that the son of thy handmaid and stranger be refreshed Numb 28.25 Jer. 17.21 Carry no burden Levit. 23.3 It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all their dwellings Exod. 16.29 Let no man go out of his place on the Sabbath Vers 26. Ye shall finde no manna thereon Deut. 31.16 The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual continue untill Christ came and carnal ceremonies were put to an end Rom. 4.11 3. God in Horeb makes a covenant with all the people Deut. 5.2 3. and in Exod. 31.16 The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout all their congregations for a perpetual covenant it is a signe between me and the children of Israel for ever Exod. 34.27 Objected This seems to hold out three covenants and the Scripture holds out but two Answ That Abraham had is the same with ours and hence is Abraham called the father of the faithful onely the administrations thereof differs now from what it had then 1. This covenant of the Law continuing the signe thereof must also continue Ezek. 20.20 My Sabbath as distinct from the Lords day 2. The Scriptures call after Christs resurrection the seventh-dayes-seventh-dayes-Sabbath Sabbath as well as the first if rightly translated 3. The Apostles met with the Jews and taught them that day usually 4. No Scripture shews the abolishing thereof 5. It is necessary those under that covenant should have a day and time to serve God in as those under the new 6. The Sabbath of the new must not be to those under the old covenant nor the Sabbath of the old to those under the new Mat. 9.17 Men put not new wine into old bottles nor peece an old garment with a new peece of cloth 7. In the estate of the Church all things are become new but then it is only with such as are of the Church with others not of the Church they are so under the old covenant as if there had never been any new Mark saith the Apostle what the law saith it saith to them that are under the law Rom. 3.13 so that those under the Law are commanded to work six dayes and rest the seventh only 8. Thus not an iota or tittle of the law perisheth the morality of the seventh-day-Sabbath is continued and yet no Judaizing in the thing for this was no part of the ceremonial law the ground of the seventh day being from the creation but of the ceremonies from the redemption of Christ 9. Thus Christ destroyes not the law but establisheth it Jesus Christ not taking unbelievers from being under the law in which estate they were and subjection thereunto 10. God will judge them by the law that are under the law Now the law requires them that are under it to keep the seventh day Sabbath Rom. 2.12 and those that are risen with Christ and marryed to him are under the Gospel and Gospel-day this truth shines forth clearly Rom. 7.1 2 3 4. where untill the woman is married to Christ shee is under her first husband Moses 11. The one hath a rest with God and beast and creatures by Moses the other hath a rest with God and Christ and angels souls of just men made perfect on mount Sion Heb. 12. Note Moses and Christ are two and do not destroy each other Christ onely perfects Moses the covenants are two the Sabbaths two the states two one of the world the other of the Church one under the law the other under the Gospel which estates are not to be confounded or made one Hence Col. 2.16 Let no man judge you in respect of the Sabbath dayes 1. Keeping the seventh day Sabbath while unbelievers 2. Being received by the Church and now observe the first and work on the seventh whereas before he wrought on the first and sanctified the seventh justly brings men to be judged and questioned for so doing among men not knowing the truth and the will of God therein A strange confusion in the world for some time there was if we may believe Socrates who saith the Church of Rome observed onely the first day Sabbath and all other Churches the seventh See into what division the loss of truth had brought the then world into and ever since in this darkness arose out of the bottomless-pit Rev. 9.3 hath the world been shut up 3. He that is under the law-day Sabbath is to be punished according to its law if he observe it not and he that is under the Gospel-Sabbath is to be proceeded against according to the way of the Gospel by those several powers set up of God in them Object God requires but one day of seven this is two Resp One day is but observed for those observe the first are not bound to observe the seventh and those bound to observe the seventh are not bound to observe the first Object Some would then be buying selling merchandizing on both dayes and no day observed which would be very gross confusion Resp This confusion in the Apostles dayes if you call it so and the Apostle never tearmed it such at all but saith Let no man judge you much more let no man condemne you in respect of Sabbath dayes Col. 2. 2. By this means the Apostles gathered the Jews and Judaizing Gentiles teaching in the Synagogues on the seventh and after in the Churches on the first 3. By this as the Jews held a preparation to their Sabbath so now is the seventh dayes Sabbath a preparation to the first 4. There is no sin where is no law Moses gave no command to those under the law to observe the first day Christ gave no command to those under grace to observe the seventh day Sabbath 5. Anrichrist could never have made the Church and the world one but by destroying those ordinances that separated them and making them one in Church-ordinances it was easie to perswade the world to be one with the Church but not the Church with the world Quest is If the law-estate can be restored and not the seventh dayes Sabbath 2. Whether men untill they are Evangelically called thence are not of and under that estate in respect of their visible estate and condition in the world Gal. 4.1 Object The Apostles gathered many from Paganisme and never were under the law at all Resp The legal external administration was in a manner abolished 2. Those were gathered were under it spiritually and inwardly before they were gathered 4. If God effectually called them to be under the second the first was waxen old to them then only and not before Object Who shall be Ministers of this administration seeing Aarons priesthood dyeth Resp Aaron was not the Minister of this this was ministred in the Synagogues Aaron ministred in the temple onely 2. The Scribes or Lawyers which were not Levites or Priests they read the law in Synagogues and are said to sit in Moses not Aarons chaire Mat. 23.2 3. In the
Synagogue it was common to read or teach Luk. 4.16 17. Acts 13.15 The ruler of the Synagogue I take to be none else but one designed in especial to take care of the well-ordering of all things to be done therein In the word is no priesthood after this administration but a scribe a writer of the law that knew how to read it well Hence the people are called a Kingdome of Priests every one being to be a law-priest for expounding the judicial law Exod. 19.6 Object What confusion would this bring forth in families Resp Is there more amongst us then was among Jews and Gentiles at the first erecting of Churches 2. Did not Christ foretell as much when he said there should in one house be three against two and two against three Luk. 12.52 3. Doth not the Apostle say the servant then to the heathen was the Lords freeman 1 Cor. 7. See how God plagued Pharaoh for keeping his people from serving him Object Rev. 18.4 God calls his people out of Babel or Rome the false Church onely Resp This is the first step from her to separate the world and Church 2. We are not to come out of Babels Church-practice onely but her state-practices also not in duties of the Gospel only but the law also A people in civil society cannot be without the law as in the Church-society they cannot be without the Gospel and be with and under God therein The first-day-Sabbath is of the covenant of grace the seventh of works Moses is taught the seventh Christ the first natural men observe one believers the other yet both sanctified and Sabbaths and to be kept holy Object This would be exceeding loss to the Nation Resp Never man did lose by serving God but gaine 2. The godly man must sell all If he will be a Christian and deny himself and be dead to all Note The heathens set apart some time to serve their Gods of wood and stone in though they had no warrant to do the same shall not those are the people of God much more have some day to serve him in and what day but that God in the laws instituted from which before the Son hath made them free they are not discharged from what service the law requires nor what penalty the law imposeth on them for disobedience apply Mat. 5.19 Hear what the law saith to those under the law James 2.10 Whosoever keepeth the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all Rom. 3.19 that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Gal. 3.10 Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Appl. This seems to me that men under the law are strictly bound to the observation of the seventh-day-Sabbath of which number all unbelievers are who are bound to serve God for the creature-comforts and mercies though they know not Christ but are in the state of the world Appl. The Lords-day-Sabbath is only to be observed in the Church by men made free by Christ from the law curse and condemnation thereof Heb. 4.9 There remaineth a Sabbatisme to the people of God called another day vers 8. from the 7. Note verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is of great concernment to be inquired into that whiles we strive to build up what we should not we pull down what we ought not I hope you would not for a world make a law to make void the law of God The Sabbath gave way to circumcision though it were not of Moses that is Moses law John 7.22 23. that the law of Moses concerning circumcision might not be broken It is very remarkable that in all the conflicts the Scribes and Pharisees had with Christ about the Sabbath he never spake of the abolishing of it nor condemned the right observance of it though the Jews were more oft offended at Christ for this then any thing he curing more on that day then any because looked on by the Lord as the work of the day and they the more troubled at it because done thereon which they judged to be a profanation thereof Note As the law was given by the found of Trumpet so the congregations of the Synagogues were to be called by trumpet and not by bells Numb 10.7 Exod. 19.16 which minded them of giving of the law and the covenant then made the believers by rising of the Sun that is the time and call of them for their worship Sabbath dayes journey some understand one some to be two miles which was no less to be observed under the Gospel then under the law-day-Law-day-Sabbath Joshua 3.4 Acts 1.12 The Scriptures rightly expounded will clear this Antichristian darkness O take the vaile from our eyes and hearts Mark 16.1 The Sabbath being end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 2. Early in the morn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the first of Sabbaths it being the first of the lords-day-Lords-day-Sabbath or the first of the two Sabbaths the Lords day being the first the seventh day the last of the week according to the Scripture The first shall be last and last first And for the ceremonial Sabbath they are no more called Sabbaths but the seventh and first day are called Sabbaths alway in the word The Scriptures speaking of the lords-day-Lords-day-Sabbath misinterpreted for the first day of the week and calls the seventh day a Sabbath also are these Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 20.1 Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 That the Scriptures are misinterpreted when read the first day of the week is clear for when God speaks of the first day of the week Mark 16.9 he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural and thus the Pharisees Luk. 18.12 fasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. After Christ the law-day-Law-day-Sabbath was observed by the Jews men under the Law among whom the Apostles taught and never in one word reproved them Acts 18 2. Paul as his manner was went into the Synagogue to the Jews and three Sabbath dayes reasoned out of the Scriptures with them Note his manner was and thus in many other Scriptures 2. The lords-day-Lords-day-Sabbath was observed among believers Act. 20.7 On the first or one of the Sabbaths when the Disciples came together to bread bread Paul preached to them c. and that 1 Cor. 16.2 On every first of Sabbaths a command to the Church of Corinth every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him 3. Having shewed you that both the first and the seventh day that under the covenant of the law and that under the covenant of grace Moses Sabbath day and Christs conjunctly are called Sabbaths and so of divine authority alike onely one is a command to men under the law the other to men under grace now I shall shew you how they are distinctly called Sabbaths Heb. 4.4 He speaks of the seventh
is not left to any to take away the life of any but as God hath appointed which for idolatry is generally stoning by the hands of all the people 4. It is observed by some that when it is said His blood be on him then stoning is meant or otherwise when the death is not expressed then strangling but usually though the death be not set down in one place it is in another 5. In stoning the people were to shew their hatred of the evil committed that they and theirs might be free of the curse and judgement threatned against them for the same one man not being able to do the same by that or any other way of putting to death Judgement 1. Jezebel and the Priests of Baal slaine 1 Kings 18.22 and 2 Kings 10. 2. Ahazia sends to Baal-zebub and dyeth 2 Kings 1. 3. Belshazzar slaine praising his gods Dan. 5.4 5 30. Numb 25.2 The Moabites called the people to the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods in which vers 3. they were said to be joyned to Baal-peor Statute Levit. 17.7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices to devils after whom they have gone a whoring Judgement Verse 9. Shall be cut off from among the people The command binds affirmatively Thou shalt have me to thy God Now the way of Gods calling a people and becoming a God to them nationally is by giving them laws and they taking them from him and professing subjection to them as to their Gods commands whom they ought to serve To the keeping whereof God adds by promise many blessings as David Psal 19.11 In keeping thereof is great reward To the breach whereof are added many curses of body soul goods name family earth and heaven all are shut up to men for it The which giving of laws royally to his people is the only work and prerogative royal of God and therefore is the law moral called the Royal law Jam. 2.8 and thus the Scripture saith There is hut one law-giver who is able to save and destroy who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4.12 And hence are all laws of heathens said to be no laws and they without law and all the ordinances and the corrupt expositions of the law made by ancient expositors and received by their children among the Jews called traditions and they were such as made voide the law among them that had it In which it appears there is no law but Gods nor no true law-maker but God law government and judgement among Gods people especially being his Lastly As we must not have another God so we must not have other laws then Gods God will not govern by any other then his own laws Behold I pray by mens deelining Gods laws what laws have been brought out since the reforming times as in the 6 Articles in Hen. 8. time the book of Sports and many laws since repealed What is become of the Judges Justices and men made and executed those laws so contrary to the Lord and his law Solomon brings in wisdom Prov. 8.15 saying By me kings raigne and the princes that is those of the supreme councel do describe Justice that is to those judges consult with them about difficult cases without whom the difficult cases would as well be hid to them as others Now if justice be so hard a thing to be executed by men who not only have the law but use the law and the help thereof to do justice by that without wisdom or Christs help they cannot describe it how shall those describe it that use not the law to help them which ought to be their help and so tempt God not to help them extraordinarily for not using the ordinary help of God And that he speaks here of the great councel is clear they being next to the king and then he speaks of the ordinary Juges in the verse following to whom justice was to be described which is significantly set down Deut. 17.11 From Jeremiah 35.6 some there are contend to maintaine the law and customes we have in this Nation received from our fathers because the Rechabites stuck so close to theirs To which I answer 1. That the Rechabites were subject to the judicial law as the other Jews were 2. These traditions of theirs were not forbid nor commanded of God that the magistrate could not forbid the doing what they did 3. Nor were there any judiciary proceedings against such as should not have observed those traditions they being indifferent things only it had been no sin to them if they had drunk wine or dwelt in houses or planted fields with seed 4. So that these not standing in competition with the law of God they were not disabled from observing one and doing the other also 5. The father of a family may ingage his sons and servants to such-like duties as depending immediately on his rule but it may be unlawful to a Magistrate to impose the like ordinances on a whole Nation Command the Second Exod. 20.4 Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. Statutes against idolatry HAbac 2.18 The idol is a teacher of lyes Deut. 4.16 17 18. Is forbid any graven image or similitude of any figure or likeness of male or female of beast fowl creeping thing or fish Sun Moon or hoast of heaven Exod. 20.23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver nor shall ye make unto you gods of gold Levit. 26.1 Ye shall make no idols nor graven images nor rear up any standing image nor shall ye set up any image of stone to bow down Exod. 34.17 Ye shall make no molten gods Levit. 19.4 Turn ye not to idols nor make to your selves molten Gods Dout. 4.23 Take heed to your selves lost ye forget the Covenant of the Lord which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of any thing which the Lord thy God hath for bidden thee Levit. 18.21 Thy seed shall not pass the fire to Moloch Judgements on Idolatry I. On the Nation or people Deut. 9.12 They have made them a molten calf vers 14. let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven Exod. 32.27 Deut. 4.16 If ye corrupt your selves and make a graven image or likeness of any thing Vers 26. I call heaven and earth to witness ye shall soon utterly perish Vers 27. ye shall be scattered among the nations Vers 28. and serve gods of wood and stone II. On a person Deut. 17.4 Man or woman worshipping the Sun Moon or host of heaven Vers 5. was to be brought to the gates and stoned to death Lev. 20.2 If an Israelite or stranger who ever he be giveth any of his seed to Moloch he shall surely dye the people of the land not of the City only shall stone him with stones Note Vers 4. If the people of the land any way hide their eyes from that man and kill him not vers 5.
Then will I set my face against that man and his family and will cut him off and all that go a whoring after him I will set my face against that soul c. II. Deut. 27.15 Cursed is that man that puts any graven or molten image in a secret place IV. On the idols Deut. 7.5 Destroy their altars and break down their images their groves shall ye cut down and burn their graven images with fire Numb 33.52 ye shall destroy all their pictures and molten images and pluck down their high places Numb 32.52 and quite pluck down all their high places V. Judgement is on the places of idol-worship Deut. 12.2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations ye shall possess served their gods upon the high mountains and hills and under every green tree Vers 3. Ye shall overthrow their altars break their pillars and burn their groves with fire ye shall throw down the graven images of their gods Judg. 6.25 2 King 32. 2 Chron. 23.17 VI. Judgements is one the names of the false gods Deut. 7.25 Ye shall destroy the names of them out of that place Zech. 13.2 the same shall be done in time to come VII Judgement is on the idols of gold and silver Deut. 7.25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire Then shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them nor take it to thee lest thou be snared therein for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God Vers 26. Thou shalt not bring in an abomination into thy house lest thou be an accursed thing like it but shalt utterly detest it and abhor it for it is an accursed thing Vide Joshua 6.18 and Chapter 7.1 15 21. to the end of the Chapter Observations 1. That metals were to be melted with fire stone glass and such-like fragil things were to be broken with the hammer to powder 2. What work hath God to do yet for us were we once joyned by covenant to the Lord names of moneths dayes of the week and those places we call Churches Altars the names of idols false gods c. are daily and hourely in our mouths as in our swearing by the Mass VIII Judgement It defiles a land 1. How this nation by worshipping of idols in the time of Antichrist hath profaned that Scripture is the covenant is clear and in regard he is a jealous God he is no less jealous of our apostatizing then of our fathers especially seeing we have done hitherto the work of the Lord negligently not making our covenant in a right way taking him to be our God but not in his laws to judge and rule over us 2. He visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children you may see without a speedy covenanting with God according to his will what provocation there remaines for God whose hand is yet stretched out to destroy us we having been as idolatrous superstitious and profane a people as any in the world O England remember the bloodshed for the idol of the Mass and its worship and that by Statutes and Acts of Parliament together with the other six bloody Articles made by King and Parliament in the time of Henry the eighth 3. It may be said as those in Jonah 3.9 Who can tell whether the Lord will turn and repent so if the King had made this covenant and set up this law this had been the way for to have restored him but it was hid from his eyes I beseech you O ye Parliament of England be admonished do this great thing that the Lord lay not you aside also and if ye hinder herein see what a command God hath given against all hinderances Esa 57.14 Cast ye up cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people God hath of late taken up many that were stumbling-b ocks among your selves since ye sate and will spare none that indeed is so this day to his peoples freedom and deliverance And that the judicial law ought to be set up among us as well as the Jews clearly was signified in this that the law was to be one as well to the stranger as to those home-born which should not have been if God had intended it only to have been a law to Jews and nor the Gentiles also there being the same ground for equity justice and for fellowship with God with one as with the other with God there being no respect of persons Levit. 24.10.22 Numb 15.29 33 31. Deut. 1.16 5.14 Objections made by Sir H. V. Object 1. To restore the rule of the law is to Judaize Resp 1. To rule by our own law is to heathenize 2. Having Gods law and yet to rule by that is much worse 3. We now Judaize by making void the law of God by our Traditions 4. To Judaize is properly to continue in Gods worship some ceremony Christ by his death hath put an end unto 1. The law judicial hath nothing ceremonial in it 2. Christ put not an end to it but established it 3. The Law was not made for the Jew only but All and said indefinitely to be made for transgressors thereof of all Nations 1 Tim 1 9 10. 2. Object We look for a better kinde of rule from Christ 1. Resp As there shall never be another Gospel so shall there never be another law God having shut up all 2. As there cannot be a Gospel more full of grace so nor can there be a law more full of justice and righteousness 3. How can we expect that from God which neither by himself his Son nor Prophets in all the book of God was never promised no not by one word 4. If it were supposed a better law for goverment of the republike might be given as can never be Quere 1. Whether we might receive it without warrant expresly given by God whiles we have that of Gods which he gave himself 2. If be that gave it be not accursed as he that should give another Gospel 1 Gal. 4.1 9. 5. Whether it be not exceedingly to derogate from God to esteem of any rule like or above his It s objected by some That the Jews had several Synedries viz. the sevnty and twenty three Resp From Isa 1.26 God will restore councellors as at the beginning not councels that is but one and the Synedrie is but one Mat. 5.22 and not Synedries so that the Jews in setting up more then one Synedrie did a postatize from the rule Command the Third Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord the God in vaine c. Statute DEut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name Levit. 19.12 Ye shall not swear by my name falsly nor profane the name of thy God Jer. 5.7 thy children swear by them are no gods Judgements I. Hosea 4. vers 2.3 on a land For oaths the land mourneth II. On a family Dan. 3.29 He
that blasphemed God his house shall be destroyed and himself cut in pieces Zech. 5.4 The flying roul entred into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name and it shall remaine in the midst of his house and it shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Jezabel swore by her gods and is eaten by dogs and her familly cut off 1 Kin. 19. 2 Kin. 9. III. On a person Levit. 24.15 Whoever curseth his God and he blasphemeth the name of God shall surely dye as well the stranger as he that is born in the land all the Congregation shall stone him Levit. 24.11 The son of an Israelitish woman blasphemed the name of God and cursed and they brought him to Moses and put him in ward until the minde of the Lord were known Verse 14. He is brought out of the Camp and stoned Illustr Davids child dyed because he made the enemy blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. Statute Levit. 19.31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them I am the Lord. Vers 26. Ye shall not use inchantments nor observe times Deut. 18.10 There shall not be found amongst you any that useth divination or any observer of times or an enchanter or a witch or a charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits a wizard or a Necromancer all these are an abomination before the Lord. Judgements Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live Levit. 20.27 A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their blood shall be upon them Vers 6. The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people Note God will cut him off by some judgement this was not to be done by the Magistrate but left to God himself 1 Sam. 28.31 in Saul Statute Levit. 20.22 Ye shall keep all my Statutes and my judgements to do them Verse 23. Ye shall not walk in the manners of the Nations Levit. 18.3 After the doings of the land of Egypt shall ye not do after the doings of the land of Canaan where I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their ordinances Verse 4. Ye shall do my judgements and keep mine ordinances Levit. 19.27 Thou shalt not round the corners of thy head nor war the corners of thy beard nor make cuttings in thy flesh for the dead nor print any markes on you Deut. 18.9 Ye shall not do after the abominations of the heathen Observation The Lord bindes the people that have his Statutes to make use of his and not any other ordinances laws or manners Statute Numb 15.30 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him O ye Princes and Judges of the people if men judge by other judgements then Gods and have Gods judgements by them to judge by judge ye if they do not presumptuously what they do in so doing that they were to dye for it Note The Jews mixed first heathenish customes in sacrifices in the law the Jews believers in the time of the Gospel mixed Jewish rites and the Gospel-adminstrations together the heathens their rites and the Gospel we now Antichristian superstitions and the way of Gods worship in the Gospel whose manners and customs we ought to abstaine from as the Jews from the heathens Rev. 14.9.10 11. 18.4.8 They being a like abomination before the Lord. 1. The excellency of setting up of the commands and statutes and the government of God by making a covenant with God doth appear most eminently in the national preservation of the Jews from the witchcraft of Balaam who cryeth out to Balack and saith There is no divination against Israel nor enchantment against Jacob Numb 23.23 and the reason is the Lord is his God by covenant and he is with him and vers 8. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed Chap. 24.9 Blessed is he that blesseth thee and cursed is he that curseth thee which shews had not God been his God witchcrafts inchantments and curses had consumed them 2. Balaam farther saith Numb 23.9 The people shall dwell alone and not be reckoned among the Nations When a people make a covenant with God they are then a people which before were not O that in England might be fulfilled that of Rom. 10.19 2. They shall dwell alone being a peculiar people to God 3. Not reckoned among the Nations but separated from them in their laws goverment worship of God c. God blessing them when other nations are accursed 3. Then when we covenant rightly into the Lord he sets his name upon us and we called the people of God and not before And to these and not others is the name of God a strong tower the righteous fly unto it and are safe they coming unto the Lord as to their God and refuge God being their refuge and hiding place which he is not to any other nation but these Treason called crimen laesae majestatis against God is contained in these three commands and many traitors there are amongst us 1 Sam. 2.25 Concerning the Treatise of the Sabbath 1. From Adam to Moses the authority was by tradition and the first-born was priest 2. By tradition Christ was discovered in the promise to Adam to many nations 2. The authority was from Scripture in the ten commands and other judicial precepts 1. Under it the traditional authority ceased 2. The priesthood of the first-born ceased and was given Aaron 3. Now sacrifices of other were offered to devils 4. This was only for the seventh-day-seventh-day-Sabbath 5. This Sabbath was a part of and sign to the first covenant 3. Christ comming was the Angel of and Mediator to a better covenant 1. The sign whereof is the first-day-Sabbath 2. As this is of the second covenant so it cannot be mixt with the first but are to be reserved distinct and not confounded for as the two covenants cannot be one so nor can the Sabbaths Appl. Hence then to force obedience of one on all is to destroy the other 2. To force the world to observe the first-day-Sabbath is to destroy the use of the day and make void the grace of God 3. In destroying any of the Sabbaths is to destroy the covenant and to take away the very signe thereof as at this day it is done by and amongst us Command the Fourth Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Statute EXod 23.12 Thou shalt rest the seventh day that thy Ox and Ass may rest
dayes rest Vers 5. In this againe of an other rest which is a dayes rest as the seventh day was is clear from vers 7. and the 8. Verse 9. This other day is called Sabbatismos a sabbatisme which is proper onely to the Church or people of God Vers 10. This Sabbath-rest men must strive to enter into in the other all men are compelled in this none but believers in the Kingdome of God injoy into which men are bid to strive to enter Object Here they are said to enter into this sabbatisme which is proper to the state of heaven to be entred into Resp Believers in Christ are said to enter into or be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the law to Christ or one in law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 Object Mark 2.28 Luke 6.5 Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath and in what was he so but in putting an end to it Resp That Scripture saith not so and is contrary to many express Scriptures where Christ saith A tittle of the law shall not perish and the Scripture is falsly rendered the word is The Lord is Son of man and of the Sabbath because made of woman and made under the law Gal. 4.4 Command the Fifth Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother c. Statute LEvit 19.3 Ye shall fear every man his father and mother Vers 32. Ye shall rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man Mark 7.10 Gen. 22.6 Isaac submitteth to his father to dye Luke 2.51 and thus Jesus Christ the Rechabites obedience Jer. 35. and Gods blessing them Judgements Gen. 9.25 26. Noah curseth Cham with bondage and blesseth Japhet Deut. 27.16 Cursed be he setteth lightly by his father or mother Levit. 20.9 Every one that curseth his father or mother shall surely be put to death his blood shall be upon him Exod. 21.17 Exod. 21.15 He that smiteth his father or mother shall surely be put to death Numb 12.14 If her father had spit in her face should she not have been ashamed seven dayes which was a thing of contempt as in Deut. 25.9 and it may be either for disobeying or contemning of him Mark 7.10 The Gospel confirms it Who curseth father or mother let him dye the death Prov. 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out Statute Deut. 4.9 Forget not the things thine eyes have seen c. but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons Vers 10. Especially the day thou stoodest before the Lord in Horeb Vers 13. and he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to performe even the ten commandments Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently thy children and shalt talk of them when thon sittest in thy house when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Judgement Deut. 21.18 If a man have a stubborn and a rebellious son that will not obey the voice of his father or his mother and that when they have chastened him he will not hearken unto them Vers 19. Then shall his father and mother lay hold of him and bring him out to the Elders of his City and the gate of his place Vers 20. They shall say to the Elders of his City This our son is stubborn and rebellious and will not hear our voice he is a drunkard and a glutton Verse 21. All the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he dye so shalt thou put away evil from amongst you Appl. Why is so much rebellion against parents is not because the law of God is silent this being executed all England would hear and fear 2. Is there another way besides this to put away evil from among us appointed of God Note God saith So shalt thou put away evil and no other way 3. Or is not the Law of God just the judgement true and righteous that it is not set up amongst us or will it ever be well with us or ours until it be set up Statute Parents marriage of their children It was to be confined to such as were in convenant Deut. 7.6 Exod. 34.16 Thou shalt not take of their daughters to thy sons and their daughters go a whoring after their Gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their Gods Deut. 7.3 Thou shalt not make marriages with those nations God will destroy thy daughter shalt thou not give his son nor his daughter shalt thou take to thy son The reason whereof is rendred vers 4. Appl. As men under the law were not to match with those nations were not under the law so men under grace were not at liberty to match with any but such as were in Christ 1 Cor. 7.39 2. Were we under the law this would condemne all marriage with idolaters more strongly then the work of the law in us hath done Numb 25.6 1 Kings 21.25 1 Kings 11. from 1. to verse 9. 3. See here the authority God hath given to men under the law over their childrens marriage they are said to give and take Esau took a daughter of Canaan Jacob obeyed his mother and married Labans daughter Exod. 21.9 If a man betroth his maid-servant to his son he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters Note Betrothing was the fathers work in which he gave his daughter or took the daughter of some other to his son to wife 2. The Magistrate or Elders are not to approve of marriage made with any out of covenant It is to be considered that God under this word Father doth comprehend the Magistrate and obedience and honour hence due to him 1. Because all authority and rule was first in the father Gen. 38.24 2. It came from him to the one Judge Moses 3. To Judges in every City who had laws from God to judge the people by in which administration only 1 Sam. 12.12 the Lord God was said to be their King And now againe when this law is the rule of judgement to the nation then is the Lord Christ said to raigne which shall be a thousand yeers God having committed all judgement and authority to the Son Mat. 28.18 Rev. 20.6 and who would not strive to set up Christs rule Note As Judges were of God before Kings so if Kings be put down ye must return to Judges again God setting up but these two wayes of rule and God himself ruling in that of Judges and therefore best nor doth God rule by Judges as distinct from Kings unless they be set up as in the beginning to rule by the laws of God 4. The government came from Judges to Kings in which the people were said in their asking for a King to have committed great wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 Sam. 12.17 yea and God himself said herein they had rejected him and not Samuel that he should not raigne over them I beseech you what the
Elias he is sent to Bethel 2 Kings 2.2 at Bethel it is without question he taught in that School and among the rest told the Children of the Prophets ver 3. that the Lord would take him away being Elishas Master from his head that day and the same being sent to Jericho in vers 4.5 where the Jews received that tradition of his teaching in their Schools that Elias shall first come Matth. 17.10 11. That passage of 1 Sam. 19.20 24. was an extraordinary case to preserve David in which Saul and his inessengers were changed as before in Esau when he came against Jacob and that of Sauls meeting the Prophets 1 Sam. 10.3 5. which were given him for signes to confirm him by in Gods electing of him 5. These Schools were in all Towns usually as our Grammar-Schools are having onely the reading of the Law and the Prophets used among them who were according to their several capacities taught and distinguished as in our Schools by forms and places one from the other In which nor Cato nor Virgil nor Homer nor Aristotle were not usually read but the commands of God by the knowledge whereof God was honoured and they sanctified 6. In this study and society God would manifest himself when he would not in the obscene readings of Ovid and the lying fables of the other Poets 7. In this teaching men were not devoted hereunto onely but had other callings to employ themselves in to live by and were taught also in these Schools one part of the day as Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel was by his profession a Tent-maker 8. Out of the Word Astrologie and other natural Philosophy may be deduced with Tropes Metaphors and Figures Geographie c. by which men may be better acquainted with the Word then now they are This is the wisdom of a people and not the knowledge of the custom of Heathens which onely tends to make men such and justifies them 9. Lawyers hereby may be made and rightly fitted to judge according to the Lord. 10. Every man is rightly taught to live in their youth according to Gods law as David Psal 11 9.9 98 99. verses 11. Now if they offend they dye more justly being taught the sence and sentence of the law Appl. Ye Universities the wrath of God will break out upon you your dayes are numbred and your time neer come in which you will see that it is not a reformation will serve your turn or save you from the decree 2. Ye princes of the people in Parliament a people are rude without learning O be intreated to convert sufficient maintenance to the maintaining of some freely to teach in all towns 1. To teach the Hebrew reading to some 2. To teach the moral or judicial law to others 3. The prophets to others and their meaning 4. To teach the Greek and in those schools only read the Histories of Jesus Christ written by Matthew Marke c. with the Epistles of the Apostles 1. As for Latine and the long time spent in obtaining thereof the time is coming that the authors and learning laid up in their writings will be of little or no use to the world God will instruct them with better of his own The time is coming knowledge shall cover the earth as water the seas and all those mighty Libraries be but lost matter 2. It is as a bage of the Roman conquest which will cease with that Empire in a maner amongst us the laws and true learning being turned into our own language 3. By this means in the meetings on the seventh day sabbath the gifts and knowledge of every particular person either in his exact reading of the law or understanding of the mystery or prophesie of the prophets comes to be made use of and exercised they being herein a nation of Priests and so would beget much wisdome and emulation for knowledge in every man and comfort in every man by seeing and knowing the gifts and profittings of his children in the law who would come to be spurs and goads to provoke the elder to a more diligent search of the law and knowledge thereof that they may not be under the teaching of children that they shall speak and themselves be dumbe they going beyond the elders in describing the history and in opening the mysteries of the law and prophets In this estate of Moses or mens being under the law was no priesthood at all yet is he preached every seventh day Acts 15.21 when and where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching did what he could to make men from Moses to Jesus Christ in a right and true way Act. 21.21 whence though many are called few are chosen The priesthood in the time of Moses belonged to the temple and was conferred on Aaron and his sons who taught not the law in the Synagogues those that taught there sate in Moses not Aarons chaire or priestly succession Moses being before Aaron Jer. 7.22 23. The which priesthood ceasing and another even that of Christs being now instituted of God and set up in the place thereof in the Church called from Moses consisting of believers which was given to the Apostles and their true successors to administer under the Lord Jesus which call no man was to take on him but according to the Lords institutions who were to attend on that place of ministry whereas Evangelists pastors or teachers as they were called to minister before the Lord under Jesus Christ who were not to be cumbred about any worldly occasions 2 Tim. 2.4 Luk. 9.33 Let us make three tabernacles one for thee one for Moses one for Elias The tabernacle was the place God first had his worship set up in under Moses and Aaron and here signifieth moveableness 1. The service of God under Moses and under the law is meant under tha◠tabernacle for Moses 2. The service of God under Christ and grace is meant by the tabernacle for thee or Christ 3. Which administrations falling in the hiding of the Church are againe to be restored in our dayes by that Elias in that tabernacle is attributed to him How men came from Moses to Christs administration is most excellently set forth Rom. 7.1 6. Moses disciples were taught the letter of the ten commands Christ taught his disciples the commands in the spiritual part of it as Mat. 5. which are called by Christ my commands in which his disciples were to walk with God in a more holy and more acceptable way which commands the world could not receive In the New Testament three Scriptures respect Magistrates supream and subordinate 1. The which are kings and their deputies 1 Tim. 2.2 Rom. 13.1 The powers that be viz. Nero's and his deputies are ordained of God Thus 1 Pet. 2.13 to kings as supreme vers 14. or to governors as to them that are sent by him 2. God ordained no powers but Kings and Judges and the Kings of the Nations from whom the Jews took