John saith The Word was with God and The Word Joh. 1. 1. was God Psal 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all Who this Wisdom and Beginning and Word is by which all things were made the Gospell hath taught us that it is Christ who is not onely the Beginning and the Word as it is said but is also called The Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. And All things were made by him Joh. 1. 3. and All things by him were created that are in heaven and that are in earth Col. 1. 16. The Jews in disparagement of Christ Maâ— 6. 3. Matth. 13 55. called him both a Carpenter and the son of a Carpenter so did Celsus in a Cont. Cels lib. 6. Origen and b Theod. hist. lib. 3. cap. 23. Julian the impious and apostate Emperour Justin Martyr doth indeed affirm that Christ on earth was literally a Carpenter and did make ploughs and yokes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Dial. cum Tryph. Ambr. Ser. 10. but withall both St. Ambrose and St. Austin tell us That he was also that Carpenter that built Heaven and this mighty fabrick of the world Finally because this Son of God Aug. de Temp. Ser. 3â— was both the Creator and also the Sabbath both of God and Men therefore for the sanctifying of him this Motive is here mentioned of making heaven and earth And rested the seventh day Touching this Rest of God what it was and why it is fixed on the seventh day we have said much a Chapter 10 11 12 13 15 1â— before and something more must be added which will be more fit to be discoursed in the next that this Chapter may not swell too big CHAP. XX. The Exposition continued That all the Divine Persons concurred in Creating Resting Blessing and Sanctifying How the Son of God or Second Person is the Rest and Sabbath of the same Son of God How he resteth in himself Of the divers considerations of God the Son in respect of Godhead and Manhood and his severall Appellations respectfully Why the seventh day was preferred above the former six That the Ceremoniall Sabbath was for the memoriall of the Resting and not of the Working of God And Rested the seventh day THe more literall and exact reading of these words is And rested on the seventh day for thus St. Jerom renders them Requievit die septimo and the Clementine-Edition In die septimo For it was not the day that was considered by the Godhead but something that was performed on that day that occasioned this Rest which if it had been so done on any other of the former six daies certainly it would have been said of that day as it is of this that God rested on it What that thing was we have shewed before at large namely that it was in consideration of the Messiah or Christ It would now be enquired what is meant by The Lord who is here said to have made heaven and earth and to blesse and sanctifie the Sabbath day whether it be meant of the Person of the Father onely or of the Person of the Son or of the Person of the Holy Spirit or of all of them because all and every one of them is the Lord and the Creator and the Sanctifier Of the Father no man doubteth and of the Son we have proved before and of the holy Ghost holy Job saith By Job 26. 13 his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens and the Psalmist also Thou sendest forth thy Spirit Ps 104 30 and they are created and the Church at the opening of Councils used to sing that Hymn in St. Ambrose which beginneth a Inter Hymnos Ambros To. 5. Veni Creator Spiritus For when our Vulgar Catechisms ascribe Creation to the Father and Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the holy Ghost we are not so to understand them as if these actions were of each severall person or as if the Father had no interest in our Redemption or Sanctification nor the Son or Spirit in Creation far be it from us to think so But we believe that the whole Godhead and every Person therein did joyntly co-operate in all these acts Indeed the Father created but it was in and by the Son and both by the holy Ghost So the Son Redeemed but it was from the Father and by the Spirit So the holy Ghost Sanctifieth but he doth it from the Father and the Son So also in this place the Rest of God is not to be accounted the Rest of one single Person onely but of the whole Godhead and of every one of the Three most holy Persons therein If it be now granted that the Son of God is this Lord and Creator that made heaven and eaâ—th and He that is here said to Rest and also He that is the onely Rest and Sabbath both of God and of us Men which we have proved before then it must follow that the Rest it self is here said to Rest and the Sabbath it self to rest in the Sabbath and the Son of God must be the Sabbath of the same Son of God Which at our first hearing may seem to be a violent Exposition which yet is not so as will presently appear The Reader may easily apprehend that although God is entirely One yet he is often represented to us under diverse and severall notions and capacities as if he were not the One and the same God for so this Son of God who is the onely God is set forth in Scripture and is so by us to be apprehended and believed as Immortaâ—l and yet mortall as the Mâ—ker of all things and yet made that he was from Eternity and yet born in time the Father of all men and yet the Son of man the Creator of his Mother and yet her Son All these speeches are true of this Son of God considered in his severall and respective capacities neither ought they to seem incredible or strange because we find the like diversities in one and the same Man One in Plutarch said openly to a King sitting in judicature a Plâ—t in Apoph Provoco à Philippo ad Philâ—ppum I appeal from King Philip to King Philip but in another temper So Nazianzen representeth the same person both as a Judge and as one arraigned b Naz. Eâ—ist 79. Te accuso apud te justum judicem So doth St. Ambrose to one as if he were both Client and Counsellor c Ambr. Ser. 64. Stulto consiliario usus es teipso Upon these words Psal 140. 1. Deliver me O Lord from the evill man St. Austin saith d Aug. Hom 29. de Temp. Ser. 233. à te â—e liberat i. e. God doth deliver a man from himself And upon those words Deliver us from evill he saith Deus te liberat à teipso malo We have a Proverb that a man is his own neighbour c Proximus egomet mihi
use this word God we should do it with great awefull reverence which yet we ought to do but the name of God doth herâ— signifie God himself as we are well taught by St. Austin a Aug. in Joh. Tract 29. Non est Deus duae syllabae duas syllabas colimus manet aliquod magnum quod est Deus sono non manente i. e. When we mention God or Godhead think not that we mean a word a sound a syllable or two as if we worshipped sounds words or syllables for that great thing which is God remaineth when no sound or syllable is heard Just so he saith of Christ upon those words Joh. 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name b Id. lib. Tract 102. Non est intelligendus Dominus de sono syllabis qui hoc sentit de Filio non petit in ejus nomine etiamsi non taceat literis syllabis Christum i. e. When we ask in the name of the Lord Name doth not signifie only that word Christ as if it were a Charme he that thinks so doth not pray in the name of the Son of God though the word Christ be in his mouth Thus he The Son of God is by St. John called â—oh 1. 1. The word yet he that shall think that The Word in that place signifieth only a Grammatical or vocal word and sound doth err dangerously for it followeth The word was God so it signifieth the real and substantial Son of God It is therefore a very slander that someof late have put upon this Church for requiring an adoration of our Lord Jesus when that name is mentioned They say we worship only a name But we worship only the Lord Jesus himself as the Apostle meaneth in whom the name Jesus signifieth the Person Jesus as the name of God signifieth God himself Those phrases of Blessing and Magnifying and Glorifying and Justifying and Sanctifying God and The name of God which we find in the Scripture are all to be understood in the same sense For when it is said Job 1. 21. Blessed be the name of the Lord it is all one with that of Luk. 1. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel so Mal. 2. 2. Give glory to my name is all one with that of Josh 7. 19. My Son give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel That of Ezech. 36. 23. I will sanctifie my great name is all one with that of 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God Where for those words Lord God both the Syriac and old Latine read The Lord Christ as a Beza in Loc. Beza notes There is also mention of Justifying God Ps 51. 4. yet neither Justifying Blessing Gloryfying or Sanctifying can make any addition by any of these Attributes to the plenitude of God These are but the expressions of man not to make God holy but to declare him to be so and to shew that he is so accounted and esteemed by us indeed God doth sanctify us Really Effectually and Actually by induing us with sanctifying Graces but we cannot sanctifie God otherwise than affectionately declaratively and verbally and also by conforming our selves to his Commandments And so Christ our Sabbath is to be sanctified by us by an holy imitation of his Vertues as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1. 16. Be ye holy as I am holy and to keep this Sabbath is to be wary and mindful alwayes to keep Christ by a firm faith to be fixed to him never to deny or reject him And to keep him holy is to purifie ouâ— hearts so as to be clean and prepared Mansions fit for so holy a Guest and to walk worthy of so holy and so merciful a Saviour in our private demeanour and outward conversation As the Godhead did really magnifie the Lord Jesus by uniting it self in a Personal union with that man and thereby made him the Christ or the Anointed One in which consideration only he is our Sabbath and being so anointed he was thereby really sanctified by the Godhead and also as that word signifies he was seperated distinguished differenced and preferred above all others as it is said of him Psalm 45. 7. God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows that is above all other Kings Priests and Prophets And Philip. 2. 9. That God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name So we ought to sanctifie the same Lord Jesus our Sabbath in a way of preheminence distinguishing him by the reverence and honour which we perform to him from all other persons and honours in a word we must sanctifie honour and worship him farre more then any one or then all the Creatures of Heaven and Earth God hath many holy Ones but none so holy as our Lord Jesus He is said to be sanctified by the Father John 10. 36. so are others but Christ super-eminently and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel cals him The most Holy Dan. 9. 24. And the same Angel again cals him That holy Thing Luke 1. 35. And even Satan confessed him to be The holy One of God Mar. 1. 24. Therefore Christ our Sabbath being thus by way of excellency declared to be the holy One and the most Holy of all Holies surely he ought to be so esteemed and also to be so declaratively sanctified by us in the most humble and reverential manner that possibly we can according to his infinite holiness This I firmly believe to be the Spirit and meaning of this Moral Sabbath and the sanctifying thereof We find many sanctifyings of Creatures as of Prophets and Priests and of Places as the Tabernacle Temple and Vessels of Dayes and Times as Sabbaths Festivals but none to be so highly sanctified as Christ our Sabbath for the Sanctifying of him is a Separating of him in a preferment above all other hallowings or sanctifyings which are performed to Creatures forasmuch as we find that his very humane Nature was by the Godhead produced in an extraordinary way distinct and separate from other men as it is said Heb 7. 25. Our High-Priest is holy seperate from sinners for he was born of a Virgin and this to seperate him from the common contagron of Original pollution It is also declared Heb. 10. 29. to be an heinous sin worthy of sore punishment to count the blood of the Covenant which is the blood of Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. common which is to esteem his blood no better then the blood of another man or indeed of all men in the world and so not to seperate or preferre or sanctifie it above all others This is the grand Sin there intended because neither all men in the world nor all the Angels of Heaven if they could and would suffer in mans stead yet they would not be sound of sufficient value to Redeem us and to procure our everlasting Rest as Christ hath done whom we
Epitaph Bononiens p. 173. Hermaphroditus The truth is that the woman was then in Adam though but rough-cast as we use to say and not taken out of the mould not finished or polished For it is as easie to apprehend Eve to be then in the side of Adam as it is for us to believe and acknowledg that all we which now live were even then in the loines of Adam for which we have a strong Apostolical evidence Heb. 7. 10. Where it is said of Levi before he was born that he was in the loins of Abraham And so upon the same reason we were certainly with Levi and Ahraham in the loines of Adam So our Answer to this second Querie for present shall be only this That therefore God is not said to Rest until the seventh-day Because that until then the principal work was not finished in which alone the Rest of God consisted And what that is will now soon appear In the mean time I will lay this for my conclusion and for a Truth which I firmly beleive that the seventh-day or Ceremonial-Sabbath was not ordained by God for a memorial of the Creation of the world and all the meer Creatures thereof or for his ceasing from the work of Creation But for an Evangelical memorial of the Rest of God Of which we are next to enquire CHAP. XII Why the Rest of God is not mentioned until the seventh-day Why it is fixed on the Creation of Mankind rather than of any other of the creatures Answers to certain enquiries That the consideration of Christ to be propagated from the man and the woman was the only cause of this Rest of God IT may justly seem strange and wonderful that the most blessed most glorious and Almighty God who is Blessedness and Happiness it self and that so infinitely and incomprehensibly that it is impossible that any addition of happiness or rest can be added to him so as to make him more happy or more at Rest than he was from Eternity And yet so it is that God is here and now said to Rest and also to Rest so now as not before this seventh day Certainly this Rest must be occasioned by something that is External and Extra-essential to God And therefore it must be such a Rest or complacencie or acquiescence as the Godhead assumed and took in some special creature and yet not only in that creature considered singly and meerly in it self for it must be derived from some work of God unto which God intended some excellent beneficial addition of worth goodness by which consideration the Godhead was inclined to express a delight and chearfullness contentedness in it and for it in all the other creatures This as to me seemeth Moses darkly implyeth for he is yet vailed in these words Gen. 2. 2. He rested on the seventh day from al his work which he had made This Rest then seemeth to be occasioned from his work for it is not said that he rested in his work but occasionally from his work It followeth vers 3. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created to make This sudden repetition of the Rest of God doth intimate something of greater moment and consideration than ordinary Good reader observe with me that in this later expression of God's resting there is much more implied than in the former for in the first it is said He rested from all his work which he had made But in the later it is said He rested from all his work which God created to make These words created to make signifie more than only a creation Our last English Translation reades this text created and made yet in the margin it is there confessed that according to the Hebrew it is to be read created to make which is indeed the true and farr better reading so both St. Hierome and our other masters in the holy tongue read it so doth the Latine of Sixtus and Clemens Quod creavit ut faceret i. e. which he created to make By which expression I humbly conceive that the holy Spirit doth secretly and mysteriously imply that this Rest of God consisteth in some creature newly made upon which the Godhead purposed to conferr some preferment and honour greater than the bare creation of it because it is said he created it to make so saith the Expositor upon those words creavit ut faceret a Martin Borrhaius in loc Ut ad certum usum pararet ac destinaret i. e. God rested from that work which he created that he might prepare and appoint it to a certain use So that To make must signifie that God intended to make some further and greater and more excellent use of that creature than it had of it self in it's own single and created nature and that he would effect some more glorious and gracious work by it which that creature of it self and by it's own power would never be able to perform Now what creaturâ— this is And what further use God intended to make of it And what prerogative of honour he would add to it we are diligently to enquire 1. We can not with reason and judgment fasten the occasion of this Rest of God upon any one particular creature but only upon the creation of Man for from the creation of Adam God did first take occasion to express a complacency and acquiescence or Rest 2. We may not think that this Rest of Goâ— was occasioned only by the creation of the first Adam considered singly by himself and as a 〈◊〉 creature without any further reach or consideration But it was indeed occasioned by a pre-consideration of the second Adam which is Christ who is stiled by St. Paul 1. Cor. 15. 45. The last Adam because whâ—â— Adam was made Christ also was made Christ as a creature in respect of his humane nature for as Eve was then Originally and Substantially in Adam's side as is before said So was Christ seminally in his Loines so that the consideration of Christ now wrapped up in this Root of Adam was that which occasioned the first hint of an expression of complacencie in the Godhead upon the Creation of the Man for thereupon that was said by God which was not said before upon the Creation of any one or of all his other Creatures and it is said with a note of Remarkableness Gen. 1. 31. Behold it was very good Indeed his other Creatures are said to be good but not any nor all said to be very good till now 3. Though Adam was now made and in him Christ was seminally couched yet it is not presently said that God Rested nor untill some other Act was performed by the Godhead For God is not said to Rest until Eve was taken and formed and finished out of Adam's side and this was not done until the Seventh day as is before shewed This was because Christ the Saviour of
as one saith of a companion c Mart. 12. 47. ex Ovid. l 3. Nec tecum possum vivere nec sine te This mysterious truth surely was known by Adam who was a Prophet and is so accounted both by d Orig in cant hom 3. Aug de Gen l. 9. c 19. Origen and Austin as may also appear by his prophetical words before the fall Gen. 2. 23. but especially by his so naming the woman after the Fall whom he called vitam that is life Gen. 3. 20. as both e Hier. in Gen. Ambr. de Parad c 14 Joh. 14. 6. St. Jerome and St. Ambrose read that place and the word Eve or Cavah signifieth life whereby he declared both his expectation and faith in the Messiah to proceed from the woman even that Messiah who calls himself The way the truth and the life for thereby only could she be an help meet for man now fallen and in this respect only was she called life because from her Christ was to come so that she was indeed the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or parent of God as the blessed virgin is often called by the Fathers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mother of God viz. of God-incarnate otherwise she was not an help meet for man but rather quite contrary Nor could her châ—ld-bearing have saved her self or others except Christ the Saviour had bin in her progeny nor yet could her bearing of Christ originally in her womb have helped her except she had also conceived him in her heart by saith as St. Austin very truly affirmeth of the blessed Virgin Mary who was neerer akin to Christ than Eve was f Aug. de vir c. 3 To. 6. Nihil Mariae profuisset materna propinquitas nisi feliciùs Christum corde quà m carne gestasset c. Neither Eve nor Mary could have bin saved by propagating or bearing Christ in the womb if they had not conceived him in their hearts If we lay aside this consideration of Eve consider her only as a woman she will appear rather an impediment than an help to man for she occasioned the fall of the man by conversing with Satan in wch respect Tertullian saith of her a Tert. de habit Mulieb Faeâ—â—na est janua Diaboli The first inlet of Satan was the woman as Chrysostome cals Job's wife b Chrys n. 56. The Instrument of Satan and c Orig. n. 17. Origen cals her c muscipuiam i. e. The trap of Satan And saith moreover that Satan destroying the goods and children of Job yet touched not his wife but left her on purpose to supplant the holy man But God looked otherwise on Eve when he called her an help and considered her so as the Fathers speak of the blessed Virgin-mother whom they call a Ambr. de Spirit lib. 3. c. 12. Templum Dei And b Fulg. serm 3. Fenestram Coeli And c id ibid Scalam Coeli And d Euseb Emis Homil in Vigil Nativ Portam Coeli i. e. A Temple of God The window of heaven The ladder and gate of heaven for all these was Eve in respect of her fruitfulness and the propagation of Christ from her For in other child bearing she was unhappy as first in Cain then in the holy but unfortunate Abel some of her posterity are called a generation of vipeâ—s and also said to be of their Father the Devil and one of them â—â— called Joh. 6. 70. a Devil The consideration of such miscarriages hath made some parents wish themselvs childless The great Emperor Augustus wished that he had died without wife and child a Suet. in Aug. c 65. his issue proved so ill Capitolinus saith of the good Emperor Antoninus the Philosopher b Capit. in M. Aut. c. 8. Felix fuisset si fiâ—ium non reliquisset i. e. he had bin happy if he had not left a Son he meant wâ—cked and bloody Commodus Dead Tantalus in the fable is brought in desiring rather to return to hell whence he came than to see and promote the wickedness and calamities of his posteritie c Sen. in Thyeâ—te Lu. 23. 29. In which respect Eve might rather have desired barrenness as Christ also said for such reasons Blessed are the barren So the help which Adam had by his wife was not in regard of her society nor in her childbearing generally considered neither was she named Life onely for that she was to be the mother of all other men and women to come nor for any amorous or lascivious apprehension as wantons since used to their minions a Juâ— Sat. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And b Ter. in Eun. Anime mi mi Phaedria But it was surely in a far greater consideration and in prophecy and faith of the Messiah to come by her and of redemption and immortall life which would be onely through him that he named the woman Vita or Life This certainly was the reason that God called the Woman An help and meet for man and for nothing else but onely the preconsideration of the Saviour to descend from her for so the holy Psalmist hath taught us Our help Psal 124. 7. standeth in the name of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth For without this help he saith in another place O be thou our help in trouble for vain is the help of man And more vain is the help of Woman Finally for this cause it may reasonably be thought that the wisdom and providence of the Godhead permitted the fall of man to be occasioned by the woman that so the man might be induced and necessitated to seek for Life and Help otherwise and not in the Person but in the blessed Seed and posterity of the woman To which purpose St. Ambrose thus writeth a Ambros de Parad. cap. 10. Et si mulier prior peccatura erat tamen Redemptionem sibi paritura salva erit per generationem siliorum inter quos generavit Christum i. e. Although the woman first sinned yet Redemption was to come by her therefore she shall be saved in child-bearing because amongst her children Christ was one By this time I trust it appeareth to the Reader that the grand and onely reason of the expression of the Rest of God at that time was the providentiall and mercifull consideration of Christ the Seed of the Woman and Saviour of her and of the man and of their posterity CHAP. XV. An Answer to the Question How God can be said to Rest That the Rest of God is in Christ and why That the Tabernacle and Temple are called God's Resting-place onely as they were figures of Christ That the Ark is called God's strength in the same respect That God's Rest in Sion is also meant of Christ That the Union of God and man in Christ was ordained onely for man's Salvation and everlasting Rest That man's Rest is called God's Rest Certain Conclusions concerning this Rest of God
was to be in the family posterity or Son of Mat. 1. 1. David and is him who was represented typified or prefigured by the Tabernacle Temple and Ark and that is onely in the Lord Jesus Christ And so Arnobius expounds that Prophecie c Arnob. iâ— Psal 131. Requies Dei in Jesu evidens est specialis in quo est arca This Rest of God is meant evidently of Jesus in whom especially was the Ark of God That which the great Prophet Isaiah saith of the progeny of Jesse may put us out of doubt that Jesus onely is the Sabbath or Rest of the Godhead Is 11. 1. There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him For from Jesse came David from David came Christ and upon Christ doth the Divine Spirit or Godhead for ever rest And this Rest of the Godhead is the very same thing which was signified by that heavenly voice of God the Father uttered more then once in the Gospell This is my beloved Son in whom I am Mat. 3. 1 17. 5. Beza in Math. 3. 17. well pleased which Beza most pertinently and for weighty reasons renders In quo acquiesco i. e. In whom the Godhead doth acquiesce or is at rest For if God were not well pleased and satisfied and at rest with mankind by Christ the expostulation of the Psalmist might with trembling be taken up by us all Wherefore hast thou made all men Ps 89. 46. for nought If it be here said that this Rest of the Godhead in Christ may possibly signifie the continuall and sempiternall mansion conjunction and union of God and man in Christ So that by these two ingrediâ—nts of Godhead and Manhood thus joyned one Hypostatical or Personall union is made whereby God and Man are become one Person and shall so rest inseparably for ever To this we answer and affirm that all the said allegation is true and that Christ may rightly be called the Rest of God in consideration of the everlasting union of the Godhead with the human nature of Christ But withall we say that there is more to be considered in this Rest than onely a meer union of God with man For we must further enquire Why it pleased the Almighty Godhead to condescend to this abasement and Exinanition so as to be personally united with a creature and to be in the form of a servant whereby the mighty God in the person of the Son became mortall and subject to all the infirmities of mankind except sin and even death also By the serious meditation hereof we shall find that the finall cause or motive of this union of the Godhead with our human nature was not intended or effected for any rest contentment or complacency of the Godhead for it self because God in respect onely of himself did not stand in need of any such Rest oâ— he had from eternity all possible blessednesse rest and Ineffable happinesse and so would have had everlastingly although neither Man nor Angel nor the World had been creaâ—ed or although God the Son or Word had never been incarnate Therefore it must needs be granted that the Incarnation was designed by God for the rest and benefit not of God but of mankind as we are excellently taught by * Atha ser 3 cont Ariâ—n Athanasius that God the Son had never been ordained to become Emmanuel or Incarnate if Mans necessity for Redemption had not wanted and necessarily required it Thus he It being thus evident that this Rest of God is not called a Rest in respect of himself but only in respect of that Rest which by his goodnesse and mercy he hath ordained for his poor Creatures It must needs follow that God calleth that his Rest which is indeed not only principally but solely the Rest of Mankind For our Lord Jesus the Emmanuel is therefore the Rest or Sabbath of the Godhead because he is the Rest or Sabbath of us Men in whom and through whom only our otherwise languishing and fainting souls may find consolation rest and refreshment he is the only solid hope and Sabbath upon whom we can depend and rest and expect and hope for an eternall Rest for in and by him only the offended Godhead is reconcileable so as to be at peace and Atonement with Man and to rest satisfied or well pleased as the Angels sang at his Nativity Glory be to God and on Earth peace Good will towards Men Or as Beza more truly reads it To Men Beza in Luk. 2 of good will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To Men designed by Gods free Grace and good pleasure From these premises I infer the 4 conclusions following which I offer to the consideration of the Christian Reader and do here set them down that in this Doctrine of the Sabbath I may be rightly and plainly understood First That Christ is that only Sabbath or Rest both of God and Man which is mentioned and meant in the fourth Commandement and also in Gen. 2. 2. Secondly That Christ is therefore called the Rest of God because God hath in mercy ordained him to be the Rest for Mankind Thirdly That God cannot otherwise be said to Rest in Christ for our good but only because all faithful and holy Men do set up their Rest in Christ Fourthly That the Rest of God here meant consisteth only in the Rest of Man and that God calleth that his Rest which indeed is primarily and properly Mans Rest The Rest of God cannot be meant of any new rest in respect of himself only because it is impossible that any increase or access can be added to infiniteness such as is the blessed eternal and unspeakable Rest of the Godhead Therefore there must needs be some other external respect in which God is said to rest otherwise than before and that surely is the Rest which he hath procured for Man which God calleth his own Rest The holy Scriptures do very often ascribe the passions or affections of Men unto God as when God is said to repent to be angry to be greived and vexed and displeased although we are sure that no such changes can consist with the immutable Godhead for the same Scripture that saith in one place It repented Gen. 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 29 the Lord In another place saith The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent Therefore such speeches are but Anthropo-pathetical or after the manner of Men as a Man puls down an house which himself built because he is angry or displeased with it so God in justice destroyes some Creatures which himself made yet God is not angry but because he doth such a thing as Man in Anger doth therefore he is said to be angry Just so the Rest which is only in Man is here for the like reason called Gods Rest As when a provident Father hath settled a good and
firm estate upon his Children he will say that now he is at rest and quiet although he neither intermit his work nor personally enjoy that estate yet calleth his Childrens good his own even as God doth here call the rest of his Creatures his own Rest Of which more in the next Chapter CHAP. XVI That the Rest of Man is called Gods Rest shewed by other like passages in Scripture That Christ is called the Rest of God only because he is the Rest of Mankind An answer to the second Query above mentioned shewing Why God is said to Rest on the first Seventh day only and not before The Conclusion and St. Austin 's Judgment in this Doctrine of Gods Rest THere are many passages in Scripture concerning God which can in no wise be verified except we acknowledge this Doctrine That the properties of Man are there transferred and assumed by God and called his actions passions or dispositions as may thus appear Gen. 22. 12. It is said by God in the person of his Angel Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not with-held thy Son from me This God did know before but because by this grand trial God made both Abraham and others know it therefore it is said Now I know a Aug. de Gen. l. 4 c. 9 Quia nos cognoscere facit saith the Expositor i. e. God is said to know only because he now made man to know It is said of one Sabinus in Seneca b Sen. Ep. 27 Putabat se scire quod quisquam in domo suâ sciret so God accounteth the apprehension of his People to be his own knowledge Deut. 13. 3. The Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God Not as if God did not know before and without trial but because hereby Man might perceive whether he doth really love God Gen. 18. 21. God saith of Sodome I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it if not I will know What need was there of this going down to see and know when God knew what was before and what would be after But only to convince the Sodomites by making them see and know their own wickedness in attempting that Sodomitical sin In the like sense also even Nescience or Ignorance is transferred on the Son of God as Mark 13. 32. But of that day knoweth no Mat. 24 36 man no not the Angels neither the Son but the Father only It were blasphemy to say absolutely that God the Son did not know it who is the same only God with the Father and is also called by the great Prophet The mighty God and The everlasting Father for every Person is the Father in respect of Isai 9. 6 all Creatures although only the first Person is the Father of the Son But when it is said Neither the Son the meaning is as St. Austin and other Expositors with him generally agree a Lib. 83 quaest quaest 60 Nescire filii est cum non prodit hominibus quod inutilitèr scirent And b De Gen. Cont. Manichae'os l. 1. c. 22 Quia discipulos nescientes reliquit Because Christ would not reveal the day of Judgment to his Disciples therefore he is said not to know it In this sense only it is that St. Hilary saith c Hil. de Trin. lib. 9. Luke 13 27 Mat 7. 23 Habemus nescientem Deum our God professeth to some I know you not For otherwise we say with Austin d Aug. Psal 10 1 Cor. 1. 24 Domine quid ignorabas Lord how is it possible that the Wisdome of God should not know all things so that God the Son is said not to know that day only because Men do not know it Isai 1. 24. God is represented by this Prophet as being disturbed of his Rest and Ease and saying Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries So the Psalmist speaketh Psalm 2. 4. and 37. 13. The Lord shall have them in derision The Lord shall laugh at him So Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings And Ephes 4. 30. Greive not the holy Spirit of God And 1 Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit These sayings must needs be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as relating only to Man for God cannot In himself be eased Nor can the holy Spirit make intercession or be Mediator nor groan nor be greived nor quenched nor doth God deride or laugh Men to scorn But because holy Men in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth are disturbed and persecuted and greived and quenched therefore Gods Spirit is said to be so The groanings of the Spirit are the doleful Ejaculations of holy Men. The easing of God is the removing of Adversaries Oppressors and Persecutors of his People Gods laughing is the exposing of proud Tyrants to the scorn and derision of them over whom they have domineer'd just as the hunger and thirst and nakedness and imprisonment and persecution of the Members of Christ are said to be of Christ himself Mat 25. Acts 9. So the Rest or Sabbath of the Godhead must be meant only of that everlasting Sabbath which God in Christ hath ordained for his Servants The Psalmist saith The Lords Psal 147. 17 delight is in them that fear him Now because no delights or pleasures can possibly be added or new to the unspeakable blessedness of God therefore this delight must be understood of Men That Mans delight in God and his well-being in a course of godliness leading to the everlasting delights and joyes of Heaven is here called God's delight just so as mans Rest is called the Rest of God For we may not think that the Rest of God is confined limited or circumscribed in the single person of Christ for indeed Christ is not otherwise the Rest of God but only in consideration of us Men and in regard that in Christ the Sabbath or Rest of Men is included so that Christ cannot be the Rest of the Godhead but as he is looked on and considered as a Jesus or Saviour of Mankind and in this respect only it was said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Reader may observe that it is not said With Whom as if the complacencie or acquiescence of God were only with the particular person of Christ but it is said In Whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To signifie that in by and through him God would be at peace and well pleased with others even with all the Members of the most holy Jesus And indeed the whole Oeconomy and design of the Godhead in preparing the Messiah was only in the behalf of Mankind so the Prophet hath taught us Unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given Here is both Isai 9. 6 the Nativity and the Death of the Messiah given to us Then he is called The Prince of Peace This signifies that he was to be
this Law is meant of Christ I have shewed before a Chap. 7. And that Christ only is this everlasting Covenant the Gospel often declareth Christ saith This is my blood of the new Testament Matth. 26. 28. Or as St. Luke reads it This is the new Testament in my blood Luke 22. 20. Testament and Covenant signifie the same thing but only that a Covenant is a Promise Conditional And a Testament there is the same Promise or Covenant given and bequeathed So Hebr. 13. 20. The blood of Christ is called The blood of the everlasting Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza renders Aeterâ— foederis i. e. Eternal Covenant So these words Testament and Covenant both to our own and also to forrain Translators seem all one so Christ must be this everlasting covenanted Sabbath But then if this everlasting Sabbath be really Christ how is it called a sign as the Typical Sabbath is for so we read Exod. 31. 17. It is a sign for ever To this we answer That this Sabbath is no otherwise called a sign than Christ himself is so called Luke 2. 34. This Child is set for a sign that shall be spoken against And Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven This sign signifieth the very Person of Christ as both Origen and Chrysostome expound it Only the Covenant of Christ's Sabbathship is an everlasting sign but so is not the sign of the Ceremonial Sabbath as hath been proved In this sense only the Sabbath is everlasting as it signifieth Christ of which there is no doubt to be made In a like case when question was made by Act. 13. 22. Dâ—lciâ—â—us how Dâ—vâ—d being a great sinner could be styled A man after Gods own heart St. Austin answered a De 8. Quaest. Dulc. To. 3. De Christo intellige nullus nodus est So we say if we understand that this Sabbath Moral signifieth Christ as certainly it doth then there will be no question of the everlastingness and eternity thereof The Ceremonial or Day-Sabbath was taken away that so the true substantial Sabbath might the better take place in mens minds Just as Typical Sacrifices were rejected by God that so the grand Sacrifice of Christ might be by faith apprehended of which the Apostle expresly thus writeth He taketh away the first that he may establish the second Heb. 10. 9. This is also to be observed for a sign of the depreciating or undervaluing of this Typical or Day-Sabbath that Christ said The Sabbath Mar. 2. 26 was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath This he meant no doubt of the Câ—remonial Sabbath in that it was ordained only to be ministerial and subservient to Man as a Conducter and Guide to the true everlasting Sabbath for if he had spoken of the Moral and Mystical Sabbath he might truly have said That Men was made for the Sabbath because the true Sabbath is God the Son by whom and for whose glory all Men and the World it self were made And he was before all Creatures and not made at all nor created but begotten from Eâ—ernity But yet this Son of God may truly be said to be made the Sabbath for Man yet not as he is meerly the Son of God but as he is also the Son of Man He was made Man for us and by that he became the Mystical Sabbath For the Son of God considered in his pure Divinity cannot be the Sabbath neither can the Son of Man be so if considered without his Divinity but joyntly with both Natures So that in consideration of his assumed humane Nature and therewith his Sabbathship he was made for Man and came to help and minister to Man as himself most graciously acknowledged The Son of Man came not to be ministred Matth. 20. 28. unto but to minister 7. Finally The most notorious slurre of all was That this Seventh day which God appointed to be hallowed could not possibly be so kept on that day in all places of the Earth as any Man that hath but mean knowledge in Geographie may easily apprehend for when in one part of the Earth it is Miâ—-day in another part it is Mid-night and when Day begins in one part Night begins in another so that the Jews themselves in their remote dispersions cannot possibly Sabbatize at the same time By this it may clearly appear that the seventh-day Sabbath was only a national Constitution during the standing of the Judaical Common-wealth and that the Seventh day was not that Moral Sabbath which God required in this fourth Commandement because a Law Moral bindeth all Nations in every part of the Earth but some other Sabbath was intended which possibly might be kept by all Nations that Sabbath is Christ Who therefore sent his Apostles Mar. 16. 15. with an universal Commission Go ye into all the world and preach And not only to the Jews but Go and teach all Nations Matth. 28 19. These and such like incumbrances impossibilities and inconveniences did the Godhead pâ—t upon this Ceremonial Sabbath as no fire-kindling no burden-bearing no meatdressing no stirring out of their places and thereby made that People ridiculous to other Nations as the Prophet saith The adversaries did mock at her Sabbaths And the Manichee Lam 1. 7. called their Saturday Sabbaths * Aug. Cont. Faâ—st l. 18 c. 5. Catcâ—as Saturnâ—acas i. e. the fetters of Saturn Logicians use to say Uno absur do dato mille sequuntur The mis-understanding of this one Sabbath Law led the Jews into strange and ridiculous Superstitions and also to the ruine of their Persons and City and Temple A Jew in a boysterous Sea refused to tug at the stern because it was his Sabbath day and so he perished Another would not be drawn out of a loathsome draught upon the same reason but rather miserably perished as our own Histories record The Jews could not be ignorant that God himself did work on every Sabbath-day and that he did also occasionally command others so to do as the Preists and sometimes the Souldiers therefore they might easily have perceived that both the Sabbath or Rest of God and also of his people consisted in something else and not in a meer cessation from worldly works Some Sabbatarian Writers tell us That Man should work when God worketh and rest when God rested But God worketh alwayes so cannot Man If they had said that Man should rest in that thing which God rested in they had spoken home to the true Sabbath indeed For God rested only in Christ and so should we otherwise all Seventh-day Sabbatizing is utterly vain and superstitious By these Reasons a pious and judicious Reader will clearly perceive that these slurrs were put upon the Day Sabbath by our Wise God on purpose and design to withdraw his people from the shadow to the substance and from the Ceremonial to the Moral and substantial Sabbath which is Christ for just such a design God had in his Dispensation even of the Moral Law which was first written in Man's heart Then afterwards when it was to our lapsed and depraved nature impossible yet it was again imposed on us and engraven in stone And this he did that thereby he might direct us both to perform so much of it as we can and also to seek help and mercy of him for what we cannot do There had been no need of writing this Law in Tables of stone which was written defore in Man's heart but only because as St. Austin saith a Aug. in Psal 57. Tu fugitivus eras cordis tui i. â— Man was a run-away from his own heart and principles for we find that Man now perpetrateth wickedness which his own conscience judgeth to be so and also condemneth as an Heathen confessed b Juvenal Sat. 13. Se judice nemo nocens absolvitur The reason why God did impose this Law on Man then when it was impossible is singularly rendred by the Apostle thus The Scripture Gal. 3. 2â— hath concluded all under sin that the Promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Now although the impossible Law is by faith and union with Christ made possible to Man yet it was imposed on us with all its literall impossibilities on purpose to be as the same Apostle saith Our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ or indeed to Ibid. v 24. drive force and necessitate us to seek some other means and way for our justification and salvation besides the Law which way is only the Lord Jesus Christ in whom only our peace with God and our everlasting Sabbath consisteth To Him therefore with the Father and the holy Spirit be rendred blessing honour praise and thanksgiving for ever and ever Amen Laus Deo FINIS