people of God I know 't wil be suddenly objected Psal 132. there 's no mention of the Sabbath in our English Bibles only there remaineth a rest to the People of God Indeed the greater is their sin who have abused the word Sabathismos translating that only rest which signifies the celebration of the Sabbath Mar. 28.13.14 as any Grammer School-boy may see in his common Dictionary and the greatest Adversaries of the Seaven day Sabbath are not able to deny If any shall plead Psal 27.19 20. That seeing the keeping of the Sabbath is a Rest therefore the Translators may be excused in rendring the word Rest let them know that although every Sabbath is a Rest yet every Rest is not a Sabbath We rest in our beds yet who is so simple to call that a Sabbath That word which so often is rendred Rest in Heb. 3.4 is quite another Greeke word So that their sin cannot be excused who have perverted the sence and by mis translation and their own additions to the Scripture have obscured the Sabbaths Gospel-glory more then once or twice as in Col. 2.36 they have destroyed the A postles scope by their addition of Dayes so in Acts 18.4 they have translated that word Reasoning to the undervaluing of the Sabbath which in Acts 20.7 they English Preaching for the greater advancement of the first day But since so great a cloud of obscurity is cast over the Sabbath by translating that barely rest which signifies so clearly the celebration of the Sabbath and finding many perplexing their spirits to find out what rest is to pressed by the spirit In Heb. 3. 4. I shall endeavour to helpe their understandings who through some cursorie consideration of the Scripture have supposed that it only intends some one single Rest whereas upon a serious search into these two Chapters there will be found a five-fold rest 1 Typicall 2 Spirituall 3 Evangelicall 4 Morall and 5 Eternall though indeed they are as mysteriously and promiscuously held forth as those interwoven predictions of our Lord Jesus In the 4 of Mat. and the book of the Revelation which are purposely so delivered to exercise the faith and mind of wisdoms children I shall therefore through grace lay open this five-fold rest as it appeares to be the mind of the Spirit by the Apostle Heb. 3. ver 3.5.6 7 whose scope is to warne and admonish Christians by Israels woes of falling short of the true Rest and having shewed the difference between Christ and Moses with their two houses he takes his Text as it were from David Psal 45.7 exhorting Christs house by faith to walk in Gods wayes * vers 10 12 13 14. from which Israel swerved and so fell short of that Rest termed another day whereof Joshuah's Canaan was only a Type This being the Apostles scope by that Typicall rest to shadow forth that other day viz. Gospel grace and Glory by Christ The entrance into which grace is the Saints spirituall rest For saith the Apostle We which have beleeved doe enter in to rest This is that promised rest to heavy-laden souls the delightful fold of believing Lambs The very same resting place saith Christ my Father makes for me have I prepared for you even mine own bosome and all I look for from you in liew of this great love Iohn 1.18 is as thus as I rest in my Fathers bosome and you in mine so I may rest in yours Wherefore let each spirituall Virgin Spouse conlude My beloved shall lye as a bundle of myrrhe all night between my breasts Can. 1.13 And having thus attained their Spirituall rest by Faith the Saints third repose I term 4 Rest Evangelical a Church estate caled by the Apostle The house of Christ the Zion of God built up of Spirituall stones the rest which God himselfe hath chosen Heb. 31.6 12.22 Ps 132.13 14. and all should choose that have entred by faith into that Spirituall rest For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Here Christ hath promised his precious presence to the worlds end and this should be that on thing in believers desires whilest pretenders to Spirituallity are passing from mountaine to hill forgetting their resting Place 4. As Christs Church is his resting place where we may find him and rest in him So he hath a solemn resting time or Gospel-Season which is the noon time rest after which the Spouse enquires not only where but when Tell me ô thou whom my soul loloveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy slocks to rest at noon At this Season Christ sits in his meridian glory amidst his flocks in his weekly returne to his beloved this I call his Morall rest or the mannerly attendance which the Church owes unto Christ entring his Royal palace deckt in robes of righteousness when the Royall Scepter is gratiously extended to every trembling Hester The neglect of this morall rest was wofull Israels sin for which the Lord destroyed them in the Wildernesse as is plain Ezek. 20.13 and this being compared with the Apostles Admonition to the Christians plainly points out the Sabbath that remains to the people of God He sets forth Israels fin and Israels sorrow on this wise Although God finished his works from the foundation of the world and thereupon speaks Gen. 2. And God rested the the seventh day from all his works yet neither the glory of his wonderfull Creation authority of his institution or observation of his holy Sabbath to keep up the Creators honour could engage them to follow his example but so highly did they provok him in the wildernesse by refusing his Statutes and despising his judgments in generall but especially in poluting his Sabbaths that he sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest but for their sins and particularly sabbath-breaking he consumed them in the Wildernesse Wherefore the Apostle concludes in applying all unto believers exhorting them to labour in the use of that meanes which Israel neglected To enter into the eternall rest after the true Jesus least any man fall by the same example of unbeliefe or disobedience as the Greeke signifies Christians believe it this is the summe of the Apostles admonition so to presse after our eternall rest that we fall not after Israels example of disobedience Ezek. 20.13 in rejecting Gods statutes despising his judgments and in particular poluting his seventh day Sabbath which he made and wherein he rested for a patterne to all that enjoy the benefit of his works of creation But especially for Christians who by entring into his spirituall rest through faith are become the people of God There remaineth therefore the celebration of the Sabbath to the people of God for he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his own works And here we
Miserable Sabbath breakers that will not take warning I shall leave you to the hardness of your own hearts till you bring your own blood upon your heads I expect nothing from you but scoffes reproaches persecutions the worst you can do t is your nature you must act up to your principles and to the height of your power 2 Pet. 3.3 I pity you and pray that God may give you grace to pity your selves before it be too late He that overcometh shall sit with Christ in his throne when the Sabbaths weekly returns have wasted his obedient soul from strength to strength to keep a joyful Jubile in Messiahs Mansions of majesty Days shal be changed into years yea the Lords Sabbath of grace to a thousand years rest with the Lord of the Sabbath in glory Then those that carefully keep Gods Sabbath through reproaches as Jew turning back to Moses shall find a heavenly harmony between Jew and Gentile joyning in continual Alelujah to Jesus Rev. 19. then they shall find Christ and Moses friends and none honoured to sing his praise who have contemned Moses musick then those and only those that have obtained victory over the Beast his image his Mark and the number of his name Rev. 15.2.3 shall sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb happy souls who shall be found in the possession and faithful profession of Moses lively oracles and the oracles of the Lamb together Moses's ten precepts received from Sina Acts 7â— 38. and the Lambs six principles delivered in Sion are equally honoured by the Spirit of truth as the oracles of God Heb 5.12 Heb. 1.2 6.1.2 1 Pet. 4.11 and equally given to the Saints and therefore let such as would approve themselves Saints be careful to speak as the oracles of God This is the very day of singing the song of Moses the Lamb that is of reviving the ten precepts and six pinciples as through Gods grace I shall fairly prove in another peece wherein it will appear how the sixth seal opened the six principles of Christian Religon in their primitive puritie which many precious souls have with joy embraced and that of the opening the seventh seal hath now discovered the long concealed mystery of the seven pillars of wisdoms palace which I shall demonstrate by good authority to be the seven sorts of Officers that Christ hath appointed in his house As 1. Prov. 9.1 Prophets 2 Apostles 3. Evangelists 4. Pastors 5. Teachers 6. Elders 7. Deacons all which were brought to open view upon the late terrible commotion wherein the tenth part of the City fell with the tenth horn Re. 11.13 So the Greek and 7000 names of men in whose ruines all the seven stars oâ— heaven ascended our horizâ—n to trumpet forth the long concealed seventh day sabbath which with the foremenâ—ioned precepts and principles make up the melodious harmony of Moses and the Lamb. But look about you unbelievers for whiles the Saints stand on a sea of glass mingled with the oracles of Moses and the oracles of the Lamb in their hearts and mouthes professing the precepts and principles of Law and Gospel Rev. 15.1.23.4 Behold 7 Angels having the 7 last plagues full of the wrath of God to pour upon the heads and hearts of such as joyn not in the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Observe as you desire your souls good that the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb are the JUST AND TRUE WAYES of the Lord handed forth by Moses and the Lamb. Rev. 15.3 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou alone art holy Vers 4. for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest High praises to thy glorious majesty for thy special grace O God in the glorious discovery of thy pure precepts and precious principles those lively oracles left unto the Saints by Moses and the Lamb honour and glory unto thy great Name in revealing the high presumption of that little horn in changing times and Lawes for ever magnified be thy mercy in making this precious truth manifest to the souls of many of thy Saints That there remaineth the celebration of the Sabbath to the People of God Sweet spirit of Holiness do thou sanctifie our hearts that we may Religiously sanctifie thy blessed Sabbath till thou bring us to thy Palace in peace and receive us into our Masters joy where we shall enjoy everlasting rest Aleluâ—ah Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city Rev. 22.14 Amen FINIS
and truly since God hath so eminently crowned my weak but willing endeavours among you we cannot without ingratitude for get the many fatherly favours and constant encouragements of that worthy instrument who first invited me to serve you The good Lord strengthen us by the choice graces of his precious spirit that we may never forfeit our interest in this honoured Patriot or in the least blemish our most holy profession Your gracious submission to gospel truth hath filled my soul with joy and I am sure God hath enriched your hearts with gifts and grace since your souls were set towards his Sabbath T is very much for yoar sakes who have earnestly desired it that I have thus far engaged wherefore with endeared bowels of love I present it to you the good Spirit engrave it in your hearts that you may honour it in your lives till the Lord of the Sabbath crown all your services and sufferings with everlasting rest Dear Brethren cease not to pour out your souls on the be half of Your faithful and affectionate Minister Tho. Tillam THE Seventh Day SABBATH Sought out and celebrated BY Saints obtaining Victory over the Mark of the Beast THe first Royal Law that ever Jehovah instituted and for our Example celebrated namely his blessed Seventh-day Sabbath is in these very last days become the last great controversie between the Saints and the Man of sin The Changer of Times and Laws Awake ye slumbring Virgins the fig-tree is apparently budded the signs of his second coming who is The Lord of this Sabbath are so fairly visible that although the day and hour be not known yet doubtless this generation shall not pass till new Ierusalems glory shall crown obedient Saints with everlasting Rest Wherefore rouze up your selves ye spirited Citizens of Sion shake off the dust and trash of beastly Babylon and whiles that imperious Harlot shames not to assert that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion let heavenly wisdome be your sole design with raised expectations of his faithfull performance Hab. 2.14 who hath promised That the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Many shall run to and fro Dan. 12.4 2 Thes 1.8 and knowledge shall be encreased Whiles vengeance in fiery flames shall be the portion of such as are disobedient and willingly ignorant Remember the slights and deceits of imposing Pope and Prelate their Altars Pictures Gossips kneeling at the Rail Surplice with the whole Systeme of invented service and let this consideration quicken all that fear the Lord That the very same Horn who thus imposed his Canons upon our consciences must change our Times no less then our Laws Dan. 7.25 or else he is not Antichrist Since therefore 't is undeniable that we have been deceived by his Laws 't is worthy our enquiry whether we have been cheated of the appointed Times of Gods worship 'T will be said to that soul that after warning shall be found in the weekly pollution of Gods Sabbath 't is not one day in seven will serve turn Rev. 2â— when the books shall be opened and that very seventh day on which God himself rested shall be found expresly commanded The Beasts Wafer câ—kes and Water in stead of enjoyned Bread and Wine will be as excusable one day as the change of Gods holy Sabbath As for such professors who surpass the late Prelates in scoffing at Gods Sabbath as an empty form a trifle c. let New-England however mistaken in the precise time mourn over their licentiousness in these sorrowfull strains No measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present estate of times that when the Lord Jesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion there should rise up other instruments of spiritual wickedness in high places to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this day from off the face of the earth The enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much negligent time servers and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath but those who have eaten bread with Christ a generation of professing people do lift up their heel against the Sabbath So that what could formerly not be done by Angels of darkness the old Serpent takes another course to effect by seeming Angels of light And what enlightened soul can cease to câ—st in a heart full of sighs not onely for such frothy professors whose earthly minds under spiritual pretences contemn Gods hallowed time without fear or trembling but even for those whose ignorance hurries them hood-wink'd from week to week to wallow in wickedness being that day most busily imployed about their perishing bodies which God hath solemnly designed for his honour and health of their immortal souls Never more cause of mourning then to see Saints in these days of light still honouring the little Horn in the gross abuse of the Lords Sabbath time and the Lords Supper-time Why Christians will you stick here Have you got victory over the Beast and beheld the Holy One tumble down his Image and will you now lose all your labours for want of a compleat victory over the Marke of the Beast Rev. 15.2 20.4 which is so visible and legible in the head of the little Horn The changer of Times and Laws Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth Isa 24.5 Because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant You are assured Christians the Horn hath changed the Laws and he cannot be that Horn unless he change your Times also will you therefore wisely weigh that he had no Times to change save the Lords Sabbath-time and the Lords Supper-time and these he and none but he hath changed as I shall plainly prove under this Position The seventh day Sabbath is a perpetual royal Rule for the righteous established by precept and president to Gods praise and Saints priviledge And to prevent a sudden censure of singularity let the ingenuous know that this Conclusion contains not a tittle different from the professed doctrine of the esteemed Orthodox of this age as will appear in its parts as so many heads of the ensuing Treatise 1. 1 The Rest The Sabbath is one of the Assemblies approved points Art Relig. p. 35. 2. 2 The Time Thes Sab. p. 100. Large Cat. p. 34 The time is confessed to be the very seventh day determined by God for thus write the Elders of New England with whom accord our English Synod Not onely a day not onely a rest day but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed and expresly interpreted in the Commandement to be the 7th day or a 7th day of Gods determining and therefore called the Sabbath of the Lord our God is here also enjoyned and commanded as generally moral Here is a full and free confession and all I shall crave of Christians is but to observe the true seventh day Sabbath
until some other day of Gods determining shall be produced but since that will never be done I shall proceed to the third point 3 The Authority Gods precept seconded by his own practife gives such full honour to the Sabbath that I hear of none save Atheists Papists Prelates Ranters Quakers and some Notionists that gainsay it 4 Perpetuity Neither was this ancient Law instituted for a year or an age but perpetuated to all posterity as is sully acknowledged Synod confess p. 38. 5 The sanctification This royal Sabbath is no base or beggarly rudiment as some tremble not to reproach it but an honourable perfect Law of liberty Thes sab p. 49 worthy to be imbraced by all the heavenly race of true believers 6 The Rule Not as a Covenant accompanied with thunder denouncing curses for the least disobedience but as a holy just religious Rule breathed by the still and soft voice of the Gospel 7 The Persons To persons principled in Church order Isa 8.13 the Antitype of Gods Ark in whose renewed hearts by vertue of the new Covenant all Gods Laws are fairly registred which are by others slighted Hos 8.12 8 The Vse and End And all for these two great Ends 1. To honour God 2. To enjoy him for ever which is the peculiar prerogative of such as obtaâ—u victory over the Beasts Mark The changer of Times and Laws And thus each tittle of my tenent being attested in so many words by such as are esteemed Orthodox I hope it may freely appear without prejudice The seventh-seventh-day Sabbath is a perpetual royal Rule for the righteous established by precept and president to Gods praise and Saints priviledge First Of the Rest The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shabbat signifieth a cessation from common work Gen. 2. and where it is first found it is Gods rest and the day for ever separated and consecrated or the honour of the most High in memorial of his most glorious works of Creation the benefit whereof is extended even unto us and morally engageth us to the Religious Observation of it which can never be truly sanctified until all false Rests be removed such as National custome humane tradition shadie speculation all which are but vain worship Matth. 15.9 and as for natural or civil relations carnal encumbrances with those sensual pleasures which steal away the soul from Gods Sabbath they are all but Aegyptian reeds and therefore let the Prophets alarm rouze up the self-denying Disciple from every deceit Mic. 2.10 Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted it shall destroy you with a sore destruction And so taking up the Cross of Christ with Spouse-like affections enquire as for the place so for the Time of rest Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth Caut. 1.7 where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocke to rest at Noon Observe the Spouse of Christ enquires not onely where but when not onely for his flocks resting place which is his bosome but also for the Time Isa 40.11 the rest at Noon Christ hath his Gospel seasons to sit in State Meridian heighths like the Sun in his circuit weekly returns to beam forth his grace to his beloved 2 Tim. 4.1 2. which the Spirit terms IN SEASON I have heard of a silly shift to shuffle off Gods Sabbath in making Christ the bolster of disobedience unscripturally asserting that Christ is the Sabbath thus confounding resting place with resting time But as for this Time of rest placed in the middest of the Royal Law it is truly Moral and so termed as Baptism and the Lords Supper are termed Sacraments in distinction from inferiour Ordinances though neither of the terms Moâ—al or Sacrament be found in Scripture The word Moralis signifieth belonging to manners and therefore the ten Commandements are fitly termed Moral as being indeed an exact rule of good manners informing us how to demean our selves towards God and men and it is in all things equal holy just and good yea and every way sutable to pure Nature and Grace and though the Bishop * White see not a sutableness in the Sabbath to pure Adam yet those who are better learned can see it sutable to the glorious Creator who in observing it made himself a pattern to his Creature and surely nothing can be more lovely and delightful to a person principled then to follow his gracious God in a president so pleasant Indeed Natures light as now 't is blurred and clouded is not capable of judging in the things of God every man is naturally Popish framing Idea's of the Deity 1 Cor. 2.14 setting up images or imaginations 't is therefore most absurd to try the morality of the Second or of the Fourth Commandement at corrupt natures Tribunal But this threefold mystery may possibly add strength to the Sabbath Morality if it be observed 1. That innocent Adam had all the ten Commandements written in his heart whiles his heart was flesh Rom. 2. 2. When his heart was condensed into stone and thereby the Moral Law was defaced Gal. 3.19 God condiscends for prevention of sin to write all the very same Lawes in Tables of stone 3. And when Gospel grace appears in new Covenant clemency transforming our hearts again from stone to flesh Heb. 8.10 11. 2 Cor. 3.3 Eze. 11.18 19 20. the very Laws written in Tables of stone are once more registred in the fair Tables of renewed hearts and that for this end that we should walk in his statutes and keep his ordinances and do them He that sees not through this three-fold mystery depths of wisedome with unsearchable riches of mercy may well suspect an unchanged stony heart whiles the renewed soul beholds the revived glory of Gods seventh-day Sabbath as a Moral duty sutable to Adam in his pure nature and good for Saints in the present state of grace freely concurring with this conclusion touching the morality of a Law That a moral Law is not meerly good because commanded but it is therfore commanded because it is good and such is the nature of the seventh day whereon God rested purely good and therefore commanded though depraved Nature cannot discern it As the nature of a moral Law doth thus confirm Gods Sabbath and none other So the title of the moral Law involves and secures this blessed day amongst the ten precepts termed in Hebrew Exod. 34.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English it hath borrowed the title of Decalogue or the Law of ten words or Commandements all of equal honour and dignity though Satans delusions have prevailed with licentious spirits to slight and censure one of these ten Moral commands as ceremonial and from hence to ascend even to Blasphemy in reckoning this Moral precept amongst beggarly Elements and so charging the glorious God with the observation of a base Ceremony since nothing is more certain then that the Highest himself
were wrought so it will be sad for such as will persist in slighting the holy Sabbath which he hath so eminently arown'd with his wonders After labour hath bin spent in vain to fasten some defamation on the Lord of the Sabbath the next invention is to fal upon his servants And first they seek some shelter for Sabbathâ— breaking from the Apostles words One Man esteemeth one day above another Rom. 14.5 Another osteemeth every day alike The Apostle doth not here expose Gods moral Sabbath to our censure or to be esteemed or disesteemed as we please for he had before firmly established the moral Law * Rom. 3 31. and cannot be thought to destroy what he hath setled in the same Epistle onely in meats and dayes ceremonial he leaves weaklings to liberty for since Christ hath took down the wall of partition The persons places meats and days which did support it are all level'd but the seventh day Sabbath was instituted long before that partition wall was raised So that 't is not in our liberty to esteem it as we please for God himself hath made it holy and so esteems it whether we do or no. 'T is God that from the Worlds foundation placed holiness in this day and what God hath sanctified let not us presume any longer to make common Another argument is drawn from Gal. 4.10 Ye observe Days and Months and Times and Years Answ He cannot here condemn the observing of all days since Fasting and Feasting days are approved by Christ and his Church onely weak and beggarly seasons are condemned If any dare be so bold to reproach the seventheday-Sabbath instituted and observed by God himself as a weak and beggerly element at his peril be it 'T is a royal Law and will be the joy of a royal people The third argument aspersing the Apostles is raised from Col. 2.16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of part of a Feast * So the Greek or of the New Moon or of the Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ 1. Here at first sight 't is evident that onely such Sabbaths are ceased as were a shadow of good things to come But the seventh day was never such a Sabbath a sign indeed of good things past and present as is already shewed but never termed a shadow of things to come 2. The blessed Spirit by two other terms declares clearly what Sabbaths are ceased 1. Col. 2.14 such as were against us 2. contrary to us and such were those annual Sabbaths requiring great labour and travel in comming three times a year from all parts to Jerusalem far from the sweet Rest which the fourth Commandemnent enjoyns upon the seventh day Sabbath which never was in the least against us or any way contrary to â—s and therefore not here intended though he Prelates by perverting the Text would â—volve it for unto the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which onely signifieth Sabbaths they have deceitfully added dayes to the Text as though there were no other Sabbaths but Sabbath days whereas the seventh year was a Sabbath and the seventh seventh the great ceremonial Sabbath or Jubile And whereas by this bold and absurd addition some would cast off the seventh day as ceremonial who yet plead strongly for the morality of the Sabbath it is very considerable that this Text toucheth not the Day at all but the Duty that is the Sabbath which even many enemies of the seventh day confess to be moral Evident it is that as the seventh day points out the time of worship so the Sabbath denptes the worship it self and the Apostle mentions not the day or time as a shadow but the Sabbaths and so if any thing in the fourth Commandement were a shadow of Christ it must be onely the Rest which is the duty and not the Time which is the seventh day As warrantably may they reject the moral Law upon that expression of the Law being changed Heb. 7.12 as the seventh day upon this word of Sabbaths being ashadow We may as well distinguish of Sabbaths in this place as Laws in that Mr. Aspinwal pretends to reform the Bishops abuse of this Col. 2. and translates it rightly Sabbaths but renders those words a Feast which he knows is onely part of a Feast and from hence takes liberty p. 4. to descant upon Feasts contrary to the word Well after all attempts the 7th day Sabbath remains a glorious lively Oracle to Christians it is no bâ—se ceremony or beggarly rudiment for God himself observed it and with his own voice with great Majesty enjoyned and recorded it a mongst the rest of his royal perpetual precepts it requireth no toil nor trouble like the ceremonial Sabbaths but lovingly releaseth man from his labours It is no way against us or contrary to us unless we be against God and contrary to those heavenly spirits who prefer one day in Gods Courts before a thousand in that dunghil drudgery wherein earthy carnal base-born muck worms delight to be toiling and moiling in this bewitching world It mounts the Dove-like Spouse from earth to heaven where she obtains a tast of her eternal glory dwelling this day in her Beloveds bosome sweetly reposing her weather-beaten Vessel in this shining season of noon-tide Rest in the very arms of Christ Caut. 1.7 These are undeniably the sweet enjoyments and soul-ravishing delights which this Royal Sabbath of Iehovah opens to the sincere obedient soul and therefore onely to be slighted by such as observing lying vanities forsake their own mercies When restless spirits find their fancies frustrate and that they have onely wearied themselves with these inventions 1. To expel the glorious Sabbath out of Paradise 2. To imprison it in Palestina 3. To defame our Saviour as a Sabbath-breaker 4. To asperse the Apostles as Sabbath-slighters And finding the Sabbaths lustre breaking through these foggy inveations 5. Satan the Prince of darkness transforming himself into an Angel of Light furnisheth them with the last invention under the most specious pretence of a spiritual Sabbath to live in the weekly pollution of that blessed day which the Father of Spirits hath appointed for the inlet of all spiritual sweets into the soul And the poor deceived Notionists 2 Cor. 11.2 3. Gen. 3.5 forgetting how the serpent beguil'd Eve through his subtilty under the very same bait of disobedience to Gods Commands promising most gâ—orious spiritual enjoyments are so transported with the glistering Alchymie of his sublime aiery notions that away goes all the tryed Gold of the Law and the Testimony and now no duties will down with these lawless Libertines but all their devorion lies buried in the abysse of pretended spiritual prayer spiritual singing spiritual fasting spiritual feasting spiritual baptism spiritual supper spiritual sabbath leaving all literal obedience as too low for their bewitched fancies as if Christ and primitive Christians
were not as spiritual in obedience to these litreal commands as any of these pretenders who notwithstanding all their boasted high attainments are most of them deeply drenched in earthy Dens whiles they promise librety to others 2 Pet. 2.19 many of themselvs are the servants of corruption The spring of these delusions for the most part breaks forth from the palpable contradictions of such as having laid an impregnable foundation for Gods Sabbath by their excellent arguments for its morality do presently demolish their own structure again in asserting its mutability And whiles they labour in the very fires to find some Scripture authority for their supposed change ingenious mounting refined spirits seeing not the least Gospel ground for a first day Sabbath and being prejudiced against the seventh day stigmatized with the odious unscriptural character of JEWISH Sabbath they presently become a prey to Satan who perswades them that in slighting the Sabbath literally they may keep it spiritually and belike God whiles thus they become most unlike him who really sanctified and observed the seventh day Sabbath And thus like Eve casting off the literal command upon a spiritual pretence they break the bounds of Paradise and whither will they post for 't is evident in Scripture that all Religionebs and flows according as the Sabbath is slighted or sanctified Being thus confounded with the contradictions of such as assert the Sabbath to be moral and yet mutable withal blinded by Satans baits to construe all Scripture according to his custome promising spiritual blessings upon literal disobedience * Gen. 3.4 5. Mai t 4.4.6 Mat. 5. they now endeavour to support their deceits by slandering our Saviours first Sermon as if his prohibition of spiritual adultery opened a gap to corporeal Uncleanness which this principle hath even hurried many to practise wheras the great Expositor detecting and detesting that Phatisaical outside service then in esteem for true Religion binds us over to spiritual obedience without destroying one jot or tittle of the Law Mat. 5.19 severely threatning such as should transgress the least of those staturea And yet these deceived souls fear not to break all bands and bounds that so they may drive on in disobedience without sence of sin for where no Law is there is no sin and where no sin is there can be no Saviour and where no Saviour no possibility of salvation which they shall find too true that leave Gods moral Law or put away or deprave any part thereof They shall find that if Gods Law be nothing to them God himself will be nothing to them but a severe Judge to condemn them by that Law they refuse to rule their lives by Sad will the sight of this sentence be to deceived souls in that dreadful day when Books and hearts shall be opened Now go Isa 30.8 9. write it before them in a table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever that this is a reâ—ellious people lying children chilaren that will not hear the Law of their God And whereas us objected that our Lord hath fulfilled the Law and that indeed one jot or tittle might not pass till he had fulfilled it but that we need not now fulfill it Let such know that 't is no more lawfull now then before to be unclean lye steal or covet 't is as unlawfull now as ever to bâ—aspheme make or worship images and it will one day be found as sinâ—ull now as ever it was Mat. 3.15 to slight Gods sanctified seventh-day Sabbath which Christ fulfilled he fulfilled Baptism and so must we he observed his Supper and so must we he sanctified the seventh-day Sabbath and establisht it for ever and therefore so must we As to that objection that Christ mentions not the Sabbath in his Sermon and therefore it may be neglected By the same reasons the Papists may justifie their abominable idolatries since in all that Sermon no mention is made of images Thus while the unwary Rebel thinks to escape Sâ—ylla he wracks upon Charybais so dangerous is it to dally with any one of Gods Laws Wherefore take heed of disobedience under a pretence of spirituality That principle which now prompts you to the weekly prophanation of the Lords Sabbath will lead you by insensible degrees to as light esteem of the Lords Supper and under a pretence of praying continually force you from family prayer as a formality Christ delights in his Doves voice and surely our voice is not too good for God neither it man more spiritual then his Maker he that made us praieth often for us both with heart and voice and so taught us to pray 1 Joh. 2.6 and so he observed Gods seventh-seventh-day Sabbath both litterally and spiritually and left us an example that we should follow his steps in all Moral actions Some Sabbath-slighters would fain affix a Type to the Sabbath but are pitifully puzzled how to bring it to pass One would have it a type of our Rest in Christ but for want of Scripture this conceit is cashiered A second supposeth that the sacrifices annexed to the Sabbath made it typical upon which account every day must be typical since sacrifices were enjoyned every day A third thinks the Sabbath may be a type of Christs lying in the grave but iâ—stead of may-be's I shall prove in its place that his rest in the grave on the Sabbath confirms this Law to Christians A fourth confesseth 't is very difficult to find out this supposed typicalness and yet adventures to affix the deliverance out of Egypt to the Sabbath as a type of our deliverance by Christ but every babe in Christ at first blush beholds the very same deliverance affixed upon the front of the ten Commandements which manifestly proves the Sabbath as free from being typical as any other part of the Law A fifth with whom my spirit joynes finding that the Sabbath was never any type of Christ Ledgard Heb. 4. is perswaded if it be typical 't is onely since Christ and that not Moses but Paul makes it typical of that glorious rest-Rest-day which saints shall enjoy with Christ a thousand years that as the Weekly labour of six dayes ends in a rest-Rest-day of grace so the worlds 6000. years travel shall terminate in a rest-Rest-day in glory Now although I judge that as marriage ordained in Paradice is not a type but a similitude of Christ so the Sabbath of the same descent doth rather resemble then type out that Rest yet I shall not contend but rather conclude that if the seventh day Sabbath be typical of that expected happy Rest then of necessity the type must remain until it shall be swallowed up of the glorious Anti-type A sixth in the middest of such uncertainties conceives the Sabbath may be typical of the Gospel or day of grace But what an absurdity would this conceit put upon our Saviour as if he should direct his
Disciples to pray Mat. 24.20 That their slight might not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day of grace i. e. that they might not flye at all when as yet he had commanded them to flye 2. If the day of grace be our enjoyned Sabbath then we must be sure as long as the Gospel lasts to do no servile work according to the Commandement but here it 's also conceived that the works now prohibited are our sins Answ 1. The Law did no less prohibit sin then the Gospel 2. This conceit supposeth God thus commanding six days of the Laws duration thou shalt or mayest labour and do all thy work of sin but the day of grace is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not sin thou thy son and which is extreamly absurd thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates Either this opinion must reject the rest of the fourth Commandement as it doth the seventh day or els it puts it self upon more then an Egiptian task to keep his son servants strangers from sin As for the poor cattle they are uncapable of such a Rest as cessation from sin and the merciless Notionist is reasoning them out of that natural rest wherewith the merciful God hath priviledged them so that if there be no rest required but from sin the poor bruits may rue the time of Christs comming into the world 't were well for them that Peter had prevailed to build Tabernacles that they might have still enjoyed the good dayes of Moses And as for English servants their condition would be little different from Turkish slaves so that they might well bewail MESSIAH's birth should this opinion prevail for the boundless desires of earthy-minded Masters would seldome be weary of the way of getting wealth neither would their pretended spirituality dictate what day to spare their wearied servants But instead of the Angels good tydings of great joy to all people servants would soon cry out sad tidings of great sorrow to be thus deprived of the happy rest for soul and body and constrained to toil and travel on the Sabbath Thus by Origens allegorical Divinity making cessation from sin the onely Gospel Sabbath the letter of Gods Law which cals for corporal rest and spiritual service is perverted Christs Sermon abused Exe. 20. Is 58.13 the Royal Sabbath like a typical ceremony rejected the poor bruits wearied servants defrauded and manifold absurdities introduced to the great dishonour of the great Law-giver and grievous sin of such as assert the onely Sabbath is to abstain from sin which that soul shall do indeed who abstains from labour on Gods Sabbath servile work being the known sin of the fourth Commandement Cease from thy shallow conceits thou deluded slighter of holy Sabbaths The Saints day of eternal cestation from sin and sorrow is not yet come we see Babylon yet in beeing the Jews uncalled all the eath in confusion the day of peace is indeed approaching when such onely as are found in ways of obedience shall enter in by the gate to the glorious City of everlasting Rest Thus having through Divine aid vindicated the Sabbaths morality from those inventions and aspersions raised against it I shall now proceed to the second part in the Position Viz. The select season or precise time determined by him who is hasting to the ruine of that blasphemous Little Horn for his change of Times and Laws THat the seventh day was the Lords holy Sabbath Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.3 from the Worlds foundation to our Saviours Passion is undeniable And yet such is satans envie at the Sabbath that he suggests a possibility of alteration by the Suns station in Joshua's time and retrogradation in Hezekiah's dayes But it may easily bee understood that when the same power who placed the Sun in its Sphere stayed its course one day and commanded it to return backwards another this did only lengthen those individual days and then returned to its natural motion but altered not the next day at all 2. It must be concluded that our Saviour who fulfilled the Law exactly observed punctually the very Sabbath and the scripture testifies that the holy women rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement Luk. 23. ult that is upon the very seventh day which God instituted and required to bee observed And the whole world though different in Religion will give full testimony that neither the Heathens saturday so called long before Christs time the Turks friday the Papists sunday nor any other day in the week hath since met with any change so that I may with as much reason question whether my right hand be that the world calls so as I may question whether saturday be the very seventh day seeing the Jews also dispersed through the world punctually observe it And yet what a deal of dust hath been raised from the Prelates ashes by an old Professour of New England-way against their principles and his own conscience his great Argument borrowed from the Bishops is this That since all Regions cannot observe the same hours for the Sabbath by reason of the various rising and setting of the Sun therefore the seventh day is not universally moral Answ What will not enmity to Gods Sabbath set upon seeing such a one as Capt. Jenison is not ashamed to use the old Prelates worm-eaten Arguments in flat opposition to his Brethren Me thinks it should wound his soul to receive answer from Mr. Shepheard with approbation of the consociated Elders of New England in detestation of such deceit thus The fourth Commandement must stand firm Shep. sab pag. 147. the Heaven and Earth must fall asunder the Lord will rather waste Kingdomes and the whole Christian world with fire and sword then let one tittle of his Law perish the Land must rest when Gods Sabbath cannot c. And surely it may sadly affect their hearts in New-England if ever this reacheth their eye or ear that one of their professed members in a great publick assembly should combat the Sabbath with the same weapons foyled by them And in hopes it will make the Captain ashamed and silence all adversaries I shall transcribe the solid answer of reverend Mr. Shepheard to the cloudy argument which he saith Carpanter and Heylin compassed the whole earth and heavens to find out To think saith he that the Sabbath was proper to the Jews Shep. sab pag. 148. because they onely were able to keep and exactly observe the time of it being shut up as Mr. Primvose saith within a little corner of the earth and that the Gentiles are not therefore bound to it because they cannot exactly observe the time of it in several quarters of the earth so far distant is a very feeble argument for why might not all Nations exactly observe the rising and setting of the Sun according to several Climates by which the natural day and so this if the Sabbath is exactly measured and which God hath appointed without limitation
of any hour to be the bounds of the Sabbath as it sooner or later riseth or sets Were not the Mariners of the men of Iudah bound to observe the seventh day in all the several coasts where they made their voyages Did God limit them to the rising or setting Sun of Indea onely c. Thus far New Englands answer to that argument taken up by Mr. Ienison against them into whose treasury I shall cast my mite upon consideration of 1. Act. 2.5 15.11 13.14 17.1 The Proselytes of Ierusalem out of all Nations under heaven whose undoubted observation of the Sabbath in their several Countreys is a full confutation of this aiery argument 2. There will probably be granted some variation between â—â—ai and Sion yet the Sabbath punctually observed in both places Captain Ienison is not ignorant of four hours difference in the rising Sun between England and the American Colonies and yet the same first day observed both here and there But by the way we may observe that the wounds he would give unto the seventh day Sabbath fall as heavily upon the first day whereunto he pretends great devotion with his Brethen for if the seventh be uncertain the first must needs be so and thus whiles he would weaken the true Sabbath he opens a gap to that impiety of rejecting the authority of the fourth Commandement which sober spirits abhor But our God hath not bound us to the obedience of such hours but of such a day the Clock is not to be our guide but the Sun Here they object That in some though scarce any habitable Regions the Sun for many moneths leaves not their view whence they suppose an impossibility of observing the sabbath The answer is That in all parts the Sun is ever upon motion his Eastern Western circuits are not onely observed but exactly measured familiarly each four and twenty hours so as not onely to know their times of repose but possibly to shame us in the abuse of ours should the clouds or other meteors in ercept their sight of the Sun or ours the fowls of the heaven would give information 〈◊〉 8.7 And as sleeping and working time is easily discerned each four and twenty hours with like facility may the six working days be distinguished from the Sabbath If once the heart be free to yeeld obedience it will cease to create * Prov. 22.13 and invent difficulties and the renewed nature will no less breath after the souls weekly Sabbath than the old nature will expect its accustomed repose The Suns daily circuit and weekly revolution is no such difficulty to a devout soul But whither are we roving Will not our own Climate contain us Joh. 21.21 22. Are we not more inquisitive with Peter to know what other Nations shall do then to study our own duty We should even shame to slight Gods Sabbath whiles the Heavens declare his glory and whiles we fancy Bugbears of uncertainty in observing the exact time Lo day unto day uttereth speech Psal 19. night unto night sheweth knowledge there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard What beter directions can we desire then this faithfull witness of Heaven by his several circuits exactly measuring out our time and informing our eye as words instruct our ear When his fix days light leaves our Land 't is then time to leave our labours For then doth the glorious Lamp of Heaven like a Herald proclaim the approaching Sabbath that Saints may set open the everlasting Gates for the King of Glory I would not leave this scruple wherewith the self condemning adversary reproached his own principles till the path rendred so abstruse and intricate attain its promised perspicuity Isa 35. even to the weakest sight that so way faring men though fools may not erre therein Wherefore observe that in the beginning when Heavens bright Eye declined the sixth Evening in Eden the holy God gave unto man not onely a precept but a fair president also in ceasing from the work of Creation to sanctifie and observe his holy Sabbath Howbeit at the same hour it was impossible for other Climates of the World regularly to begin the Sabbath for the more Western parts must wait for the Suns warning or else they should not sanctifie the seventh day exactly as measured and regulated by the Sun which God hath purposely set for signs and for seasons Gen. 1.14 and for days and years Having therefore proclaimed rest in Paradise leaving man with his Maker to sanctifie the Sabbath away he posts as a Bridegroem from his Chamber Psal 19. rejoycing as a Giant to run his race and so coursing in his circuit through the Heavens he declares to the Regions sooner or later as fast as he can sly when to cease from their six days servitude to sanctifie the exact seventh day Sabbath Yea when mounting the other Hemisphere the interposition of the terrestrial Globe makes their Meridian the Antipodes Midnight yet is the seventh day as measured by the Sun punctual and certain in each Region God hath not engaged us to the same hours but to that assured seventh day or seventh part of time regulated by the glorious Lamp ordained for times and seasons for days and years Where then lies the difficulty of the seventh days certainty which was suggested to the people with such a cloud of confusion But lastly the difference between out Summer and Winter Sabbath in this little Island is as evident to every A B C Christian as is the certainty of the seventh day in the midst of such variation for who knows not that our Winters Sabbath begins four hours sooner then in Summer and ends upon the same account making full eight hours difference between Summer and Winters Sabbath But though the hours so much differ yet the seventh day surrounded by the Sun is unalterabiy the fame and the Sabbath certain as in Summer and Winter season with us so in each Climate and Countrey throughout the world And therefore 't is but an aiery flourish borrowed from the Bishops and perhaps a vaunt of more Aâ— then suits education or capacity to compass the earth for an agument to prove the variation of time which is so obvious and familiar in our little angle and yet I suppose never begat the least scruple in any Christian neither is there the least cause But I hope the adversary sees great cause by this time to be ashamed of his cloudy speculation amusing the people and humbly to confess he did he knew not what against New Englands testimony and Scripture evidence and so obtain the benefit of Christs Petition Luk. 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do Carnal hearts might with more reason contend against the Lords Supper in some Countreys for want of Wine then against the Lords Sabbath for want of Light But when Grace shall make Saints as zealous for the Sabbath as the Sacrament
and given to the Jews and will shortly come in his glory to make them a glorious people neither will any thing more hasten mercy to Sion Ps 102.13 14. then Christians taking pleasure in her stones and favouring the dust thereof that is the times and Laws changed by Antichrist For 't is impossible that ever that beloved people should receive the Messiah while they see his Disciples disobedient to Gods royal commands We who were once drown'd in the delusion can now discern and detest that Popish impiety of image-worship in defiance of the second Commandement and yet they can plead as plausibly for Idolatry by their wretched distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wee can possibly for change of the Sabbath As their image-worship is one great stumbling-block to long forsaken Israel so our weekly wallowing in Sabbath pollutions sadly obstructs the hopes of their conversion Heb. 6.6 and indeed puts our dear Saviour to an open shame as may appear by a passage lately communicated which exceedingly affects my soul and so I hope it will my Readers thus The Jews in London are very much affected with our keeping of the Sabbath and do frequent our meeting places every Sabbath in the latter part of the day and truly I hope the Lord will in time awake upon them to imbrace the truth As yet they keep on their Hats in the time of prayer I am well acquainted with their Rabbi He and the rest of the Jews with him were so taken with Brother Sallars prayer for the restauration of the Kingdome to Israel Acts 1.6 as that they desired that they might have it in writing promising that they would print it and send it to all the places where the Jews inhabit I told them also your resolution to preach up the Sabbath and they are very much taken therewith desiring the Lord to prosper you in your endeavours therein I perceive it is a great stumbling block to them as to believe Christ to be the Messiah because Christians violate the Sabbath for say they if Christ were not a Sabbath-breaker why are Christians and if Christ were a Sabbath breaker then he was a sinner and if a sinner what benefit can we expect by the death of an evil doer And thus you see what evil consequents follow the non-observance of the Lords holy Sabbath I hope this may be usefull to your Auditors especially to those of your society Reader doth not thy heart with mine tremble before the Lord in the perusal of these lines why if the offence of one little one deserve so great punishment Mat. 18.6 what will be the doom of Sabbath-breakers after warning whose weekly disobedience so much dishonours Christ and stumbles all the Tribes of Israel how vain are their petitions for Israels conversion whose practise so much obstructs the glorious work Cast ye up Isa 57.14 cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people Awake awake Saints the seventh seal is opened and the seventh day Sabbath breaks through those Romish fogs that long obscured it under the Heathenish title of saturday or Saturns day The same blasphemous Horn that rob'd us of the Holy Scriptures hath long deprived us of the Holy SABBATH telling us that it was Jewish 'T is high time wholly to depart from Popish pollutions Zech. 8.13 and fulfill part of that Prophesie in taking such hold on the skirts of the Jews as to observe all their Moral Laws with delight Let nor the unscriptural odium of a jewish Sabbath startle us any more then a jewish SAVIOUR But let us put on Ruths resolution in meeting the Jews saying Thy Scriptures shall be my Scriptures thy Promises shall be my portion thy salvation shall be my expectation thy seventh day shall be my Sabbath thy Messiah shall be my SAVIOUR and thy God my God And thus shall we take up the stumbling blocks obstructing their return who can neither brook Babels abominations in the breach of Gods second Royal Law nor Protestants weekly prophanation of the Sabbath with deep disobediance to the fourth Commandement Which is most dreadfull in such as continue sabbath-breakers for earthly advantage after some light of Gods Law hath broken in upon their souls at least to suspect that it may be Gods Sabbath So that they have nothing to say against it and yet through the worlds snares and love of relations dare continue to act against it wallowing Weeke after Weeke in Sabbath pollutions till the just judgement of GOD at last leave them through custome of sin to a scared conscience Another odium cast upon the seventh day Sabbath by Gallio like indifferents and luke-warm Laodiceans is that 't is but a circumstance of time But the wise experienced Preacher doth speedily confute their folly in a sentence worthy our observation Who so keepeth the Commandement shall feel no evil thing and a wise mans heart discerneth both TIME and judgement Eccl. 3.5 Such as dare be careless of keeping the Commandements and judge themselves so wise as to contemn that TIME which God hath ordained to make men wiser we shall leave to that wisdome which is meer foolishness with God 1 Cor. 3.19 even to trifle with that precious time which weekly conveys precious plants into the Palace and special presence of their Prince But whereas 't is objected That holy time and holy place were both of like force Let such shew us the least syllable in Gods moral Law enjoyning holy place 2 Tim. 4.1.2 Joh. 4.20 21. 1 Tim. 2.8 and we shall well weigh it and in the mean time do our duty in that holy time which is expresly commanded us of God knowing that our Law-giver hath as fully confirmed this holy time as he hath laid common all holy place Thus these devices fail as not able to foyl this shining season Gods sanctified seventh day Sabbath which stands with strength in Gospel times Let our next business therefore be to know when to enter upon this holy rest for it cannot be conceived that God who hath been so punctual in prescribing the precise time of Circumcision the Passeover Penticost and other ceremonies should leave us to our liberty for the beginning of his holy Sabbath But oh the amusing Meanders perplexing and distracting Labyrinths that do even drink up their spirits who assert the Sabbaths change to the first week-day being not able to find when to begin their supposed Sabbath Some affirming it beins in the morning when the Lord arose but what hour they are not able to say since God hath purposely concealed Christs rising as he did Moses burial place to prevent our sin so that whether to begin their Sabbath at break of day or Sun-rising they are uncertain and know not what to do Others are moved but by what rule or reason I know not to appoint midnight for the entrance of their Sabbath when most are asleep
A third sort are content to observe their Sabbath by halves and having twenty four hours to their own days they shut up their Sabbath with one half and say an artificial day of twelve hours is sufficient A fourth declares that the evening is the time their Sabbath must begin Shep. beg sab p. 34. and sadly bewails the secret knots and difficulties that are found in the beginning of their first day Sabbath calling for humility and many tears But whiles thus they are confounded in their languages labouring with manifold difficulties to find some beginning of Mans Sabbath behold the lively Oracle of Gods unchangeable seventh day Sabbath opening all prison doors breaking all bars untying all knots and like Ariadue's Clue leading the perplexed spirit out of his Labyrinth whiles he returns by Christs direction to the beginning where in the infancy of time we meet with Gods spirit in a night of darkness brooding upon a confused Chaos Gen. 1.2 3. to produce a world of Wonders So that manifest it is night was the beginning of time in which the rude mass was made before any light appeared and this darkness with the ensuing light compleated the first day and so the second third fourth fifth and sixth wherein the Almighty finished the whole fabrick of heaven earth and sea leading man Gods Master-piece to the highest admiration And no sooner did the sixth days sun cease with the compleating of this peerless Potentate but Elohim ceased to shew his vertue and power in creation and withdrawing himself into himself he immediately sanctified the seventh day Sabbath to enjoy his own infinite beatitude delighting himself with full satisfaction in the pure and spotless works of his hands for as yet sin had not soiled the creature but whiles Iehovah celebrated his Sabbath with man for whom it was made Mar. 2. last Iob 38.7 lo the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy So that here the Lords Sabbath without the least loss of time exactly begins when with the sixth days sun the worlds creation ends and therefore such as desire to be holy as God is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Joh. 3.3 must not onely observe this seventh day Sabbath but begin this holy Rest according to the pattern shewed in the Mount that is when the sixth circult of the sun shews us 't is time to cease from earthly labors as Iehovah in his royal Law hath proposed himself for our example Exo. 20.11 This hath been the constant course of believers I suppose it will scarce be questioned in Moses time since even the ceremonial Sabbaths because honoured as Sabbaths were so to be observed Lev. 22.32 From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath So after the Jews were rewarded in Babylon for slighting the Sabbath * 2 Chro. 36.22 did honest Nehemiah set to the exact observance of this day by causing Ierusalems gates to be shut before the Sabbath even whiles the declining sixth day sun by descending the Mountaines surrounding Ierusalem cast some obscurity upon the City gates a good example for earthy minds who wil not leave their servile labours till the last minute but perhaps allow themselves liberty to do some houshold business after the Sabbaths beginning We lie under equal engagements at least with ancient Israel which should oblige us to such evening sacrifice as appears to be their custome by that Psalm designed for the Sabbath Psal 92.1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most High to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning thy faithfulness every night This sacrifice very well becomes Christians who should not be out-stript by those devour Tribes whose joys are further expressed by the Prophet Isa 30.29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept Hence 't is evident with what affection and at what time they set to the solemnity of this highest Sabbath Neither is the New Testament wanting of instructions when to begin this holy Rest for even after the sufferings of our Saviour the Saints did not onely observe the Sabbath but the Spirit is express in the beginning of the solemnity as is recorded for the everlasting honour of the precious women that having attended their Saviour to his sepulchre Luk. 23.55 56. They returned and prepared spices and oyntments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement That part of the preparation day that remained after Christs burial these precious souls improved in preparing Aromaticks to embalm their beloved Luk. 23.54 but as the sixth day ended and the Sabbath drew on their work was done for so well were they discipled by our Saviour as not to violate his holy Sabbath no not to embalm his blessed body And yet some scoffers in these last days are so bold as to cast â—ilâ—â— in the faces of such as tread in these Saints stops reproaching them as worshippers of A dead Christ Col. 2.14 15. Act. 2.26 who was never more active then in the grave being there a conquerour not a sufferer But leaving these in scorners Chair the same Testament which thus shews us the Saints beginning of the Sabbath informs us also of the end by our Saviours example Mar. 1.21 who having performed the publick duties of the day retired to Peters house further to honour the Sabbath with his wonted miracles ver 19. Luk. 13.14 And though the envious Pharisees taught that the people should nor come for healing on the Sabbath day yet hereby we learn when the holy season determines by the liberty the people took according to the Pharisees doctrine Mar. 2.32 And at evening when the Sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased So that 't is abundantly manifest Deu. 16.6 that from Even to Even or from Sun to Sun the Sabbath is to be celebrated Thus the Jews constantly observe it and thus all faithfull Christians ought to sanctifie it who by scripture authority are thus set free from all that confusion and contention which as a scourge from God porplexeth the observers of the supposed first day Sabbath who know not when to begin nor when to make an end But here it will be objected That upon this account the first day raust be utterly discarded since the 4th Commandment as wel requires six days service as the 7th days Sabbath To which I answer 1. That whereas the Lord doth expresly require cessation from work on the Sabbath day he doth not by a negative require that we never cease from work upon any of the six days for then we must never feast nor fast nor use any kind of recreation throughout the week 2. The Hebrew tense hath a various aspect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it is rather future then imperative and may well enough point out the creatures earthy inclinations thus Six days thou
Sabbath and the Lords day I know not why this term of Lords day should offend Christians now more then of old if some sabbath-keepers shall scruple it yet I hope they can religiously embrace those Gospel-opportunities and precious priviledges that the first day affords Let us beware of a censorious spirit towards persons of different perswasions Our God waited long upon us whiles living in disobedience to the Law of the seventh day Sabbath and he looks for a spirit of forbearance towards others till Sabbath light break in upon their souls unless sathan prevail with them to deprive us of our hopes by their forsaking of our assemblies as the manner of some is whose practice proclaims they will learn no more nor suffer sabbath-light to take possession of their souis We shall leave such to that drerdfull doom which attends Heb. 10.25 26.27 Those that wilfully sin in forsaking the assemblies of the Saints for whom there remains no more sacrifice but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation to devour the adversaries who will not have the Lord of the Sabbath reign over them but will follow their earthly enjoyments and imployments till he return to tell them they have already received their good things i. e. the things they esteemed so and preferred before the celebration of his Sabbath and therefore must never look for more But for the enlightened Saint who sees the abiding glory of Gods seventh day Sabbath in its morality exact measure of time beginning and end let him proceed in the power of Gods spirit what ever he pay for it Though parents forsake him he hath a God to go to who will willingly receive him into a bosome of grace and after a few more weekly returns to the Gospel noon-tide Rest he and I shall be translated into New Jerusalems glory to joyn in songs of praise to the honour of the Lord of the Sabbath in the Saints everlasting rest Thus through Divine assistance I have to the full satisfaction of my own foul vindicated the morality of the holy Rest of Saints or the Sabbath of the Lord our God which is undeniably the solemn Season for Gospel worship The next thing is the special warrant for Christians to celebrate this holy day which is sour-fold 1. The Creators institution 2. The Redeemers confirmation 3. The Spirits approbation 4. The Saints observation Which being confirmed by clear Scripture will undoubtedly be fully satisfactory to all that are willing to imbrace truth The third Head VIZ. The AUTHORITY THough the Great God be not engaged to give any account of his matters yet behold his marvailous condiscentions in giving his creature not onely a command but the reason why he requires the solemn observation of this seventh day Sabbath which cannot possibly for this reason be changed to any other day For in six dayes Jehovah made the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it As our Lord Jesus sets forth the excellency of that universal decree of marriage made in Paradise for Adam which is therefore honourable amongst men even so doth Jehovah lay the Basis of our obedience to his holy Sabbath in the first institution reducing us to the beginning when first as his first and his Saints best ordinance he made the Sabbath for man thereby engaging all mankinde both Jews and Gentiles to observe it upon which account the Israelites were bound not onely to sanctifie it themselves but to see that all strangers within their gates did observe the same a practise exemplary in holy Nehemiah Neh. 13. If then all Gentiles when but resident in Palestina were required to rest on Gods Sabbath whiles they were Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel much more are we now engaged being fellow Citizens with the Saints and of Gods family The Authority then with its equity universally obliging all Adams posterity to observe the seventh day Sabbath purely springs from Gods holy Rest and Divine institution 1 Point Institution after the Worlds creation which being not made onely for Israel but for all people I appeal to all conscientious understanding Christians that presume not to destroy the reason of the fourth Commandement whether all mankinde be not hence obliged to observe that very 7th day Sabbath who enjoy the benefit of the creation God hath not only vouchsafed his children such a precious precept with the ground of it 1 Precept 2 President But is graciously pleased to make himself a perfect president in observing this seventh day Sabbath A most pure pattern for his Saints to work by a most clear coppy for his schollers to write after and lot such as desire to be Godly that is God-like follow their first and fairest example The spirit of Christ in the Gospel enjoyns us to Be followers of God as dear children Eph. 5.1 To be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure Impure persons pollute the Sabbath but the holy God sanctifies and observes it that his dear children may follow him in it Shall we pretend to press after God-like purity and yet slight Gods example in this sweet solemnity Why Gods president is the most absolute pattern of all perfection the best of men may fail and be outstript by their folfollowers but who so makes the perfect God his pattern still presseth forward and hath still more perfections before him which allures the growing mounting soul from grace to grace and so to glory Since then the blessed Creator so compleated every creature in six days that he might immediately consecrate and celebrate the seventh day Sabbath for mans example let not man think to be wiser then his Maker either in presuming to change his holy day or pretending a spiritual observance in a literal disobedience Can poor worms dust and ashes contrive a way to be more spiritual then the Father of spirits Can Satan suggest a president more perfect then Perfection it self Be not righteous overmuch but learn of the Lawgiver who in expounding his own Law sums up all in this instruction Be ye therefore perfect Mat. 5.48 even as your heavenly Father is perfect that is in quelity though equality is utterly impossible Wherefore let that very seventh day which your heavenly Faâ—her hath separated by his institution benediction and celebration be your constant observation that in this point you may be perfect EVEN As your heavenly Father is perfect Here it appeareth plainly with what full authority the blessed seventh day Sabbath is established even from the Worlds foundation Heb. 4.3 4. So that it may well be owned as a foundation Oracle instituted and observed by God himself The royal Psalmist elegantly sings Ps 87.1 That Gods foundations are in the holy mountains and certainly this toyal Law is thus gloriously founded For as it was the first statute decreed by Jehovah so its foundation
as hath been shewed was first laid in that pure pleasant Paradise Eden where God rested and inseparably united the Sabbath to the seventh day The second holy Mountain wherein God established this foundation truth Sinai was Mount Sinat made glorious by the terrible Majesty of the Lord descending with shrill trumpet in dreadful tempests thunder and lightening where with a lively voice he immediately delivered this lively Oracle crowning this seventh day Sabbath with the very same honour and dignity as the other nine Royal statutes and recording the same in Tables of stone which by his new Covenant he writes in renewed hearts so that if Christians stand obliged to those ten Commandements as so many lively Oracles committed to the Jews to be given unto us Rom. 3.2 Act. 7.38 Iam. 2.8 and that we shall do well in observing these royal Laws according to the Scripture that is according as God himself hath written them then must this very seventh day Sabbath as one of those Royal Laws be for ever observed by saints without alteration or diminution and the rather since this foundation oracle obtains confirmation in the third glorious holy Mountain even in the heighths of Gospel Sion where the very same seventh day Sabbath instituted by the Father is established by the Son which is the second point proposed wherein I shall prove 2 Confirmation That the seventh day Sabbath sanctified by Iehovah is ratified by Iesus upon a two-fold account 1. He owns it by his Words 2. He crowns it by his Works And if this be cleared then surely Christians should carefully observe it both in word and work 1. Our blessed Redeemer confirms the seventh day Sabbath by his Word more generally amongst the rest of those Royal statutes which he assures us shall continue in every tittle not so much as one Hebrew point to be diminished or altered til the heavens be no more and the earth be removed and all be compleated and fulfilled Christian turn to thy Bible and behold with horror the dreadful doom which thy Redeemer hath denounced against such as shall transgress the least of his Laws and teach others to be disobedient Mat. 5.18 19. O how dangerous is the disobedience to this duty seeing it is undeniable that the seventh day Sabbath is a tittle and more then a tittle of that royal Law the wilfull offence of one point whereof renders the Rebel a transgressor of all Gods Laws Iam. 2.10 Suppose the Sabbath were the least Commandement yet saith Christ our King Comp. Mat. 5.19 with Act. 3.23 He that breaketh and bids others break the least of these Commandements shall be cut off from Gods Kingdome Neither doth Christ in flesh whiles the ceremonial Law was in full fore onely confirm the whole moral Law but even since his ascention by his holy spirit he moves his Apostles to establish the whole every part of the ten words Rom. 3. Do we then make void the law through faith saith Paul God forbid yea we establish the law Which cannot be the ceremonial Law Christ having utterly abolished all those beggarly elements It must be onely that * holy Rom. 7.7 12 14. just good spiritual Law which ends with this Command Thou shalt not covet And not in part is this Law perpetuated but in every point saith the other Apostle Jam. 2.10 And therefore let such as after warning slight the seventh day Sabbath make sure work that it be no point of that Law whose every jot and tittle is established by Christ and his Apostles And yet after this full confirmation how fain would vain contentious flesh find out a device to live in disobedience to that precious heavenly Law Object for 't is objected That Christ hath not expresly and particularly established the fourth Commandement and therefore it may be no sin to slight the seventh day Sabbath Answ By this reasoning the Papists may excuse all their Idolatry since Christ hath not expresly and particularly confirmed the second Commandement and therefore they may as lawfully make and worship Images as we may prophane the seventh day Sabbath 'T is sad to strengthen Antichrists lewdness by weakening Christs Law 2. Christ hath confirmed every tittle and his Apostles every point of the Royal Law will not this suffice if not behold the kindness of Christ condescending to our weakness shewing us as it were the very print of the nails fastening his seventh day Sabbath for ever as a foundation Oracle not onely in Eden and Sinai but in the beauty of Sion for he doth expresly own the seventh day Sabbath particularly with the honour that none other Law enjoys professedly acknowledging it to be his Sabbath proclaiming himself Lord of it and most punctually observing it yea solemnly averring that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And indeed this spotless Lamb did faithfully fulfil this Law of the Sabbath as the rest without the least violation of any tittle even then when those presumptuous spirits charged him Mar. 2.27 28. He cheeking their blind conceit who thought belike that Man was made for the Sabbath and informs them that the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath that is for mans benefit and comfort both body and soul even as the Laws of a Nation are made for the subjects and not subjects for the Laws And further be compleats his answer to their false accusation by proclaiming himself Lord of the Sabbath as if he should say The Sabbath is mine I am the Lord of it I made it for Man that he should sanctifie it and therefore having given Man a precept and pattern to keep it I shall not make my self a president to prophane it as you superstitiously suppose Certainly Christs engagement to fulfil it to the least jot or tittle with his professed owning of it claim to it and care for it as its Lord is the fullest confirmation that can possibly be desired That which Christ lays claim to as Lord must needs be confessed to be his esteemed and honoured as his the Bride is his for he is her Lord Psal 45.11 the Harvest is his Heaven and Earth is his the Angels are his and all to be esteemed his who is proclaimed Lord of all Therefore we celebrate the holy Supper because 't is the Lords Supper and therefore we ought to sanctifie the holy Sabbath because he declares himself Lord of the Sabbath He gave it the institution when he made the world he gave it confirmation when he redeemed the world and his Saints must endeavour to observe every jot and tittle of it to the end of the world For as he doth expresly own his holy day in asserting himself Lord of the Sabbath so he takes special care by particular instruction that his Saints might avoid the violation of this rest on earth even whiles he himself should rest triumphantly in Heaven wherefore after his predictions of the approaching
calamities of his rebellious Nation he directs his dear Disciples when to depart from those direfull miseries but especially to be importunate in prayer for forty years together Mat. 24 15. that they might not be forced to fly in the Winter for then the foul ways and short days would make it irksome to their bodies especially to breeding and nursing mothers and no less was the care of this tender shepheard to the souls of his Saints whom he bears in his bosome as also to the sanctity of his Sabbath and therefore adds this petition to their forty years Prayer that they might not be put to fly on the Sabbath day to the dishonour of God and trouble of their spirits in prophaning the sacred season for the preservation of their bodies which was designed for the sweetening of their souls in Hearing Prayer and Praise amiddest the precious societies of Gospell Saints It cannot easily be imagined that Christ should be so carefull in securing his Sabbath had it been ceremonial Col. 2.16 17. at such time as all ceremonies were abolished by Apostolical Proclamation Object And yet it is imagined and the best is but imagined that the Disciples were onely warned of fleeing on the Sabbath by way of prevention of Jewish persecution Answ And can it be conceived rationally that Vespatians Armies and Titus Ensigns should strike no more terrour then that the Jews in stead of securing themselves should trifle away their time in persecuting the Christians Had their flight been on the Sabbath yet seeing they were not to carry any thing no not their clothes they could not be counted transgressours Moreover so superstitious were the Jews that they durst not fight for their life much less persecute others and therefore this could not be intended by our Saviour but his sole designe was to have his seventh day Sabbath sanctified by his Disciples And as our Redeemer thus generally and particularly owned this Sabbath by his holy word so he gloriously crowned it above all other dayes by his mighty works viz. such miracles as never man wrought Mat. 11 20 11 20 If then those Cities were most honoured and engaged where his mighty works were done upon the same account is that day to bee most highly esteemed which Christ crowned with his greatest wonders God forbid that Gospel Saints should side with envious Sadduces in reproaching our Saviour for putting forth his glory on that blessed day but rather with heighthened affections let that Sabbath be religiously celebrated wheron such divine vertue was shewed Neither doth our great exemplar cease here to honour his Sabbath but having owned it by his word and crowned it with his works his constant care both in life and death was to leave a lively president for his people His constant custome during life is visible to all that can read the fourth Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel and for his cessation from his work of redemption the same day of the week and time of the day that the father ceased from his work of creation entring exactly into his rest on the Sabbath as God did this is such a misterious discovery and full confirmation of the seventh day Sabbath as for ever binds all believers by a double obligation to this sweet soul-refreshing duty of which more may be spoken in due time This may suffice abundantly for the confirmation of the seventh day Sabbath by our blessed Saviour The third thing promised 3 Approbation is his approbation of that holy spirit which was appointed by the Saviour of souls to be a constant guide to Gods people So that whatsoever this blessed spirit shall approve of we may safely receive as tried gold weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary and rest upon 〈◊〉 as infallible truth Three things will fully evince the holy spirits approbation of the seventh day Sabbath 1. Luk. 23. ult His high Encomium 2. His mighty operation 3. His constant appellation 1. His high applause given to the pious womens practise of resting according to the Commandement is a full proof of divine approbation For though they celebrated the Sabbath upon Christs crucifixion yet Saint Luke was not inspired to write his Gospel till after Christs ascension as is evident in his preface and confessed by our learned adversaties Luk. 1.2 3 4. Leigh Syst p. 822. That divers years after when all Levitical institutions lost their power of binding the whole Law and each principle thereof doth binde all under the Gospel If then such praise were given to the holy womens celebration that the spirit so long after records it to their honour That they rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement let the conclusion of the parable be the obedient souls instruction Luk. 10.37 Go and do thou likewise set to the Sabbaths observation according to the Commandement if thou wouldst have like praise of Gods spirit Though this might satisfie a willing soul yet others see such a measure of self-denial required in this duty that either God must stoop to their arms in recording the celebration of the 7th day Sabbath after Christs ascension or else they will not obey Well the blessed spirit sweetly condiscends and by the most glorious manifestation and wonderful operation that ever visited the earth confirms the seventh day Sabbath For it was upon this blessed day that he gloriously descended upon the Apostles to the amazement of men Act. 2. for though Antichrist hath long deceived us and we have taken it upon trust that Pentecost was upon the first day of the Week which he hath long honoured with Whitson Ales Wakes and May games yet in plowing up the truth with Gods heifer we shall finde such treasures of long-unveiled misteries in this renowned day as can never sufficiently be admired And the first mistery that displayeth it self Ez. 13.6 waâ— 19.1 11. lieth in the institution of the Feast called Pentecost or the fiftieth day for as the fiftieth day after the first Passeover and wonderfull deliverance from the Egyptian â—urnace the spirit descended in fire upon Sinai to instruct the twelve Tribes of Israel even so the fiftieth day most exactly after Christ our Passeover was sacrificed for us and had wrought our mighty deliverance from that worse then Egyptian bondage Heb. 2.14 15. did the same eternal spirit descend in fire upon Sion to inspire the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And surely this harmonious descent upon the fiftieth day both at Sinai and Sion Barthol de propr rerum p. 152. cannot but be soul-ravishing satisfaction to the religious Christian for the confirmation of his faith in the true Messiah As also this marvellous dispensation upon the seventh day Sabbath cannot but affect his heart with this royal rest which the spirit so eminently approves by his superlative presence And the clearing of this fiftieth day to be the seventh day Sabbath will open more divine misteries as so many coals from the Altar to
secret hand of providence eminently appears in preserving the honourable memory of the seventh day Sabbath for whereas the Heathenish names of Weeks daies are still retained in the decrees of the highest Courts passed on the seventh day the Acts have the proper appellation Die Sabbati But 't is sad that such as so honour it with their Pen should prophane it so openly in their practise And though Satan should prevail with them to become my persecutors I cannot but in faithfulness remember them That as their Laws look for obedience till by the same power that enacted them they shall be repealed so it is most equal they should cease from prophanation of this royal Law of Jehovah till a repeal form the same power can be proved or that the blessed spirit hath any way altered or changed it How sad would a sentence of this import be when 't is too late to reform O thou Prince and Parliament Out of thy own acts I will judge thee who hast recorded the seventh day Die Sabbati and yet hast proclaimed thy chief Markets upon this my Sabbath You profess it in words but prophane it in works you honour it in your Laws but shame it in your lives Oh can it be hoped that a Josiah-like spirit should set upon reformation instead of persecution 2 Rin. 22 8 10 1â— ca. 23 instead of penalties to begin with Sabbath practise Is there no other way to confute Sabbath Keepers then by fine or imprisonments Must Prelatical principles appear after so many Engagements and solemn Protestations of liberty why yet here 's this remedy The will of the Lord be done And so I have done with my three first Proposals for the authority of this truth 1 The Father Institution 2 The Sons confirmation 3 The Spirits approbation And now proceed to the fourth namely 4. The Saints observation 4 Saints observation whereinto I have already made some entrance As first the precious womens practice after our Saviours sufferings when all ceremonies were abolished They rested the seventh day according to the Commandement And doubtless 't is a blessed thing to be found obedient to Gods Commandements 2. It hath been clearly and plainly shewed that even after our Lords highest exaltation the most glorious assembly of saints that ever the world saw was upon the seventh day Sabbath most exemplarily celebrated with prayer preaching baptizing incorporating communicating and all this eminently approved and sealed by the spirits miraculous and special grace in the conversion of thousands suâ—â— a day no Age ever produced Well may this day deserve the honour of a pattern in the Mount and to be exemplary to all posterity 3. The great wisdome of God eminently shines in concealing the practice of the Apostles deputed to serve the Circumcision Gal. 2.9 2 Tim. 1.11 since it must be acknowledged that if the Apostle of the Gentiles who was the great rejecter of ceremonies did constantly celebrate the seventh day Sabbath then much more those Apostles among the Jews whose forbearance was much even in ceremonials The Gospel then being the Epitome of things most necessary onely presents us with Pauls practice for our Christian pattern who expresly requires our conformity in these words Phil. 4.9 Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you Here 's a general injunction which must be observed only with these limitations That Pauls practise be plain possible peaceable Evaugelical and unrepealed or else it binds not 1. It must be plain such as our Lord hath promised to his Lambs Joh. 16.25 2 Cor. 3.12 Col. 2.8 We must take heed of Philosophy and vain deceits of men who set up Ordinances by consequences and have some plain precept or president for our practice and such is the seventh day Sabbath There 's not a plainer precept in all the scripture not any thing more plain then Pauls practice herein and therefore to be observed by saints who desire the presence of the God of peace 2. It must be possible for some things Paul practised impossible for saints as mighty miracles travels c. But for the seventh day Sabbath though flesh and bloud think it a bondage to be detained a day from the Dunghil yet to the self denying Saint 't is a most pleasant season and his soul can seal to it as an easie yoke a light burthen a day exceeding a thousand therefore in this Paul is to be followed 3. His practise must be peaceable if we tread in his steps for Paul was but a man Acts 13.39 and sometimes a very angry man his precept may possibly exceed his practise herein If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts Now the seventh day Sabbath is a day of rest and peace which sweetly calms the perplexed spirit so that thus far wee may freely follow Pauls practise 4. It must be Evangelical for we may not follow Paul in his compliance with the Jews in ceremonials no not to gain the Jews 1 Cor. 9.20 and therefore let Paul pass into the Temple to purifie himself with his Votaries this is no president for me But for the sacred seventh day Sabbath as it was instituted before any ceremonie was in the world for was confirmed Evangelically by the Son of God and by his holy Spirit and therefore in this Evangelical duty I shall attend Paul 5. It must be unrepealed if it oblige Saints for something Paul did which himself after repealed Gal. 5.1 2 3. as the Circumcision of Timothy which he solemnly declares to be utterly destructive to Christianity and therfore waving that let Christians conform to the Apostles practise of the seventh day Sabbath which is proved to be plain possible peaceable truly Evangelical and never in the least tittle repealed or any way altered And thus doing we shall follow Paul as Paul followed Christ 1 Cor. 11 1 2. For as it was undeniably Christs custome to celebâ—ate the seventh day Sabbath so it was Pauls mannet to observe the same day The words are the fame in the Greek both of Christs practise * Luk. 4.16 Acts 17.2 and Pauls the Penman is the same and all the difference in English is onely this Christs custome and Pauls manner Christ as his custome was went went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day Luk. 4.16 And Paul as his manner was did the same thing Acts 17.2 Christ preached and Paul preached and where lies the difference between Christs obsetvation of the seventh day Sabbath and Pauls observation of the seventh day Sabbath It is made a great argument for the observation of the first day Act. 20.7 That Paul once preached on that day but it is as clearly declared Acts. 18.4 that Paul preached every Sabbath day onely the Translators have not dealt so clearly
the Father Established by the Son Approved by the Spirit and Observed by the Saints And if these will not prevail with Christians so called to break off their weekly prophanation of this sanctified Sabbath I shall leave them to the righteous judgement of the great day and for their sakes who obtain the grace of self-denial to cast off their carnal encumbrances and joyn with the ancient Gospel Saints in observing the Sabbath I shall now descend to the 4th part of my general Pofition and as I have confirmed the Sabbaths Authority so I doubt not through Christ strengthening me to prove its Porpetuity THE Fourth head Perpetuity of the seventh day Sabbath The infinite wisdome who is Lord of the Sabbath foreseeing the high presumption of the little horn such as to change both times and lawes and knowing that all truths ebbe and flow in the sonls esteeme as holy time is sleighted and observed was graciously pleased most strongly to secure that law against which Satan and his eldest Son would make their first and fiercest assault For t is to be observed that the horn attempted first to change times and then laws well knowing that holy laws are taught and learned especially in holy times and therefore he first prevailed with Constantine as is declared to change the Sabbath time into the first day But against this designe doth the good God graciously guard his Sabbath and Alarm his Saints to be especially mindfull of this truth setting a superscription as it were a watchword upon the portall of this precept REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy telling us expresly what day it is The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God so that if the Lord be indeed thy God thou must observe that seventh day for his Sabbath which he hath so carefully required thee to remember as knowing that Antichrist would doe his utmost to cause thee to forget it either in slighting of it as a ceremony or else in changing this blessed day Jeroboam-like and burying its very name under the odious and most detestable name of Saturday that it may therefore be known to his Saints as no ceremony but a perpetual unchangeable Royall Law the Lord hath fenced it above all other Laws first positively keep it holy Secondly negatively doe not work upon it and that thou maist never be insnared to change or alter it I charge thee carefully to Remember this Law in a speciall singular manner This may for ever silence their conceits who would slight the seventh day Sabbath as a jewish ceremony though their consciences know it was instituted before any Jew or ceremony had being Ten Royall Laws the Lord delivers to his Saints and knowing that all of them would be more or lesse observed as his Sabbath should be sanctified or slighted he bids he forbids he marks it above all the rest that it may be remembred and yet disobedient spirits dare reject it as ceremoniall and put upon the highest an absurdity as grosse as likely can be imagined As if wisdome it selfe should with so much care command the exact remembrance of a ceremony above all his morall Laws for thus vaine man would render his maker I your Lord God doe here deliver you ten precents nine of which are perpetuall but one â—s a changeable ceremony wherefore I chang you to observe all my nine royall precepts but especially observe my perishing Sabbath which is but a meer ceremony besure you sanctifie that besure you doe not prophane that besure you remember that I lay it as a speciall command upon your souls to remember my mutable ceremoniall seventh day Sabbath more especially Me thinks gracious hearts should tremble to put such an absurdity upon God himselfe as binding us to remember that which as a mutable ceremony should be forgotten and buried in oblivion yea and which is yet more absurd if more may be they render the reason of sanctifying the seventh day Sabbath on this wise For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth and rested the first day wherefore the Lord blessed the first day for his Sabbath and sanctified it either we must put this absurdity also upon our God or else we must cast off the fourth commandement at least the reason of it must be rejected or else which is better then a thousand shifts we must returne from the little horn to our first husband and do the Saints first works and religiously remember the seventh day Sabbath to sanctifie it Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Isa 64.5 those that remember thee in thy wayes If it be objected that not Christians but Jewes are commanded to remember and observe the seventh day Sabbath I answer 1. That not the Christians but the Jewes were first commanded the rest of the ten commandements If Christians are to walke by the Jewes nine commandements as a righteous rule they are no lesse oblieged to every jott and tittle of the Jewes ten commandements The Royall Law of God was dispenced to the Jewes not only for themselves Act. 7.38 But to give unto us as that first faithfull martyr of the Lord Jesus taught in his funerall sermon when filled with the irresistable wisdome of the holy Spirit he sealed the faith of the Gospell with his blood and amongst the rest of those Evangelicall verities which the protomartyr prized as the Christians priviledges this is undeniably an eternall truth That the Jewes did receive those lively Oracles from mount Sinai to give unto us Here then 't is evident first what Lawes are Gods lively Oracles namely those precious precepts which God himselfe by the Angell of his presence delivered with a lively voice in the mount Sinai one of which lively Oracles is the seventh day Sabbath 2. To whom these lively Oracles were delivered and this is agreed on all hands that the only people so highly priviledged above all the world were the beloved Israelites 3. For whom and to what end were these lively Oracles from mount Sinai delivered to Israel And this is as cleare by blessed Stephens divine Testimony They received the lively Oracles from the mount Sinai to give unto us that is unto me Stephen an Officer in the church of Christ and to all my brethren for whose faith in the true Messiah I am now pleading my last they received the lively Oracles to give unto us Christians this is cleare that the Jewes received the lively Oracles from the Mount Sinai to give unto us though we have no heart to receive them yet God hath a heart of love to give them not only to the Jewes but even to us Christians 4. Then the fourth inquiry will be whether these lively Oracles from Sinai were given us to be broken or kept to be slighted or observed If to be kept and observed then either we must deny the seventh day Sabbath to be one of Sinai's lively Oracles or deny Stephens doctrine of their being delivered to the Jewes to
have considerable first the continued duty that is The celebration of the Sabbath 2. The persons exhorted to the duty and they are such as by entring into the spirituall rest through faith are the people of God 3. Here 's the ground and reason of the duty and this is twofold 1. Gods rest from Creation 2. Christs rest from Redemption First as to the remaining duty the celebrating of the Sabbath I need say little having already shewed that the seventh day Sabbath is one of those lively Oracles that Israel received from Sinai to give unto us And that our God hath especially commanded us to whom these Oracles are given to REMEMBER his seventh day Sabbath to sanctifie it and t is our mercy that his holy spirit doth here record what the translators were loath to reveale in english That there remaineth the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God I know t is set downe in the margin of our Bibles the keeping of a Sabbath whence they would evade the seventh day Sabbath and set up a Sabbath of their own although the Dictionaries and Lexicons render it plainly the keeping of the Sabbath But let the people of God celebrate the seventh day Sabbath untill they can find the holy Spirit calling any other day a Sabbath and then let them change The second thing is the persons exhorted to this duty and they are believers entred into their spirituall rest and therefore t is most irrationall to affirm this remaining Sabbath to be nothing but a spirituall rest into which believers enter verse 3. and so become the people of God and as Gods people they are to celebrate the Sabbath There remaineth therefore the celebration of the Sabbath to those that are already the people of God And I hope such as are the people of God will remember to observe it as being under a double obligation I Gods institution and observation making himselfe our president of which I have already spoken 2. Christs cessation from his great works and entring thereupon into his rest and this is laid down as the Gospel reason why the Sabbath remaines to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his owne works Some conceive That believers are here said to enter into rest but then it would be needless to excite them to enter in the verse following It is Christ only * Heb. 4.12 whose entrance into rest is here intended who ceased from his works as God did from his and therefore there remaineth che celebration of the Sabbath to the people of God Here then the mysterious payment of mans Ransome is matter of high admiration being the same day that man was made and that very day and time of the day whereon God finished the glorious work of creation and so ceasing from his labours our Saviour exactly entered into his rest that very day and time as God began his rest povidentially ordering his body to be taken down and laid to rest in his Sepulchre in the Close of the sixth day that no part of his Sabbath should be violated and thus ceasing from his works as God did and entering into his Rest exactly as God did it laies believers under a double engagement to sanctifie the seventh day Sabbath That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father i.e. As the Father engageth us to honour him in celebrating the sabbath because he rested on it from the works of Creation John 5.23 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even so the Son engageth us to sanctifie the same holy sabbath because he rested in it from the works of our redemption There remaineth therefore the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God Mr Aspinwall and others would perswade us without one word from God that Christ entred into his rest upon the day of his Resurrection whereas he journeyed fifteen miles that very day which was no faire president for celebrating a Sabbath But that he entred into rest the true seventh day Sabbath when he had finished his great worke of Redemption the Scripture gives full evidence Our deare Redeemers soule was no sooner seperated from his body but his better part immediately entred into glory by his own resignation of it into Gods custody saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And now the converted theife reaped his promised fruits To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And soon after our Saviours soul had taken possession for us of glory his blessed body was laid to rest in the grave the quiet cell of a weary soul There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest Job 17.3 There are some that deny Christs rest in the grave mistaking that text of Gods loosing The pains of death As if God had not then loosed the pains of death Luke 24 25 26. when Christ resigned his spirit into his protection and for his body that also was far from pains for having finished his work John 19.30 Heb. 1.14 Rev. 14.13 and by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified he enjoyed that rest from his labours which is the lot of those that dy in the Lord yea the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the grave his heart rejoiced his tongue was glad and his flesh did Rest in hope Act. 2.26 Whiles the Deity held Christs body and soul asunder like a man with a drawn sword in one hand and a Scabberd in the other which the third day he again put into his sheath Since then it is so fully manifest that Christ ceased from his works as God did from his own works and so entring into his rest exactly celebrated the seventh-day Sabbath quietly and out of the reach of desperate enemies his soul in glory his body in the grave we must conclude that there remaineth therefore the celebration of the Sabbath to the people of God And so according to our pretious Saviours example let us resolve through grace with the close of the sixt day to recall our better part and resign it to Gods service saying Return unto thy Rest O my soul Psa 116. for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee and likewise with the burial of Christs body burying all our earthly business in the grave of oblivion Let us at last begin to consecrate the true seventh day-Sal bath as a day of delights to the Lord and so obtain mercy for the Sabbath pollution of our daies of ignorance and Christ will not fail to pour oyl and wine into those wounds our souls have received amongst Thieves who have stollen and taught us to steal holy time from God And thus grace by weekly returns from Sabbath to Sabbath shall so strengthen our hearts that at last we shall arrive at our expected home our joyfull jubilee a Sabbath whose Sun shall never set 5 Rest eternal which is that true eternal rest
whereunto the Apostle presseth v. 11. Let us therefore labour to enter into that Rest Heb. 4.11 lest any man fall after Israels example of Disobedience And thus in opening the five-sold rest contained though promiscuously in the third and fourth to the Hebrews I hope it is convincingly manifested that the seventh day Sabbath by a double obligation remaines to the people of God And indeed it is impossible to change it without violation to the confessed morality of the commandement for whereas our adversaries assert a just seventh part of time yea and a seventh day as truly Moral they know the seventh day from the Creation was instituted in Paradise and the same day commanded from Mount Sinai and certain it is that if the Jewes had observed any other day they had destroyed the morality neither can the wisest Christian in the World contrive a change but he destroys the morality for let him change the Sabbath to the sixth day and that cannot be a seventh day or seventh part of time Let him translate it to the eighth day and then seven daies passe without any one Sabbath Let him keep the seventh day and the eighth or first day at his change of the sabbath and then he keeps two sabbaths within the circuit of seven daies So that do what he can the morality is subverted either he must deny the morality of a seventh day or seventh part of time or else he must stick to the good old seventh-day-Sabbath I would not smother any objection that might carry the least shew for any other Sabbath then this lively oracle of the Seventh day knowing therefore that some endeavours have been used by such my soul honours for the image of God upon them I shall weigh their apprehensions as they are declared and first from Mark 16.1 Object 1 Object Mark 16.1 1. T is supposed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie being dissolved and so it may be rendred when the Sabbath was dissolved Answ Answ T is strange that any tender conscience should take liberty from a strained participle to live in the weekly pollution of the Royall Sabbath but the word is fairly translated when the Sabbath was past or the sabbath being passed over or compleatly finished 2. It onely intends the passing over and compleat finishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that one individual sabbath there is not the least appearance of abolishing that lively oracle which enjoines the seventh day sabbath Behold the Wisdome of the spirit overturning this device while he secures what the Objectors strike at for it is not the Sabbath they contend against but the seventh day now if they will strain at the word let them stick to the word which mentions not the seventh day at all but the sabbath St. Mark doth not say the seventh day was finished but when the sabbath was ended so that they cannot hence reject the seventh day and retain the sabbath 4. The scope of the Evangelist is to hold forth the passing over of that rest which prevented the womens applications of their spices Luke 23. ult and that was the sabbathday or the duty not one syllable expressed of the time or seventh day and though I am aboundantly satisfyed that the sabbath and the seventh day are unseparable never to be divided yet the objectors can distinguish as clearly as my self between the seventh day which is the time and the sabbath which is the duty so that if they 'l dissolve any thing from a squeezed participle it must not be the seventh day which lies unmentioned but the sabbath duty which is expressed And doubtless many great professors had rather cashier the sabbath duty morality of the fourth commandement yea and the morality of all the commandements as no way concerning Christians then set to the celebration of the seventh daie The Lord pity them whiles I return to another precious to the Lord and faithfull amongst the Saints who yet objecteth Object that Saint Matthews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie the ultimate end of the sabbath Math. 18.1 never to be celebrated more amongst Christians 1 Answ This may receive the same answer with the former for if it destroy any thing it must be the duty which is expresly in the word sabbaths and not the day and time of the rest which is not mentioned If persons will strain at expressions they must keep to these expressions This adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not primarily or properly signifie the end but the genuine signification of it is vespere the evening and to it should be rendred viz. the evening of the Sabbaths Let the scriptures be consulted where this advâ—â—b is used which is but twice that I can find in the new testament Mark 11.19 and 13.25 in both which places it signifies the evening for the sence would be mar'd to render it other wise and so here the evening of the Sabbaths termed Sabbath in the plural as being not onely the seventh day sabbath but the Jews passover sabbath as is evident well I hope it is not possible for Satan to delude tender consciences long with such sory slights Luke 23. with John 19.24.31 as to neglect a royal statute of Jehovah upon such slender terms But since the seventh day sabbath is undoubtedly one of those lively oracles which Israel received from Sina to give unto us O Christians embrace it love it lay it in your bosomes it in vites and will conduct you weekly into the Princes presence where it will open unto you all the rest of those lively oracles and divine mysteries that are coupled with it while such as slight and reject this heavenly law and still assert a chang without book shall run themselves upon many dangerous rocks and sands which tender hearts should tremble at As first they must affront the holy spirit who was most punctual in sundry scriptures for the solemn repeal and abrogation of circumcision and all those typical Sabbaths which were against us and contrary to us shaddowing good things to come with the visible burial of the whole body of the ceremonial law and yet this blessed spirit purposely appointed to lead us into all truth was so far from repealing the seventh day Sabbath that he constantly calls that and none other the Sabbath day that is the Lords holy rest-day and pours down his graces in most abundant measure that day So that if the sabbath day be altered Gods holy spirit cannot escape an affront for concealing the change from us Certainly there is need of a clear word for the change or repeal of such a royall Law and lively oracle Next to their traducing of Gods spirit Acts 20. The sabbath changers must needs bring a high charge against the Apostle for calling God to record that he had not shunned to declare all the counsel of God and yet never opened his mouth about the change of the royal seventh day sabbath He manifestly declared the nullity of all ceremonial Laws but as for this lively Oracle with the rest he termed it a holy Rom. 3 just spiritual good Law and so without the least exception established the whole Law yea and the sabbath in
in his change of Gods seventh day to his eighth day hath little spiritual eye sight But that Gods children may for ever beware of changing his appointments let his displeasure that brake forth against holy David be our admonition David had a pious purpose to fetch the Ark of God to Jerusalem he goes with 30000. chosen men 2 Sam. 6. sâ—ts the Ark upon anew cart the oxen they shake it Vzzah endeavours to support God smits him dead and spoils all their mirth But what is the cause of all this why it is their invention of setting the Ark upon a new a cart which should onely have been carried on the Levites shoulders of which errour holy David being made sensible humbly repents before the Lord saying 1 Chr. 15.2.13 None ought to carry the Ark of God but the Levîtes for because ye did it not at the first the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order I solemnly professe unto you my flesh trembles in writing this sad example and dare any continue by weekly disorder to provoke this jealous God believe it Christians it is not all your doing that will avail it must be so doing that God will accept Let all things be done decently and in order Now all these things were written for our admonition Rom. 15.4 Therefore think not after admonition that any sabbath will be accepted but that alone which God hath ordained God will at last make a breach upon you if you do not repent in time and seek him after the due Order I have nowthrough grace fully proved the unchangable perpetuity of Gods seventh day Sabbath That it is Gods special command to remember it That it is one of those lively oracles received by Israel from Sinai to give unto us That we are under a double obligation to observe it First from Gods rest at the Creation Secondly from Christs rest at our Redemption There remaineth therefore the celebration of the sabbath to the people of God Undoubtedly Sinai's lively oracles given to Christians are some of Sions cords or stakes to fasten us in obedience to our God and it is his faithfull promise that they shall be perpetuated Not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed Isa 33.20 neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken Let Antichrist conspire with earthly powers to break these bands in sunder Psa 2.3 and cast away these cords from them 'T is but for a time times and half a time Da 7.25 The saints shall recover their changed Laws and changed times too and in keeping the royall Law those lively oracles according to the scriptures they shall do well and be blessed in their deed Ia. 1.15 2.8.10 whiles such as content themselves with partial obedience shall know when Lord Lord will be to late that whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet off end in one point wilfully after warning he is guilty of all Now that sincere souls may sweetly conform themselves to this Royal Law this lively Oracle this perpetual remaining seventh day-Sabbath I shall in the power of the Highest assist them in the next part of my Position The fifth Head Sanctification AS the word sabbath fignifies holy Rest so this rest is to be sanctified to the honour of the holy God by a holy People in a holy manner T is no small mercy that God hath winked at the daies of our ignorance while we were weekly wallowing in Sabbath-pollution and that now he calls upon us to repent Acts 17.30 and reform in Sabbath sanctification The seventh seal being undoubtedly opened Pro. 9.1 Rom. 12. Ep. 4.11 12. hath discovered the seven Pillars of wisdomes house i. e. Those seven sorts of officers into whose Hearts God will put grace to trumpet forth the glory of the seventh-day-Sabbath whiles faithful souls coming out of their one thousand two hundred and sixty years wilderness condition Can. 8.5 leaning upon their beloved Re. 12.17 will readily embrace and keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Observe here the blessed character of those blessed souls that come flying as a cloud out of Babylonish abominations to the Windows of the Ark of God These are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Here 's the Character of a new Creature that hath a faith working by love he knows that circumcision is nothing Compare Gal. 6 15. with 5.6 1 Cor. 7.19 and uncircumsion is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God All the tongue profession in this World is nothing all the pretences of spiritual Sabbatizers with their guilded expressions of living in the bosom of love is nothing This is the Love of God 1 John 5.3 that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous To be sure this command of sanctifying Gods Sabbath is not gâ—ievous to gracious souls As the Jewes in their return from literal Babylon set to the observation of all they sound enjoined them in the holy Scriptures though some things bad been discontinued a long time So the faithful Christians coming out of mystical Babylon Read Neh. 8.8.14.17 such as do not only believe in Jesus but are likewise found with the commandments of God those lively oracles that Israel received from Sinai to give unto us Wherefore seeing how Antichrist violated the second commandment by his idolatrous images they first cast out the Idols and kept the second commandement they also relinquished the horrible blasphemies of the Beast and so observed the third commandement And at last taking a serious view how Antichrist had changed times as evidently as laws Rev. 12.17 they set long since to the sanctification of Gods seventh-day Sabbath according to the fourth commandement upon which the Dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. A remnant there was in the Prelates daies that endeavoured to keep Gods Sabbath amongst his commandements but the Dragon in Lawn sleeves was wroth with them the Proud image of the Beast pushed at them and undoubtedly whatsoever relique remains of the Beasts image in the present powers will be putting forth the horn to push at the observers of the true seventh-day-Sabbath whatsoever is of Antichrist in the present Authority will not cannot indure to see those times reformed which the little horn hath changed It is the nature of all Jeroboams golden Calves not only to observe those times which their Founder hath devised of his own heart But to push at Gods people and impose penalties upon them for observing Gods Sabbath But whiles these go on in sin and make England to sin in the weekly pollution of the Lords true Sabbath handed from Sinai by Israel unto us and whiles others have devised an every-day Sabbath to secure themselves under
judgements and therefore there is little in those instances of fire and other providences upon the first day for if the judgements but of one generation were observed it is easy to think that as many fires flouds or the like may be found upon any other day Dumbar and Worcester sight are fresh instances of the same day twelve month yea divers instances of this nature might be brought against the first day of thunder lightnings c. Wounding and killing divers persons in sundry places Psa 81.11 12. while they have been at publick worship on the first day But the most dreadful judgement is to leave persons after conviction to their own hearts lusts As also so those woful wordly wights that are convinced of the Lords sabbath and prefer a little gain before it what will they what can they answer the Lord of the sabbath in the last day when they shall see all their drosse which they have doted upon devoured by the burning flame before their faces Then shall their sorrows be greatly aggravated to see those sabbath keepers whom for sabbaths sake they envied maligned invested with robes and palmes of victory in eternal glory And now that these righteous persons the people of God for whom in special the sabbath was made may be encouraged in their continued sanctification of this blessed day I shall in the last place shew the use and end of this seventh day Sabbath of the Lord our God The eighth Head Vse and End THe two great designs of a sanctified soul are Gods glory and his own felicity and these are the scope of my Position and with these I shall conclude That the seventh day Sabbath is a perpetual royal rest for the righteous established by precept and president for Gods praise and Saints priviledge 1. I have fully proved the rest in its morality uncapable of mutability 2. I have demonstrated the punctual appointed time to be the seventh day 3. I have vindicated the authority of this seventh day-day-Sabbath from 1. The fathers institution 2. The sons confirmation 3. The spirits appellation 4. The Saints observation 4. I have cleared the unchangeable perpetuity of this seventh-day-Sabbath 5. I have shewed how it should be sanctified 6. I have declared the nature of the royal law not a covenant but a Rule 7. I have pointed out the persons who are specially concerned in the celebration of this day viz. the saints of Christ And now I am to inform these pretious persons of the blessed end and holy use of this lively oracle for as there is no precept that does more promote Jehovahs praise so there is no part of the royal Law of Liberty that doth more advance the Saints priviledge upon this day the Almighty sits in his throne of State amidst the assemblies of Saints in the beauties of holiness This day the faithful Doves mounting on the wings of contemplation Isa 33.17 behold the King in his beauty and cease not soaring till seeing things invisible their raised notes sing forth his glorious praise with the sweet singer of Israel O Lord Psalm 8. our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth thou hast set thy glory above the heavens This day with self-denying grace they leave the Worlds lovers to that muck which moves their earthly minds and take some turns with their Prince in paradise delighting to behold the wonderful glory and celerity of the Sun in his circuit the moon in her constant unconstancy the stars as so many sparling glories in the expanded firmament communicating some glimmerings of that inaccessible light from the Empyreal Heavens And then from this Pinacle as it were a Pisgah sight of Palestine wondring at the wisdom and power of that glorious potentate who hath hung the earth this vast massie Globe in the midst of the fleeting air upon nothing admiring the Sea that huge unruly element surrounded in a sandy girdle with such a marvellous motion as makes the wisest of the Sons of men amazed O the glory excellency might and majesty of the maker of all these The soul cannot but make one in that heavenly consort which with united hearts and voices sounds forth Jehovahs praise in that Psalm especially designed for the Sabbath Psal 92. 1. To praise the Lord most thankfully it is an excellent thing And to thy Name O thou most High sweet Psalms of praise to sing 2. To spread thy loving kindness Lord When Mornings glory springs And all thy faithfulnesse record 3. Each might with heavenly firings 4. For thou hast made me to rejoice in work so wrought by thee And I triumph in heart and voice thy handy works to see 5. How great O Lord who can expresse thy works and thoughts profound Which are a deep so bottomless that none can search or sound Thus doth the Heavenly Psalmist teach Sabbath-keepers to set forth the glory of the invisible Creator by the admirable beauty and excellency of the sisible creature This is the first use and end of the sanctified seventh-day Sabbath purposely appointed to spread forth Jehovahs praise And after the Prophet hath discovered the ignorance of brutish persons with the vanity and issue of their earthly endeavours That though they spring as grass and flourish in their sensuality for a season yet it is but like beasts in a fat pasture feeding for the shambles to perish for ever He acquaints us in the close of this Psalm with the second Use and end of the Sabbath which is strength growth by insensible degrees as so many plants of renown to full maturity 10. But like the Stately Vnicorn shall I advanced be Jehovah will exhalt my horn and pour fresh oyl on mâ— 11. The righteous like the Palm shall be flourishing every one And like the goodly Cedar Tree in lofty Lebanon 13. Those that within the house of God are planted by his grace In our Gods Courts shall spread abroad and flourish in their place 14. And in their age much fruit shall bring delightfull to be seen And pleasantly both bud and spring with boughes and branches green 15. The Lords uprightness to express who is a rock to me And there is no unrighteousness in him nor none can be What glorious priviledges are here presented as the pretious portion of Sabbath-keepers and yet as if these were too little for us whom God hath stirred up in these last daies to raise the razed foundations of many generations he assures us by his Prophet that he who was Jacobs portion will be also ours If we turn away our foot from Sabbath-pollution and make that day our delight then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord Is 58.12 13 14. and I will cause thee to ride upon the High places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Friends God is not obliged to us for sanctifying his Sabbath but we are for ever engaged to