary Propositions shewing what Medium the Author intends to take in treating on this Subject Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain MY Brethren The occasion of the Author 's preaching these Sermons I am troubled I have such a provoking occasion to enter upon this Controversy viz. What day of the Week we under the Gospel Dispensation ought to observe as a day of Rest and of solemn Worship to the Lord since universally the Church and People of God of all Persuasions are agreed about it and have been ever since the new World or Gospel-day did commence except a few Christians formerly and a little Remnant of late times in this Nation who have deserted and err'd in this case And had I not a clear Call to enter upon this Subject thro the inadvertence of some young Men among us I had not meddled with it who have not only without advising with me or the Congregation presum'd to keep the Jewish Sabbath but with an unaccountable and over-heated Zeal have prosecuted their Notion and Practice to the disturbing of the Quiet and Peace of the Congregation My Brethren is it not a lamentable thing to see how Satan hath prevail'd to hinder the Power of Godliness which consisteth not in Meats and Drinks nor in the Observation of Jewish Days but in Righteousness Rom. 14. 17. and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost One while he hath endeavour'd to do this by suggesting of strange and uncouth Notions and Principles that edify not into the minds of Christians at another time by raising up needless Cavils and Objections about the mode of the discharge of a Moral as well as a Gospel-Duty I mean that of singing the Praises of God which formerly caus'd no small trouble amongst us as well as in other Churches But when that Controversy was near vanquish'd so another is rais'd which I hope God will make me an Instrument to quell also and utterly drive away hence he having set me for the defence of the Gospel and of all pure Gospel-Truths in this place in opposition to all Innovations and Judaical Rites and Observations which some seem too fond of Yet let none mistake me I shall not censure such as keep the seventh day provided they lay no stress upon it but believe they are oblig'd by the Authority of Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath to observe religiously the Lord's-day or first day of the Week free from Labor in the Worship and Service of God provided also they are such as have the command of their own time and can do it without wronging their Families or are not by the Observation of the seventh day necessitated to violate Precepts that all agree are Moral Duties 1. In not doing their Fathers or Masters Business in not working six days for tho it may be said of some six days Work may be done yet it may be said of others who are Servants six days they must work it being their indispensible Duty so to do 2. In violating the Fifth Commandment as the whole Moral Law is in the hands of Christ which requires Obedience to their Natural and Political Parents in all things wherein they transgress no Law of God they ought carefully to subject themselves to them and in not doing it Eph. 6. 1. they sin and are guilty before God Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right the Lord commands it or it is agreeable to his Will Rom. 13. 1. Again it is said Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers Tit. 3. 1. c. Put them in mind to obey Magistrates c. And again 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as supreme c. Whatsoever Magistrates or Parents do require agreeable to the Divine Will ought faithfully to be done and in Conscience to God And as to the religious observation of the first day of the week I shall prove before I have done that it is agreeable to the Will of God and those who observe it not do violate the Rule of the Gospel or the new Creation and so break both the Law of God and Man nay it grieves my Soul to hear what a Reproach and Scandal some rash young Men who are Apprentices have herein brought upon their Profession and I hear some who know they are Members with us have unjustly blam'd and censured me and the Church upon that account not hearing what Pains I have taken to convince them of their great Evil therein and I do now declare my abhorrence of their Practices and unbecoming Behaviour to their Parents and Masters and let such as encourage or countenance them see how they will answer it in the great day But not to retain you any longer in a way of Introduction I shall proceed to my Text. And first to the occasion of the words The occasion of the words opened which were written by holy Paul the great Minister of the Gentiles to the Churches that were then at Galatia not Church in the singular but to the Churches there were more at Galatia than one so it is express'd 1 Cor. 16. 2. And thus he begins his Epistle i. e. To the Churches of Galatia chap. 1. 2. 1. He kindly salutes them ver 3. Grace be unto you and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ 2. But soon upon it he sharply reproves them ver 6. I marvel ye are so soon removed from him that called you to another Gospel ver 7. Which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ Query What was the Error they were corrupted with 1. I answer They were by some false Brethren taught to mix the Law and the Gospel together in Justification or to mix Works with Grace and this is to pervert the Gospel of Christ and obscure the Doctrine of Free-Grace 2. They turned to Judaism in respect of the observation of Circumcision and Jewish days How turn ye again to weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye desire again to be in Bondage chap. 4. vers 9. Ye having as if he should say attained to the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ the glorious Mediator Soveraign Lord and only Lawgiver of his Church it is strange you should turn again to Moses and so eclipse the Glory of Christ this doth not comport with your former knowledg and of that Revelation you have had of the Truth as it is in Jesus By Beggarly Elements he doth not only mean
Circumcision but also observation of Jewish Days Ye observe Days c. he doth not mean the Gospel or New Testament days of Worship but Jewish days he could not be afraid of them if they had only observ'd the first day of the Week because he had given charge to these Churches as well as others religiously to keep it as appears 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 3. but they observ'd the Jewish Sabbath and other Old Testament days nay and they laid such stress upon them as to make the observation of them necessary to eternal Life as some do now by affirming the keeping of the Seventh-day or old Jewish Sabbath is a Moral Duty being of the same nature with the first Commandment viz. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me or any other simple Moral Precept True such at Rome as did esteem some other day besides the first Day of the Week and lookt upon it as an indifferent thing were not reproved as Rom. 14. 5. The converted Jews perhaps thought they might keep the Jewish Sabbath as well as the Lord's-Day and Paul dealt with them for a time as Children or Babes in Christ But when any came to plead for it as a Moral Duty or as necessary to Salvation how sharp was he with them I am afraid of you From hence by the way observe That Jewish-day and shadowy Ordinances under the Law in comparison of New Testament Ordinances are but weak and beggerly Elements The Explanation 1. By Days The Terms of the Text explained I understand the Jewish weekly Sabbath-days 2. By Months is meant their New Moons or monthly Sabbaths which were every new Moon 3. By Times the Feasts of the Passover the Feast of Pentecost and that of Tabernacles 4. By Years every seventh Year and every fiftieth Year which was their great Jubilee I find divers learned Men thus explaining these Terms Perkins on Gal. p. 285. and tho Mr. Perkins seems to go astray afterwards yet he speaks much to the same purpose Now my Brethren the reasons why I conclude by Days here are meant the Jewish weekly Sabbath-days are First Because when Moses speaks of their Feasts and Holy-days he brings in first of all their Seventh-day Sabbath Levit. 23. Secondly If Days Months Times and Years comprehend all Days Months Times and Years which the Jews observed then their Seventh-day Sabbath is comprehended here but Days Months Times and Years comprehend all Days Months Times and Years that the Jews observed therefore it comprehends their Seventh Day here If the Minor be denyed let our Opponents or any Person shew where Days Months Times and Years are mentioned and yet the Seventh-day not comprehended Perhaps it may be objected by some who keep the Jewish Sabbath Object That the Seventh Day is every where in Scripture expressed in the singular Number i. e. Day not Days That is not true Answ for in several places the Seventh-day is expressed in the plural Number i. e. Days the Jews themselves called it Days And they asked him Mat. 12. 10. saying Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath Days see Matth. 12. 5. My Sabbaths ye shall keep 't is a Sign c. Deut. 31. 13. In the Greek 't is read Sabbaths Exod. 28. 8. and Deut. 5. 12. as the Learned in that Language shew and all Men of note both Antient and Modern Expositors of Holy Scripture saith my Author Dr. White p. 165. expound St. Paul Col. 2. 17. of Weekly Sabbaths as well as Annual Sabbaths Again it is objected Object 2. That the Days Months Times and Years were not Jewish but Heathenish Days c. Thus Coppinger in his Dispute with Mr. Ives because 't is said they did Service to them who by nature are no Gods That there were Jews among these Galatians is evident Answ Yet if otherwise i. e. tho they were Gentiles 't is clear they desired to be under the Law Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law do you hear the Law You that desire to be circumcised and to observe the Jewish Sabbath and other Mosaical Times and Seasons Do you hear the Law i. e. do you not know that the Bond-woman and her Son are cast out that the Sinai Covenant that gendered to Bondage is abolished and the Law given on Mount Sinai as a Rule of Righteousness is put into the hands of the Son of God considered as Mediator Heb. 12. 2. Ye are not come to Mount Sinai but to Mount Sion and are not now to hear him that spoke of Earth but him that speaketh from Heaven as if Paul should have said Do not you know that Circumcision the Seventh-day Sabbaths and other Jewish Times 2 Cor. 5. 17 18 19 20. Seasons and legal Rites are gone even all old things and that all things are become new My Brethren these Christians did not desire to be under the observation of Heathenish but of Jewish Days They are called the Elements of the World Object 3. therefore not Jewish days 1. The Jewish Rites were called the Elements of the World Answ for does not Paul say We when Children were in bondage under the Elements of the World Gal. 4. 2 3. 2. Besides they were such Rudiments as the Jews were to observe till the appointed time of the Father Now the Father never appointed his Children Gentile idolatrous Rudiments therefore they could not be Heathenish Days 3. What Heathenish Nation kept the seventh or the fiftieth Year as a Sabbath For by Years in our Text our Antagonists confess are meant those Years and I am sure by all Expositors 't is so understood 4. The Jewish Sanctuary is called a Worldly Sanctuary see Heb. 9. 1. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and a Worldly Sanctuary 5. It is evident the Apostle means Mosaical Rudiments by blaming of Peter who would have the Gentiles live after the manner of the Jews Gal. 2. 14. Moreover he refers as all may see to the Jewish Yoke Gal. 5. 1 2. 6. To put it quite out of doubt what Days he intends read Col. 2. 16. Let no man judg you in Meats or Drinks or in respect of a holy Day or of the New Moons or of the Sabbath Days which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ I. Now were any of the Idolatrous Days among the Heathen shadows of things to come or of Christ was he or that Rest he hath brought in the Antitype of them II. He speaks of a Holy Day as a Term given to the Seventh-Day in the Old Testament and of Sabbath-Days and do any think he means by neither the Seventh-Day Sabbath and yet speaks of Sabbath-Days distinct from New-Moons Times and Years Certainly he must intend in one or the other the Jewish weekly Sabbath days I find a very Learned Man writing on this Text speaking thus viz. for which also he cites St. Hierom Paul writ this Epistle in the
still and had its Patrons and Abettors Ebion and Cerinthus two of the wretchedest Hereticks of the Primitive Times And after them Apollinarius is said to countenance and defend it which doubtless made the Antient Fathers declare themselves fully in it as a dangerous Point it seemed to confirm the Jews in their Incredulity and might occasion others to make question of our Saviour's coming in the Flesh Hence Irenaeus Justin Martyr Tertullian and Eusebius Men of Note in the Primitive Times affirm that never any of the Patriarchs before Moses's Law observed the Sabbath which question less they must have done had that Law been moral and dictated by the Light of Nature He cites also Epiphanius and Theodoret on Ezech. 20. Procopius on Gen. 2. Damascen and our venerable Bede concurring with the former Fathers All talk saith he that the Observation of the Jewish Sabbath vanished utterly c I might mention other Authors to the same purpose But to proceed my Brethren because one of my Arguments against the precise Seventh-day Sabbath will be to prove it a Sign or Shadow of that Rest Believers enter into when they first close with Christ I shall say no more now by way of Explanation of my Text but proceed to those Points of Doctrine that arise herefrom Doct. 1. That it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles under the Dispensation of the Gospel The Doctrines raised to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord. Doct. 2. That it is a dangerous thing for any to plead for and keep the seventh day so i◠to lay the same stress on the observation thereof as on a purely natural or simply mora◠Precept These two Propositions I purpose God assisting to prosecute and confirm in this method First I shall lay down several Explanatory Propositions Secondly Give many Arguments to prove th◠truth of the first Proposition Thirdly I shall taking in the second Proposition endeavour to prove that the observing the seventh day Sabbath so as to lay the same stre◠on it as on a natural and simply moral Precept ◠a dangerous thing Fourthly I shall prove that all Believers 〈◊〉 oblig'd to observe the first day of the week free from secular business in religious Worship as the time in season only under the Gospel-dispensation Fifthly I shall endeavour to answer all the main Objections brought by our Opponents against the Observation of the first day of the week To begin First Proposition premised Let it be considered that the Apostles perceiving the weakness of the Jews who believ'd in Christ to take them off gradually from Jewish Observation of days and other legal Rites and Ordinances did admit of the Practice of some of them for a time till they were better instructed in the Truth as it is in Jesus the nature of the new Creation and the change of the whole Law viz. the utter abolishing of all things Ceremonial or that were Signs and Shadows of things to come and the removing the ministration of all Moral Precepts from Moses as Lawgiver into the hand of Christ as Mediator in which capacity he had all Power delegated to him in Heaven and Earth as our only Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Thou seest Brother how many thousands of the Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the Law Acts 21. 20. Hence Paul complied with them to purify himself and to shave his Head v. 24. and on the like account in compliance with their weakness he circumcised Timothy I might from hence by the way note that had we such a Passage that Paul kept one Jewish Sabbath as we have here of his circumcising Timothy I suppose our Brethren would make no small advantage of it that it is our Duty from thence to keep it but that might have been on the same account and no better ground than it would be for us to plead for Circumcision and be circumcised as Tillam Skip and Cooly were as I am informed who called themselves the Ministers of the Circumcision But to proceed Upon the same reason perhaps the Jewish Rites Days and typical or shadowy Ordinances might and were called by their former and antient names as well as for distinction sake for tho those legal Ordinances were dead yet as our Annotators observe they were not then deadly if look'd upon as indifferent things however God was pleased they being his own appointments to vouchsafe them a gradual and decent funeral Second Proposition But nevertheless after they had been better instructed into the truth of the Gospel and the change or end of the Law they were more plainly dealt with I mean he more fully and clearly informed them and shewed them the great danger if they observed those legal Rites Days and Ordinances especially when he saw they laid such stress upon them as to make them necessary to eternal Life as a Rule of Obedience Hence the Apostle says I Paul testify unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 1. And why if circumcised because it was a shadow and the keeping up the shadow was a virtual denying that the Substance was come and besides they were thereby bound to keep the whole Law Such was the natural tendency of observing one Legal Rite or Precept as given by Moses it being in that Ministration a Covenant of Works and he that kept one was obliged to keep all and he that broke one was guilty of all 1. And if so why might not Paul have told them the same thing and danger if they kept the legal Sabbath which led them according to the Tenor of it and in the strictest observance to perfect Obedience which is implyed in those words Thou shalt not think thy own thoughts nor speak thy own words 2. Or provided they made it necessary in order to a holy Life in point of Obedience as a pure moral Precept even of the same nature with the first Commandment viz. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me or the second Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. or the third or fifth or any of the rest I speak not of what is simply moral in the fourth Commandment but of that precise seventh day I say may not their danger be as great if thus they look'd upon those Jewish Sabbaths as if circumcised because then if they kept them not it necessarily must follow it would exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven as all other immoral Acts or actual breach of pure moral Precepts would do 3. Because Paul tells them that those Sabbaths were a Shadow or Sign so far as Circumcision was as I have and shall further make appear and so hereby unwarily they would deny that Christ was come to give us Rest and we do not yet cease working for Life in order to enter into Rest which was held forth as the Tenor of that Ministration of the Moral Law by Moses and particularly in their
the Sabbath is charged against them Now can it be imagin'd they should not have fail'd in this case or that God would overlook or take no notice of it Sixtly We have a Catalogue of almost all immoral Evils before and after the Flood as Idolatry Gluttony Drunkenness Lasciviousness Incest Murder Lying Covetousness Theft c. and how Sin had possessed the Thoughts Hearts and Lives of Men but no account of their Violation of the Sabbath-day Seventhly None from Adam to Moses reprehended for not keeping the Sabbath Let it be consider'd that since God so severely reprehended the Jews for profaning his Sabbaths and hardly reproved them more sharply for any one Sin than for this certainly in his enumerating the Sins 〈◊〉 his People and of the Wickedness of those that liv'd from Adam to Moses he would have reproved them for Sabbath-breaking and not have utterly passed it by in silence had they been guilty of it or can it be rationally supposed that tho they fail'd in all other respects yet that they did not in this No doubt had it been a known Duty and that some of them had been guilty of the breach of it as in all likelihood they would but God would have severely reprehended them for it Eighthly Since we read of no Sabbath till Moses's time Exod. 16. only that God sanctified the seventh day what makes our Brethren so boldly say that Adam in Innocence kept it and all the Patriarchs from Adam to Moses This may seem strange to any thinking Man i. e. that they should affirm this seeing they require an express Command from us for the keeping of the first day or else all is nothing with them Brethren this I will say that had we no more ground to keep the Lord's day in solemn Worship as a day of Rest than they can find for the Patriarchs keeping of the seventh day as a Sabbath we should not say one word more for it I challenge them to shew us one place where a Sabbath is so much as once mention'd or any express or implicit Command given to any to observe it or one Example from the Creation of the World that any Man or Woman ever kept the seventh day as a Sabbath until we come to Moses Exod. 16. I shall God assisting shew that we have more than meer Examples of the Gospel Primitive Churches for observing in a solemn manner the Lord's-day or the first day of the week when I come to that part of my Work Now let them produce but one Example that â—ne tho but one of the Patriarchs did keep the â—eventh day as a Sabbath I will conclude it might be given to Adam after his Fall for before his Fall it could not be a Law to him for the reasons I have urged but if they could produce such an Example yet say some learned Men it doth no more prove that precise day is a moral Precept or that it from hence follows that it is our Duty in Gospel-times to observe it than it proves 't is our Duty to offer Sacrifices which we read before the Ceremonial Law was given they frequently did But since there is not one Instance to be given of any one Person that kept that day till Moses's time but that the Word of God is wholly silent about it we must and may say according to that common Maxim used by Divines i. e. Where God hath not a Mouth to speak we ought not to have an Ear to hear Ninthly The Proofs of the Learned for the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath Let us now consider what some learned Men have produced for their pretended Proofs that the Patriarchs kept the seventh day as a Sabbath which I fear hath imboldned the Jewish Sabbatarians to affirm with such Confidence that all the Patriarchs did keep it But by the way Dr. Owen who is one that asserted what I utterly deny doth yet confess that many of the Jewish Masters or Rabbins ascribe the original of the Sabbath to the Statute given to them in Mara Exod. 15. and others of them to Exod. 16. yet the said Reverend Doctor cites some of the probable grounds to prove that the Patriarchs kept it Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 72. 1. The first and chief place I find he mentions is that in Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the ways of the Lord and do Justice and Judgment Answ That Abraham had this Charge and Commandment given to him is granted but what little reason there is from hence to conclude he kept the Sabbath or gave charge to his Children so to do I will leave to all Mens Consideration God gave to Abraham Commands we find that evident enough and some of them not very easy to Flesh and Blood as that of offering up his only Son Moreover none doubt of the faithfulness of the Patriarch Abraham but if the Sabbath was not then instituted nor any Command given to him to keep it there could not be any such Command meant or comprehended in that Charge given to him The truth is my Brethren learned Men who are Men also of great natural Parts can put a fair gloss on any thing and make that seem to be a Truth that there is not the least ground to believe is so Abraham did all he did in Faith and therefore he had Divine Authority for all he did in God's Service Dr. Twiss's main Argument to prove that the Patriarchs observed the Seventh-day Sabbath is this Dr. Twiss on the Christian Sab. p. 57. viz. The Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it therefore saith he the Patriarchs did observe it Answ I answer God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it but did not give any Command to Adam to keep it therefore the Patriarchs from thence could not know or see they had any ground to observe it Dr. Twiss saith in the same place i. e. And the truth is until the coming of the Children of Israel out of Egypt we read not of any Church of God any where but in single Families neither do we read of the Patriarchs before the Flood or a long time after that they kept any day consecrated to God's Service But we say with him that it doth not therefore follow that they kept no day at all in God's Service They owned the True God and worshipped him and knew that there must be a time a sufficient time to discharge that Homage or Worship to him and tho perhaps they observ'd one day in seven yet as I conceive they did not know what precise day they ought to observe above any other until God by some express positive Command made it known which was not till he constituted the whole House of Israel into a Typical Church-state and gave them an instituted Worship and commanded their Legal and Typical Sabbath Besides how could the Patriarchs know what Duties proper for Sabbath-observation
they should perform except it had by some positive Law or Precept been discover'd to them of which we read not When God gave to Israel a Sabbath he told them how they should keep it as well as the Reasons End and Causes wherefore Tenthly I might also add here what some learned Men seem to affirm i. e. that 't is doubtful whether the Patriarchs had the distinction of Days into Weeks but rather reckon'd by Months and Years so that the precise seventh day from the Creation cannot be certainly known and 't is thought that the Jews observ'd their seventh day from the falling of Manna six days The Jews reckon'd their Seventh-day Sabbath from the falling of Manna but none on the seventh No doubt but it is impossible for any to know that that was the precise seventh day from the Creation But it may not be amiss to answer our Opponents as to what they say about the Scripture not mentioning any Sabbath from Adam to Moses or any Precept or Remembrance of it and yet things of less moment are punctually recited 1. This they say that we read not of Circumcision perform'd during all the time of Israel's being in Egypt which was near four hundred years till Zippora circumcised her Son 2. Also say they we read not of the Sabbath in the Books of Joshua and Judges c. Answ This is no parallel case for after the positive Command given to Israel to keep it there needed no such constant relation of it for no doubt but after that time it was continually observ'd Let me close this with what I find recited by many learned Men concerning the Judgment of divers of the antient Fathers about the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath The Judgment of the anâ—ient Fathers Justin Martyr saith Just Mart. 〈◊〉 cum 〈…〉 that Melchisedec who it is supposed was Shem the Son of Noah was neither circumcised nor kept the Sabbath Irenaeus saith Iren. l. 4. c. 30. Abraham believed and it was imputed to him for Righteousness before he was circumcised and without observing of the Sabbath Tertullian saith Tert. adv Judaeos de praescr c. 2 4. Abel Enoch Noah and Melchisedec observ'd not the Sabbath And again he saith that not any of the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath neither Adam Enoch Noah nor Abraham for 2455 years And hence Tertullian saith Justin de verit l. 2. in Tryph. it is manifest therefore that that cannot be moral nor perpetual that began with Moses as Justin says and ended in Christ Eusebius saith Moses brings in Melchisedec Priest of the most High God Dem. l. 1. c. 6. neither being circumcised nor anointed with Oil as was afterwards commanded in the Law no nor so much as knowing there was a Sabbath Justin Martyr again saith Cont. Tryph. in the days of Enoch People observd not Circumcision or the Sabbath before Abraham there was no Circumcision and before Moses no keeping holy the Sabbath I might also add several of the Jewish Rabbins asserting the same thing But to proceed I infer from hence that that Text Gen. 2. doth not contain in it any present Institution of the Sabbath but signifies God's Destination or Purpose to give it as a Law to his People Israel in after times and was not given to Adam in Innocence for him to sanctify it God might sanctify that precise day to his own Rest after Adam fell with respect had to Christ in whom he took up his perfect Rest and afterwards appointed the seventh day as a sign thereof However it is one thing for God to sanctify or set apart a thing for this or that use and another thing to command that thing or immediately to put it into being Our Lord Jesus was long sanctified or set apart to be our Redeemer Joh. 10. 36. before he was sent into the World actually to redeem us Jeremiah the Prophet was sanctified or set apart to his Work and Office long before he was actually call'd to the execution thereof So that if these words Gen. 2. concerning God's blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day Mr. Sam. Grascom p. 18. are to be extended saith one to relate to any thing further than to that particular seventh day following the Creation it doth not refer to any immediate Institution of the Sabbath but is a historical Narration telling us what was done and not when it was done If therefore we can find out a certain time when the Sabbath was indeed instituted there is good reason to conclude this Text refers to that time as giving us the reason why God in the Institution of the Seventh-day Sabbath made choice of that day And to sum up what I have said take these Arguments 1. We may infer The Arguments against the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath 〈◊〉 up that if the Patriarchs kept the seventh day they had the knowledg of it by the Light of Nature or by a positive Command but they had not the knowledg of it by the Light of Nature nor by any positive Command therefore they observ'd it not 2. If they kept it by virtue of an express Command and Institution they had no doubt some Directions about the due observation thereof and instituted Sabbath-days Worship but they had no Directions about it nor instituted Sabbath-days Worship therefore they did not observe it 3. Certainly if the Patriarchs were obliged to observe the seventh day as a Sabbath God would either have commended them or some of them for keeping it or else reprehended others for not keeping it but God neither commended any of them for the keeping it nor reprehended any others for profaning and not â—eeping it therefore none of them did observe 〈◊〉 Eleventhly Let me add one Argument more 〈◊〉 prove that the Patriarchs did not observe the seventh day as a Sabbath viz. If the Patriarchs and all Mankind from the beginning of the World were or had been obliged to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath certainly there had â—een some account given of the Penalty or Punishment due to Sabbath-breakers but we read of no Penalty or Punishment to be inflicted on Sabbath-breakers therefore we conclude they were not oblig'd to the observation thereof How can it be thought that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath should be imposed upon them and yet God should hide the Punishment due to the breach thereof from the World for more than two thousand years Evident it is that they knew what Punishment was to be inflicted for the breach of other moral Precepts as Murder Adultery c. and if this were of like nature i. e. a pure moral Duty how came it to pass that God discover'd not the Penalty to them for violating this Precept Twelfthly My last Argument is this The Sabbath under the Old Testament had a respect to a stated and stinted instituted Worship in a National Church but the Patriarchs and all God's People from Adam to Moses were not brought into such an Ecclesiastical
Dr. Owen p. 214. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the Sabbath or Sabbath-days which were a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ From hence they affirm saith he it will follow that there is nothing moral in the observation of the Sabbath seeing it was a mere Type and Shadow as were other Mosaical Institutions and also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away by Christ And if they mean no more but that precise seventh Day they were certainly right Nay Dr. Owen himself as I conceive determines the matter so as to make that precise day refer to Moses and his Oeconomy But indeed I see some learned Men have wrote very darkly because they strive to preserve a Sabbath in the Gospel-day or a day of Rest and of solemn Worship and that tho not simply yet positively moral from the fourth Command and if by moral positive they mean one day in seven which God from his Soveraign Pleasure will have perpetually observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship I am of their mind Quest But since the Jewish seventh Day was a Sign and a Shadow what was it a Sign and Shadow of Answ Before I give a direct Answer to this let me premise one thing which in a special manner we ought to regard viz. that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works in that Ministration of it given to the whole House of Israel as suting with their Ecclesiastical Political and Typical Church-state And this Dr. Owen has fully proved Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 221. speaking of that Covenant Now saith he this is not absolutely and merely a Law but as it contain'd a Covenant between God and Man A Law it might have been and not a Covenant which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive Power Yet it was originally given in the Counsel of God to that end and accompanied with Promises and Threatnings whence it had the nature of a Covenant By virtue of this Law as a Covenant was the observation of a Sabbath prescribed and required as a token and pledg of God's Rest in that Covenant in the performance of the Works whereon it was instituted and of Man's Interest in it Again he saith Seeing therefore that the Moral Law as a Covenant between God and Man requir'd this sacred Rest we must inquire what place as such it had in the Mosaical Oeconomy whereon the true Reason and Notion of the Sabbath doth depend for the Sabbath being originally annexed to the Covenant between God and Man * The Dr. takes it for granted which I deny that the Sabbath was given to Adam the Renovation of the Covenant doth necessarily require a special Renovation of the Sabbath and the change of the Covenant as to the nature of it in like manner doth introduce a change of the Sabbath c. 1. From hence note that Dr. Owen saith the Law given Exod. 20. was a renewal of the Covenant of Works 2. That the Seventh-day Sabbath was given as a Token or Pledg of that Covenant and Rest 3. That the Seventh-day Sabbath of Rest was not a Type of our Eternal Rest in Heaven but a Type or Shadow of that true Spiritual Rest we enter into under the New Covenant when we believe in Christ and so this Rest is the Antitype of the Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath My Brethren this is that Rest of God which he referr'd to and in which he takes up his delight and complacence Moreover God shewed his People Israel by their Sabbath how impossible it was for them by the Covenant of Works to enter into this Rest where they should utterly cease from sin it was a sign between God and them that they should perform the whole Obedience due under the Covenant of Works signified by that Obligation that in six days they should labour and do all they had to do and then rest denoting that the whole Law must be kept or no rest the man that doth them shall live by them or have Life Rest and Peace on that Condition This I say did signify Man's working for Life before he could enter into Rest for if they could do all they had to do or God required of them or answer all the Demands of the Law then they should have Rest Peace and Justification thereby Here you have the Six-days Labour and the Seventh-day's Sabbath it being an Epitome of the Covenant of Works For their Sabbath as Calvin shews in the tenor of it put them upon the highest Acts of Obedience even to live and sin not or cease from all Iniquity in Words Thoughts and Actions Now if this did not tend to Bondage and so was a Law against them and contrary to them nothing could but now in Christ who hath kept the Law perfectly for us or has done all we were to do and suffer we come to have true spiritual Rest and Peace And Our Lord no doubt alludes to this Ma◠11. 28 29. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Brethren mind those two words labour and heavy laden On the Jewish Sabbath no servile labour was to be done nor any burdens to be born signifying that Believers in Christ cease from labouring for Life and must not bear any burden of Sin either in respect of the guilt or fear of the punishment Christ having done all and born the burden of all our sins in his own Body on the Tree so that we must cast our Burden on the Lord and he will sustain us And so we begin our Sabbath after all our Works are done and Burdens born by our dear Lord and blessed Surety on the first Day of the Week as he has directed us and from hence we work not for Life and Rest but from Life Rest and Peace Therefore to answer that Question what was the Jewish Sabbath a sign of you have in part heard but shall yet more fully hear 1. I affirm that it was a Sign of the Covenant of Works in that Ministration given to Israel written and engraven in Tables of Stone How often is that Sabbath called a Sign between God and them Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Again vers 17. 'T is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbath to be a Sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them But still it is enquired what was it a Sign of Some say that Israel were in bondage in Egypt others that God created the World in six days Answ I answer but remotely if at all it was a Sign of either of them for they are laid down as the Reasons why God gave Israel their Sabbath and not as a Sign of those things But let it now be well considered that God
apart long before Eleventhly Whatsoever is a simple moral Precept or one of the ten Commandments as materially so the Holy Ghost doth convince all Believers of now under the Gospel as I have shew'd before and also he reproves them for the neglect or breach of all such Precepts but the Holy Ghost doth not convince Believers 't is their Duty to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath for reprove them for the neglect or breach of â—t tho they work and bear Burdens on that as well as on any other day of the week therefore 't is no moral Precept Twelfthly That which is a pure moral Precept is written in the Hearts of all true Believers by the Holy Ghost God promised in Gospel-times he would not write his Law in Tables of Stone put in the fleshly Tables of our Hearts now the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath is not written in the Hearts of Believers by the Spirit therefore 't is no moral Precept Tillam saith the moral Law is written in the Hearts of all Believers and so saith Mr. Soarsby and they say right yea even the whole moral Law we being created again in Christ Jesus in the Image of God but no Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath is written in our Hearts Ergo To conclude we may hereby learn to distinguish between those parts contain'd in some of the ten Commandments that are simply moral and oblige us as the Law is in Christ's hand and what was judicial For 1. The Preface to the whole Ten was Judicial 2. The second Command obliged the Jews to observe the whole Ceremonial Law and that part of God's visiting the Sins of the Fathers on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation belonged to the Covenant of Works and not to us 3. That in the fourth Command also of the seventh precise day belonged to the Covenant of Works and so to them only 4. The Promise annexed to the fifth only belonged to the Israelites that inherited the Land of Canaan 5. In the tenth Commandment Vsury or Interest of Mony Houses c. was forbid to the Jews from their poor Brethren but that was only a Judicial Law and is no Law to us Thus we may see that the moral Law is only a Law to us as in the hand of Jesus Christ SERMON VI. Proving that the Law of the Decalogue was given to no People but the People of Israel That the Moral Law is transferr'd from Moses into the Hand of Christ as Mediator Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. THat it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the old Seventh-day Sabbath I have proved by many Reasons The fourth was it is not their Duty by virtue of the Decalogue given to the People of Israel in Exod. 20. First Because the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not the moral part of the fourth Commandment this I have proved by Twelve Arguments I shall now proceed and give you the next Reason why it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from hence Secondly The Decalogue given to none but the Jews as written Exod. 20. It cannot be their Duty to keep that Day from thence because the Law of the Decalogue and particularly the Seventh-day Sabbath mentioned therein was given to no People or Nation but the People of Israel only and the proselyted Stranger 1. I shall prove this directly from express Texts out of the Old Testament 2. From direct and express Texts out of the New Testament 3. I shall answer some of the chiefest Objections brought by the Seventh-day Sabbatarians against what I shall say But before I proceed let me premise two things 1. That all the World were under the Law of the first Covenant as made with the first Adam All the World under the Law of Works in the first Adam the common Head of all Mankind and that the substance of that natural and simple moral Law is written in the Hearts of all his Off-spring tho much darken'd by the Fall and actual Sin especially in some 2. That whatsoever is naturally or simply Moral contained in the Decalogue is given forth by Jesus Christ anew in the New Testament as I have proved and as so consider'd the sum or substance of those Ten words are obligatory on all Mankind Now First As to the Proofs out of the Old Testament 1. The very Preface to the Decalogue declares to whom all the Commandments contained therein was given Exod. 20. 2. viz. those very People God brought out of the Land of Egypt that People which he sanctified or set apart for himself above all People on the Earth as also by the promise annexed to the fifth Commandment viz. That thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee This shews the Laws of the Decalogue were only given to the People of Israel Again 2. 'T is said Deut. 4. 8. What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as this Law which is set before you this Day Now if this Law was given to all People in the World or to any one Nation or People besides Israel then the whole World or that particular People as well as the Israelites had Laws and Statutes as great and righteous as Israel had tho they might not have them in so clear a Revelation or manner as they had 3. It is expresly said Psal 147. 19 20. He shewed his Word to Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any other Nation and for his Judgments they have not known them Praise ye the Lord. How vain as well as sinful is it to go about to contradict God's Word Here it is laid down Affirmatively and Negatively It was given to Israel and not to any other Nation c. Dr. Chamberlen saith See Mr. Ives's Saturday no Sabbath p. 18 19. It was given to Israel as a Privilege only and to other Nations by way of Punishment to judg them by it Answ Men may say what they please after this manner But I shall prove that no Nation or People but that of Israel who were under that Law shall be judged by it 4. How often doth God by Moses and other of his Servants Exod. 31. 17. declare that the Sabbath was given to Israel It is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Neh. 9. 14. c. Also Nehemiah speaking of Israel saith God made known to them his holy Sabbath To them and the Psalmist says not to any other Nation Take two or three Arguments further to evince this 1. The Law of the Decalogue was given only to a People in covenant with God The Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai given only to the House of Israel and because the whole House of Jacob were taken into that legal typical Covenant which peculiarly referr'd to that People therefore God gave them that Law and the Sabbath as a
Sign that God sanctified and set them apart to be a peculiar People to himself and as a Sign also of that Obligation they were laid under to keep it as I have proved But God entered into no such Covenant with any other People or Nation under Heaven therefore the Law of the Decalogue could not concern any besides the House of Israel only Were the Heathen Gentiles or Believing Gentiles under that ministration of the Legal Covenant given by Moses to Israel No until Christ came no other People were in covenant with God at all 2. Because 't is expresly said that the Sabbath Exod. 20. was given to the Jews and Proselyte Stranger To thee and thy Man-servant and Maid-servant and Stranger that is within thy Gate Not any Gentiles or Strangers without the Pale of the Jewish Church but only them who were within their Gate So that God doth implicitly declare he injoyns none else to observe it 3. The Law of the Decalogue could not be given to all or any other People because God did not give any Command to Moses or to any of his Servants to promulge declare or make known that Law or the Sabbath to any other People in the World but the Jews only No Law can bind without Promulgation the Gospel is of a large extent as appears by the Commission Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Go into all the World c. Go teach all Nations c. Thus our Lord hath appointed the Promulgation of the Gospel but not a word of any such Commission for the Promulgation of the Law of Moses given Exod. 20. 4. Because Moses was never made or appointed a Lawgiver to any other People but Israel only Moses no Law-giver but to the Jews He was a Ruler over none but the Jews and the Decalogue was but part of the Jewish Law as written in Tables of Stone Others may say Who made thee a Ruler over us or a Legislator or deputed Officer from God to us 4. The Decalogue and consequently the Sabbath could not be given to any other People because it referr'd to a People in a Church-state having many other Laws Statutes and Judgments annexed unto it the punishment for the breach of each Precept thereof being death he that broke the Sabbath must die Now certainly if that Law had been given to other Nations or People God would have put them also into such a Church-state as the Israelites were and have given them like Statutes Judgments and Officers to execute those Judgments but this he did not do 5. Besides as one observes there were Ceremonies belonging to the Sabbath that were essential to the right keeping of it which were not enjoined on the Gentiles except Proselytes That Law given to all People must have the same Services Rites and Ceremonies essentially annexed to it given to them also but those Services Rites and Ceremonies were given to none but the Jews Otherwise as he observes there would be two sorts of Worship acceptable to God and then it would follow also that God was more severe to Israel than to others by imposing more hard and costly Services on them than on the Gentiles 6. Take here what Mr. Bunyan hath said Good Nehemiah threatned the Gentiles that were Merchants for lying then about the Walls of the City for that by that means they were a Temptation to the Jews to break their Sabbath yet he still charges the breach thereof upon his own People Nehem. 13. 16 17 c. Can it be imagined had the Gentiles been concerned by a Divine Law to keep this Sabbath that so holy and good a Man as Nehemiah would let them escape without a rebuke for so notorious a Transgression Moreover in the Prophet Ezekiel ch 20. 10 11 12. 't is said I gave my Sabbaths to be a Sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctified them Before I close with this take what two or three learned Writers have declared in confirmation of what I say Heyl. on the Sabb. p. 65 66. A Law which in it self was general and universal equally pertains to Jews and Gentiles the latter which knew not the Law doing by nature the things contained in the Law as St. Paul has told us but this Law published on Mount Sinai and as delivered by the hand of Moses obliged those of the house of Israel only Take what another saith As neither the Judicial Zanchius de redempt l. 1. c. 11. Tom. 1. nor Ceremonial so nor the Moral Law contained in the Decalogue doth concern us Christians as given by Moses to the Jews but only so far forth as it is consonant to the Law of Nature which bind all alike and was afterwards ratified by Christ our King The Reason he asserts this was to prove the Gentiles were never obliged to observe their Sabbath Let me add what Mr. Baxter hath wrote Baxter on the Sabb. p. 74. He saith That the Fourth Commandment of Moses bindeth us not to the Seventh-day Sabbath because that Moses's Law never bound any but the Jews and those Proselytes that made themselves Inhabitants of their Land or voluntarily subjected themselves to their Policy For Moses was Ruler of none but the Jews nor a Legislator or deputed Officer from God to any other Nation The Decalogue was but part of the Jewish Law if you consider it not as written in Nature but in Tables of Stone and the Jewish Law was given as a Law to no other People but to them It was a national Law as they were a peculiar People and holy Nation so that even in Moses's days it bound no other Nations of the World therefore it needed no abrogation to the Gentiles but a declaration that it did not bind them 7. To close with what we find in the Old Testament about this 'T is worthy our noting that God told the Israelites that those Seven Nations of Canaan whom they should drive out This is a full Answ to Mr. Soarsby who has filled many Pages of his Book to prove the Decalogue Law was given to all the World were defiled with all those Sins and Abominations that he commanded them to abstain from i. e. they had violated all natural or simple moral Precepts But God never charged them with the Sin of breaking the Jews Sabbath So that from thence I infer the Decalogue was not given to them and so not the Sabbath Secondly I shall prove out of the New Testament that the Law of Moses i. e. the Decalogue was given to none but the Jews or People of Israel 1. See Rom. 9. To whom pertaineth the giving forth of the Law c. speaking of the Israelites to whom that is by way of contradistinction to any other People or to them and none else 2. Upon this very account Paul shews that the Jews had the advantage of all other People Rom. 3. 1. What advantage then hath the Jew c. Much every way
chiefly because to them were committed the Oracles of God Now Stephen shews by the Oracles of God are meant the Ten words Act. 7. 33. who told the Jews Their Fathers received on Mount Sinai the lively Oracles to deliver them saith he to us i. e. us Jews Now I argue thus If the Gentiles had the same lively Oracles or Oracles of God given to them then in this the Jews had not the advantage above the Gentiles He doth not speak of the Advantage the Jews had as to the clearest Revelation of those Oracles to them above the Gentiles but of the giving of them to the Jews and not to the Gentiles 3. Again two or three times Paul expresly affirms that the Gentiles had not the Law and were without the Law For when the Gentiles which have not the Law c. Rom. 2. 14. What is more plainly expressed The Gentiles he saith had not the Law that is as given by Moses tho they had the Law written in their Hearts So elsewhere he says 1 Cor. 9. 21 22. Vnto the Jew I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the Law as under the Law c. to them that are without the Law as without the Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without the Law Three times he here affirms the Gentiles are without the Law Object He means the Ceremonial Law Answ True they were without that Law as well as the Decalogue Law but he cannot here refer to the Ceremonial Law because it is such a Law as the Gentiles were under to Christ or as it is in the hand of Christ which must intend the Moral Law for no Gentile Believer or Unbeliever was under the Ceremonial Law to Christ because utterly abolished but so is not the Moral Law in which sense we are without the Law to God but under the Law to or as it is in the hand of Christ 4. Take this Argument The Gentiles shall not be judged by Moses's Law That Law which the Gentiles shall not be judged by they were never under but the Gentiles shall not be judged by the Law of Moses therefore they were never under that Law For proof of the major Proposition see what Paul saith Rom. 2. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law shall be judged without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law By the first he means the Gentiles and by the latter the Jews And from hence the Apostle proceeds to evince that as the Gentiles shew'd the Works of the Law written in their Hearts they should be judged by that Law but not as that Law was formerly written by Moses in two Tables of Stone ver 15. As to the minor Proposition can any suppose that if the Gentiles had been under Moses's Law yet they should not be judged by it Sure none can Obj. If the Gentiles were not under the Law Christ came not to redeem them for he came to redeem none but such as were under the Law Gal. 4. 5. Answ The old World was under the Law and Covenant of Works and the Curse thereof in the first Adam it was his first Transgression that brought all the World under the Curse of the Law or breach of the first Covenant and not the Law as given by Moses tho that Law 't is true pronounceth that Curse afresh on those that continued not in all things contain'd therein For by one Man's Offence Death reigned by one Rom. 5. 1â— 17 18. c. By one Man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation c. Thus we were all under the Law of the first Covenant and as the Law is written in our Hearts but we were not all under that Ministration of the Law given by Moses Obj. If all the World became guilty by the breach of Moses's Law then all the World was under it but this Paul affirms Rom. 3. 19. Now we know whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the World may become guilty before God Answ Paul in the precedent Chapter and what goes before in this had proved that the Gentiles were under Sin and were all guilty before God for violating the Law written in their Hearts See Chap. 2. 12. and 3. 10. Well what of this the Gentiles then were cast and found guilty that way yet they were not all but part of the whole World And from hence he in this 19th Verse comes again to speak of the Jews who were under Moses's Law and saith What the Law that is Moses's Law saith it saith to them who are under it meaning the Jews and what the Consequence of this is he shews i. e. that every mouth might be stopped not the mouths of the Gentiles only but the mouths of the Jews also that so all the World that is both Jews and Gentiles might become guilty before God I hope all are and will be convinc'd that this is directly the meaning of Paul if they consider the scope and coherence of the Text. And thus I have clearly proved that the Law of the Decalogue or Moses's Law was not given to any but the Jews and proselyte Strangers and therefore from that it cannot be the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath Object But it is again objected That the Apostle James injoineth the Royal Law upon believing Gentiles and the Royal Law is the Law of the Decalogue therefore all were under the Law of the Decalogue which forbids Adultery Murder c. Answ 1. It is a hard case that Men Jam. 2. 8 10 11 12. about fulfilling the Royal Law opened to prove their fond Notions should put such an Interpretation on a Text of Scripture as is directly contrary to other plain Texts for unless they can prove we mistake those Scriptures newly mentioned which say that Moses's Law was only given to the Jews and not to the Gentiles besure they urge this to no purpose but mistake the sense of the Apostle as others do about what he says concerning Justification 2. We never deny'd but readily grant that all believing Gentiles are oblig'd to keep the whole moral Law or all simple moral Precepts as they are in the hand of our Lord that one Lawgiver of which this Apostle speaks but I have proved that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is not a simple moral Precept nor any part of the Morality of the fourth Commandment and therefore not intended here Therefore it followeth that Man may fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture and yet not observe the Seventh-day Sabbath 3. The Apostle James clears the matter himself So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty ver 12. He
can refer in these words to no Law but that of Christ or rather Christ's Gospel or to the Law as in his hands who hath fulfilled the whole Law for us by his own perfect Obedience and hence we are delivered from the Law as in the hand of Moses because as so considered it was not a Law of Liberty but a Law of Bondage or that which gender'd to Bondage And he shews it is a Rule of Righteousness to us only as Christ is our Lawgiver whose Law is a Law of Liberty but as he that offended in one point was guilty of the breach of the whole Law there he clearly alludes to the Law as in Moses's hand and as a Covenant of Works We are not to do nor speak nor live as the Law in Moses's hands directs or as he was a Lawgiver for then we should be under perpetual Bondage and nothing is more plain than that Moses's Law as to the strict observance of its Precepts brought the Jews into Bondage 't is call'd a Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5. 1 c. But so speak and so do as they who shall be judged by the Law of Liberty that is the Gospel for not by the Law as in Moses's hand but by the Gospel we shall be judged at the last day who live only under that Ministration And from hence let such as keep the Seventh-day Sabbath take heed lest they are brought into Bondage by obliging themselves to observe the whole Law since I have prov'd it was appointed as a sign or pledg of the Covenant of Works binding them to universal and perfect Obedience who were on their Sabbath-day not to think their own Thoughts nor speak their own Words but to make the Law of God their delight so as not to sin which none ever did or could do save Jesus Christ who thus kept the Sabbath even as long as he liv'd for us on the Earth that we might enter into his Rest or into the Antiâ—â—pical Sabbath Thirdly The third Argument to prove it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the fourth Commandment in the Decalogue is Because that Law as there written and given is taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver as well as it was a Covenant of Works and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator My Brethren The moral Law taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator could our Adversaries prove that the Law on Mount Sinai was given to all the World and so to believing Gentiles which I have shewn it was not yet this would not in the least do their business for the believing Jews are now no longer under the Law no not as the moral Law was given by Moses as a Rule of Life any more than they are not under it as a Covenant of Works 1. Indeed my Work is partly done in this respect already by what I have said in opening the plain sense of the Apostle James in that place just now mentioned 2. This appears because we have but one Lawgiver Isa 33. 22. namely Jesus Christ The Lord is Judg the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us that is Jehovah our Righteousness who came to save us There is one Lawgiver Jam. 4. 12. who is able to save and to destroy Now is not this our Lord Jesus Christ Obj. He doth not say we have but one Answ But 't is imply'd Paul says there is one God and one Mediator Doth not this imply that there is but one God and but one Mediator Who are you now that will introduce another Lawgiver a Co-partner or a Co-rival with Christ to partake of part of his Honour 3. Because our Lord declares that all Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18 19. all Power consider'd as Mediator for as he is God it was not given to him but was his own essentially But this is a Power delegated to him i. e. all Power as sole Lord and Lawgiver to his Church who only is the Head thereof therefore we must look to him for Laws and how to be governed He governed by a Substitute before but now being come himself the Substitute is utterly devested of his Power 4. The Moral Law as a Rule of Righteousness must only be in the hand of Christ because our Lord saith the Law and the Prophets were until John Luke 16. 16. that is Moses and the Prophets were as Teachers by whom God spake to the People that is at the time of their Ministration and Prophecy but now the date of their Ministration is near expir'd they have Moses and the Prophets But in the Transfiguration which was a Figure or Representation of Christ's glorious Gospel-Church or Kingdom and his Ministration Moses disappear'd with Elias who being one of the chiefest Prophets might signify all the rest and John also The Disciples would have three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and one for Christ i. e. they would have been under their Ministrations as Lawgivers and Teachers and would have them to share with Christ of that Glory But lo a Voice was heard from the Cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him and when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no man but Jesus only Moses and Elias were gone and tho the Writings of Moses and the Prophets are of great use still for Comfort and Instruction Heb. 1. 1 2. c. yet now God only speaks to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things On him all the Father's Love and Glory doth terminate no Lord no Ruler no Lawgiver but he is to be heard he being the Truth it self and having receiv'd the whole Counsel of the Father has revealed all things that we are to believe and practise He is the great Prophet Moses spoke of whom we are to hear in all things Acts 3. 22 23. Must we 〈◊〉 to Moses to know how Christ is to govern â—s Church or take any Law from him No â—is would be to eclipse the Glory of Christ 5. Because the Servant was not to abide in the â—ouse for ever viz. as a Lawgiver that is â—s Ministration of the Law was to cease 6. Because the moral Law or the Decalogue 〈◊〉 deliver'd by Moses had several things in it â—at only pertained to the Israelites or to the â—gal Church-state of the Jews and was given â—y him as a Covenant of Works mind the Preface to that Law Exod. 20. and the Proâ—ise annexed to the fifth Commandment Hoâ—our thy Father and thy Mother that thy days â—ay be long in the Land which the Lord thy God â—veth thee These things shew that the Law â—ven by Moses was not to last but till the end 〈◊〉 that Dispensation and Church-state 7. Because we are not come to Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. â—ot to receive the Law as there delivered
Synagogues as elsewhere the Apostles were not wanting in the Office of preaching for this cause they tarried certain days among the Macedonians because no fit occasion for preaching the Gospel offered which the Apostles every where greedily sought after they preached Christ on the Sabbath days out of the City Act. 16. 13. by a River side to Women which resorted to publick Prayers So Paul hastened to keep the Feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem Act. 20. 16. only that he might have many Jews who liv'd dispersed in divers places of the World there together and so preach the Gospel to them Chrysostom says Hom. 43. in Act. What means Paul 's hastning to this Feast it was not for the Feasts but for the Multitudes he made haste to preach the Word Now had any Text said that Paul must needs hast to Jerusalem to keep the Sabbath among the Jews what Improvement would the Sabbatarians have made of it yet that no more would prove the Sabbath ought to be kept than the Feast of Pentecost See what Paul saith Rom. 16. 8. But I will tarry at Ephesus will Pentecost for a great door and effectual is opened to me This shews what his reason was to keep that Feast and also in preaching on their Sabbaths Object But he calls it the Sabbath Answ So he calls that Feast Pentecost and Circumcision by its own Name must we therefore keep Pentecost and be circumcised It was only for distinction-sake the old Names of Jewish Rites being still kept up by the Jews Object But the Gentiles also desired the same Word might be preach'd to them the next Sabbath Act. 13. 42. sure if the Apostles had kept the first day they would rather have desir'd that Paul should preach to them the next first day Answ Paul was but newly come into those parts and there was no Gospel-Church there nor can any think that those poor unbelieving Gentiles should have heard of any other day observ'd than the Jewish Sabbath for they liv'd among the Jews and if it is said the whole City the next Sabbath came together Ver. 44. and no doubt but 't was in the Synagogue of the Jews in which they met some of the Gentiles being Proselytes to the Jewish Religion So that it is evident this is nothing to their purpose for here is no more ground from hence for us to keep the Jewish Sabbath than to meet in Jewish Synagogues Moreover Dr. Young has one Passage worth observation saith he Justin Martyr had satisfied with little ado Trypho the Jew that counselled him to observe their Sabbath for it had been enough for Justin Martyr to have answer'd the Jew that the Christian Church did observe the Sabbath yet this he grants not but plainly denies that the Jewish Sabbath ought by the Christians to be observ'd The same saith he do other Fathers against the Jews c. There are one or two more pretended Reasons out of the New Testament brought to prove that we ought to observe the seventh Day but no more at this time SERMON VII Containing ten Arguments against the observance of the Jewish Sabbath The Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath not written in the Hearts of Believers or God's new Covenant Children which is in Answer to the sixth and last pretended Proof for our Observation thereof Twelve dangerous Consequences that necessarily follow their Principle who assert the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is a pure moral Precept Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. BRethren I have answer'd several pretended Proofs brought from the New Testament for the observation of the old Jewish Sabbath I shall mention one morc viz. Object 5. It is objected further That it is certain that the Jews kept Sabbaths at the time of Paul's writing his Epistles and were zealous for all the Law Thus Mr. Soarsby Ans 1. May be 't is aptly enough put in Sabbaths as comprehending other Sabbaths as well as the Jews weekly Sabbath 2. But were they not as zealous for Circumcision also Nay the Objection allows they were zealous for the whole Law and it is not deny'd but Paul was forced to comply with their weakness for a time till they were fully formed as to the Cessation or Abrogation of â—ose legal Rites nay of the whole Law as in â—e hand of Moses So that Paul's forbearance with them in their â—fancy and Weakness is weakly urged These being the chief Proofs I find brought 〈◊〉 prove it our Duty to keep the seventh Day out 〈◊〉 the New Testament I shall add divers Arguments in opposition to what they say on this â—â—count 1st Several Arguments against the Observation of the old Jewish Sabbath Our Saviour's Carriage and Behaviour â—owards the old Sabbath and his Expressions about it which I have mention'd shews he was far from confirming that either as a Moral or Gospel Duty 2dly Paul's declaring against all Jewish Days without exception as Shadows c. may conâ—â—nce all that he observ'd it not in compliance with the Law of Moses or as a Command given to him by Christ the only Lawgiver 3dly His putting the Estimation of the Jewish Sabbath-day among Meats and Drinks Rom. 14. 5. or as indifferent things which a Christian may do or â—ot do shews that Sabbath was gone I do believe when Paul saith One man esteemeth one day above another and another esteemeth every day alike that he intends not all days of â—he week without exception but every day â—ave the first day or the Lord's-day because â—e speaks of Jewish Rites Days and Scruples about Meats and Drinks among them For â—e gave Command about the solemn Duties and Observation of the first Day of the week to all the Churches as I shall prove 1. Therefore let none once think that Paul was for the observance of no special day above others in the Worship of God in the Gospel-Dispensation 2. Neither let any conclude from hence thâ—â— he gave liberty to the Saints to keep the Jewish Sabbath any further than they looked upon 〈◊〉 as an indifferent thing nor any longer thâ— till their Understanding was further inlightâ—â—â— and their Consciences better informed Fâ—â— how severe was he with those as in my Teâ—â— who lay any stress upon it i.e. as a moral Dâ—ty or of necessity to a holy Life 4thly This appears because Christ who received from his Father the whole Will of God and was faithful as a Son in declaring all thing commanded him Heb. 2. 2. hath not commanded us 〈◊〉 given the least ground or reason for us to believe we ought to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath Besides he confirms afresh all simple moral Precepts c. as I have shew'd Observe what he saith Joh. 15. 15. For all things th◠〈◊〉 have heard of my Father I have made 〈◊〉 unto you ch 12. 49. The Father that sent me he gave 〈◊〉 Commandement what I should say and what 〈◊〉 should speak 5thly We read Acts 15. 1
c. of falâ—â— Brethren that went from Jerusalem and taughâ— the believing Gentiles that unless they were circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they coulâ— not be saved or that it was needful for them 〈◊〉 to do ver 15. 1. Pray observe the matter well for noâ— we may expect to hear if ever whether 〈◊〉 be the Duty of believing Gentiles or not 〈◊〉 keep the Seventh-day Sabbath because thâ—â— was none of the least Precepts of the Law 〈◊〉 Moses and this was one thing no doubt which these false Brethren taught them to observe 2. All the great and chief Apostles meet together abont this matter and consulted what Answer to send and they had the extraordinary presence of the Holy Ghost with them â—o dictated to them what to write 3. And this was the Result Act. 15. 29. viz. For it seem'd â—â—d to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you greater Burden than these necessary things that â—abstain from Meats offer'd to Idols and from â—ood and from things strangled and from Forâ—cation from which if ye keep your selves ye â—ll do well Fare ye well Note these things were forbidden in the â—â—w and these things they commanded them â—t to do but not one word that they should â—â—ep the Sabbath given in Moses's Law this is â—ne of those things they should observe therefore it is not the Counsel or Mind of the â—oly Ghost that Gentile Believers should keep at Day 6thly Act. 20. 27. Paul says positively that he had not â—â—nned to declare to the Saints all the Counsel of â—d Ver. 20. And how he kept back nothing that was proâ—able to them but had shewed them all things c. â—ow I challenge any Man in the World to â—ew that Paul ever made known or shew'd â—em this thing viz. that it was their Duty to â—â—ep the Seventh-day Sabbath therefore I inâ—â—r this is none of the Counsel of God nor â—ofitable to Believers in Gospel-days From â—hence I argue thus i.e. Arg. 1. Paul declared all or the whole Counâ—â— of God Paul did not declare the Seventh-â—â—bbath Ergo that is none of the Counsel of â—od 2. If he did declare the Seventh-day Sabbath 〈◊〉 make it known to the Saints to be God's Counâ—â— some one Man or another can shew us the â—ace where it is written but no one Man can â—â—ew us the place where it is written that he declared or made known to the Saints that the seventh-day Sabbath was the Counsel of God Ergo it is none of the Counsel of God to 〈◊〉 Saints or Gospel-Believers 7thly The holy Spirit saith our Lord 〈◊〉 receive of mine Joh. 16. 13 14. and shew it unto you Again 〈◊〉 saith The Spirit of Truth shall guide you 〈◊〉 all Truth But the Spirit of Truth neither guides Believers into the observation of the seventh Day c. in the Word or New Testament nor by his inward Motions Influence and Operations on their Hearts therefore it 〈◊〉 none of their Duty to observe that Day 8thly If not one Gospel-Church observed 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath in meeting together as 〈◊〉 Church to discharge the Duties of 〈◊〉 Worship then it is not the Duty of Believerâ— in Gospel-days to observe it But not onâ— Gospel-Church c. observ'd the Seventh-day Sabbath c. Therefore 't is not Believers Duty in Gospel-days to observe it Let them shew us where one Gospel-Church did observe that day in meeting together as 〈◊〉 Church to discharge the Duties of Gospel Worship and I will give up the Cause So much in this respect there is in an Apostolical Precedent in my Judgment for what was the Practice of one Church as a Church was the Duty and Practice of every Church 9thly Gentile Believers ought not to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath because the Churches in the Gospel time observed in Religious Duties and Worship the first day of the week and we are not required to keep two days in every week in God's solemn Worship 10thly Because the Law of God written in the Hearts of all Believers doth not teach them to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath And this brings me to the last general Argument Sixthly No Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath written in the Hearts of God's New Covenant Children If it be not the Duty of believing Gentiles to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath from the Law written by the Spirit of the living God in the Hearts of all his New-Covenant Children it is not their Duty to keep it because by no other Law I have proved it is their Duty and now I shall prove that it is not their Duty to keep it by virtue of this Law 1. If it was their Duty by this Law to keep â—â—t the holy Spirit besure had left it written in the New Testament for whatsoever Law is written in our Hearts it is but the same in substance in respect to all simple moral Precepts with what is written in the New Testament 2. Consider that God expresly says in the new Covenant Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts Saith Paul 2 Cor. 3. 3. Written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart This shews we are not to go to the Tables of Stone to Mount Sinai for the Law of God now the Antitype of that is come God's Finger has wrote his Law in better Tables tho naturally our Hearts were like Stone yet his Spirit can and hath written his Law there What is God's Law but a Transcript or a gracious Impression of his holy Nature or his Divine Image stampt on our Souls Now then read this blessed Book ye New-Covenant Saints look within ye holy and renewed ones and see if you can find the knowledg of the seventh Day or that you have this Precept written in your Hearts and inward parts Were you ever by this Law led to know or reproved for not observing the Seventh-day Sabbath Let me close this with an Answer given to Tillam by Mr. Warren 1. Tillam saith Warren on the Sabb. p. 18 19. It was written in Adam's Heart and for this he quotes Rom. 2. 2. That it was written afterwards in Tables of Stone for which he cites Gal. 3. 19. 3. That it is written in the fleshly Table of renewed Hearts To which Mr. Warren answereth speaking to the latter The Experience of almost all renewed Hearts in Heaven and Earth doth contradict it for to speak in the Language of Eliphas â—ob 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn either Scripture-Saints or Church-Saints ask St. Paul St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Augustine and they will tell you that your antiquated Sabbath was so far from being in their Hearts that they have wrote against it with their Pens Turn over the Works of the eminent Fathers Add
gross Immorality who do not observe the precise Seventh-day Nay the like Consequences attend their Notion who through ignorance and an over-heated Zeal have also asserted the same Morality to consist in the observance of the first Day of the Week as is evident by what some Ministers in their Parish-Churches did formerly affirm One in Oxfordshire said That to do any servile Work on the Lord's Day is as great a Sin as to kill a Man Another in a Sermon in Norfolk See Dr. White on the Sab. said To make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's Day is as great a Sin as for a Father to take a Knife and cut his own Child's Throat A Sabbatarian also I am told did lately say having a Child to put out an Apprentice he knew not any that kept the Sabbath whose Trade he liked and to place him with one that would cause him to work on that Day was as bad as Adultery or Theft or to that effect Another lately told us that we in not keeping the Sabbath or fourth Command broke all the rest or words to the same purpose 8. And from hence also which is the plain and necessary Consequence of their Principle either such must perish who live and die in a palpable violation of this pretended simple moral Precept without any sorrow or repentance or else that Men may be saved who live and die under the guilt of immoral Evil in the grossest sense For tho it is granted that a true Christian may be guilty in some sense of an Immoral Evil and who is not yet if a moral Precept be broke in the Letter of it or in the grossest sense as he that commits actual Adultery or Murder can such be saved living and dying in those Sins without any true sight of the Evil of them or Repentance for them nay that do not only live in the literal breach of this moral Precept as they call it but teach men so to do Object But they do it ignorantly Answ Ignorance of any Human Law tho the breach of it be death will not excuse any Man because the Law is published or they may know it So ignorance cannot excuse a man that breaks any Precept of the Moral Law of God 9. This Notion and Principle of theirs seems not only to admit of such Consequences naturally to attend it but they indeed express themselves very directly on this occasion even to shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven all that keep not the Seventh-day Sabbath or at least such who teach men to break it See what Mr. Soarsby saith New Testament Sab. p. 54 55. viz. The Decalogue in the New Testament is abundantly confirmed by many places in the Gospel which establish the Authority of the Law and Commandments of God to Christians both Jews and Gentiles Our Lord came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Some men saith he affirm contrary to both They who teach and do these Commandments shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven but such as break the least and teach men so to do shall be least in it that is have no part in it for unless Christians keep them better than the Scribes there is no entering into Heaven Mat. 5. 20. The Summary of the two Tables are the great Commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets The doing of these as written and read in the Law is the way to Eternal Life Luke 10. 26 27. Again he saith It is not the Hearer of the Law that shall be justified amongst the Romans as well as the Jews c. Two things note here 1. He takes it for granted that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath is one part of the Moral Law and so his design is as I conceive to shew that such as violate this Sabbath and teach men so to do have no part in Heaven 2. He says The doing of these is the way to Eternal Life mistaking the purport of our Saviour's words to the young Man who spake to him as one under the Covenant of Works to discover his Ignorance of the way to Heaven which is by Christ alone not by doing those Commands as written and read in the Law 't is not do but believe c. Is not this Man ignorant of the way to Eternal Life did our Lord come to ratify the Decalogue for us to keep and fulfil in our own Persons thereby to be justified and saved Here is not one word of the Righteousness of Christ No no but that Righteousness that must exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes is our own inherent Righteousness only True we say a sincere inherent Righteousness we must have for a meetness for Eternal Life but that is not our title to it or the way to it but the Righteousness and Merits of Christ alone Doth he not establish the Covenant of Works and Justification by the Law What Popish Doctrin is worse Also in a printed Paper given one Lord's Day at the Door * Of our Meeting-house Pag. 1 2. by some Sabbatarian you have these words Christ died to procure Grace to enable men to fulfil this Law Rom. 8. 3. not that 't is fulfilled in us that is in our head i. e. by Christ in our Nature for us but in us that is by us O woful stuff Besides doth Christ help us to fulfil the whole Law perfectly If so 't is by the Law thus fulfilled that we are justified and then also 't is not by the Obedience of one Man that we are made Righteous Rom. 5. Do not these men Rom. 10. 3. like the Jews go about to establish their own Righteousness Moreover their Doctrin renders all that keep not or violate their Sabbath to be guilty of the breach of the whole Law which they affirm this is one Point of i. e. a simple moral Precept and not the least Command neither I fear with these men Now my Brethren how are these young Men and others blinded who out of mistaken Zeal strive to bring in a Jewish Rite or the observation of the old Legal Sabbath in promoting of which Error they disperse such pernicious Books and Pamphlets as tend directly to establish the Covenant of Works to the utter destroying the Doctrin of the Gospel and the free Grace of God in our Justification by the Obedience of Christ alone and to the palpable hazard and perdition of their own and other Peoples Souls These Persons seek to sacrifice all that is truly valuable to the blind observation of a Day that obliges them to keep the whole Law 10. That the natural Consequence of their Principle and Practice P. 405 406. Their Principle tends to harden the Jews as Reverend Dr. Owen shews tends to the great scandal of the Christian Religion and to the hardening of the Jews in their Infidelity is apparent to all For the Introduction of any part of the old Mosaical System of Ordinances is a tacit denial of Christ's being
come in the Flesh at least of his being King and Law-giver to his Church And to lay the Foundation of all religious solemn Worship in the observation of a Day as the Seventh-day precisely had no relation to any natural or moral Precept nor was instituted or approved by Jesus Christ cannot but be unpleasing to them who desire to have their Consciences immediately influenced by his Authority in all their approaches unto God But Christ herein is supposed to have built the whole Fabrick of his Worship on the Foundation of Moses and to have grafted all his Institutions into a Stock that was not of his own planting 11. Moreover it is evident that the Consequence of their Opinion concerning the necessary observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath as the Doctor saith It tends to Schism tends to the increasing and perpetuating of Schisms and Differences among Christians And those are the worst saith he and most pernicious which occasion or draw after them any thing whereby men are hindred from joining together in the same publick solemn Worship whereby they yield unto God that reverence of his Glory But now upon a supposition of an adherence by any unto the Seventh-day Sabbath all Communion among Professors in solemn Gospel-Ordinances is rendered impossible For if those of that Perswasion do expect that others will be brought unto a relinquishment of an Evangelical observance of the Lord's Day Sabbath they will find themselves mistaken The evidence which they have of its appointment and the experience they have had of God's presence in its religious observation will secure their practice in this matter c. The Seventh-day Sabbath men on the other hand supposing themselves obliged to meet for solemn Worship on the Seventh-day which the other account unwarrantable for them to do on the pretence of any binding Law to that purpose and esteeming it unlawful saith he to assemble religiously with others on the First-day on the plea of Evangelical Warranty do absolutely cut off themselves from all possibility of Communion in the administration of Gospel-Ordinances with any other Churches of Christ And whereas most other breaches as to Communion are in their nature capable of healing without a renunciation of those Principles in the minds of men which seem to give countenance to them the distance is here made absolutely irreparable while the Opinion maintained is owned by any I will press this saith he no further but only by affirming that Persons truly fearing the Lord ought to be very careful and jealous over their own Understanding before they embrace an Opinion and Practice which will shut them from all visible Communion with the generality of the Saints of God in the World To which let me add How can they have Communion with us if they consider and observe the Consequences of their Principle Are not we guilty of absolute Immorality i. e. the literal breach of one Precept of the first Table Can they or we have Communion with such as bow down to a graven Image or profane the holy Name of God or are guilty of Murder c. And thus you may see what the natural and genuine Consequences of this Principle are and that it not only tends to lay the Generation of the Righteous under the guilt of the breach of a moral Precept and renders them guilty in their sense of the breach of the whole Law but hath other bad Consequents attending it also And this may tend to convince all that consider of what I say that the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth not consist in that precise Seventh-day Sabbath and discovers how blind these Men are Brethren tho I believe many who keep this Day and affirm it is a moral Precept are very pious and good Christians Some of them are for free Grace c. and do not affirm what I say nor may be see it not to be so or will not say thus What then yet I will appeal to all thinking impartial Persons whether I do not infer the direct natural Consequence of their Principle Moreover let me ask here this Question how it can stand consistent with a good Conscience for a Minister to forbear preaching in any Congregation some part of Morality or a moral Precept I grant that Love Wisdom Charity Peace c. may prevent some Men from preaching some Duties of mere positive right for a short time at least that are disputable and not Essentials of Salvation But what are such things to a simple moral Precept both materially and formally one of the Ten Commandments as they affirm their Sabbath is Suppose a Minister preaches to a Congregation that he knows are generally guilty of worshipping a Graven Image or of profane Swearing or of Adultery or of killing their innocent Neighbours would not he preach against these horrid Evils for fear he should offend the Congregation or if he forbear so to do would he not be shamefully guilty of great Sin and of their Blood also Happy is the Man that condemns not himself in the thing he allows I know what some have said about Polygamy if they answer me let them use that Argument I am prepared to reply But let none think I speak thus to expose any of them out of Prejudice for I can appeal to Almighty God I have none against any of their Persons But it is to expose their Principle and Practice in love to their Souls and to the Souls of other Persons But before I conclude with this old Sabbath I must add one dangerous Consequence more of their Principle 12. Is not that a dangerous Error that reflects nay casts Contempt upon the Holy Ghost in respect of his Work and Office which is to convince Believers of all Sin especially of all immoral Evils under his most clear and glorious Ministration since our Saviour's Ascension into Heaven Now I ask our Opponents Whether the holy Spirit doth convince all Believers that they ought to keep the old Seventh-day Sabbath or reprove them for Immorality in the non-observance thereof Sirs as these things aggravate their Evil in what they affirm so it clearly tends to overthrow the pretended Morality of that precise Seventh-day Sabbath for the holy Spirit never convinces Believers of any such Duty nor reproves them for working on that day or for bearing of Burdens on it any more than on any other day in the week to their dying day But it lets them silently fall asleep without the least sense of any such pretended immoral Evil. Besides the generality of Believers after their utmost inquiry search and seeking to God in all sincerity cannot be convinc'd it is their Duty to keep this Day Would the Holy Ghost thus leave the Generation of the Godly under Sin and such Ignorance think you were this a moral Duty And as to such as do observe it I am satisfied the Spirit of God never taught them so to do But they in this are left to themselves and have a Zeal
for no day at all and what then would become of the publick and private Worship of God That Notion therefore that every day is alike is most hateful to God no doubt for as soon as he established a visible Church giving a stinted stated Worship Laws and Ordinances he appointed himself the precise time of Worship under the Law and the equitableness as well as the Divine Authority of one day in seven is as I have proved perpetually obligatory upon all his People For the further clearing of this pray consider that 1. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath and of that Day God would have observ'd under the Gospel and tho he hath dispensed with the observance of the seventh Day or abolished that yet as Lord and Lawgiver he hath instituted a weekly day of Rest for his People and for his solemn Worship in Gospel-times And none have this Power but himself alone For shall the Servant appoint what precise time his Master's business shall be done or set the times when his Master's Family shall have their distinct Meals or be fed No certainly Therefore Christian Sabbath p. 127. as Reverend Dr. Twiss observes if any pretend that Christ hath delegated this Power of his to his Church it stands upon them to make it good What times God himself took to work in or to rest after Creation the same proportion of time as Dr. Lake hints did he assign to Men and made his Pattern a perpetual Law So then of our time God reserves a seventh part for his Service The reserving saith he a seventh part I hold to be God's Ordinance who is not variable in his choice but as everlasting as the World And so should the hallowing of the Seventh-day from the Creation have been had it not been for Sin for what could have altered it but a new Creation 2. But Man having sinned and so abolished the first Creation de jure tho not de facto God was pleased to make by Christ an instauration or renewal of the World he means as I conceive God so abolished the old Creation that no precise Day remains to be observed in the remembrance of it and by Christ in redemption hath made a new Heaven and a new Earth and old things being passed away all things are become new Yea every man in Christ is a new Creature or of the new Creation And as God when he ended his Work of the first Creation made a Day of Rest and sanctified it So Christ when he ended the Work of Redemption made a Day of Rest and sanctified it not altering the proportion of Time which is perpetual but taking the first of seven for his portion because it sutes with his new Creation and with his entring into it thro him that old being a Legal Rite and suting with the Covenant of Works which is abolished with the Covenant it self but the new the first of seven remains for ever 3. For the further clearing of this matter consider that under the first Creation God required one Day in seven for himself The equity of Precepts may abide But the precise Seventh-day being a Judicial Law is gone yet the equity or equitableness of one Day in seven as due to God to be improved to his Glory for ever remains 4. God then gave poor Servants and Cattel Servants and Cattel still have one day in 7. to rest in one Day of Rest in seven the last Day of seven is gone but the equity or equitableness of one Day in seven for a day of Rest for Servants and Cattel remains for ever 5. God required his People to give his Ministers under the Law the Tenth of all their Increase the Law of Tithes is gone but the equity or equitableness that his Ministers under the Gospel should have as sufficient a maintenance remains for ever 6. Under the Law God required his People to meet together in his material Temple the Temple is gone but the equity or equitableness of assembling together in some place or another for Publick Worship remains for ever 7. Under the Law God's People in their Prayers offered Incense Incense was typical and is gone but the equitableness of our Duty in making our Prayers to God and confessing our Sins remains for ever 8. They under the Law had Instruments of Musick when they sang God's Praises Instruments of Musick were typical and only served the Jewish Worship but the equitableness of the Duty to sing God's Praises with Grace in our Hearts remains for ever 9. Also note that the second Commandment as given by Moses injoined the Jewish Nation to observe the whole Ceremonial Law and all other Precepts of the Mosaical Oeconomy But as the Moral Law is in the hands of Christ the second Command doth not injoyn on us the observance of those Precepts because abolished but it injoyns on us the observance of all Ordinances whatsoever Christ hath commanded us Also that Clause in the second Commandment viz. Visiting the Iniquities of the Fathers on the Children to the third and fourth Generation doubtless belonged to the Covenant of Works and was a temporal Punishment Doth God do thus under the New Covenant Moreover the Promise annexed to the fifth Commandment shews that the Law as given by Moses only appertained to the People of Israel as also the Preface to them all Exod. 20. 2. doth the like 10. So the fourth Commandment as in the hand of Moses injoyned the People of Israel the observance of the Seventh-day But as the Law is in the hand of Christ it doth not injoyn us to observe that day but being a Shadow is abolished But it doth injoyn us to observe the first day of the Week which Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath hath instituted under the Gospel in its room tho not to be observed with that legal strictness and penalty as the old Sabbath which was a sign of the Covenant of Works and gendred to bondage Object But where is there a Divine appointment of the first Day of the Week and by whom was it required Answ This is the cry of our Adversaries and I answer that I doubt not but our Lord and Saviour at this time did institute it and also gave command to his Disciples to observe it I know some others have cryed Where is laying on of hands either upon Elders or baptized Believers as such commanded and so of divers other things as if every Precept of the Gospel must be laid down in express words of command because some of them are 1. But to proceed Let it be well considered that as I have proved from the fourth Command that a Time a sufficient Time for Rest and in the solemn Worship of God is a simple Moral Duty 2. And that God also hath there by an express positive Law laid claim to one Day in seven as perpetually obligatory on his People And as I have also proved that the last Day of seven was only given to the Jews
World and gave the Ten Commandments as well as he gave forth all the Ceremonial Law the three Persons being the same one God yet Christ is contradistinguished i. e. referring to his Human Nature or the Anointed of God as Mediator or God-man And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord in the New Testament is commonly and peculiarly applied to our Lord Christ as 1 Cor. 8. 6. But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ c. So Eph. 4. One Lord one God and Father c. and to this Lord doth the Day here refer Iâ— the fourth Commandment that which is called the Sabbath of the Lord thy God speaking of Israel is meant of God indefinitely and not of one Person contradistinguished to the other Two The Work of Creation is commonly ascribed to God the Father and so the old Seventh-day Sabbath is properly the Father's Day not Christ's tho all the three Persons created the World 6. This day is called the Lord's Day in a like sense as the Holy Supper is in some places called the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 10. 21 22. ch 11. 27. in which places is meant the Lord Christ God and Man This may answer their common Objection viz. Object It might be called the Lord's Day in respect of God the Creator not of Christ the Redeemer and therefore may be meant the Seventh-day Sabbath Besides the World was made by Christ and he gave the Law on Mount Sinai I further tell them this Name or Appellation Christ refers to our Lord as Mediator or as he is God and Man But the second Person was not God and Man when the World was made or when the Law was given on Mount Sinai Tho the second Person or Christ as God created the World and with the Father and Holy Ghost is that one God that gave the Law yet Christ the Anointed or as Mediator God in our Nature actually existed not till the fulness of time was come 2. And why may not they call the Lord's Supper and the Lord's Table so with respect to God the Creator or Christ as Creator 3. Consider that in the New Testament Christ as Mediator is actually exalted to be Lord of 〈◊〉 of all Persons Men and Angels and of all things For to this end Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. 4. So that as the term Lord is peculiarly ascribed to Jesus Christ as Mediator so certainly is the day here called his Day And as the Supper is called the Lord's Supper because he instituted it and it wholly refers to Christ so the first day is called the Lord's Day because the Lord Christ instituted or appointed it as the special Day of his Worship and as it refers to his glorious Resurrection Object If the Scriptures be the Rule to judg whether that day be not the Lord's Day which and which only as distinguished from other days of the Week the Son of Man is Lord of Answ 1. Christ is Lord of all days no doubt because he is Lord of all things but the Seventh-day Sabbath is no where appropriated to Christ as Mediator nor ever called the Lord's Day 2. When 't is said in the New Testament that the Son of Man is Lord also or even of the Sabbath-day he shews that it was in his power to dispose of it for he gives this as a reason for his doing that which the Pharisees counted Sabbath-breaking and by which he oftentimes offended them And so it is far from being a reason of his establishing it to abide a Sabbath in his Kingdom-state And as one well observes it seems plainly to mean that that being a positive Law belonging to Moses our Lord had power to change it or dispense with it as well as other Positive and Mosaical Laws As it is said Eph. 1. 22. He hath made him Head over all things to the Church not Head to all things So he is Lord over all Days but all are not separated to his Worship As it is said Joh. 17. 2. Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh So it may be said thou hast given him Power over all Days that he may sanctify one to his own peculiar service and use and leave the rest common to us to work in 7. There is On the Sab. p. 223. saith Mr. Shepherd no other day on which mention is made of any Work or Action of Christ which might occasion a holy day but this only of his Resurrection which is exactly noted of all the Evangelists to be the first day of the Week and by which work he is expresly said to have all Power given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. and to be actually Lord of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. And therefore why should any other Lord's Day be dreamed of Why should Mr. Brabourn imagin that this day might be some superstitious Easter-day which happens once a year The Holy Ghost on the contrary not setting down the Month or Day of the Year but the Day of the Week wherein Christ rose therefore it must be meant of a weekly Holy-day here called the Lord's Day 8. This was the day in which Christ ceased from his Wâ—â—k and rested as the Father ceased from his Work and rested on the Seventh-day and therefore this is his Day as the other was the Father's Day there being a day remaining to him and to us thro him from the same foot of account in the times of the Gospel as we have proved 9. That 't is this day which is called the Lord's Day because of his frequent appearance on it after his Resurrection and because after his Ascension he crown'd it with that miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit to put a Glory upon it and to confirm it as that day appointed for his People to wait upon him in 10. John Owen on the Sab. p. 292. in calling it the Lord's Day did not surprize the Churches with a new Name but denoted to them the time of his Vision by the name of the Day which was well known to them And there is no solid reason why it should be so called but that it owes its preeminence and observation to his Institution and Authority And no man who shall deny these things can give any tolerable account how when and from whence this day came to be so called it is the Lord's Day as the Holy Supper is called the Lord's Supper by reason of his Institution 11. Because as I have proved the Lord hath made it therefore it is called the Lord's Day This is an Argument saith a Reverend Author * Mr. Will. Fenner on the Sab. p. 81. used by the Church of God in all Ages for twelve hundred years St. Austin used it in his time The Psalmist prophesieth of the Resurrection of Christ â—sal 118.
and the Courts at Westminster Saturday is called Sabbati or Dies Sabbati True as supposing by Tradition this day of our week to be what the Jews called the Sabbath in their week but do you not know also in the same Records Sunday is called Dies Dominicus the Lord's-day And if those prove Saturday to be the Jewish Sabbath why should not these as well prove Sunday to be the Lord's-day All the difference is as to that you were quick-sighted but blind as to this You may observe also that the one is Sabbati or Dies Sabbati in the Genitive case in the same form with Dies Saturni and as the other days are but the Lord's-day is Die Dominico in the Ablative meaning I suppose that Saturday is the day which had been the Jewish Sabbath but this the day which is the Lord's-day Which different Construction seems plainly to intend in our Law a different import of the words by Dies Saturni or Dies Lunae we do not mean a Day instituted by Saturn or the Moon as by Dies Dominica we do mean the Day instituted by our Lord like as by Coena Dominica we mean the Supper instituted by our Lord So that these Records do you no Service at all but Disservice I shall here before I close add a few Syllogistical Arguments for our Opponents to answer Arg. 1. If the holy Spirit doth write the whole Moral Law of God in the Hearts of all true Believers but doth not write the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath in their Hearts then the Seventh-day Sabbath is no Moral Precept but the former is true Ergo. Arg. 2. The holy Spirit doth convince all Gospel-Believers of all immoral Evils or of every simple moral Precept the holy Spirit doth not convince all Gospel-Believers it is an Evil not to observe the seventh Day as a Sabbath nor that this is a moral Precept Ergo 'T is not an immoral Evil to work upon that day c. Or thus Arg. 3. The holy Spirit guides all true Believers into all Truths that result from the holy Nature of God or that are good and therefore commanded the holy Spirit doth not guide all true Believers to observe the seventh Day as a Sabbath Ergo the Seventh-day Sabbath is no such Truth c. Arg. 4. If the New Testament be a perfect Rule of Faith and Practice and there is no Precept nor Precedent for the observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath the Seventh-day Sabbath ought not by us to be observed but the former is true Ergo 't is not our duty to observe that Day Arg. 5. If Christ and Paul after him have made known or declared the whole Counsel and Will of God or whatsoever we should believe observe and practise but have not made known or declar'd it is our duty to observe the seventh Day then 't is not our duty to observe it but the former is true Ergo. Arg. 6. If the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath as given by Moses belonged wholly or was annexed to the Judgments of the Mosaical Oeconomy and the Judgments of the Mosaical Oeconomy belong not to the Gospel-Church then the Law of the Sabbath as given by Moses belongs not to us but this is so because Death was the Penalty of the breach thereof Ergo. Object What if we grant that all the ten Commandments belonged or were annexed to the Mosaical Oeconomy are all the ten Commandments abrogated therefore or not in force to us Answ I have shewed that the whole Moral Law is given forth by Christ considered as Mediator and that we are not obliged to observe them as given by Moses and the precise seventh Day being no simple Moral Precept but merely Judaical pertaining to the Covenant of Works our Lord hath not nor could confirm that Precept in the Gospel so that it appears the Sabbath only belonged to the Mosaical Oeconomy and will you affirm that of all the Ten. One Sabbatarian * Mr. Edw. Stennett on the Sab. p. 50. saith That all the ten Commandments had the Penalty of Death annexed to them to be inflicted by the Magistrate which saith he is an evident distinction between Moral Laws and Laws Ceremonial c. Again he saith Pag. 53. See the Snare broken the Sabbath having the same Penalty that the other nine have it convincingly proves the Morality of it Answ 1. This shews that none of the ten Commandments as given by Moses are in force to Believers or oblige the Gospel-Church but only belong'd to the Jewish Policy as formally deliver'd Exod. 20. and tho the Moral Law given by Christ as Mediator doth oblige us yet the precise seventh Day being no Moral Precept but only Judaical is gone it not being given forth anew in the Gospel nor could be given with its old Sanction viz. the Penalty of Death to be inflicted on such that break it because the Gospel-Church is no Political Body or Civil State they can't inflict Death on such as transgress this or other Precepts 2. Nay nor ought such to die that profane the holy Name of God or disobey their Parents or commit Adultery c. by any Law given by Christ in the Gospel * And do not such as affirm otherwise strangely Judaize those Temporal Punishments only belonged to the Mosaical Oeconomy many in the Gospel-Church before call'd were guilty of the gross breach of divers moral Precepts yet were not to be put to death Christ came not to take away Mens Lives but to save them both from temporal and eternal Death 3. Moreover it is a grand mistake to say that the Penalty of Death distinguisheth Moral Laws from Ceremonial for he that in the days of Atonement did not afflict his Soul Levit. 23. 29. must die or be cut off and whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death Exo. 19. 13. And he that was not circumcised must die or he cut off so for divers other Sins †Exod. 30. 33 38. Lev. 7. 20 21 25 27. 17. 4 9. that were not Moral Precepts Pray read Heb. 10. 28. Paul shews that in this respect we are not come to Mount Sinai but to Mount Sion Heb. 12. 18. and sad it is to see any so left as to endeavour to carry the People back again to that fiery Law which was so terrible as the Apostle shews ver 21. But it is no marvel they do thus when they that intimate the Law and Covenant Exod. 20. was the Covenant of Grace If I have an Answer God sparing my Life you shall see what some of their chief Writers have said as to this and some other things that may seem more distasteful to all pious Christians Arg. 7. If the first Day was observed as a day of Worship by the Apostolical Church and no other day of the week then the first Day is that day of Worship which we should observe but the first Day was so observed c. Ergo. Arg. 8. If Moses as