Selected quad for the lemma: rest_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	day_n	holy_a	rest_v	5,490	5	9.5408	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63895	A discourse on fornication shewing the greatness of that sin, and examining the excuses pleaded for it, from the examples of antient times : to which is added an appendix concerning concubinage : as also a remark on Mr. Butler's explication of Hebr. xiii, 4 in his late book on that subject / by J. Turner ...	Turner, John, b. 1649 or 50.	1698 (1698)	Wing T3297; ESTC R10983	44,117	68

From the natural Turpitude of it and the Evils and pernicious Consequences that attend it I. The first Assertion is that Fornication is a Violation of the positive Law of God in the original Institution of Marriage and this I shall endeavour to prove from Gen. 2. 23 24. where in the Relation of Eve's being formed out of Adam's Side there are these Words Adam said This is now Bone of my Bones and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man And therefore shall a Man leave his Father and Mother and shall cleave unto his Wife and they shall be one Flesh. And for the better clearing of this Argument I shall proceed thus 1. I shall shew that God to provide against the Corruptions of Man's fal'n State when he had lost the original Perfection of his Reason by Sin did assist him in some Cases by Divine Positive Laws 2. That these Words mention'd Gen. 2. 24. have in them the Force and Authority of a Divine Law 3. I shall consider what the true Sense and Purpose of this Law is 4. I shall shew that Fornication is a certain Violation of it and must therefore be an heinous Sin and highly offensive unto God 5. Lastly I shall consider the Objections that are commonly made against this Argument from the Practice of some particular Men in ancient times that are nevertheless recorded to have had a singular share in God's Favor 1. I shall shew that God to provide against the Corruptions of Man's fal'n State when he had lost the original Perfection of his Reason by Sin did assist him in some Cases by Divine Positive Laws But here I would not be mistaken in my Meaning of a Positive Law By which Expression is commonly understood such a Command or Precept as ties Man up to Obedience in things of an indifferent Nature and where he was left at Liberty by the Laws of Reason This is the common meaning of this Phrase and things forbidden by Positive Laws in this Sense are therefore supposed to have no real Evil or Immorality in them And though it is certain that God did very early give Mankind some such positive Institutions yet I do by no means intend the original Institution of Marriage to be positive in such a Sense as to suppose that it has no Foundations in the Laws of Nature or the Principles of Reason for that it most certainly has But my Meaning is that to prevent either Ignorance or any Misconstruction of the Laws of Reason in favour of Man's Lusts God was pleased to confirm some of the Principles of Reason by Revelation and strengthen the Laws of Nature by Positive Institution For we must consider that the Laws of Nature or Reason are either 1. Such general Precepts and obvious Inferences from them as every considering Man may see and be convinced of their Obligation Or else 2. Such Remoter Principles of Virtue and Goodness which though they have their Foundation in Reason yet they lie at a greater Distance from the first plain Notices and consequently must be found out by a more careful and difficult Deduction And tho' I do not at all doubt but that Man in that Perfection of Reason in which he was originally created was then a sufficient Guide unto himself in all these Cases Yet when humane Nature was corrupted and depraved he did then require some farther Help Then either Sloth Inconsideration Prejudice the Imperfection of his Reason now impaired by Sin and the Influence of his Passions and Affections to bribe and pervert his Judgment Might easily make him ignorant of such more distant Principles although they had their Foundation in the Laws of Nature For which reason our wise and good God of his wonderful Compassion and Love to Mankind was pleased to come in to our Assistance and to prevent the Influence of our Lusts enlightned our Minds by Revelation and confirmed and establish'd the Authority of some such natural Laws by making them also express and positive Institutions And this is the Sense in which I wou'd be now understood to speak of Divine Positive Laws Now the Jews were of opinion that God gave Adam several such Laws to direct him in things that were in themselves Good or Evil Because that Good or Evil of them was not obvious enough to the common Observation of Mens depraved Minds Such they esteemed the Case of incestuous Marriages which they say God forbid by express Law to Adam therein ordaining that after Mankind was so far multiplied that the Marriage of Brother and Sister was no longer necessary to the Propagation of Human Race they shou'd all from thenceforth become unlawful And when it shall be consider'd that the natural Immorality of them has been a Subject of Debate in several Ages It will be the more reasonable to conclude that there was some very early Positive Law that prohibited all such Because this is one of the Sins charged upon the Canaanites and their Example alleged as a Caution and Warning to the Israelites Lev. xviii 24. Defile not your selves in any of these things for in all these the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you Now when it shall be consider'd how difficult it has been thought in all Ages to evince the certain Immorality of such by the clear Evidence of any natural Law only in the Transgression of which the Canaanites were guilty It is more probable that God added the Authority of some Positive Law restraining both them and all Mankind in this respect And tho Sacrifices were not so in their Nature Good as to be of Perpetual Use and Everlasting Obligation Yet as they made up a considerable Part of the divine Worship of almost all Nations until the Incarnation of our Saviour so I think they also are no improper Instances in our present purpose What Law of Nature only shou'd dictate them is very hard to shew Reason indeed teaches to worship God after the best manner that we can But I cannot imagin that any Principle of Reason only teaches that to burn the Fat of Beasts or the Fruits of the Earth can be an acceptable way of honouring God or of expressing our Dependance and Thanks Or that the Light of Nature only cou'd ever guide and determin Mankind so universally to such Sacrifices Which our best Reason teaches us are in themselves not acceptable but only valued as Types and Figures of a better Sacrifice to come Nor can I believe but that the setting apart one Day in seven for the Worship of God our Creator was what he Ordained and Commanded from the beginning For tho some wou'd have those Words Gen. 2. 2 3. to be spoken by way of Anticipation yet that is precariously asserted and without any Proof Whereas there are several good Reasons to be alleged for the more early Original of that divine Institution 1. Because the reason of keeping that Day holy is so expresly founded on the Consideration of God's resting from his Work in the Creation For it seems odd that God shou'd compleat the Creation of the Universe in six Days and rest on