they had never heard before yea neither the Elders nor any of the people so much as enquire of Moses what he meant by that name of a Sabbath as they would have done if the name had been new unto them but depart satisfied with Moses his answer without any farther scruple or enquiry Besides the Lord by Moses rebuking those that contrary to Gods Commandement went out to seek food on the Sabbath day expresseth himselfe to them in this manner How long will ye refuse to keep my Commandements and my Laws implying that this was a continued breach of the Sabbath as well as of other Laws of God By all those circumstances laid together and duely weighed it will appeare that the observation of the Rest of the Sabbath was well known to the Church of God by a long continued Law delivered from hand to hand to posterity although in processe of time much disused and neglected by men in the course of their practise especially in the Aegyptian bondage To elude the force of this Argument Objection 16 The Sabbath was not instituted till Exod. 16. And upon occasion of a double miracle 1. The giving of a double portion of Manna on the sixt day 2. And preserving it uncorrupted till the next day there are that affirme that Moses Exod. 16. mentions not the Sabbath as a thing formerly known but delivers it at that time as a new Ordinance from God himselfe instituted by him by occasion of giving them a double portion of Manna upon the sixth day and consequently being a Commandement then first given it was impossible to be known before Thus they make this declaration of Moses Exod. 16.23 to be the first institution of the Sabbath whereunto they say God prepares the people by a double miracle The First the giving a double portion of Manna on the sixth day The Second the preserving of that Manna which was left on the sixth day uncorrupted that it might serve them for food on the seventh day whereas upon other daies that which was reserved and kept till the next morning stanck and was full of wormes Exod. 16.20 And besides the words To morrow shall be the Sabbath carry the forme of an institution And that it may carry the full form of an Institution they render that clause ver 23. not as we doe To morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord but as it best suites with their owne purpose To morrow shall be the Sabbath of the Lord that the whole sentence joyned together in this form This is that which the Lord hath said to morrow shall be the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord may carry with it the compleat forme of an Institution To begin Answer 17 first with the double miracle the former of them which was the giving of a double portion of Manna on the sixth day 1. The first miracle 1. Perhaps was none at all may be questioned whether it were a miracle or no it is out of question that the stinting of the gathering of Manna upon the other daies was by the melting of it through the heate of the Sun ver 21. Now if it were longer before the heate of the Sunne did breake out upon the sixth day and by that meanes they had more time for the gathering of their Manna upon that day then they had upon other dayes what miracle was that that the same persons in a longer time gathered twise so much as they had done in a shorter time before 2. If it were it honoured the sixth day not the seventh Besides if it should be esteemed a miracle it honoured the sixth day on which it happened and not the seventh day which succeeded it 2. The second was certainly no miracle at all The second pretended miracle was questionlesse none at all For Manna being so pure a food might easily without a miracle be kept uncorrupted a day and an halfe as our ordinary provisions are preserved much longer without any corruption at all Nay rather the corrupting of that food so suddenly-upon other daies that being sweet at night it should not only stinck but be full of wormes too by the next morning seemes if any thing to be miraculous As for the formality of the words of this pretended institution which they make out of them by translating them according to their own phantasie First the Originall no more favours their interpretation then ours 3. The words in the Originall are only to morrow the Sabbath without is or shall be the words translated exactly are these To morrow the Sabbath of the Lord without is or shall be Secondly the context if it be well examined seemes rather to favour our then their interpretation neither can it be proved that there lies any command at all in that clause which they take for the institution And are a reason not acommand which seems more probably to be a reason of the command it selfe It is true the clause prefixed gives notice of a command to follow but of what Commandement Not of any command expressed in the clause immediately following but of that which comes after Bake that which ye will bake c. Which is indeed an expresse command seems to be the only direction given by Moses from God to the Elders the former words expressing only the reason of that which they enquired after why God had given them a double portion of Manna on the sixth day Namely because he would not have the Rest of the holy Sabbath violated by gathering of Manna upon the seventh day To examin things somewhat more distinctly First we have instructions given by God unto Moses and appointed to be delivered by him unto the people containing a promise of giving them Quailes and Manna and of Manna a double portion on the sixth day Reasons why those words Exod. 16.23 can be no institution of the Sabbath that they might not be put to the labour of gathering any upon the seventh day and withall a direction to prepare that overplus which they should gather that it might serve for provision for the day following but in these instructions which God gives to Moses there is not a word of the Sabbath 1. God mentions not the Sabbath in his directions to Moses but only upon the by Againe in Moses his directions which he gives unto the people from God all that he commands them is concerning Manna the Sabbath is mentioned only occasionally If God had minded to give this charge to Moses to deliver this Law for the observation thereof to his people he would not have given him such exact rules concerning the use of Manna and passed over the Sabbath almost in silence But it appeares plainly that only the direction of God concerning Manna and the use thereof was that new Commandement which he was to deliver to the people and therefore is fully and cleerely expressed whereas the Sabbath as being mentioned by him occasionally is passed
over in few words Again for three reasons we cannot conceive that in this Exod. 16. there is any institution of the Sabbath at all For first 2. There happened at that time no memorable event to ground an institution here is no ground of instituting a festivall day seeing that must needs be some memorable event which dignifies that day that is to be consecrated above other days which is a rule which God and the Church and even heathen men by the light of nature guided themselves by Secondly here is no convocation of the people 3. The people are not convened as they ought to have been to receive this law who ought to have been assembled to hear that law that they must all obey as they were not only Exod. 20. when God himself delivered them the morall law upon mount Sinai but also when Moses his servant delivers unto them from God the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Laws Exod. 34.32 35.1 whereas here we find only a meeting of the Elders But only the Elders and that occasionally only and that too occasionally not by the call of Moses but their voluntary recourse to him to enquire the reason why the people had gathered a double portion of Manna on the sixth day and what should be done with it Thirdly 4. Here is no direction for the observation of this new feast here is no direction for the observation of this new feast and without it the law is not only imperfect but in effect no law at all Whereas there is a full direction for the use of their double portion of Manna which makes it evident that the ordering of their Manna must needs be the only charge which the Lord sent by Moses to the people Others therefore there are who go not so far as to plead for the institution of the Sabbath in this Exod. 16. Objection 21 Though the words amounted to an institution yet they are a preparation to a following institution but will have these words of Moses to be only in the nature of a preparation to an institution which was to follow To this also we answer First that this opinion is pressed with the same difficulties that the former is if things be duly weighed Answer 1. The same reasons are against that too 2. There is no like instance in giving any other law 3. What needs it 4. Why is this ground omitted in the fourth Commandement Secondly let them but give us one instance of any such kind of preparation used before the giving of any other law Thirdly let them shew us what need there is of any such preparation at all when the people were almost immediately after to be prepared in so solemn a manner for the receiving of that and the rest of the laws Lastly if the giving of a double portion of Manna on the sixth day or the ceasing of Manna on the seventh were such great means to win credit to this new Sabbath how is it that neither the one nor other is so much as once mentioned in that whole fourth Commandement wherein notwithstanding is so fully and largely laid down the ground of the institution of that law especially this mercy being so new and fresh in memory whereas God in the fourth Commandement goes back to the beginning of the world to seek out another and firmer foundation of instituting the Sabbath without mentioning of this at all Thus when all circumstances are duly weighed it will easily appear to any not forestalled by prejudice that in this Exod. 16. Moses speaks of the Sabbath to the Elders of Israël Whence it appears that Moses mentions the Sabbath to the Elders Exod. 16.23 as a thing known as of a thing well known unto them before-hand and by consequent which the Jewes were wel-acquainted with before the Law was given to Moses on mount Sinai whereupon it must needs follow that they received it from the Patriarchs delivered from hand to hand as other truths and laws of God were and consequently by that the Patriarchs in their generations observed the Sabbath although their observation thereof be not left upon record by Moses whose task was not to write a diary of the Fathers lives but to leave to posterity the remembrance of the most memorable examples both of their actions and of the events that befell them both for Gods honour and our instruction SECT III. The morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath proved out of the fourth Commandement IF this principle which will at last appear to be an undoubted truth were generally received and acknowledged that the whole Decalogue is morall and consequently immutable this question concerning the morality of the Sabbath were at an end Now the generall opinion wherewith most men are possessed but without any firm ground either out of reason or Scripture that it must needs be granted that there is something ceremoniall in the fourth Commandement either the set day or the strict rest of the Sabbath or both hath been a great occasion of begetting and cherishing this errour that there is something mutable in the Decalogue and consequently that it is neither morall nor perpetuall If therefore upon a due and thorough examination of all the severall clauses and expressions which we meet with in the fourth Commandement we can make it appear that there is nothing in that fourth Commandement that is any way ceremoniall and therefore mutable we shall remove a great scruple which hath long troubled the minds of many men divers of them much esteemed both for their learning and piety Before we begin to take this task in hand it will be needfull to premise this one thing by way of caution That in this case we are not bound to prove that the phrases and expressions which we meet withall in this Commandement The words of of the fourth Commandement in a fair construction enjoyn nothing ceremoniall neither in the day nor rest can have no other sense then that in which we take them It will be sufficient for us to make it appear that according to the usuall course of grammaticall construction and without any incoherence or incongruity with other parts of the law they may be taken in such a sense as we give them For if we can but make this appear that our construction of the words is as fair and proper as any other that is given by others the consequent of establishing the immutability of the Decalogue is of that weight that I conceive any man of two probable interpretations will be willing to embrace that which most makes for the establishing of the morall law Which is as much as needs to be proved It must therefore be our care to make it appear that the sense which we give of the words of this law may stand according to a fair and usuall manner of grammaticall construction and those that will oppose us must prove on the other side that it cannot stand That we may proceed
while the whole nature of mankind was in our first Parents upon that ground therefore supposed and granted by all we thus argue That which Moses relates God to have done Proved by the series of the history Gen. 2. that he did in the manner and order that he relates but Moses relates that God instituted the Sabbath from the beginning as well as marriage and some other Laws therefore it was so and then done The words of Moses his relation of the Institution of that day of rest Gen. 2.3 are these And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Now that these words Blessed and Sanctified in the most proper and ordinary construction signifie instituted and annexed a blessing to the observation of it I conceive no man will denie Wherefore seeing this is the most usuall and proper signification of these words and seeing no incongruity with other clauses and expressions in the letter of that text no contradiction to any other place of Scripture nor repugnancy to any principle of faith enforce us to seeke out any other more unusuall signification of them we have sufficient warrant to construe and interpret them according to their usuall literall and proper sense in this place Now that Blessing and Sanctifying the Sabbath was from the beginning besides the series of the history And by the tearmes blessed and sanctified which is a stronger more convincing argument to prove that it was so then any that is or can be alleadged to prove the contrary may be evineed and farther made good by these reasons First we find the Lord himself in the fourth Commandment affirming that he had blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day for so all the Interpreters render these words according to the most proper signification of them in the originall tongue as remembring and referring unto an act done before the giving of the Law Repeated in the fourth Commandement and pointing at an act past Now we find in no place of Scripture any mention of the Lords blessing sanctifying the Sabbath day before the publishing of the Decalogue upon Mount Sinai but in this only Gen. 2.3 Neither doe those that deny the Morality of the Sabbath mention or suppose any time precedent to the delivery of the Law by Moses wherein God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day neither if any such thing had been done by God would the Scripture have omitted the recording of it being a matter of so great importance neither lastly 3. Neither was any time so fit for giving this Law of the Sabbath as in the beginning was there any time so fit for the giving of this Law as when the ground of the Institution of this holy Rest which was Gods manifesting of the perfecting of the worlds creation by his resting on that day was new and fresh in memory This reason taken from the fitnesse of the time for the enacting and publishing of this Law carries with it the greater weight because we know how carefull God is to make every thing beautifull in its time Eccl. 3.11 and consequently we have no reason to imagine that God would omit the fittest time for the giving of this Law and defer it to a time lesse seasonable As appeares in instituting other Feasts especially seing we see that in the Institution of the Feasts of lesse imporportance as Easter and Pentecost of lesse frequent observation and to last but for a time he tooke care to ordaine them when the mercies were yet fresh and new for the preserving of the memory whereof they were appointed The same course the Church tooke afterwards in the ordaining of the Feast of Purim wherein both the occasion and Institution of the Feast went both together Nay even the Heathen themselves by the very light of nature were directed to follow the same rule as all men know But the strongest and clearest argument to prove the Institution of the Sabbath by God from the beginning is the testimony of the Apostle The Apostle affirmes it Heb. 4.3 4. Heb. 4.3.4 in these words Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world for he spake in a certaine place namely Gen. 2.2 of the seventh day on this wise And God rested the seventh day from all his workes To shew the force of the argument which is to be drawne out of this place we must in this whole disputation of the Apostle's begun chap. 3.12 and ending chap. 4.11 consider what he chiefly aimes at and intends to prove which is to disswade men from unbeleefe to which purpose he sets before them the dangerous consequents thereof namely that it excludes men out of heaven To prove this he alleadgeth the testimony of the Prophet David Psal 95.11 who threatens the people of his time to be shut out of Gods rest as their Fathers by hardening their hearts through unbeleefe were shut out of Canaan a Type of heaven if they proved unbeleevers and hardened their hearts thereby as their fathers had done If it should be replied unto the Apostle that David in that place alleadged out of the Psal meant not heaven by the rest which he there mentions the Apostle demonstrates plainly that David in these words which he relates could not possibly by the name of Rest meane any thing else but the rest of heaven The Apostle's argument by which he demonstratively proves that the Prophet in the words which he cites out of him could meane no other rest but the rest of heaven is this in briefe The rest which David mentions in that place must needs be such a rest as the men to whom he speakes had not entred into for then it had beene a vaine thing to threaten to shut them out of that which they had already in possession but had a possibility to enter in it or else it were a like folly to threaten that as a judgement upon them to deprive them of that which they should never have any possibility to obtain But saith the Apostle there was no such rest to be entred into by them in Davids time but only the rest of heaven therefore David in that place cited by the Apostle could meane no other rest but the rest of heaven To make good this argument he gives a sufficient enumeration of all the kindes of rests which were possible to be meant by David in the place alleadged which must all of them have this condition that they might be entred into by men which were three the rest of the Sabbath the rest of Canaan and the rest of heaven into all which men had a possibility to enter Now the rest out of which they are threatned to be excluded must be a rest which they had not already entred into But saith our Apostle into two of these Rests men had entred before Davids time into the rest of the Sabbath from the foundation of the world in which God rested after he had perfected his workes and into the rest of Canaan
in the daies of Ioshua therefore David could not threaten them to be excluded out of either of those rests there could therefore be no other but the rest of heaven out of which they might be excluded because there was no other but the rest of heaven to be entred into in Davids time from which yet they might and were in danger to be shut out by unbeleefe That the Rest of the Sabbath was entred into from the foundation of the world the Apostle expresly affirmes in these words And God rested the seventh day from all his works But say our opposits the Apostle here affirmes no more but that God entred into that Rest of the seventh or Sabbath day but he speakes not one word of mans entring into rest on that day Nowun to this we answer that these particulars which follow cannot be denied First that the conclusion which the Apostle intends to prove is that unbeleefe shuts a man out of heaven Secondly it is as manifest that to prove this he produceth the Prophet Davids testimony threatning men to be shut out of Gods Rest if they hardned their hearts by unbeleefe as their Fathers had done Thirdly it is evident that the Apostle assumes that David by this rest could meane nothing else but heaven Fourthly it is as cleare that he proves that the Psalmist by the Rest which he mentions in that place could meane no other Rest but heaven because there was no other rest left out of which men might be excluded but heaven in Davids dayes In the Fift place to make that good the Apostle proceeds by way of enumeration or induction and reckons up three severall sorts of Rests which might be called Gods Rests namely the Rest of the Sabbath the rest of Canaan and the Rest of heaven Sixtly the Apostle farther assumes that the rest which David mentions could not be the rest of the Sabbath nor the rest of Canaan Seventhly it cannot be denied but that he affirmes that the people had many yeares ages before Davids time entred into Canaan under the conduct of Ioshua Every one of these particulars is so cleare in it selfe that no man with any colour of reason can deny any of them The question is only by what argument the Apostle proves that by the Rest mentioned by David he could not meane the rest of the Sabbath for that only branch was left to be made good to make up the full demonstration of the conclusion that the Apostle tooke on him to prove that by that rest out of which David threatens them to be excluded by unbeleefe the Psalmist could not mean Canaan all men will acknowledge that the Apostle reasons thus The Prophet David could not threaten them to be shut out by unbeleefe from that rest which they had in their own possession but of the rest of Canaan they had been possessed long before even from the dayes of Ioshua Now it remaining upon the Apostle's hand to prove that David by Gods rest could not meane the Sabbath he must of necessity take up the same argument by which he had before proved that he could not mean Canaan by Gods rest that is because they had entred into that rest many yeares before In like manner if he will make good his argument he must prove that David could not mean the rest of the Sabbath because they had entred into that rest long before The opposites tell us that the Apostles words can import no more but that God entred into the rest of the Sabbath from the foundation of the world but there is no mention made of mans entring into that rest at that time But how vain this exception is we are now to shew If we understand these words Heb. 4.4 only of Gods entring into his rest on the seventh day as the letter of the Text at the first view seemes to carry it the Apostles argument if it be brought into form must be thus framed That rest which was entred into already could not be the rest which David meant because he speaks of a rest yet to come But the rest of the Sabbath was entred into long before Davids time even by God himselfe from the foundation of the world Therefore the rest of the Sabbath could not be the rest that David meant in that place I grant indeed that the conclusion necessarily follows out of these premises But I affirm withall that the major proposition is utterly false and no way futes with the scope of the Apostle in this disputation For it is true that notwithstanding Gods entring into the rest of the Sabbath David could not mean that rest in this place because it is possible that men might not enter into that rest although God did it is only mens entring into that rest that makes it impossible to be meant by David here who speaks of excluding men from entring into that rest which he there means from which they could not be shut out if they had entred already and therefore if they had entred into the rest of the Sabbath before David could not mean that rest in that place So then the opposition lies not between mens excluding and Gods entring both which might perhaps stand together but between mans excluding and mans entring upon which the whole weight of the disputation lies and that so evidently that it may be justly wondred that any man that desires to submit to the truth should not acknowledge it If therefore we frame the major proposition so that it may sute with the Apostles scope which best interprets the meaning it must be composed in this form or at least to this purpose That rest into which the Jews had entred already could not be the rest out of which David threatens that they should be excluded by unbeliefe Whereunto if we adde this minor or second proposition But into the rest of the Sabbath God had entred from the foundation of the world there could follow no conclusion at all But if we adde our minor proposition and so form our syllogisme thus That rest into which the Jews had entred from the beginning cannot be the rest out of which those that harden their hearts by unbeliefe are threatned to be excluded But into the rest of the Sabbath men had entred from the beginning Therefore the rest of the Sabbath could not be that rest out of which they are threatned to be excluded that harden their hearts through unbeliefe This conclusion naturally and necessarily follows out of the premises and fully sutes with the whole course of the Apostles disputation and with the scope at which he aimes If there were no other Argument but this which we have already produced to prove thta the Apostle although he names onely Gods resting on the Sabbath day yet must necessarily imply mans resting on that day as wel as Gods and that mans entring into the rest of the Sabbath sutes most fully with the Apostles scope but Gods entring into that rest makes
nothing to his purpose in this disputation unlesse it be to shew the ground of mans rest at the same time it might sufficiently satisfie any man that is willing to be guided by reason Notwithstanding as we have taken notice of the main drift at which the Apostle aims in this disputation so it will not be amisse to consider the grounds which the Apostle laies for the raising of his argument To prove then that David threatens unbelievers to be shut out of heaven which he here calls by the name of Gods rest he laies this for his ground that this name of Gods rest can be applied onely to three things the Sabbath Canaan and Heaven Now these three being all members under one generall head and distinguished one from another must needs have something common to them all and something proper and peculiar wherein they differ That which is common to them all is first that they are Gods rests that is rests which God ordains for and bestowes upon men Secondly that they are therefore rests into which men may enter The difference between these rests is that two of them were possessed by men already and one of them was yet to come Now the Prophet Davids words expresly mention a rest to come and to conceive and affirm that the Apostle building his argument upon this distinction as it plainly appears he doth should impertinently intend to bring in Gods resting in his own person is to confound this distinction of rests which the Apostle lays for the ground of his Argument and by consequence his whole disputation that is built thereupon To conclude the Apostle not only laies downe a distinction of the severall kinds of Gods rests in that dispute Heb. 4. but farther in applying it to his purpose insists most strongly upon the opposition between the words in Gen. 2. and the words of David Psal 45. by which he makes it manifest that David could not mean that rest of the Sabbath that Moses speaks of Gen. 2. For Heb. 4.3 thus he reasons David speaks of a rest to come but Moses speaks of a rest past therefore David cannot mean the rest of the Sabbath of which Moses speaks which was entred into so long before And again v. 5. he takes up the same opposition in these words And in this place of David again If they shall enter both in the 3. and 5. vers the Apostle insists upon Davids expressions If they shall enter which he shews cannot refer to the rest of the Sabbath which was entred into as Moses relates long before Now wherein stands this opposition between the relation of Moses that God rested the seventh day Davids intermination they shall not enter there is no opposition between these two expressions God hath entred and They shall not enter but between these two They have entred and They shall not enter there is a manifest opposition whereas therefore the Apostle presseth strongly this opposition ver 3. ver 5. it must be granted that though he expresseth only Gods resting on the seventh day yet he specially intends mans resting which was grounded thereupon Some amongst the opposites grant that the Apostle may in the 3. 4. verses of Heb. 4. though he mention Gods resting too as being instituted and grounded upon Gods resting upon the same day But this they say was intended only indirectly and by consequence Neither say they doth the Apostle limit Gods resting and mans resting unto the same time but mentions only Gods rest which was indeed from the foundation of the world but not mans rest which began only from the delivering of the Law by Moses To this we answer that it must needs be that mans resting is principally and directly intended in that place by the Apostle although it be not expresly mentioned that Gods resting is only named as the ground of the institution of mans rest so that when he affirmeth that God rested from the foundation of the world he implies that man rested with him at the same time seeing as we have shewed the whole weight of his Argument lies upon mans and not upon Gods resting And when he affirms that man had already entred into that rest it was fit for him to assigne the time when he entred into that rest as he doth afterwards set down the time when he entred into the rest of Canaan because the expressing of the time of entring into that rest is that which gives most strength to his Argument Besides if mans resting upon the giving of the Law by Moses were meant by the Apostle it was easie for the Apostle to have named that time as it was to name the other But what may be the reason may some say why the Apostle in this place principally intending and meaning mans resting on the Sabbath mentions notwithstanding only Gods resting on the Sabbath day but speaks not a word of mans resting on that day and proves that out of Gen. 2.2 when he might as easily have proved the other out of the verse following To this we answer that the whole course of the Apostles dispute shews evidently what he means Secondly we say that Gods rest sufficiently implies mans resting at the same time as being the very ground and foundation upon which the rest of man on the Sabbath day was grounded Thirdly why the Holy Ghost was pleased rather to imply mans resting on the Sabbath day under the phrase of Gods resting then to expresse in plainer tearms we can no more give a reason then we can tell why the same spirit of God sets downe divers disputations in such broken expressions that need the supply of many clauses to make up the sense cleer and full or why in other places of Scripture he shadows out many things under obscure phrases which might as easily have been expressed in clearer and plainer forms SECT II. Answer to the Arguments against the Institution of the Sabbath in Paradise TO avoid the Institution of the Sabbath recorded Gen. 2.3 Exceptions against this argument from Gen. 2. in expresse and plaine tearms and so distinctly related in that place that any man may justly wonder that any one endewed with reason should oppose so cleer an evidence the opposites have invented strange interpretations of these words Blessed and sanctified which carry the Institution 1. There is related onely what God did not what he ordained Some interpret them as relating an act of God what he did not as his command what he appointed men to do as if the words signified no more but this That God honoured and advanced the day by his resting thereon This absurd interpretation the very letter of the text sufficiently and plainly confutes which relates Gods resting and his sanctifying that rest Answer as two distinct Acts Gods resting and sanctifying are related as two distinct acts the one grounded on the other vers 3. That he sanctified the day because he had rested therein Besides men because they are
the Sabbath was altogether needlesse and superfluous Thirdly they insist strongly upon this that if God had given Adam such a law at that time then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of that law Now say they if the Patriarchs had been bound to the observation of that law they had certainly kept it but that neither all or any of them observed any such is manifest by the history of their lives written by Moses wherein there is no mention of any such thing For the first of these three arguments which is Answer to the first that it was impossible for Adam in Paradise to keep a Sabbath they reason thus The Sabbath say they was appointed for the publike worship of God 1. That supposeth publick worship to be the whole duty of the Sabbath as all men must needs acknowledge But Adam and his wife could not make a publike assembly nor consequently worship God publikely nor by the same observe a Sabbath according to the Law To this we answer in the First place Though publike worship be the principall yet it is not the sole duty of the Sabbath Honoring God forbearing to do ones own waies or to find his own pleasure or to speake ones own words are duties of such an holy day of Rest as God delights in Isa 58.13 as well as publike worship And the Fourth Commandement which sets apart an whole day unto the Lord entirely and commands therein a totall cessation from all our employments in our ordinary calling makes it evident The sequestring of our selves from our ordinary secular affaires for religious duties is the full scope of that fourth Commandement which if a single person shut out by sicknesse or any other casuall accident from publike Assemblies perform he keeps an acceptable Sabbath unto God though he cannot joyne with the Congregation in the duties of publike worship Againe why may not two persons where there are no more 2. Two where no more are may be esteemed a publike assembly be esteemed to be a publike Assembly It is cleare that our Saviour esteems the meeting of two or three for prayer a gathering together Mat. 18.20 And then it 's plaine that Adam and Eve meeting together in Paradise and employing the whole day in prayer and other holy and religious exercises may in a true and proper sense be said to worship publikely so that in this argument brought against possibility of keeping a Sabbath by Adam and Eve in Paradise 3. It is no good argument Adam could not then keep the Sabbath therefore he had no Law for it the propositions are both faulty Besides this is no good argument Adam and Eve could not at that present keep a Sabbath therefore they had no Law given them by God to command it The fifth Commandement prescribing the duties of Parents to their Children is questionlesse a Law of nature shall we say that this Law was not at the least written in Adams heart from the beginning because he had then no child We think it wisdome to make laws for warres in time of Peace although there can be no execution of them for the present The Next Argument against the Institution of the Sabbath in Paradise Answer to the second is that then Adam needed no Sabbath neither for his body nor for his mind For his body they say he needed no Sabbath because that he being exercised in no painfull or toylsome labour but exercised only in such work as might be accounted rather a recreation then a labour needed no rest at all or refreshing of his body thereby 1. Ease by rest though it be a consequent is not the scope of the Sabbath To this we answer that the ease of man and beast from labour although it be a consequent of the rest of the Sabbath yet was it never the scope of it seeing the moderation of labour belongs properly to the same commandement which enjoynes labour that is unto the Eight as the Apostle also interprets it Eph. 4.28 The Fourth Commandement forbids labour indeed but not so much for mercy as for Piety nor so much for easing of the toyle of the body as for the preventing of the distraction of the mind by labour seeing we know the body cannot labour but the mind must needs be more or lesse employed withall which therefore at that time cannot so freely be wholly exercised in Spirituall duties as it ought So that Adam might have use of a Sabbath in Paradise although he needed it not for the ease of his body 2. Adam might make use of the Sabbath in respect of his minde Yea but say they Adam much lesse needed a Sabbath in respect of his mind then he did in respect of his bodie because his mind in that state of Innocency being continually filled with heavenly thoughts he could not choose but keep a perpetuall Sabbath To this Objection we have answered in part already that the Sabbath requires of us not only the filling of the mind with heavenly Meditations but besides a totall sequestration of the whole man to the exercise of all holy duties forbidding us to finde our own pleasure or our own waies Isa 58.13 that is take up any employment either of body or minde about any of those affaires which may properly becalled our own such as are all our secular affaires Now although Adam in Paradise had not in that ease and pleasure of his in keeping the Garden his minde so wholly taken up with that businesse as ours are now in our more toylsome works yet it must needs be and was his duty too to attend and to have his minde exercised in the thoughts of those things that he tooke in hand which on the Sabbath ought to be wholly laid aside In one word Adam was and ought on other dayes to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of earthly things but on the Sabbath day he was to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of heavenly things All then that can be made good in this parcular is only this that Adam in some respects lesse needed a Sabbath then we doe whence cannot possibly be inferred that he therefore needed none at all nay upon the same ground it will follow that because he being riper in knowledge stronger in faith and more quickned and fervent in affection lesse needed the Sacraments or other like helps as we doe it was not fit for him to have any Sacrament at all As well as of the Sacraments c. Rather we may conclude that because Adam infinitely excelled us in all these abilities therefore though he lesse needed yet he was more fit to keep a Sabbath then we are having more leisure and being more heavenly minded then we are All this while we speake of the Sabbath as if it were given to man only for his own good whereas the principall scope of it is the honouring of God which was Adam duty as well as ours So that in respect of
the principall end of the Sabbath Adam needed that Law for the observation thereof as well as we In the last place it is urg'd that if the Sabbath had been instituted in Paradise Answer to the third then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of it and had certainly observed it Now that the Patriarchs did not observe it it is evident say they because we find no mention upon record of the observation thereof by any of them either before or after the Flood till Exod. 16. immediately before the giving of the Law We answer that if they can make it appeare that none of the Patriarchs did observe the Sabbath we will be willing to grant them that they had no Law that bound them to any such observation But it will be a very hard matter to make that appeare by any convincing argument Yes say they if they had observed it there would have been left some record of it by Moses who wrote their lives as say they he hath left us instances of their observing of the other Nine Commandements but for their observation of the Sabbath day he makes not so much as the least mention at all To this we answer divers things First 1. It followes not we have no recording of the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath therefore they observed it not we except against this form of arguing from Negative authority which according to the sentence of Logicians proves nothing at all and hereof though we might give other instances we will content our selves with one only concerning the point which we have in hand In all the Books of Ioshua Iudges Ruth For 550 years after Moses we have no record of keeping the Sabbath the two books of Samuel and the first booke of Kings containing the history of the Church for 550. yeares and written much more largely then the books of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus we finde not upon record so much as the very name of the Sabbath shall we therefore conclude from thence that the holy men of those times especially Ioshua Samuel and David kept not the Sabbath when we know they had a Law that bound them thereunto and yet we have instances enough out of the same books of their keeping of the other nine Commandements It will not be sufficient to except against the instance produced by us that we know these holy men kept the Sabbath though there be no record of their keeping of it because we are sure that they had a Law that bound them to keep it but the Patriarchs had no such law this I say is no just exceptiō against our instance for it is to beg the point in question All that they can gaine by this Allegation is that it is not so certaine that the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath because it is not so certaine that they had a Law that bound them to observe it Now this is a wild form of arguing It is not certaine though we prove it is or at least not so certaine that the Patriarchs had a Law that bound them to keep the Sabbath therefore it is certaine that they kept it not As for that colour that they make use of for the strengthning of their exception against our instance that Moses records the Patriarchs keeping of the other nine Commandements It were enough that we have said already that we have the like evidences in the books of Ioshua Objection Iudges c. of those holy mens keeping of the other nine Commandements We have records of the Patriarchs keeping the other nine Commandements But to give a fuller answer I conceive they will not say that in the book of Genesis there be instances of the Patriarchs observing of every duty required and prescribed in those Nine Commandements Answer but will name us some duties only which they performed in obedience to every one of them Not of all the duties of all those nine 4. And we have records of the Patriarchs publike worship And we say that we finde instances of the Patriarchs observing of the Fourth Commandement for we read that they worshipped God publikely Gen. 4.26 chap. 12.8 which that phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord implies as I conceive they themselves will not deny And I am sure they acknowledge that publike worship is a duty of the Sabbath But hereunto they will reply that the performing of this publike worship proves not the observation of the Sabbath or seventh day for that worship To which we answer that using of publike worship necessarily supposeth a time a fit time and a time of Rest for that worship for so much themselves acknowledg to be of the Law of Nature And it is probable on the seventh day Adde hereunto what is recorded of the sending out of Noahs dove just at the distance of seven daies Gen. 8.10 12. Surely this could not be done casually that they should accidentally light just upon the distance of seven daies so many times together If then it were done purposely why was that number chosen above all others was there any mysterious holinesse in that number If conjectures might take place we might with great probability conceive that Noah and his children had upon those daies dedicated to his worship been suing for peace and sent out to see whether there might be any tydings of a comfortable answer to their prayers These I confesse are no infallibly-concluding arguments to prove the Patriarchs observation of the Sabbath or seventh day but seeing it is possible nay more very probable that Moses in this relation points at some such thing it is enough to overthrow the opposites conclusion which must be this That it is certaine that Moses makes no mention of the Patriarchs observation of the seventh or Sabbath day Secondly we answer that the place Exod. 16.23 2. It appeares Exod. 16.23 that the Sabbath was known before the Law was given proves evidently that the observation of the Sabbath was a thing sufficiently known to the children of Israel before the Law was delivered unto them upon Mount Sinai For when the Elders of Jsrael wondering that the people had gathered twise so much Manna on the sixth day as they had done each of the five daies going before come to Moses to enquire of him what the reason of that strange event might be ver 22. he answers them presently To morrow is the holy Sabbath of the Lord c. which is all one as if he had said as he doth afterwards in expresse termes ver 29. that the Lord gave them on the sixth day a sufficient portion of bread for two daies that no man might breake the rest of the Sabbath by going out to gather food upon that day In that place you see Moses speaks of the Sabbath as of a thing which the children of Israel well knew beforehand or else he had spoken Parables to them in naming a day and referring the into an Ordinance of which
methodically in the interpretation of the Commandement we must first enquire what the scope is at which it aimes The appointing of a day of rest cannot be the scope of the fourth Commandement For all Laws being rules directed to some end proposed cannot so well be interpreted any way as by the end unto which they are directed Now the appointing of a day of rest cannot possibly be the last scope of this Commandement seeing we know rest from labour is enjoyned to give us freedome for holy duties and the exercising of our selves therein But of rest for holy duties which consequently must be the principall thing intended in the fourth Commandement But then it will be questioned to what kind of holy duties this day is consecrated For there are many that imagine that God hath set it apart only for duties of publike worship Publick and private But this opinion seemes not to agree with the letter of the Law which in expresse tearms gives the whole day unto the Lord for his own immediate service in religious worship Now we know publike worship takes not up the whole day It must needs be granted therefore the Lord appointed that day of holy rest for the performance of something more unto God then publike worship and so much is expresly affirmed Isa 58.13 where we are forbidden to find our own pleasure or speak our own words upon that day which as all men must acknowledge must needs extend to the ordering of our carriage in private as well as in publike so that the setting apart of a whole day of rest unto God for his publike and private worship seemes to be the full scope of this fourth Commandement Next to the scope of this Law 3 Parts of the fourth Commandement the 1. Summe 2. Explication 3. Reason we are to consider advisedly the frame and composure of it and therein we are first to take notice of the principall parts of the Law which we shall find to be three First we have laid down unto us the summe of the Law Exod. 20.8 Secondly we have the explication of that sum ver 9. Thirdly we have the reason of all v. 11. Each of these two first parts containe three heads of duties pointed out in the summe and opened and unfolded in the explication and confirmed in the reason of the Law The first duty is Preparation intimated in the word Remember The second the Sequestration from ordinary employments implied in the word Sabbath The third is Sanctification of that rest expressed in the phrase to keepe it holy All these are explained in their order Our Preparation must be by the dispatch of all our Secular affaires in six daies Our rest must be a cessation by all persons from our usuall labours and imployments in secular affaires The Sanctification of our rest must be by employing our selves in holy duties The confirmation of all follows in the reason of the Law of Preparation and rest from Gods own Act of Creating the world in sixe daies and ceasing from his work on the seventh and the Sanctifying of that rest from Gods Commandement and ordaining the seventh day to be a day of rest unto us for ever Now wherein the strength of that Confirmation lies will be the maine point in question of which hereafter To come now to the Explication of the words and phrases in this Commandement The first word in the summe of this Law Remember is diversly interpreted some conceive that it implies the importance of the duty commanded as that word is used many times to intimate some matter of speciall observation as Deut. 9.7 Others there are that think it points at the Antiquity of that Law given many ages before and therefore to be called afresh to minde as the Psalmist saith he will remember the works of the Lord his wonders of old Psal 177.11 and 143.5 and withall some conceive that he taxeth the peoples forgetfulnesse of that Law and neglect of the observation of it in the time of their bondage in Aegypt Some or all of these senses may be implied in this word Remember but beyond all these we may probably conceive that it may import Remember implies Think upon and by dispatching of thy busines provide for the Sabbath Think upon and accordingly before-hand provide for the observation of this holy rest by dispatching of all the works of thy calling that nothing may be undone which providence and diligence might prevent that might hinder thy rest on the seventh day As for those which conceive that in this Law labour upon the sixe daies is commanded as well as rest upon the seventh they are much mistaken The precept for labour is delivered in the eight Commandement as the Apostle interprets that Law Eph. 4.28 In this place is commanded the dispatch of our secular affaires before the Sabbath whether it be done in six daies or fewer it is not materiall as to this Law The next tearme to be explained Sabbath is a day of rest which only and not seventh is expressed in sum and conclusion of the Commandement is the name of the Sabbath or day of rest and easing from labour as that word properly signifies which is repeated againe in the conclusion of the Commandement And it is not to be passed by without observation that whereas the old Sabbath from the beginning till Christ came was the seventh day or last of the weeke and both in the explanation and reason of the Commandement is appointed to be one of the seven yet God mentions not the name of seven either in the Summe or in the Conclusion of the Commandement We have therefore reason to conceive that seeing God in this Law was to prescribe something of the Law of Nature The day of rest being of the law of nature the set day of positive institution which is the appointing of a day of holy Rest to be consecrated unto God for his worship which the very light of nature teacheth and in the explanation and reason of the Law to adde something which is of positive Institution namely the proportion of the time and the set day wherein this rest was to be observed he first settles that which is of the Law of nature and afterwards establisheth that which is Positive God purposely makes choise of such fit expressions especially in his Law in which he is most exact as may best acquaint us with his minde Wherefore seeing this is a fit Method to be observed by him and seeing the composure of this Law agrees with it we have reason to conclude that the Lord himselfe intended it in this place The last phrase in the sum of this Commandement remains which is To keep it holy To keep holy is to employ the day in holy duties of Gods immediate worship Now to keep a day holy is to employ it in holy actions directed to the immediate service and worship of God in the use of such
ordinances as he hath left unto his Church and to passe our time therein in holy speeches and meditations Actions may be holy either in the manner of doing them as when we performe duties either to God or men in obedience to Gods will in a reverend and holy fear of his name in thankfulnesse for mercies received and for the advancement of his glory which ought to be our maine scope in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 And so we are redeemed out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holinesse all the daies of our lives as Zachary tels us Luke 1.75 which reacheth to all our ways and actions Or else actions are holy besides in the matter or subject of them In meditations conferences prayer hearing reading c. as divine meditations conferences prayers reading or hearing Gods word c. These duties or the most part of them must have a place in our daily employments but must be so our whole work upon the Sabbath day as the works of our ordinary callings ought to be on the other six days This then is the brief sum of the law after which there follows a larger explication thereof describing more fully and cleerly what God means by that day which he calls the Sabbath what manner of rest it must be and within what compasse and revolution of time it must be observed In the explication is assigned the proportion of time for this rest a day of seven namely that it must be one day in seven or one day in every weeke And in the limiting and assigning of that proportion of time that he may shew unto us at once not only the meaning but also the equity of this Law he makes a distribution of the week into seven parts whereof he allowes unto us sixe for our ordinary labours and employments in our severall callings and contents himselfe with the seventh day only which he appoints to be a day of holy rest for his owne immediate worship which is notwithstanding not a day lost unto us but indeed a day of blessings a day of thriving in grace and a day of enjoying an holy Communion with our God and rejoycing in him a day of enjoying heaven upon earth if it be observed as it ought to be To take up the words themselves in order as they lie before us Sixe daies allowed for labour whether the sixe first or last is not expressed it followes sixe daies shalt thou labour which sixe daies those daies of labour shall be he expresseth not whether the sixe first or the sixe last but speaking indefinitely he leaves the words to be understood indefinitely Questionlesse the maine thing that he prescribes in this explication is the proportion of time to be set apart for this holy rest the order to be observed therein he sets down afterwards in the reason of the Commandement wherein he leaves a rule to direct us which of the seven daies we are to set apart for this holy rest But in this explication the chiefest thing that God sets before us is the equity of reserving this proportion of time that is In this proportion of time the equity of the Law appeares one day of seven for his own worship which will be sufficient for that use and yet lea ves sufficient time for the dispatch of our own affaires Day here is a naturall day such as the other sixe are By a Day he means a naturall day consisting of foure and twenty houres which is the seventh part of the week Shalt is as much as Maiest a word rather of permission then command God in this place having no purpose to order any thing concerning our secular affaires farther then they have relation to his own worships and to the making way for the better observation of this holy day of rest It follows And doe all thy work in which if in any clause of this Law Doe all thy work is dispatch thy work that thou maist be free to keep the Sabbath lies the force of a command but that command is not so much to require us to labour as by labour to dispatch all the businesse of our secular employments leaving no needfull thing undone that by care and diligence might have been finished in the sixe daies precedent the neglect whereof might be an occasion of violating the rest of the Sabbath Our works are the works of our secular callings excluding businesses which our callings lay not upon us By all our work he meanes all the work that our particular callings lay upon us in which God hath placed us and which alone are properly called our own works So that by this clause he excludes all businesse that cannot properly be called our own as not imposed on us by God in the callings assigned us by him and by consequent prohibits intermedling with unnecessary businesse Three things layed before us in this explication 1 A command to dispatch our works 2 A promise implied that we shall be able to do it 3. The manifestation of the equity of this Law and overlading our selves with many employments which may be more then sixe daies labour can dispatch So that in this clause we have three things laid before us First a direction or command expressed to dispatch our works in sixe daies Secondly we have a promise implied that by Gods prospering hand assisting us we shall be able to compasse our works for he saith we shall doe c. a word that includes a promise as well as it expresseth a command Thirdly we have Gods equity in the command who requires no more time of us then we may spare without prejudice God then having allowed us a sufficient proportion of time for our own employments in the next place takes order for his own worship in the words following But the seventh day c. Seventh is an ordinate number signitying one of seven Now the word Seventh being indeed an ordinate number may either signifie one in seven and so note out only the proportion of time which God reserves to himselfe as the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.16 and the third part of an Hin Numb 15.6 7. signifie no more but such a proportion of either measure Or it may note the seventh in order as when David is named the seventh Son of Jesse 1 Chro. 2.15 we are to understand the last youngest of seven in this sense our opposites generally take it in this place but in whether of the senses it must be taken here we are now to examine the determination of this point being of great importance to guide us aright in the interpretation of this Commandement Objection 1 Those who take Seventh in this place Ha prefixed before Seventh notes a particular day for the seventh in order or the last of seven strengthen their opinion with a double reason First say they here is Ha Notificative prefixed before Shebigni Answer of purpose to point out
a particular day Ha doth not alwaies notifie 2. Where it doth it points out things by their eminency as well as by their particularity of purpose to point out a particular day as that particule usuall restraines an indefinite signification to a particular To this we answer First though this particle ha doe often notifie or put an Emphasis to the word to which it is prefixed yet very often it hath no notification nor Emphasis at all Secondly when it does notifie it notes out things by their eminency as well as by their particularity as if we should translate it in English That seventh day why may it not signifie that eminent Seventh day Objection 2 as well as that particular seventh day Ha added to a Numerall notes alwaies a particular Yea they replie but Ha added to a Numerall notes alwaies a particular of that number We answer divers instances may be given to the contrary where ha prefixed to a Numerall notes nothing at all Answer Not alwaies Instances to the contrary The foure branches of the River of Paradise are reckoned up by the names of first second third and fourth Gen. 2.11.13 14. where ha is prefixed to them all yet signifies indefinitely without Emphasis or respect to order The Pillars in the Temple Jachim and Boaz are numbred the first and second 1 King 7.16 and have ha prefixed yet signifie no more but one and the other without reference to order Iosephs brethren answer him concerning themselves and their brethren One is not the particle ba which is prefixed notes not which of their brethren whether eldest or second or sixth or eleventh it was that was not But suppose ha Objection 13 in this place notifies a particular why may it not note a partibular in proportion as well as in order Seventh in the reason of the Commandement implies seventh in order therefore it is so to be understood here The Second reason which they bring to prove that Seventh in this place must necessarily signifie seventh in order or the last of seven is this The same seventh day say they must be meant in this place in the explication of the Commandement which is meant afterwards in the confirmation of it But in that confirmation the seventh day mentioned is the last of seven therefore it must be so taken here Answer To this we answer It will appeare when we come to the reason that it is not so taken there that admitting that the tearme seventh is so taken in the next verse that proves not that it is so to be taken here unlesse it be manifest withall that the force of the reason of the Commandement lies in the taking of the tearme Seventh in that sense which will appeare to be otherwise for we shall shew that the strength of the confirmation of the argument lies in the tearme Seventh taken indefinitely not taken particularly that is for seventh in proportion not for seventh in order All words and phrases used in Arguments are not argumentative All tearms in an argument are not â—rgumenttaive some of them serve only to fill up the sense but prove nothing at all As for example Moses Deut. 4.15 16. to disswade the people from making any resemblance of God reasons in this manner Some are added to fill up the sense only and have no force of reason in them You saw no manner of similitude when the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire take heed therefore lest you corrupt your selves In this argument the naming of the place where and the fire in which God appeared to his people only fill up the narration the whole force of the argument lies in this that because they saw no similitude therefore they should make none So it is in Gods mentioning his Rest on the seventh day In this CoÌ„mandement which we have before us Gods manifesting of the perfecting of the worlds Creation by his resting on the seventh day could not be clearly expressed without mentioning the day in which he rested which was indeed the seventh day from the Creation but the Lord proves nothing from the order but from the proportion of the time wherein he rested In arguing the tearms of the proporsion to be proved must where there is any Ambiguity interpret the tearmes of the argument because the argument is brought for the proporsition to be proved not the proposition for the argument The proposition to be proved then being that one day in seven must be consecrated unto God and the arguments brought to prove it being taken from Gods resting one day in seven although that happened to be the last of the seven daies yet the proportion of the time of rest being the only thing intended to be proved is the only thing to be respected both in the argument and in the tearms wherein it is expressed So then hitherto we see no reason why the tearme Seventh in the explication of the Commandement may not be taken indefinitely for one in seven as well as particularly and strictly for the last in seven Yea if all circumstances be duly weighed the taking of the tearme Seventh indefinitely best sutes with the principall scope which God aimes at in this Law and with the coherence of the Text. The strongest of those arguments which evince this truth it will be most convenient to forbeare till hereafter In the meane time we may take notice of this by the way that the very clause precedent to these words directs us to take the tearme Seventh in this place indefinitely The allowing of sixe daies for labour indefinitely directs to take the seventh indefinitely as pointing only at the proportion and not all at the order of the time wherein we are to rest First this is evident and unquestionable that God dividing the whole week into seven parts allowes unto us sixe daies for the dispatch of our businesse in our secular affaires and reserves the seventh for himselfe for his own worship In the next place it is as cleare that as the sixe daies allowed for labour are to be taken so we must take the seventh which is set apart for this holy Rest Now that these sixe daies allowed unto us for our labour are to be taken indefinitely and to be respected only according to the proportion of the time I conceive no man with any colour of reason can deny seeing the maine thing that God insists on and labours to cleare unto us is that sixe daies are sufficient for the dispatch of our secular affaires Now if the proportion of time be all that God respects in the sixe daies of labour then the proportion of time must needs be all that God can intend in the seventh day which he sets apart for a day of rest The next clause in the Law followes Is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God that is Sabbath of the Lord thy God that is consecrated and dedicated to him a day
of holy rest consecrated to the Lord thy God Now things are said to be Gods for the peculiar interest that he hath in them whether by Creation as Psal 100.3 He made us and therefore wee are his people By redemption or purchase so the children of Israel God challengeth to be his own because he had bought them Isa 43.1 By deputation or designation as Christ is called Gods king Psal 2.6 and David a Type of Christ Psal 89.19 20. Or by advancing or honouring so a day may be called Gods because he hath advanced or honoured it above other daies Psal 118.24 Or lastly by consecration and dedication to God so the Priests are the Lords Levit. 20.26 the tythes vessels c. the Lords for his service Now in both these latter respects the day of holy rest is the Lords day as he calls it his Sabbath Exod. 31.13 Both because his works have advanced that above any other day and besides because upon that ground it is consecrated to him and set apart for his service To restrain men from violating of the holy rest of the Sabbath it is sufficient that it is the Lords but to make a deeper impression of it upon mens hearts he thought fit to adde The Lord thy God a dreadfull name to his people Deut. 28.58 This foundation being laid that the Sabbath is the Lords No manner of works that is of thy calling not excluding he hath a sufficient ground to take upon him to dispose of it and therefore in the next ensuing clause strictly enjoyns In it thou shalt do no manner of worke he means none of the works mentioned before properly called our own works 1. Works about Gods service or works of our particular callings As for works about Gods service such as were those about the service of the Tabernacle justified by our Saviour Mat. 12.5 Works of necessity for the creatures preservation which also Christ allows Mat. 12.11 2. Works of necessity from which also God himself ceaseth not Joh. 5.17 Works of mercy 3. Works of mercy though not of absolute necessity such as was the restoring of the mans withered hand Matth. 12.12 13. yea though it be to our selves vers 7. they are not to be accounted among the works forbidden upon this day If there were any stricter rest then this enjoyned the Jews which perhaps will not so easily be proved it is not required by any restraint in this Commandement and therefore not exacted upon us Christians As for the forbidding of the kindling of a fire and dressing of meat Exod. 16.5.13 35.3 they were inhibitions which determined as it is most probable with the Israelites peregrination in the wildernesse and laid upon them by other laws so that hitherto we meet with nothing ceremoniall in this fourth law The last main branch of this law is the reason or confirmation of it No reason annexed to any law but only to this fourth Commandement But before we undertake the opening of the phrases and tearms in which it is penned we cannot but take notice of one thing by the way that we find no reason annexed to any other Commandement of the Decalogue but to this alone We find indeed some Sanctions annexed to the second third and fift Commandements but none save this fourth is confirmed by a reason The cause hereof can be no other but this because whereas the duties commanded in other laws are either laws of nature or at least approvable by naturall reason as soon as they are delivered Because the grounds of other laws are evident in themselves but the ground of this law could not be known unless it had been revealed because the grounds upon which those lawes are founded are evident in themselves the grounds of this fourth Commandement could not have been known unlesse they had been revealed by God himself Indeed that God must be publikely worshipped That a set time must be appointed and that it must be a time of rest from private employments are dictates of naturall reason But why we must observe a weekly Sabbath and not a monthly and why the seventh or first day of the week rather then the third or fourth no man could have found out the reason unlesse God had revealed unto us the Creation of the world in six daies and his resting upon the seventh by the consideration whereof the equity of this law clearly and manifestly appears and upon the manifestation thereof is as easily approved and assented unto even by the light of naturall reason So then the reason alledged in this Commandement shews us not why God ordained a Sabbath which the very light of nature taught even the very heathen as we know but why he commands a weekly Sabbath and why upon such a day of the week rather then upon any other That therefore which we are to search after in the examining of this reason is how the equity of these two particulars is discovered therein that we may acknowledge this Commandement also to be just and good as S. Paul speaks of all the rest Rom. 7.12 yea equall and right concerning all things as the Prophet David speaks Psal 119.128 and thereupon submit unto it not by constraint but by a willing mind 1 Pet. 5.2 Now concerning the former of those two particulars why God allots out such a proportion of time as one day weekly for his Sabbath we have already in a great part discovered the equity thereof in the explication of this law wherein it appears that so much time may be spared without prejudice to our particular callings which if it should be denied God makes farther manifest by this reason annexed which we have before us To make it appear that six daies in the week are sufficient for the dispatch of our secular affairs one ground must be supposed Why we may spare one day of seven for this holy rest which is unquestionable that mens labours about the things of this world are onely for the conservation of the creatures and fitting of them for mans use That ground being laid this reason for the strengthning of our faith laies before us the example of God himself who created the world and all things therein in six daies from whence we may strongly reason that he that without the help of mans labour created the world in six daies can easily by mans labour of six daies support and conserve the world If it be questioned whether he will do it reason will easily conclude that the same goodnesse that moved God to give a being to things that were not will much more move him to conserve and provide for the things that are being all the work of his own hand seeing we know him to be a faithfull Creator as the Apostle calls him 1 Pet. 4.19 Wherefore we find that the godly for the strengthning of their faith and dependence on God upon any incident occasion usually have recourse to the creation of the world
as the means to assure themselves of his protection or supply in any thing that they need as Psal 119.73 Jer. 14.22 unto which God himself directs us Isa 45.11 12. Our help stands in the name of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth Psal 121.2 The Lord having made it appear that the consecrating of a day weekly unto God for his worship will be no prejudice to our secular affairs Why we must observe such a particular day gives us next a reason why he makes choice of the seventh day rather then any other to be this day of holy rest even because himself rested from all his works of creation upon that day Now that this rest of God is the ground of appointing this to be the day of rest all men acknowledge but how the reason must be drawn out from this ground and wherein the force of it consists is all the question For whereas in Gods rest there is a double consideration the one of the act it self simply the very resting of God from his work the second of the consequent of it If we draw the reason from Gods act of resting it must be the seventh day If from the honouring of that day thereby it enforceth the observation of the first day as well as of the seventh the advancing and honouring of that day above other daies thereby If we draw the reason of the instituting of this day from Gods simple act it necessarily inforceth the observation of that very seventh day from the creation after Gods example But if we draw it from the consequent of his rest the advancing and honouring of that day thereby it binds us as well to the observation of the first day of the week now as it did the Jews to the observation of the seventh day heretofore Those that oppose the morality of the Sabbath labour to draw the reason which is laid down in this fourth Commandement for the observing of this day of rest Wee cannot make Gods act of resting the ground of instituting the Sabbath from Gods bare act of resting himself upon that day which if they do they must form their argument in this manner That day in which God himself rested from his works he appointed to be a day of mens resting from their works but that was the seventh or last day of the week therefore God ordained that to be the day on which men should rest from their works Now against the argument framed in this manner there lie two main exceptions 1. Gods example is not the ground of any Commandement the first of them is the example of God neither is nor can be any warrant to us to do the like neither do we ever find it proposed unto us as a rule which we must follow This is true that Gods or Christs examples are are set before us sometimes as incitements to stir us up to the performance of such duties as are required of us by the law as Luke 6.36 Be mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull and Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ but we never find any act of Gods or of Christs proposed unto us as a rule to teach us what we should do Gods actions declare that it is his will that it should be done but when he directs us what he will have us to do he sends us unto the law and to the testimony Isa 8.20 Neither do we ever find that the meer act of God was ever the ground of any law Although as in this particular case and in the institution of some other feasts some consequent or something that accompanies that act may be an occasion of an institution Perhaps to this some may reply Objection 23 that in this fourth Commandement we have first a law given in these words We have the precept first and then Gods example to encourage us to observe it The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and then we have Gods example to stir us up to the practice of that duty required in that law To this we answer that we have a law indeed that commands the observation of an holy day of rest unto God Answer We have no precept for the particular day of rest before the reason and a second branch of that law which appoints the proportion of the time of that rest that it shall be one day in the week but concerning the third branch without which the law it self is not perfect that is which day of the week shall be the day of that rest is not expressed as we have partly already shewed in opening the explication of this Commandement but only in the reason annexed unto this law Unlesse therefore it can be proved that the tearm seventh mentioned in the explication of this Commandement signifies the last day of seven we have no law precedent to Gods example here mentioned that commands the observation of the last day of the week for the day of rest As hath been shewed already that seventh in the explication of the Commandement notes not the particular day Now the weaknesse of the reasons alleaged to prove that this tearm seventh used in the explication of this law signifies the last day of the week we have shewed already And by one reason have made it more then probable that this tearm seventh in that place signifies only indefinitely one of seven and not particularly such a certain day of the seven The second reason which farther manifests that truth and makes it evident And is further proved because God mentions it not at all in the conclusion of the Commandement we have deferred untill now and it is this If God had intended to command that the last day of the week should be observed for the Sabbath he must and would have mentioned it in the conclusion of that reason by which he shews us the equity of the observation of that day rather then any other Now he is so far from doing that that he forbears the mentioning of that name of seventh in the conclusion at all That this which we alleage may have the greater sway with us take speciall notice that the conclusion of this Commandement hath the very same words which we find in the first giving of this law Gen. 2.3 whether the words themselves were taken out of that history I will not peremptorily define though it seems most probable Whereas he precisely names it in the Law given to Adam Gen. 2. This is cleer the words in both places are the same in every title else save only that in stead of the tearm seventh in Genesis God useth the name Sabbath in this Law This questionlesse he doth not without reason for God neither forgets nor mistakes nor speaks unadvisedly as men do too often now what may be the reason why God makes choice of this word Sabbath in the conclusion of this Commandement This is evident that by
changing the word Seventh into Sabbath which is of larger signification the day of rest is not so precisely tied to the last day of the week in this fourth Commandement as it is in the Law given to Adam Gen. 2. why then should we not think that God intended in this law given by Moses to leave the set day of this holy rest more at large then he had done in the Commandement given to Adam Why God might think it fit to do so And might do because till Christ came the Creation of the world was Gods greatest work and fittest to ground the law of the Sabbath upon we see manifest reason for untill the fall of man there could be no day fitter for the observation of an holy rest unto God then the last day of the week in which by the rest of God from creating the creation of the world was declared to be fully perfected which was the greatest work then done or to be done if man had not fallen But now when man was fallen But mans redemption by Christ being a greater work required the altering of the Sabbath to the First day of the week and therefore to be redeemed and created anew which was a greater work then his creation at the first so that a greater work and mercy of God to men was to be remembred there was in a sort a necessity of changing the day of rest from the last to the first day of the week on which mans redemption was to be perfected And consequently it was fit that the law given to man fallen and to be redeemed should be so penned in generall tearms that when this glorious work of mans redemption should be perfected there might be a change of the day of rest without any change of the law A second exception that we take against the drawing of the reason of this fourth Commandement 1. To urge the keeping of the Sabbath from the act of resting shews not the equity of the law from the example of God resting on the Sabbath day to bind us thereupon to the observation of the same day for the day of our rest is this A law we know is a rule of equity and to give a reason of a law is to make it appear to be so God then in giving this for a reason of this Commandement could have no other aime before him but by this reason to shew the equity of this law both in appointing the proportion of time for an holy rest and in limiting it to such a particular day Now to draw the reason of our resting from Gods resting Because Gods condition and ours is not alike shews no equity in the law at all We cannot make good this position It is equal and just that we should rest because God rested There is infinite odds between Gods condition and ours God might rest as long and as often as he pleased seeing he hath al-sufficienty in himself and is not supported by labour as men and their estates are who if they should cease from their labors too long or too often must necessarily perish So that by reasoning in this manner that we must rest because God rested too cannot make the equity of this law appear at all Seeing therefore the equity of the law cannot be evidenced by reasoning from Gods meer act of resting upon that day let us now trie whether the other way of deducing the reason of the law from Gods advancing and honouring the seventh day by his resting thereupon and establishing the rule of our rest thereupon do not more cleerly manifest the equity of this law in that particular But drawing the reason from Gods honouring of that day by his rest the equity of the law is evident If we draw the reason of the law from the honouring of the seventh day by Gods resting upon that from all his works we may conceive that he argues in this or that manner That day which is honoured by God above other daies by his most eminent works of mercy to mankind shall be the day of holy rest to be consecrated to him for his worship but the day in which God ended and perfected the creation of the world is the day honoured and advanced above all other daies by that wonderfull work therefore that shall be the day of your holy rest In this syllogisme the minor or second proposition only is expressed in the words of the law and that too only in part for there is no more said but that God rested that day not that he honoured that day by his rest which notwithstanding is necessarily implied for he that saith that Christ rose the first day of the week must mean as much as if he had said Christ made the first day of the week honourable memorable by his resurrection on that day As for the major or first proposition in this syllogisme it is a principle acknowledged by all men by the light of nature It is evident that daies and times in themselves are all equall that which advanceth one day above another must be some memorable event that hath happened on that day Again that such memorable events ought to be the ground upon which such daies as God hath marked out by them Laying down a ground upon whcih God instituted other feasts And the Church and advanced above other daies ought to be observed above other daies is as cleer and evident Wherefore we see that God himselfe hath taken that for his ground of justifying the feasts of Passeover and Pentecost and in imitation of him the Jews upon the same ground took upon them the observation of the feast of Purim Hest 9.21 Yea the very heathens led thereto by the light of nature 23. Yea the very heathen themselves as all histories testifie have alwaies made the daies of their birth of founding their Cities of obtaining memorable victories and the like to be daies of annuall observance in joy and feasting So that to consider the day of Gods rest as a day advanced above other daies and thereupon to ordain that to be a day of holy rejoycing in God in remembrance of his great and glorious works is to shew an equity acknowledged by light of nature in the institution of the Sabbath Now whereas God both in all his waies God therefore purposing to shew the equity of this law could not but set down the reason so as that might best appear but more especially in his laws takes speciall care to make it appear unto men that they are all equall and just in all things as the Prophet David acknowledgeth Psal 119.128 both for his own honour and withall to draw us the more cheerfully to obey and serve him we cannot imagine that he being to give a reason of this law and having so fair a ground by which he might manifest the equity thereof even to naturall reason it self should conceal that and propose another reason in which the equity
of the law could not be manifested at all Nay farther whereas God insists so much upon that ground especially in the institution of the Passeover Especially seeing he doth it in ordaining other feasts of lesse importance Exod. 12.42 it seems very strange that he should against his custome neglect or passe by that ground upon which he instituted other feasts in the institution of the greatest of all feasts that ever was ordained in the Church It seems therefore more then probable that this reason drawn from Gods resting upon the seventh day must be deduced not from Gods act in resting on that day but from the consequent of that rest the honouring of that day by his resting therein Some man perhaps may reply that whether the very act of Gods resting Objection 1 or the honouring of the day wherein he rested be made the ground of appointing that the day of our rest Which way soever we draw the reason it still enforceth the observation of the seventh day it is all one because either way it binds us still to the observation of the same seventh day We answer that although to the Jews it was all one which way soever the reason was deduced yet it makes a wide difference in the Commandement to ordain the day to be observed because God rested upon that day or to command it to be observed because God honoured that day by his resting therein Answer for Gods resting being a particular act Not so for the act of Gods resting is appliable only to that day But the honouring of the day thereby is appliable to other daies cannot be communicated to any other then that very day wherein he rested but the honouring of that day being of a speciall nature may be communicated to any other day that shall be honoured in like manner So that if the reason be drawn from Gods act of resting upon that day if we change the day we alter the law but if we draw the reason from Gods advancing of the day by his resting therein above other daies we alter not the law when we observe another day upon the same ground It may be objected yet farther that this rule by which this holy day of rest is assigned in this generall way is both uncertain and obscure Uncertain Objection 2 because if the advancement of one day above another by some eminent mercy bestowed on that day The rule thus laid down is 1. Uncertain 2. Obscure be our rule for the observing or altering the day of holy rest it may fall out that divers daies being made remarkable by such events it will be hard to judge which of them is most eminent and consequently pointed out unto us by God to be observed Answer To this we answer that the Sabbath day must needs be esteemed the highest of all consecrated times 1. Not uncertain as being perpetually univerfally and more frequently to be observed then any other festival day Because it is grounded upon the honouring of the day by the greatest most universall and perpetuall mercy bestowed on the Church Whence it must needs follow that the work of mercy upon the memory whereof that day is founded must be such as not only brings an universall and perpetuall benefit but besides the greatest of all benefits unto the Church Now that the works of creating the world by Gods word in the beginning and since of the redemption of it by Jesus Christ are the most eminent of all the mercies bestowed by God upon man and indeed the fountain and foundation of all the rest the benefits whereof remain to the worlds end is more evident then the light And of these two the later being in all respects the far greater mercy and therefore deservedly carrying the observation of this holy day in remembrance thereof yet hath the wisdome of God so ordered it that in the consecrating this day of rest both should be remembred the creation in the proportion of the time by setting apart one day of seven and the redemption by changing the Sabbath from the last day of seven to the first in which our Saviour by his resurrection from the dead perfected that glorious work So then the rule for the observation of the day of this holy rest is not uncertain as is pretended Neither is this rule so obscurely laid down unto us 2. Nor obscure because the light of naturall reason may discover it but that it may be understood of as many as desire seriously to search into it For whereas the light of nature acknowledgeth teacheth as we have shewed already this principle that the observation of festivall daies is most fitly grounded upon the remembrance of some memorable event or other which hath hapned upon those daies which are to be observed when we read in this Commandement that God appoints his Sabbath to be kept upon the day on which he finished the Creation of the World even naturall reason will suggest that in this institution God observes the rule of nature in ordering that for the day of this solemne Feast on which the greatest generall benefit which till the Redemption of the world by Jesus Christ had been wrought for mankind from the beginning was accomplished Now that rule which the very light of nature approves being observed by God in appointing the day for this holy rest naturall reason will lead us on to conclude that when a more eminent work then the Creation of the World is performed it must carry the observation of the Sabbath unto that day on which it was accomplished upon the same ground and by the same rule by which it was first ordained to be observed upon another day Reason easily drawes particular directions out of generall rules when it finds the grounds of that rule appliable to more then that particular For instance the command for Circumcising Infants because they were within the Covenant quickly taught the Church of God the Baptizing of Infants upon the same ground because they are within the same Covenant It may be farther objected that the rule for the observation of the Sabbath had been much plainer 3. The rule had been plainer if God had said you shall keep theseventh day in memory of the Creation till I perform the greater work of your Redemption if God had laid it down in expresse tearms as thus You shall keep the Sabbath upon that day which you shall finde most honoured above other daies by my most eminent Work which I shall accomplish upon that day or yet more clearly till the coming of Christ you shall observe the last day of the week for your Sabbath in remembrance of the Creation of the world and after Christs resurrection you shall celebrate the first day of the week in memory of the redemption of mankind Answer which was perfected by him We answer 1. So might the second Commandement have been plainer we grant that the rule had been plainer if
it had been so expressed And questionlesse the second Commandement had been plainer if it had been expressed in some such manner as this Thou shalt not worship me with any worship of thine owne devising but in such manner and in the use of such ordinances as I shall prescribe 2. And the Commandement for baptizing of Infants And it had been plainer if our Saviour in giving commission to his Apostles to baptize had exprefly named the Infants of beleeving Parents as he did in commanding them to be Circumcised Many passages in Scripture might have been expressed in plainer tearms then those in which they are delivered It is enough to satisfie any sober mind that God who was at liberty to expresse himselfe as he pleased thought it fit to speak to us in this manner We may adde farther if we observe it well God manifests great wisdome in penning the second The discovery of such changes to follow had brought the services into contempt and fourth Commandements in this obscure manner for if God had in the second Commandement expressed himselfe at full that the Iews should for the present worship him according to the ordinances which Moses gave them but after the comming of the Messiah they should in stead of them use such Rites as he should ordaine And if in the fourth Commandement he had thus expressed himselfe Your Sabbath for the present shall be the last day of the week but after the Resurrection of Christ you shall change it to the first day of the week the discovery of the changes to come in the Rites and form of Gods worship had in all probability bred in Gods people a contempt of those duties which they were to perform at present as being temporary and imperfect and such as were to give place to better ordinances that were to succeed them which they could not endure to heare of Acts. 6.14 It pleased God therefore to pen the Law in such a form that his people might understand out of it as much as concerned them to practise at present and yet we Christians might find in it farther directions when there should be occasion to make use of them Gods wisdome in concealing these changes illustrated by the policy of Princes Thus Princes sometimes to keep their Counsells secret send out their commands with sufficient instructions what to doe at present and with farther Commissions sealed up and not to be opened till they come to the place where those farther directions which are contained therein are to be put in execution Having now examined the reason of this Commandement For in the Law shews the equity of the proportioning of the time set a part for this rest and shewed how it must be deduced and applied let us next consider the words wherein it is expressed This particle For referres both to our labour of sixe daies and rest upon the seventh manifests the equity of the Law in requiring such a rest of us as if we deale providently in managing our affaires needs not to hinder them seeing God allows as much time to us for the dispatch of our business as he took up in the Creation of the world requiring no more of us but the setting apart one day in seven to be kept holy in remembrance of the Creation of the world and that too for our own comfort improvement in grace and for the farther quickning and strengthening of our souls In sixe daies God made all things and therefore by sixe daies labour can and will assist thee to dispatch all thy work as well as for his own honour and glory In sixe daies God made heaven earth c. and therefore both is able and as a faithfull Creator will be ready to assist and prosper thee so in all thy labours that all thy businesse shall be dispatched in sixe daies namely whatsoever thy calling and needfull occasions shall require to be done as God in sixe daies created whatsoever was needfull as is implied in these words All that in them is It hath been before observed that Gods creation of the world is often mentioned as a meanes to move men to depend upon him and it may be probably conceived is remembred here to stay our murmuring at the sparing of one day weekly from our implomyments And rested the Seventh day which must not therefore be the last day of the week And rested c. And 1. thereby established his work 1. And rejoyced in it but is mentioned here only as one of seven not as the last of seven This was not a totall cessation whereof God being a continuall Act is uncapable but only a resting from works of Creation and implies two acts of God The first the establishing and setling all his works to continue in himselfe according to his own Ordinances Psal 119.89 90 91. The other his rejoycing and delighting himselfe in the work of his hands This Rest of God was not as ours for a day only for he never wrought in the work of Creation any more and may perhaps point at our eternall Rest wherein we shall cease from all our labours for ever Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day Therefore the Lord blessed c. as declaring by his rest that the Creation was perfected and sanctified it because he had by his resting on that day manifested the perfecting of the Creating of the world all things being made that were needfull so that there was no cause to goe on with that work of Creation any longer wherefore in memory of this great work of the Creation of the world God sanctified this day as being dignified above other daies by perfecting of so glorious a work Gods blessing of the day is the ordaining of it to be a day of blessing a day of thriving in Grace and abounding in spirituall comforts a day of rejoycing in God and his goodnes and encouraging our selves by the remembrance thereof to serve the Lord with chearfulnesse and gladnesse of heart Sanctifying is a setting apart of the day unto God to be imployed in holy exercises as preaching hearing reading praying c. Thus farre then we find in examining the phrases and expressions of the fourth Commandement nothing that may enforce us to acknowledge any thing to be Ceremonious in this Law nor consequently mutable seeing the set day of rest being not commanded there in particular but onely assigned by a generall rule which is appliable to the Sabbath of the Christans as well as to that of the Jewes in changing of the first day of rest there is nothing altered in the Law It remaines only that we examine whether we finde any Ceremony in the rest which if we doe not we must acknowledge that the Church of God is for ever bound to the observation of this Objection 1 as much as to any other of the Morall Laws The rest of the Sabbath was a type of Christs rest in the grave and therefore abolished
It is objected that the Rest commanded in the fourth Commandement was a figure of Christs rest in the grave and therefore is now banished with the rest of those shadowes We answer this typicall relation to Christ Answer was accidentall to the Sabbath not essentiall That was accidentall to the Sabbath it was a Sabbath before it was a Type for it was a Sabbath before Christ was looked upon as a sacrifice for sin that is before man had fallen and consequently before there was any need of our Saviours resting in the grave Seeing therefore it was a Sabbath before it was a type it may remaine a Sabbath though the type be taken away They will it may be grant that there must be a rest from labour upon the Sabbath day Objection 2 but the strictness of that rest such as the Jews observed The strictnesse of the rest enjoyned the Jewes is taken away is ceremonious and abolished The rest say they to be observed of us Christians is only for publike worship and no longer so that the remainder of the day after publike duties are ended is free and then men are at liberty to make use of the time remaining for recreations or for any secular affaires as occasion shall required In answer hereunto we have shewed already that although publike worship be principally yet it is not solely provided for in this Law which as we have proved out of Esay 58.13 reacheth to our private carriage also And the Law calls the whole day the Sabbath or rest of the Lord that is both commanded by him and consecrated to him For the whole week being distributed into seven parts sixe are allowed for labour and the seventh is consecrated unto God which therefore must be a naturall day as the other sixe are To replie that we are not bound by that Law is to begge the question But why should not Christians be bound to rest the whole day as well as the Jews The Jews not bound to rest but for holy duties Surely if the Sabbath were a type of Christs rest in the grave yet there could be no type in a whole day as there was in Jonas his three daies So the rest of the whole day having no type in it is not abolished for that cause What then was it a part of the burthen of those ceremonious observances from which Christ hath freed us To give the fuller answer hereunto let us examine what rest was enjoyned the Jewes that we may discover wherein the burthensomenesse of that rest consisted First I conceive no man will think that the Jewish rest was a totall cessation from all action like that in the Aegyptian darknesse Exod. 10.23 as if men after the publike exercise were to sit still and to do nothing Was it then a ceasing from labours to follow sports that the Sabbath might be like the feast of the Calfe Exod. 32.6 or was it rest from worldly labours to fit men give them the more leisure to attend holy duties Such a rest indeed the Law requires For which we have as much need of rest as they and the Sabbath to be kept holy Now if this were all that God required of the Jews to rest that they might be exercised in hearing reading praying c. Is this the liberty Christ hath purchased unto us that we may be lesse godly then they lesse frequent in prayer and other holy duties then they For if we are bound at least to equall if not to go beyond them in our exercise in those holy duties we have as much need of rest from ordinary employments as they had This will be made more evident unto us if we lay before us these five particulars First 1. As having a more weighty ground for observing this holy rest our ground of consecrating the Sabbath is as great and weighty and more cleer and evident to us then it was to the Jews seeing Gods mercies towards man are more cleerly represented us in mans redemption then they could be to them in the worlds creation and conservation Secondly 2. And are as much bound to advance Gods majesty as they 3. And more helps then they 4. And as much need to prevent distractions as they 5. And our duties are as many or more then theirs the majesty and greatnesse of God to whom we consecrate this day is as fully manifested to us as to them Thirdly our helps and means for the raising up of our spirits to an holy rejoycing in God are greater and more effectuall then they were unto them Fourthly we need as much as they all helps to prevent the distraction of our minds and to the quickning of our spirits Lastly our exercise in spirituall and holy duties is in all respects as much or more then theirs So that if all be laid together the observing of a whole day of rest for our exercise in holy duties is as usefull and as needfull to us Christians as it was heretofore to the Iews To cleer this point yet more fully 1 Private prayer and reading let us lay before us the right manner and order of performing the duties in which the Sabbath day is to be sanctified First therefore all men must needs grant that the private exercises of prayer reading Gods word and meditation which are constantly to be used on other daies are not to be neglected but ought rather to be enlarged on the Sabbath day 2. Recordation of Gods mercies generall and Particular Again as the Sabbath ought to be a day of gladnesse and rejoycing in God Psalm 118.24 for all his mercies to man in generall so it is a time of recounting his extraordinary favours to our own souls in particular which will be of speciall use to quicken and fill our hearts with the love of God by tasting the sweetnesse of his goodnesse and to carry us on with more cheerfulnesse and life of spirit in the performance of all the duties of that day both private and publike Thirdly 3. Preparation to publique duties for the publike duties themselves they can never be rightly performed without precedent preparation David will wash his hands in innocency and so compasse Gods Altar Psal 26.6 and Solomon tels us we must take heed to our feet when we enter into Gods house Eccles 5.1 and bethink our selves of the majesty and greatnesse of that God before whom we present our selves and of our own vilenesse that are but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 nay which is worse unclean and filthy persons Isa 64.6 unworthy to stand before a God that hath pure eyes and the Apostle tells us of superfluity of naughtinesse that must be laid aside when we come to hear that we may receive the word with meeknesse Jam. 1.21 into an honest and good heart Luk. 8.15 Meditations by which we must prepare our hearts in our private exercises of reading Gods word and prayer much more in these which are more solemn and publike Again
4. Recordation and application afterward hearing of the word without recordation meditation and particular application after we have heard profits not much more then our meats do without digestion Adde unto all these 5. Instructions to the family 6. Works of mercy instructions to the family Works of mercy in visiting of the sick comforting the afflicted relieving the poor c. and we shall find little spare-time left on the Lords day for other then religious and holy employments As for the objection that the Jews are precisely restrained from going out of their places to gather Manna on the Sabbath day or kindle a fire throughout their habitations on that day Exod. 35.3 For the restraint from going out to gather Manna we know that must needs be taken away when Manna ceased and bound the Jews no longer who had liberty otherwise not only to go out of their places but to go small journies on the Sabbath daies as appears Acts 1.12 As for the inhibition to kindle a fire on the Sabbath day some conceive it respected only the building of the Tabernacle which work though God would have hastned yet he would not have the rest of the Sabbath violated for the furthering thereof nor so much as a fire kindled in any of their tents about that work to which they alleage that charge of building the Tabernacle and of forbidding work on the Sabbath day go both together both Gods direction to Moses Exod. 13.11 13. and in the delivery thereof to the people Exod. 35.2 3 4. Howsoever that inhibition of kindling fire was but temporary during the Israelites peregrination in the wildernesse The reasons by which it appears that this restraint of kindling a fire on the Sabbath day was only temporary Restraint from kindling a fire on the Sabbath was but temporary 1. It hath not the form of a continuing ordinance 2. It crosseth our Saviours rule The Sabbath was made for man 3. The loosing of a beast on the Sabbath allowed 4. Christ was at a great feast on the Sabbath which could not be without a fire are these First we find not the usuall clause which is added in most ordinances which were to continue added in this restraint that it should be observed throughout their generations Secondly this seems to crosse our Saviours generall rule Mark 2.27 That the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath he means for mans comfort and refreshing for which kindling of fire and dressing of meat may be and are in a sort necessary Thirdly our Saviour allows the loosing of a beast from the stall and leading of him to the water on the Sabbath day now we know the beast might be provided for by setting water in the stall over-night which would refresh it sufficiently and better then meat dressed overnight could comfort many men Fourthly we find our Saviour present at a great feast Luk. 14.1 where many and it seems persons of quality vers 7.12 were bidden now it is very unlikely that the provisions for that feast were dressed over night and if it were dressed on that day neither would the Pharisee have permitted nor our Saviour have countenanced the dinner with his presence if dressing of meat kindling of fires on the Sabbath day had been forbidden by the law Now why the dressing of Manna while the Israelites were in their peregrination in the wildernesse was forbidden though the dressing of other meats might be allowed afterwards there may be some reason given For Manna it may be might be as good and comfortable eaten cold as hot and the preparing overnight might be no inconvenience at all howsoever it is out of question that in that unsetled condition of the Israelites wandring in the wildernesse when they were enforced to pick up fewell where they could get it baking and boyling must needs be more troublesome and laborious then it was afterwards in Canaan where being setled in their dwellings they had all things whereof they were to make use for such works provided and ready at hand But to conclude suppose the strictnesse of the rest unto which the Iews were bound Howsoever such strictnesse of rest was not required of them by the fourth Commandement to have been as great as they imagine it must needs be granted that there is no clause in the fourth Commandement that enjoyns it which requires no more then a rest from our ordinary secular employments that we may be at leisure to attend wholly upon the duties of religious worship that we consecrate the whole day unto God as the words of that law do cleerly expresse it So the rest of the laws that enjoyn such strictnesse of rest being taken away the fourth Commandement may remain fully in force in every clause of it And as it hath been already intimated it concerns us to take speciall notice of Gods expression Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work by which he can mean nothing else but the works of our particular callings which only may be properly called our works for there be generall works which be proper to all callings and subordinate thereunto as to eat and drink and to cloath our selves and to make use of the rest of the comforts of this life by which we are strengthned and enabled to labour in our particular callings These cannot properly be called our works and are as well to be done on the Sabbath as on other days with this difference only that whereas they are done on other days to enable us to labour they are to be done on the Sabbath to strengthen us to holy duties These reasons which we have laid down before amount to little lesse then a Demonstration that the rest of the Sabbath must be the rest of a whole day or the seventh part of the week which we Christians have both as much cause and as much need to consecrate unto God as ever the Iews had in times past And that we may do it with as little detriment to our selves in our secular affairs and with as much assurance to have our labours of six days so blessed that they shall be sufficient for the dispatch of our needfull employments is evident by the reason which is annexed to that Commandement which proves it by the creation of the world by God in six days a ground of faith which concerns us as well as the Iews Wherefore seeing we have as great reason as great helps and as great encouragements by the assurance of Gods blessing upon our six days labour to sanctifie an entire day of holy rest unto God as the Iews had And seeing the expresse words of the law appoint the whole day to be consecrated unto God why should not we take our selves to be as strongly bound as the Iews were to the keeping of the holy rest of this whole day which we call the Sabbath seeing there appears no sufficient reason why we should judge any jot or title of this law
to be taken away For as for those allegations that the rest of the Sabbath was a type of Christs rest in the grave and a part of the Iewish bondage how little force they have we have shewed before Now then if it evidently appear to all that will consider things with any indifferency by all that we have said that neither the resting from our labour one day in seven nor the continuing of that rest for the whole day nor yet the strictnesse of any rest enjoyned by the fourth Commandement are either as ceremonious or upon any other ground to be altered neither that the particular day of rest which now by Christs resurrection is altered from the last to the first day of the week is there commanded otherwise then in a generall rule equally communicable both to the Iewish and Christian Sabbath there appears no necessity of granting any thing to be mutable in this fourth Commandement more then in any of the laws of the Decalogue It hath been intimated before that mens mistake of the right interpretation of the fourth Commandement hath been a great occasion of questioning the perpetuity and immutability of the morall law and of how dangerous consequent it is to admit that there is any thing mutable therein experience teacheth us when we find how ready men are to embrace and hold that dangerous errour of casting aside the whole law and that so far as to deny it to be a rule of direction unto us Christians in the course of our practice whereby they open a wide gap to all licentiousnesse and by that means overthrow the very life and power of godlinesse to the high dishonour of God and to the extream perill of their own souls so that we see how neerly it concerns all such as have any true zeal for the furthering of Gods honour and their own salvation and their brethrens to endeavour by all the means that they can the establishing and maintaining of this truth that the morall law given by God to Adam in the beginning and renewed afterwards by Moses upon mount Sinai is an everlasting rule left by God unto his Church for the right ordering and guiding them in all their ways The premises then being duly weighed and layed together we have a sufficient ground to argue in this manner All the laws written in the Decalogue are morall and immutable in all things But the fourth Commandement concerning the observation of the Sabbath day is one of the laws of the Decalogue Therefore this law of the Sabbath is perpetuall and unchangeable in all things which are concerned therein And so much concerning the morality and perpetuity of the fourth Commandement in the Decalogue by way of digression SECT IV. A continuation of the consideration of the rest of the Laws recorded in the Scripture with such instructions as may be drawn from them HAving now established the perpetuity of that Law which we call Morall in all the Commandements thereof it is time to returne to that from which we digressed namely the delivering of rules for our direction in drawing out observations from the Laws recorded in Scripture for our instruction and there being three kinds of these Laws Morall Judiciall Ceremoniall as we have shewed before of these the Morall law comes first to be considered Now that Law being given to Adam the roote of mankind and that not so much to his person as to the nature of man which was wholly in him when he received this Law from God and consequently binding all those who are partakers of that nature it must needs be acknowledged that whatsoever commands we find therein we must guide our selves by as the rule of our practice Which that we may the better doe it will be needfull to lay before us some rules All duties to God and man are commanded in the Morall Law that may direct us in the right interpretation of these Commandements Before we give these rules it will be necessary to lay before us this evident ground of truth that these ten words as they are called comprise all the heads of duties to be performed both to God and man This is clearly manifested by our Saviours answer to the Lawyer that tempted him Luke 10.26 enquiring what he might doe to inherit eternall life to whom Christ replies that whatsoever duty was needfull to the attaining thereof was to be found in the commandements where he wils him to seek it Now these precepts being delivered in such briefe expressions as they are it must needs follow that every one of the tearms in them must needs be of exceeding large comprehension First therefore Rules for interpreting the Law whereas we find these Laws of the Decalogue penned some in the form of a command and most of them in the forme of a prohibition Rule 1 we must conceive that under every command there is implied a prohibition of whatsoever is contrary to what is commanded All the Commandements forbidding any sinne command the contrary duty and commanding the duty forbid the opposite sin and in every prohibition a command of all duties opposite to that which is forbidden For example in the second Commandement which under the name of Images forbids the inventing or using of any form of worship of mans devising there is withall commanded the worship of God according to his own will in the use of the ordinances prescribed and warranted by his Word as prayer and hearing of the Word receiving the Sacraments c. And in the third Commandement under the prohibition of taking Gods name in vaine is commanded the taking up of it with all holy reverence and feare Secondly Rule 2 under the name of any duty commanded there is required not only the performance of the outward act of that duty The Law besides the outward act requires the obedience of the heart but withall the inward obedience of the heart to the Law which requires it Rom. 6.17 and the letting out of all the affections of the soule in the performance of it as Psal 119.167 the Prophet professeth that his soul had kept Gods Testimonies and that he did love them exceedingly whence it is that both our Saviour Christ and his Apostles after him both comprise all duties commanded in the Law under the name of Love being an affection of the heart and tell us that the holy affection of love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 implying that whatsoever the act be which we perform yet if it proceed not from that holy disposition of the heart And the use of all helps to any duty commanded it is not answerable to the Law Againe together with the duty commanded in any Law there is required the use of all helps and meanes which may further us thereunto on the other side where any sinne is forbidden there the inward roote of that evill And forbids the originall corruption of the heart with all motions flowing from thence even as far
but his own Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 It is true concerning a mans mind seeing it is moved according to reason in order to the end which he proposeth to himself therefore one that knows another mans end may with some probability guesse at his thoughts and purposes tending to that end which Solomon implies in affirming that though counsell be hidden deep in the heart of man yet a man of understanding may draw it out Prov. 20.5 And so a man knowing that Gods main end in all his ways is his own honour may conclude that Gods law must be such as may direct men in those ways in which they may most glorifie God But what those particular directions must be it is impossible for men to guesse till God himself reveal them It is true that the very light of nature which God hath planted in every man will discover unto him some of the chief heads of the duties that he requires of him as to love the Lord with all our hearts and to fear and serve him Deut. 10.12 And to serve one another through love Gal. 5.13 But in what particular services we are to expresse our piety to God or love to men what man can prescribe or imagine For that the ways by which both these main duties may be performed are various and divers it is evident now to which of these different ways God would direct one it was impossible to guesse till God himself had made it manifest in his own word To give instance of this truth in some particulars Especially laws positive must needs bee given by God alone it was impossible for any man to conceive what ceremonies or outward acts God would accept and be best pleased withall in the duties of his worship No man could divine that the tree of life should be a Sacrament to Adam in Paradise or Circumcision to the Jews or Baptisme and the Lords Supper to Christians For ought any man could conceive to the contrary the Priesthood might have been setled upon the Tribe of Simeon as well as Levi. The rest of the Sabbath might have been fixed on the second or sixth day as well as on the seventh and on the first if God had so appointed it And for the duties of the second Table it was not of absolute necessity that God should establish such a kinde of subordination and subjection of one man to another as he hath done or give every man a propriety in his goods to possesse them as severall to himself or limit one man to one wife and ordain marriage for the onely way of propagation of mankinde seeing that although all these are fit and convenient yet God if hee had pleased might have given other rules for the governing and establishing peace amongst men and it was as lawfull for him to give the creatures what laws he pleased as to give them what natures he pleased So that seeing the law for the right ordering of the creatures depends meerly upon Gods will which cannot be known unlesse himself reveal it it must needs be granted which was first proposed that none could give the law to Gods Church but God himself Next if it had been possible 2ly Nor is it convenient that any other then God should give this law 1 For preserving Gods authority it was no way fit either for the advancing of Gods honour or for the furthering of mans good that any other should give that law then God himself Not fit for Gods honour in two respects First Gods authority could be no way so well preserved as by giving his own law to his people seeing all men acknowledge that giving of laws is an honour annexed to the highest power although the execution of them be committed to Magistrates of a lower degree It may be probably guessed that even heathen Law-givers by pretending either consulting with their gods in giving their laws or allowance of them by them acknowledged law-making to be a divine prerogative which yet is more fully manifested by this that we acknowledge no law to bee just that is not either founded on or consonant to Gods law either written in mans heart or delivered in his word So that it was fit that God should give the law to his own people to preserve his own authority amongst them Again it is requisite for Gods honour in another respect 2 And that we might have a perfect mirrour of him Which none could give but himself that none but God himself should give his own law to his people because none is able to give so perfect a mirrour of God as himself As for men we know none of them hath seen God at any time John 1.17 and it is so little a portion that they know of him Job 26.14 that it is impossible they should set him out as he deserves Now it is for Gods honour that hee should be expressed as fully as may be which neither is nor can be performed so exactly by any man as it may be by his law which represents unto us the image of his minde and will and gives us a more distinct knowledge of him then his works can doe Nay his word serves as a Commentary to his works as laying before us the rule according to which God orders all his ways so that by the help thereof we understand the righteousnesse and holinesse of all his acts as David did Psa 73.17 which he could not finde out before It is true indeed that the very works themselves praise God and shew him in his tender mercies Psal 145.5.8 in his mighty power Job 36.22 37.23 Godhead Rō 1.20 yea commonly in his righteousness in rewarding and punishing Psa 58.11 But they neither expresse him so distinctly nor consequently affect the heart so deeply as they doe when they are illustrated by the word as Job confesseth chap. 42.6 that he never saw God so clearly nor abhorred himself so much as when God described unto him his works in that conference Job 38. c. Wherefore seeing the image of God is most exactly expressed unto us in the word it is most fit that the word that represents him to us should be given by God himself who knowing himself best can give us the most perfect draught of his own face Besides these respects unto Gods honour in regard of mans good it was not convenient that the Scriptures which contain Gods law to his Church should be given by any other then God himself For first 3ly For mās good 1. To subdue his heart to obedience mans heart would hardly be brought to stoop to any power but Gods alone whose voice onely prevails upon the conscience and subdues the very thoughts and imaginations of the spirit which the voice of no man can doe Besides 2. To make his services accepted nothing can make our services performed to God or man to be duties of obedience but the undertaking of them upon Gods command which we do when we know the
in the everlasting flames of hel fire if men sin against the law and under promise of eternall life if they fulfill it Whereas men that require an orderly conversation outwardly threaten and promise onely some outward and temporary good or evill These differences between divine and humane Authority laid together may help us to a description of them severally The description of divine Authority by which their natures are best distinguished Divine Authority is that power of God founded upon the totall dependence of all creatures upon him and upon his infallible wisdome truth and goodnesse by which hee hath right to prescribe and manifest all grounds of truth to be beleeved and assented unto upon his own testimony without contradiction and to give rules of practise to be embraced with all the heart as perfectly holy just and good because he commands them under the rewards and penalties of everlasting life and eternal damnation Humane Authority And humane is a limited power derived from God to man by which he is warranted according to Gods will for the furthering of publique good to prescribe unto such as are put under his power rules of order in their conversation for preserving peace in a way of godlinesse and honesty binding those whom they command in all things not contrary to Gods law to conform their practise and actions thereunto for the Authority which commands them in Gods name under the rewards and penalties of some outward good or evill By this which hath been delivered concerning the grounds and extent of that divine Authority which we challenge and claim to be due to the Scriptures we may observe what power this sacred Word ought to have over mens hearts and consequently in what manner it ought to bee heard read and received Whatsoever it proposeth the heart must assent unto and beleeve without contradiction or debate how probable or improbable soever it appear to carnall reason And whatsoever is commanded therein the whole heart and every thought of it must stoop unto and embrace as holy and good howsoever it please or displease the naturall man and that meerly for the Authority of him that commands it CAP. IV. Of the Pen-men of the Scriptures that they were holy men inspired and guided in that work infallibly and wholly by the Spirit of God BOth the clauses of this Proposition Saint Peter knits up together in one testimony affirming that no prophesie of Scripture is of private interpretation nor that those prophesies came in old time by the will of man but that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Who the most of these holy men were it is well known to the Church the titles of their Books bearing their names The Scriptures delivered 1 t By holy men as was most fit And that they were holy men the histories of their lives remaining still upon record and their honorable memory in the Church to this day sufficiently declare such as were Moses David Solomon the Prophets and Apostles And that the rest whose names are either concealed or doubtfull were such likewise will be evident to any indifferent person that shall consider two things First 1. They must bee such that had so near communion with God we know that God will be sanctified in all that come near him Lev. 10.3 as it is meet he should seeing his eyes are purer then to behold evill Heb. 1.13 one that is glorious in holinesse Exod. 15.11 and whose house holinesse becomes for ever Psal 93.5 Now then for Gods honour it was fit that none should be employed in this work of publishing Gods will and law to his people which so nearly concerned his own and his Churches service and wherein they were to be admitted into so near a degree of familiarity with him as to bee made acquainted with his chiefest secrets but onely such persons as were approved for holinesse Secondly 2. And by this means some respect is won to their writings the corrupt nature of men is such as we know that the least occasion would be sufficient to breed distaste of that which nature in it self is so averse from as the dressing vessell or sometimes servitor that presents the sick man the meat which his stomack loaths moves him to abhor it and consequently if there were just exception against the persons that bring it the message it self would quickly be distasted as the Lords offerings were for Elies wicked sons 1 Sam. 2.17 So that it concerned the Lord both for his owne honour and his Churches good to deliver his Word by the hands of holy men It addes something to the estimation of the Scriptures that they were written by such holy men as we have formerly mentioned but this at the uttermost addes unto them onely an humane respect 2. Directed by the Spirit of God but that which procures unto them divine reverence which ought to make all hearts stoop unto them is that they were written by the direction of the holy Spirit the Spirit of truth especially if we throughly consider what manner of direction it was which was given unto these holy Pen-men of these sacred Oracles in the composing therof The Apostle 2 Pet. 1.20 21. describes that kinde of assistance of the holy Ghost in the delivery of the Scriptures two ways First by way of negation that they were neither of private interpretation nor came by the wil of man Secondly he describes the same assistance affirmatively testifying that they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost In the former of these Not by the abilities of nature wherein he expresseth this manner of delivering the Scriptures by way of negation the Apostle excludes the working of the naturall faculties of mans minde altogether First the understanding when he denies that the Scripture is of any private interpretation or rather of mens own explication that is it was not expressed by the understanding of man or delivered according to mans judgement or by his wisdome So that not onely the matter or substance of the truths revealed Both in the matter and expressions but the very forms of expression were not of mans devising as they are in Preaching where the matter which men preach is not or ought not to be the Ministers own that preacheth but is the Word of truth 2 Tim. 2.15 but the tearms phrases and expressions are his own Secondly he saith that it came not by the will of man who neither made his own choice of the matters to be handled Neither of them suggested by mans understanding nor directed by his wil farther then to understād approve what the Spirit suggested But the Pen-men were carried by the holy Ghost nor of the forms and manner of delivery So that both the understanding and will of man as farre as they were meerly naturall had nothing to doe in this holy work save onely to understand and approve that which
are in the right way when they are wide of it yet that lets not another man who is in the right way to know and be assured that he is in it This large Description of the nature of a Spirituall man The use of this description of a spirituall man is of singular use both for the encouragement of those that find themselves in some good measure answerable to this patterne that is here set before them to goe on with cheerfulnesse in the study of the Scriptures and in all other holy duties required of them As also for the awakening of others who when upon examination they finde themselves out of this blessed condition may labour with earnest desires and fervent prayers to beg that Spirit at Gods hands that may make them such as finding themselves while they remaine otherwise in a dangerous condition in which neither Gods word nor any of the rest of his ordinances can profit them as they ought CAP. VIII Of the choice of fit Times and Seasons for Reading the Scriptures THere is a season to every purpose under the Sunne saith the wise man Eccl. 3. the observation whereof not onely addes grace unto every good action but many times facilitates the work it selfe which we have in hand and makes it more easie to be compassed The consideration whereof ought to move us in such a weighty work as is the study of the Scriptures to enquire what times and seasons may be most conveniently chosen out and set apart for the exercising of our selves in this so holy a duty No time limited by God for the study of the Scriptures but the Sabbath It is true that besides the Sabbath day God hath limited to men no certain time for the duties of Prayer and study of the Scriptures only we have generall commands to be frequent and continuall in Prayer Eph. 6.18 1 Thess 5.17 and diligent in meditation of the Word Iosh 1.8 of both which we have examples in the practise of holy men Only in generall the often exercising of our selves therein is required Psalme 58.17 Dan. 6.10 Psal 119.97 But the particular times for either duty which are impossible to be directed by any generall rule are left to be determined by Christian wisdome Now times either for Prayer or Reading may be either constant and set Times for studying the Scriptures are 1. Occasionall or uncertain and occasionall For there are times wherein God calles us extraordinarily to Prayer Isa 22.12 either in afflictions felt Iames 5.13 or feared Psalme 116.3.4 and 50.15 or for mercies expected Dan. 9.2 3. or already received Psal 18.1 and 116.12 13. The like occasions we may meet withall for searching the Scriptures to resolve us in doubts Psalme 73.17 To comfort us in afflictions Psalme 119.50 To direct us in matters of advice Psalme 119.24 To guide us in our way verse 105. To assist us in temptations Eph. 6.17 Such or the like occasions may cause us to have recourse to the word extraordinarily besides the ordinary studies of it to make us wise unto salvation and furnish us to every good work 2 Tim. 3.15.17 For the constant and daily study of the Scriptures is required 2. Set and constant And that for All men not onely of the Ministers of the word Tim. 4.15 17. Magistrates Deut. 17.19 although indeed it concernes them above others but besides of all John 5.33 and that by a kind of necessity considering mens ignorance in matters appertaining to godlinesse Psal 73.22 Prov. 30.21 the difficulty of understanding things that never entred into mans heart 1 Cor. 2.9 and the great necessity of attaining the knowledge of those things which are the grounds of Faith the Rules of practice and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Nay Even such as have attained some good measure of knowledg if we had attained to some good measure of the knowledg of the Mysteries of godlinesse by the Word yet how we should be ready in the use thereof either for directing our own waies Psal 119.50.105 for admonishing others Col. 3.16 for defence in time of temptation with our Saviour Mat. 4.4.7.10 for comforting our Brethren 1 Thess 4.18 for examining our teachers doctrine with the Bereans Acts 17.11 unless besides the knowledge of the Scriptures we keep them fresh in memory by continuall meditation and often perusing of that volume which being so large as it is must of necessity take up some reasonable portion of time daily for this exercise In limiting this time for Reading the Scriptures respect must be had both to Order In choosing times for reading Scriptures we must respect and Proportion For the former godly men have accustomed to begin the day with religious exercises as with Prayer Psal 5.3 and 88.13 and Psal 55.17 1. The Order 1. The morning is a sit time for Prayer Reading the Morning was one of the three times wherein David presented his prayers unto God Now although Prayer and Reading of the Word be two distinct exercises yet that they mutually help one another is most manifest and consequently are fit to be joyned together For the Word ministers matter of Prayer and is the ground of our Petitions who have no promise to be heard unless we ask according to Gods wil 1 Io. 5.14 which is no where revealed but in the word which therefore strengthens our faith in Prayer Again Prayer must needs awe us with the reverence of Gods Majesty and consequently prepare our hearts to tremble at Gods word in reading it which God is well pleased withall Isaiah 96.2 The fitnesse of the Morning for these exercises is evident 1. As it is fit to honour God with the first of our time not only because the first of our time as of all things else belongs unto God whose service ought to be our speciall and chiefest care but besides 2. The heart in the morning is freest from worldly thoughts because the heart being then most free from worldly thoughts is fittest for holy meditations And withall when in the beginning of the day the heart of a man is seasoned with holinesse and with the feare of God he findes himself the better fitted to walk humbly with him all the day after It is very fit to close up the day with these duties wherewith we began it 2. It is good to close up the day with these holy exercises The Evening was one of Davids times for Prayer Psalme 55.17 and 141.2 and Isaaks as it seemes Gen. 24.63 Then indeed it is fit to passe our accompts with God concerning our carriage the day before that having made all our reckonings even with him we may with assurance lay down our selves to rest in peace Now we have already intimated how fit it is to joyne Prayer and Reading together so that if the Evening be a fit time for Prayer it must be acknowledged to be fit for Reading also The Mornings then and Evenings
made a curse for us hath taken off from us and redeemed us from this curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 and seeing this exact obedience which the strictnesse of the Law required is now made impossible unto us by reason of the weaknesse of our nature corrupted by Adams fall God through Christ hath been pleased to moderate unto us the rigour of the Law in respect of the obedience required therein and is pleased to accept our sincere constant and faithfull endeavours to performe to the uttermost of our power what we are able to doe although we come short of what the Law requires and are accepted where there is a willing mind according to that which we have and not according to that which we have not 2 Cor. 8.12 The Second benefit which we have by Christ in relation to the Law 2. And from exacting our obedience to Justification is that whereas the Law requires of us perfect obedience to every commandement thereof to be performed by us in our owne persons for the attaining of eternall life as our Saviour implies in his answer to the young man Mat. 19.19 Now Christ having in his own Person perfectly fulfilled the whole Law Mat. 3.15 his Righteousnesse apprehended by Faith is imputed to us and accounted ours as if we our selves had performed it is accepted by God for the justifying of us before him Phil. 3.9 Rom. 5.18 19. so that we have thereby a just title to eternall life which otherwise we could have laid no claime unto by any righteousnesse of our own which is so farre from justifying of us before God that the best of it before him is no better then filthy rags Jsa 64.6 rendring us abominable in his eyes which are purer then to behold evill So that in his sight no man living in himselfe can be justified Psal 143.2 Lastly 3. And from that ill effect of the Law to quicken our lusts by Christ we are freed from an ill effect which the Law wrought in us yet only occasionally not properly by it selfe for the Commandement is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 But sinne taking occasion by the Commandement slew us so that the Commandement which was ordained to life we find unto us to be unto death Rom. 7.10 11. because the Law laying a restraint upon our corrupt lusts but bringing with it no power of the Spirit to enable us to subdue and conquer them by making a barre against them caused them to swell the higher and to rage the more violently as waters doe when they are penned by a damme that is made against them which the Apostle calls the reviving of sinne when the Commandement came Rom. 7.9 But Christ bringing with him the Spirit of grace and Sanctification by which those corrupt lusts are in some measure mortified and subdued the Spirit of Christ taking away that enmity and contrariety of the flesh against the Law and working our hearts to a complyanie therewith By giving his Spirit to work us to a compliance with Law causeth it to work in us a quite contrary effect to that which it hath in naturall men an exceeding love unto Gods Testimonies Psal 119.167 an holy delight in them ver 77. Rom. 7.22 for the sweetnesse which we find in them Psal 119.103 so that our hearts incline to performe them alwaies even to the end v. 112. This gracious effect of the Spirit working with the Law in the hearts of the godly is part of that new Covenant which God promiseth to make with his people unlike the Covenant which he made with their fathers which they brake to write his Law in their inward parts Ier. 31.32 33. and 32 40. A DIGRESSION CONCERNING THE MORALITY OF THE Fourth Commandement BY Iohn White Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods word in Dorchester in the County of Dorset LONDON Printed for Richard Royston A Digression concerning the Morality of the Fourth Commandement SECT I. That the Law of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandement is Morall and therefore perpetuall FOr the evidencing of this truth The first Argument it was given to the whole nature of man in Adam our first Argument shall be drawn from the Institution of this day of holy Rest immediately upon mans creation recorded Gen. 2.3 which upon the examining thereof will appeare so strong and cleare in it selfe that it might be sufficient to convince any man that is not forestalled before-hand by too much prejudice And it may be thus framed What Law soever was given to our first Parents in the beginning without relation to their present state bindes all mankind to the worlds end But such was this Law of the Sabbath It is true that there happened upon the fall of our first Parents a change in the Law Two changes of the Law given to Adam occasioned by his fall which was given them by God in the beginning The First change happened to the whole Law in respect of the conditions and in part of the use of it For whereas of man in the state of innocency and perfection full and perfect obedience to the whole Law was required 1. In respect of the whole Law perfect obedience thereunto being then possible to be performed by him in his own Person whereunto he was sufficiently enabled by the perfection of his nature in which he was created but by the fall of Adam that ability was so farre weakned that such obedience was made impossible to him or any of his posterity after him But by his fall made now impossible the righteousnesse of Christ is accepted for us now in stead of our personall obedience the Righteousnesse of Christ who in our nature fulfilled the whole Law is imputed to us for our justification and our obedience is required only as a fruit of that faith by which we are justified This makes so great a change in the Covenants made betweene God and man before and since the Fall that they are usually esteemed to be two diverse Covenants the former before the Fall we call the Covenant of workes and this latter since the Fall we tearme the Covenant of Grace The Second change which happened in the Law 2. In respect of some Laws given Adam in respect of his condition rather then of his nature by occasion of Adams fall was in respect of some duties commanded in the Law the Sacramentall tree of life and the whole use thereof were of necessity taken away because the promise whereof that tree was the Seale was voide by Adams breach of the Covenant to which it was annexed And the charge of keeping and dressing Paradise was by like necessity utterly voide when man for his rebellion was cast out of that Garden Other commandements as those concerning mans labour and womens subjection to their husbands were made straighter then they were before but the substance of these Laws remained still And these changes happened only in such particulars as respected rather the state of mans
most employed in secular affairs are said to sanctifie a day by leaving of their labours in secular things that they may spend their time in holy duties And how can God sanctifie a day by his act of resting But how God can be said to sanctifie one time above another seeing he is holy in all his works Ps 145.17 who can imagine Others interpret the words Sanctified and Blessed 2. Sanctified means that he decreed to do it only as Jer. 1.5 to expresse not what God did at present but what he decreed then to act and do afterward viz. when he gave his Law to his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai And to give the better countenance to this interpretation they parallel it with another place Jer. 1.5 where God tels Jeremiah that he sanctified him before he came out of the womb In which place Sanctified can signifie no more Answer then he decreed to sanctifie Now to forbear all other exceptions against that parallel place in Jeremiah Where doth Blessed signifie Decreed to blesse admit the word Sanctifie signifie decree to sanctifie where doth the word Blessed signifie decree to blesse But admit such an instance might be found for that also Again it is taken so in one proves not that it must be so in this This were a mad form of reasoning The words Sanctified and Blessed in one place signifie Decreed to sanctifie and blesse where the circumstances of the Text admit other interpretations therefore the same words where they may have a better construction according to their usuall and proper signification must be interpreted in a sense lesse proper and usuall though no necessity urge us thereunto If such a liberty as this were admitted we should never be able to draw any certain conclusion out of any place of Scripture whatsoever A third sort there are who acknowledge that these words 3. It is related in Genesis by anticipation Gen. 2.3 import an institution but that is say they related in that place by way of anticipation referring and pointing out unto us a time when this was done more then 2400 years after when the Law was given by Moses upon mount Sinai Now this interpretation must suppose the whole third Verse Gen. 2. to be inserted there by a Parenthesis and then some clause must be added by way of supply to make up some such sense as this But what enforceth to admit an anticipation This resting of God upon the seventh day was the reason and ground of Gods sanctifying and blessing the seventh day in the Law which God gave unto his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai But first what incongruity with the scope of this place or with any circumstances of the Text in which this is related or with any other place of Scripture or with any principle of faith enforceth us to allow such an anticipation in this place as we are forced to admit in some other places because we cannot otherwise find how they may agree either the words with themselves or with some other place of Scripture without which necessity to admit anticipations were to confound all order of Scripture For the countenancing of this anticipation they say that Moses Gen. 2. having mentioned Gods rest vers 2. upon the seventh day had thereupon a fit occasion to point at the Law which being given afterwards It cannot be proved that the Law was given before Genesis was written was grounded upon that rest of God which is here related To which we answer First this conceit supposeth that which no man in the world shall be ever able to prove that the book of Genesis was written by Moses after the giving of the Law otherwise how could Moses in this place give a reason of that Law which was not then in being but it seems more probable if conjectures may have any place in reasoning that the book of Genesis as it is placed first in order The contrary seems more probable so was first written For it is manifest by Saint Stephens words Act. 7.25 that God had revealed himself to Moses before he went out of the land of Aegypt into Midian and had designed him to be the deliverer of his people Again that Moses during his abode in Midian had leisure enough to pen that history it is evident in it self Lastly that the penning and reading of that history might be of singular use to stir up the children of Israel to go up out of Aegypt to take possession of the land of Canaan in which their Fathers had been so long a time sojourners and so blessed and advanced by God that they were esteemed as Princes amongst those with whom they lived especially God having so freely and fully given that land to them and their posterity is so evident that no man can with any colour deny it So that it must needs follow that in setling their anticipation upon such a supposition they build at the best upon a very uncertain ground Besides 2. The pointing at the Law in Genesis had been superfluous it had been meerly superfluous to have pointed at the ground of instituting the Sabbath in this place in Genesis seeing it is cleerly expressed in the body of the Law given by Moses Now whosoever considereth what brevity Moses useth in penning the history of the world allowing but 6 Chapters to the setting out of an history of 1650 yeares must needs judge it to be very improbable that he would lengthen it with needlesse and uselesse repetitions Lastly all that can be inferred on it the fairest that are produced to countenance this fained anticipation proves no more but this if all were granted that they alleage that there may be an anticipation but how will they prove that it must be and that is it which it concerns them to make good especially seeing there are so many strong if not convincing arguments which prove the contrary as we have shewed already Hitherto there appears for ought that we see no great occasion Arguments against the giving of the Law of the Sabbath to Adam or use at all of this pretended anticipation Gen. 2.3 which notwithstanding we must be enforced to acknowledge if it can be proved that the Sabbath was not Instituted before the giving of the Law by Moses upon mount Sinai or till the first intermission of the raining of Manna which was not long before it Wherefore they endeavour to prove that the Law neither was nor could possibly be given to Adam in Paradise This maintainers of that opinion labour to make good by three Arguments First 1. It was impossible for Adam to observe the Sabbath that it were absurd to conceive that God would give Adam a law which was impossible for him to observe Secondly that he should give him a law 2. It was needlesse which to him in the state of innocency 3. The Patriarchs till Moses his time never kept