and standing in the roome of all mankinde Hence as nothing was writ then but what was common to all men so such things thus writ were good for all men and suitable to all men it being most injurious to God to think that any thing evill should be imprinted there if therefore it bee proved that the law of the Sabbath was then writ upon mans heart then it undenyably followes that it is meet and suitable to all men still to observe a Sabbath day and indeed to the right understanding of what is suitable to man as man and consequently morall there is nothing more helpfull than to consider of our primitive estate and what was suitable to our nature then for if that which is morall in marriage is to be searched for in the first and ancient records of our first creation by the appointment of our Saviour I then know no reason whatever others object but morality in all other lawes and duties is there to bee sought also for although our originall perfection is now defaced and lost and in that respect is a merum non ens as some call it yet it had once a being and therefore in this controversie we may lawfully enquire after it considering especially that this being which once it had may be suffiently knowne by the contrary being of universall corruption that is in us now as also by the light of the Scriptures in which the searcher and maker of all hearts declares it unto us and indeed there are many morall duties which will never appeare good and suitable to man but rather hard and unreasonable because impossible untill we see and remember from whence we are fallen and what once we had Thesis 26. If therefore a morall law command that which is suitable to humane nature and good in it selfe then it followes from hence which was toucht before that divine determination of something in a law doth not alway take away morality from a law for divine determination is many times no more but a plain and positive declaration of that which is suitable just and good and equall for man to observe now that which points out and declares unto us the morality of a law cannot possibly abolish and destroy such a law For a morall law commanding that which is suitable and good as hath been shewne it is impossible that the Commandment which determineth and directeth to that which is good that by this determination it should overthrow the being of such a good law nay verily particular determination and positivenesse as some call it is so farre from abolishing as that it rather addes to the being as well as to the clearing up and manifestation of such a law For if it be not sufficient to make a morall law that the thing be good in it selfe but that also it must be commanded then the Commandment which many times onely detemines to that which is good and consequently determination doth adde unto the being of a morall law Thesis 27. There is scarce any thing but it is morally indifferent untill it falls under some divine determination but divine determination of twofold 1. Of such things which are not good fit or needfull for man to observe without a command as Sacrifices and Sacraments and such likes now herein in such lawes positive determination may be very well inconsistent with morality and it may bee safely said that such a law is not morall but rather positive and thus the learned sometimes speak 2. Of such things as are equall good in themselves needfull and suitable for man and here particular determination and morality may kisse each other and are not to be opposed one to another and hence it is that if Gods Commandment positively determines us to observe any part of instituted worship suppose Sacraments or Sacrifices yet such lawes are not morall although it bee morall in generall to worship God after his owne will because the things themselves are not good in themselves nor needfull but if God shall determine us to observe a Sabbath day this determination doth not take away the morality of the command because it being good in it selfe to give God the meetest and fittest proportion of time for holy Rest and the commandment declaring that this seventh part or so is such a time hence it comes to passe that this time is good in it selfe and therefore determination by the commandment in this case doth not abolish the morality hereof It is a morall duty to pay tribute to Caesar to give to Caesar that which is Caesars hence because a man may give too much or too little to him that determination which directs us to that particular which is Caesars due and most meet for him to receive and us to give that is best in it selfe and is therefore morall so prayer is a morall duty but because a man may bee tempted to pray too oft or else too seldome hence determination of the fittest and this fittest season makes this or that morall So 't is here in the Sabbath I doe willingly and freely professe thus farre with our Adversaries of the morality of the Sabbath that it is a morall duty to give God some time and day of holy Rest and worship as 't is morall to give Caesar his due and to pray to God but because we may give God too many dayes or too few hence the determination of the most meet and fittest proportion of time and particularly of this time makes this and that to be also morall If no day at all in generall was good and fit for man to give to God and God should notwithstanding command a seventh day then the commandment of such a day with such positive determination could not bee morall any more then the determination of sacrrifices and such like But every day say some of our Adversaries some day say others of them being acknowledged to be equall just and good and most meet to give to God hence it is that determination of a seventh day doth not abolish but clear up that which is morall because it points out unto man that which is most meet and equall Hence therefore it follows that a seventh day is therefore commanded because it is good and not good meerly because commanded Determination also declaring what is most meet declareth hereby that this commandment is also morall and not meerly positive and ceremoniall which not being well considered by some this fourth commandment having some more positivenesse and determination then divers of the rest hath therefore been the chiefe stumbling stone and rock of offence to many against the morality of it by which they have miserably bruised themselves while they have endeavoured to destroy it upon so grosse a mistake Thesis 28. It is true that God out of his absolute soveraignty and good pleasure of his will might have determined us to observe a fourth a ninth a twentieth part of our time in holy rest more or lesse as well as to
if speciall light in them they shall then have more speciall and saving light Thesis 194. As it is no argument that that Law is according to the light of nature which the Gentiles generally practised for then Polytheisme and Sacrificing of beasts yea wil-worship should be according to the light of nature because these sins were generally practised so it is no argument that that Law is not according to the light of nature which they generally neglected and therefore suppose the Gentiles never observed a Sabbath yet this is no argument that it is therefore no morall Law I know M. Primrose thinks that the Sacrifices were by an instinct of nature Because it dictates that all sinnes whereof mortall men are guilty are to be expiated by Sacrifice and Offerings to God offended Which assertion hath some truth in it if those words By Sacrifices and Offerings be left out for what light of nature could make men think that an infinite Deity offended could be pacified by such carnall observances as the Sacrifices of brute beasts and their blood which never offended This custome the Gentiles might retain as a Relique of former instruction and institution by their first Fathers after the flood which being matters meerly ceremonious might be retained more firmly then other morall duties of great consequence however we see that the practice of the Gentiles is no fit guide to direct that which is according to the law and light of nature Thesis 195. If more narrow enquiry be made what the Law of nature is these distinctions must be observed 1. The Law of nature is either of pure or corrupt nature The Law of pure nature was the Law of God writ on Adams heart in innocency which was nothing else but that holy bent and inclination of the heart within to act according to the holy Law of God revealed or Covenant made with him without and thus Aquinas places the law of nature in this inclination The Law of corrupt nature is that dimme light left in the minde and morall inclination left in the will in respect of some things contained in the Law of God which the Apostle cals Conscience Rom. 2.15 which naturall conscience is nothing but the remnants and generall principles of the law of pure nature left in all men since the fall which may be increased by more knowledge of the Law of God or more diminished and defaced by the wickednesse of man Titus 1.15 2. The Law of corrupt nature is taken either more largely or strictly As it is taken more largely so it comprehends all that which is agreeable and sutable to naturall reason and that from a naturall innate equity in the thing when it is made known either by divine instruction or humane wisdom although it be not immediatly known by the light of nature and thus many judiciall laws are naturall and morall though positive and of binding nature unto this day As it is taken strictly so it comprehends no more but what nature immediatly knows or may know without externall instruction as parents to be honoured mans life to be preserved 3. The Law of nature strictly taken are either principles of nature or conclusions from such principles The principles of the law of nature are in some respect many yet may be reduced to this one head viz. That good is to be followed evill to be avoided Conclusions are deductions from those principles like severall streames from the same spring which though lesse evident then the principles yet may be readily found out by discourse and sad search 4. Conclusions arising from these principles are more immediate or mediate Immediate are made by Aquinas to be two 1. Love God with all thy heart 2. Love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mediate are such as arise from the former principles by means of those two more immediate conclusions and of this kinde are some as he thinks yea all the laws of the Decalogue if right reason may be judge Now to apply these Thesis 196. If the question be whether the Sabbath be known by the light of pure nature the answer is yea for Adams minde knew of it and his heart was inclined and bent to the keeping of it although it be true that now this light in corrupt nature as in many other morall duties is almost wholly extinct and worn out as hath been formerly shewn And to speak plainly this great and first impression left on mans heart in pure nature is the first rule according to which we are now to judge of what is the law of nature and it serves to dash to peeces and grinde to powder and dust most effectually and strongly the dreams and devices of such as would make the Sabbath not morall because not naturall or not easily known by the present light of corrupt nature when as corrupt nature is no perfect copy but a blotted discovery of some part of the light of nature which was fully imprinted at large in pure nature and therefore it is no wonder if our adversaries so much oppose the Commandment of the Sabbath in the state of innocency such therefore as are otherwise Orthodox in this point and yet make this description of the Law of nature viz. which was written on mans heart in his first first Creation to be both uncertain and impertinent doe unwarily pull down one of the strongest bulwarks and the first that ever God made to defend the morality of the Sabbath there is indeed no expresse Scripture which makes this description of the Law of nature as they object and so it is of many other things which are virtually and for substance contained in the Scripture although there be no formall description set down of the same and the like I say of this description here Thesis 197. If we speak of the Law of nature strictly taken for that which is immediatly and readily known by the common light of nature in all men then it may be safely affirmed that although the Sabbath should not be in this sence naturall yet it will not follow that it is not therefore morall for the moral law once writ on mans heart in pure nature is almost blotted out only some rudera and old rubbish is left of it in a perverse minde and a corrupt heart Eph. 4.18 we see the wisest of the heathens making those things to be morall vertues Iunius instanceth in the Law of private revenge and we know they magnified will-worship which the Scripture condemns as morall vices and sins God would have common-wealths preserved in all places of the world from the inundation and deluge of mans wickednesse and therefore he hath generally printed the notions of the second Table upon mens hearts to set bounds as by sea-banks unto the overflowings thereof and hence it is that they are generally known but he would not have Churches every where and therefore there is but little known concerning matters of the first Table and consequently about this Law of the Sabbath
yet oh that in this matter of the Sabbatâ— God would betimes awaken and that these weakâ—nesses might stirre up their strength for I mucâ— feare and foresee that if it be not done there is aâ— houre and a nick of temptation in such a juncture 〈◊〉 times approaching wherein the enemy will come 〈◊〉 like a flood and rise up from all quarters against the Doctrine of the Sabbath and then farewell all the good dayes of the son of man if this be lost which then men shall desire to see and shall not see them I have therefore been the more willing to let my owne shame and weaknesse appeare to the world if so it be found if this might be any meanes of doing the least good for keeping up the price of Gods Sabbaths in the hearts of any I have therefore spent the more time about the Morality of the Sabbath because the clearing up of this gives light to all the rest The generall CONTENTS of the Theses concerning the Morality of the Sabbath 1. GOD is the superiour disposer of mans time Thes. 1 2. Man who is made next to God and to return to his rest at the end of the larger circle of his life is to return to him at the end of the lesser circle of eveâ—y week Thes. 7 3. What a Moral Law is not 10 11 4. How a Divine Law may be said to be Moral 14 5. What a Moral law is strictly taken 16 6. A Moral Law considered in a strict sense is not good meerly because commanded but is therefore commanded because it is good 17 7. What is that goodnesse in a Moral Law for which it is commanded 21 8. By what Rules may that goodnesse be known which are foure 24 25 9 Divers consectaries flowing from the description of a Moral Law 1. That Divine determination of something in a Law doth not alway take away the morality of it 26 2. That those are not Moral laws only which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature 29 3. That the whole Decalogue in all the parts of it is the Moral Law of God Thes. 30. where Objections are answered to 38 10. Three sorts of Laws which were among the Jewes Moral Ceremonial Judicial 38 11. The true state of the Question whether the Sabbath be a Moral or Ceremonial Law 43 12. The agreement on all hands how far the Law of the Sabbath is Moral 44 13. Something general is agreed on and whether it lies under this general viz. a seventh day 46 14. The chief means of resolving this controversie in opening the meaning of the fourth Commandment 47 15. The things which are Moral in the fourth Commandment are either primarily or secundarily moral 48 16. Those things which are primarily generally moral in the forth Commandment are 3. 1. A time of worship 2. A day 3. A 7th day determined 17. Not the worship it self but only the solemne time of it is required in the fourth Commandment 53 18. How holy duties are for time 56 19. Instituted worship is not directly required in the fourth but in the second Commandment wherein the meaning of the second Commandment is occasionally cleared against Wallaeus 59 20. If the moral worship it self be not required herein much lesse is the whole ceremonial worship 63 21. Neither the publike worship only nor Jewish holy dayes required in this fourth Commandment 64 22. Not a part of a day but a whole day is moral by the fourth Commandment 65 23. Gods wisdome did rather choose a whole day together for special worship then borrow a part of every day 66 24. The sin of Familists and others who allow God no special day but make all dayes equal 68 25. How any day is said to be holy and that though all places are alike holy yet all dayes are not therefore alike holy 69 70 26. Answer to such Scriptures as seem to make all dayes alike holy under the New Testament 72 73. to 79 27. The chief reason why some abolish the day of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment is because they abandon the whole Decalogue it self as any Rule of life unto his people 79 28. An inward Sabbath may well consist with a Sabbath day 80 29. The great controversie whether the Law be a rule of life to a beleever discussed in sundry Theses 81 30. The Spirit is not the rule of life 86 31. Not the will of Gods Decree but the will of his command is the rule of life 91 32. The fundamental Errour of Antinomians 93 33. The rule of the Law is kept in Christ as matter of our justification not sanctification 94 34. How Christ is our Sanctification as well as our Justification 95 35. Duties of Christian thankfulnesse to God were not performed by Christ for beleevers under that notion of thankfulnesse but by way of merit 97 36. Whether a beleever is to act in vertue of a command 98 37. The sin of those who affirme that Christian obedience is not to be put forth by vertue of a command 100 38. To act by vertue of a Commandment and by vertue of Gods Spirit are subordinate one to another 101 39. Whether the Law is our rule as given by Moses on mount Sinai or only as it is given by Christ on mount Sion 102 40. How Works and Law-duties are sometime commended and sometime condemned 105 106 41. The new creature how it is under the Law 107 42. How the children of God under the Old Testament were under the Law as a Schoolmaster and not those of the New 108 43. How the Gospel requires doing and how not and about conditional promises in the Gospel 110 44. Various motives to obedience from the Law and Gospel from God as a Creator and from Christ as a Redeemer do not vary the Rule 111 45. Unbelief is not the only sin 112 46. Three evils arising from their Doctrine who deny the Directive use of the moral Law 113 47. The sin of such as deny the humbling work of the Law under Gospel ministrations 114 48. Their Errour who will not have a Christian pray for pardon of sin or mourn for sin 115 49. Whether Sanctification be a doubtful evidence and may not be a just evidence and wheâ—â—er the Gospel and all the promises of it belong to a sinner as a sinner and whether sight of corruption be by the Gospel the setled evidence of salvation as some plead for 117 50. Whether the first evidence be without the being or only the seeing of grace 118 51. The true grounds of evidencing Gods love in Christ cleared 119. 52. Not only a day nor only a Sabbath day but a seventh day determined is the last thing generally moral in the fourth Commandment 120.122 53. That which is particularly moral herein is this or that particular seventh day 123 54. The morality of a Sabbath may be as strongly and easily urged from the Commandment of observing that particular seventh day from the
creation as the morality of a day 125 55. It is not in mans liberty to take any one of the seven dayes in a week to be the Christian Sabbath 126 56. A determined time is here required but not what nature but what counsel shall determine and consequently this or that seventh day 130 57. The force of Gods example in resting the seventh and working six dayes how far it extends 132 58. No reason that God must have a seventh yeer because he will have a seventh day 134 59. How a circumstance of time is capable of morality 137 60. The Law of the Sabbath is a Homogeneal part of the Moral Law and is therefore Moral and whether it be Moral in respect of the letter 138 61. Whether the Decalogue is said to be the Moral Law in respect of the greater part only 139 62. The Law of the Sabbath hath equal glory with all the other nine Morals and hath therefore equal morality 140 63. The Sabbath was given as a moral law to man in innocency 151 64. The Sabbath said to be sanctified Gen. 2 not meerly in a way of Destination or Anticipation 162 65. Adam in innocency might need a Sabbath 174 66. No types of Christ given to man in innocency 177 67. The Sabbath was no type in respect of its original institution 178 68. The Heathens by the light of corrupt nature had some kind of knowledge of the Sabbath 189 69. The Law of nature diversly taken and what it is 194 70. No argument to prove the Sabbath ceremonial because Christ appointed no special day for the Lords Supper 198 71. No argument to prove the Sabbath ceremonial because it is reckoned among the ceremonials 199 72. Christ is not said to be the Lord of the Sabbath because it was ceremonial 200 73. Though the Sahbath be made for man yet it is not therefore ceremonial 201 74. A fond distinction of the Sabbath in sensu mystico literali 202 75. Although we are bound to rest every day from sin yet we are not therefore to make every day a Sabbath 203 76. The Sabbath was not proper to the Jewes because they only were able as some say to observe the exact time of it 204 77. An answer to M. Carpenters and Heylins new invented argument against the morality of the Sabbath 206 FINIS PART I. The Morality of the Sabbath Wherin the chief Arguments used by Gomarus Mr. Primrose Mr. Ironside Mr. Broad with sundry others against it are briefly answered the reasons for it more fully cleared Wherein also the great Controversie whether the whole Moral Law contained in the Decalogue be a Rule of life to a Beleever is occasionally and distinctly handled THE MORALITY OF THE SABBATH Thesis 1. TIme is one of the most precious blessings which worthlesse man in this world enjoyes a jewell of inestimable worth a golden stream dissolving and as it were continually running downe by us out of one eternity into another yet seldome taken notice of untill it is quite passed away from us Man saith Solomon knowes not his time Eccles 9.12 It is therefore most just and meet that he who hath the disposing of all other things lesse precious and momentous should also be the supreme Lord and disposer of all our times Thesis 2. He who is the disposer of all our times is the soveraigne Lord of our persons also and is therefore the utmost and last end of both for if our persons and all our times bee of him they are then to be improved for him as he sees most meer Thesis 3. Now although all creatures in the world are of God and for God so that being of him they receive their being from him as their first efficient and being for him are therefore preserved and governed by him as their utmost end yet no other inferiour visible creature is set so near to God and consequently is not in that manner for God as man is Thesis 4. For although all inferiour creatures are made lastly for God yet they are made nextly for man but man havinâ— nothing better than himselfe between him and God therefore made both lastly and nextly for God and hence is that no inferiour Creature which comes out and issuâ—eth from God hath such a reflux and returne againe bacâ— unto God as man hath because in and by this reflux anâ— returne into him mans immortall being is eternally preâ—served like water running into the Sea againe from whence it first came Thesis 5. For whatever is set next and as it were contiguous to eâ—ternall is eternall Omne contiguum aeâ—erno spirituali est aâ—ternum say some and hence it is that the soule is eternall because it is made nextly for God and as it were conâ—tiguous to him The body also shall bee eternall beâ—cause contiguous to the eternall soule But no other inâ—feriour Creatures are thus eternall For although they bâ— made nextly for man yet so as that they are firstly for thâ— body which is of it selfe mortall and not eternall anâ— therefore not being contiguous to that which is spirituallâ— eternall are not so themselves and the reason of this iâ— because all inferiour Creatures as they come out from God so their motion is toward man for whom they aâ—â— nextly made and they go out strait forward from God as it were in a strait line toward man to the last end anâ— terme of which strait line when they are come in the serâ—vice of man they then cannot proceed any further and dâ— therefore perish and cease to be without reflecting or reâ—turning back againe immediately unto God But maâ— being made immediately and nextly for God hath therforâ— his motion so toward God as that he returnes immediatelâ— unto him againe and is not led in a strait line but led 〈◊〉 it were about in a circular motion and hence returning immediately to him he is hereby eternally preserved iâ— him for whom he is immediately made and unto whom hâ— is nextly contiguous as hath been said Thesis 6. Now although in this returne of man to God suppoâ—sing it to be internall regular and spirituall mans blesseâ— being once lost is hereby recovered and preserved in God yet when man is left unto himselfe the motions of his soul out of this circle in straying from God are innumerable and would be endlesse if God who set him next unto him selfe did not some time or other recall returne and â—ead him back again as it were in a heavenly circle into himself Thesis 7. Look therefore as when man hath run his race finished his course and passed through the bigger and larger circle of his life he then returnes unto his eternall rest so it 〈◊〉 contrived and ordered by divine wisdom as that he shall â—n a speciall manner returne unto and into his rest once â—t least within the lesser and smaller circle of every week â—hat so his perfect blessednesse to come might be foretasted every Sabbath day and so be begun
here that looke as man standing in innocency had cause thus to returne â—rom the pleasant labours of his weekly paradise imployments as shall be shewn in due place so man fallen much more from his toilsome and wearisome labours to this his rest again And therefore as because all creatures were made for man man was therefore made in the last place after them so man being made for God and his worship thence it is that the Sabbath wherein man was to draw most neare unto God was appointed after the creation of man as Peter Martyr observes For although man is not made for the Sabbath meerly in respect of the outward rest of it as the Pharisees dreamed yet hee is made for the Sabbath in respect of God in it and the holinesse of it to both which then the soule is to have its weekly revolution back againe as into that Rest which is the end of all our lives labour and in speciall of all our weekly labour and work Thesis 8. As therefore our blessed rest in the fruition of God at the end and period of our lives is no ceremony but a glorious privilege and a morall duty it being our closing with our utmost end to which we are called so it cannot be that such a Law which cals and commands man in this life to returne to the same rest for substance every Sabbath day should bee a ceremoniall but rather a Morall and perpetuall Law unlesse it should appeare that this weekly Sabbath like the other annuall Sabbath hath been ordained and instituted principally for some ceremonious ends rather than to be a part and indeed the beginning of our rest to come there being little difference between this and that to come but onely this that here our rest is but begun there it is perfected here it is interrupted by our weekly labours there it is continued here we are led into our rest by meanes and ordinances but there we shall bee possessed with it without our need of any helpe from them our God who is our rest being then become unto us immediately All in All. Thesis 9. Were it not for mans worke and labour ordained and appointed for him in this life he should enjoy a continuall Sabbath a perpetuall Rest. And therefore wee see that when mans life is ended his sunne set and his worke done upon earth nothing else remaines for him but only to enter into his perpetuall and eternall Rest All our time should be solemne and sacred to the Lord of time if there were no common worke and labour hâ—re which necessarily occasions common time why then should any think that a weekly Sabbath is ceremoniall when were it not for this lifes labour a perpetuall and continuall Sabbath would then be undoubtedly accounted morall It s hard for any to thinke a servants awfull attendance on his Lord and Master at certaine speciall times not to bee morally due from him who but for some more private and personall occassions allowed him to attend unto should at all times continually be serving of him Thesis 10. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no Scripture phrase and therfore not proper fitly and fully to expresse the question in controversie to wit whether the fourth Commandment bee a morall precept The best friends of this word finde it slippery and can hardly tell what it is and what they would have to be understood by it and hence it is become a bone of much Contention a fit mist and swampe for such to fight in who desire so to contend with their Adversaries as that themselves may not bee known either where they are or on what ground they stand Yet it being a word generally taken up and commonly used it may not therefore be amisse to follow the market measure and to retaine the word with just and meet explications thereof Thesis 11. They who describe a morall law to bee such a law as is not typically ceremoniall and therefore not durable doe well and truely expresse what it is not but they doe not positively expresse what it is Thesis 12. Some describe and draw out the proportions of the morall law by the law of nature and so make it to bee that law which every man is taught by the light of nature That which is morally and universally just say some which reason when it is not mis-led and the inward law of nature dictateth by common principles of honesty or ought to dictate unto all men without any outward usher It is that say others which may be proved not only just but necessary by principles drawne from the light of nature which all reasonable men even in nature corrupted have still in their hearts which either they doe acknowledge or may at least bee convinced of without the Scriptures by principles still left in the hearts of all men But this description seems too narrow For 1. Although it be true that the law naturall is part of the law morall yet if the law morall be resolved into the law of nature only and the law of nature bee shrunke up and drawne into so narrow a compasse as what the principles left in corrupt man onely suggest and dictate then it will necessarily follow that many of those holy rules and principles are not the law of nature which were the most perfect impressions of the law of nature in mans first creation and perfection but now by mans apostacy are obliterated and blotted out unlesse any shall thinke worse than the blinde Papists either that mans minde is not now corrupted by the fall in losing any of the first impressions of innocent nature or shall maintaine with them that the Image of God of which those first impressions were a part was not naturall to man in that estate 2. It will then follow that there is no morale discipline as they call it that is nothing morall by discipline informing or positively morall but onely by nature dictating which is crosse not onely to the judgements but solid Arguments of men judicious and most indifferent 3. If that onely is to be accounted morall which is so easily knowne of all men by the light of nature corrupted then the imperfect light of mans corrupt minde must bee the principall judge of that which is morall rather than the perfect rule of morality contained in the Scripture which Assertion would not a little advance corrupt and blinde Nature and dethrone the perfection of the holy Scripture Thesis 13. They who define a morall law to be such a law as is perpetuall and universall binding all persons in all ages and times doe come somewhat nearer to the marke and are not far off from the truth and such a description is most plaine and obvious to such as are not curious and in this sense our adversaries in this cause affirme the Sabbath not to be morall meaning that it is not a Law perpetuall and universall Others on the contrary affirming that it is morall intend
thus much that it is perpetuall and universall a law which bindes all persons all times and in all ages and herein lies the chiefe matter of controversie at this day Now in what respect and how far forth the law of the Sabbath is perpetuall shall be hereafter shewn mean while it may not be amisse to enquire more narrowly into the nature of a morall law For though a Law primarily morall is perpetuall yet perpetuity seems to bee an adjunct rather than of the essence of a morall law and the difficulty will still remaine untouch'd viz. to know when a law is perpetuall and what is internall and intrinsicall to such a law as makes it perpetuall or morall whereinto I would not search lest I should seem to affect curiosity but that our criticall adversaries put us upon it with whom there is nothing lost in case weâ— gaine nothing by wrastling a little with them upon their owne grounds where for a while we shall come up to them Thesis 14. A divine law may be said to be morall two wayes 1. More largely and generally morall 2. More strictly and specially morall Thesis 15. A law generally morall is this that the whole soveraign will of the Lord be done and submitted unto by every creature and in this large sense every law of God whether ceremoniall judiciall or for speciall triall may be said to be morall because the soveraigne will of God is in all these lawes to be adored It is a morall duty that Gods will be done and hence it is that so far forth as the will of God is in them so far forth to yield obedience to them is a morall duty but the question is not about this morality nor what things are thus morall Thesis 16. A law more strictly and specially morall which concernes the manners of all men and of which wee now speake may bee thus described viz. It is such a Law which is therefore commanded because it is good and is not therefore good meerly because it is commanded Thesis 17. This is Austins description of it long since whom most of the Schoolmen follow which learned Cameron with sundry late Wriâ—â—â— confirme and which our adversaries in this controversie plead hard for and unto which the evidence of Scripture and reason seemes to incline for laws meerly judiciall and ceremoniall are good lawes Deut. 6.18 24. but this was meerly because they were commanded and therefore it had been simply evill to burne Incense offer Sacrifice or performe any ceremoniall duty in the worship of God unlesse they had been commanded What is there therefore in morall lawes which is not in those lawes verily this inward goodnesse in them which others have not and because of which goodnesse they are therefore commanded For to love God to honour parents to preserve the life of man to be mercifull and bountifull and just in all our dealings c. are inwardly good and are therefore commanded and are therefore morall laws and hence we see that when the Apostle would set forth the glory and excellency of the morall law for of no other law can he speake Rom. 7.7 12. he gives these titles to it that it is holy just and good which holines justice and goodnesse he opposeth to his owne morall not ceremoniall wickednesse I am carnall saith he but the law is holy just and good And look as it was evill in it selfe for to have a nature contrary to the law so the Law which was contrary to that nature was good in it selfe and was therefore commanded and therefore in this thing morall lawes are in a higher degree good than such as were onely ceremoniall which were therefore good meerely because commanded The Prophet Micah therefore perceiving how forward many were in ceremonial duties sacrifices in opposition hereunto he tels them The Lord hath shewed thee O man what is good speaking of morall duties of shewing mercy and walking humbly with God Micah 6.8 Was not Sacrifice and Offerings good as well as mercy and walking humbly Yes verily but herein lies the difference as our most Orthodox generally make it Sacrifice and Offerings were not per se and in themselves good but onely as commanded for higher ends and to further morall obedience Ier. 7.22 23 and 6.19 20. Isa. 1.14 16 Psal. 50.13 14 15. but such morall obedience as thâ— Prophet mentions viz. to shew mercy and to walk humbly were good in themselves and were therefore commanded of God and here called by the Prophet good The summe of morall obedience is love to God and man Matth. 22. But what love is this surely t is in such things â—â— are in themselves lovely and consequently in themselâ—â—â— good for otherwise ceremoniall obedience should be a part of morall obedience because in performing such obediences is meerely ceremoniall wee shew our love to God also It being a branch of love to have respect unto all Gods Commandments Deut. 6.1 2 3. with 5 6. Onely herein our love toward God appeares in ceremoniall duties because these lawes are commanded our love appeares in the other because the things commanded are also lovely in themselves The Image of God is good in it selfe as God himselfe is good in himselfe now the morall law is an exact rule of nothing else but Gods Image as is evident Eph. 4.24 where the Image of God is made to consist in holinesse and righteousnesse the first Table being the rule of the one the second Table being the rule of the other and hence it followes undenyably that morall lawes respecting onely Gods Image have respect onely to such things as are good in themselves and wherein we resemble and are made like unto God Some things saith Cameron are good in themselves viz. such things wherein Gods Image shines forth as hee is holy just and good Colos. 3.10 Ephes. 4.24 Some things are indifferent neither good nor bad in themselves but meerely as commanded or forbidden which also bear not Gods Image unlesse it be sub ratione entis but not sub ratione boni moralis i. e. they resemble God as he is a being but not as he is holy just and good in himselfe the rule of which resemblance is the morall law which therefore commands things because they are good Thesis 18. God out of his absolute soveraignty could have made lawes binding all persons in all ages and in this respect morall without having any more goodnesse in them then meerely his owne will but it is his will and good pleasure to make all lawes that are morall to be first good in themselves for all men before he will impose them upon all men And hence it is a weaknesse for any to affirme that a morall law is not such a Law which is therefore commanded because it is good because say they t is not the goodnesse of the thing but the soveraigne will of God which makes all things good for it is the soveraigne will of God as
is proved to make every morall law good and therefore to command it rather than to make it good by a meer commanding of it Thesis 19. The will of God is indeed the rule of all goodnesse and consequently of all morall lawes but we know there is voluntas decreti and voluntas mandati the first of which viz. the will of Gods decree as it appeares in the execution of it makes a thing to be good whether it bee creature or law the second of these viz. the will of Gods command enjoynes the practise of such a duty the rule and law to guide which is first made good if it bee a morall law by the wisdome and power of the will of Gods decree so that the will of God appearing in both these viz. Gods decreeing and commanding will is the compleat rule of every morall law So that as no law is morally good meerly because it is commanded so neither is it thus good unlesse also it be commanded Gods will in all morall laws is first to make them good and then to command them when they are thus far made good both which together make up a morall law Thesis 20. T is true that sin is the transgression of Gods law there is nothing therefore sinfull but it is the transgression of some law and hence there is no obedience good but what is conformable unto some law But wee must know that as transgression of any law doth not make a thing morally sinfull for then to breake a ceremoniall law would be a morall sinne so also obedience to every law doth not make a duty morally lawfull and good for then obedience to a ceremoniall law must be a morall obedience morall transgression therefore is a breach of such a law which forbids a thing because it is evill as morall obedience is our conformity to such a law which commands a thing because it is good not that anything is morally evill in it selfe before it be forbidden for then there should bee a morall sinne before and without any law to forbid it which is most absurd but because a thing is evill in it selfe and is therefore forbidden it is therefore morally evill God may and doth make it fundamentally evill before it be forbidden but it is not morally evill untill it be forbidden The like may be said concerning moral obedience according to any morall law No man should therefore thinke that this description given of a morall law should give occasion to any to imagine that some things are morally good or evill before any law passe upon them and that therefore there are some duties and some sinnes which are so without and before any law of God For wee see that things good in themselves must be commanded else they are not morall duties yet withall they are therefore commanded because they are good in themselves It s true that by the verdict of some of the Schoolemen some duties are morally good before any law commands them as to love and magnifie God and that some sinnes as to curse and blaspheme God are morally evill before any law forbids them but to omit other answers if such suppositions may bee rationally made which some deny yet it may bee upon good grounds denyed that any duty can be morally good or any sinne morally evill untill some law passe upon them either to command or forbid the same 'T is indeed sutable and meet in nature for man to love God and unsutable and unmeet to blaspheme and hate God but such sutablenesse or unsutablenesse as they make things fundamentally good or evill so they cannot make any thing morally good or evill unlesse we suppose some Law for it would be in this case with man as 't is in brute creatures who doe many things unnaturall as to eate up and destroy their owne young which yet are not morally sinfull because they are not under any morall law and one of the most ancient and best of the Schoolemen though he thinks that the observance of the Sabbath before Moses time was not secundâ—m rationem praecepti or debitè fieri i. was not actually commanded yet that it was secundum rationem honesti hoc est dignè steri i. It was congruous and a thing meet and worthy to bee observed even from the first creation But will any of our Adversaries hence say that because it was meet and worthy to bee observed that therefore it was a morall law from the beginning of the world while it had no command as is by them supposed to be observed For it must be something meet and congruous and worthy to be observed of man which when it is commanded makes it to be a morall law for then the Law commands a thing that is good and because 't is good iâ— is therefore commanded which goodnesse wee must a little more narrowly now enquire into Thesis 21. If it be demanded therefore What is that goodnesse in a morall law for which it is therefore commanded The Answer is given by Vasques Suarez Smifinga and most of the Schoolemen and sundry of our owne Writers that it is nothing else but That comely sutablenesse and meetnesse in the thing commanded unto humane nature as rationall or unto man as rationall and consequently unto every man When I say as Rationall I understand as Master Ironside doth viz. as right reason neither blinded nor corrupted doth require When I say as sutable to man and consequently to every man I hereby exclude all lawes meerely Judiciall and Evangelicall from being morall the first of which are sutable to some men onely the other are not sutable to men as men but to man as corrupt and fallen and therefore binde not all men but onely those among whom they are sufficiently and actually promulgated as is evident Rom. 10.14 Iohn 15.22 But morall lawes are sutable to all men and have an inward meetnesse and congruity to be observed of all men For look as when the Lord gives Laws to any particular nation whether immediately by himself or mediately by man he ever makes them sutable to the peoples peace and good of that nation so when he makes lawes binding all mankinde in all Nations he makes them sutable to humane nature or all mankinde therein And look as nationall Lawes binde not meerly by the meere will of the Law-giver but from the goodnesse and sutablenesse in the thing unto their common good so here morall lawes which concerne all Nations bind not meerly because of the will of God which of it selfe is sufficient to binde all men if he had pleased to put no more in morall lawes but also because of some goodnesse in the things commanded which is nothing else but such sutablenes as is mentioned unto the common good of man What this sutablenesse to humane nature is we shall shew in due place meane while I doe not understand by sutablenesse to humane nature the inclination of humane nature now corrupted by sinne for
infused and supernaturall vertues and graces to which therefore humane nature is not inclined are as Vasquez truly and strongly maintaines in some sense naturall and good in themselves not because humane nature is inclined to them but because they are very congruous and consentaneous thereunto and perfecting humane nature as such and consequently sutable thereunto A good is said to be utile delectabile in respect of some profit or delight which comes to man by it but bonum honestum in genere moris as Suarez and his fellowes call it consists in a kinde of decency comlinesse and sweet proportion between such an act and such a nature as acts by right reason to which nature it is exceeding comely and suitable whether any profit or delight come thereby yea or no. As now in the divine nature it 's exceeding beautifull and comely for it and therefore good in it selfe to bee bountifull and mercifull and to doe good unto the creature although no profit could come to him thereby It is Gods nature as I may so say so to doe so 't is in humane nature it 's a comely thing to honour parents reverence Gods Name to bee loving and mercifull to all men in heart word and deed to give God a fit and the most meet proportion of time for solemne service of him who allowes us many dayes to serve our owne good this is good nature and being thus seemly and suitable to it this and such like things are therefore good in themselves though perhaps neither profit or pleasure should come unto man hereby And hence it 's well observed by some of the Schoolemen that right reason doth not make a thing morall but only judgeth and discerneth what is morall for right reason doth not make a thing suitable but onely seeth whether it be so or no a thing may bee suitable before right reason see it yet when 't is presented to reason it sees it suitable as the wall is white before the eye see it yet when the eye doth see it it appeares white also It may bee a meet and comely thing to give God a seventh part of our time though no mans reason can of it selfe find out such a meet proportion yet when reason sees it it 's forced to acknowledge a comlinesse of equity and suitablenesse therein as shall hereafter appeare Thesis 22. But here let it bee observed that although all morall lawes are thus suitable to mans nature yet they are not all alike suitable thereunto and consequently not equally good in themselves for some lawes are more immediately suitable and good others mediately And as Wallaeus well observes out of Scotus that there is a double morality the first is de lege naturae strictè sumpta i. e. such laws as are so deeply engraven upon nature as that these principles cannot bee blotted out but by abolishing of nature The second is de lege naturae latè sumpta and these lawes doe much depend upon the will of the Law-giver but yet they are very congruous and suitable to humane nature even from the light of those principles of nature And hence I suppose it will follow that the law for a seventh part of time to be dedicated to God may well bee a morall law although it depends much upon the will of the Law-giver and is not so immediately written upon mans heart nor so equally suitable to humane nature as the law of love and thankfulnesse to God our Creator is For as Cameron well observes that some things which are good in themselves have more of Gods Image stamped upon them some have lesse of it and hence it is that though all morall lawes are good in themselves yet not equally so there is more unsuitablenesse to hate and curse God than to lust after another mans house or servant and yet both are evill in themselves and breaches of morall rules Thesis 23. Hence therefore it followes that because morall precepts are of such things as are good in themselves they are therefore perpetuall and unchangeable and because they are in this respect good in themselves to wit because they are suitable and comely to mans nature as rationall hence also they are universall so that perpetuity and universality seem to be the inseperable adjuncts rather than the essence of a morall law yet when they are called perpetuall and unchangeable wee must understand them in respect of Gods ordinary dispensation for hee who is the great Law-giver may and doth sometime extraordinarily dispense with morall lawes Abraham might have kill'd his Sonne by extraordinary dispensation Adams Sonnes and Daughters did marry one another by speciall Commission which now to doe ordinarily would bee incestuous and consequently against a mâ—â—â—ll Law as is evident Leviticus 18. Onely let it bee here remembred that when I call morall Lawes perpetuall and universall that I speake of such lawes as are primarily morall which doe firstly and originally suit with humane nature for lawes as are at second hand morall and as it were accidentally so may be changeable as hereafter shall appeare Thesis 24. How these things may evince the morality of a seventh part of time will be difficult to conceive unlesse further enquiry be made to wit when and by what rules may it be knowne that any law is sutable and agreeable unto humane nature and consequently good in it selfe For resolution of which doubt there is great silence generally in most Writers Bishop White endeavours it by giving three rules to cleare up this mist but pace tanti viri I much feare that he much darkens and obscures the truth herein and muds the streames For 1. Because the Sabbath is not simply morall but hath something positive in it he therefore makes it temporary as appeares in his conclusion of that discourse when as 't is evident by his own confession that some lawes positively morall are generall and universall For lawes positively morall he saith are either personall onely as was Abrahams comming out of his owne Countrey Gen. 12.1 Some are for one Nation or Republick onely Exod. 22.1 3â—7 Some are common and generall for all mankinde as the law of Polygamy 2. Hee seemes to make lawes simply and intirely morall to bee such as are in their inward nature morally good before and without any exâ—ernall imposition of the Law-giver Now if by externall imposition he meanes the externall manner of Mosaicall administration of the law there is then some truth in what he affirmes for doubtlesse before Moses time the Patriarchs had the law revealed after another manner but if by externall imposition bee meant externall Revelation whether immediately by God himselfe unto mans conscience or mediately by man then it 's most false that any thing can be morally good or evill much lesse entirely and simply so before and without some such law for though it may be good and sutable to man before a law pasâ—e upon it yet nothing can be morally good
or evill without some law for then there should bee some sinne which is not the transgression of a law and some obedience which is not directed by any law both which are impossible and abominable 3. He makes morall lawes by externall imposition and constitution onely to be such as before the externall imposition of them are a diaphorous and good or evill onely by reason of some circumstance When as we know that some such lawes as are most entirely morall yet in respect of their inward nature generally considered they are indifferent also for not to kill and take away mans life is a morall law intirely so yet in the generall nature of it it is indifferent and by circumstance may become either lawfull or unlawfull lawfull in case of warre or publick execution of justice unlawfull out of a private spirit and personall revenge In one word the whole drift of his discourse herein is to shew that the Sabbath is not morall and this he would prove because the Sabbath is not simply and entirely morall which is a most feeble and weake consequence and this hee proves because the Sabbath day hath in respect of its inward nature no more holines and goodnes than any other day all the dayes of the week being equally good by creation But he might well know that the day is not the law of the fourth Commandment but the keeping holy of the Sabbath day which is a thing inwardly good and entirely morall if wee speak of some day Nay saith the Bishop the law of nature teacheth that some sufficient and convenient time bee set apart for Gods worship if therefore some day be morall although all dayes by creation be indifferent and equall according to his owne confession what then should hinder the quota pars or the seventh part of time from being morall will he say because all dayes are equally holy and good by creation then why should hee grant any day at all to bee entirely morall in respect of a sufficient and convenient time to bee set apart for God If hee saith the will and imposition of the Law-giver abolisheth its morality because he bindes to a seventh part of time then we shall shew that this is most false and feeble in the sequell Thesis 25. There are therefore four rules to guide our judgments aright herein whereby we may know when a law is sutable and agreeable to humane nature and consequently good in it selfe which will bee sufficient to cleare up the Law of the Sabbath to be truely morall whether in a higher or lower degree of morality it makes no matter and that it is not a law meerly temporary and ceremoniall 1. Such lawes as necessarily flow from naturall relation both between God and man as well as between man and man these are good in themselves because sutable and congruous to humane nature for there is a decency and sweet comlinesse to attend to those rules to which our relations binde us For from this ground the Prophet Malachy cals for feare and honour of God as morall duties because they are so comely and seemly for us in respect of the relation between us If I be your Lord and Master and Father where is my feare where is my honour Mal. 1.6 Love also between man and wife is pressed as a comely duty by the Apostle from that near relation betweene them being made one flesh Ephes. 5.28 29. there are scarce any who question the morality of the duties of the second Table because they are so evidently comely suitable and agreeable to humane nature considered relatively as man stands in relation to those who are or should bee unto him as his owne flesh and therefore he is to honour superiors and therefore must not kill nor steale nor lye nor covet nor defile the flesh c. but the morality of all the rules of the first Table is not seen so evidently because the relation between God and man which makes them comely and suitable to man is not so well considered for if there be a God and this God be our God according to the first Commandement then it 's very comely and meet for man to honour love feare him delight trust in him c. and if this God must be worshipped of man in respect of the mutuall relation between them then 't is comely and meet to worship him with his owne worhsip according to the second Commandment and to worship him with all holy reverence according to the third Commandment and if he must be thus worshipped and yet at all times in respect of our necessary worldly imploiments cannot be so solemnly honoured and worshipped as is comely and meet for so great a God then 't is very fit and comely for all men to have some set and stated time of worship according to some fit proportion which the Lord of time onely can best make and therefore a seventh part of time which he doth make according to the fourth Commandment 2. Such lawes are drawne from the imitable Attributes and Works of God are congruous and suitable to mans nature For what greater comelinesse can there be or what can be more suitable to that nature which is immediately made for God then to be like unto God and to attend unto those rules which guide thereunto Hence to be mercifull to men in misery to forgive our enemies and those that doe us wrong to be bountifull to those that be in want to be patient when we suffer evill are all morall duties because they are comely and suitable to man and that because herein hee resembles and is made like unto God Hence to labour six dayes and rest a leventh is a morall because a comely and suitable duty that because herein man followes the example of God and becomes most like unto him And hence it is that a seventh yeare of rest cannot be urged upon man to be as much morall as a seventh day of rest because man hath Gods example and patterne in resting a seventh day but not in resting any seventh yeare God never made himselfe an example of any ceremoniall duty it being unsuitable to his glorious excellency so to doe but onely of morall and spirituall holinesse and therefore there is somewhat else in a seventh day that is not in a seventh yeare and it is utterly false to thinke as some doe that there is as much equity for the observation of the one as there is of the other And here by the way may bee seen a grosse mistake of Mr. Primrose who would make Gods example herein not to be morally imitable of us nor man necessarily bound thereunto it being not naturally and in respect of it selfe imitable but onely because it pleased God to command man so to doe as also because this action of God did not flow from such attributes of God as are in their nature imitable as mercy bounty c. but from one of those attributes as is not imitable
a sevenâ—h yet let us consider of God as acting by counsell and weighing and considering with himselfe what is most meet and equall and what proportion of time is most fit for himselfe and then with leave of better thoughts when I see better reason I suppose no man can prove unlesse hee bee made privy to the unknowne secrets of the wisdome of God that any other proportion had been as meet as this now made by the actuall determination of God there was not therefore the meer and soveraigne will of God which thus determined of this seventh part of time but also the wisedome of God which considering all things saw it most meeâ— and suitable for man to give and God to receive from man and therefore being commanded and thus particularly determined becomes morall Thesis 29. If that commandment be morall which is therefore commanded because it is good then hence it followes in the second place that such lawes onely are not morall lawes which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature For as hath been already said a law may bee holy just good suitable and meet for all men to observe whether the light of corrupt nature by awakening or sleeping principles as some call them know it or no and such a comelinesse and suitablenesse in such a law is sufficient to make it morall There were many secret morall sinnes in Paul which he never saw nor could have seene by the light of corrupt nature untill the law fell upon him with mighty efficacy and power Romans 7. for God is not bound to crook his morall lawes to what our corrupt mindes are actually able of themselves to see any more than to what our corrupt wils are actually able to doe If the light of nature be imperfect in us since the fall which no wise man doubts of then there may be many things truely morall which the light of nature now sees not because 't is imperfect which in its perfection it did see and this consideration of the great imperfection of the light of nature is alone sufficient for ever to stop their mouthes and silence their hearts who goe about to make an imperfect light and law of nature the perfect rule and onely measure of morall duties and who make so narrow a limitation of that which is morall to that which is thus imperfectly naturall 't is not now lex nata but lex data which is the rule of morall duties The holy Scriptures containe the perfect rule of all morall actions whether mans corrupted and imperfect light of nature see them or no. It is a common but a most perilous and almost groundlesse mistake of many in this controversie who when they would know what is morall and what is not so of such things as are set downe in the Scriptures they then â—lye to the light of corrupt nature making it to bee the supream Judge hereof and there fall to examining of them whether they are seen by the light of nature or no which is no lesse folly than to set up a corrupt and blinde Judge to determine and declare that which is morall to make the perfect rule of morality in Scripture to bow downe its back to the imperfection and weaknesse of nature to pull out the Sunne in heaven from giving light and to walke by the light of a dim candle and a stinking snuffe in the socket almost gone out to make the horne-book of naturall light the perfection of learning of the deepest matters in morall duties to make Aristotles Ethicks as compleat a teacher of true morality as Adams heart in innocency and in a word to make man fallen and in a manner perfectly corrupt and miserable to bee as sufficiently furnished with knowledge of morall duties as man standing when he was perfectly holy and happy Imagine therefore that the light of nature could never have found out one day in seven to bee comely and most meet for man to give unto God yet if such a proportion of time be most meet for man to give to God and it appeares so to be when God reveales it it may and should then be accounted a morall law although the light of nature left in all men could never discerne it The Schoolmen and most of the popish generation not considering these things which notwithstanding are some of their owne principles have digged pits for themselves and made snares for some of their followers in abolishing the fourth Commandment from being in the true sense of it morall because they could not see how such a speciall part of time viz. a seventh part could be naturall or by the light of corrupt nature discernable which things so discernable they sometimes conclude to be onely morall But how farre the light of corrupt nature may discerne this proportion shall be spoken to in its proper place Thesis 30. If lastly those things which are thus commanded because they are good be morall then the whole Decalogue may hence appeare to be the morall law of God because there is no one law in it which is therefore good onely because 't is commanded but is therefore commanded because it is good and suitable to humane nature When I say suitable to humane nature I doe not meane humane nature considered absolutely but relatively either in relation to God or relation unto man for not onely the light of nature but of common sense also beare witnesse that every precept of the second Table wherein man is considered in relation to man is thus farre good for how comely and good is it to honour Parents to be tender of other mens lives and comforts to preserve ones selfe and others from filthy pollutions to doe no wrong but all the good we can to other mens estates c. Nor doe I thinke that any will question any one Commandment of this Table to bee good and suitable to humane nature unlesse it be some Nimrod or Brennus that professed he knew no greater justice than for the stronger like the bigger fishes of the Sea to swallow up the lesser in case they bee hungry or some Turkish Tartar or Caniball or some surfetted Professor transformed into some licentious opinionist and so growne Master of his owne Conscience and that can audaciously out-face the very light of nature and common sense through the righteous judgement of God blinding and hardning his heart And if the Commandments of the second Table be thus farre good in themselves are not those of the first Table much more Is love to man when drawne out into all the six streames of the second Table good in it selfe and shall not love to God drawn out in the foure precepts of the first Table as the Spring from whence all our love to man should flow much more Are the streams morally sweet and is not the spring it self of the same nature Love to God and love to man are the common principles saith Aquinas truely of the law of nature and all
particular precepts saith hee perhaps unawares are conclusions flowing from these principles out of Matth. 22. And are the principles good in themselves and suitable to humane nature and doe not all the conclusions participate of their nature For what are all particular precepts but particular unfoldings of love to God and love to man If all the precepts of the second Table be morall which doe onely concerne man why should any of the first fall short of that glory which doe immediately concerne God Shall man have six and all of them morally good and God have but foure and some one or more of them not so Is it comely and good to have God to be our God in the first Commandment to worship him after his owne minde in the second to give him his worship with all the highest respect and reverence of his Name in the third and is it not as comely good and suitable that this great God and King should have some magnificent day of state to be attended on by his poore servants and creatures both publikely and privately with speciall respect and service as oft as himselfe sees meer and which we cannot but see and confesse to be most equall and just according to the fourth Commandment If mans life must bee divided into labour and rest is it not equall and good if wee have six dayes that God should have a seventh If the bruit beasts could speake they would say that a seventh dayes rest is good for them Exod. 23.12 and shall man who hath more cause and more need of rest even of holy rest say that it is not good for him even to rest in the bosome of God himselfe to which he is called this day Take away a Sabbath who can defend us from Atheisme Barbarisme and all manner of Devilisme and prophanesse And is it evill thus to want it and shall it not be good to have it I confesse if God had commanded a perpetuall Sabbath it had not then been good but sinfull to observe any set Sabbath but if God will have man to labour for himselfe six dayes and this labour be morally good being now commanded why is it not then as good to observe a seventh in rest to God being also commanded of him Thesis 31. It is therefore at least an indigested assertion of those who affirme that the Decalogue sets out the precepts of the law of Nature and yet withall doth superad certaine precepts proper to the Jewish people in which last respect they say all men are not bound to the observance thereof and they produce the fourth Commandment for proof but in respect of the first they are But although in the application of a law something may bee proper to the Jewish people yet with leave of the learned there is never a law in it but it is morall and common to all for to make any law in the Decalogue proper is an assertion springing from a false and blinde principle viz. That that law onely is morall which is naturall not naturall as suitable to humane nature but which is seene and knowne by the common light of corrupt nature without the helpe of any externall usher or teacher If also any lawes in the Decalogue be proper how will any finde out and discerne morall lawes which concerne all from proper laws which appertaine onely to some For if God hath made such a mingling and not severed morall lawes by themselves then man hath no law or revelation by any dictinct and severed lawes left unto him to discerne lawes proper and peculiar from laws morall and common which how pernicious it may bee to mens soules to bee left to such uncertainty as also how injurious to God and crosse to his maine ends in discovering morall lawes let the wise consider for if they say that wee must flye for help herein to the light of corrupt nature then as hath been shewn an imperfect light and a blinde guide and a corrupt judge must be the chief rule of discerning that which is morall from that which is peculiar and proper for doubtlesse such a kinde of light is the light of corrupt nature Thesis 32. Some thinke that those commandments onely are morally good which the Gospel hath declared and confirmed to be so and by this shift they thinke to avoid the absurdity of flying to the blinde guide of corrupt nature to judge of these colours viz. what is morall and what is not Mr. Primrose therefore excludes the fourth Commandment from being morall the other nine being ratified by the light of the Gospell which this he saith is not but if his meaning be that there must be a generall ratification of lawes morall by the verdict of the Gospell then the fourth Commandment cannot be excluded from being morall because it hath a ratification in generall from the Gospell for therein wee read that the morall law is holy just and good Rom. 7. and that Christ came not to destroy the least jot or tittle of the law Matth. 5. much lesse a whole law of the fourth Commandment In the Gospel also God promiseth to write his Law upon our hearts wherein the fourth Commandment is not excepted But if his meaning beâ— this that the Gospell must particularly mention and so make a particular ratification as it were by name of every morall law then his assertion is unsound there being many judiciall lawes of Moses of which some are wholly morall others containing in them something of common and morall equity which we have no expresse mention of in the blessed Gospell and let him turne over al the leaves of the Gospell hee shall not finde that proportion of time which himselfe affirmes to be morall in the fourth Commandment to bee expressely and particularly mentioned in the Gospell and therefore that also must be excluded from being morall upon his owne principles as well as what we contend for in this Commandment so to bee Thesis 33. Some of those who maintaine the law of the Sabbath to be ceremoniall affirme that every Law in the Decalogue is not morall upon this ground to wit because the Law is called Gods Covenant which Covenant they shew from sundry instances not only to comprehend moralls but also ceremonialls for they make it the excellency of the Decalogue to comprehend as a short epitome all Gods Ordinances both morall and ceremoniall which epitome is more largely opened in the writings of Moses where not onely morall but also ceremoniall lawes are expressed and dispersed And hence they thinke that as the other nine are the summary and epitome of all morall Ordinances so the fourth Commandment which was kept with the practise of Ceremonies was the summary and epitome of all the ceremoniall ordinances and hence the fourth Commandment becomes ceremoniall But for answer to this wily notion unjustly father'd upon Austin and Calvin by some it may thus farre be granted that as the word Law is sometimes taken more strictly for
the Decalogue onely Rom. 3.20 Iames 3.8 and sometimes more largely for the whole doctrine contained in all the writings of the Old Testament wherein the Gospel also is comprehended Psal. 19.7 Psalme 119.1.51 55. so the word Covenant is sometime taken more strictly for the covenant of works which is contained compendiously in the Decalogue onely writ by the finger of God in two Tables Deut. 4.13 14 Exod. 34.38 and sometime more largely for all the holy writings of Moses Exodus 24.7 8. and 34.10 Levit. 26.14 Ier. 34.13 Now although all the writings of Moses may be called the Covenant as it is largely taken and so the covenant comprehends not onely morall but ceremoniall lawes yet they are never called That Covenant which was writ by the finger of God in two Tables of stone and given to Moses and in this strict sense the word Covenant comprehends no other lawes but morall nor can the places and texts which they alleadge evince the contrary for in that place of Exodus 24.7 it is not said that the Tables of the Covenant but the Booke of the Covenant was read in the audience of all the people which Booke we readily acknowledge to comprehend ceremonials as well as morals but not the Tables of the Covenant of which the question now is so also when the Lord saith Exod. 34.10 that he will make a Covenant his meaning is that he will revive his Covenant by writing as it is there set downe in the same chapter in which writing it is very true that there is mentioned made of many ceremoniall lawes but suppose this covenant written by Moses comprehends sundry ceremoniall lawes will it therefore follow that the Tables of the Covenant written with the finger of God did the like No such matter and therefore there is an expresse difference put in the same chapter verse 27 28. between the covenant written by Moses and the ten Commandments written by the finger of God But secondly Let it be granted that the Decalogue comprehends summarily all the lawes which are particularly dispersed here and there in the writings of Moses yet it doth not follow that there must bee one ceremoniall law written by the finger of God and lifted up in the Decalogue to be the epitome and summarie of all ceremoniall lawes elsewhere explained in the writings of Moses For all lawes whether ceremoniall or judiciall may be referred to the Decalogue as appendices to it or applications of it and so to comprehend all other lawes as their summary But such a summary will no way enforce a necessity of making any one of them the epitome of ceremonialls and the other nine of them of the morals for we know that many judiciall lawes are comprehended under morall lawes being referred as appendices thereunto by Calvin Martyr Chemnitius Ames and sundry others and yet it will not follow from hence that one of the lawes in the Decalogue must be a judiciall law as the summary of all judicials which are branches of the Covenant as well as Master Primrose his ceremonials Thesis 34. It should not seem strange that that law which in the generall nature of it is moral may in the particular application of it be unto a thing ceremoniall and in this respect it cannot be denyed but that the morall law may comprehend all ceremoniall lawes but it will not hence follow as Mr. Primrose inferres that one law in the Decalogue must be ceremoniall as the head and summary of all ceremoniall lawes because we say ceremoniall lawes may bee comprehended under some morall law as speciall applications thereof ex gr It is a morall law to worship God according to his owne will and not after mans inventions as the second Commandment holds it forth Now in the application of this law the Lord points out his owne instituted worship in sundry significant ceremonies sacrifices sacraments c. which particular institutions though ceremoniall are to be referred unto and are comprehended under the second Commandment which is a morall law for if God will be worshipped with his owne worship according to this Commandment then its necessary for the Lord to shew and that under his Commandment what those institutions be wherein he will bee worshipped many of which are ceremoniall which are therefore directly comprehended here Thesis 35. There is therefore no necessity of making one law in the Decalogue to bee ceremoniall that it may be the summary head of all ceremonials viz. because ceremonialls are branches of the covenant which is the Decalogue for upon the like ground there must bee one judiciall law also as the summary of all judicials nay one Evangelicall law also as the head of all Evangelicals sprinkled here and there in Moses his writings of which we read Iohn 5.43 Rev. 10.6 7 8. with Deut. 30.12 13. Gal. 3.8 with Gen. 12.3 for judicials and Evangelicals are branches of the Covenant as well as ceremonials if Mr. Primrose his principle be true but if by his owne confession nine of them are morals and one of them only the head of ceremonialls how shall judiciall and Evangelicall summaries come in which either he must make room for in the Decalogue or acknowledge his foundation to be rotten upon which he hath built up one ceremoniall law among the nine moralls Thesis 36. It is true that among men the same body of Lawes may be framed up of divers articles as Mr. Primrose pleads but that the Decalogue was such a body as had ceremonials mixt with morals it can never be made good by any colour of proof except it be that which we have shewn will as strongly enforce an introduction of some one judiciall and another Evangelicall law into the Decalogue as well as one ceremoniall but such a confusion of Law and Gospell Evangelicals and judicials ceremonialls and morals the blessed God abhorres for it neither suits with Gods wisedome and end in giving the law nor yet with mans weaknesse which God pitties to make such a jumbling and confusion of things together for who can then tell what law is morall and what Evangelicall and what ceremoniall unlesse it be as was shewn by flying for light to the dictates and instinct of nature to shew unto poore deceitfull man what lawes are morall and what not wherein the remedy would have been as bad as the disease Thesis 37. If there must be one law in the Decalogue ceremoniall that so the more Authority may bee procured hereby as Mr. Primrose pleads unto all Gods Ordinances and therefore one of the ceremonials was written in the Decalogue with Gods owne finger and honoured with the like prerogatives as the morall lawes were which were immediately spoken by God himselfe Then if this reasoning be solid why was not one judiciall and another Evangelicall precept alike honoured also For was there not as much need to procure Authority to this as well as to ceremonials and yet wee see their Authority was sufficiently procured without
being shusted into the Decalogue and so might ceremonialls also Thesis 38. There were three sorts of laws which are commonly knowne and which were most eminently appearing among the Jewes 1. Morall 2. Ceremoniall 3. Judiciall Thesis 39. The morall respected their manners as they were men and are therefore called morall The ceremoniall respected them as a Church and as such a kinde of Church The judicial as a Common wealth and as that particular Common-wealth Morall laws were to govern them as an human society Ceremoniall as a sacred society Judiciall as a civill society Thus the Learned speak and being candidly understood are true Thesis 40. The morall law contained in the Decalogue is nothing else but the law of nature revived or a second edition and impression of that primitive and perfect law of nature which in the state of innocency was engraven upon mans heart but now againe written upon Tables of stone by the finger of God For man being made in the Image of God he had therefore the law of holines and righteousnes in which Gods Image consisted written in his heart but having by his fall broken this Table and lost this Image neither knowing or doing the will of God through the law of sinne now engraven on it Hence the Lord hath in much pitty made knowne his law again and given us a faire copy of it in the two Tables of stone which are the copy of that which was writ upon mans heart at first because the first Table containes Love to God in holinesse the second Love to man in righteousnesse which holinesse and righteousnesse are the two parts of Gods Image which was once engraven upon mans soule in his primitive and perfect estate Ephes. 4.24 Nor indeed doe I see how that popish Argument will be otherwise answered pleading for a possibility in man to keep the law perfectly in his lapsed and fallen estate in this life for say they God makes no lawes of impossible things it being unjust for God to require and exact that of a man which hee is not able to doe to which it is commonly and truely answered That man had once power to keep the law in his innocent estate and hence though man be not able to keep it now yet God may require it because hee once gave him power to keep it and that therefore it is no more unjust to exact such obedience which hee cannot performe than for a creditor to require his money of his broken debtor or spend-thrift who is now failed as they say and not able to repay Man therefore having once power to keep the law and now having no power this argues strongly that the law of the Decalogue contains nothing but what was once written as a law of life upon his heart in his innocent estate for I see not how Gods justice can be cleared if he exacts such obedience in the Decalogue which is impossible for man to give unlesse the very same law and power of obedience was written upon his heart at first and therefore it is a wilde notion of theirs who thinke that the Covenant of works which God made with Adam is not the same for matter with the Covenant of works exprest in the morall law for wee see that there is the same Image of holinesse and righteousnesse required in the Tables of stone as the condition of this Covenant which was once written upon mans heart and required in the same manner of him Now this law thus revived and reprinted is the Decalogue because most naturall and suitable to humane nature when it was made most perfect therefore it is universall and perpetuall the substance also of this law being love to God and man holinesse toward God and righteousnesse toward man Matt. 22.37 39. Luke 1. Hence also this law must needs bee morall universall and perpetuall unlesse any should bee so wicked as to imagine it to be no duty of universall or perpetuall equity either to love God or to love man to performe duties of holinesse toward the one or duties of righteousnesse toward the other Hence again the things commanded in this law are therefore commanded because they are good and are therefore morall unlesse any shall think that it is not good in it selfe to love God or man to be holy or righteous and which is still observable there is such a love required herein and such a lovelinesse put upon these lawes as that by vertue of these all our obedience in other things which are not moral becomes lovely for there were many ceremoniall observances in which and by which the people of God exprest their love to God as Mr. Primrose truely concludes from Deut. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6. and Matth. 22.37 38 40. but yet this love did arise by vertue of a morall rule for therefore it was love to worship God in ceremoniall duties because it was lovely to worship God with his own worship of which these were parts which is the moral rule of the second Commandment And hence Master Primrose may see his grosse mistake in making one law of the Decalogue ceremoniall because the summary of the Decalogue being love to God and love to man and our love to God being shewne in ceremoniall as well as in morall duties because our love is seen shewn in our obedience to all the Commandments of God ceremonial as well as moral For though there be love in ceremonial dutys it is not so much in respect of themselves as in respect of some morall rule by vertue of which such duties are attended Thesis 41. The ceremoniall law consisting chiefly of types and shadowes of things to come Heb. 8.5 and therefore being to cease when the body was come Col. 2.17 was not therefore perpetuall as the law morall but temporary and of binding power onely to the nation of the Jewes and their proselytes and not putting any tie upon all Nations as the morall law did Every ceremoniall law was temporary but every temporary law was not ceremoniall as some say as is demonstrable from sundry judicials which in their determinations were proper to that Nation while that Jewish polity continued and are not therefore now to be observed Thesis 42. The Iudiciall lawes some of them being hedges and fences to safeguard both morall and ceremoniall precepts their binding power was therefore mixt and various for those which did safeguard any morall law which is perpetuall whether by just punishments or otherwise doe still morally binde all Nations For as Piscator argues a morall law is as good and as precious now in these times as then and there is as much need of the preservation of these fences to preserve these lawes in these times and at all times as well as then there being as much danger of the treading downe of those lawes by the wilde beasts of the world and brutish men sometimes even in Churches now as then and hence God would have all Nations preserve these fences for
the Law but the hardnesse of their stony hearts which the Law writ upon them was not able to overcome and t is true that the stony Tables did signifie stony hearts but its false that the writing on stone did not signifie continuance also according to Scripture phrase For all the children of God have stony hearts by nature now God hath promised to write his Law upon such hearts as are by nature stony and his writing of them there implies the continuance of them there so that both these may stand together and the similitude is fully thus viz. The whole Law of God was writ on Tables of stone to continue there so the whole Law of God is writ on stony hearts by nature to continue thereon Thesis 144. Only morall Laws and all morall Laws are thus summarily and generally honoured by God the ten Commandements being Christian pandects and common heads of all morall duties toward God and men Under which generals all the particular morall duties in the Commentaries of the Prophets and Apostles are virtually comprehended and contained and therefore Mr. Primrose's argument is weake who thinks that this honour put upon the Decalogue doth not argue it to be morall Because then many other particular morall Laws set down in Scripture not in Tables of stone but in parchments of the Prophets and Apostles should not be morall For we doe not say that all morall Laws particularly were thus specially honoured but that all and only morall Laws summarily were thus honoured in which summaries all the particulars are contained and in that respect equally honoured It may affect ones heart with great mourning to see the many inventions of mens hearts to blot out this remembrance of the Sabbath day they first cast it out of Paradise and shut it out of the world untill Moses time when in Moses time it s published as a Law and crowned with the same honour as all other morall Laws yet then they make it to be but a ceremoniall Law continuing onely until the comming of Christ after which time it ceaseth to be any Law at all unlesse the Churches constitution shall please to make it so which is worst of all Thesis 145. Every thing indeed which was published by Gods immediate voyce in promulgating of the Law is not morall and common to all but some things so spoken may be peculiar and proper to the Jews because some things thus spoken were promises or motives only annexed to the Law to perswade to the obedience thereof but they were not Laws for the question is whether all Laws spoken and writ thus immediately were not morall but the argument which some produce against this is From the promise annexed to the fifth Command concerning long life and from the motive of redemption out of the house of bondage in the preface to the Commandments both which they say were spoken immediatly but yet were both of them proper unto the Iews But suppose the promise annexed to the fifth Commandement be proper to the Jews and ceremoniall as Master Primrose pleads which yet many strong reasons from Eph. 6.2 may induce one to deny what is this to the question which is not concerning Promises but Commandements and Laws Suppose also that the motive in the Preface of the Commandments literally understood is proper to the Jews yet this is also evident that such reasons and motives as are proper to some and perhaps ceremoniall may be annexed to morall laws which are common to all nor wil it follow that laws are therefore not common because the motives thereto are proper We that dwel in America may be perswaded to love and feare God which are morall duties in regard of our redemption and deliverances from out of the vast sea storms we once had and the tumults in Europe which now are which motives are proper to our selves Promises and motives annexed to the Commandements come in as means to a higher end viz. obedience to the Laws themselves and hence the Laws themselves may be morall and these not so though immediatly spoken because they be not chiefly nor lastly intended herein I know Wallaeus makes the preface to the Commandments a part of the first Commandment and therefore he would hence infer that some part at least of a Commandment is proper to the Jews but if these words contain a motive pressing to the obedience of the whole how is it possible that they should be a part of the law or of any one law For what force of a law can there be in that which only declares unto us who it is that redeemed them out of Egypts bondage For it cannot be true which the same Author affirms that in these words is set forth only who that God is whom we are to have to be our God in the first Commandement but they are of larger extent shewing us who that God is whom we are to worship according to the first Commandement and that with his own worship according to the second and that reverently according to the third and whose day we are to sanctifie according to the fourth and whose wil we are to doe in all duties of love toward man according to the severall duties of the second Table and therefore this declaration of God is no more a part of the first then of any other Commandment and every other Commandement may challenge it as a part of themselves as well as the first Thesis 146. It is a truth as immovable as the pillars of Heaven That God hath given to all men universally a rule of life to conduct them to their end Now if the whole Decalogue be not it what shall The Gospel is the rule of our faith but not of our spirituall life which flows from faith Gal. 2.20 Ioh. 5.24 The law therefore is the rule of our life now if nine of these be a compleat rule without a tenth exclude that one and then who sees not an open gap made for all the rest to goe out at also For where wil any man stop if once this principle be laid viz. That the whole law is not the rule of life May not Papists blot out the second also as some of Cassanders followers have done all but two and as the Antinomians at this day do all and have they not a good ground laid for it who may hence safely say that the Decalogue is not a rule of life for all Mr. Primrose that he might keep himselfe from a broken head here sends us for salve to the light of nature and the testimony of tbe Gospel both which saith he maintain and confirm the morality of all the other Commandements except this one of the Sabbath But as it shall appeare that the Law of the Sabbath hath confirmation from both if this direction was sufficient and good so it may be in the mean time considered why the Gentiles who were universall Idolaters and therefore blotted out the light of nature as Mr. Primrose confesseth
against the second Commandment might not as wel blot out much of that light of nature about the Sabbath also and then how shall the light of nature be any sufficient discovery unto us of that which is morall and of that which is not Thesis 147. There is a Law made mention of Iam. 2.10 whose parts are so inseparably linked together that whosoever breaks any one is guilty of the breach of all and consequently whosoever is called to the obedience of one is called to the obedience of all and consequently all the particular Jaws which it contains are homogeneall parts of the same Totum or whole law If it be demanded What is this Law the answer is writ with the beams of the Sun that 't is the whole morall Law contained in the Decalogue For 1. The Apostle speaks of such a Law which not only the Jews but all the Gentiles are bound to observe and for the breach of any one of which not only the Jews but the Gentiles also were guilty of the breach of all and therefore it cannot be meant of the ceremoniall Law which did neither binde Gentiles or Jews at that time wherein the Apostle writ 2 He speaks of such a Law as is called a royall Law and a Law of liberty vers 8.12 which cannot be meant of the ceremoniall Law in whole or in part which is called a Law of bondage not worthy the royall and kingly spirit of a Christian to stoop to Gal. 4.9 3. 'T is that law by the works of which all men are bound to manifest their faith and by which faâ—â—h is made perfect vers 22. which cannot be the Ceremoniall nor Evangelicall for that is the Law of faith and therefore it 's meant of the Law morall 4. 'T is that Law of which Thou shalt not kill nor commmit adultery are parts vers 11. Now these Laws are part of the Decalogue only and whereof it may be said he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Remember to keep the Sabbath holy and therefore the whole Decalogue and not some parts of it only is the morall Law from whence it is manifest that the Apostle doth not speak as M. Primrose would interpret him of offending against the Word at large and of which the Ceremoniall Laws were a part but of offending against that part of the word to wit the morall Law of which he that offends against any one is guilty of the breach of all hence also his other answer fals to the dust viz. that the fourth command is no part of the Law and therefore the not observing of it is no sinne under the New Testament because it was given only to the Jews and not to us for if it be a part of the Decalogue of which the Apostle only speaks then 't is a meer begging of the question to affirm that it is no part of the Law of Christians but we see the Apostle here speaks of the Law and the Royall Law and the Royall Law of Liberty his meaning therefore must be of some speciall Law which he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law now if he thus speaks of some speciall Law what can it be but the whole Decalogue and not a part of it only as when he speaks of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means not some part but the whole Gospel also and if every part of the Decalogue is not morall how should any man know from any Law or rule of God what was morall and what not and consequently what is sinful and what not if it be said the light of nature we have proved that this is a blind and corrupt-Judge as it exists in corrupt man if it be said by the light of the Gospel this was then to set up a light unto Christians to discern it by but none to the Jews while they wanted the Gospel as dispensed to us now many morall Laws also are not mentioned in the Gospel it being but accidentall to it to set forth the Commandements of the Law Thesis 148. If Christ came to fulfill and not to destroy the Law Mat. 5.17 then the Commandement of the Sabbath is not abolished by Christs comming if not one jot prick or tittle of the Law shall perish much lesse shall a whole Law perish or be destroyed by the comming of Christ. Thesis 149. 'T is true indeed that by Law and Prophets is sometimes meant their whole doctrine both ceremoniall and morall and propheticall which Christ fulfilled personally but not so in this place of Matthew but by Law is meant the morall Law and by Prophets those propheticall illustrations and interpretations thereof in which the Prophets do abound for 1. The Lord Christ speaks of that law only which whosoever should teach men to break and cast off he should be least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.19 but the Apostles did teach men to cast off the Ceremoniall Law and yet were never a whit lesse in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. He speaks of that Law by conformity to which all his true Disciples should exceed the righteousnesse of Scribes and Pharisees but that was not by being externally ceremonious or morall but by internall conformity to the spiritualnesse of Gods Law which the Pharisees then regarded not 3. Christ speaks of the least Commandements and of these least Commandments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now what should those least Commandements be but those which he afterward interprets of rash anger adulterous eyes unchaste thoughts love to enemies c. which are called least in opposition to the Pharisaicall Doctors conceits in those times who urged the grosse duties commanded and condemned men onely for grosse sins forbidden as if therein consisted our compleat conformity to the Law of God and therefore by the least of those Commandments is meant no other then those which he afterward sets down in his spirituall interpretation of the Law vers 21. never a one of which Commandments are Ceremoniall but morall Laws and although Mr. Primrose thinks that there is no connexion between the seventeen and the other expositors verses of the Law which follow yet whosoever ponders the Analysis impartially shall finde it otherwise even from the 17 Verse to the end the conclusion of which is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect who is never made a pattern of perfection to us in ceremoniall but only in morall matters 't is true indeed which some object that there is mention made of Altar and Sacrifice vers 23 which were ceremonials but there is no Law about them but only a morall Law of love is thereby prest with allusion to the ceremoniall practice in those times he speaks also about divorce but this is but accidentally brought to shew the morality of the Law of adultery the Law of retaliation wants not good witnesses to testifie to the morality of it but I rather thinke 't is brought in to set forth a morall Law against private revenge
which notwithstanding may be morall although it be not so immediatly known Thesis 198. If we speak of the law of corrupt nature largely taken for that law which when 't is made known by divine determination and declaration is both sutable and congruous to naturall reason and equity we may then say that the Law of the Sabbath is according to the light of nature even of corrupt nature it self for do but suppose that God is to be worshipped and then these three things appear to be most equall 1. That he is not only to have a time but a speciall time and a fit proportion of time for worship 2. That it 's most meet that he should make this proportion 3. The Lord having given man six daies and taken a Seventh to himself mans reason cannot but confesse that it is most just to dedicate that time to God and for my own part I think that in this respect the law of the Sabbath was as fairly writ on mans heaâ—â— in innocency as many other morall laws which none question the morality of at this day but disputes about this are herein perhaps uselesse Thesis 199. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred meet circumstances concurring every Lords day nay upon the week daies often as they did in the primitive persecutions and hence our Saviour limits no time for it in the first institution thereof as he did for the Passeover of old but only this As oft as you doe it doe it in remembrance of me Hence it will follow that now under the Gospel there is no set Sabbath as M. Primrose would because our Saviour at the first institution of the Lords Supper limits no particular day for the celebration thereof as once he did for the Passeover for though there is an appointed speciall time as shall hereafter appeare for the publique exercise of all holy duties not being limited to those times but enlarged to other times also hence there is no reason why our Saviour should institute a set Sabbath when he instituted the Lords Supper as the proper time of the celebration thereof as it was in case of the Passeover Thesis 200. It is no argument to prove the Sabbath to be ceremoniall because it is reckoned among ceremonials viz. shew-bread and sacrifices as M. Primrose and Wallaeus urge it out of Mat. 12.1 2 3. for 1. upon the same ground fornication and eating of idolothytes are ceremoniall because they are ranked among ceremonials viz. bloud and things strangled Act. 15.29.2 upon this ground the Sabbath hath no morality at all in it no more then shew-bread and sacrifices which were wholly ceremoniall 3. The Sabbath is in the same place reckoned among things which are morall as pulling a sheep out of a pit upon the Sabbath day an act of humanity why may it not then be as well accounted morall 4. One may as well argue that the not keeping company with Publicanes and sinners was a ceremoniall thing because the Lord Jesus useth the same Proverbiall speech I will have mercy not sacrifice Mat. 9.13 upon which he defends the lawfullnesse of pulling the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day in this Mat. 12.15 the scope therefore of this place is not to shew the nature of the Sabbath day whether it be ceremoniall or morall but the lawfullnesse and morality of his act in eating the ears of corn upon this day and thus the arguments of our Saviour are very strong and convicting to prove the morality of such an act but no way to prove the ceremoniality of the Sabbath for that is the scope of our Saviour that mercy to the hungry is to be preferred before the Sacrifice of bodily resting upon the Sabbath M. Primrose indeed replies hereto and tels us that mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice or ceremoniall duties but not before morall duties and therefore Christ preferring it before the rest on the Sabbath the Sabbath could not be morall but we know that mercy in the second table is sometimes to be preferred before morall duties in the first table a man is bound to neglect solemn praier sometime to attend upon the sick it 's a morall duty to sanctifie some day for a Sabbath saith M. Primrose and yet suppose a fire be kindled in a town upon that day or any sick to be helped must not mercy be prefer'd before hearing the word which himself will acknowledge to be then a morall duty Thesis 201. When Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 the meaning is not as if he was such a Lord as had power to break it but rather such a Lord as had power to appoint it and consequently to order the work of it for his own service M. Primrose thinks That he is said to be Lord of it because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it by whom when he would and that Christ did chuse to do such works upon the Sabbath day which were neither works of mercy or necessity nay which were servile which the Law forbade for Christ saith he as mediatour had no power to dispense with things morall but he might with matters ceremoniall and therefore with the Sabbath How far Christ Jesus might and may dispence with morall laws I dispute not now I think Biell comes nearest the truth in this controversie only this is considerable suppose the Sabbath was ceremoniall yet it 's doubtfull whether Christ Jesus who came in the daies of his flesh to fulfill all righteousnesse could abolish or break the law ceremoniall untill his death was past by which this hand-writing of Ordinances was blotted out Colos. 2.14 and this middle wall of partition was broken down Ephes. 2.14 15 16. But let it be yeelded that Christ had power to break ceremoniall laws then before his death yet in this place there is no such matter for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the Sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud Pharisees who as they thought it unlawfull for Christ to heal the sick upon the Sabbath so to rub out and eat a few corn ears upon it although hunger and want and perhaps more then ordinary in the Disciples here should force men hereunto which was no servile work as Mr Primrose would but a work of necessity and mercy in this case and our Saviour proves the morality of it from the example of David eating the Shew-bread and those that were with him preferring that act of mercy before sacrifice and abstinence from Shew-bread and hence our Saviour argues That if they attending upon David might eat the Shew-bread much more his hungry Disciples might eat the corn while they attended upon him that day who was Lord of the Sabbath and that they might be the better strengthened hereby to do him service These things being thus where now is there to be found any reall breach of the Sabbath or doing of any
THESES SABBATICAE OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE Sabbath WHEREIN The Sabbaths I. Morality II. Change III. Beginning IV. Sanctification are clearly discussed Which were first handled more largely in sundry SERMONS in Cambridg in New-England in opening of the fourth COMMANDMENT In unfolding whereof many Scriptures are cleared divers Cases of Conscience resolved and the Morall Law as a rule of life to a Believer occasionally and distinctly handled By THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England What evill thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath Nehem. 13 17 18. If ye hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes Jer. 17.24.25 London Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Iohn Rothwell Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard 1650. THE Preface OF THE AUTHOR To the READER THat a seventh part of time hath been religiously and universally observed both under the Law and under the Gospel is without all controversie the great doubt and difficulty which now remaines concerning this Time is the Morality of it whether it was thus universally observed in the Christian Churches by unwritten Tradition or by Divine Commission Whether from the Churches Custome or Christs Command Whether as a Moral Duty or as a Humane Law for although some would make â—he observation of such a portion of time the soure fruit of the Ebionites superstitious Doctrines yet all the Ancient and best Writers in the purest times do give such honour to it that whoever doubts of it must either be utterly ignorant or wilfully blinded in the knowledge of the Histories and Doctrines of those times and must desire a Candle to shew him the Sunne at noone day Clemens onely seemes to cast some staine upon it by making all dayes equall and every day a Sabbath but upon narrow search his meaning may appeare not to deny the observation of the day but onely to blame the froth and vanity of sundry Christians who if they externally observed the day they cared not how they lived every day after nor is it to be wondred at if Origen turne this day sometime into an Allegory and a continuall spirituall Rest-day who miserably transformes many times the plainest Scriptures into such shapes and turnes their substance into such shadowes and beating out the best of the Kernels feeds his guests with such chaffe and husks and although many other Festivals were observed by those times which may make the Sabbath suspected to be borne out of the same womb of humane custome with the rest yet we shall finde the seventh dayes Rest to have another Crowne of glory set upon the had of it by the holy meÌ„n of God in those times then upon those which superstition so soone hatcht and brought forth so that they that reade the Histories of those times in observing two Sabbaths in some places Easter Whitsunday yea divers Ethnick and Heathenish dayes will need no other comment on those texts of Paul wherein he condemnes the observation of Dayes which beginning to flie abroad in the day light of the Apostles might well out-face the succeeding ages and multiply with more authority in darker times yet so as that the seventh dayes rest call it what you will still kept its place and ancient glory as in the sequell shall appear When therefore the good will of him who dwelt in the burning bush of the afflicted Primitive Churches gave Princes and Emperours to be their nursing fathers pious Constantine among other Christian Edicts injoynes the observation of the Lords Day wherein if he was bound by his place to be a nourishing father he went not beyond his Commission in swadling and cherishing this truth and appointment of Christ and not suffering it to dye and perish through the wickednesse of men the power of Princes extending to see Christs Lawes observed though not to impose any humane inventions and Church constitutions of their own It s true indeed that this Princely Edict was mixed with some imperfection and corruption it following too short in some things and extending too far in others but there is no just cause for any to stumble much at this that knowes the sick head and heart by the weak and feeble pulse and crasie temper of those clouted though otherwise triumphing times The Successours of this man-child borne out of the long and weary throwes of the poore travelling Church were inlarged generally in their care and conscience to preserve the religious honour due to this day untill the time of Charles the Great who in the latter end of his reign observing how greatly the Sabbath was profaned especially by the continuance and leaudnesse of Church-men did therefore call five Nationall Councels which I need not here mention in all which the Sabbath is advanced to as strict observation to the full as hath been of late yeers condemned by some in the Sabbatarian Reformers that it is a wonder how any man should cast off all shame and so far forget himselfe as to make the Sabbath a device of Fulco or Peter Bruis Eustachius or the Book at Golgotha and put the Visor of Novelty upon the aged face of it as if it were scarce known to any of the Martyrs in Queen Maries time but receiving strength and growth from Master Perkins was first hatcht and received life from under the wings of a few late Disciplinarian Zelots And it cannot be denied but that the Sabbath like many other precious appointments and truths of God did shake off her dust and put on her comely and beautifull garments and hath been much honoured and magnified since the times of the Reformation the doctrine and darknesse of Popery like that of the Pharisees not only obscuring the Doctrine of Faith but also of the Law and obedience of Faith and so hath obscured this of the Sabbath only herein they did excell their forefathers the Scribes and Pharisees for these added their own superstitious resting from things needfull and lawfull to their meerly externall observation of the day but they unto their eternall observation of the name of the Day added their abominable prophanations to it in May-games and May-poles in sports and pastimes in dancing and revellings and so laid it level and made it equall in a manner to the rest of their Holy dayes that as they came to shuffle out the second Commandment almost out of the Decalogue so in time they came to be blinded with that horrour of darknesse as to translate the words of the Commandment into some of their Catechismes Remember to keep the Holy Festivals and therefore those Worthies of the Reformation who have contended for all that honour which is due to this day are unjustly aspersed for pleading for a jewish and superstitious strictnesse when
unto them the comfort thereof And verily if it be such a sweet voice of love to call us in to this Rest of the day certainly if ever the Enlish Nation be deprived of these seasons which God in mercy forbid it will be a black appearance of God against them in the dayes of their distresse when he shall seeme to shut them out of his Rest in his bosome by depriving them of the Rest of this day What will ye do in the solemne day in the day of the feast of the Lord For lo they are gone because of destruction Egypt shall gather them Memphis shall bury them their â—ilver shall be desired nettles shall possesse them thorns shall be in their Tabernacles the dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompence are come Israel shall know it the Prophet is a foole the spiritual man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred Hos. 9.5 6 7. But let men yet make much of Gods Sabbaths and begin here and if it be too tedius to draw neere to God every day let them but make conscience of trying and tasting how good the Lord is but this one day in a week and the Lord will yet reserve mercy for his people Jer. 17 24 25.26 for keep this keep all lose this lose all which lest I should seeme to pleade for out of a frothy and groundlesse affection to the Day and lest any in these times should be worse then the Crane and the Swallow who know their times of returne I have therefore endeavoured to cleare up those foure great difficulties about this Day in the Theses here following 1. Concerning the Morality 2. The Change 3. The Beginning 4. The Sanctification of the Sabbath Being fully perswaded that whosoever shall break one of the least Commandements and teach men so shall be called least in the Kingdom of God I do therefore desire the Reader to take along with him these two things 1. Suspending his judgment concerning the truth and validity of any part or of any particular Thesis untill he hath read over the whole for they have a dependance one upon another for mutuall clearing of one another and lest I should bis coctum apponere and say the same thing twice I have therefore purposely left out that in one part and one Thesis which is to be cleared in another either for proofe of it or resolution of objections against it and although this dependance may not so easily appeare because I have not so expressely set downe the method yet the wise-hearted I hope will easily finde it out or else pick out and accept what they see to be of God in such a confused heap for it was enough to my ends if I might lay in any broken pieces of timber to forward this building which those that are able to wade deeper into this controversie may please to make use of if there be any thing in them or in any of them in their owne better and more orderly frame for it hath been and still is my earnest desire to heaven that God would raise up some or other of his precious servants to cleare up these controversies more fully then yet they have beene that the zeale for Gods Sabbaths may not be fire without light which perhaps hath hitherto been too little through the wickednesse of former times encouraging the books one way and suppressing those of most weight and worth for the other 2. To consider that I do most willingly give way to the publishing of these things which I could in many respects have much more readily committed to the fire then to the light when I consider the great abilities of others the need such as I am have to sit down and learn the hazards and knocks men get only by coming but into the field in Polemical matters and the unusefulnesse of any thing herein for those in remote places where knowledge abounds and where to cast any thing of this nature is to cast water into the Sea I confesse I am ashamed therefore to be seene in this garment and therefore that I have thus farre yeelded hath beene rather to please others then my selfe who have many wayes compelled me hereunto the things for substance contained herein were first preached in my ordinary course upon the Sabbath dayes in opening the Commandments the desires of some Students in the Colledge and the need I saw of resolving some doubts arising about these things in the hearts of some ordinary hearers among the people occasioned a more large discussing of the controversie to which I was the more inclined because one among us who wanted not abilities was taken away from us who had promised the clearing up of all these matters when therefore these things were more plainly and fully opened and applyed to the consciences of some more popular capacities as well as others I was then put upon it to reduce the Doctrinall part of these Sermons upon the fourth Commandment into certaine Theses for the use of some Students desirous thereof when being scattered and coming to the view of some of the Elders in the Country I was by some of them desired to take off some obscurity arising from the brevity and littlenesse of them by greater enlargements and a few more explications of them which promising to do and then coming to the bearing of many I was then desired by all the Elders in the Country then met together to commit them to publike view which hitherto my heart hath opposed and therefore should still have smothered them but that some have so farre compelled me as that I feared I should resist and fight against God in not listning to them in which many things are left out which perhaps might be more usefull to a plaine people which then in the application of matters of Doctrine were publikely delivered and some few things are added especiall in that particular wherein the directive power of the Moral Law is cleared against the loose wits of these times We are strangers here for the most part to the books and writings which are now in Europe but it s much feared that the increase and growth of the many Tares and Errours in England hath been by reason of the sleepinesse of some of the honest husbandmen and that those who are best able to pluck them up have not seasonably stood in the gap and kept them out by a zealous convicting and publike bearing witnesse against them by word and writing and that therefore such as have with too much tendernesse and complyance tolerated Errours Errour will one day grow up to that head that it will not tolerate or suffer them to speak truth We have â— Proverb here That the Devil is not so soon risen but Christ is up before him and if any of his precious servants have slept and lien longer a beâ— then their Master hath done and have not spokeâ— or printed soone enough for Iesus Christ in other matters
and which wee ought not to imitate viz. his omnipotency But suppose it did flow from his omnipotency and that wee ought not to imitate his omnipotency and that wee who are weaknesse it selfe cannot imitate omnipotent actions yet its obvious to common sense that such acts which arise from such attributes as cannot be imitated of us in respect of the particular effects which are produced by them yet in the actings of such attributes there may be something morally good which is imitable of us As for example though wee are not to imitate God in his miraculous works as in the burning of Sodome and such like yet there may bee that justice and wisedome of God shining therein which wee ought to imitate for wee ought to see before we censure and condemne as God did in proceeding against Sodome So 't is in this extraordinary worke of making the Word wherein although we are not to goe about to make another world within that time as God did yet therein the labour and rest of God was seene which is imitable of man which labour and rest as they are morall duties so they are confirmed by a morall example and therefore most seemly and comely for man to imitate from such an example And whereas hee affirmes that this example was not morall because it was not it self imitable being grounded onely upon Gods free will The reason is weake for to labour in ones Calling is without controversie a morall duty as idlenesse is a morall sin yet if one would aske why man is to labour here and not rather to lead a contemplative life in the vision and fruition of God immediately I suppose no reason can be given but the good pleasure of God who in his deepe wisdome saw it most meet for man to spend some proportionable time in labour for himselfe and some in rest for God whereunto he gave man such an eminent example from the beginning of the world Master Primrose cannot deny but that a convenient time for labour and rest in generall is morall But saith he if God had not declared his will by a Commandment particularly to labour six dayes and rest the seventh the Jewes would not have thought themselves bound to this observation from Gods example onely which shewes that there is no morality in it to bind the conscience for ever But it may be as well doubted whether acts of bounty and mercy to which hee thinks wee are bound meerely from Gods example in respect of the particular application of these acts to enemies of God and of our selves as well as to friends be of binding vertue meerly by Gods example unlesse we had a commandment thereunto for in morall precepts as the thing is commanded because it is good so 't is not morally good unlesse it be commanded but suppose that Gods example of labour six dayes and rest the seventh should not have been binding as other examples unlesse there had been a commandment for so doing yet this is no argument that this example is not morall at all but onely that it is not so equally morall and knowne to be so as some other duties bee for man may spend too much time in labour and give God too short or too little time for rest if therefore hee wants the light of a commandment or rule to direct and guide him to the fittest and most meet proportion of time for both is hee not apt hereby to break the rule of morality which consists as hath been shewne in that which is most suitable comely and convenient for man to give to God or man The commandment therefore in this case measuring out and declaring such a proportion and what time is most convenient and comely for man to take to himselfe for labour or to give to God for rest it doth not abolish the morality of the example but doth rather establish and make it It sets out the most comely and meet proportion of time for labour and rest and therefore such a time as is most good in it selfe because most comely and proportionable which being therefore commanded is a morall duty in man and the example hereof morally binding in God 3. Such lawes which mans reason may see either by innate light or by any other externall helpe and light to bee just and good and fit for man to observe such lawes are congruous and suitable to humane nature I say by any external helpe as well as by innate light for neither internall nor externall light doe make a thing just and suitable to man no more than the light of the Sun or the light of a Lanthorne doe make the Kings high-way to the City but they onely declare and manifest the way or that which was so in it selfe before Hence it comes to passe that although mans reason cannot see the equity of some lawes antecedenter by innate light before it bee illuminated by some externall light yet if by this externall light the minde sees the equity justice and holinesse of such a law this may sufficiently argue the morality of such a law which was just and good before any light discovered it and is now discovered onely not made to be so whether by internall or externall light And hence Aquinas well observes that morall lawes which hee makes to be such as are congruous to right reason sometimes are such as not onely command such things which reason doth readily see to bee comely and meet but also such lawes about which mans reason may readily and easily erre and go astray from that which is comely and meet And hence it is that although no reason or wit of man could ever have found out the most just and equall proportion of time or what proportion is most comely and suitable or that a seventh part of time should have been universally observed as holy to God yet if any externall light and teaching from above shall reveale this time and the equity and suitableness of it so that reason shall acknowledge it equall and good that if we have sixe dayes for our selves God should have one for himselfe this is a strong argument that such a command is morall because reason thus illuminated cannot but acknowledge it most meet and equall For though reason may not by any naturall or innate light readily see that such a division of time is most suitable and yet may readily erre and misconceive the most suitable and convenient proportion and division of time it 's then a sufficient proof of the morality of such a command if the congruity and equity of it be discerned consequenter only as we lay and by externall light 4. What ever law was once writ upon mans heart in pure nature is still suitable and congruous and convenient to humane nature and consequently good in it selfe and morall For whatever was so writ upon Adams heart was not writ there as upon a private person but as a common person having the common nature of man
ever as hee would have that law preserved for ever which these safeguard but on the other side these judicialls which did safeguard ceremoniall laws which wee know were not perpetuall but proper to that Nation hence those judicials which compasse these about are not perpetuall nor universall the ceremonialls being pluckt up by their roots to what purpose then should their fences and hedges stand As on the contrary the morals abiding why should not their judicials and fences remaine The learned generally doubt not to affirme that Moses judicials binde all nations so farre forth as they containe any morall equity in them which morall equity doth appeare not onely in respect of the end of the law when it is ordered for common and universall good but chiefely in respect of the law which they safeguard and fence which if it bee morall it 's most just and equall that either the same or like judiciall fence according to some fit proportion should preserve it still because 't is but just and equall that a morall and universall law should bee universally preserved from whence by the way the weaknesse of their reasonings may bee observed who that they may take away the power of the civill Magistrate in matters of the first Table which once he had in the Jewish common-wealth affirm that such civill power then did arise from the judiciall and not from any morall law when as it 's manifest that this his power in preserving Gods worship pure from Idolatrous and prophane mixtures according to the judiciall lawes was no more but a fence and safeguard set about morall Commandments which fences and preservatives are therfore for substance to continue in as much power and authority now as they did in those dayes as long as such lawes continue in their morality which these preserve the duties of the first Table being also as much morall as those of the second to the preserving of which later from hurt and spoil in respect of their morality no wise man questions the extent of his power Thesis 43. If therefore the question be now made whether the law of the fourth Commandment be morall or no we must then remember that the true state of the question is not in this to wit Whether the law of the Sabbath be a principle of the light of nature knowne and evident of it selfe or at least such as every man that hath the use of reason may readily finde out without some externall revelation as Mr. Ironside injuriously states it wrastling herein with his own shadow with many others of his fellowship in this controversie For morality as hath been declared is of larger extent then such naturality But the question is whether it is one of those lawes which is therefore commanded because it is holy just and good in it selfe whether man see it by any previous light of corrupt nature I or no and being thus commanded as such a law whether it be not therefore of perpetuall and universall obligation binding all Nations and persons in all ages in their hearts lives manners to the observance thereof as a part of that holinesse we owe to God and which God requires of all men according to rules of morall equity or on the contrary whether it be not rather a typicall ceremoniall figurative and temporary precept binding onely some persons or that one Nation of the Jews for some time from the obedience of which law Christians in respect of any law of God are now exempted Thesis 44. For clearing up whereof it may not be amisse to take notice of the agreement at least in words herein on all hands even by those who oppose that morality of the Sabbath which we plead for All sides agree in this viz. That the law of this fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath is morall But as the differences about the meaning of Tu es Petrus are many so here the difficulty lies to know how and in what sense and respect it may bee called morall for Master Ironside expressely consents in this viz. That all the Commandments of the Decalogue are morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so saith he is that of the Sabbath it is morall for substance but not for circumstance Master Primrose also when he is awake expressely confesseth thus much viz. That the Sabbath is morall in its foundation end marrow and principall substance and that a stinted time is morall and grounded on the principles of nature and therefore the Gentiles saith he had their set dayes of religion and this he tels us is ratified by the Gospel which commendeth to the faithfull the Assembling of themselves together for Word and Sacraments and consequently that they have appointed times to attend upon them wherein the word of God be read and preached as under the old Testament every Sabbath day nay he yields yet more viz. That not onely stinted times but that also there should be a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time for Gods service now under the Gospell as under the Law and therefore affirmes that the Jewish annuall Feasts and new Moons being but once a yeare or once a moneth and so being rare and seldome could not teach us the convenient and most suitable frequency of Gods publick service as the Sabbath did which returned weekly and therefore he saith that the Commandment runs not thus viz. Remember to keep the new Moons but Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day So that by Mr. Primrose concession not onely a time but a stinted time not onely a stinted but also such a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time as is once in seven dayes is morally holy by vertue of the fourth Commandment Gomarus also concludes that the publick worship of God required in the fourth Commandment cals for observation not onely of certain but also of sufficient dayes for worship and what these sufficient dayes bee is to bee gathered from the fourth Commandment viz. that they bee not more rare and lesse frequent then the weekly Sabbaths of the Israelites because if God as he shewes challenged a weekly Sabbath of a stiffe-necked people laden with the burden of many other Festivals and Ceremonies how then should Christians freed from their yoaks and burdens have them lesse frequent Master Breerwood also to the like purpose professeth That Christians should noâ— bee lesse devout and religious in celebrating the Lords day then the Jews were in celebrating their Sabbath and his reason labouring with some spice of a contradiction is this viz. because the obligation of our thankfulnesse to God is more then theirs although the obligation of his Commandment to us in that behalfe is lesse for I confesse it s beyond my shallownesse to conceive how the thankfulnesse should bee more and the Commandment lesse unlesse he will imagine some such popish work as exceeds the command Wallaeus comes almost quite over the threshold unto us and maintains upon solid arguments
that by the force and analogy of this fourth Commandment all the true worshippers of God are bound to the exact observation of one day in the circle and compasse of seven and then he produceth a cloud of witnesses both ancient Fathers and the chief of our late reformers testifying to th◠same morality of one day in seven which himself maintaines that whoever shall read him herein would wonder how it should ever enter into the hearts of learned men as White Rogers Dow the Historian and many others to imagine and go about to befoole the world as if the morality of a seventh day was the late and soure fruit growing out of the crabbed and rigid stock of some English Puritans and reformers wherein they are forsaken of all their fellowes whom in all other things they so much admire in other Reformed Churches It being therefore confessed on all hands that the Sabbath is morall though I confesse at other times our Adversaries unsay this at least in their Arguments the Controversie therefore onely lies in this viz. How and in what respect it should be so Thesis 45. The generall consent herein also is this to wit That the morality of the Sabbath chiefly is in respect of some generality or in respect of something which is more generall in this Commandment rather then in respect of that particular day which the Commandment doth also point at for if the morality of it did lie in observing that particular day only how could there bee a change of that day to another For if the morality of a Sabbath was limited unto a particularity or to that one particular day it is then impossible that any other day to which that first is changed should be morall by vertue of the same Commandment but wee shall shew in fit place that the day is lawfully changed and morally observed and therfore that which is in this Commandment firstly morall must of necessity be somewhat more generall Thesis 46. The generall which we acknowledge to be morall in this command rightly understood is a seventh day Our adversaries would make it more generall and resolve it into a day or some day for solemne worship yet when they are forced to see and acknowledge by the dint of argument that this is too generall because thus the Commandment may be observed if one day in a thousand or once in ones life it be sanctified they doe therefore many times come nearer to us to somewhat lesse generall then a day viz. to a stinted fixed and appointed day and to such an appointed day as containes a sufficient proportion of time for God with convenient frequency no lesse frequent then theirs in the old Testament which was every seventh day as may be seen Thesis 44. and truly thus much being acknowledged by them one would think that the controversie with this sort of men was brought unto a comfortable and quiet issue and full agreement but it is strange to see how contrary the language is of these men sleeping from what it is when they are awake They strike fiercely at a seventh day and a determined time as impossible to be morall when they meet with them in the darke and yet we see acknowledge them in effect to be morall when they meet with them sometimes in the light Thesis 47. But because a seventh day may be accounted convenient by some and morall by others and because the determination of it may bee made by some either more lax or narrow viz. either to any day in seven which man or the Church may appoint or to such a seventh day as God shall determine It is therefore needfull for the clearing up of this controversie to seek out with an impartiall and sober mind the true meaning of the fourth Commandment and to enquire more particularly and exactly what is required it it and what is commanded by vertue of it which some able men not taking a right observation of in the dark and tempestuous times of controversie have therefore made miserable shipwrack not onely of the truth but also of themselves and souls of others Thesis 48. The things which are morally enjoyned in this Commandment are these two 1. Some things are Primariò i. Primarily firstly and more generally morall 2. Some things are secundariò i. Secondarily derivatively and consequently morall A time a day a seventh day of rest are in the first respect moral but in the other respect this or that particular seventh day may be said to be morall Things primarily morall are perpetuall things secondarily morall are not necessarily so As for example To honour superiors and fathers whether of Common-wealth or family is primarily morall but to honour these or those particular superiors is secondarily morall because our honouring of them ariseth from that primary and generall law of morall equity viz. that if our fathers are to be honoured then in the second place it followes that these and those particular persons being our lawfull fathers are to be honoured also To honor our fathers whom God hath set over us is perpetuall to honour these or those particular fathers is not perpetuall because themselves are not perpetuall but changeable It was a morall duty to honour this particular King David but it was not perpetuall for when David was taken away they were not bound to honour King David any more when King Solomon his sonne became his successor nor was it a ceremoniall duty to honour this or that particular King because it was changeable from one to another but it was a morall duty so to doe wherein the law and rule is not changed it being primarily morall but onely the object which wee are bound to honour secondarily in respect of the generall rule So 't is in this law of the Sabbath To keep a day a seventh dayes Sabbath is perpetual it being primarily morall but to observe this or that particular day is of it selfe changeable being secondarily morall For if it bee a morall duty to sanctifie a seventh day which God shall appoint then it 's morall as it were in the second place to sanctifie this or that seventh interchangeably which God doth appoint and yet it doth not follow that this or that particular seventh is in it selfe ceremoniall because it is changeable◠for in such a change the morall rule is not changed but the morall object onely to which it is morally applyed the duty is not changed but onely the day and in this respect it should not seem hard to make somethings morall which are not perpetuall for lawes primarily morall are properly perpetuall but lawes secondarily morall not necessarily so but changeable because as hath been said herein there is no change of the rule but onely of the object or application of the rule which may be variously and yet morally observed Thesis 49. This distinction of things primarily and secondarily morall is taken from the truth of things and which those who study this controversie
Commandment which therefore sets down the proper punishment for this sin So by love of God is not meant love of God at large which is seen in keeping every Command but in particular when we love God in his owne Ordinances and institutions Look therefore as hatred of God in setting up mans inventions and institutions which superstitious persons thinke to be much love to God is here condemned in the negative part of the Commandment so on the contrary love to God in closing with him and seeking of him in his owne Institutions whether Word or Sacraments c. is here enjoyned in the affirmative part of this Command and consequently not as Wallaeus would have it in the affirmative part of the fourth Command Keeping my Commandments being set downe as a fruit of this love and both together being opposed to hatred of God Hence by Commandments cannot be meant in generall all the ten Commandments as some imagine upon miserable weake grounds which I lift not to mention but in speciall Gods Institutions and Ordinances commanded in speciall by him to which humane inventions and Images of mens heads and hands are commonly in Scripture opposed and are therefore condemned because not commanded or because none of his Commandments Ier. 7.31 Deut. 12.30 31. Matth. 15.9 If therefore againe Gods Institutions and Commandments are here enjoyned in this second Commandment they cannot bee directly required in the fourth Command These things being thus cleared the objections of Wallaeus are easily answered For first he saith That from the negative part of this second Commandment cannot be gathered such an affirmative part as this is viz. That God will be worshipped by the Word and Sacraments But that this assertion thus barely propounded but not proved is false appeares from what hath been said concerning the true meaning of the negative part of this Command For if humane inventions under the name of graven Image bee forbidden then Divine Institutions such as Word and Sacraments bee are here commanded and from that negative any ordinary capacity may readily see what the affirmative is Hee saith again secondly That if instituted worship was contained under the affirmative part of the second Commandment then this Commandment is mutable because God was thus worshipped one way before Christ and another way since Christ but saith he the second Commandment is morall and therefore immutable and therefore such mutable worship cannot be enjoyned herein But we have formerly shewne that although this Commandment be morall and immutable in respect of it selfe yet in respect of the application of it to this or that object or thing commanded it may be in that respect mutable For it is an immutable law that God must be worshipped with his owne worship such as hee shall institute and this is the summe of the second Commandment it selfe yet the things instituted wherein there is onely an application of the command may be mutable the second Commandment doth not immutably binde to the observance of this or that particular instituted worship onely But to observe Gods instituted worship and to attend his appointments which is the onely morall law and rule in the affirmative part of this Command Hee thirdly objects That the worshipping of God in Word and Sacraments c. is never opposed in all the Scripture to the worshipping of Images But this is false for Gods Institutions of which Word and Sacraments are a part are frequently opposed to humane inventions the worship appointed by God to the worship devised by man Images of Gods devising are oft opposed to Images of mens owne inventing the voice of God which was onely heard with the eare is opposed to an Image or similitude which might bee seen Deut. 4.12 A graven Image a teacher of lies is opposed to the Lords teaching of truth and also to his presence in his Temple which was the seat of instituted worship Habak 2.18 19 20. The worship of Images which God would have abolished is opposed to the worship of God by Sacrifices and Ceremonies in the place which God should chuse Deuter. 12.1 to 20. but yet he tels us That to worship God in Images and to worship him in Spirit and Truth which is inward worship are opposite as also the lifting up of pure hands in every place John 4.28 1 Tim. 2.8 Hee tels us also that acknowledging of God in his Immensity and Infinite Majesty are opposed to Image-worship Rom. 1.20 21 22. Isa. 40.22 Bee it so But will it therefore follow that to worship God according to his own Institutions is not to worship him in Spirit and in Truth Is it rather a carnall than a spirituall worship to attend on God in Word and Sacraments May we not lift up pure hands in the use of Gods own institutions Is not Gods Immensity and Majesty acknowledged and seen in the use of his owne Ordinances as well as creatures and providences I confesse the blinder sort of Heathens might worship stocks and stones and Images of creeping things and four-footed Beasts in the place of God himselfe terminatively and God might account of all their Image-worship as such though used relatively and hence the opposition may well bee made between worshipping them as God and an infinite God and this worship as was said fals then under the first Commandment but assuredly this Image-worship which the Apostle condemnes Rom. 1.21 23. in debasing the infinite Majesty and limiting it to this and that Image wherein they did worship it is forbidden being only relative worship in the second Command For I think the Apostle in Rom. 1. hath an eye principally at the most lascivious Idolaters in the world viz. the Egyptians among whom principally we read of those Images of creeping things and foure-footed beasts in their Hierâ—gliphicks and yet we know that all that base worship did set out something or other of the Deity which therein and so relatively they did worship But I must not enter into the Discourse of these things here sufficient is said to cleare up this point viz. That Gods instituted worship fals directly under the second not fourth Command Thesis 62. It is true that the exercise of publick worship of many together is to be at this time upon the Sabbath but doth it follow that therefore this publick worship it self falls directly under this command For if publick Assemblies bee as some think a part of naturall worship so as that the light of nature directs all men dwelling together as creatures to worship God together publickly as Creator then this worship fals directly under the first not fourth Commandment where natural worship is directly commanded but if publick Assemblies be considered as distinct Churches politically united and combined publickly to worship God then such Churches considered thus as politicall not mysticall Assemblies do fall directly under the second Command as parts of instituted worship for as all devised formes of Churches whether Diocesan Provinciall Nationall Universall being the
the destruction of a civill government so to crown every day with equall honour unto Gods set dayes and Sabbaths which he hath anointed and exalted above the rest this anarchy and confusion of dayes doth utterly subvert the true Sabbath to make every day a Sabbath is a reall debasing and dethroning of Gods Sabbath Thesis 69. 'T is true that every day considered materially and physically as a day is equally holy but this is no argument to prove that therefore every day is morally and theologically holy for those things which of themselves are common may by divine appointment superadded to them become holy witnesse the dedicated things of the Temple and so 't is in dayes and times under the old Testament we see some dayes were more holy by Gods appointment then others and yet all dayes then were materially and alike holy Thesis 70. 'T is true that under the new Testament all places in a safe sence are equally holy but it doth not follow from hâ—nce as our Adversaries would inferre that therefore all times are so and Wallaeus himself confesseth the argument to be invalid for it was not easie nor meet but very dissonant from divine and heavenly wisdome to appoint in his word all particular places where his people should meet their meetings being to bee in so many thousand severall Countries and various situations which places are indeed for their generall nature commanded and necessary but in respect of application to circumstances of this and that place and countrey the variation of them is almost endlesse and therefore very incongruous and uselesse to set them downe in the word but it was not so in respect of solemne time or a solemne day of worship for herein the Lord might easily appoint a particular day to be observed according to the rising and setting of the Sunne proportionably throughout all the world and the Scripture hath expressely fore told in respect of place that neither in Ierusalem Iudea nor Samaria but that in every place incense should bee offered up to God Malach. 1.11 but it hath not so spoken but rather the contrary in respect of time Thesis 71. Nor is any time morally holy in this sense viz. instrumentally holy or as an instrument and meanes by which God will convey any spirituall and supernaturall grace as Sacraments now doe and sacrifices of old did but being sanctified of God they are holy seasons in which God is pleased to meet and blesse his people rather then at other times and dayes of our owne devising or of more common use reserving onely the Lords prerogative to himselfe to work at other times also more or lesse as he sees meet Indeed it 's true that by our improvement of our time and of such times the Lord sweetly conveyes himself to us yet still 't is not by time it self nor by the day it self but as he conveyes himself to us by holy things and at holy places as the Ark and Temple so in holy times Thesis 72. There are indeed sundry Scriptures which to one who is willing to have all dayes equall may carry a great bredth and make a specious shew and I ingeniously confesse that upon a rigidum examen of them they are more weighty and heavy than the disputers in this controversie usually feele them and therefore they doe more lightly cast them by and passe them over and it is to bee wished that those who doe not think that all dayes are equall yet will not acknowledge a seventh day to be morall had not put weapons unawares into the hands of others strengthening them thereby to destroy the morality of any day and so to lay all dayes levell for I scarce know an argument or Scripture alledged by any Germane writer against the morality of a seventh day but it strikes directly against the morality of any day which yet they acknowledge to be morall Thesis 73. The fairest colour and strongest force from Gal 4.10 and Col. 2.16 lies in the gradation which some suppose to be intended in both those places Ye observe saith the Apostle dayes and moneths and times and yeares Gal. 4.10 Wherein the Apostle seemes to ascend from the lesser to the greater from dayes which are lesse then moneths and therefore weekly Sabbath dayes to moneths from moneths or new moones to times which are higher then moneths and by which is meant their annuall feasts and fasts ordered according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fittest seasons of the yeare and from times he ascends yet higher to yeares viz. their Sabbaticall yeares because they were celebrated once in many years sometime seven sometime fifty years by which gradation it seems evident that the observation of dayes which are lesse than moneths and therefore of weekly Sabbaths are hereby condemned The like gradation is urged from Col. 2.16 where the Apostle seems to descend from condemning the greater to the condemnation of the lesser Let no man judge you saith the Apostle in respect of a holy day new moon or Sabbath dayes there holy dayes seem to bee their annuall or Sabbaticall dayes their new moones are lesse than them being every moneth and therefore by Sabbath days they inferre must needs be meant the weekly Sabbaths lesse than new moones Indeed some understand by dayes and times in Gal. 4. heathenish dayes but hee speaking of such dayes as are beggerly rudiments under which not the Heathens but the Children of the old Testament were in bondage verse 3. hee must therefore speak not of Heathenish but of Iewish dayes I know also that some understand that of Col. 2.16 to be meant of Iewish and ceremoniall Sabbaths which were annuall but this the Apostles gradation seems to overthrow Thesis 74. To both these places therefore a threefold Answer may bee given First Admit the gradation in them both yet by dayes Gal. 4.10 is not necessarily meant all weekly Sabbath dayes for there were other dayes Ceremoniall which the Iewes observed and which the Iewish teachers urged besides the Sabbath to instance onely in Circumcision which they zealously prest Gal. 5.3 which we know was limited unto the eighth day and which they might urge as well as Circumcision it selfe However look as the Apostle when he condemnes them for observing times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Fit seasons he doth not therin condemn them for observing all fit seasons for then wee must not pray nor heare the word in fit seasons but hee condemnes the Iewish Ceremoniall times and seasons so when he condemnes the observation of dayes the Apostle doth not condemne the observation of all dayes for then dayes of fasting and feasting must be condemned as well as dayes of resting under the new Testament but the observation of Ceremoniall dayes which the Iewes observed and false teachers urged and indeed the Apostle speaks of such dayes as were beggerly elements and rudiments now Iames speaking of the morall law which comprehends Sabbath dayes hee doth not call it a beggerly law
is not meant the weekly Sabbath for then say some what will you understand by new moons which are conjoyned with them yet these two things are evident 1. That Sabbaths and new moons were set times of worshipping God under the old Testament 2. That it is usuall with the Prophets to vaile and not alway to type out the worship and so the times of worship which were to be under the new Testament under the Ordinances of God observed in the old as may appeare Isa. 19.19 Mal. 1.11 as also by Ezekiels Temple and such like hence then it followes that although this place should not evict a seventh dayes Sabbath yet it demonstrates at least thus much that some let times and dayes shadowed out under the name of new moons and Sabbaths are to be observed under the new Testament and this is sufficient to prove the point in hand That all daies are not equall under the Gospell Thesis 78. The Kindome of heaven indeed doth not consist in meat and drink as the Apostle saith Rom. 14.17 i. in the use of externall indifferent things as those meats and drinks and some kind of dayes were or if in some sense it did yet not chiefely in them as if almost all religion did chiefely consist in them but doth it from hence follow that it consists not in things commanded nor in any set dayes of worship which are commanded If because the kingdom of God consists in internall peace and righteousnesse and joy of the holy Ghost that therefore all externall observances of times and duties of worship are not necessary to be attended by Gospel-worshippers as some secretly imagine then farewel all externall Preaching Sacraments Profession and Confession of the Name of Christ as well as Sabbaths and let such artists of licentiousnesse bring in all prophanesse into the world again by a law from heaven not condemning the acts of the outward man though never so abominable in abstinence from which by this rule the kingdome of heaven doth not consist Is it no honour to the King of glory as it is to earthly Princes to be served sometimes upon speciall Festivals in speciall state with speciall and glorious attendance by his people as well as after a common and usuall manner every day We have seen some who have at first held community of dayes onely to fall at last through the righteous judgment of God blinding their hearts to maintaine community of wives and that because the kingdome of God hath as they have thought consisted no more in outward relations as that is between Husbands and Wives than in the observation of externall circumstances and dayes Thesis 79. But this is not the ordinary principle by which many are led to maintaine an equality of dayes under the Gospel but this chiefely viz. that the morall law is not to bee a Christians rule of life for we aknowledge it to be no Covenant of life to a Beleever that either by the keeping of it he should be justified or that for the breach of it he should be condemned but they say that when a Believer hath life by the Covenant of grace the law is now not so much as a rule of life to such a one and then 't is no wonder if they who blow out the light of the whole morall law from being a light to their feet and a lamp to their paths if they hereby utterly extinguish this part of it viz. the Commandment of the Sabbath This dashing against the whole law is the very mystery of this iniquity why some doe cashier this law of the Sabbath and they doe but hide themselves behinde a thread when they oppose it by their weapons who therefore abandon it because it alone is ceremoniall above any other law Thesis 80. The Sabbath saith one is perpetuall and morall but not the Sabbath day the Sabbath which some make continuall and inward onely is perpetually to be observed but not the Sabbath day a Sabbath is by Divine ordination but a Sabbath day is to be observed onely as a humane constitution But they should doe well to consider whether that which they call an inward continuall Sabbath be inconsistent with a speciall day for I am sure that they under the old Testament were bound equally with us to observe a continuall Sabbath in resting from all sinne and resting in God by Iesus Christ Heb. 4.1 2. yet this did not exempt them from observing a speciall day A speciall day is a most powerfull meanes to Sabbatize every day Why then may not a Sabbath and a Sabbath day consist together An every day Sabbath is equally opposite to a time occasionally set as to a set day which the Commandment enjoyns and therefore if it exempts a Christian from observing a set day it sets him free also from all observation of any such set time for if because a Christian Sabbath ought to bee continuall and that therefore there ought to bee no set dayes then there should not bee any occasionally set times for the worship of God because these neither can be continuall and if there ought to be no such set times we may then bid good night to all the publick worship and glory of God in the world like the men with one eye to him who put his other eye quite out And if any here reply that there is not the like reason because holy time and days are not necessary but holy duties are necessary and therefore require some occasionall set time for them I answer That let the difference be granted yet that which I now dispute on is this ground and supposition onely viz. That if all set dayes are to bee abandoned because a Christians Sabbath ought to bee continuall and inward then all occasionall set times also are to bee abandoned upon the same ground because these cannot bee continuall and inward no more than the other as for them who think no holy day necessary but holy duties lawfull every day we have already and shall hereafter cleare up more fully in its proper place Mean while it is yet doubtfull to me whether those who follow Master Saltmarsh and some others will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of any occasionall set times for publick worship of hearing the word and prayer c. For he makes the bosome of the Father to bee the Christian Sabbath typified in the seventh day of the first Creation and he makes the six dayes of worke to be a type not onely of the Lord Iesus in his active and fulfilling administrations while he was in the flesh but also to be a figure of the Christian in bondage or to use his own words of a Christian under active and working administrations as those of the law and Gospel are as all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances c. From whence it will follow from his principles for I know not his practice that all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances are then to cease as types
phrase Christ in the Spirit leads us to what Christ in the flesh said inward Christ leads the faithfull to the outward Ministery of Christ Christ in the Spirit to Christ speaking in the letter the Spirit of truth to the Word of truth the Spirit within to the Word without by which we shall be judged at the last day Iohn 12.48 and therefore certainly are to be regulated by it now Thesis 89. It is true that the faithfull receive an unction or an anoinâ—ing of the Spirit which teacheth them all things but is this teaching immediate or mediate If immediate why doth Iohn tell them that he writ to them that hereby they might know they had eternall life 1 Iohn 5.13 but if it be mediate viz. by the word externally preacht or writ then the externall word still is to be our rule which the anointing of the Spirit helps us to know It is true the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 2.27 that they being taught of the Spirit did not need that any man should teach them what then was their teaching therefore immediate No verily for the Apostle explaines his meaning in the words following viz. otherwise and after another way and manner then as the Spirit taught them for so the words runne You need not that any man should teach you but as the anointing teacheth you all things and is truth For if Ministers are to preach and write in demonstration of the Spirit then those that heare them and are taught by them need no man to teach them otherwise than as the same Spirit in the same demonstration teacheth them all things It might bee truely said that the men of Bereah did need no man to teach them otherwise than as the Spirit in comparing and searching the Scriptures did teach them the things which Paul spake And Calvin well observes upon this place that the scope of the Apostle in these words is to confirme his Doctrine which he writ to them it being no unknowne thing but a thing known to them by the anointing of the Spirit which either they had received by former Ministery of the word or which now they might receive by this writing As therefore the Spirit leads us to the Word so the word leads us to the Spirit but never to a spirit without and beyond the word I meane so farre forth as that the outward administration of Christ in the flesh or in the word or letter must cease and be laid aside when the inward administration of Christ in the Spirit comes Thesis 90. It 's as weak an argument to imagine That wee are not to be led and guided by any outward commands in our obedience unto God because God is to worke all our workes for us and because we are not to live but Christ is to live in us as to thinke that we are not to look to any promises without us to direct and support our faith because Christ is also to fulfill and accomplish all the promises for us For if the question be by what are we to live The Apostles answer is full Gal. 2.19 20. that as hee did not live but by the faith of the Son of God so are we But if the question be According to what rule are we to live and wherein are wee to live The answer is given by David Psalme 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy Statutes Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live and keep thy word ver 17. Let thy mercy come to me that I may live for thy law is my delight vers 27. So that if the question be What is the rule of faith by which we live The answer is the Gospel Phil. 3.16 But if the question be What is the rule of life it self The answer is the morall law and of this later is the controversie Thesis 91. The commanding will of God called Voluntas mandati is to be our rule and not the working will of God Voluntas decreti or the will of Gods decree for we cannot sinne by fulfilling the one but wee may sin in fulfilling the other Gods secret and working will was fulfilled when Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt and when Nebuchadnezzar afflicted Gods people seventy yeares as also when the Scribes and Pharisees caused Christ to bee crucified yet in all these thingâ— they sinned and provoked Gods wrath against them How Was it in crossing and thwarting Gods working will or the will of Gods Decree No verily for it 's expressely said that Christ was crucified according to the determinate counsell and will of God Acts 4.28 It was therefore by crossing Gods commanding will It is therefore a hellish device of Libertines to exempt men from all Law and from the sense of all sinne Because say they all things good and evill come from Gods will and all things that are done are wrought by him and all that he doth is good and therefore all sinfull actions are good because God workes them for what have we to doe to take the measure of our wayes by his working will Gods will is his owne rule to work with not our rule to worke by Our actions may bee most sinfull when his working in and about these may bee most just and holy for though God purposeth to leave the creature to fall and sin yet he so purposed it as that it should be onely through their owne fault that so they sinne And although a Christian is to submit humbly to the just dispensations of God when he leaves it to any evill yet Gods working will in all such dispensations must not be our rule for then wee must will not onely our owne sinne but our owne affliction and perdition for ever for all these are contained under his working will It is therefore a most subtle and pernicious practice in many who when they are overtaken with any sin or hampered with sinne they wash all off from themselves and lay all the blame if any be upon God himself saying The Lord left mee and he doth not helpe mee and he must doe all and hath undertaken to doe all if therefore I sin upon him be the blame or if there be any upon them it is but little But why should any judge of the evill of their sinne by Gods working will for that is not your rule but the commanding will of God according to which Samuel convinced Saul when he was left of God to spare Agag that his disobedience against the commandment was rebellion and as the sinne of Witchcraft in the eyes of God 1 Samuel 15.23 Thesis 92. It is a great part of Christs love to command us to doe any thing for him as well as to promise to doe any thing for us When the King of glory hath given us our lives by promise it s then the next part of his speciall grace and favour to command us to stand before him and attend upon his greatnesse continually
these things because commanded let him then quit himselfe from hypocrisie and himselfe from being a deep hypocrite in all these if he can Surely those who straine at this gnat viz. not to doe a duty because commanded will make no bones of swallowing down this camell viz. not to forsake sinne because 't is forbidden and whosoever shall forsake sinne from any other ground shewes manifestly hereby that hee hath little conscience of Gods command I know the love of Christ should make a Christian forsake every sin but the last resolution and reason thereof is because his love forbids us to continue in sinne for to act by vertue of a command is not to act onely as a creature to God considered as a Creator but by vertue of the will and commandment of God in a Redeemer with whom a Beleever hath now to doe Thesis 101. To act therefore by vertue of a command and by vertue of Christs Spirit are subordinate one to another not opposite one against anotherâ— as these men carry it This caution being ever remembred that such acting bee not to make our selves just but because we are already just in Christ not that hereby wee might get life but because we have life given us already not to pacifie Gods justice but to please his mercy being pacified toward us by Christ already for as Iunius well observes a great difference between placare Deum and placere Deo i. between pacifying God and pleasing God for Christs bloud onely can pacifie justice when it is provoked but when revenging justice is pacified mercy may be pleased with the sincere and humble obedience of sons Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.21 When a Beleever is once justified hee cannot be made more just by all his obedience nor lesse just by all his sins in point of justification which is perfected at once but he who is perfectly justified is but imperfectly sanctified and in this respect may more or lesse please God or displease him be more just or lesse just and holy before him It is I confesse a secret but a common sinne in many to seek to pacifie God when they perceive or feare his anger by some obedience of their own and so to seek for that in themselves chiefely which they should seek for in Christ and for that in the Law which is onely to be found in the Gospel but corrupt practises in others should not breed as usually they doe corrupt opinions in us and to cast off the law from being a rule of pleasing God because it is no rule to us of pacifying of God For if wee speak of revenging not fatherly anger Christs bloud can onely pacifie that and when that is pacified and God is satisfied our obedience now pleaseth him and his mercy accepts it as very pleasing the rule of which is the precious law of God Thesis 102. They that say the law is our rule as it is given by Christ but not as it was given by Moses doe speak niceties at least ambiguities for if the Lord Christ give the law to a Beleever as his rule why should any then raise a dust and affirme that the law is not our rule For the Law may be considered either materially or in it selfe as it containes the matter of the Covenant of works and thus considered a Beleever is not to be regulated by it for he is wholly free from it as a covenant of life or it may be considered finally or rather relatively as it stood in relation and reference unto the people of the God of Abraham who were already under Abrahams Covenant which was a Covenant of free-grace viz. To be his God and the God of his seed Gen. 17.7 And in this latter respect the law as it was given by Moses was given by Christ in Moses and therefore the rule of love toward man commanded by Moses is called the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 For the law as it was applyed to this people doth not run thus viz. Doe all this and then I will be your God and redeemer for this is a Covenant of workes but thus viz. I am the Lord thy God viz. by Abrahams Covenant who brought thee out of the land of Egypt and house of bondage Therefore thou shalt doe all this If therefore the law delivered by Moses was delivered by Christ in Moses then there is no reason to set Christ and Moses together by the eares in this respect I now speake of and to affirme that the law not as delivered by Moses but as given by Christ is our law and rule Thesis 103. The law therefore which containes in it selfe absolutely considered which Luther cals Moses Mosissimus the Covenant of works yet relatively considered as it was delivered by Moses to a people under a Covenant of grace which the same Author cals Moses Aaronicus so it is not to bee considered onely as a Covenant of workes and therefore for any to affirme that the law is no Covenant of works as it is delivered on Mount Sion and by Jesus Christ and that it is a Covenant of works onely as it is delivered on Mount Sinai and by Moses is a bold assertion both unsafe and unsound For if as it was delivered on Mount Sinai it was delivered to a people under a Covenant of grace then it was not delivered to them onely as a Covenant of workes for then a people under a Covenant of grace may againe come under a Covenant of works to disanull that Covenant of grace but the Apostle expressely affirmes the quite contrary and shewes that the Covenant made with Ahraham and his seed which was to be a God to them Gen. 17.7 and which was confirmed before of God in Christ the law which was foure hundred and thirty yeares after cannot disanull Gal. 3.17 Now that the people were under a Covenant of grace when the law was delivered on Mount Sinai let the Preface of the ten Commandments determine wherein Gods first words are words of grace I am the Lord thy God c. and therefore thou shalt have no other Gods but mee c. I know Paraeus Zanchy and others affirme that the law is abrogated as it was in the hands of Moses but not as it is in the hand of Christ but their meaning is at sometime in respect of the manner of administration of the Law under Moses and when they speake of the morall law simply considered yet it never entred into their hearts that the law as delivered on mount Sinai was delivered onely as a Covenant of works as some would maintain Thesis 104. But there is a greater mystery intended by some in this phrase as given by Christ for their meaning is this to wit As Christ by his Spirit writes it in our hearts not any way a rule as written by Moses A Beleevers heart saith Master Saltmarsh is the very law of Commands and the two Tables of Moses and in this respect it becomes not saith he the glory of
but of being under the Law by peculiar dispensation which was the state not only of the Jewish Church but of the children of God heires of the promise and consequently such as were beleevers in this Church in those old Testament times wee are not therefore now in these new Testament times under the law as they were the great difficulty therefore remaines to know how we are not under the law as they were Those who say we are not under the Ceremonial law as they were doe speak truely but they doe not resolve the difficulty in this place for certainly the Apostle speaks not onely of the Ceremoniall law but also of that law which was given because of transgressions Gal. 3.19 and which shut up not onely the Jewes but all men under sinne verse 22. which being the power of the morall law chiefely the Apostle must therefore intend the morall law under which the old Testament Beleevers were shut up and we now are not The doubt therefore still remaines viz. How are we not now under the morall law Will any say that we are not now under the malediction and curse and condemnation of it but the Jewes under the old Testament were thus under it even under the curse of it This cannot be the meaning for although the carnall Jewes were thus under it yet the faithfull whom the Apostle cals the heire and Lord of all Gal. 4.1 were not thus under it for Beleevers then were as much blessed then with faithfull Abraham as Beleevers now cap. 3.9 How then are we not now under it as they were Is it in this that they were under it as a rule of life to walk by and so are not we Thus indeed some straine the place but this cannot bee it for the Apostle in this very Epistle presseth them to Love one another upon this ground because All the Law is fulfilled in love cap. 5.13 14. and this walking in love according to the law is walking in the Spirit verse 16. and they that thus walke in the spirit according to the law are not saith the Apostle under the law which cannot without flat contradiction be meant of not being under the rule or directive power of it and it would bee a miserable weake motive to presse them to love because all the law is fulfilled in love if the law was not to bee regarded as any rule of life or of love for they might upon such a ground easily and justly object and say What have we to doe with the law If we therfore as well as they are thus under the law as a rule of life how are wee not under it as they were Is it because they were under it as a preparative means for Christ and not wee They were under the humbling and terrifying preparing worke of it but not we There are some indeed who think that this use of the law under the Gospel is but a back-doore or an Indian path or a crookt-way about to lead to Jesus Christ but certainly these men know not what they say for the text expressely tels us that the Scripture hath concluded not onely the Jewes but All under sinne that so the promise by faith might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 So that the law is subservient to faith and to the promise that so hereby not onely the Jewes but all that God saves might hereby feele their need and fly by faith to the promise made in Iesus Christ and verily if Christ be the end of the law to every one that beleeves Rom. 10.4 then the law is the meanes not of it selfe so much as by the rich grace of God not onely to the Iewes but to all others to the end of the world to lead them to this end Christ Iesus If therefore the faithfull under the new Testament are thus under the preparing worke of the law as well as those under the old How were they therefore so under the law as we are not and wee not under it as they were I confesse the place is more full of difficulties than is usually observed by writers upon it onely for the clearing up of this doubt omitting many things I answer briefely That the children of the old Testament were under the law and the pedagogy of it two wayes after which the children of the new Testament are not under it now but are redeemed from it 1. As the morall law was accompanied with a number of burdensome Ceremonies thus wee are not under it thus they were under it For we know this law was put into the Ark and there they were to look upon it in that type if any man then committed any sinne against it whether through infirmity ignorance or presumption they were to have recourse to the Sacrifices and High Priests yearely and to their bloud and oblations They were to pray which was a morall duty but it must bee with incense and in such a place They were to be thankfull another morall duty but it must bee testified by the offering up of many Sacrifices upon the Altar c. They were to confesse their sinnes a morall duty also but it must be over the head of the Scape-goat c. Thus they were under the law but we are not And as 't is usuall for the Apostle thus to speak of the law in other places of the Scripture so surely hee speakes of it here for hence it is that in the beginning of this dispute cap. 3.19 hee speaks of the morall law which was given because of transgressions and yet in the close of it Gal. 4.3 he seemes to speak only of the ceremoniall law which he cals the elements of the world under which the children were then in bondage as under Tutors and Governours which implies thus much that the children of the old Testament were indeed under the morall law but yet withall as thus accompanied with ceremoniall rudiments and elements fit to teach children in their minority But now in this elder age of the Church although we are under the morall law in other respects yet wee are not under it as thus accompanied 2. In respect of the manner and measure of dispensation of the morall law which although it had the revelation of the Gospel conjoyned with it for Moses writ of Christ Iohn 5.46 and Abraham had the Gospell preached to him Gal. 3.8 and the unbeleeving Jewes had the Gospel preached Heb. 4.2 yet the law was revealed and pressed more clearely and strongly with more rigour and terrour and the Gospel was revealed more obscurely and darkly in respect of the manner of externall dispensation of them in those times there were three things in that manner of dispensation from which at least ex parte Dei revelantis we are now freed 1. There was then much law urged externally clearly and little Gospel so clearely revealed indeed Gospel and Christ Iesus was the end of the morall law and the substance of all the shadowes of the ceremoniall
law but the externall face of these things was scarce any thing else but Doing and Law by reason of which there is a vaile spread over the hearts of the lewes in reading the old Testament unto this day as is evident 2 Cor. 3.13 so that the inside or end of the morall law being Gospel and the out-side and meanes appointed to this end being law hence the Gospel was then lesse clearly and the law was more clearely revealed in those times to say that Iesus Christ and his benefits or eternall life were then dispensed under a Covenant of works or sub conditione perfectae obedientiae as some eminent Worthies affirm is such an errour which wise and able men might easily fall into by seeing how much law was revealed and urged in those times for though the law simply considered in it selfe contained the matter of the Covenant of works yet considered relatively in respect of the people of God and as they were under Abrahams Covenant of grace so it was given to them as a rule of perfect righteousnesse by both which they might the better see their owne weaknesse and unrighteousnesse â—nd flye to Christ and therefore the Apostle Gal. 3.17 cals the promise which was made to Abraham the Covenant and gives not this title to the Law but calls it the law which he saith could not disanull the Covenant confirmed in Christ and although it be propounded to them in way of Covenant Exod. 19.5 yet this is to be understood as some thinke of Evangelicall keeping Covenant not of legall or if of legall yet then it is not propounded simply as a Covenant of works to convey Christ to them but ex hypothesi or upon supposition that if they did think to be Gods people and have him to be their God by doing as Iunius observes the carnall Jewes did thinke and hope so to have him and as that young man thought Mat. 19.17 as Chamier observes that then they must keep all these Commandments perfectly and to bee accursed if they did not continue therein I dare not therefore say that Christ and eternall life were dispensed in a Covenant of works under which Covenant the Iewes were shut in old Testament times but rather this that the law was more strongly pressed as a yoke upon their shoulders and that this law which containes the Covenant of works was more plentifully revealed and insisted on and the Gospel more sparingly and darkly but now in Gospel times the day-starre is risen though in few mens hearts yet in the doctrine and cleare revelation of it therein and therefore the Gospel is called the mystery hidden from ages and generations past but now is made manifest to his Saints Col. 1. â—6 which cannot bee meant as if they had no knowledge of it for Abraham saw Christs day and there is a cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament who dyed in faith Heb. 11. but not such cleare knowledge of it as now they were therefore then under the Law as servants because so much working and doing was urged and chiefely revealed but indeed were sonnes and heires but wee now are not so under it but are as sonnes having the Lord Iesus and our fathers face in him clearely revealed and faith in him chiefely and most abundantly urged in his blessed Gospel and thus the Apostle tels us in this Text Gal. 4.1 with 4.5 that the heires of the Promise under the Old Testament were as servants but by Christâ— comming we are now as sonnes look also as they are said to be under the Law not as if they had no Gospel revealed or no use of the Gospel but onely because the Gospel was more darkly revealed and the Law more plentifully urged so we are said not to be under the Law not as if there was no Law or no use of the Law belonging to us but because now the Gospel is more clearely revealed and the Law not externally so proposed and imposed as it was upon them 2. The Law was a Schoolmaster Tutor and Governour to lead them unto Christ to come for so the Apostle tels us in this place Gal. 3.23 that before faith came we were shut up under the Law unto the faith which should afterward be revealed Thus the Ceremoniall law pointed to Christ to come the morall law discovered mans sinne and misery and need of Christ who was to come nay all the promises were made with reference to Iesus Christ to come but now the fulnesse of time being come that the Sonne of God is come now we are no longer under the Law after this manner neither ceremoniall or morall law are of any use to us to lead us unto Christ to come for Christ is already come and hence it is that Beleevers now are said to be rather under the Gospel than under the Law and Beleevers under the Old Testament to be rather under the Law than under the Gospel because although these had the efficacy of Christs Redemption yet they were not yet actually redeemed because the Redeemer was not yet come into the flesh and in this respect they were under the rigour of the law and hence it was fit that they should bee handled as servants and the law and curse thereof principally revealed but now Christ being come and having actually redeemed us having been not onely virtually but actually made righteousnesse and a curse for us now therefore is the time that we should see Christ Iesus with open face and hear principally concerning faith and the fathers love in him now Christ is revealed chiefely being come the end of the Law then the Law was revealed chiefely Christ being not yet come as the meanes to this end looke therefore as the promise before Christ of which the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.17 18 19 21 22. was fulfilled in Christ being come as Divines speak rather than abolished and yet abolished as it was a promise of grace to come so the morall law is rather fulfilled than abolished in Christ being come and yet as it did lead unto Christ to come it is abolished to us now under the Gospel 3. The law being principally revealed and yet so revealed as to lead unto Christ Jesus to come hence ariseth a third thing of the law from which we are now delivered viz. they were therefore under more terrour and feare of the Law than we are on Gods part revealing the Gospel more clearely in these times and therefore saith the Apostle Gal. 4.4 5 6. that when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne to redeeme us from under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of Sonnes and thereby the Spirit of Sonnes crying Abba Father could not they who were Sonnes under the Law call God Father yes verily doubtlesse thou art our Father say they Isaiah 63.17 but they having lesse light they had more feare and lesse of the Spirit of Adoption I say still ex parte Dei revelantis than we have in these dayes We are not
therefore so under the law i. the feare and terrour of the law as they were the summe of all this is that although we are not so under the law 1. so accompanied and 2. so dispensed as they were under the Old Testament yet this hinders not but that we are under the directive power of the Law as well as they Thesis 109. The Apostle speakes of a law written and engraven on stones and therefore of the morall Law which is now abolished by Christ in the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 7 11 13. Is the morall law therefore abolished as a rule of life now no verily but the meaning of this place is as the former Gal. 3.25 for the Apostle speaking of the morall Law by a Synecdoche comprehends the ceremoniall law also both which the false Teachers in those times urged as necessary to salvation and justification at least together with Christ against whom the Apostle here disputes the morall Law therefore is abolished first as thus accompanied with a yoke of Ceremonies secondly as it was formerly dispensed the glorious and greater light of the Gospel now obscuring that lesser light under the Law and therefore the Apostle vers 10. doth not say that there was no glory shining in the Law but it had no comparative glory in this respect by reason of the glory which excelleth and lastly the Apostle may speak of the morall Law considered as a Covenant of life which the false teachers urged in which respect he cals it the Ministry of death and the letter which killeth and the ministers of it who were called Nazarei and Minei as Bullinger thinks the Ministers of the letter which although it was virtually abolished to the beleeving Jews before Gospell times the vertue of Christs death extending to all times yet it was not then abolished actually untill Christ came in the flesh and actually undertooke to fullfill this Covenant for us to the utmost farthing of doing and suffering which is exacted and now it is abolished both virtually and actually that now we may with open face behold the glory of the Lord as the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that doth beleeve Thesis 110. The Gospell under which Beleevers now are requires no doing say some for doing is proper to the Law the Law promiseth life and requires conditions but the Gospell say they promiseth to work the condition but requires none and therefore a beleever is now wholly free from all Law but the Gospell and Law are taken two waies 1. Largely the Law for the whole doctrine contained in the Old Testament and the Gospell for the whole doctrine of Christ and the Apostles in the New Testament 2. Strictly the Law pro lege operum as Chamier distinguisheth and the Gospell pro lege fidei i. for the Law of faith the Law of works strictly taken is that Law which reveals the favour of God and eternall life upon condition of doing or of perfect obedience the Law of faith strictly taken is that doctrine which reveals remission of sins reconciliation with God by Christs righteousnesse onely apprehended by faith now the Gospell in this latter sence excludes all works and requires no doing in point of justification and remission of sins before God but only beleeving but take the Gospel largely for the whole doctrine of Gods love and free grace and so the Gospel requires doing for as 't is an act oâ— Gods free grace to justifie a man without calling for any works thereunto so 't is an act of the same free grace to require works of a person justified and that such poor sinners should stand before the Son of God on his throne to minister unto him and serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our lives Tit. 2.14 and for any to think that the Gospell requires no conditions is a sudden dream against hundreds of Scriptures which contain conditionall yet evangelicall promises and against the judgement of the most judicious of our Divines who in dispute against Popish writers cannot but acknowledge them only thus viz. conditions and promises annexed to obedience are one thing saith learned Perable and conditions annexed to perfect obedience are another the first are in the Gospel the other not works are necessary to salvation saith Chamier necessitate praesentiae not efficientiae and hence he makes two sorts of conditions some antecedentes which work or merit salvation and these are abandoned in the Gospel otherâ— he saith are consequentes which follow the state of a man justified and these are required of one already justified in the Gospell there are indeed no conditions required of us in the Gospel but those onely which the Lord himselfe shall or hath wrought in us and which by requiring of us he doth worke will it therefore follow that no condition is required in us but because every condition is promised no verily for requiring the condition is the meanes to worke it as might be plentifully demonstrated and meanes and end should not be separated Faith it selfe is no antecedent condition to our justification or salvation take antecedent in the usuall sence of some Divines for affecting or meriting condition which Iunius cals essentialis conditio but take antecedent for a means or instrument of justification and receiving Christs righteousnesse in this sence it is the only antecedent condition which the Gospel requires therein because it doâ—h only antecedere or go before our justification at least in order of nature not to merit it but to receive it not to make it but to make it our own not as the matter of our righâ—eousness or any part of it but as the only means of apprehending Christs righteousnesse which is the only cause why God the Father justifieth and therefore as Christs righteousnesse must go before as the matter and moving cause of our justification or that for which we are justified so faith must go before this righteousnesse as an instrument or applying cause of it by which we are justified that is by meanes of which we apply that righteousnesse which makes us just 'T is true God justifies the ungodly but how not immediately without faith but mediately by faith as is most evident from that abused text Rom. 4.5 When works and faith are opposed by the Apostle in point of justification affirming that we are justified by faith not by works he doth hereby plainly affirm and give that to faith which he denies to works look therefore as he denies works to be antecedent conditions of our justification he affirms the contrary of faith which goes before our justification as hath been explained and therefore as doe and live hath been accounted good Law or the Covenant of works so beleeve and live hath been in former times accounted good Gospel or the Covenant of grace untill now of late this wilde age hath found out new Gospels that Paul and the Apostles did never dream of Thesis 111. A servant and a son may
be set to do the same work and have the same rule given them to act by but the motives to this their work and the stripes and punishments for neglect of their work may be various and divers a son may be bound to it because he is a son and beloved a servant may be bound to do the same work because he is hired and shall have wages if the son neglect his work his punishment is only the chastisement of a father for his good if a servant be faulty he is turned quite out of doors So although Beleevers in Christ and those that are out of Christ haue divers and various motives to the obedience of the law of God yet these do not vary the rule the law of God is the rule to them both although they that be out of Christ have nothing but fear and hope of wages to urge them and those that are in Christ should have nothing but the love of a Father and the heart-bloud mercy of a tender Saviour and Redeemer to compell them the one may be bound to do that so they may live the other may be bound to do because they do live the one may be bound to do or else they shall be justly plagued the other may be bound to do the same or else they shall be mercifully corrected It is therefore a meer feeblenesse to think as some do that the law or rule is changed because the motives to the obedience of it and punishment for the breach of it are now unto a beleever changed and aâ—tâ—ed for the Commandment urged from Châ—ists love may binde strongly yea most strongly to doe the same thing which the same Commandment propounded and received in way of hiâ—e may binde also unto Thesis 112. Some think that there is no sin but unbelief which is a sin against the Gospel only and therefore there being no sin against any law Christ having by his death abolished all them the law cannot be a rule to them An adulterous and an evill generation made drunk with the cup of the wine of the wrath of God and strong delusion do thus argue Are drunkenesse whoredom lying cheating witchcraft oppression theft buggery no sins and consequently not to be repented of nor watcht against but only unbelief Is there no day of judgement wherein the Lord will judge men not only for unbelief but the secrets of all hearts and whatever hath been done in the body whether good or evil according to Pauls Gospel Rom. 2.16 2 Cor. 5.10 How comes the wrath of God to be revealed from heaven not only against unbelief but against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of man Rom. 1.18 If there was no sin but unbelief how can all flesh Jews and Gentiles become guilty before God that so they may beleeve in the Gospel as 't is Rom. 3 21 12 â—3 24 if they are all guiltlesse untill unbelief comes in There is no sin indeed which shall condemn a man in case he shall beleeve but will it follow from hence that there is no sin in a man but only unbelief A sick man shall not die in case he receive the Physick which will recover him but doth it follow from hence that there is no sicknesse in him or no such sicknesse which is able to kill him but only his wilfull refusing of the Physick surely his refusing of the Physick is not the cause of his sicknesse which was before not the naturall for that his sicknesse is but only the morall cause of his death Sin is before unbelief comes a sick sinner before a healing Saviour can be rejected sin kils the soul as it were naturally unbelief morally no sin shall kill or condemn us if we beleeve but doth it follow from hence that there is no sin before or after faith because there is no condemning sin unlesse we fall by unbelief No such matter and yet such is the madnesse of some prophets in these times who to abandon not only the directive use of the law but also all preparing and humbling work of the law and to make mens sinning the first foundation and ground of their beleeving do therefore either abolish all the being of any sin beside unbelief or the condemned estate of a man for sin yea for any sin untill he refuse Christ by unbelief for publishing which pernicious doctrines it had been well for them if they had never been born Thesis 113. One would wonder how any Christians should fall into this pit of perdition to deny the directive use of the law to one in Christ if either they read Ps. 119. with any savour or the Epistles of Iohn Iames with any faith in which the law is highly commended and obedience thereto urged as the happinesse and chief evidence of the happinesse of man but that certainly the root of this accursed doctrine is either a loose heart which is grown blind and bold and secretly glad of a liberty not so much from the law of sin as from the law God or if the heart be sincere in the main yet it slights the holy Scriptures at present and makes little conscience of judging in the matters of God according unto them for if it did it could hardly fall into â—his dirty ditch out of which the good Lord deliver and out of which I am perswaded he will deliver in time all those that are his own for I much question the salvation of that man who lives and dies with this opinion and as every errour is fruitfull so this is in speciall for from this darkning the directive use of the morall law arise amidst many others these ensuing evils which are almost if not altogether deadly to the souls men they are principally these three Thesis 114. The first is a shamefull neglect in some affecting foolishly the name of new Testament Ministers of a wise and powerfull preaching of the law to make way by the humbling work of it for the glorious Gospel and the affectionate entertainment thereof for through the righteous judgement of God when men once begin to abandon this use of the law as a rule they abolish much more readily this use of the law to prepare men thereby for the receiving of Christ I know there are some who acknowledge this use of the law to be our rule but not to prepare but how long they may be orthodox in the one who are heterodox in the other the Lord only knows for I finde that the chief arguments against the one do strike strongly against the other also It 's an easie thing to cast blocks before the blinde and to cast mists before the face of the clearest truth and to make many specious shews of new Testament Ministry free-grace and Covenant against this supposed legall way and preparing work but assuredly they that have found and felt the fruit and comfort of this humbling way for which I doubt not but that thousands and thousands are blessing God in heaven that ever they
heard of it do certainly and assuredly know that these men at least doctrines in this point are not of God The word in these mens mouths being flat contrary to the mercifull and the for ever to be adored work of God in their hearts When the Spirit comes his first work if Christ may be beleeved even when he comes as a Comforter is To convince the world of sinne Iohn 16.9.10 which we know is chiefly by the law Rom. 3.20 and shall the Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit refuse to begin here Especially in these times of wantonnesse contention confusion famine sword and bloud wherein every thing almost cries aloud for sackcloth and therefore not for tiffany and silken Sermons As if this corrupt and putrifying age stood only in need of sugar to preserve and keep them sweet from smelling As if sublime notions about Christ and free grace Covenant of grace love of the Father the kingdome within and Châ—istian excâ—llencies and priviledges were the only things this age stood in need of and not in any need of searchings with candles terrours shakings â—ence of sin or forewarnings of wrath to come As if this old world did need no Noah to fortell them of flouds of fire and wrath to come Or as if the men of Sodom and Princes of Gomorah should do well to mock at Lot for bidding him to hasten out of the city because God would destroy it As if the spirit of Paul in these times should not know the terrour of the Lord and therefore perswade men 2 Cor. 5.10.11 but only the love and free-grace of the Lord Jesus and therefore to exhort men nay rather therefore to relate to men stories and notions about â—ree-grace generall redemption the mystery of the Fathers love and the Christ in you and in the spirit not the person of Christ or Christ in the flesh the hope of glory What will the Lord Jesus one day say to these sleepy watchmen that never tell the secure world of their enemies at the door I finde divers colours and pretences for this course of daubing 1. Some say this savours of an old Testament spirit which was wâ—nt to wound and then to heal to humble and then to raise to preach law and then Gospell but now we are to he Ministers of the new Testament and let no law be heard of I confesse those that preach the law as the means of our justification and as the matter of our righteousnesse without Christ or together with Christ as the false teachers did 2 Cor. 3 6. may well be called as Paul cals them Ministers of the letter not of the Spirit of the old Testament not of the New but to preach Christ plainly and with open face the end of the law and to preach the law as the means to prepare for and advance Christ in our hearts can never be proved to be the old Testament Ministry or to put a vail upon mens hearts that they cannot see the end of the law as the old Testament vail did 2 Cor. 3.14 but it is to take away the vail of all conceit of mans own strength and righteousnesse by seeing his curse that so he may sâ—â— to the end thereof the Lord Jesus and embrace him for righteousnesse For the Apostle doth not call them Ministers of the letter and of the old Testament because they did preach the law to humble and leade unto Christ but because they preached the law for righteousnesse without Christ whom he calls the spirit vers 17. and therefore cals them the Ministers of the letter and their Ministry of death and condemnation there is something in the law which is of perpetuall use and something which is but for a time the vis coactiva legis as some call it i. the force of the law to condemn and curse to hold a man under the curse and to hold a man under the power of sin which the Apostle cals the strength of the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 is but for a time and is but accidentall to the law and may be separated from it and is separated indeed from it as soon as ever the soul is in Christ Rom. 8.1 he is then free from the obligation of it to perform personall and perfect obedience to it that so he may be just also from the malediction and curse of it if he be not thus just But that which is of perpetuall use in it is not only the directive power of it but this preparing and humbling vertue of it for if all men by nature Jewes and Gentiles are apt to be puft up with their own righteousnesse and to blesse themselves in their own righteousnesse and so to feel no such need of Christ then this humbling work of the law to slay men of all their fond conceits and foolish confidences in their own righteousnesse and to make men feel the horrible nature of sinne by revealing the curse and malediction due to it is of morall and perpetuall use And hence it is that though the Gospell strictly taken as is intimated Thesis 110. hath no terrour properly in it because thus it reveals nothing but reconciliation through Christs righteousnesse applyed by saith yet the Gospel largely taken for that doctrine which reveals the glad tidings of Christ already come so there is terrour in it because in this respect the Gospell makes use of the law and confirms what is morall and perpetuall therein The sin and terrour which the Gospell largely taken makes use of out of the Law are but subservient to the Gospel strictly taken or for that which is principally and most properly Gospel for thereby the righteousnesse and free-grace and love of the Lord Jesus and pretiousnesse and greatnesse of both are the more clearly illustrated The law of it selfe wounds and kils and rather drives from Christ then unto Christ but in the hand of the Gospel or as Christ handles it so it drives the soul unto Christ and as hath been shewn is the means to that end and 't is a most false and nauseous doctrine to affirm that love only drawes the soul to Christ unlesse it be understood with this caution and notion viz. love as revealed to a sinner and condemned for sin which sin and condemnation as the law makes known so the Gospel makes use of to drawn unto Christ If indeed the Gospel did vulnerare ut vulneraret i. wound that it may wound and terrifie only which the law doth then it saith Chamier was all one with law which Bellarmine pleads for but when it wounds that it may heal this is not contrary but agreeable to the office of a good Physitian whose chiefe work is to heal and may well sute with the healing Ministry of the Lord Jesus and hence we see that although Christ was sent to preach the Gospel yet he came to confirm the law in the Ministry of the Gospel and therefore shews the spirituall sins against the law more clearly and
a sinner as a sinner had need consider what they say for is it to a sinner as possest with Christ and receiving of him or as dispossest of Christ not having of him but rather refusing and rejecting of him If they say the first they then speak the truth but then they raze down their own pernicious principle that Christ and Gods love belongs to them As sinners If they affirm the latter then they do injuriously destroy Gods free grace and the glory of Christ who think to possesse promises without possessing Christ or to have promises of grace without having Christ the foundation of them all For though the common love of God as the bare offer of grace is may be manifested without having Christ yet speciall actuall love cannot be actually our own without having and first receiving of him And if the Spirit of God convince the world of sin and consequently of condemnation while they do not beleeve Ioh. 16.9 I wonder how it can then convince them of pardon of sin and reconciliation before they do beleeve unlesse we will imagine it to be a lying spirit which is blasphemous These things not considered of have and do occasion much errour at this day in the point of evidencing and hath been an inlet of deep delusion and open gaps have been made hereby to the loose waies and depths of Familism and grosse Arminianism and therefore being well considered of are sufficient to clear up the waies of those faithfull servants of the Lord who dare not sow pillows nor cry peace to the wicked much lesse to sinners as sinners both from the slanderous imputation of legall ministrations after an old Testament manner as also of making works the ground of faith or the causes of assurance of faith the free offer being the ground of the one and the free promise the cause and ground of the other Briefly therefore 1. The free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved 2. The receiving of this offer by faith relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse is the first evidence shewing why he is beloved or what hath moved God actually to love him 3. The worke of sanctification which is the fruit of our receiving this offer is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved If therefore a condemned sinner be asked whether God may love him and why he thinks so he may answer Because Jesus Christ is held forth and offered to such a one If he be further asked why or what he thinks should move God to love him he may answer Because I have received Christs righteousnesse offered for which righteousnesse sake only I know I am beloved now I have received it If he be asked lastly how he knows certainly that he is beloved he may answer safely and confidently Because I am sanctified I am poor in spirit therefore mine is the kingdom of heaven I do mourn and therefore I shall be comforted I do hunger and thirst and therefore I shall be satisfied c. We need in time of distresse and temptation all these evidences and therefore it is greatest wisdom to pray for that spirit which may clear them all up unto us rather then to contend which should be the first And thus we see that the whole morall law is our rule of life and consequently the law of the Sabbath which is a branch of this rule We now proceed to shew the third branch of things generally and primarily morall Thesis 120. Thirdly Not only a day nor only a rest day but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed and expressely interpreted in the Commandment to be the seventh day or a seventh day of Gods determining and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God is here also enjoined and commanded as generally morall For if a day be morall what day must it be If it be said that any day which humane wisdom shall determine whether one day in a hundred or a thousand or one day in many years if this only be generally morall then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination For it may be very unequall and unjust to give God one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use There is therefore something else more particularly yet primarily morall in this Command and that is The Sabbath day or such a day wherein there appears an equal division and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work a time for God and a time for man and that is a â—â—venth day which God determines A fit proportion of time for God is morall because equal man cannot determine nor set out this proportion God therefore only can and must A day therefore that he shall determine is morall and if he declares his determination to a seventh A seventh day is therefore morall Gomarus confesseth that by the Analogy of this Commandment not one day in a thousand or when man pleaseth but that one day in seven is morall at least equal fit and congruous to observe the same and if the Analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini or by vertue of Gods Commandment the cause is in effect yielded but if this Analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae so that humane liberty may do well to give God one in seven because the Jews did so and why should Christians be more scant then I see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annuall holy daies as well because the Jews had their new moons and yearly festivals and by Analogy thereof why may not Christians who have more grace poured out upon them and more love shewn unto them under the Gospel hold some meet proportion with them therein also as well as in Sabbaths But it can never be proved that God hath left any humane wisdom at liberty to make holy daies by the rule of Jewish proportions Beside if humane wisdom see it meet and congruous to give God at least one day in seven this wisdom and reason is either regulated by some law and then 't is by vertue of the law of God that he should have one day in seven or 't is not regulated by a law and then we are left to a loose end again for man to appoint what day he sees meet in a shorter or a longer time his own reason being his only law and this neither Gomaras nor the words of the Commandment will allow which sets and fixeth the day which we see is one day in seven which not man but God shall determine and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God Thesis 121. The hardest knot herein to unloose lies in this to know whether a seventh day in generall which God shall determine or that particular Seventh day from the creation be
time to be sanctified rather then a fifth a fourth or a ninth not simply because it was this seventh or a seventh but because in his wise determination thereof he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself and therefore I know no incongruity to affirm that if God had seen one day in three or four or nine to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other the Spirit of God not usually restraining where there is a liberty and on the other side if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh but having now fixed them to a seventh a seventh day is therefore morall rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time all things considered between God and man the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth is not an act of Gods meer will only as our adversaries affirm and therefore they think it not morall but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice viz. to give unto God that which is most fit most just and most equall and therefore although there is no naturall justice as Mr Primrose cals it in a seventh simply and abstractly considered rather then in a sixth or tenth yet if the most equall proportion of time for God be lotted out in a seventh there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time viz. to give God that proportion of time which is most just and most equall and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good according to the description of a morall law and not only good because it is commanded Thesis 131. 'T is true that in private duties of worship as to reade the Scriptures meditate pray c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word mans will in this sence is the measure of such times of worship but there is not the like reason here in determining time for a Sabbath as if that should be left to mans liberty also because those private duties are to be done in that time which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves which time is therefore there commanded where and when the duty is commanded but the time for a Sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action but it 's such a time as Counsell not nature sees most meet and especially That counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or Angels but of God himself for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the Sabbath seasons from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day c. as to alter and pick our times for pâ—ivate duties Thesis 132. There is a double reason of proposing Gods example in the fourth Command as is evident from the Commandment it self the first was to perswade the second was to direct 1. To perswade man so to labour six daies together as to give the seventh or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto God for so the example speaks God laboured six daies and rested the seventh therefore do you do the like 2. To direct the people of God to That particular Seventh which for that time when the Law was given God would have them then to observe and that was that Seventh which did succeed the six daies labour and therefore for any to make Gods example of rest on That Seventh day an argument that God commanded the observation of that Seventh day only is a groundlesse assertion for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies and give God the seventh which he should appoint as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time it 's granted it also pointed unto and therefore let the words in the Commandment be obseâ—ved and we shall finde mans duty 1. More generally set down viz. to labour six daies and dedicate the seventh unto God and then follows Gods perswasion hereunto from his own example who when he had a world to make and worke to doe he did labour six daies together and rested the seventh and thus a man is bound to do still but it doth not follow that he must rest that particular seventh only on which God then rested or that that seventh though we grant it was pointed unto was only aimed at in this example the binding power of all examples whatsoever and therefore of this being ad speciem actus as they call it to that kind of act and not to the individuum actionis only or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein If indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation and to rest a Seventh day in memoriall only of Gods rest and cessation from creation it might then carry a faire face as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends then to remember the six daies worke of God it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein so the Seventh day of rest is appointed for higher and larger ends as Didoclavius observes then onely to remember that notable rest of God from all his works it being a morall duty to rest the Seventh day in all holinesse Thesis 133. It was but accidentall and not of the essence of the Sabbath day that that particular Seventh from the creation should be the Sabbath for the Seventh day Sabbath being to be mans rest day it was therefore suitable to Gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe to encourage him thereunto for we know how strongly examples perswade now rest bâ—ing a cessation from labour it therefore supposes labour to goe before hence God could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the Sabbath because he did then but begin his labour nor could he take any the other daies because in them he had not finished his work nor rested from his labour therefore Gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary
rest as this and as afterward it sell out in the finishing of the work of redemption it might have been as well upon such a day as this but it was not then so and hence the rest day fell as it were accidentally upon this and hence it is that Gods example of rest on that particular day doth not necessarily binde us to observe the same seventh day morall examples not alway binding in their accidentals as the case is here although it be true that in their essentials they alway do Thesis 134. There is no strength in that reason that because one day in seven is to be consecrated unto God that therefore one yeere in seven is to be so also as of old it was among the Jewâ—â— for beside what hath been said formerly viz. that one yeere in seven was meerly ceremoniall one day in seven is not so saith Wallaeus but morall God gave no example whose example is onely in morall things of resting one yeere in seven but he did of resting one day in seven I say beside all this it is observable what Iunius notes herein The Lord saith he challengeth one day in seven jure creationis by right of creation and hence requires it of all men created but he challenged one yeere in seven jure peculiaris possessionis i. by right of peculiar possession the Land of Canaan being the Lords land in a peculiar manner even a type of Heaven which every other Country is not and therefore there is no reason that all men should give God one seventh yeer as they are to give him one seventh day By the observation of one day in seven saith he men professe themselves to be the Lords and to belong unto him who created and made them and this profession all men are bound unto but by observation of one yeere in seven they professed thereby that their Countrey was the Lords and themselves the Lords Tenants therein which all Countreys not being types of Heaven cannot nor ought to doe and therefore there is not the like reason urged to the observation of a seventh yeere as of a seventh day Thesis 135. Look therefore as 't is in the second Commandement although the particular instituted worship is changed under the Gospel from what it was under the Law yet the generall duty required therein of observing Gods own instituted worship is morall and unchangeable so t is in the fourth Commandement where though the particular day be changed yet the duty remains morall and unchangeable in observing a seventh day there is therefore no reason to imagine that the generall duty contained in this precept is not morall because the observance of the particular day is mutable and yet this is the fairest colour but the strongest refuge of lies which their cause hath who hold a seventh day to be meerly ceremoniall Thesis 136. If it be a morall duty to observe one day in seven then the observation of such a day no more infringeth Christian liberty then obedience to any other morall Law one part of our Christian liberty consisting in our conformity to it as our â—ondage consists in being left to sinne against it and therefore that argument against the morality of one day in seven is very feeble as if Christian liberty was hereby infringed Thesis 137. It was meet that God should have speciall service from man and therefore meet for himselfe to appoint a speciall time for it which time though it be a circumstance yet it s such a circumstance as hath a speciall influence into any businesse not onely humane but also divine and therefore if it be naturally it may be also ethically and morally good contributing much also to what is morally good and therefore the determination of such a time for length frequency and holinesse may be justly taken in among the morall Laws he that shall doubt of such a powerfull influence of speciall time for the furthering of what is specially good may look upon the art skill trade learning nay grace it self perhaps which he hath got by the help of the improvement of time a prophane and religious heart are seen and accounted of according to their improvements of time more or lesse in holy things Time is not therefore such a circumstance as is good only because commanded as the place of the Temple was but it is commanded because it is good because time nay much time reiterated in a weekly seventh part of time doth much advance and set forward that which is good Thesis 138. That Law which is an homogeneall part of the morall Law is morall but the fourth Commandment is such a part of the morall Law and therefore it is morall I do not say that that Law which is set and placed among the morall Laws in order of writing as our adversaries too frequently mistake us in that it is therefore morall for then it might be said as wel that the Sabbath is ceremoniall because it it is placed in order of writing among things ceremoniall Lev. 23. but if it be one link of the chain and an essentiall part of the morall Law then it s undoubtedly morall but so it is for its part of the Decalogue nine parts whereof all our adversaries we now contend with confesse to be morall and to make this fourth ceremoniall which God hath set in the heart of the Decalogue and commanded us to remember to keep it above any other Law seems very unlike to truth to a serene and sober minde not disturbed with such mud which usually lies at the bottome of the heart and turns light into darknesse and why one ceremoniall precept should be shuffled in among the rest which are of another tribe lineage and language hath been by many attempted but never soundly cleared unto this day surely if this Commandment be not morall then there are but nine Commandments left to us of the morall Law which is expresly contrary to Gods account Deut. 4. To affirm that all the commands of the Decalogue are morall yet every one in his proportion and degree and that this of the Sabbath is thus morall viz. in respect of the purpose and intent of the Lawgiver viz. That some time he set apart but not morall in respect of the letter in which it is exprest it is in some sence formerly explained true but in his sence who endeavours to prove the Sabbath ceremoniall while he saith it is morall is both dark and false for if it be said to be morall only in respect of some time to be set apart and this time an individuum vagum an indeterminate time beyond the verges of a seventh part of time then there is no more morality granted to the fourth Commandment then to the Commandment of building the temple and observing the new moons because in Gods command to build the Temple the generall purpose and intention of the Lawgiver was that some place be appointed for his publike worship and in commanding to
observe New Moons that some time be set apart for his worship and so there was no more necessity of putting Remember to keep the Sabbath holy then to remember to keep holy the new moons And look as the commandment to observe new moons cannot in reason be accounted a morall commandment because there is some generall morality in it viz. for to observe some time of worship so neither should this of the Sabbath be upon the like ground of some generall morality mixed in it and therefore for M Ironside to say that the law of the Sabbath is set among the rest of the morall precepts because it is mixtly ceremoniall having in it something which is morall which other ceremoniall commands he saith have not is palpably untrue for there is no ceremoniall law of observing Jewish moons and festivals but there was something generally morall in them viz. That in respect of the purpose and intention of the Law-giver some time be set apart for God just as he makes this of keeping the Sabbath Thesis 139. To imagine that there are but nine morall precepts indeed and that they are called ten in respect of the greater part according to which things are usually denominated is an invention of M. Primrose which contains a pernicious and poysonfull seed of making way for the razing out of the Decalogue more laws then one for the same answer will serve the turn for cashiering three or four more the greater part suppose six remaining morall according to which the denomination ariseth For although it be true that sometime the denomination is according to the greater part viz. when there is a necessity of mixing divers things together as in a heap of corn with much chaff or a Butt of wine where there be many lees yet there was no necessity of such a mixture and jumbling together of morals and ceremonials here M. Primrose tels us that he doth not reade in Scripture that all the Commandments are without exception called morall and therefore why may there not saith he be one ceremoniall among them But by this reason he may as well exclude all the other nine from being morall also for I reade not in Scripture that any one of them is stiled by that name Morall And although it be true which he saith That covenants among men consist sometime together of divers articles as also that Gods Covenant taken in some sence sometimes did so yet the Covenant of God made with all men as we shall prove the Decalogue is ought not to be so mingled neither could it be so without apparent contradiction viz. That here should be a covenant which bindeth all men in all things to observe it and yet some part of it being ceremoniall should not binde all men in all things it commands nor is there indeed any need of putting in one ceremoniall law considering how easily they are and may be reduced to sundry precepts of the morall law as appendices thereof without such shuffling as is contended for here Thesis 140. If this law be not morall why is it crowned with the same honour that the rest of the morall precepts are if its dignity be not equall with the rest Why hath it been exalted so high in equall glory with them Were the other nine spoken immediatly by the voice of God on mount Sinai with great terrour and majesty before all the people Were they written upon Tables of stone with Gods owne finger twice Were they put into the Arke as most holy and sacred so was this of the Sabbath also Why hath it the same honour if it be not of the same nature with the rest Thesis 141. Our adversaries turn every stone to make answer to this known argument and they tell us that it 's disputable and very questionable whether this law was spoken immediatly by God and not rather by Angels But let it be how it will be yet this law of the Sabbath was spoken and written and laid up as all the rest were and therefore had the same honour as all the rest had which we doubt not to be morall and yet I think it easie to demonstrate that this law was immediatly spoken by God and the reasons against it are long since answered by Iunius on Heb. 2.2 3. but it's uselesse here to enter into this controversie Thesis 142. Nor do I say that because the law was spoken by God immediatly that therefore it is morall for he spake with Abraham Iob Moses in the mount immediatly about other matters then morall laws but because he thus spake and in such a manner openly and to all people young and old Jews and Proselyte Gentiles then present with such great glory and terrour and majesty Surely it stands not saith holy Brighâ—man with the majesty of the universall Lord who is God not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles speaking thus openly not privately and gloriously and most immediatly to prescribe laws to one people only which were small in number but wherewith all nations alike should be governed Mr Ironside indeed thinks that the Lord had gone on to have delivered all the other ceremonials in the like manner of speech from the mount but that the fear and cry of the people that he would speak no more to them stopt him but the contrary is most evident viz. that before the people cried out the Lord made a stop of himself and therefore is said to adde no more Deut. 5.22 It was a glory of the Gospel above all other messages in that it was immediatly spoken by Christ Heb. 1.2 2.3 and so Gods immediate publication of the morall law puts a glory and honour upon it above any other laws and therefore while Mr Ironside goes about to put the same honour upon ceremoniall laws he doth not a little obscure and cast dishonour upon those that are morall by making this honour to be common with ceremoniall and not proper only to morall laws Thesis 143. Nor do I say that the writing of the law on stone argues it to be morall for some laws not morall were mediatly writ on stone by Ioshuah Josh. 8.32 but because it was writ immediatly by the finger of God on such Tables of stone and that not once but twice not on paper or parchment but on stone which argues their continuance and not on stone in open fields but on such stone as was laid up in the Ark a place of most safety being most sacred and a type of Christ who kept this law and upon whose heart it was writ Psal. 40.6 7. to satisfie justice and to make just and righteous before God all that shall be saved of all whom the righteousnesse of this Law according to justice was to be exacted what doe these things argue but at least thus much that if any Law was to be perpetuated this surely ought so to be Mr. Primrose tels us that the writing upon stone did not signifie continuance of
Our Saviour indeed doth not speak particularly about the law of the Sabbath as he doth of killing and adultery c. but if therefore it be not morall because not spoken of here then neither the first second or fift command are morall because they are not expresly opened in this Chapter for the scope of our Saviour was to speak against the Pharisaicall interpretations of the Law in curtalling of it in making grosse murder to be forbidden but not anger adultery to be forbidden but not lust which evil they were not so much guilty of in point of the Sabbath but they rather made the Phylacteries of it too broad by overmuch strictnesse which our Saviour therefore elsewhere condemns but not a word tending to abolish this Law of the Sabbath Thesis 150. If therefore the Commandment is to be accounted morall which the Gospel reinforceth and commends unto us according to Mr. Primrose principles then the fourth Commandment may wel come into the account of such as are morall but the places mentioned and cleared out of the New Testament evince thus much The Lord Jesus comming not to destroy the Law of the Sabbath but to establish it and of the breach of which one Law he that is guilty is guilty of the breach of all Thesis 151. If the observation of the Sabbath had been first imposed upon man since the fall and in speciall upon the people of the Jews at mount Sinai there might be then some colour and reason to cloath the Sabbath with rags and the worn-out garments of ceremonialnesse but if it was imposed upon man in innocency not only before all types and ceremonies but also before all sin and upon Adam as a common person as a Commandement not proper to that estate nor as to a particular person and proper to himselfe then the morality of it is most evident our adversaries therefore lay about them here that they might drive the Sabbath out of Paradise and make it a thing altogether unknown to the state of innocency which if they cannot make good their whole frame against the morality of the Sabbath fals flat to the ground and therefore it is of no small consequence to clear up this truth viz. That Adam in innocency and in him all his posterity were commanded to sanctifie a weekly Sabbath Thesis 152. One would thinke that the words of the Text Gen. 2.2 3. were so plain to prove a Sabbath in that innocent estate that there could be no evasion made from the evidence of them for it is expresly said that the dâ—y the Lord rested the same day the Lord blessed and sanctified but we know he rested the Seventh day immediatly after the Creation and therefore he immediately blessed and sanctified the same day also for the words runne copulatively he rested the Seventh day and he blessed and sanctified that day but its strange to see not only what odde evasions men make from this cleare truth but also what curious Cabilismes and fond interpretations men make of the Hebrew Text the answer to which learned Rivet hath long since made which therefore I mention not Thesis 153. The words are not thus copulative in order of story but in order of time I say not in order of story and discourse for so things far distant in time may â—e coupled together by this copulative particle And as Mr. Primrose truly shews Exod. 16.32 33. 1 Sam. 17.54 but they are coupled and knit together in respect of time for it is the like phrase which Moses immediatly after useth Gen. 5.1 2. where t is said God created man in his Image and blessed them and called their names c. which were together in time so t is here the time God rested that time God blessed for the scope of the words Gen 2.1 2 3. is to shew what the Lord did that seventh day after the finishing of the whole creation in six daiâ—s and that is He blessed and sanctified it For look as the scope of Moses in making mention of the six daies orderly was to shew what God did every particular day so what else should be the scope in making mention of the seventh day unlesse it was to shew what God did then on that day and that is he then rested and blessed and sanctified it even then in that state of innocency Thesis 154. God is said Gen. 2.1 2 3. to blesse the Sabbath as he blessed other creatures but he blessed the creatures at that time they were made Gen. 1.22 28. and therefore he blessed the Sabbath at that time he rested Shall Gods work be presently blessed and shall his rest be then without any Was Gods rest a cause of sanctifying the day many hundred yeers after as our adversaries say and was theâ—e not as much cause then when the memory of the creation was most fresh which was the fittest time to remember Gods work in M. Primrose tels us that the creatures were blessed with a present benediction because they did constantly need it but there was no necessity he saith that man should solemnize the seventh as soon as t is made but as we shall shew that man did then need a speciall day of blessing so t is a sufficient ground of believing that then God blessed the day when there was a full and just and sufficient cause of blessing which is Gods resting it being also such a cause as was not peculiar to the Jews many hundred yeers after but common to all mankinde Thesis 155. The Rest of God which none question to be in innocency immediatly after the creation was either a naturall rest as I may call it that is a bare cessation from labour or a holy rest i. a rest set apart in exemplum or for example and for holy uses but it was not a naturall rest meerly for then it had been enough to have said that at the end of the sixt day God rested but we see God speaks of a day the seventh day God hath rested with a naturall rest or cessation from creation ever since the end of the first sixt day of the world untill now why then is it said that God rested the seventh day Or why is it not rather said that he began his rest on that day but that it is limited to a day Certainly this argues that he speaks not of naturall rest meerly or that which ex natura reâ— follows the finishing of his work for it 's then an unfit and improper speech to limit Gods rest within the ciâ—cle of a day and therefore he speaks of a holy rest then appointed for holy uses as an example for holy rest which may well be limited within the compasse of a day and hence it undeniably follows that if God rested in innocency with such a rest then the seventh day was then sanctified it being the day of holy rest Thesis 156. It cannot be shewn that ever God made himself an example of any act but that in the present
holy Ghost Rev. 22. yet it 's a grosse mistake and most absurd to make every metaphor or similitude and allusion to be a type for the husbandman sowing of the seed is a similitede of preaching of the word Mat. 13. and yet it 's no type of it an effectionate lover and husband is in sundry Scriptures a similitude and resemblance of Christs affection and love to his Church and spouse the head and members of mans body are similitudes of Christ the head and the Church his members but will any affirm that these are also types of Christ and just thus was Paradise and the Tree of life in it they were similitudes to which the holy Ghost alludes in making mention of Christ and his Church but they were no types of them there was typus fictus in them or arbitrarius which is all one with a similitude but there was no Typus destinatus therein being never purposely ordained to shadow out Christ for the Covenant of works by which Adam was to live is directly contrary to the Covenant of grace by faith in Christ Rom. 11.6 by which we are to live Christ is revealed only in the Covenant of grace and therefore could not be so revealed in the Covenant of works directly contrary thereunto Adam therfore was not capable of any types then to reveal Christ to him of whom the first Covenant cannot speak and of whom Adam stood in no need no not so much as to confirm him in that estate for with leave I think that look as Adam breaking the first Covenant by sinne he is become immutably evill and miserable in himself according to the rule of justice in that Covenant so suppose him to have kept that Covenant all his posterity had been immutably happy and holy not meerly by grace but by the same equity and justice of that first Covenant and hence it follows that he stood in no need of Christ or any Revelation of him by types no not to confirm him in that Covenant I know in some sence whatever God communicates to his creature in way of justice may be saîd to be conveyed in a way of grace if grace be taken largly for that which is conveyed out of Gods free will and good pleasure as all things in the world are even to the acceptance of that wherein there is most merit and that is Christs death and satisfaction for sinne but this is but to play with words for it 's clear enough by the Apostles verdict that grace strictly taken is opposite to works Rom. 11.6 the law of works which only reveals doing and life to the law of faith which only reveals Christ and life under which Covenant of grace Adam was not and therefore had no types then to shadow out Christ to say that Paradise and the Tree of life were types by way of anticipation as some lately affirm is as much as to say that they were not types then and therefore neither these nor the Sabbath were Ceremoniall then and that is sufficient for what we aim at only 't is observable that this unsound expression leads into more palpable errours for as they make the Tree of life Typicall by Anticipation so they make the marriage of Adam and Eve and consequently the marriage of all mankinde typicall and then why should not all marriages cease when Christ the Antitype is come nay they make the rivers and precious stones and gold in Paradise thus Typicall of Christ and his Church Rev. 21. and then why may they not make the Angels in heaven Typicall because men on earth who pour out the Vials are resembled to them and why may not men riding upon white Horses be typicall because Christ is so resembled Rev. 19.11 Pererius who collects out of Hugo de vict a type of the whole new Creation in all the works of six daies first Creation may please himself as other Popish Proctors do with such like shady speculations and Phantasmes and so bring in the Seventh day for company to be Typicall also but a good and healthfull stomack should be exceeding fearfull of a little feeding on such windy meat nor do I think that Hugo's new creation is any more Antitypicall to the first six daies Creation then Damascenes types in the fourth Commandment who makes Thou thy son thy daughter thy servant the stranger to be types of our sinfull affections of spirit and the oxe and the asse figures of the flesh and sensuall partâ— both which he saith must rest upon the Sabbath day Thesis 179. If therefore the Sabbath was given to Adam in innocency before all types nay before the least promise of Christ whom such types must shadow forth then it cannot be in its first and native institution typicall and ceremoniall but morall and therefore in it's first and originall institution of which we speak it did not typifie either our rest in Christ from sinne in this life or our rest with God in heaven in another life or any other imagined rest which mans wit can easily invent and invest the Sabbath with but look as our Saviour in reforming the abuses in marriage câ—ls us to the first institution so to know what is perpetuall in the Sabbath it 's most safe to have recourse hither which when it was first observed we see was no way typicall but morall and if man no way clogg'd with sin and earth had then need of a Sabbath have not we much more Thesis 180. As before the Fall the Sabbath was originally and essentially morall so after the fall it became accidentally typicall i. it had a type affixed to it though of it's own nature it neither was nor is any type at all God affixed a farther end unto it after the Fall to be of farther use to type out somewhat to Gods people while in the substance of it it remaineth morall and hence it is that a Seventh day remains morall and to be observed but not that Seventh day which was formerly kept nor have we that end of resting which was under the Law but this end only that we might more immediatly and specially converse with God which was the main end of the Sabbaths rest before mans fall for if the Sabbath had been essentially typicall then it should be abolished wholly and no more remembrance of it then of new moones and Jubilees but because it was for substance morall being extant before the fall and yet had a type affixed to it after the fall hence a Seventh day is still preserved but that Seventh day is now abolished and hence new moons and other Jewish Festivals as they are wholly Ceremoniall in their birth so they are wholly abolished without any change of them into other daies as this of the Sabbath is in their very being Thesis 181. There are sundry Scriptures alledged to prove the Sabbath to be typicall and ceremoniall out of the old and new Testament as Isa. 66.23 Gal 4.10 Rom. 14.4 5. Col. 2.16 but if
those his messengers as preach peace yet me thinks it argues great blindnesse in those men who plead for a morality in a tenth pigge or sheaf of corn and yet will acknowledge no morality in a Seventh day Thesis 207. I shall therefore conclude and shut up these things with answer to M. Carpenters and Heylins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an argument against the Sabbath which they have gone compassing the whole earth and heavens about to finde out never heard of till their daies and now it 's brought to light I would not make mirth with it as some have done and left the scruple untoucht but in words of sobriety and seriousnesse and plainnesse If the Sabbath or Lords day say they be morall then the morall Law is subject to manifold mutation because the nations issuing out of Noahs ark spread themelves from thence over the face of the whole earth some farther some at a shorter distance whereby changing the longitude with their habitation they must of necessity alter the differences of times neither can any exactly and precisely observe any one day either as it was appointed by Moses or as it was instituted by Christs Apostles afterwards by reason of the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of nations from one region into another whereby the times must necessarily be supposed to vary The answer is ready and easie viz. Although the nations issued out of Noahs ark and spread themselves over the face of the whole earth some farther some at a shorter distance and thereby changing their longitude altered the differences of time some beginning the day sooner some later yet they might observe the same day for the day is regulated and measured by the Sun and the Sun comes to one meridian sooner or later then to another and hence the day begins in one place sooner or later then in another and so the beginning of the day is respectively varied but yet the day it self remains unchangeably the same what though our countreymen in old England begin their Sabbath above 4. hours before us in new they beginning at their evening we at our evening yet both may and do observe the same day all nations are bound to keep holy a Seventh part of time but that time must be regulated by the Sun neither is it necessary that the same individuall 24. hours should be observed by all but the same day as it is measured by the Sun in this or that place which may begin in places more easterly many hours sooner then in other places more westerly a day is not properly time but a measure of time and therefore the manifold transportation of Colonies and transmigration of nations from one region unto another hinder not at all but that they may exactly and precisely observe the same day which was instituted and appointed for although the time of the beginning of the day be varied yet the day it self is not cannot be varied or changed Now whereas they say that if any man should travell the world about a whole day must needs be varied and if two men from the same place travell the one Eastward the other Westward round about the earth and meet in the same place again they shall finde that he who hath gone Eastward hath gotten and the other going Westward hath lost a day in their account yea the Hollanders after their discovery of Fretum de Mayre comming home to their countrey found by comparing their accounts with thtir countreymen at home that they had lost a day having gone Westward and so compassed the earth round I answet what though a traveller varying perpetually the quantity of the day by reason of his continuall moving with or against the Suns motion in time get or loose a day in his account is the day therefore of it's own nature variable or changeable God hath placed the Sun in the Firmament and appointed it for times and seasons and in speciall for the regulating of the day and as the motion of the Sun is constant so there is an ordinary and constant succession of daies without variation for unlesse the Suns course be changed the day which is regulated by it is not changed Now if any shall travell round about the world and so anticipate or second the diurnall motion of the Sun and thereby varying continually the quantity of the day at length gain or loose a day according to their reckoning they may and ought then to correct their accounts Gregory the 13. having found the Julian year to be too great for the Motion of the Sun cut off ten daies by which the AEquinoxes and Solstices had anticipated their proper places that so the year might be kept at it's right periods and is it not as good reason that a traveller who opposing the Suns diurnall course continually shortens somewhat of his day till at last in compassing the earth round he gains a whole day should cut off in his accounts that day which he hath gained by anticipating the Suns course and so rectifie his account of the day For in every region and countrey whatsoever and howsoever situate as men are to begin the day at that time when the day naturally begins in that place so likewise they are to reckon and count the daies as they are there regulated and ordered by the Sun and that should be the first or second day of the week to them which is naturally the first or second day of the week to that place where they are and thus their doubts are easily satisfied when they return to the place from whence they first came But if any shall say it 's very difficult for men thus to rectifie their accounts and to observe that time in every place which was at first instituted and it 's probable that the nations in their severall transmigrations and transportations never used any such course The answer is obvious mens weaknesse or neglect and carelessenesse to do what they ought is not a sufficient argument to prove that not to be their duty besides 't is not probable that any nations were thus put to it to travell round about the whole earth although some particular persons in this later age have sailed round about it and therefore could not vary a whole day possibly but going some Eastward some Westward some Southward some Northward they spread themselves over the face of the whole earth some at a shorter some at a farther distance and so some began the day sooner some later and yet all as hath been shewn might observe the same day the morality of the Sabhath is not built upon Astronomicall or Geometricall principles and therefore it cannot fall by any shady speculations so far fetcht Here ends the Morality of the fourth Commandment The Change of the Sabbath follows THE CHANGE OF THE SABBATH Wherein the true Grounds of the Change of the Day are plainly opened Sundry Scriptures also usually alledged for this Change are more fully cleared and vindicated from
observe it in respect of the Churches Custome and constitution as some pretend why may not the Chuâ—ches Commandment be a rule of obedience in a thousand things else as well as in this and so introduce Will-Worship and to serve God after the tradition of men which God abhors Thesis 4. The observation of the first day of the weeke for the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the force of the fourth Commandment as strongly as the observation of the media cultus or means of worship now under the New Testament doth from the force of the second Commandment only let this be supposed that the day is now changed as we shall hereafter prove as also that the worship it self is changed by divine institution for Gospel-institutions when they be appointed by divine and soveraign Authority yet they may then be observed and practised by vertue of some morall Law The Gospel appointed new Sacraments but we are to use them by vertue of the second Commandment so here the Gospel appoints a new seventh day for the Sabbath but it stands by vertue of the fourth Commandment and therefore the observation of it is not an Act of Christian Liberty but of Christian duty imposed by divine Authâ—rity and by vertue of the moral Law Thesis 5. For the morality of the fourth Commandment as hath been proved being preserved in observing not that Sabbath only nor yet a Sabbath meerly when man sees meet but in observing the Sabbath i. e. such a Sabbath as is determined and appointed of God which may therefore be either the first or last of the seven dayes Hence it is that the first of the seven if it be determined and instituted of God under the New Testament ariseth equally from the fourth Commandment as the last seventh day did under the old Testament and therefore it is no such piaculum nor delusion of the common People as Mr. Brabourne would make it to put the Title of the Lords Sabbath upon the Lords day and to call it the Sabbath day for if it be borne out of the same wombe the first seventh was if it arise I mean from the same Commandment Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day why may it not bear the name of the Sabbath nâ—w as the first-born did in former times Thesis 6. If the Lord would have man to worke six dayes together according to his own example and the morality of the fourth Commandement that so a seventh day determined by himselfe might be observed Hence it is that neither two Sabbaths in a week can stand with the morality of the fourth Commandement nor yet could the former Sabbath be justly changed into any other day then into the first day of the week the first day could not belong to the week before for then there should be eight days in a week and if it did belong to the week following then if we suppose that the second day had been the Sabbath there must be one working day viz. the first day to go before it and five working dayes after it and so there should not nor could not be six working dayes continued together that the seventh might be the Lords according to the morality of the fourth Commandement And hence it is that no Humane or Ecclesiasticall power can change the Sabbath to what day of the week they please from the first which now is Thesis 7. It should not seem an uncouth Phrase or a hard saying to call the first day of the weeke a seventh or the seventh day for though it be the first absolutely in order of existence from the Creation yet relatively in way of relation and in respect of the number of seven in a week it may be invested with the name and title of a seventh even of such a seventh as may lawfully be câ—owned and annointed to be the Sabbath day for look as Noah though he was the first in order of yeares and dignity of entrance into the Ark yet he is called the eight 2 Pet. 2.5 in that he was one of them as the learned observe qui octonarium numerum perficiebant or who made up the number of eight so it is in respect of the first day which in divers respects may be called the first and yet the seventh also Mr. Brabournes Argument therefore is of no solidity who goes about to prove the Christian Sabbath to be no Sabbath Because That Sabbath which the fourth Commandement injoynes is called the seventh day but all the Evangelists cal the Lords day the first day of the week not the seventh day For he should remember that the same day in divers respects may be called the first day and yet the seventh day for in respect of its naturall existence and being it may be and is called the first day and yet in respect of divine use and application it may be and is called the seventh day even by vertue of the fourth Commandement which is the Lords day which is confessed to be the first day Thesis 8. For although in numero numerante as they call it i. e. in number numâ—â—ing there can be but one seventh which immediately follows the number six yet in numero numerato i. e. in number numbred or things which are numbred as are the dayes of the week any of the seven may be so in way of relation and proportion As suppose seven men stand together take the last man in order from the other six who stand about him and he is the seventh so againe take the first in order and set him apart from the six who stand below him and if the number of them who are taken from him make up the number of six he then may and must necessarily be called the seventh Just thus it is in the dayes of the week the first Sabbath from the Creation might be called the seventh day in respect of the six dayes before it and this first day of the week may be called the seventh day also in respect of the six working dayes together after it That may be called the last seventh this the first seventh without any absurdity of account which some would imagine and if this first day of the week is called the eight day according to Ezekiels Prophesie of Evangelicall times and his reckoning onward from the Creation Ezek. 43.27 why may it not then in other respects put on the name of a seventh day also Thesis 9. The reason why the Lord should depose the last seventh and exalt and crowne the first of seven to be the day of the Christian Sabbath is not so well considered and therefore to be here narrowly examined For as for those Easterne Christians who in the primitive times observed two Sabbaths in a week the Jewish and the Christian doubtlesse their milke sod over and their zeale went beyond the Rule The number of Jewes who were beleevers and yet too too zealous of their old customes we know did fill those places in their dispersion and before more then
of the institution of it some time after that work was Past. Thesis 16. The sinne and fall of man having defaced and spoyled de jure though not de facto the whole worke of Creation as that learned Bishop well observes It was not so meet therefore that the Sabbath should be ever kept in respect of that work but rather in respect of this new Creation or Restoration of all things by Christ after the actuall Accomplishment thereof in the day of his Resurrection But look as God the father having created the world in six dayes he rested therefore and sanctified the seventh So this work being spoiled and marred by mans sin and the new Creation being finished and ended the Lord therefore rested the first day of the week and therefore sanctified it Thesis 17. The fourth commandment gives in the reason why God sanctified the seventh day from the Creation viz. because God rested on that day and as it is in Exod. 31.17 was refreshed in it that is took a complacency and delight in his 〈◊〉 so done and so finished But the sin of man in falling from his first Creation made God repent that ever he made man Gen. 6. and consequently the world for man and therefore it tooke off that complacency or rest and refreshing in this his work if therefore the Lord betake himselfe to work a new work new Creation or Renovation of all things in and by his Son in which he will for ever Rest may not the day of his rest be then justly changed into the first of seven on which day his rest in his new work began whereof he will never repent If the Lord vary his rest may not be vary the time and day of it nay must not the time and day of our rest be varied because the ground of Gods rest in a new work is changed Thesis 18. As it was no necessary duty therefore perpetually to observe that seventh day wherein God first rested because his rest on that day is now changed so also it is not necessary orderly to observe those six dayes of labour wherein He first laboured and built the world of which for the sin of man he is said to have repented yet notwithstanding though it be no necessary duty to observe those particular six dayes of labour and that seventh of Rest yet it is a morall duty as hath been proved to observe six dayes for labour and a seventh for Rest and hence it follows that although the Lord Christs Rest on the Day of his Resurrection the first day of the week might and may justly be taken as a ground of our rest on the same day yet his labour in the work of Redemption three and thirty yeers and upward all the dayes of his life and humiliation could not nor cannot justly be made the ground or example of our labour so as we must labour and worke thirty three yeeres together before we keep a Sabbath the Day of Christs Rest. Because although God could alter and change the Day of Rest without infringment of the Morality of the fourth Commandment Yet he could not make the example of Christs labour thirty three yeers together the ground or example of our continuance in our work without manifest breach of that Morall Rule viz. That man shal have six dayes together for labour the seventh for Rest. For man may rest the first day of the week and withall observe six dayes for labour and so keep the fourth Commandment but he cannot labour 33. yeers together and then keep a Sabbath without apparent breach of the same Commandment and therefore that Argument of Master Brabourne against 〈◊〉 Christian Sabbath meltâ— into Vanity wherein he urgeth an equity of the Change of the Dayes of our 〈◊〉 either three Dayes onely together as Christ did lie in the grave or 33. yeers together as he did all the dayes of his Humiliation in case we will make a Change of the Sabbath from the Change of the Day of Christs Rest. And yet I confesse ingenuously with him that if the Lord had not instituted the first Day of the week to be our Christian Sabbath all these and such like arguings and reasonings were invalid to prove a Change for mans reason hath nothing to do to Change dayes without Divine appointment and institution these things onely I mention why the wisdome of God might well alter the Day The proofs that he hath changed it shall follow in due place Thesis 19. The Resurrection of Christ may therefore be one ground not onely of the Sanctification of the Christian Sabbath but also a sufficient ground of the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath For first the greater light may darken the lesse and a greater work as the Restoration of the World above the Creation of it may overshadow the lesse Ierem 23.7 8. Exod. 12.2 Secondly Mans sinne spoyled the first Rest and therefore the day of it might be justly abâ—ogated For the horrible wrath of God had been immediatly poured out upon man as might be proved and as it was upon the lapsed Angels and consequently upon all Creatures for mans sake if Christ had not given the Father Rest for whose sake the world was made Revel 4.11 and by whose meanes and mediation the World continues as now it doth Ioh. 5.22 Thesis 20. Yet although Christs Resurrection be one ground not onely of the Institution of the new Sabbath but also of the abrogation of the Old yet it is not the onely ground why the Old was abrogated For as hath been shewen there was some type affixed to the Jewish Sabbath by reason of which there was just cause to abrogate or rather as Calvin calls it to translate the Sabbath to another Day And therefore this dasheth another of Mr. Brabournes dreames who argues the continuance of the Jewish Sabbath because there is a possibility for all Nations still to observe it For saith he cannot we in England as well as they at Jerusalem remember that Sabbath Secondly rest in it Thirdly Keep it holy Fourthly keep the whole day holy Fifthly the last of seven Sixthly and all this in imitation of God Could no Nation saith he besides the Iewes observe these six things Yes verily that they could in respect of naturall ability but the question is not what men may or might do but what they ought to do and should do For besides the change of Gods Rest through the work of the Sonne there was a Type affixed to that Jewish Sabbath for which cause it may justly vanish at Christs death as well as other types in respect of the affixed Type which was but accidentall and yet be continued and preserved in another Day being originally and essentially Moral A Sabbath was instituted in Paradise equally honoured by God in the Decalogue with all other Moral Lawes foretold to continue in the dayes of the Gospel by Ezekiel and Isaiah Ezek. 43. ult Isa. 56.4.6 and commended by Christ who bids his people
pray that their flight may not be in the winter or Sabbath-day as it were easie to open these places against all Cavils and therefore it is for substance Moral Yet the word Sabbatisme Heb. 4.9 and the Apostles gradation from yeerely Holy-dayes to monthly new-moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths which are called shadowes of things to come Colos. 2.16 seemes strongly to argue some type affixed to those individual Sabbaths or Jewish seventh dayes and hence it is perhaps that the Sabbath is set among Moral Lawes in the Decalogue being originally and essentially Moral and yet is set among ceremonial Feast-dayes Levit. 23.2 3. because it is accidentally typical And therefore Mr. Brabourne need not raise such a dust and cry out Oh monstrous very strange what a mingle-mangle what a hâ—tch-potch have we here what a confusion and jumbling of things so farre distant as when Morals and Ceremonials are here mingled together No verily we do not make the fourth Commandment essentially Ceremonial but being acidentally so why may it notwithstanding this be mingled among the rest of the Morals Let one solid reason be given but away with words Thesis 21. If the question be what Type is affixed and annexed to the Sabbath I think it difficult to find out although mans wanton wit can easily allegorize and readily frame imaginations enough in this point Some thing it typified Christs Rest in the grave but I feare this will not hold no more then many other Popish conjectures wherein their allegorizing Postillers abound Bullinger and some others think that it was Typical in respect of the peculiar Sacrifices annexed to it which Sacrifices were Types of Christ Numb 28.9 And although much might be said for this against that which Mr. Brabourne replies yet I see nothing cogent in this for the multiplying of Sacrifice which were 〈…〉 on this Day proves rather a specialty of worshipping God more aboundantly on this Day then any Ceremonialnesse in it for if the offering of Sacrifices meerly should make a day Ceremonial why did it not make every Day Ceremonial in respect of every dayes offering of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice Some think that our Rest upon the Sabbath not God the Fathers Rest as Mr. Brabourne turnes it was made not onely a resemblance but also a Type of our Rest in Christ of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.3 which is therefore called a Sabbatisme vâ—r 9. or a keeping of a Sabbath at the word signifies What others would inferre from this place to make the Sabbath to be meerly Cermonial and what Mr. Brabourne would answer from hence that it is not at all Ceremonial may both of them be easily answered here again as already they have been in some of the former Theses Some scruples I see not yet through about this text inforce me herein to be silent and therefore to leave it to such as think they may defend it as one ground of some affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 22. Learned Iunius goes before us herein and points out the Type affixed to that Sabbath For besides the first institution of it in Paradise he makes two other causes which he calls Accessory or affixed and added to it 1. One was Civill or Civil that men and beasts might rest from their toilsome labour every week 2. Ceremoniall or Ceremonial for their solemne Commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt which we know typified our deliverance by Christ Deut. 5.15 Some think indeed that their deliverance out of Egypt was upon the Sabbath day but this I do not urge because though it be very probable yet it is not certaine onely this is certaine that they were to Sanctifie this Day because of this their Deliverance and 't is certaine this Deliverance was Typical of our deliverance by Christ and hence 't is certaine that there was a Type affixed to this Sabbath and because the Scripture is so plain and expresse in it I 〈◊〉 inclined to think the same which Iunius doth that this is the Type rather then any other I have yet heard of against which I know many things may be objected onely it may be sufficient to clear up the place against that which Mr. Brabourne answerâ— to it Thesis 23. The Deliverance 〈◊〉 of Egypt saith he is not 〈…〉 as the ground of the Institution of the Sabbath but onely as a motive to the observation thereof as it was more generall in the Preface to the Decalogue to the obedience of every other command which notwithstanding are not Ceremonial for God saith I am the Lord who brought thee out of Egypt therefore keepe thou the first the second the third the fifth the sixth as well as the fourth Commandment and therefore saith he we may make every Commandment Ceremonial as well as the Sabbath if the motive of deliverance out of Egypt makes the Sabbath to be so This is the substance and sinewes of his discourse herein and I confesse its true their Deliverance out of Egypt was not the first ground of the institution of it but Gods Rest after his six dayes labour yet it was such a ground as we contend for viz. a secondary and an annexed or affixed ground And that it was not a Motive only to observe that day as it is in the Preface to the Decalogue but a superadded ground of it may appear from this one consideration viz. because that very ground on which the Lord urgeth the observation of the Sabbath in Exod. 20.11 it is wholly left out in the repetition of the Law Deut. 5.15 and their deliverance out of Egypt put into the rome thereof for the ground in Exod. 20.11 is this Six daies God made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day and sanctified it but instead of these words and of this ground we finde other words put into their roome Deut. 5.15 Remember thou wast a servant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord brought thee out thence with a mighty hand therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to Keepe the Sabbath Which seems to argue strongly that these words are not a meer Motive but another ground of the observation of the Sabbath And why might not the generall Motive in the Preface of the Decalogue serve as a sufficient Motive to the obedience of this Commandment if there was no more but a Motive in these words of Deutr. and therefore I suppose this was also the ground and affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 24. But still the difficulty remains for Master Brabourne will say that those were but humane reasons but what ground is there from Scripture for the institution of another Sabbath as well as of the abrogation of the old which if it be not cleared I confesse this cause sinks here therefore let it be again observed that we are not to expect such evidence from Scripture concerning this Change as fond and humorous wit sometimes pleads for In this controversie namely That Christ should 〈◊〉
practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace which once shined in the German Churches by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say this is your misery for this your provoking sin Scotland knows best her own integrity whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular But England hath had the name and worn this Garland of glory wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches But how hath that little flock of slaughter which hath wept for it and preacht and printed and done and suffered for it beene hated and persecuted who have been the scorne and shame and reproach of men but a company of poor weaklings for going out a few miles to hear a faithful painful Preacher from those idle Shepheards who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse or extream idlenesse And now since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors and set his people at liberty to returne to Sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old and hath given to them the desires of their hearts that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will without any to reproach them at least to countenance such reproaches of them now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation swiming in their teares and prayers and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulnes for these and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse and bid this dear and precious friend welcome and lie and rest in their bosome and so I doubt not but that England hath yet may a corner ful of such precious Jewels to whom Gods Sabbathâ— are yet most precious and glorious and who cannot easily forget such blessed seasons and meanes in them whereby if ever the Lord did good unto them they have been so oft refreshed and wherein they have so oft seen God wherein they have so oft met with him and he with them but whose heart will it not make to relent and sigh to hear of late a company not of ignorant debosht persons malignants prelatical and corrupt and carnal men but of such who have many of them in former times given great hopes of some feare of God and much love to Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths and now what hurt the Sabbaths Ordinances of the Lord Jesus therein have done them I know not but it would break ones heart to see what little care there is to sanctifie the Sabbath even by them who think in their judgments that the day is of God What poore preparation for it either in themselves or families what little care to profit by it or to instruct and catehize their families and to bring them also it love with it what secret wearinesse and dead-heartednesse almost wholly unlamented remains upon them what earthly thoughts what liberty in speech about any worldly matter presently after the most warning Sermon is done that the Lord Jesus hath scarce good carcasses and outsides brought him which cannot but threaten more crows to pick them unlesse they repent and yet this is not so sad as to see the loosenesse of mens judgments in this point of the Sabbath whereby some think a Sabbath lawful but not necessary in respect of any command of God nay some think it superstition to observe a weekly Sabbath which should be every day as they imagine they have allegorized Gods Sabbaths and almost all Gods Ordinances out of the world and cast such pretended Antichristian filth and pollution upon them that spiritual men must not now meddle with them nay verily all duties of the moral Law and fruitful obedience and holy walking and sanctification graces and humiliation and such like are the secret contempt of many and the base drudgery for a â—ll-horse and legal Christian rather then for one that is of an Evangelical frame and herein Satan now appears with the ball at his foot and seems to threaten in time to carry all before him and to kick and carry Gods precious Sabbaths out of the world with him and then farewel dear Lord Jesus with all thy sweet love and life if Sabbaths be once taken from us by the blind and bold disputings of wretched men authority as yet upholds them which is no small mercy and the savour of Christs sweetnesse in them and the external brightnesse of the beauty of them do still remaine on many with that strength and glory that it is not good policy for the prince of darknesse now to imploy all his forces against the gates of the Sabbath but the time hastens wherein the assault will be great and fierce and I much fear that for the secret contempt of these things the Lord in dreadful justice will strengthen delusions about this day to break forth and prosper and then pray you poor Saints of God and hidden ones that your flight may not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day but woe then to them that give suâ—k woe then to the high Ministry that should have kept these gates woe then to that loose and wanton generation rising up who think such outward formes and observation of dayes to be too course and too low and mean a work for their enobled spirits which are now raised higher and neerer God then to look much after Sabbaths or Ordinances graces or duties or any such outward forms for I doubt not but if after all the light and glory shining in England concerning Gods Sabbaths if yet they are not thereby become precious but that the Lord will make them so by his plagues if this sin once get head God will burne up the whole world and make himself-dreadful to all flesh untill he hath made unto himself a holy people and a humble people that shall love the dust and take pleasure in the very stones of his house and love the place where his Honour dwels and long for the time wherein his presence and blessing shall appear and be poured out upon the Sabbath day It 's matter of the greatest mourning that they above all other should trouble Gods rest wherein perhaps their souls have found so much rest or might have done that in these times wherein the Lord Jesus was coming out to give unto his house his Ordinances and unto his people his Sabbaths and dayes of rest every way that now they above all others should offer to pull them out of his hand tread them under foot and hereby teach all the prophane rout in the world to do the like with a quiet conscience and without any check by their reasonings that now when
out the rest of three daies in the grave and why may not Christs rest from labour in his sleep be as well the antitype as Christs rest from the actions of this life in his grave Thesis 188. Why may not our labour in the six daies be made a type of our labouâ—ing in sin as well as the Sabbath a type of our sanctification and rest from sin as some would have it Why may not our Libertines make abstinence from adultery forbidden in the seventh Command a type of our spirituall chastity as the Gnosticks did of old as well as the rest from labour on the Sabbath a type of our rest from sin And by this liberty how easie is it for fâ—othy allegorizing wits which my heart abhors to typifie as it were and allegorize all the commandments out of the world Theâ—â—â— 189. The rest on the Sabbath may be considered either in respect of Gods example in himself or his command to man out of himself Now the rest of the Sabbath as it is exemplary in God cannot be a type of any thing because God never made himself an example of any ceremoniall thing Gods own immediate acts cannot without much injury to God be made types and ceremonies if therefore there be any thing of the rest of the Sabbath typicall it is so in respect of mans rest on it commanded unto him of God but whether and what it doth typifie we shall speak to in its proper place Thesis 190. There wants not sufficient proof that the Gentiles generally practised and approved a seventh daies Sabbath and that it was highly honoured among them as very sacred This truth both Tertullian Eusebius Iosephus and Philo have formerly affirmed Aretus also especially learned Rivet have lately vindicated and made good against all the exceptions of Gomarus and others insomuch as that the last refuge both of Gomarus and Primrose is this viz. That all those Heathens who writ about the Sabbath and in honour of it received not their light from nature but from the writings of the Iewish Common-wealth all those heathenish testimonies about the Sabbath being published and writ long after the delivering of the law upon mount Sinai And therefore they think this no argument to prove that this law was practised ever since the world began or that it was known by the light of nature by which it might be evinced to be morall but by this answer we shall scarce know any thing to be according to the light of nature by the writings of the Heathens for all their writings are since Moses time if they be of any credit but suppose they did not know it by the working power of the light of nature yet if they approved of and honoured this day when it was made known by other means so that rhey knew it by the approving light of nature as the authors alleaged make good it s then sufficient to prove the seventh day morall even by the light of nature And although Seneca and some others scoft at the Jewish Sabbaths as if they lost the seventh part of their time thereby yet we know that mens lusts wil give them leave to scoffe at that which yet their consciences chastise them for beside I think those scoffs were not so much at the seventh day as at their â—â—ict and ceremonious observance thereof as also of their seventh yeeres wherein it s no wonder if that the light of nature should not so clearly see Thesis 191. The light of nature in the Gentiles especially in matters of the first Table was very imperfect dim and corrupt Hence it is that we cannot expect to â—inde any perfect light of nature in matters of the Sabbath some glimmerings and dark practices herein are sufficient to prove that this Law is naturall although the exact proportion of time for rest should not or could not by any reasoning of corrupt nature be perfectly found out their observation of holy daies and festivals did argue some imperfect light of nature left concerning the Sabbath which once nature had more perfectly as old walls and rubbish doe argue old and great buildings in former times but suppose they could not finde out exactly the seventh part of time and so dedicate it to God for his Sabbath yet the want of such light argues only the want of perfection of the light of nature which we should not expect to finde in the present light of nature in matters of the first Table and in this of the Sabbath and therefore t is no argument to prove the Sabbath not to be of the Law of nature because the perfect knowled of the exact time thereof is not left in corrupt nature now Thesis 192. Suppose the Gentiles did neither know nor were ever reproved particularly by any of the Prophets for breaking the Sabbath yet this doth not argue that they were not bound to sanctifie a Sabbath and that it was no sin for them to neglect the Sabbath for it was a priviledge of the Jews to have Gods Oracles revealed to them and especially this of the Sabbath Nehem. 9.14 Rom. 3.2 so it was a curse upon the Gentiles to live without Christ and so also without Sabbaths Ephes. 2.12 The times of which ignorance God is said to wink at Acts 17.30 not by excusing them for the breach of Sabbath or other sins but by not reproving them for it as neither he did for many other morall transgressions which notwithstanding were sins The Patriarchs were not condemned expressely till Moses time by Mr. Primrose account for their Polygamie that we read of and yet it was a sin all that time against the very first institution of marriage and why might not the breach of the Sabbath be a sin much more longer among the Gentiles and yet none of the Prophets reprove them particularly for the same And therefore M. Primrose hath no cause to mark this argument with chalke and with all attention as he cals it viz. That the breach of the Sabbath among the Gentiles was no sin because it was not any where particularly reproved by the Prophets of God for we see by what hath been said upon what weake crutches it stands Thesis 193. The Gentiles shall not be condemned only for what they did actually know and did not practice but also for what they did not actually know yet might and should have known The Gentiles did know that that some daies were to be kept holy to God saith M. Primrose and they should have known the fittest proportion and most suitable frequency of such daies which the same author acknowledgeth to be morall therefore they should have known the seventh daies Sabbath and possibly might have known it if they had not held truth in righteousnesse but made improvement thereof for in this sense habenti dabitur to him that hath shall be given to wit more of the same kind of lâ—ght whether naturall morall or Evangelicall if common light in all these more common light