and Political Church-state and from hence it seems to me they were not injoyn'd to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath that is they had no instituted stated and stinted Worship nor any in a Magistratical Capacity to inflict Punishment 〈◊〉 such as violated the pretended Sabbath 〈◊〉 had they been put into such a Capacity 〈◊〉 doubt but God had given them his Sabbath with the like Sanction to them as afterward that the Penalty might have been inflicted 〈◊〉 Offenders as he did after the Sabbath was â—â—deed given to the House of Israel in the Wiâ—derness of Sinai Nehemiah clearly intimates that the Saâ—bath was only made known to Israel Tâ—â— madest known to them thy holy Sahbaths was first made known to Moses Exod. 16. 20. and then him to the Children of Israel therefore 〈◊〉 known to him or them before The Scripture is certainly to be taken 〈◊〉 this sense and not in that sense which soâ—â— would have the Holy Ghost intend viz. thâ—â— it was made known more clearly to that People with the mode of its observation c. but certainly it was never known till God reveal'd 〈◊〉 to Moses nor given as a Law to any till giveâ— to the People of Israel in the Wilderness 〈◊〉 Sin SERMON IV. 〈◊〉 the Commencement of the Sabbath and that it was in the Wilderness of Sin What a moral Law or Precept is That the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day Four Arguments urg'd to prove this Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. I Have my Brethren endeavour'd to shew and prove 1. That God did not write the Law of 〈◊〉 Seventh-day Sabbath in Adam's Heart that 〈◊〉 is no Law of Creation wrote in the Hearts of the Gentiles and of all Mankind and so no â—atural or simple moral Precept 2. That it was not given to Adam by any express positive Command either before or immediately after he fell and so none of the Paâ—riarchs did observe it We can find no original of the Seventh-day Sabbath as to any observance of it hitherto therefore must look for its beginning or original or any actual or express Command for the observation thereof somewhere else which indeed we have in Exod. 16. 23. True The 7th day Sab. begun in the Wilderness of Sin some of the Jewish Rabbins affirm that it was given to Israel Exod. 15. 25. at Marah There he made them a Statute and an Ordinance and there he proved them It is called a Statutâ— and Ordinance in the singular not Statutes 〈◊〉 Ordinances and probably it might be the Statute of the Sabbath tho 't is not expressed 〈◊〉 the falling of Manna chap. 16. tho others by 〈◊〉 figure think it may comprehend not only thâ— Sabbath but all other Precepts of the Law I know that Dr. Owen seems not to be of opinion that this Statute refers to the Sabbath neither can we determine the case yet it is very probable it might be that But we find 〈◊〉 directly and expresly commanded chap. 16. 2â— To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord c. And many learned Men do asseâ—â— that here was the Institution and original 〈◊〉 the observance of it Mr. Grascome Thus a late Writer expresses himself The first time we find the observation of the sabbath-Sabbath-day injoyned is 〈◊〉 the Wilderness of Sin before they came 〈◊〉 Mount Sinai where the ten Commandmentâ— were deliver'd as if it were purposely 〈◊〉 distinguish the day which is Ceremonial anâ— of divine positive Institution from the Woâ—â—ship it self The words in Exod. 16. 23. express plainly enough the Institution of this day by way of Information to the People viz. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which you will bake to day c. And when the day came or begun Ver. 25. Moses said Eat that to day for to day is a Sabbath to the Lord And in ver 26. Six days ye shall gather it but on the seventh day which is the Sabbath in it there shall be none Observe by the way that here is not one word on what day the Manna first fell so that none can tell this was the seventh day from the Creation but that it was the seventh day after the six days of its raining of Manna is eviâ—ent But to return to our business in hand Here â—â—ay is the original or first beginning of the â—â—bbath that we read of as to any Precept or â—â—junction on the People or any observation of 〈◊〉 which was as one observes about a month â—â—fore Moses receiv'd the Law on Mount Sinai Some it is true would infer that the Sabâ—â—th was known and observ'd by the Jews beâ—â—re because they say it is here spoken of 〈◊〉 a thing well known 1. I answer in the words of our late Author Grascome's History of the Sab. p. 76. This is a force put upon the words and a gross mistake for it is evidently spoken of as a new thing else what means that frequent Inculcation to make the People take notice of it if it had been familiar to them before And what means the coming of the Rulers of the Congregation to Moses to consult him as on an unusual and unknown matter Exod. 16. 22. 2. And let me add they were told that they should gather it six days and that there should be none found on the seventh and yet some of the People went to gather it on the seventh day as not being yet well acquainted with their Sabbath ver 26 27. and this displeased the Lord and therefore Moses again told them ver 29. See for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day Bread for two days He hath given you the Sabbath Doth not â—his imply he had not given it to any before To you and none else to you and to none that went before you as he spake to them afterwards Deut. 5. 2 3. As to his Laws and Covenant on Mount Sinai the Covenant which God made with us in Horeb the Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers but with us even 〈◊〉 who are alive this day Their Fathers had the Covenant and all the Precepts before materially as to the substance of them or what was simply moral but theâ— had not this Covenant nor those Precepts formally given to them and so not the precise seventh day 3. If the People did know there was a Sabbath given in charge to Moses before Manna it might refer to that chap. 15. yet they might not know what particular day it was to begiâ— on or which day should be the day of their first Sabbath nor know yet how to keep it Foâ— 4. As the same Author notes the case of thâ— Man who gather'd Sticks on the Sabbath-day shews they were still unacquainted with Sabbath-days Duties Numb 15. 32 33. or rather wholly ignorant of the Penalty of the breach of
Dr. Owen p. 214. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of the Sabbath or Sabbath-days which were a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ From hence they affirm saith he it will follow that there is nothing moral in the observation of the Sabbath seeing it was a mere Type and Shadow as were other Mosaical Institutions and also that it is absolutely abolished and taken away by Christ And if they mean no more but that precise seventh Day they were certainly right Nay Dr. Owen himself as I conceive determines the matter so as to make that precise day refer to Moses and his Oeconomy But indeed I see some learned Men have wrote very darkly because they strive to preserve a Sabbath in the Gospel-day or a day of Rest and of solemn Worship and that tho not simply yet positively moral from the fourth Command and if by moral positive they mean one day in seven which God from his Soveraign Pleasure will have perpetually observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship I am of their mind Quest But since the Jewish seventh Day was a Sign and a Shadow what was it a Sign and Shadow of Answ Before I give a direct Answer to this let me premise one thing which in a special manner we ought to regard viz. that the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath was bottom'd upon the Covenant of Works in that Ministration of it given to the whole House of Israel as suting with their Ecclesiastical Political and Typical Church-state And this Dr. Owen has fully proved Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 221. speaking of that Covenant Now saith he this is not absolutely and merely a Law but as it contain'd a Covenant between God and Man A Law it might have been and not a Covenant which doth not necessarily follow upon either its instructive or preceptive Power Yet it was originally given in the Counsel of God to that end and accompanied with Promises and Threatnings whence it had the nature of a Covenant By virtue of this Law as a Covenant was the observation of a Sabbath prescribed and required as a token and pledg of God's Rest in that Covenant in the performance of the Works whereon it was instituted and of Man's Interest in it Again he saith Seeing therefore that the Moral Law as a Covenant between God and Man requir'd this sacred Rest we must inquire what place as such it had in the Mosaical Oeconomy whereon the true Reason and Notion of the Sabbath doth depend for the Sabbath being originally annexed to the Covenant between God and Man * The Dr. takes it for granted which I deny that the Sabbath was given to Adam the Renovation of the Covenant doth necessarily require a special Renovation of the Sabbath and the change of the Covenant as to the nature of it in like manner doth introduce a change of the Sabbath c. 1. From hence note that Dr. Owen saith the Law given Exod. 20. was a renewal of the Covenant of Works 2. That the Seventh-day Sabbath was given as a Token or Pledg of that Covenant and Rest 3. That the Seventh-day Sabbath of Rest was not a Type of our Eternal Rest in Heaven but a Type or Shadow of that true Spiritual Rest we enter into under the New Covenant when we believe in Christ and so this Rest is the Antitype of the Jewish seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath My Brethren this is that Rest of God which he referr'd to and in which he takes up his delight and complacence Moreover God shewed his People Israel by their Sabbath how impossible it was for them by the Covenant of Works to enter into this Rest where they should utterly cease from sin it was a sign between God and them that they should perform the whole Obedience due under the Covenant of Works signified by that Obligation that in six days they should labour and do all they had to do and then rest denoting that the whole Law must be kept or no rest the man that doth them shall live by them or have Life Rest and Peace on that Condition This I say did signify Man's working for Life before he could enter into Rest for if they could do all they had to do or God required of them or answer all the Demands of the Law then they should have Rest Peace and Justification thereby Here you have the six-Six-days Labour and the seventh-Seventh-day's Sabbath it being an Epitome of the Covenant of Works For their Sabbath as Calvin shews in the tenor of it put them upon the highest Acts of Obedience even to live and sin not or cease from all Iniquity in Words Thoughts and Actions Now if this did not tend to Bondage and so was a Law against them and contrary to them nothing could but now in Christ who hath kept the Law perfectly for us or has done all we were to do and suffer we come to have true spiritual Rest and Peace And Our Lord no doubt alludes to this Ma◠11. 28 29. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Brethren mind those two words labour and heavy laden On the Jewish Sabbath no servile labour was to be done nor any burdens to be born signifying that Believers in Christ cease from labouring for Life and must not bear any burden of Sin either in respect of the guilt or fear of the punishment Christ having done all and born the burden of all our sins in his own Body on the Tree so that we must cast our Burden on the Lord and he will sustain us And so we begin our Sabbath after all our Works are done and Burdens born by our dear Lord and blessed Surety on the first Day of the Week as he has directed us and from hence we work not for Life and Rest but from Life Rest and Peace Therefore to answer that Question what was the Jewish Sabbath a sign of you have in part heard but shall yet more fully hear 1. I affirm that it was a Sign of the Covenant of Works in that Ministration given to Israel written and engraven in Tables of Stone How often is that Sabbath called a Sign between God and them Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Again vers 17. 'T is a Sign between me and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbath to be a Sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them But still it is enquired what was it a Sign of Some say that Israel were in bondage in Egypt others that God created the World in six days Answ I answer but remotely if at all it was a Sign of either of them for they are laid down as the Reasons why God gave Israel their Sabbath and not as a Sign of those things But let it now be well considered that God
Prophecies of him to that time for the Work of Redemption could not be finished till he rose from the dead Take what the Doctor further saith to this It remains saith he only that we enquire into Christ's entrance into his Rest both how and when he did so even as God entered into his on the Seventh-day For this saith he must limit and determine a Day of Rest to the Gospel-Church Now this was not his lying down in the Grave His Body indeed there rested for a while But that was no part of his mediatory Rest as he was the Founder and Builder of the Church For 1. It was part of his Humiliation Not only his death but his abode and continuance in the state of death was so and a principal part of it For after the whole human Nature was united to the Person of the Son of God to have it brought into a state of dissolution or to have the Body and Soul separated from each other was a great Humiliation And every thing of this nature belonged to his Work and not to his Rest 2. This separation of Body and Soul under the Power of Death was penal a part of the Sentence of the Law which he underwent And therefore Peter declares that the Pains of Death were not loosed but by his Resurrection Acts 2. 24. This therefore could not be his Rest or any part of it 3. Nor did he first enter into his Rest at his Ascension then he indeed took possession of his Glory But to enter into his Rest is one thing and to take possession of Glory another And it is placed by the Apostle as the Consequent of his being justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3. 16. But this his entring into Rest was in and by his Resurrection from the dead For 1. Then and there he was freed from the Sentence Power and Stroke of the Law being discharged of all the Debts of our Sins which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for Acts 2. 24. 2. Then and therein were all Types all Predictions and Prophecies fulfilled which concerned the Work of our Redemption 3. Then and therein his Work was done which answered to God's Creating-work 4. Then and therein he was declared the Son of God with Power Rom. 1. 4. Thus did the Author of the new Creation P. 286. Sect. 24. the Son of God the builder of the Church having finished his Work enter into his Rest And this was on the morning of the first day of the Week And hereby he did limit and determine the Day for our Sabbatical Rest under the New Testament for now was the old Covenant utterly abolished and therefore the Day which was the Pledg of God's and Man's Rest therein was to be taken away and accordingly was as we have proved And this is that which the Apostle affirms as the substance of all he hath evinced P. 287. Sect. 25. namely that there is a Sabbatism for the People of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is framed by our Apostle from an Hebrew Original with a Greek Termination and he useth it as that which is comprehensive of his whole sense which no other word would be for he would shew there is a Sabbatical Rest founded in the Rest of God God-man remaining for the Church and therefore makes use of the same word whereby God expressed his own Rest when he sanctified the seventh-Seventh-day for a day of Rest thereon Again he further proves that the Apostle asserts an Evangelical Sabbath or day of Rest to be constantly observed in and for the Worship of God under the Gospel Thus far and to this effect speaks Dr. Owen 'T is my Brethren the Apostle's business in this Chapter as the Doctor has proved to shew an Institution of the first day of the Week and this upon the great Work of Redemption and Christ's resting from his Works as God did from his as also the manner of his entering into his Rest which was not till all our Work was done by our Surety and our Burden was born by him for us for till then we could not enter into his Rest And being in his Rest he has appointed this Day as a Pledg thereof that we may begin with God give him the first Day and so seek first the Kingdom of God First as to the early days of our Life first in the Day and first in every day of the Week Brethren we have Rest before we work or labour for it and so work from Rest Life and Peace and not work for Life or to enter into Rest that way as they were to do under the old Covenant Remarkable is that passage of Paul As many as walk according to this Rule that is the Rule of the new Creature or new Creation Peace be on them And as in matters of Worship so in respect to the new Day of Worship the Apostle pronounceth Peace to such c. And thus I have shewed how the first Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit and also the Foundation and Institution of this Day as here laid down by the Apostle Fourthly The first Day made by the Lord for a Day of Rest Joy and Gladness in God's Worship My fourth Argument to prove the Institution of the first Day of the Week shall be taken from Psal 118. 22 23 24. The Stone that the Builders refused is become the head Stone of the Corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our sight This is the Day the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoice in it 1. Pray observe that our Lord became the Head-stone of the Corner on the day of his happy Resurrection on this day the Gospel-Church took its beginning On this day he entered into his Rest and was invested with actual Victory over all his Enemies and clothed with Soveraign Power and Authority as King and Law-giver 2. Well and what saith the Holy Ghost This is the Day the Lord hath made 1. He speaks as all Expositors note of the particular day of Christ's Resurrection 2. And that this is the Day which the Lord hath made How made God created that and every day of the Week at first But this Day is constituted or made for some special end and use above any other day in the Week Nothing lies more plain in the Text than this 3. The Lord hath made it i. e. instituted or appointed it to these great Ends not the Apostles not the Church not Man but the Lord himself hath made it 4. And then the Gospel-Church and all Gospel-Believers signified by this word we resolve upon this Great Authority to observe it we will rejoice and be glad in it Here it is foretold that God hath singularly made created or instituted this Day for us to meet together and to worship him with joy and gladness of heart and accordingly we have proved it was confirmed I challenge any man to shew us a
a Lawgiver abode no longer than till Christ put an end to his Ministration See Isa 33. 22 and Christ as Mediator is our only Lawgiver under the Gospel yet hath not commanded us to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath then 't is not our duty to observe it but Moses as a Lawgiver abode no longer c. Ergo. Arg. 9. If all Sabbaths given to the Jews without exception were shadows of things to come whereof the Body is Christ then was their weekly Sabbath a shadow but all their Sabbaths without exception were shadows c. Ergo. Arg. 10. Whatsoever Practice it be that opens a door to Judaism and genders to Bondage can be no Truth of Christ but the observation of the old Seventh-day Sabbath opens a door to Judaism c. Ergo * They plead for the Law as given in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgments Arg. 11. Whatsoever Principle and Practice reflects upon the Honour of Christ as Mediator King and Lawgiver to his Church who was more faithful than Moses can be no Truth of Christ but the Principle and Practice of the old Jewish Sabbath reflects c. Ergo. evident 't is Christ hath nowhere taught or commanded it so that if it be our duty we must go to Moses's Law for it and 't is foolish to say Christ as Mediator gave the Law of the Decalogue tho as God he gave not that only but the whole Ceremonial Law also Arg. 12. That Principle and Practice that has many evil and dangerous Consequents attending it is no Truth of God but the Principle and Practice of some who keep the seventh Day is so attended c. Ergo. To conclude Let no Christian any more doubt that the Lord's Day is that day we ought to observe to him in all Sacred Devotion and Piety Consider 1. God hath built all things upon Jesus Christ and so this Day of Rest wherefore it stands as fast as its Foundation 2. God the Father declared Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee that is from the dead and this was on the First-day of the Week 3. This was the First-day of Christ's Kingdom 4. This Day Christ rested from his Work therefore this day remains as a day of Rest to us 5. This Day our Redemption was finished and Christ received our discharge from Sin and Wrath for ever 6. On this Day the Typical Sabbath was ceased and all Shadows of the Law vanquished 7. In him whom the old Sabbath shadowed forth must we seek our Rest and a day of Rest we in him being freed from all legal Labour servile Fear and from the burden of all Sin and Misery 8. On this Day the Disciples met and Christ preached Peace to them and on this day millions of Souls have been converted 9. On this Day John saw Jesus Christ walking in the midst of the seven Churches in Asia 10. This Day was confirmed by the miraculous effusion of the Spirit 11. On this Day the Gospel-Churches met together to break Bread and to discharge all parts of Gospel-Worship 12. This is the Day when preaching the Word is in season 13. On this day Collections were made for the Poor in all the Churches of the Saints 14. This is the Lord's Day all other days he allows us to do work upon but this is wholly his own Day he lays claim to this only O give it wholly up to him 15. This Day all the Godly have observed in every Age of the Church to these present Times 16. For profaning this Day God hath inflicted many sore and fearful Judgments And thus I shall close what I shall say at present for the observation of the First-day of the Week as a Day of Rest and solemn Worship When the Lord's Day begins 1. Some think we ought to begin it at the time when the Jews began their Sabbath When the Lord's Day begins others from Midnight to Midnight others from Morning to Evening Take what Dr. Owen saith to this which I think is very full and clear Some Owen on the Sabb. p. 323. saith he contend that it is a natural Day consisting of 24 hours beginning with the evening of the preceding day and ending with the same of its own and accordingly so was the Church of Israel directed Levit. 23. 32. Altho that doth not seem to be a general direction for the observation of the weekly Sabbath but to regard only that particular extraordinary Sabbath which was thus instituted namely the day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month vers 27. However suppose it to belong also to the weekly Sabbath it is evidently an addition to the Command particularly suted unto the Mosaical Pedagogy that the Day might comprize the Sacrifice of the proceeding Evening in the Service of it from an Obedience whereunto we are freed by the Gospel Neither can I subscribe to this Opinion and that because in the Description and Limitation of the original Seven Days it is said of each of the Six that it was constituted of an Evening and a Morning but of the Day of Rest there is no such description it is only called the Seventh-day without any assignation of the preceding Evening unto it 2. A Day of Rest according to Rules of natural Equity ought to be proportioned to a day of Work or Labour which God hath granted unto us for our own use Now this is to be reckoned from Morning to Evening Psal 104. 20 21 22 23. Thou makest darkness and it is night c. Man goeth forth to his labour until the evening The day of Labour is from the removal of darkness and the night by the light of the Sun until the return of them again which allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year seems to be the just measure of our Day of Rest 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ who in his Resurrection gave beginning and being to this especial Day of holy Rest under the Gospel rose not until the Morning of the First-day of the Week when the beamings of the light of the Sun began to expel the darkness of the Night or when it dawned towards Day as is variously expressed by the Evangelists This with me determines this whole matter 4. Meer cessation from Labour in the Night seems to have no place in the spiritual Rest of the Gospel to be expressed on this Day nor to be by any thing distinguished from the Night of any other day in the Week 5. Supposing Christians under the Obligation of the direction given by Moses before-mentioned it may intangel them in the anxious scrupulous Intrigues which the Jews are subject unto about the beginning of the Evening it self about which their great Masters are at variance which things belong not to the Oeconomy of the Gospel Upon the whole matter I am inclinable to judg and do so that the observation of the Day is to be commensurate to the use of our natural
strength on any other day from morning to night and nothing is hereby lost that is needful to the due sanctification of it For what is by some required as a part of its Sanctification is necessary and required as a due preparation thereunto 1. From what the learned and pious Doctor saith I infer that these Sabbatarians do not only Judaize in respect of the Seventh-day it self but also as to the time when they begin their pretended Sabbath 2. And as to what he says about the beginning of the Lord's Day I see no just cause to dissent from him provided none from thence take liberty to end the Day too soon And I think it would be a reproach to any Person to begin to work before midnight of the Lord's Day or to suffer their Servants to work after twelve a Clock on the Seventh-day at night nay it might be better if they left off sooner that so they may not be hindered in God's Service on his Day for the natural Day with us begins at midnight and ends at midnight and tho 't is the Lord's Day not the Night we are to observe in his solemn Worship yet must we have time for preparation and after the Day is gone for Meditation Prayer c. And let none mistake the Doctor he hints plainly enough that by way of preparation we ought to begin sooner and then certainly to continue our meditation after the day is past till it is fit to go to our natural Rest and the contrary is a scandal and reproach to Religion and true Piety How the Lord's Day should be kept Certainly since the Lord's Day or the First-day of the Week is the Day of holy Rest and solemn Worship in Gospel-times it behoveth us to know and consider well how we should keep it or observe it to the Lord. 1. Evident it is that some are carried away by delusion who believe all days are alike and so every day should be kept as a Sabbath which is nothing less than the design of the Devil who if he can perswade men that there is no such thing as a Sacred Rest or any one day required by Authority from Christ will soon bring them to observe no day at all and so all Gospel-worship Religion Piety and the special Day of Worship will soon fall together 2. Nay and I am satisfied that one grand cause of the lamentable decay of true Zeal and Piety and of the grievous witherings among us in these days is that sad carelesness and looseness about a due and religious observance of the Lord's Day For when more Conscience was made of the Dutys of this Day how did Religion and strict Godliness flourish in this Nation and in the Churches of Christ and godly Families Nor will it be better till a Reformation be attained in this case 3. Yet On the Sab. P. 317. as Reverend Owen observes several Instances there are of the Miscarriages of men on the one hand and on the other Some formerly and may be now think they are obliged to keep the Lord's Day after the manner the Jews kept the old Sabbath To which I might add some are too Pharisaical in this matter There hath been saith the Doctor some excess in directions of many given about the due sanctification of the Lord's Day which indeed he calls severe directions about Dutys and manner of performance on which some others have taken occasion thereby to seek Relief and have rejected the whole Command So that it appears in this as in many other cases men are ready to run into extreams on the one hand or the other Directions Pag. 21. saith he have been given and not a few for the observation of a Day of holy Rest which either for the matter of them or the manner prescribed have no sufficient warrant or foundation in the Scripture Whereas some have made no distinction between the Sabbath as Moral * That is one day in seven as he calls it a moral positive elsewhere and as Mosaical unless it be merely in the change of the Day and so have endeavour'd to introduce the whole practice required on the latter into the Lord's Day Nay as I shall shew you they have asserted the simple morality of the fourth Commandment to consist in the observance of the precise First-day of the Week or the Lord's Day as the Saturday Sabbatarians do on the Seventh which is no small Error on both sides and is attended as I have proved with great Absurdities and dangerous Consequences Therefore if any ask how should we observe the Lord's Day for we are fully satisfied say they that is the Day the Lord hath made as the Day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel I answer First Negatively not after that legal severe or strict manner as was the Jewish Sabbath under the Law I am perswaded some good Men in the last Century have by an over-heated Zeal stumbled many godly Christians by pressing the Lord's Day observance just after the manner of the old Jewish Sabbath as if one precise Day of Worship was a pure moral Precept But if the morality of the fourth Command consisted not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day as I have shewed besure it doth not in the observance of the First-day tho it be our Duty by mere positive Right to keep it wholly to the Lord. And should we press the observance of the Lord's Day with that severity and strictness the Seventh-day Sabbath was to be observed we should bring our People into equal bondage with the Jews of old But let us avoid all Extreams on either hand for as I hinted some Learned Men formerly * And there are too many of this sort also in our days opened a door to loosness and licentiousness on the one hand by not allowing the First-day's observance to be of Divine Institution and so allowed of Sports and carnal Delights on the Lord's Days I might mention Mr. Primrose Dr. Heylin Pocklington c. So others 't is evident have exceeded as much on the other hand but 't is best to keep in a medium betwixt both Therefore in the Negative 1. I do not believe it is unlawful to kindle a Fire on the Lord's-day because 't is not forbid in the Gospel as it was under the Law on the old Sabbath-day 2. I do not believe 't is unlawful to travel further than a Jewish Sabbath-days Journey whether to to hear a Sermon or to visit a sick Person or the like We have no bounds under the Gospel On the Sab. p. 353. saith Dr. Owen for a Sabbath-days Journy provided it be for Sabbath Ends. In brief all Pains or Labour that our Station and Condition in this World as Troubles may befal us make necessary as that without which we cannot enjoy the solemn Ends and Uses of this sacred Day of Rest are no way inconsistent with the due observation of it It may be the lot of one Man to
sixteenth year after Christ he lays it positively down that the Sabbath was now abrogated with the other Ceremonies which were to vanish at Christ's coming Let no man judg you c. the Sabbath saith he is well match'd with Meats and Drinks New Moons and Holy Days which were all Temporary Ordinances and to go off the stage at our Saviour's entrance And that Paul means the Seventh-day Sabbaths he cites Ambrose Hierom Epiphanius Chrysostom Augustin and their particular Books that they understood Paul thus in Col. 2. 16. as he did Praefat. in Galat. Apocal 10. take what Hierom saith as follows There is no Sermon of the Apostles saith he either delivered by Epistle or by word of Mouth wherein he labours not to prove that all the Burdens of the Law are now laid away that all those things which were before in Types and Figures namely the Sabbath Circumcision the New Moons and the three Solemn Festivals did cease upon preaching the Gospel In the Context and from these Verses the weekly Sabbath no doubt is included For 1. It is part of the Hand-writing vers 14. 2. It is a Shadow c. vers 17. 3. They are commanded not to submit to the Censures of men herein vers 16. And whereas it is objected Object The Apostle doth not mean the Weekly Sabbath 1. It is certain that the primary and almost constant use of the word Sabbath Answ is to denote that weekly Day of Rest which God commanded the Jews to observe Read Mr. Baxter on the Subject and whereas it is applied to any other Days 't is in allusion to this because of the Rest from servile Work upon them in which respect they were like to the Weekly Sabbath as appears Levit. 16. 31. and Chap. 23 24 32 39. which are all the places where the word Sabbath is expresly applied to any other days And therefore the primary and almost constant use of the word ought not to be forsaken 2. Wherever the word Sabbaths is used absolutely as here without any expression in the Text to limit it 't is to be understood of the Weekly Sabbath The reason of which Rule is obvious because otherwise the Scripture would be of doubtful Interpretation and as 1 Cor. 14. 8. the Trumpet would give an uncertain sound 3. Therefore as I said wherever the word Sabbaths is used as here with distinction from Holy Days or Feasts and New Moons it must mean the Weekly Sabbaths otherwise the Apostle would be guilty of an unnecessary Tautology it being certain there is no other Day called a Sabbath in Scripture but what is included in those two words Therefore I conclude by Sabbaths in this Text not only may but must be understood the Weekly Sabbath and consequently it proves not only that Christians are not bound to observe the Jewish Sabbath but that they ought not so to do Take here what Mr. Baxter saith on this Text Baxter on the Lord's Day P. 167 viz. How plainly and expresly Paul numbereth Sabbaths with Shadows that cease see Col. 2. 16. to pass by other Texts and what violence mens own Wits must use in denying the Evidence of so plain a Text. The Reason that he saith not Sabbath but Sabbaths is against themselves the plural Number being most comprehensive and other Sabbaths receiving their name from this And the word Sabbath is always used in Scripture for a Rest which was partly Ceremonial See what Dr. Young in his excellent Dies Domin saith c. III. Moreover can any serious thinking Christian suppose that Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles would thus write of Sabbath Days New Moons Times and Years without exception if the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath had remained as the Sabbath of the Lord and the Day of Gospel-worship What speak thus without restriction or intimation and yet not include the Seventh-day Sabbath Had not that Day been comprehended and meant by Sabbath Days sure he had let this Church have known it it behoved him to be faithful to us who was our Apostle and so he says he was and had declared the whole Counsel of God Acts 20. yet makes no mention of any such Jewish Sabbath to be our duty to observe but the direct contrary that it was a Shadow and that we are not to be judged or condemn'd who regard it not any more than other Times as New Moons c. But saith the Seventh-day Sabbatarian Object The Ordinances of the Law were glorious therefore Paul could not refer to them when he speaks of beggerly Elements Thus Tillam When compared to the Ordinances of the Gospel Answ they may be called weak and beggerly as Paul shews speaking of the Law written in two Tables of Stone which he calls glorious 2 Cor. 3. 7. yet a ministration of Death and Condemnation vers 9. For even that which was made glorious had no Glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth vers 10. The Shadow seems glorious till the Substance comes but what Glory appears in it then None at all What is the Glory of the Moon when the Sun appears and shines forth splendidly So what signifies the Shadow of Rest to the true Antitypical Sabbath of Rest which we have in Christ we that believe do enter into Rest Besides St. Paul calls Jewish Ordinances Carnal Ordinances which terms as much eclipse their Glory as to call them weak and beggerly Elements Heb. 9. 10. Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and carnal Ordinances Carnal Ordinances no doubt include all the Jewish Sabbaths viz. Days Months Times and Years as well as Circumcision legal Washings and Sacrifices The Apostle calls them not only carnal weak and beggerly Elements but unprofitable There was a disannulling of the Commandment going before Heb. 7. 18. for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Take here what Calvin saith tho I in some things differ from him For seeing in the Lord's Resurrection is found the end and fulfilling of the true Rest Instit 2. c. 8. Sect. 34. which the old Sabbath shadowed by that very day which set an end to those Shadows Christians are admonished not to stick to the shadowing Ceremony He it seems concludes that the Jewish Weekly Sabbath as well as their Fellows was a Shadow of that Rest we have in Christ Take also what another nameless Author saith concerning the Antient Fathers St. Paul sharply reproveth those who allowed yet the Jewish Sabbath i. e. they observed Days Months Times and Years as if he had bestowed his labour in vain upon them Gal. 4. 10 11. But more particularly in his Epistle to the Colossians Chap. 2. 16 17. Let no man judg you in respect of an Holy Day or of the New Moons or of the Sabbath-Days which were a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Yet notwithstanding all this care both of the Apostles in general and more especially of St. Paul to suppress this Error it grew up
still and had its Patrons and Abettors Ebion and Cerinthus two of the wretchedest Hereticks of the Primitive Times And after them Apollinarius is said to countenance and defend it which doubtless made the Antient Fathers declare themselves fully in it as a dangerous Point it seemed to confirm the Jews in their Incredulity and might occasion others to make question of our Saviour's coming in the Flesh Hence Irenaeus Justin Martyr Tertullian and Eusebius Men of Note in the Primitive Times affirm that never any of the Patriarchs before Moses's Law observed the Sabbath which question less they must have done had that Law been moral and dictated by the Light of Nature He cites also Epiphanius and Theodoret on Ezech. 20. Procopius on Gen. 2. Damascen and our venerable Bede concurring with the former Fathers All talk saith he that the Observation of the Jewish Sabbath vanished utterly c I might mention other Authors to the same purpose But to proceed my Brethren because one of my Arguments against the precise Seventh-day Sabbath will be to prove it a Sign or Shadow of that Rest Believers enter into when they first close with Christ I shall say no more now by way of Explanation of my Text but proceed to those Points of Doctrine that arise herefrom Doct. 1. That it is not the Duty of believing Gentiles under the Dispensation of the Gospel The Doctrines raised to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord. Doct. 2. That it is a dangerous thing for any to plead for and keep the seventh day so i◠to lay the same stress on the observation thereof as on a purely natural or simply mora◠Precept These two Propositions I purpose God assisting to prosecute and confirm in this method First I shall lay down several Explanatory Propositions Secondly Give many Arguments to prove th◠truth of the first Proposition Thirdly I shall taking in the second Proposition endeavour to prove that the observing the seventh day Sabbath so as to lay the same stre◠on it as on a natural and simply moral Precept ◠a dangerous thing Fourthly I shall prove that all Believers 〈◊〉 oblig'd to observe the first day of the week free from secular business in religious Worship as the time in season only under the Gospel-dispensation Fifthly I shall endeavour to answer all the main Objections brought by our Opponents against the Observation of the first day of the week To begin First Proposition premised Let it be considered that the Apostles perceiving the weakness of the Jews who believ'd in Christ to take them off gradually from Jewish Observation of days and other legal Rites and Ordinances did admit of the Practice of some of them for a time till they were better instructed in the Truth as it is in Jesus the nature of the new Creation and the change of the whole Law viz. the utter abolishing of all things Ceremonial or that were Signs and Shadows of things to come and the removing the ministration of all Moral Precepts from Moses as Lawgiver into the hand of Christ as Mediator in which capacity he had all Power delegated to him in Heaven and Earth as our only Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Thou seest Brother how many thousands of the Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the Law Acts 21. 20. Hence Paul complied with them to purify himself and to shave his Head v. 24. and on the like account in compliance with their weakness he circumcised Timothy I might from hence by the way note that had we such a Passage that Paul kept one Jewish Sabbath as we have here of his circumcising Timothy I suppose our Brethren would make no small advantage of it that it is our Duty from thence to keep it but that might have been on the same account and no better ground than it would be for us to plead for Circumcision and be circumcised as Tillam Skip and Cooly were as I am informed who called themselves the Ministers of the Circumcision But to proceed Upon the same reason perhaps the Jewish Rites Days and typical or shadowy Ordinances might and were called by their former and antient names as well as for distinction sake for tho those legal Ordinances were dead yet as our Annotators observe they were not then deadly if look'd upon as indifferent things however God was pleased they being his own appointments to vouchsafe them a gradual and decent funeral Second Proposition But nevertheless after they had been better instructed into the truth of the Gospel and the change or end of the Law they were more plainly dealt with I mean he more fully and clearly informed them and shewed them the great danger if they observed those legal Rites Days and Ordinances especially when he saw they laid such stress upon them as to make them necessary to eternal Life as a Rule of Obedience Hence the Apostle says I Paul testify unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 1. And why if circumcised because it was a shadow and the keeping up the shadow was a virtual denying that the Substance was come and besides they were thereby bound to keep the whole Law Such was the natural tendency of observing one Legal Rite or Precept as given by Moses it being in that Ministration a Covenant of Works and he that kept one was obliged to keep all and he that broke one was guilty of all 1. And if so why might not Paul have told them the same thing and danger if they kept the legal Sabbath which led them according to the Tenor of it and in the strictest observance to perfect Obedience which is implyed in those words Thou shalt not think thy own thoughts nor speak thy own words 2. Or provided they made it necessary in order to a holy Life in point of Obedience as a pure moral Precept even of the same nature with the first Commandment viz. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me or the second Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. or the third or fifth or any of the rest I speak not of what is simply moral in the fourth Commandment but of that precise seventh day I say may not their danger be as great if thus they look'd upon those Jewish Sabbaths as if circumcised because then if they kept them not it necessarily must follow it would exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven as all other immoral Acts or actual breach of pure moral Precepts would do 3. Because Paul tells them that those Sabbaths were a Shadow or Sign so far as Circumcision was as I have and shall further make appear and so hereby unwarily they would deny that Christ was come to give us Rest and we do not yet cease working for Life in order to enter into Rest which was held forth as the Tenor of that Ministration of the Moral Law by Moses and particularly in their
Sabbath Third Proposit Let it be consider'd that the substance of the whole Moral Law or ten Commandments I mean materially not formally was written in the Heart of Adam in Innocency and as written there it contained the Covenant of Works And so long as he kept that Law perfectly he stood justified and all Mankind in him and also that he had but one positive Precept given him to try his Obedience according to the Tenor of this Covenant and Law of his Creation is very evident viz. Thou shalt not eat of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil Adam broke all the Commandments c. which positive Command he broke and in breaking it broke all the ten Commandments as to the matter or substance of them and consequently the fourth as to what was simply moral therein Dr. Lightfoot 's Miscel p. 282 283. Thus Dr. Lightfoot Adam saith he heard as much in the Garden as Israel did at Sinai but in fewer words and without Thunder At one clap he broke all the Ten Commandments I. He chose himself another God when he follow'd the Devil II. He idoliz'd and defil'd his own Belly making it as the Apostle phrases it his God III. He took God's Name in vain when he believ'd him not IV. He kept not the Rest and State wherein God had set him V. He dishonour'd his Father which was in Heaven and therefore his days were not prolong'd on Earth VI. He murder'd himself and all his Posterity VII From Eve he was a Virgin but in his Eyes and Mind he committed spiritual Adultery VIII He stole like Achan that which God set aside not to be meddled with c. IX He bare witness against God when he believ'd the witness of the Devil before him X. He coveted an evil Covetousness like Ammon which cost him his Life and all his Progeny Fourth Proposit That tho a time of Rest and a sufficient time to worship God be moral yet the particular precise day or time must be by Revelation i. e. by some positive Precept or Example made known to Mankind it being in God not in Man not in Nature not in Grace And God hath reserved to himself a Power to require or to alter both the time place and modes of his Worship as seems good in his sight tho the second and fourth Commandments be moral and of the same nature with the rest Moreover God if he please may make a positive Precept perpetual and alike obligatory as simple moral Precepts are tho they differ in respect of their own nature Fifth Proposit All natural and pure moral Precepts do as I conceive oblige all Mankind and are unchangeable in their nature as to the matter of them and differ greatly from Laws or Precepts merely positive Pure or simple moral Precepts are good good in themselves and therefore commanded but Precepts merely positive and arbitrary are commanded of God and therefore good and that Goodness that is in simple moral Precepts I do not conceive See Mr. Shepherd on the Sabbath p. 10 11 12 13 14. as Mr. Shepherd hints if I mistake him not refers to Man i. e. sutable to his good chiefly but in reference to God from the rectitude of whose holy Nature they proceed Moreover 't is acknowledg'd also that all Precepts naturally and simply moral are written in the Hearts of all Men tho much blur'd by Sin for otherwise the Gentiles had not the Law written in their Hearts but a part as to the matter of the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. Simple moral Precepts are known by the Light of Nature as to the matter â—or substance of them Precepts naturally moral may be known without Revelation or the knowledg of the Scripture What Precepts are moral tho I know some learned Men seem to differ from others here particularly Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer who affirm that some Precepts may be moral by a positive Command See Mr. Cawdrey Sabbath Rediv p. 2 3. and these others call moral-Positives which I understand not yet I deny not as I said before but that God may make a positive Command perpetually obligatory But more to this word moral when I come to speak of the fourth Commandment in Exod. 20. Now mere positive Precepts cannot be known unless God by his Word or in some supernatural way discovers them to his Creatures and such was Circumcision the precise seventh-day Sabbath the Passover and divers other things under the Law And such is the first day of the week under the Gospel as a day of Rest and of the solemn Worship of God as also Baptism the Lord's-Supper c. Sixth Proposit That the whole Moral Law is chang'd from Moses to Jesus Christ not only chang'd as a Covenant of Works but as a Rule of Life for tho the Moral Law as to the matter or substance of it perpetually remains as a Rule of Righteousness yet not as given in the hand of Moses Exod. 20. but as in the hand of Christ consider'd as Mediator who is our sole Lord and Lawgiver Mat. 28. 18 19. and that we are to receive the Law from his mouth who is our antitypical High-Priest And behold a Voice from the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son hear him hear him exclusively of Moses The Disciples would have had three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and another for Christ i. e. they would have Moses to teach them or be under his Ministration but in this Transfiguration wherein was a clear Representation of the Gospel Church-state signified by the Kingdom of God in a Figure they saw there was none to be heard as a Law-giver but Christ alone And when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no Man save Jesus only ver 8. Certainly their Eyes are not open'd throughly who go to Mount Sinai to know what their Duty is in respect of any part of Gospel-Worship or day of Worship Compare this place of Scripture with Acts 3. 22 23. For Moses truly said to the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you So Heb. 1. 1 2 3. And again it is said Joh. 8. 35. that the Servant abideth not in the House for ever Moses was a Servant and he had his day and he is gone but the Son abideth for ever Seventh Proposit That as old things are done away and all things become new so is the old Seventh-day Sabbath And it behoves us to call the Gospel-day of Worship or that Day appointed by Christ in the New Testament by that Name or Names given therein to it viz. the first day and the Lord's-day and day of Rest or Sabbath as Dr. Owen aptly enough calls it on Heb. 4. 11. Therefore tho the day of Rest under the Gospel is not call'd a Sabbath yet I shall blame none that so call it since Sabbath signifies Rest
Command concerninâ— it * He alludes to Adam in Paradise where we can find no express positive Command and if it be not seated morally in thâ— fourth Commandment it is now certain thâ— the necessary observance of it is taken away 10. On the other extream whether thâ— seventh day from the Creation of the Worldâ—â— be to be observ'd precisely under the New Tâ—â—stament by virtue of the fourth Commanâ—â—ment and no other The assertion hereâ—â— supposeth that our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord of the Sabbath hath neither chang'd 〈◊〉 nor reform'd any thing in and about the reâ—ligious observation of an holy day of Rest unto the Lord whence it follows that such an Observation can be no part or act of Evangelical Worship properly so call'd but only a moral Duty of the Law †Let our Jewish Sabbatarians consider well what the Doctor positively asserts here 11. Whether on the supposition of a non-obligation in the Law unto the observation of the seventh day precisely and of a new day to be observ'd weekly under the New Testament as a Sabbath of the Lord on what grounds it is to be observ'd 12. Whether from the fourth Commandment as one Day in seven or only unto some part or portion of Time or whether without any respect unto that Command as purely Ceremonial For granting as most do the necessity of the observation of such a Day yet some say that it has no respect at all to the fourth decalogical Precept which is totally and absolutely abolished with the rest of the Mosaical Institutions Others say that there is yet remaining in it an Obligation to the Sacred Separation of some Time or portion of Time unto the solemn Service of God and some say that it precisely requires the sanctification of one Day in seven 13. If a Day be so now to be observed it is enquired on what Ground or on what Authority there is an alteration made from the Day observed under the Old Testament to that now in use that is from the last Day to the first Day of the Week whether was this Translation of the Day of the solemn Worship of God made by Christ and his Apostles or by the Primitive Church c. 14. If this were done by the Authority of Christ and his Apostles whether by an express Institution of this new Day or whether a direct Example be sufficient no Institution being needful for the First Day for if we suppose there is no Obligation to the observance of one Day in seven indispensibly abiding and on the supposition that an Obligation to keep one Day in seven doth abide then no Institution is necessary or can be properly made as to the whole nature of it * No express Institution is needful for the observance of the first Day but Examples only if the 7th part of Time or one day in seven do abide in the 4th Command Thus far the Doctor who says many other things necessary to be considered about the observation of a Day of Worship whether as to the Work of the Day it ought to be kept with the like strictness as the Jewish Sabbath in all respects and what Duties are to be performed on it as also as to the proper Limits of that Day some pleading it ought to be from Evening to Evening as the Jews kept it or from Morning to Evening that is from after twelve a Clock in the Morning to twelve the next Evening c. From what the Doctor notes it appears that the Case in controversy calls for much study and diligence and it may be accounted an Act of great weakness in any Persons to observe the Seventh Day to the disturbance of the Church without enquiring of such as God has enlightned in these things and to whom the care of their Souls are committed to see what can be said against it Is it wisdom to advise with those only that are for it and not with such also as are directly against it This shall suffice for the Propositions I first proposed I shall endeavour to clear most of those things that seem difficult which may have been the occasion of some Persons if not all going astray and falling into the Error I purpose clearly and largely to detect This brings me to the next general Head of Discourse proposed Secondly I told you I should lay down diveâ—â— Arguments to prove the Truth of our Proposition That it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath iâ— Gospel-times First The General Proposition I shall lay down one General Proposition to discover the Method I shall pursue foâ— proving what I have taken in hand 1. If the Law of God written in Adam's heart in Innocency did not oblige him to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath that Law cannot oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 2. If a positive Law or express Institution supposed to be given to Adam before or just after his Fall doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 3. If the Law written in the Hearts of the Gentiles or the most refined and enlightned among them doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 4. If the Law of Moses or the Law written in the two Tables of Stone doth not oblige Gentile Believers to keep it 5. If the Gospel by any Precept or Example doth not oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath 6. And lastly If the Law written in the Hearts of all Gospel-Believers by the Holy Spirit doth oblige them to keep the Seventh Day as a Sabbath to the Lord Then I infer it is not their Duty to keep the Seventh-Day c. for I know no other way or means whereby Gentile Believers can pretend to know they are obliged to keep the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath or a Day of Rest and solemn Worship But by none of these ways or means believing Gentiles are obliged to keep the seventh-Seventh-Day as a Sabbath c. therefore it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep it To proceed 1. Let it be considered that if the keeping of the Seventh-Day as a Sabbath i. e. that precise Day from the Creation of the World were a purely natural or simply moral Precept no doubt but it was legibly written in Adam's Heart I mean as a Law of Creation and so part of the holy Image of God or of the same nature with all other moral Precepts that result from the Perfections of God's holy Nature and not from the Soveraignty of his Will only And if it was so written in Adam's Heart in Innocency he needed no positive Law to make it known to him What was any thing that was purely or simply moral even that which belonged to good Manners or to true natural Godliness or Righteousness not made known to Adam to perfect Adam this certainly cannot be That spiritual Worship which is due to God Charnock on the Attributes p. 131. saith Mr. Charnock is known
by the Light of Nature But much more say I was it clearly manifested to Adam in Innocency But furthermore saith he the outward means or matter of that Worship which would be acceptable to God was not known by the Light of Nature the Law for a spiritual Worship by the Faculties of our Souls was natural and part of the Law of Creation tho the determination of the particular Acts whereby God would have this Homage testified was of positive Institution and depended not on the Law of Creation Tho Adam in Innocence knew God was to be worshipped yet by nature he did not know by what outward Acts he was to pay this Respect or at what Time he was more solemnly to be exercised in it than another This depended on the Directions God as the Soveraign Governor and Lawgiver should prescribe you shall therefore find the positive Institution It is observable that this great Man is not here concerned to confute the Seventh-day Sabbatarians but about another thing yet affirms with many other Learned Men that Adam by the Law of Creation did not know in Innocency at what time God was more solemnly to be worshipped than another 2. No doubt but the substance of all the ten Precepts was wrote in Adam's Heart The Substance of all Moral Precepts written in Adam's Heart yet it appears the knowledg of the Seventh-day to be kept as a Sabbath was not written there tho that which was simply and naturally moral of the fourth Commandment was Secondly I argue thus If the precise Seventh-day was written in Adam's Heart The Law of the 7th day Sabbath not written in Adam's Heart there had been no need of an Institution or positive Law to make it known to him for what more need had he of an outward Revelation of this than of the other Commandments Take here what a Learned Man hath said * Mr. P. a Minister at Rouen in France p. 3. If the keeping of the Seventh-day were a Moral Duty our Father Adam by that Light of Nature God put in his Mind when he created him would have known it as well as he knew all other things in themselves good and necessary but he neither had nor should have had any knowledg thereof if God had not injoined it to him by a particular Command as those which maintain the morality of the Sabbath do avouch So that this followeth manifestly that the observation of the Seventh-day depends merely on Institution My Brethren Let this be considered well that if the knowledg of the Seventh-day wholly depended on the Will of God or on mere Institution and resulted not as all pure and simple moral Precepts do from the holy Rectitude of God's Nature it follows that the precise Day pertains not to the Essence of the Fourth Commandment but the simple Morality of that Precept lies only in a time of Worship And certainly if God by a mere positive Command had not given it to Israel they had no more known it their duty to keep it than the Pagan World did who were wholly ignorant thereof as I shall prove And be sure if God wrote not the Law or knowledg of the Seventh-day Sabbath on Adam's Heart the Seventh-day is not of the same nature with simply moral Precepts which God engraved on his Heart even the substance or tenor of all the Ten Commandments and made him know them naturally without any instruction by word of mouth But it appears by their own Assertion it was instituted c. Therefore the knowledg of the Seventh-day as a special time of Worship was not wrote in his Heart Our Opponents dare not deny but the substance of the whole Moral Law was wrote in his Heart and they foresee it is dangerous to deny it From whence it appears that all the other Precepts are simply moral and so is a time of Worship but the precise Seventh-day by their own concession was instituted in Man's Innocency and so depends wholly upon an express positive Command declared to Adam by audible Words resounding in his Ears Mr. Tillam says Tillam 's Book p. 7. It was instituted before the Fall and founded in Mount Paradise Answ Tho I believe no such matter nor can any Man prove it yet to grant it for Argument-sake then I say it follows it was not written in Adam's Heart for the being perfect he would naturally have known it without being told it was his Duty to keep it For consider that he was created on the Sixth Day and understood what was naturally and universally good i. e. all those Duties that were essential parts of Godliness and Righteousness or things belonging to good Manners Now if so why need he be told he must keep the Seventh-day or why must that Precept come under express Institution and none of the rest Object God saw good to bring all the ten Commandments under express Institution on Mount Sinai as well as he brought the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath in Paradise under express Institution Answ I deny it not God did then see good so to do considering how the Nature of Man was corrupted and his Law written in his Heart was blotted and blur'd by the Fall But let it be consider'd that the Law was not written in two Tables of Stone so much for a Rule of Life as for other reasons The Reasons why God added the Ministration of the Law wrote in two Tables of Stone 1. It was added and written there to aggravate Sin on the Conscience It was added saith Pual because of Transgression Gal. 3. 19. it was to make Sin appear exceeding sinful Rom. 7. 13. 2. It was written there to shew the Creature his sad and woful condition and to make known how unable fallen Man was to fulfil the Righteousness of God 3. And as a Schoolmaster to lead such as were under it to Christ in whom perfect Righteousness only is to be found Man being not able to keep perfectly that holy and just Law 4. And to shew them as I conceive that nothing but the Finger of God could write his holy Law in the stony Hearts of Sinners as shall be further demonstrated hereafter for that whole Ministration of the Law and Covenant I shall prove was a shadow and typical and so no standing Law or Ministration as there written but as it is in the hand of Jesus Christ 5. That whole Law and consequently the Seventh-day Sabbath was given on Mount Sinai as it suted the Judaical Oeconomy as well their Political as Ecclesiastical state There are many Additions made to the Seventh-day Sabbath together with other Ends annex'd and Designs and Uses thereto employ'd which is granted by such as assert it was given to Adam in Paradise * This gave a new state to it saith Dr. Owen p. 8 9. Secondly If it had been given to Adam in Innocency he not knowing without an Institution it was his Duty to keep it I argue from hence it follows that he had the
of Nature the Waters usually are and by the Will of God were then much decreased the Dove which was sent out had found good footing on the Earth There is greater reason to believe this than to suppose it refer'd to the Sabbath * De Emendat Temp. l. 5. Scaliger saith my Author one while thought the day on which Noah left the Ark and offered Sacrifices to be the seventh day but in the next Edition he fixed that day to be the fourth day of the week Now after the Flood we find God gave to Noah and his Sons some express Laws and Commands i. e. not to eat Blood and forbidding Murder c. Now this is the time doubtless to hear of a Sabbath and of the charge about it if God had given it either to Adam before or after the Fall but not one word is mention'd for 't is not said Remember the seventh day c. or ye shall observe my Sabbath Gen. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Now from Shem Ham and Japhet both Jews and Gentiles proceeded even the whole World and to me it seems not probable had the Sabbath been commanded that Jehovah should not at this time have given them a charge about it there being then so few positive Laws instituted here is Blood forbid to the whole World and Murder but not one word of a Sabbath or seventh day to be observ'd Seven Precepts given to Noah but no Sabbath The Rabbins speak of seven Precepts given to Noah and his Sons but exclude the Seventh-day Sabbath out of that number If we have it not mentioned here besure we shall not meet with it till we come to Moses but here we have it not nor indeed was it possible for some of them to keep that precise day being scatter'd to the furthermost ends of the Earth We read of Abraham that he kept all God's Commandments yet he kept no Seventh-day Sabbath he built an Altar and sacrificed which were mere positive Precepts and 〈◊〉 the Seventh-day Sabbath is not mention'd â—or commanded him nor a hint given to remember him to keep it Job liv'd also Job liv'd 't is thought about Abraham's time it is concluded about Abraham's time which may be gather'd by the number of years he liv'd which was about two hundred years which few attain'd to after Abraham Joseph liv'd but a hundred and ten 'T is said Job liv'd a hundred and forty years after his sore Trials were ended Job 42. 16. the Jews speak of his living in all two hundred and eighty years â—ow as one observes when he pleads his Inâ—â—grity and Innocence even to very minute Particulars he neither alledges his strict observation of the Seventh-Say Sabbath nor apologizes for the neglect thereof nor do this Friends who rak'd up every thing against him speak a word about this nor of the Sabbath throughout the whole Book which treats in a manner wholly about Worship and Devotion towards God the Sabbath therefore no doubt had not â—â—â—ap'd as he minds if it had been known 〈◊〉 been a Duty in his days As to Isaac he was a most devout Man and 〈◊〉 Life was taken up in a continual course of â—â—ety his custom was to go into the fields to meditate but it is not said he did it on the â—eventh day or that he kept this day as a Sabbath Jacob was a Man that fled from Idolatry 〈◊〉 God's Command and liv'd a godly Life and tho we read of his performing many Acts of Worship yet nothing of his keeping the seventh day as a Sabbath no tho we read of his hard Service when he kept Laban's Sheep both in Winter and Summer which might have caused him to complain of his being incommoded from a strict observation of that day had he known it as his Duty but in all his Complaints not one word of this We know among us how Shepherds are hindered in Sabbath-Observations of which many have complained or may have occasion to do Moreover during Joseph's being in Pharaoh's Court nor before do we read of his observing this Sabbath and when Jacob came into Egypt we read 〈◊〉 of his observation thereof nor of the Egyptian keeping of it or had they forgot it besuâ— there would have been some notice taken of Jacob's keeping it nor would he have avoided iâ— that he might please Pharaoh and his Servants Nor can it be thought on any good grounds that the Children of Israel kept the Seventh-day Sabbath under their Taskmasters in Egypt thâ— some would infer they did from these words that you make the People rest from their Burdens Exod. 5. 5. they would have these words to mean you make them keep a Sabbath where as no such thing seems to have the least countenance because Pharaoh's Officers complain not of their resting or being idle on one day only but two days together see Exod. 5. 14. Wherefore have you not fulfilled your Task in making of Brick both yesterday and to day as heretofore Now since there is no mention that any 〈◊〉 the Patriarchs kept the seventh day as a Sabbath we infer this as the first reason why they observ'd it not Secondly Let it be consider'd that we read 〈◊〉 many positive Commands given to Noah to Abraham Isaac and Jacob but none to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath nor no reminding them of any former Institution or Precept to observe it wherefore we may conclude they kept it not Thirdly The Patriarchs not commended for keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath We read how the faithful Patriarchs were commended for doing whatsoever God commanded them but not of any of them being commended for keeping the seventh day as a Sabbath yet after Moses's time when the Sabbath was instituted and given by God's express Command to Israel he took we find as much notice of their observing his Sabbaths as of any other Duty injoined on them and this to their great Commendation Therefore had the Patriarchs been oblig'd to keep it no doubt they had as faithfully discharged their Duty therein as any of God's Servants did in after times and God besure would have left something on Record to their Commendation Fourthly The old World not charg'd with Sabbath-breaking We read of divers Sins the old World was guilty of which provoked God and brought the Flood upon them but not one word or hint given that they were guilty of Sabbath-breaking Now if it had been known either by the Light of Nature or by any positive Precept given to Adam and handed down to them by Tradition or otherwise they being so universally corrupted and polluted no doubt had profan'd that day and if so the sacred Record had mention'd that great Sin doubtless as well as others Fifthly Sodom not charg'd with Sabbath-breaking Moreover we read of the crying Sins of the People of Sodom c. and no doubt but they had violated all God's Commands or whatsoever were their known Duties but nothing of breaking
the Sabbath is charged against them Now can it be imagin'd they should not have fail'd in this case or that God would overlook or take no notice of it Sixtly We have a Catalogue of almost all immoral Evils before and after the Flood as Idolatry Gluttony Drunkenness Lasciviousness Incest Murder Lying Covetousness Theft c. and how Sin had possessed the Thoughts Hearts and Lives of Men but no account of their Violation of the Sabbath-day Seventhly None from Adam to Moses reprehended for not keeping the Sabbath Let it be consider'd that since God so severely reprehended the Jews for profaning his Sabbaths and hardly reproved them more sharply for any one Sin than for this certainly in his enumerating the Sins 〈◊〉 his People and of the Wickedness of those that liv'd from Adam to Moses he would have reproved them for Sabbath-breaking and not have utterly passed it by in silence had they been guilty of it or can it be rationally supposed that tho they fail'd in all other respects yet that they did not in this No doubt had it been a known Duty and that some of them had been guilty of the breach of it as in all likelihood they would but God would have severely reprehended them for it Eighthly Since we read of no Sabbath till Moses's time Exod. 16. only that God sanctified the seventh day what makes our Brethren so boldly say that Adam in Innocence kept it and all the Patriarchs from Adam to Moses This may seem strange to any thinking Man i. e. that they should affirm this seeing they require an express Command from us for the keeping of the first day or else all is nothing with them Brethren this I will say that had we no more ground to keep the Lord's day in solemn Worship as a day of Rest than they can find for the Patriarchs keeping of the seventh day as a Sabbath we should not say one word more for it I challenge them to shew us one place where a Sabbath is so much as once mention'd or any express or implicit Command given to any to observe it or one Example from the Creation of the World that any Man or Woman ever kept the seventh day as a Sabbath until we come to Moses Exod. 16. I shall God assisting shew that we have more than meer Examples of the Gospel Primitive Churches for observing in a solemn manner the Lord's-day or the first day of the week when I come to that part of my Work Now let them produce but one Example that â—ne tho but one of the Patriarchs did keep the â—eventh day as a Sabbath I will conclude it might be given to Adam after his Fall for before his Fall it could not be a Law to him for the reasons I have urged but if they could produce such an Example yet say some learned Men it doth no more prove that precise day is a moral Precept or that it from hence follows that it is our Duty in Gospel-times to observe it than it proves 't is our Duty to offer Sacrifices which we read before the Ceremonial Law was given they frequently did But since there is not one Instance to be given of any one Person that kept that day till Moses's time but that the Word of God is wholly silent about it we must and may say according to that common Maxim used by Divines i. e. Where God hath not a Mouth to speak we ought not to have an Ear to hear Ninthly The Proofs of the Learned for the Patriarchs keeping the Sabbath Let us now consider what some learned Men have produced for their pretended Proofs that the Patriarchs kept the seventh day as a Sabbath which I fear hath imboldned the Jewish Sabbatarians to affirm with such Confidence that all the Patriarchs did keep it But by the way Dr. Owen who is one that asserted what I utterly deny doth yet confess that many of the Jewish Masters or Rabbins ascribe the original of the Sabbath to the Statute given to them in Mara Exod. 15. and others of them to Exod. 16. yet the said Reverend Doctor cites some of the probable grounds to prove that the Patriarchs kept it Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 72. 1. The first and chief place I find he mentions is that in Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the ways of the Lord and do Justice and Judgment Answ That Abraham had this Charge and Commandment given to him is granted but what little reason there is from hence to conclude he kept the Sabbath or gave charge to his Children so to do I will leave to all Mens Consideration God gave to Abraham Commands we find that evident enough and some of them not very easy to Flesh and Blood as that of offering up his only Son Moreover none doubt of the faithfulness of the Patriarch Abraham but if the Sabbath was not then instituted nor any Command given to him to keep it there could not be any such Command meant or comprehended in that Charge given to him The truth is my Brethren learned Men who are Men also of great natural Parts can put a fair gloss on any thing and make that seem to be a Truth that there is not the least ground to believe is so Abraham did all he did in Faith and therefore he had Divine Authority for all he did in God's Service Dr. Twiss's main Argument to prove that the Patriarchs observed the Seventh-day Sabbath is this Dr. Twiss on the Christian Sab. p. 57. viz. The Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it therefore saith he the Patriarchs did observe it Answ I answer God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it but did not give any Command to Adam to keep it therefore the Patriarchs from thence could not know or see they had any ground to observe it Dr. Twiss saith in the same place i. e. And the truth is until the coming of the Children of Israel out of Egypt we read not of any Church of God any where but in single Families neither do we read of the Patriarchs before the Flood or a long time after that they kept any day consecrated to God's Service But we say with him that it doth not therefore follow that they kept no day at all in God's Service They owned the True God and worshipped him and knew that there must be a time a sufficient time to discharge that Homage or Worship to him and tho perhaps they observ'd one day in seven yet as I conceive they did not know what precise day they ought to observe above any other until God by some express positive Command made it known which was not till he constituted the whole House of Israel into a Typical Church-state and gave them an instituted Worship and commanded their Legal and Typical Sabbath Besides how could the Patriarchs know what Duties proper for Sabbath-observation
and solemn Worship And tho the last of seven was that precise Day injoyn'd under the old Covenant upon the People of Israel yet that Sabbath was not to continue longer than till the Antitype came and it being a sign and shadow it is as I have proved done away Dr. Owen Pag. 301. speaking of the Seventh-day Sabbath saith That Day was not directly nor absolutely required in the Decalogue but consequentially only by way of appropriation to the Mosaical Oeconomy whereunto it was then annexed The Command is to observe the Sabbath-day God blessed the Sabbath-day And the mention of the seventh Day in the body of the Command fixes the number of the Days in whose Revolution a Sabbatical Rest returns but determines not an everlasting order in them seeing the order relating to the old Creation is inconsistent with the Law Reason and Worship of the new And if the seventh Day and the Sabbath as some pretend are the same the sense of the Command in the inforcing part of it is but the seventh Day is the seventh Day of the Lord thy God which is none at all So as he and all learned Men generally say 't is not the precise seventh Day but one day in seven which is perpetually obligatory in the fourth Commandment Mind the words again wherein the substance or the essential part of this Command is expressed Six days shalt thou labour but a seventh is a Sabbath 't is not in the original the seventh but seventh denoting not a monthly or yearly but a weekly Sabbath the Phrase is exclusive Mr. Warren p. 48. as one observes implying thus much i. e. Thou art not bound to keep the sixth day or one in six or the tenth or one in ten but the seventh that is one in seven or one in a week The term seventh is opposed to all other numbers either ninth or twentieth as also to the six working days which clearly intend such a number as six in seven so the seventh as one in seven Suppose I give or lend a poor Man seven Pounds on condition that he improves one Pound for me now by the seventh is intended one in seven so doth God here intend one day in seven for a holy Rest to himself Tho I deny not the last of seven or one after six working days was given to the People of Israel yet it was a sign they should keep the whole Law and was a shadow of that spiritual and antitypical Rest we have in Christ and so was upon a special occasion imposed on them with the greatest strictness and severest Penalty But let it be considered that which is signified in the fourth Command as perpetually obliging us is that we observe one day in seven as a day of Rest to the Lord. Let me give you one parallel case more viz. the Law of Tithes Now God required the tenth of their Increase but will any Man say God intended any one precise tenth No begin where you will the tenth Sheaf or Lamb is the Lord's So here God will have one day in seven but the reason why he fixed on the last of the seven under the old Covenant I have shewed and shall further shew why he chuseth the first of seven in the new Covenant neither being expressed in the essential and first part of the fourth Command Had God chose now one in six or one in nine he had altered as one observes the substance of this Command It is needless to recite the words of all * Owen Twiss Shepherd Walker Palmer Hughs Dod Wallis Durham B. of Dorchest Weemse Baxter Bunyan c. those who hold that one in seven not the precise last day of the seven is perpetually to be observ'd and that the old seventh Day is abolished but I shall observe what Mr. Warren saith viz. Thus I grant the time of Worship a Sabbath it self being an inseparable Adjunct of solemn Worship is perpetual but the old Day the seventh from the Creation was made mutable and we have a Sabbath still a literal Sabbath but the old Sabbaths and old Sacrifices being Twins tho both honourable and serviceable in their Generations as they liv'd together and dy'd together let both together in God's Name be buried in the Grave of Christ so as never to rise up again but let our Gospel-worship and Gospel-Sabbath take life from our Saviour's Resurrection which brought with it a new Creation a new World making all things new But to wave this a little 't is well observ'd by Dr. Wallis He 'll say perhaps i. e. Mr. Banfield the Jews observed such a seventh Day from the Creation and that was their Sabbath But that is more than he or I know or any Man living They had I grant a circulation of seven days but from what Epocha we cannot tell And when Moses tells them on the sixth day To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath it seems to be the fixing of a new Epocha from the first raining of Manna and then all his Arguments from the continual observation of the Sabbath from the Creation till that time are at an end i. e. whether this from the first raining of Manna be the same with that from the Creation And there is six to one odds that it is not 1. Observe Mr. B. of Dorchest p. 31. that at the opening and giving forth of the Command Exod. 20. 8. 't is said Remember the Sabbath-day that is the day of holy Rest of God's appointing 2. In the Conclusion of the Command v. 11. Wherefore the Lord blessed and sanctified the Sabbath-day 't is not expressed the seventh day but the Sabbath-day of holy Rest this is evident that neither in the opening nor shutting up the Commandment where we have the moral substance of it is there mention of any particular Day at all 3. What intervenes and comes in by way of explication or inforcement of Obedience between the opening and shutting up of the Command ought to be observed as 1. In what Revolution of time God had appointed this day of holy Rest to be observ'd and that is one whole day of seven of every seven days six for Labour one for Rest not one in ten or one in twenty but one in seven one day in every week 2. I observe the inforcement of Obedience to the Command from God's resting the seventh day Here I acknowledg the last of seven is mentioned but not as any branch of the unchangeable moral substance of the Command nor the observation of it directly but only consequentially being instituted before as is acknowledged by all And it must be owned that the last of seven here mentioned had first of all the honour to be the day of God's appointing and accordingly was observed till the time came that another day the first of seven was to succeed in the rome of it Note 1. As was said before neither in giving forth nor shutting up the Commandment is there any mention of
can refer in these words to no Law but that of Christ or rather Christ's Gospel or to the Law as in his hands who hath fulfilled the whole Law for us by his own perfect Obedience and hence we are delivered from the Law as in the hand of Moses because as so considered it was not a Law of Liberty but a Law of Bondage or that which gender'd to Bondage And he shews it is a Rule of Righteousness to us only as Christ is our Lawgiver whose Law is a Law of Liberty but as he that offended in one point was guilty of the breach of the whole Law there he clearly alludes to the Law as in Moses's hand and as a Covenant of Works We are not to do nor speak nor live as the Law in Moses's hands directs or as he was a Lawgiver for then we should be under perpetual Bondage and nothing is more plain than that Moses's Law as to the strict observance of its Precepts brought the Jews into Bondage 't is call'd a Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5. 1 c. But so speak and so do as they who shall be judged by the Law of Liberty that is the Gospel for not by the Law as in Moses's hand but by the Gospel we shall be judged at the last day who live only under that Ministration And from hence let such as keep the Seventh-day Sabbath take heed lest they are brought into Bondage by obliging themselves to observe the whole Law since I have prov'd it was appointed as a sign or pledg of the Covenant of Works binding them to universal and perfect Obedience who were on their Sabbath-day not to think their own Thoughts nor speak their own Words but to make the Law of God their delight so as not to sin which none ever did or could do save Jesus Christ who thus kept the Sabbath even as long as he liv'd for us on the Earth that we might enter into his Rest or into the Antiâ—â—pical Sabbath Thirdly The third Argument to prove it is not the Duty of Gentile Believers to keep the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath from the fourth Commandment in the Decalogue is Because that Law as there written and given is taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver as well as it was a Covenant of Works and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator My Brethren The moral Law taken out of the hand of Moses as a Lawgiver and put into the hand of Christ as Mediator could our Adversaries prove that the Law on Mount Sinai was given to all the World and so to believing Gentiles which I have shewn it was not yet this would not in the least do their business for the believing Jews are now no longer under the Law no not as the moral Law was given by Moses as a Rule of Life any more than they are not under it as a Covenant of Works 1. Indeed my Work is partly done in this respect already by what I have said in opening the plain sense of the Apostle James in that place just now mentioned 2. This appears because we have but one Lawgiver Isa 33. 22. namely Jesus Christ The Lord is Judg the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King he will save us that is Jehovah our Righteousness who came to save us There is one Lawgiver Jam. 4. 12. who is able to save and to destroy Now is not this our Lord Jesus Christ Obj. He doth not say we have but one Answ But 't is imply'd Paul says there is one God and one Mediator Doth not this imply that there is but one God and but one Mediator Who are you now that will introduce another Lawgiver a Co-partner or a Co-rival with Christ to partake of part of his Honour 3. Because our Lord declares that all Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18 19. all Power consider'd as Mediator for as he is God it was not given to him but was his own essentially But this is a Power delegated to him i. e. all Power as sole Lord and Lawgiver to his Church who only is the Head thereof therefore we must look to him for Laws and how to be governed He governed by a Substitute before but now being come himself the Substitute is utterly devested of his Power 4. The Moral Law as a Rule of Righteousness must only be in the hand of Christ because our Lord saith the Law and the Prophets were until John Luke 16. 16. that is Moses and the Prophets were as Teachers by whom God spake to the People that is at the time of their Ministration and Prophecy but now the date of their Ministration is near expir'd they have Moses and the Prophets But in the Transfiguration which was a Figure or Representation of Christ's glorious Gospel-Church or Kingdom and his Ministration Moses disappear'd with Elias who being one of the chiefest Prophets might signify all the rest and John also The Disciples would have three Tabernacles one for Moses one for Elias and one for Christ i. e. they would have been under their Ministrations as Lawgivers and Teachers and would have them to share with Christ of that Glory But lo a Voice was heard from the Cloud saying This is my beloved Son hear him and when they lifted up their Eyes they saw no man but Jesus only Moses and Elias were gone and tho the Writings of Moses and the Prophets are of great use still for Comfort and Instruction Heb. 1. 1 2. c. yet now God only speaks to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things On him all the Father's Love and Glory doth terminate no Lord no Ruler no Lawgiver but he is to be heard he being the Truth it self and having receiv'd the whole Counsel of the Father has revealed all things that we are to believe and practise He is the great Prophet Moses spoke of whom we are to hear in all things Acts 3. 22 23. Must we 〈◊〉 to Moses to know how Christ is to govern â—s Church or take any Law from him No â—is would be to eclipse the Glory of Christ 5. Because the Servant was not to abide in the â—ouse for ever viz. as a Lawgiver that is â—s Ministration of the Law was to cease 6. Because the moral Law or the Decalogue 〈◊〉 deliver'd by Moses had several things in it â—at only pertained to the Israelites or to the â—gal Church-state of the Jews and was given â—y him as a Covenant of Works mind the Preface to that Law Exod. 20. and the Proâ—ise annexed to the fifth Commandment Hoâ—our thy Father and thy Mother that thy days â—ay be long in the Land which the Lord thy God â—veth thee These things shew that the Law â—ven by Moses was not to last but till the end 〈◊〉 that Dispensation and Church-state 7. Because we are not come to Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. â—ot to receive the Law as there delivered
be waved the day after the Sabbath this is spoken in contradistinction to the Feasts spoken of in the 2d Verse which are elsewhere called Sabbaths but here is an Emphasis laid on the word the Sabbath i. e. the Sabbath spoken of ver 3. And that it is not meant of any of those fore-mentioned Feasts appears in that there are not any particular Feasts mentioned but there is a Command to observe them and the word is in the plural number there Therefore no particular Feasts as the first day of unleavened Bread but the Seventh-day Sabbath is directly here meant For wherever there is mention of the Sabbath without a restriction to any other Feasts it is to be understood of the Seventh-day Sabbath as Exod. 16. 15. To morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath the Emphasis limits it to the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath and that because there is â—o other Feast particularly spoken of Secondly Tradition has handed it down to us that the day of Pentecost was the first day of the week and it is the day call'd Whit-sunday Now if Tradition has failed here it fails also as to their seventh day for how do we know this is the first day or yesterday was the seventh but by Tradition Thirdly Here I might mention many learned Writers yea all generally do affirm that Pentecost was the first day of the week Thus Dr. Heylin Hist of the Sab. par 2. p. 13. who was no friend to the Lord's-day or Christian Sabbath saith that Pentecost was the first day of the week Mr. Durham saith the same On the ten Command p. 263. Mr. Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer say that Pentecost was the first day of the week and answer the Arguments brought against it Sab. Rediv. p. 491. Dr. Wallis says Christ Sab. p. 37 38. Pentecost was the first day of the week and proves it from Levit. 23. 15. The morrow after the Sabbath the Priest was to wave the Sheaf-Offering And then he proceeds ver 15 16. To the Feast of Pentecost or Feast of Weeks ye shall count unto you from the morrow of the Sabbath from the day you brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall be compleat even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days inclusively taken as the manner of the Scripture reckoning is and must needs be so here It was called the Feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks as Deut. 16. 9 10. which Feast was the morrow after the Sabbath i. e. on the first day of the week Dr. Owen saith Owen on the Sabb. p. 289. Pentecost was the first day of the week When the Lord Christ intended conspicuously to build his Church upon his Work and Rest by sending the Holy Ghost with his miraculous Gifts upon the Apostles he did it on this day which was then among the Jews the Feast of Pentecost or of Week Then were the Disciples gathered together with one accord in observance of the day signalized to them by his Resurrection Acts 2. 1. And by this doth their Obedience receive a blessed Confirmation as well as their Persons a glorious Endowment with Abilities for the Work they were immediately to apply themselves to And hereon did they set out to the whole work of building the Church on that Foundation and promoting the Worship of it which on that day was especially to be celebrated Thus Dr. Owen Mr. Rich. Baxter likewise proves that Pentecost was the first day of the week Baxt. on the Sabb. p. 168. when the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles and saith he it is not a trifle that the first Sermon to the People was preach'd by Peter on that day and three thousand converted by it and baptized Dr. Vsher also fully clears that Pentecost was the first day of the week always as you shall near by and by who hath finally resolved this Doubt 4 I have another Medium by which to prove it was on the first day of the week that â—he Sheaf-Offering was to be waved before the Lord which is this No doubt but God did hereby signify that our Lord Christ should on that day rise from the dead 1 Cor. 15. who is said to be â—he first-fruits of them that slept The Wave-Offering was I say a shadow of Christ's Reâ—urrection The Wave-Offering was a Sheaf of the first ripe Fruits of Harvest and was to be offered the morrow after the Sabbath So Christ â—s the first-fruits of that great Harvest of the Saints blessed Resurrection and he rose again â—n the morrow after the Sabbath and so answered the Type Here we have the Gospel Sabbath or Gospel-day of Worship confirm'd by our Lord Jesus Christ As for those who assign the Institution of his day to the Apostles It is not as Reverend Owen observes Owen p. 293. to be imagin'd that they knowing â—he day observed under the Law of Moses was â—emoved would fix on another day without immediate direction from the Lord Christ For indeed they delivered saith he nothing to be constantly observed in the Worship of God but what they had his Authority for 1 Cor. 11. 23. But to return back because the Sabbatâ—â—iâ—â—s deny that Pentecost was the first day of the week I shall here endeavour further to confute them and finally to resolve this Doubt recite some Pages out of a Reverend Author Mr. Warren the substance oâ— which I perceive he took out of a printed Letter wrote by the famous Vsher to Dr. Twiss who hath I think put an end to this Controversy That Pentecost is the first day of the week is generally taken by Christian Writers Proofs that Pentecost was the first day of the week and so it may be evidently proved by the Scripture Let plain Scripture determine the matter I look into the Statute Laws of Moses concerning 〈◊〉 Feast of Pentecost Exod. 34. 21 22. Six days shalt thou 〈◊〉 but the seventh thou shalt rest both in earing-time and in Harvest And thou shalt observe the Feast of Weeks of the first-fruits of Wheat-Harvest Lev. 23. 10 11 12 15. When ye are come 〈◊〉 the Land which I give unto you and ye shalâ— reap the Harvest thereof then ye shall bring 〈◊〉 Sheaf of the first-fruits of your Harvest to 〈◊〉 Priest and he shall wave it together with 〈◊〉 offering of a Lamb without blemish on the 〈◊〉 row after the Sabbath he shall wave it And ye shall count unto you from the morrâ—â— after the Sabbath from the day that ye bringâ—â—â— the Sheaf seven Sabbaths shall be complâ—â— even to the morrow after the seventh Sabbath ye shall number fifty days So Numb 28. 26. Deut. 16. 7. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number thâ—â— seven weeks from such time as thou beginâ—◠〈◊〉 put the Sickle to the Corn. From the Harmony of which four Teâ—â—◠〈◊〉 appears that this Feast had three 〈…〉 Names which were all made good at that solemn
I take to be the Foundation of the observance of the first Day and that which I mentioned last is a clear confirmation thereof In order to do this consider that each Day to be observed either under the Law or Gospel must be comprehended in the fourth Command and that the change of the old Day takes not away the perpetual Obligation of one day in seven nor the reason of that positive perpetual Law Now there are but two great and general Instances in which God is said to rest viz. 1. That after the first Creation was finished God rested from all his Work namely from Creation-work so as he never will create any material thing again to the end of the World As to his creating the Soul that is not the creating of any new Species of Beings 2. The Rest of God-man after he had finished the Work of Redemption or the second Creation which is never to be repeated Now there is a moral Reason which is deducible from the fourth Commandment that whenever God rests there is a Foundation of a day of Rest for Man comporting with the nature and tendency of each Covenant to which that Rest doth refer Thou shalt do no manner of Work c. for in six days c. The word for implys a moral Reason which makes it applicable to any Rest of God therefore to God's Rest from the Work of Redemption I mean that of God-man which is also deducible from Heb. 4 Christ rested from his Work as God did from his Therefore there remaineth a Rest for the People of God Heb. 4. â— 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he that is entered into his Rest hath also ceased from his Works as God did from his Here is the Institution of the Lord's Day For tho this Rest hath a particular relation to the Gospel-day of Rest i. e. of that Grace Rest and Peace Christ procured for us by his doing all that we had to do and of that burden of Punishment he bore which we had to undergo for our Sins yet not exclusive of a particular Sabbath or day of Rest but it is directly intended here as the Foundation and Institution of it because that Rest in the former Verses which has a more particular respect to the Rest in Canaan is spoken of not excluding God's resting the seventh-Seventh-day Now in pursuit of this I shall here cite some material Passages out of Dr. Owen on the Sabbath who has fully confirmed what I here assert How the Creation of all things was finished Dr. Owen on the Sab. p. 256. and the Rest of God and Man that ensued thereon hath been saith he declared It hath also in part and sufficiently as to our present purpose been evidenced how the great Ends of the Creation of all in the Glory of God and the Blessedness of Man in him with the Pledg thereof in a sabbatical Rest were for a season as it were defeated and disappointed by the entrance of Sin which brake the Covenant that was founded in the Law of Creation and rendered it useless unto those Ends Hence it could no more bring Man to rest in God but yet there was the continuation of the obligatory Force of the Law and Covenant and hence of the Sabbatical Rest in the Church of Israel with the especial application of its Command to that People In this state of things God had of old determined the Renovation of all things by a new Creation a new Law of that Creation a new Covenant and a new Sabbatical Rest to his Glory by Jesus Christ And this Renovation of all things accordingly to be accomplished in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. 'T is said Old things are past away and behold all things are become new the old Law the old Covenant old Worship Pag. 258. old Sabbath and all that was peculiar to the Covenant of Works as such in the first Institution of it and its renewed Declaration on Mount Sinai all are gone and antiquated And what now remains of them as to any usefulness in our living to God doth not abide on the old Foundation but on a new Disposition of them by the Renovation of all things in Christ Eph. 1. 10. A new Law of Obedience is introduc'd by the new Creation in Christ Jesus And there is a great Renovation thereof shewed in God's writing his Law in our Hearts not here to be insisted on God brings over * That is God brings over the Law as given on Mount Sinai into the hands of Christ in this State the use of the first Law as renewed and represented in Tables of Stone for a directive Rule of Obedience to the new Creature whereby the first original Law is wholly supply'd Hereunto he makes an addition of what positive Laws he thinks meet So the Moral Law tho materially always the same yet this old Law as brought over into this new State is new also for all old things are become new And it is now the Rule of our Obedience not merely to God as Creator but to God in Christ bringing us into a new Relation to himself in the Renovation of the Image of God in our Souls and the transferring over of the Moral Law as a Rule accompanied with new Principles Motives and Ends. And now observe all the Rests of God are founded in his own Rest in his Works for a pledg hereof a day of Rest must be given and observed But as the Apostle tells in another case Pag. 262. The Priesthood being changed Heb. 7. 12. there must also of necessity be a change of the Law so the Covenant being changed and the Rest which was the end of it being changed and the way of entering into the Rest of God being changed a change of the Day must of necessity thereon ensue And no Man can assert the same day of Rest precisely to abide as of old but he must likewise assert the same way of entering into â—t which yet as all acknowledg is changed The day first annexed to the Covenant of Works that is the seventh day was continued under the old Testament because the outward Administration of the Covenant of Works was continued But now the new Covenant being absolutely established and the other abolished both as to its Nature Use Efficacy and Power no more to be represented nor proposed unto Believers even the whole of it Yea and its renewed Administration under the Old Testament being removed taken away and disappearing Heb. 8. 13. the precise day of Rest belonging unto it was to be changed also and so it came to pass On these Suppositions we lay Pag. 164. § 7. and ought to â—ay the observation of the Lord's-day under the New Testament according to the Institution of â—t or Declaration of the Mind of Christ who â—s our Lord and Lawgiver concerning it A New work of Creation or work of a new Creation is undertaken and compleated * Isa 65.
17. ch 66. 22 23. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. Rom. 8. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. This new Creation is accompanied with a new Law and Covenant or the Law of Faith and Covenant of Grace Rom. 3. 27. ch 8. 2 3 4. Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 8 9 10 c. To this Law and Covenant a day of holy Rest unto the Lord doth belong which cannot be the same with the former no more than it is the same Law or same Covenant which was originally given Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 1. 10. That this day was limited and determined to the first day of the week by our Lord Jesus Christ is that which shall now further be confirmed First Pag. 366. On this day he rested from his Work by his Resurrection for then he laid the Foundation of the new Heavens and new Earth and finished the Works of the new Creation when all the Stars sang together and the Sons of God shouted for Joy On this day he rested from his Works The drift of the Apostle here is to shew how the first day is established as our day of Rest under the Gospel as God did and was refreshed as God was for tho he worketh hitherto in communication of his Spirit and Graces as the Father continueth to do in his Works of Providence after the finishing of his Works of the old Creation tho these Works belong thereunto yet he ceaseth absolutely from that kind of Work whereby he laid the Foundation of the new Creation henceforth he dyeth no more and on this day was he refreshed in the view of his Works for he saw it was exceeding good Now as God's Rest This the Doctor shews the Apostle chiefly intends and his being refreshed in his Work on the seventh day of old was a sufficient Indication of the precise day of Rest which he would have observed under the Administration of that original Law and Covenant so the Rest of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his being refreshed in and from his Work on the first day is a sufficient Indication of the precise day of Rest to be observ'd under the Dispensation of the new-Covenant now confirm'd and established And the Church of Christ could not pass one Week under the New Testament Pag. 267. or in a Gospel-state of Worship without this Indication For the Judaical Sabbath as sure as it was so and as sure as it was annexed to the Mosaâ—â—l Administration of the Covenant was so far abolish'd as not to oblige really the Disciples of Christ in Conscience to the Observation of it whatsoever any of them might for a season apprehend And if a new day was not now determined there was no day or season appointed for an observance of an holy Rest unto the Lord nor any pledg given us of our entering into the Rest of Christ Accordingly this Indication of the Gospel-day of Rest § 10. and Worship was imbraced by the Apostles who were to be as the chief Corner Stones in the Foundation of the Christian Church For immediately they assembled themselves on that day and were confirmed in their Obedience by the Grace of our Lord in meeting with them thereon Joh. 20. 19 26. And it appears on this day only he appeared to them when they were assembled together altho occasionally he shewed himself to sundry of them at other seasons Moreover from this time forward this day was never without its solemn Assemblies as shall further be cleared afterwards Thus the Doctor He then proceeds further to prove more fully from this of Heb. 4. the Foundation and Institution of the Lord's-day in which he has certainly not only out-done all Expositors before him but hath made it very plain that the first day is here by the Apostle declared to be established by Christ's Rest and our resting in him and to be the day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel as God's resting from his Work was the Foundation of the old Sabbath He cites Heb. 4. 3 11. moreover he opens the many Rests mentioned Pag. 269 230 231 c. and proves the Rest spoken of in the Psalms to intend the Rest of Christ and his People in the Gospel-Dispensation and not the eternal Rest above but that Rest which all that believe do enter into after Christ had done all our Work and ceased or finished his Work for ever as God finished his and as a pledg of his Rest hath left us a day of Rest There remaineth therefore a Sabbatism for the People of God Here is both the Foundation and Institution of the first day as a day of Rest or a Gospel Sabbath and the manner of our entering into it as well as the abrogation of the old day The Foundation Pag. 279. saith he of the whole is laid down ver 10. For he that is entered into his Rest § 20. has ceased from his Works as God did from his i. e. that as God ceased working rested and took satisfaction and complacency in his Work never working any more in creating and so a Rest followed on that day so Christ ceased and rested from the Work of Redemption on the first day and a Rest followed for us on that day he taking Rest and Complacency in his Work There is the Rest of the one and the other and these saith he also have their mutual proportion Now God rested from his own Work of Creation 1. By ceasing from creating only continuing all things by his Power in their order and propagation to his Glory 2. By his Respect to them and Refreshment in them as those which expressed his Excellencies and set forth his Praise and so satisfied his glorious Design 1. So Christ also must cease working i. e. he must die no more suffer no more but only continue the Work of his Grace and Power in the preservation of the new Creation and the orderly increase and propagation of it by his Spirit 2. He takes delight and satisfaction in the Works he hath wrought for he sees of the travel of his Soul P. 284. and is satisfied In brief all that he did and suffered in and from his Incarnation to his Resurrection as Mediator of the Covenant with all the Fruits and Effects and Consequences of what he so did whereby the Church was built and the new Creation finished belongs to his Works His Rest that ensued on these Works hath two parts 1. A cessation from his Works which was eminent and answered God's Rest from his Works 2. Satisfaction in his Works and the glorious Product of them as those which had an Impression on them of his Love and Grace Psal 16. 7. Now lest any should suppose that Christ rather ceased from his Works Christ ceased from his Work on the day of his Resurrection P. 284. Sect. 23. when he died because it is said 't is finished c. which certainly refers to all those things that were Types or
Reason why any day besides this can be here intended Obj. The Prophet alludes to the general Gospel-day or else only to that very precise day on which Christ rose not that that day should successively be kept Answ We deny not but that the general Gospel-days of Grace came in with this day but in the days of the Gospel this Text also shews God hath made or appointed a particular Day to be observed with rejoycing and gladness of Heart not the seventh but the first Day For it is evident this day was the day when our Lord was made or became the Head-stone of the Corner viz. the day of his glorious Resurrection Where is the general Day of the Gospel called a Day made Is not this as much as that at the beginning the Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day 'T is not there said he sanctified it for men successively to keep Now 1. Here is expressed a particular Day and what day 't is the Verses going before shew 2. 'T is a day made or instituted for singular use 3. It is a day made by the Lord to that end 4. For us to worship God in or to rejoice in before him with gladness of our Heart God meeteth him that rejoiceth and that remembers him in his ways 1. God hath made or instituted this Day for singular nay for the highest and chiefest End and Purpose 2. And what day have we cause to rejoice in keep and observe like this day For has not Redemption-work the preference of Creation-work The Glory of Creation-work was mar'd by Sin but Redemption-work Redemption-Grace restores the Image of God to us again and puts us into a far better condition than we were in at first In Redemption-work the glory of all God's Attributes shines forth so they did not in the first Creation The day of Christ's Resurrection is the day of our deliverance from Sin the Law Wrath Death Devils and all Enemies for ever This is the Day the Lord has made more honorable and glorious and more to be remembred than God's creating the Heavens and the Earth Are there any dare say that the first Creation ought more to be remembred than the second or the new Creation Or doth the Covenant of Works excel the Covenant of Grace or the Law the Gospel Did God's finishing his Work call for a day of remembrance and doth not Christ's finishing his Work call for the same Certainly it doth and therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it◠And doth not the Apostle say Heb. 4. 9. upon the same foot of account There remaineth 〈◊〉 Rest i. e. a day of Rest to the People of God This is the day in which Christ our Surety received for us our free Justification i. e. our discharge from the Curse of the Law from Sin and Eternal Wrath. On this day Christ made an end of Sin finished Transgression and brought in everlasting Righteousness therefore this is the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it 1. The Lord made and created the Seventh-day and afterwards made it a Sabbath to answer the end and design of the old Creation and old Covenant So the Lord created the first day and when the new Creation was brought in he made it for a day of sacred Rest and for his solemn Worship answering the end and design of the new Creation 2. The seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath was made for Man under the legal and typical Church of Israel so the first-first-day was made for Man the new Man or for all the true Israel of God under the Gospel or for the Gospel-Church 3. God made the Seventh-day an honourable day answering his design in the first Creation and Christ has made this day a more honourable day answering his design in Redemption or new Creation 4. God made the Seventh-day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from first-Creation Works and took complacency in his Works So the Lord Christ hath made the first day a day of Rest because in it he ceased for ever from the Works of Redemption never to die or offer any more Sacrifice for Sin and took complacency in his Work This is therefore the day the Lord hath made and we will rejoice and be glad in it How made saith one not by Creation for so it was made before 5. And as the seventh Day was instituted and confirmed before the Law was given to Israel Exod. 16. so the first Day was confirmed Act. 2. by the mighty effusion of the Spirit before any other Gospel-Precept was confirmed after the Resurrection of our Lord. It is called Dies Dominicus p. 71. saith Dr. Young Dominicum because as Austin notes the Lord made it this saith he perhaps will be of no great weight with some since the Lord made all days but he seems to have made this day after a special manner namely by his Resurrection from the dead the Commemoration of which Benefit exceeded the Memory of the old Creation or else because it was destinated for worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ c. Thus it was prophesied what Day Christ would ordain for his Service under the Gospel and which Believers should observe with Joy in his Worship Psal 118. compar'd with Acts 4. must needs saith Mr. Warren be meant the day of Christ's Resurrection and doth not the Spirit speak expresly this is the day the Lord hath made it is a day of the Lord 's making and will he that is Tillam make nothing of that what else can be made of it but a Prediction of a Divine Institution which is equivalent to a Precept especially when 't is expounded by an Apostolical Practice as this hath been what can a day made long before in respect of Creation be stiled the day which the Lord hath made then in respect to a Divine Institution an Institution then it is and that on the occasion of Christ's Resurrection Fifthly My next Argument to prove that the Lord hath appointed the first day of the Week as a day of Rest and solemn Worship shall be taken from those clear Examples we have in the New Testament of the Disciples and Churches of Christ meeting together in God's Worship upon this day 1. Let this be considered That that day which the Saints and Churches in the Apostles time observ'd must be the precise day in every week which ought to be kept till our Lord comes again And 2. That an Apostolical Precedent or Example is equivalent or of like Authority with an Apostolical Precept so that had we no more than this it would be a sufficient warrant for the observation of this day Now as the observation of the first day as I have proved hath its Rise Foundation and Institution from the Resurrection of our Lord from the dead so we find on that very day the Apostles were assembled Joh. 20. 19. tho Thomas was not there and our
that Justin Martyr gives of the Practice of all Churches in the next Age i. e. on the day called Sunday there is an Assembly of all Christians whether living in the City or Country and because of their constant breaking of Bread on that day it was called Dies Panis August Epist 118. And Athanasius proved that he brake not a Chalice at such a time Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. because it was not the first day of the week when it was used And whosoever reads this Passage without prejudice will grant that it is a marvellous adrupt and uncouth Expression if it do not signify that it was the common observance among all the Disciples of Christ which could have no other Foundation but that only laid down before of the Authority of the Lord Christ requiring it of them And saith he I doubt not but Paul preach'd his farewel Sermon after all the ordinary Service of the Church was perform'd which continued till midnight And all the Objections I have met with against this Instance amounts to no more than this i. e. that the Scripture says that the Disciples met together to break Bread yet indeed they did not so And this by what the Doctor says vanishes into Smoak 1. From the whole I may argue If the Apostles and Primitive Christians did observe the first day of the week as their prime and chief time for solemn Worship in season and passed over the old seventh Day then is the first day of the week and not the seventh that precise Day Christ has appointed to be observ'd in his solemn Worship under the Gospel But this was the prime and chief time for solemn Worship in season c. Ergo. 2. And if those meetings on the first day were not such as used to be formerly on the seventh day I desire to know a reason 1. Why their Meetings on the first day should be particularly recorded rather than their Meetings on the seventh 2. And why also the one is so oft mentioned i. e. their Meetings on the first day and no mention at all that they met on the seventh day in the New Testament from the Resurrection of Christ as a Church-assembly to worship God or discharge any part of Religious Duties nor of their meeting on the second third fourth c. Object But it seems as if they came not together till the evening of this day tho it was the first day of the week and so it proves not that this whole day ought to be kept in solemn Worship Answ For this there is not the least shadow of Proof What tho Paul continued his Speech till midnight might not some other Ministers spend the former part of the day in Preaching Exhortation or in Prayer Or might not Paul as some of us do preach twice himself on that day and they refresh themselves about the middle of the day I find one Author speaking thus Durham on the Ten Command p. 264. Paul spending this whole day in that Service and continuing his Sermon till midnight yet accounting it still one day in solemn meeting doth confirm this Day to be more than an ordinary day or than other days of the week as being specially dedicated to these Services and Exercises and totally spent in them It is said that they came together on the first day of the week and no doubt but it was in the morning of that day for so we find they did on the same day of the week Acts 2. 1 2. for when Peter began to preach it was but the third hour which is our nine of the Clock in the morning Sixthly The Lord's day the first day of the week Rev. 1. 10. My sixth Argument to prove that the first day of the week ought to be observed as a day of Rest and solemn Worship under the Gospel shall be taken from that Appellation given to this day Rev. 1. 10. where it is called the Lord's-day I was in the Spirit on the Lord's-day Surely this Royal Name or Title adds no small honour to this illustrious Day as it was the first day of Time mentioned in the beginning of the first Book of the Bible so it is the last day of Fame noted in the beginning of the last Book of the Bible to the Praise of him who is our Alpha and Omega The very Name speaks the Lord Christ to be the Author of it Mr. Warren p. 191. who upon the day of his Resurrection was declared both Lord and Christ I find saith my Author an elegant and pious Poem written by Sedulius an Antient Christian * Vid. Sixti Senensis Biblioth Sanct. p. 308. Jerom's Junior being by him translated to this effect After sad Sabbaths th' happy Day did dawn Whose lofty Name from Lord of Lords is drawn A blessed Day that first was grac'd to see Christ's rising and the World's Nativity I shall endeavour to prove that after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension there was a peculiar Day belonging to the Lord above any other day of the week and that this Day was not the old Jewish Sabbath-day but the first day of the week 1. That there was a peculiar Day or one precise Day of the week observed to the Lord in which the Churches assembled together for the Worship of God none will deny God lays claim to one day in seven as his Day 2. And now that this was not the seventh day of the week appears because we no where read that any one Gospel-Church ever assembled together on that day from the Resurrection of Christ Now if that had been the Day the Lord Christ had appointed as Mediator and Lawgiver besure we should have had it mentioned in some place as the very day in which the Churches or at least some one Church did meet together but this we do not find therefore that is not cannot be the day 3. We read of their meeting together no less than four or five times from our Lord's Resurrection and after his Ascension on the first day of the week Joh. 20. 19. and ver 26. Acts 2. 1 2. ch 20. 7. to which I might add 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 4. No doubt the Apostle John when he says on the Lord's-day refers to a certain particular Day well known to all the Churches to whom he was to write nay known to all Believers and Saints of that time 5. And evident it is that the Jewish Sabbath-day is no where either in the Old or New Testament Isa 58. 3. called the Lord's Day tho it is called the Lord's Sabbath and the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Lord in the Old Testament as one observes is the usual name of God indefinitely Dr. Walls p. 46. without particularizing this or that of the three Persons And the Sabbath of the Lord thy God doth not appropriate it to the second Person more than to the first or third And tho the second Person or Christ considered as God made the
solemn Worship And so all along down to this day 't was kept and observ'd even by our blessed Reformers as the Lord's-day or a Day of his appointing c. Therefore from the whole we note it was no Popish Innovation nor as Tillam falsly affirms a Device of Antichrist who changed Times and Laws c. But no more at this time SERMON IV. Proving there is one day of the week in season to preach the Word and that it is the first Day That Collections by Divine Authority are to be made every first Day c. and that the Churches did meet on that day That God hath inflicted dreadful Judgments on such as have profaned the Lord's-day Several Arguments further urged shewing when the Lord's-day begins and how it ought to be observed SEventhly The Lord's Day is that Day in season in which the Word ought to be preached c Another Argument for the observance of the first Day shall be taken from Paul's Charge to Timothy Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 2. From whence I note there is one day above all others in the week as the day in season when the Word is to be preached 1. In season implies a fit time for doing a Work and so here a particular day Christ hath appointed for his Worship Prayer Preaching and Administration of all other Ordinances 2. But if there was not one precise day appointed by Christ to the end and all days were alike under the Gospel then on all days the Word would either be in season or out of season but since there is a time in season and times out of season I argue there is one special Day appointed for those great things to be done upon 3. Solomon saith Eccl. 3. 1. to every thing there is a season and a time to every Purpose under Heaven i. e. a certain set time appointed by God to be observed with the greatest diligence to the end for which it is ordained And hath God set a time to every thing and for every Purpose and Work and yet set no particular time for his Worship This cannot be for we have proved one day in seven he claims from the fourth Command and in Gospel-times it must be the first Day of the week 1. Because the old Sabbath is gone 2. Because on this day Christ rested from all his Works as God did from his 3. Because this Day he owned and confirmed by the miraculous effusion of his Spirit 4. Because on this Day his Disciples met together and he approved it by his gracious appearance and preaching Peace to them 5. Because 't is called the Lord's-day 6. Because no Church met in a special manner on any other day in the New Testament So that this Day is the day in season or there is none at all but that can't be because there is a special season appointed to every thing and purpose under Heaven 4. This Day is the day in season because it sutes with the state of Gospel-Believers we first entering into Rest through Jesus Christ who has done for us all we had to do and born all those Burdens we were to bear in order to our entering into Rest therefore it can't sute with us to keep the old Sabbath which injoyn'd the Creature to do and live i.e. to labor to do all that God commanded in obedience even to the whole Law if ever they would have Rest and Peace So that the Jews Day shewed they were to work for Life according to the tenor of the first Covenant but our Day shews we work from Life and we have Rest Life and Peace first or are justified and so obey and this from better more Evangelical Principles So that in Comparison of this day this special season all other days of the week are out of season for Gospel-work and Service Eightly The first day of the week is appointed by Christ under the Gospel to be observed Collections for the poor Saints to be made upon the first day of the week because all the Gospel-Churches were required this day to make Collections for the poor Saints 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. As I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye upon the first Day of the week let every one lay by him as God hath prospered him that there be no Gatherings when I come 1. Observe what was the Practice of one Church as a Church was the Practice of every Church Besides Paul saith that the same thing he had given Orders about in the Churches of Galatia and so no doubt in all Churches 2. Paul in causing the Churches to be obedient in this matter received this Authority from Christ as he intimates plainly enough in 1 Cor. 14. 37. If any Man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledg that the things I wrote unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. And elsewhere he shews that without the same Authority he durst not make the Gentiles obedient either by word or deed 3. Here is a Duty injoyn'd then by Christ's Authority on all the Churches and not by Paul any other ways than ministerially which is upon every first Day to make Collections for the poor Saints they must deposite their Alms all on the same day which could not be done unless the Churches did assemble upon that day and besure it was injoyned on that day because they then did meet together for solemn Worship and because such Acts of Mercy suted Sabbath-Duties and were well-pleasing to God 4. Besides no Man can assingn a reason why the Churches should be required on every first Day to make Collections for the Poor if it were not the usual Day in which they assembled themselves together Object That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Greek for one and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week as the first day of the week Thus Mr. Bamfield on Acts 20. 7. Answ Take Dr. Wallis's Answer Christian Sab. p. 30 31 40 41. viz. Surely this Author cannot think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first Day of the week Moreover all who well understood the Greek-Tongue agree that the word is here the same as in Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16. 2. Luk. 24. 1. Durham on the Commands p. 269. 'T is clear saith one to be the first Day of the week since the same Phrase used by the Evangelists is made use of here by the Apostle who no question follows the Evangelists Moreover our Adversaries acknowledg and cannot help it that by that Greek Phrase used by the Evangelists is meant the first Day of the week tho call'd one of the Sabbaths or the first from the Jewish Sabbath therefore this is a meer Cavil Now every one knows who understand any Dr. Wallis thing of this nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name
and this is our only Sabbath or resting day under this new and last Dispensation but the great Antitype of the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath being come we do not find that Name directly given to our day of Rest in Gospel times Eighth Proposit That the Moral Law or Law of the ten Commandments as given Exod. 20. contain'd directly an Administration of the Covenant of Works and was not given to Israel as God's People as in a special and peculiar relation to himself according to the new Covenant or Covenant of Grace but as his People in that legal external typical Covenant made with the whole House of Israel Let it be consider'd also that that Law and Covenant was not made with nor given to any other People but the People and House of Israel only so that as it had but its time consider'd as a Law given by Moses or as in his hands it did cease as so consider'd and could not oblige any to observe it as there formerly deliver'd while it was in force but such only as were under it tho I deny not but affirm the whole World were under the Covenant of Works in the first Adam and oblig'd by the Law of God written in their Hearts to discharge all Duties that are naturally and simply moral c. Moreover I shall enquire whether the Morality of the fourth Commandment doth lie in the Observation of the precise seventh day or not And now Brethren by these Propositions all may perceive upon what foot of account or mediums I purpose to go or take in handling this great and long controverted Subject But there is one Proposition more which I thought to have mention'd now but must refer to the next time SERMON II. The ninth Proposition by way of Premise The method propos'd One general Proposition laid down Why the Law was added on Mount Sinai No Seventh-day Sabbath written in Adam's Heart in Innocency Nor no positive Law given to him to observe it Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain MY Brethren the first thing I promised was to lay down several explanatory Propositions to make my way the more easy to what I have to say and I past thro eight I shall add but one more Ninth Proposit 9th Proposit by way of premise There are several things to be consider'd in respect of this Controversy which being noted by Dr. Owen I shall recite them Those about the thing it self saith he are various Dr. Owen 's Exercit. p. 7 8 9. and respect all the concerns of the day enquir'd after Nothing that relates to it no part of its respect to the Worship of God is admitted by all uncontended about for it is debated amongst all Persons 1. Whether any part of time be naturally and morally to be separated and set apart to the solemn Worship of God or which is the same whether it be a natural and moral Duty to separate any part of time in any Revolution of it to Divine Service I mean so as it should be stated and fixed in any periodical Revolution otherwise to say that God is solemnly to be worshipped and yet that no time is requir'd thereto is an open Contradiction 2. Whether such a time suppos'd be absolutely and originally moral or made so by positive Command suted unto general Principles and Intimations of Nature and under this Consideration also a part of time is call'd moral metonymically from the duty of its observance 3. Whether on a supposition of some part of time so design'd the space or quantity of it have its Determination or Limitation morally or be merely positive and arbitrary For the Observation of some part of time may be moral and the quanta pars arbitrary 4. Whether every Law positive of the Old Testament were absolutely ceremonial or whether there may not be a Law moral positive as given to and obligatory on all Mankind tho not absolutely written in the Heart of Man by Nature that is whether there be no Morality in any Law but what is a part of the Law of Creation 5. Whether the Institution of the Seventh-day Sabbath was from the beginning of the World and before the Fall of Man or whether it was first appointed when the Israelites came into the Wilderness This in it self is only a matter of Fact yet such as whereon the determination of a point of right as to the universal Obligation to the Observation of such a Day doth much depend * So that according to the Doctor if it was not instituted in Paradise tho given forth in the Wilderness it can't be universally obligatory on all Mankind and therefore hath the investigation and true staâ—â—ng of it been much laâ—our'd in and after by learned Men. 6. Upon a supposition of the Institution of the Sabbath from the beginning whether the Additions made and Observances annexed unto it at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai with the Ends whereunto it was then design'd and the Uses whereunto it was employ'd gave unto the seventh day a new state distinct from what it had before altho naturally the same day was continued as before For if they did so that new state of the day seems only to be taken away under the New Testament if not the day it self seems to be abolish'd †The Doctor still as it seems to me builds chiefly on its Institution in Paradise where we can find no Institution referring to innocent Adam for that some change is made therein from what was fixed under the Judaical Oeconomy cannot modestly be deny'd 7. Whether in the fourth Commandment there be a foundation of a distinction between a seventh day in general or one day in seven and that seventh day which was the same numerically and precisely from the foundation of the World For whereas an Obligation unto the strict Observation of that day precisely is as we shall prove plainly taken away in the Gospel if the distinction intimated be not allowed there can be nothing remaining obligatory unto us in that Command whilst it is supposed that that day the Doctor means the seventh day is at all requir'd of us from thence ‖ So that the Morality of the fourth Commandment lies not in the precise seventh day 8. It is especially enquir'd whether 〈◊〉 seventh day or one in seven or the Hebdâ—madal Cycle be to be observ'd holy unto thâ— Lord on the account of the fourth Commandâ—ment 9. Whether under the New Testament 〈◊〉 religious Observation of days be so taken 〈◊〉 way as that there is no Divine Obligation â—â—maining for the observance of any one daâ— at all but that as all days are alike in theâ—â—selves so are they equally free to be disposâ— of and used by us as occasion shall requirâ— For if the observation of one day in seven 〈◊〉 not founded in the Law of Nature expressâ— in the original positive
Tabernacle God's resting from his Works He calls it Sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day were coetaneous in the first sense i. e. by way of Purpose and Intention which Moses relates but not in the latter by way of actual Execution As soon as he had ended his Work he ordained the seventh day the day of his own Rest to be that on which his Church should rest and follow his Example and this was the great Blessing and Prerogative bestowed on that day Muscul loc com Musculus saith he dos well express Sanctificatus by destinatus a day sanctified by a day destinated and afore-appointed Byfield against Brerewood Mr. Byfield has observ'd That the word in the original signifies to prepare to prepare is one thing and actually to appoint is another So then the Sabbath had not an actual existence in the World from the beginning it had only a metaphysical being as all natural things are said to be in their Causes for the cause or reason of the Sabbath's Sanctification God's Rest was from the beginning tho the Sanctification it self was a long time after Yet he owns God did sanctify the day then by way of Destination That as God then actually rested so he actually sanctified the day but that therefore he then commanded Adam to observe it doth not follow for that God did then sanctify that is destinate that day to be the Church's Sabbath in due time is one thing and to command Adam to observe it is another He proceeds to shew how the Medes were call'd God's sanctified ones that is destinated to be in time Destroyers of Babylon and the Father sanctified his Son and sent hiâ— into the World Joh. 10. 36. Also Cyrus Isa 45. 1. Seventhly Besides the Law of the Seventh day Sabbath ran thus Six days thou shalt work and do all thou hast to do but the seventh is the Sabbath c. Now the Old Testament Sabbath was the last day of the week they were to work six the six first but this he could not do I mean the six first from the Creation because he was not created till the sixth day So that the first six days tho the six days in which thâ— Lord did all his Work could not be Adam's six working days But if the Sabbath was given to him in Innocency no doubt as Tillaâ— says he kept the first Sabbath and then it â—ollows he begun with God and rested before 〈◊〉 labour'd six days contrary to the Order and â—ommand of the instituted Sabbath Exod. 20. Moreover Warren 's Jewish Sabbath c. in his full Answer to Tillam 's Book p. 2 3 4 5 6. many learned Men believe Adam â—ll the same day he was created namely on â—he sixth day and so could not keep one Sabâ—ath in Innocency But I desire such as would 〈◊〉 further inform'd of this to read Mr. Edw. â—arren's Treatise who shews 1. That Adam fell the same day he was created appears from the words of our blessed Saviour Joh. 8. 34. that the Devil was a Murderer from the beginning a Liar and the Father of Lies not saith he from the beginning of the World's Creation but of Man's Creation which most properly and precisely implys the sixth day 2. He says the parly betwixt the Woman and the Serpent intimates as much for both the Serpent's demand and the Woman's reply speak plainly that as yet they had not tasted the sweets of Paradise Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden the Serpent had not been so subtile to ask whether that might be done which had been done already Besides we may conclude that had not the Serpent immediately set upon the Woman his Craftiness had not been so great and Adam hearing of a Tree of Life we may suppose would have first tasted of that and Satan it may be fearing the Effects of it immediately set upon the Woman And says our Author the Tree of Life being sacramental hence may it well be thought that if Adam had stood one Sabbath he had tasted of the Tree of Life so had been out of a possibility of falling 3. Satan besure would take the fittest season and therefore tempts the Woman timely 4. 'T is said they heard the Voice of thâ— Lord God in the cool of the day or in thâ— evening Robert 's Myster p. 39. and as he notes Mr. Roberts saith thâ— this is the Evening mention'd after the Creâ—â—tion of Adam and the Covenant made with him Adam was arraign'd and sentenc'd toâ—wards the Evening of the sixth day therefore he sinned the same day and so kept 〈◊〉 Sabbath in Innocency 5. He mentions that Text Adam in honoâ— lodged not a night Psal 49. 12. but was like the Beasts thâ— perish for saith he so it is in the Hebreâ— word for word He further confirms what he says herâ— and answers all Tillam's Objections and thaâ— about the work Adam did of giving Names 〈◊〉 all living Creatures which he shews he might soon do and as to that of God's saying oâ— the sixth day he saw all his Works that theâ— were good therefore Man had not then sinneâ— he replys that God's days works were donâ— each day by a word speaking or in a moâ—ment he did not work as Man doth so thaâ— on the sixth day early or as soon as Maâ— was created he might say all his Works werâ— good yet Man might sin and fall before night 6. He argues from Adam's not knowing hiâ— Wife till he had sinned and shews that 〈◊〉 good reason can be given why he should noâ— have known her had he stood one day Now these things tho doubtful with the otheâ— being well observed why should any affirâ— the Sabbath was given to Adam in Innocency and that he kept the first Sabbath in Paradiâ—â— with his Creator for so saith Tillam Eighthly A Sabbath was not agreeable to Adam in Paradise either in respect to himself â—o rest from Labor or as a special day to worâ—â—ip God in Such was the happiness of his â—ate that he had no Burdens to bear nor â—y toilsom Labour nor was there any Curse 〈◊〉 the Creatures that they should need a day 〈◊〉 Rest he had no need of Servants c. â—o doubt the Sabbath refer'd only to the state 〈◊〉 fallen Man and was given in Mercy to â—â—rael God 's own Covenant-People under the â—aw I say in Mercy to them and to the â—asts who groan under their Burden Adam's â—bour if any in Innocency was matter of â—light and every day was a Sabbath to him â—nd as Tertullian observes Man lived in Paâ—â—dise in a fruition of God Let me close this â—ith what a Reverend Author says First Walker on the Sab. p. 8. They all go too far and have not one word in Scripture for their Opinion that say Adam in Innocency should or would have kept every seventh day for holy Rest and that God would have required it at his hands for all
excellent Law God prefers it before Sacrifice which had you considered you would never have accused my Disciples who in this point are guiltless Why a more excellent Law Is it not because the one is a moral Law proceeding from God's Nature and the other but merely positive and Typical and so arbitrary And why do the Annotators apply that to Sacrifices Our Lord remotely refers to that but directly and immediatly to the Seventh-day Sabbath and mentions Sacrifices to show that the precise Seventh-day Sabbath was no moral Law but of the same nature with the Law of Sacrifices and that of the Shew-bread Besides our Saviour's bringing in on this occasion those words for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath clearly shews that he as Mediator had power to change dispose of or take away the Law of the Seventh-day Sabbath for what a Person is Lord of he may do what he will with So that it may be lawful for any man to do any work on that Day when it ceas'd and was abolished as indeed it now is with all other Shadows and legal Ceremonies But none sure will say Christ as the Son of Man or as Mediator is Lord of any pure moral Precept so that he can give liberty to men to worship other Gods or to make graven Images and bow down to them or take God's holy Name in vain or commit Murder Adultery or steal c. No no it would be Blasphemy with a witness to say this such is the vast difference between Laws that result from the nature of God and mere positives shadowy and Ceremonial Precepts which were given for a time as an Act of God's Prerogative and good Pleasure and when the Antitype is come were to cease for ever Obj. But what say some If Christ brake the Seventh-day Sabbath he sinned thus a rash Person lately exprest himself Ans 1. Because our Lord came not to destroy the Law c. but to fulfil it and was obliged exactly to keep the whole moral Law of God that it might be imputed to us with his passive Obedience to justify us before God as his full and perfect Righteousness that therefore he was obliged to conform to all Typical and Ceremonial Laws of which he himself was the Antitype none I think ever asserted he had another way to fulfil all such Laws than by his actual Obedience to them And 2. Let it be considered in respect to the Typical Sabbath the Antitype being now come which was that Evangelical Spiritual Rest in and by Christ which all entered into that believed in him at that time for having given rest to all that came to him he had thereby in part fulfilled that figurative and typical Law and by his shewing such strange indifference about his observance thereof and his carriage towards it at every turn did clearly intimate that that Typical Sabbath was departing or in a dying condition tho not quite dead till he himself suffered and dyed on the cross and was afterwards gradually and decently buried it having as one observes an honourable Funeral when further light was given to God's People about it But no more at this time SERMON V. Six Arguments more to prove the Seventh-day Sabbath not moral That it was a Sign and Shadow to Israel of the Covenant of Works Gal. iv 10 11. Ye observe days and months c. THE last Day I gave four Reasons to prove that the simple moral part of the fourth Commandment lies not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath I have six more to add Fifthly The 7th day Sabb. not given forth afresh by Christ or his Apostles That the precise Seventh-day Sabbath cannot be that part of the fourth Commandment which is purely moral I argue thus Whatsoever is a simple moral Precept universally and perpetually obligatory is by our Saviour or his Apostles confirmed or given forth anew in the New Testament but the Seventh-day Sabbath is not so confirm'd or given forth therefore is not a simple moral Precept To prove the Major or first Proposition let it be considered that the moral Law is transfer'd from Moses to Jesus Christ or taken out of Moses's hands as a Lawgiver and put into the hands of Christ considered as Mediator and this was signified by those words Mal. 2. 7. The Priests Lips should keep knowledg and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Whatsoever was doubtful the High-Priest Deut. 17. 9. was to determine In this the Priests under the Law were a Type of Christ signifying that when Christ came who is God's Messenger all should receive the Law from his Mouth who was to be the great Interpreter of it and accordingly we find he opened the nature of the moral Law in Mat. 5. and other places shewing the spirituality thereof and how men may be said to break the Commands against Adultery Murder c. by the lusts and malice in their hearts tho they never actually commit either of those Sins Nay I know not one simple moral Precept which our Lord or his Apostles did not confirm or give forth anew who no ways extenuated the guilt of the breach of it but with far greater severity aggravated every transgression thereof Rom. 1. 18. Paul shews how the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. Now neither our Lord nor his Apostles seemed to confirm or give forth anew the old Jewish Seventh-day Sabbath but contrarywise as I have shew'd he seemed to excuse his Disciples when charged with the breach thereof and allow'd others to do that which was deem'd unlawful on the Sabbath-day as bearing a burden c. If our Adversaries can prove that every simple moral Precept of the Decalogue was not confirm'd by Christ or his Apostles let them do it Obj. I know they say that neither Christ nor his Apostles ever confirmed or gave out anew that Command Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Answ As to Idols they are directly forbid 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world there is none other God but one And St. John saith Little Children 1 Joh. 5. 11. keep your selves from Idols and again Flee from Idolatry Now what is a Graven Image but an Idol Every Graven Image made to be worshipped is an Idol tho every Idol is not a Graven Image Where do they read that an Image made of Bread is forbid in Moses's Law True the second Command forbids all Idols and all Idols are forbid in the Gospel Nay Idols are in a more nice manner defined and condemned in the Gospel than by the Law of Moses We read that a Man may idolize or make a God of his Belly Phil. 3. 19. and Paul declares that Covetousness is Idolatry Col. 3. 5. Object But where do we read in the New Testament that it is unlawful
Covenant of Grace no doubt but they had abode in that Covenant to this day and for ever but they are cut off and now are in no actual Covenant relation with God at all Sure the Covenant of Grace cannot be utterly broken 2. Moreover then they should not have needed to look for the Law in two Tables of Stone because that whole Moral Law should not only be written in the New Testament the Book of the New Covenant but in their Hearts also 3. Now when a Covenant is abolished as the old Covenant is will any dare to plead for the sign of it which obliges them to keep the whole Law No plain it is the sign i. e. the old Sabbath is gone with the Covenant it self Quest If the old Sabbath was a sign of that of which you say what was it a Type or Shadow of Answ It was a Type or Shadow of our blessed Rest in Christ Heb. 4. For we which have believed do enter into Rest This is the Antitype of the seventh-day Rest when no Labor is to be done nor any burden of Sin to be born by Believers this is that Rest God is pleased with and here we also rest from all Labour or Works of our own as God did from his at first Macarius saith Hom. 39. in Mat. 12. that Sabbath given to Moses was a Type and Shadow only of that real Rest given by God to the Soul My Brethren what comfort is here to you that enter into this Rest What Joy may hence spring in your Hearts who are delivered from Bondage and grievous Burdens Gal. 5. 1. Stand 〈◊〉 therefore in that Liberty wherewith Christ has made you free and be not again entangled with the yoke of Bondage lest Christ profit you nothing Seventhly I might prove that the Morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath even from that Memorandum that is fix'd in the beginning of the Command viz. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Now tho one day in seven be by a positive Law made perpetually obligatory in the fourth Command yet that is not as so considered a simple moral Precept much less not the precise seventh Day and this because it is brought in with Remember denoting clearly the difference between this Command as to any particular day and that which is purely moral in this Command for that which is connatural to us or an inherent Law of Nature is so engraven in our Hearts that inlightned Persons especially are not very subject to forget it But a mere positive Precept which is not so written in our Hearts by Nature we are too ready to forget therefore God as I conceive to this Precept added this Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy 'T is not said Remember ye have no Gods but me or remember you do not take the Name of the Lord in vain or remember you do not disobey your Father and Mother or that you do not steal commit Adultery Murder c. no such charge is given there why so because these Precepts being simply moral are written in our Hearts The word remember as one notes hath not primarily any reference either to the Works of God or to the finishing his Works but to God's destination of the Day to be in time to come the Churches Sabbath Not remember how your Fathers kept it or God instituted it from the beginning but it is a new Ordinance and of another nature i. e. the chief of all Ceremonies c. Eighthly 'T is naturally impossible for all Men to keep the precise 7th day throout the World To prove that the precise seventh Day is not a simple moral Precept I argue thus That which all Men throughout the World are not able precisely to observe or keep or which is morally impossible for them so to do can be no simple moral Precept but all Men throughout the World are not able to observe the seventh precise Day from the Creation it being morally impossible so to do therefore it is no simple moral Precept I shall not so much insist on that part that it is impossible for any Man much less for the whole World to know which is the precise seventh Day from the Creation as what some learned Men have shewn viz. that it is morally impossible to keep such a precise seventh Day 1. This must be premised that the Saturday Sabbatarians affirm that the precise seventh Day is to be kept saying in this the Morality of the fourth Command lies which consists of 24 hours and hath a Morning or Sun-rising and an Evening or Sun-setting throughout the whole year and it was that precise day of the week in which God rested from all his Works Now Dr. White p. 177 178 179. as one observes in some habitable Regions and under some Climates the year is not distinguished by weeks containing each of them seven days neither are there several natural days of twenty four hours consisting of Morning and Evening by means of the rising and setting of the Sun as these Instances and Examples following do declare Continuance of the Sun above the Horizon 1. deg 70. In the Southern part 〈◊〉 Groinland Finmark Lapland and in the North of Russia and Tartaria one day lasteth from the 10th of May unto July 14. 〈◊〉 five of our days 2. deg 75. In the North of Groinland the Isle of Chery Nova Zembla Lancasâ—er and Horse-Sounds the day continueth from April 21 until August the 2d of our day 102. 3. deg 80. In the North of Bassinsâ—Bay and Greenland the day continueth from April the 6th until August 17 and of our days 133. 4. deg 85. In Regions and Places undiscovered the day continueth from March 23. until August 31. of our days 161. 5. deg 90. Under this Degree the day continueth from March the 10th until September the 13th of our days 187. Now from the Premisses this Argument ariseth The Law of the fourth Commandment enjoyneth the observation of such a Sabbath day as is distinguished from the other days of the week by morning and evening by the rising and setting of the Sun and by the presence and absence thereof within the space of every 24 hours But in many Regions of the World and under sundry Climats there are no ordinary Weeks containing seven particular days distinguished each from other by morning and evening and by the rising and setting and by the presence and departure of the Sun Therefore the Sabbath-day of the fourth Commandment cannot be observed in many Regions of the universal World by such Nations as live under a Climate where there are no such Weeks and Days as the Law of the fourth Commandment enjoineth to be observed For the Subject of that Commandment is a natural day of 24 hours and where that subject is wanting how is it possible for any Law that wanteth its proper Subject to be in force Now if any shall conceive that altho
in the Regions and Climates aforesaid there be no such particular day as is expressed in the fourth Commandment yet there is a sufficient and equivalent space of time which may be measured by hours My answer is That the Law of the Decalogue requireth the keeping holy of such a Seventh-day as is distinguished from the day before and the day after by a new return arising presence and going down of the Sun But Time and Hours in general do not yield or constitute such a Day And saith another Author Mr. Ironside p. 133 There is no moral Law of Nature in Scripture but is it self possible to all in all parts of the World in regard of the thing commanded But a natural Sabbath-day as made to consist of 24 hours or of a Day and a Night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the World to be observed If it be objected That this makes equally against the first Day as against the Seventh I answer We do not say the observation of the first Day is a moral Precept but merely positive No doubt but the Seventh-day was instituted for Israel whose Habitation was fixed in the Land of Canaan See a late Author on the Sabbath T. C. recommended by Dr. Bates and Mr. How c. 10. p. 40. The day of God's Rest saith he which is the seventh Day from the Creation is the same universal Day with all People but it can't be the same Day of the week with all People If the Day of God's Rest be Saturday with some it must needs be Friday or Sunday with others So likewise the time of Christ's coming to Judgment if it be saith he on the Saturday with some it will be on Friday or Sunday with others This he proves because the Earth is not plain but round The Jews saith he neither did nor could keep the very Seventh-day on which God rested in all places but as we according to God's Command work six days and rest the Seventh so did they And as Sunday with Christians was ever the day following six days of labour so was the Saturday with the Jews If this be so it can't be deny'd that the Seventh-day of God's resting cannot be kept by all nor do any know they do keep it Ninthly Christ Lord of the Sabbath can dispose of it as he pleases The morality of the fourth Commandment consists not in the precise Seventh-day Sabbath because of Christ's Lordship over it as Mediator That Commandment over which Christ was absolute Lord as the Son of Man cannot be moral for a moral Precept is part of God's Eternal Law Ironside p. 53 54. over which the Son of Man can have no power saith a Learned Author being made under the Law But Christ as the Son of Man Mat. 12. 8. was Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27. as himself twice has told us Object So it is said he is Lord of the dead and living Answ This saith our Author is to play with the ambiguity of the words 'T is one thing for Christ to be Lord of the Church to guide govern perfect quicken raise and glorify her Eph. 1. 20 21 22. and another to be Lord of a Law or Constitution to moderate dispense with order alter and abolish it for in what other Construction can any one be said to be Lord of a Law Obj. Christ can't be said to refer to this because he had not then abrogated the Sabbath Answ 1. I have shewed that spiritual Rest signified by the seventh-day's Rest was given to all them that believed in Christ so that the Antitype being come the Type was a flying away and was in a dying state at that very time tho all typical Ordinances were not utterly abolished till his Death and Resurrection 2. 'T is as if our Lord should have said you magnify the Sabbath as if that was one of the greatest Commandments and the main end of Man's Creation but you must know the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath as were all legal Rites and Ceremonies And if it be thus I that am the Messiah am by my Office Lord of the Sabbath and I can and will abrogate it and appoint another day in its room Certainly Man was made to discharge all pure moral Precepts they being originally stampt on his Heart as Christ who was made under the Law was ordain'd to keep the Law for us and not the Law made for him Man was made in the Image of God and under a holy Law and Covenant of perfect Obedience to serve his Creator and by the observation of that holy Law written in his Heart as the Law of his very Creation he bore the Image of God in the World Mark 2. 27. serving him in Righteousness and Holiness to the Glory of his Name and for this he was made yet Man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for him i. e. for his good in respect to his Body and Soul 1. As to his outward Rest c. 2. As a help to discharge all Duties of instituted Worship the better for the good of his Soul 3. And chiefly to point out or shadow forth to him the true Rest by Jesus Christ and so that typical Sabbath was to remain no longer than till that true Rest was come and finally established for then it could be of no further use to Man for which end it was chiefly appointed for him Object I know some object from these words the Sabbath was made for Man that therefore it was for every Man Answ The Woman was made for Man also but must every man have a Wife therefore God ne'r design'd that for such to whom he hath given the Gift to live without marrying So neither were all Men to have this Sabbath no none but they to whom it was given tho it was made for Man yet not for every Man in the World but only for the whole House of Israel and the proselyted Stranger within their Gate as I shall shew in the next place Tenthly The pure Morality of the fourth Command consists not in the observation of the precise Seventh-day Sabbath The simple Morality of the fourth Command lies not in one day in seven because it lies not in one day in seven but in a sufficient time for Rest and the Worship of God tho I do assert and stedfastly believe that by a positive Precept contain'd in the fourth Commandment one day in seven God will have observed to the end of the World which I think is the sum 〈◊〉 what the Learned mean by a Law positive â—â—ral Not that precise day for mind the words Exod. 20. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy In this Clause it does not directly point at one peculiar day more than another the Light of Nature requires a time and God positively lays claim to a seventh day or one day in seven perpetually to be observed as a day of Rest
Scriptures which mention the Sabbath speak of it as of a holy Sign looking towards Christ and the state of Grace and Glory in him and not towards the state of Innocency It is most certain Adam in that state was perfect with all natural Perfections and at all times equally disposed to obey and serve God to remember his Creation and to honour his Creator he needed no observation of any day to be put in mind of any thing he had before known and which God had revealed to him his Memory was perfect his Will was every day ready to do whatever he knew to be right he needed no Sign to admonish him of his Duty or to move him to do it in due season he did not labor nor weary himself every day to him was a day of Delight and Pleasure of Rest and Recreation In a word his whole Life was a constant and obedient serving oâ— God and there was no inequality nor lesâ— Worship of God perform'd by him in onâ— day than in another for he fully served God at all times Whoever denies this must needs deny Man's Perfections and constant Conformity to God in the state of Innocency For where one day is kept better than anâ—â—ther there is an inequality and no constaâ— Uniformity in himself nor Conformity to 〈◊〉 Will of God In the second place they who hold the Sabbath was first instituted after Man's Fall and yet written in Man's Heart in Innocency and that he was then bound to keep it fall into many Absurdities as 1. That Man was bound to keep a Sabbath before ever it was instituted 2. That God did by his Word teach Man in vain i. e. that which he was fully taught already and had written in his heart 3. That God gave Man a Law in vain after his Fall because he was become unable to keep it 4. They that hold that the Law of the Sabbath was not written in man's Heart but was by a Positive Law given in the State of Innocency of the same nature with that of eating of the Tree of Knowledg make this Commandment of the Sabbath utterly void by Man's Fall even as that of eating c. is now void Thus far Mr. Walker I might add certainly there was a vast difference as to the Cause and Design of God's giving a Sabbath to Man in Innocency and when fallen Could a Sabbath sute equally with perfect and â—allen Man Or could there be the same need of a Sabbath to both Certainly if God had â—ot given that Command by Moses the keepâ—â—g that precise Day would not have been known 〈◊〉 be the Duty of any of Adam's Off-spring â—om a positive Law given to him in Innocency Ninthly To put the matter further out of â—oubt pray mind the words of this pretended â—ositive Command God rested on the Seventhâ—â—y what then but he also blessed and sancâ—â—fied it what tho Because God sanctified 〈◊〉 Priest may others do so too He might 〈◊〉 the Seventh-day apart for his People in afterâ—â—es Because God sanctified it must Adam â—nctify it or keep it holy without a Comâ—â—and Is it said therefore Thou Adam shalt â—eep this Day as a Sabbath No doubt Moses â—ould not only have mention'd God's blessing â—nd sanctifying that Day had it been given to Adam as a Sabbath but God's express Command would have been mention'd by him and would also have called it the Sabbath-day I might now come to the last Argument viz. If it had been commanded Adam and all his Posterity to keep the Seventh-day after he fell â—he Patriarchs that lived before Moses kept it But more of this next time Tenthly If Adam had the Sabbath positively given to him in Innocency besure it was injoined with some Penalty as the Command of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was We also find the Penalty of the breach of the Seventh-day Sabbath was Death but as we read of no Positive Command given to him to keep that Day so of no threatning if he broke or violated it therefore certainly it was never enjoyn'd upon him Elevehthly When the Sabbath was institured for the House of Jacob God declared it was a Sign between him and them or a Shadow of things to come Col. 2. 16 17. it referred to Christ or to that Rest all Believers do enter into Exod. 31. 13 14. Speak thou unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths it is a Sign between me and you throughout your Generations Ezek. 20. 21. that ye may know that I am the Lord that sanctify you Exod. 31. 13. Ye shall keep my Sabbath therefore it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death For every one that doth any work on the Sabbath-day shall be cut off from amongst his People vers 14. It was a sign God set apart that People with a Ceremonial Sanctification to signify that alone by Jesus Christ all the true spiritual Israel should have Gospel-Sanctification as well as it was a sign of the Covenant of Works but it could be no sign of this Sanctification to Adam in Innocency nor of any other Gospel-blessing therefore doubtless the Sabbath was not given to Adam in Innocency Twelfthly What reason can be given that God should allow Adam in Innocency six days to labour in and require but one i. e. the seventh as a day to his Creator No it is evident from hence the Sabbath refer'd to fallen Man who God foresaw would need six days to do all his Labour and it shews God's great Mercy to Man and Beast in that woful condition of Servitude It might not be our Duty to keep the Sabbath tho given to Adam in Innocency under the Curse I might add should it be granted that God gave Adam a positive Command to keep the seventh day in Innocency how can our Opponents thence prove it the Duty of all to keep the said day A Command to him in Innocency may not oblige any Man in his fallen state except the same be renewed I find two of the chiefest Writers I have met with who are approved Orthodox plead not for the Sabbath as given to Adam in Innocency See Sabbatum Redi Part 3. p. 336. viz. Mr. Dan. â—awdrey and Mr. Herbert Palmer Take their words We purpose not to maintain that the Sabbath was given to Adam in Innocency before the Fall but they hint it might be given to him after the Fall and that he fell the same day he was created P. 337. Moreover they say If it was given before his Fall it doth not follow it should oblige at this day for the positive Precept of not eating of the Tree of Knowledg was given in Innocency and yet doth not universally oblige Adam's Posterity nor should if the Tree were at this day known A positive Precept binds only during the pleasure of the Lawgiver c. so say I the same must be granted when it was given Exod. 16. 20.