Officers School-masters and Teachers I charge you to endeavour to prevent this sin in your selves and others It is sad that the Children of many are brought up in it the most part live in it our Streets are more full of it then the Streets of Heathens Advert to this charge every soul Or 3. I charge you to appear before this great and dreadful God who will not accompt any such guiltless and to Answer to Him for it The Fourth Commandment Exod. 20. verse 8. 9. 10 11. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy Work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work Thou not thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid servant nor thy Cattel nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates for in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and Hallowed it THe Lord in his infinite Wisdome and goodness hath so far consulted mans infirmity as to sum up his Duty in these Ten Commands called Ten Words that thereby his darkness and dulness by sin might be helped by an easie abbreviation The first Command therefore containeth mans duty to God in immediate Worship requiring that the onely true God should be worship'd The second stinteth and limiteth men to that worship alone which he pâ—rscribeth The third Commandeth Reverencing of him in all his Ordinances and a reverent manner of going about them This Fourth pointeth out the Time which most solemnly the Lord will have set apart for his Worship that so He who is both Lord of us and of our time may shew what share he has reserved as a Tribute due to himself who hath liberally vouchsafed on us the rest which time is not to be understood exclusively as if he would have onely that spent in worship there being no exclusive determination of the frequency of the exercises of worship or duration of them in Scripture that is to say that they shall be so long and so often and no longer nor oftner but that he will precisely have this time as an acknowledgement from us even as when he gave Adam the use of all the Trees in the Garden he reserved one so when he giveth six dayes to us he keepeth a seventh for himself This Command is placed in a manner betwixt the two Tables because it is a transition as it were from the one to the other and containeth in it duties of immediate Service to God and of Charity towards men and so in some sort serveth to reconcile if we may speak so the two Tables and to knit them together that so their harmony may be the more clearly seen It is also more largely and fully set down for plurality and variety of expressions and words then any other in either of the Tables yet hath it notwithstanding been in all times in a special manner assaulted and set upon and endeavours used to overturn it Satan aiming sometimes to darken the meaning of it sometimes to loose from the strict tye of observing it and that not onely by old Sabbatarians Anti-sabbatarians and corrupt School men but even by those whom God hath made Orthodox in the main And especially by a Generation in these dayes who having a hatred at all Ordinances and at all the Commands of the Decalogue yet do especially vent it against this Command because in it is contained a main foundation of Godliness As it is wonderfully great presumption for men to assault and set upon Gods Authority even where he hath strengthned himself as it were most by more full explication and more large and particular pressing of duty and forbidding of the contrary sin as he hath done in this Command more then in any of all the rest So it will be necessary before we can speak to the practical part of piety comprehended in it concerning the sanctification of the Christian Sabbath or Lords day either in the negative or positive part of it to speak doctrinally for clearing of the precept to these three 1. Whether this Command be moral and do oblige us in its Letter as other Commands do 2. What is the particular morality of it and the literal meaning of the words 3. How our Lords day standeth in reference to this Command and whether thereby the same sanctification be required as to it though its institution arise from another ground then is required to the Seventh-day Sabbath Somewhat of all these must needs be spoken unto and we begin to speak first of its morality before we speak of its meaning because all dependeth on this both in respect of exposition and practise for if it be not moral and perpetually binding it 's not necessary either to explicate it or to study and press the practise of it but if it be found to be moral then no doubt it concerneth us and requireth the same moral sanctification of a day now as it did before Our Assertion then in reference to this is that The duty of setting apart and sanctifying of a portion of time as it is limited in the fourth Command for Gods service as it recurreth is moral and the Obligation thereunto perpetual even as in the duties of the other Commands the obligation to this being no more dissolved then to those though there may be difference in the degree of the obligation which they lay on in respect of the matter contained in them my meaning in a word is that a day oâ— one of seven is as necessary to be kept holy unto God now upon supposition of his determining the particular day as it is necessary to hold and keep up the worship prescribed by God neither without sin can another day be put in the room of it more then other worship can be substituted in the place of divinely prescribed worship for the time is set and fixt by the fourth Command pointing at a solemne and chief time as the woâ—ship it self is by the second For clearing of this consider 1. That we mean not here moral-natural as if without any positive Law such a thing had been binding no but moral-positive that is laid on by a Command which is standing unrepealed and so bindeth by vertue of the authority of the Law-giver as several other commands and precepts do as namely those concerning Sacraments belonging to the second Command and those concerning one Wife and forbidden degrees of Marriage belonging to the seventh which being so often broken by many Saints and dispensed with in some cases cannot be thought to be morally naturally since the Lord dispenseth not so in these nor can it be thought in reason that his Servants would have been ignorant of such a natural thing It is then moral-positive that we mean to wit that which is binding by a positive Law 2. Consider in this question that there is a
it The next word is the day of the Sabbath By Sabbath here is meaned rest as it is exponed by the Apostle Hebr. 4. and that not every rest but a holy rest from our own works that there may be access to positive sanctifying of that day for the sanctifying of that day is the end and this is but a mean and necessary supposed help without which the day cannot be sanctifyed in holy duties holy duties and our own works being for the time inconsistent besides that rest on this day is not onely called for as ceasing from our ordinary affairs in the time of worship is called for on any other day but more especially and solemnly in respect of the day it self for at other times our duties require a time for them and therefore that time cannot be employed in another ordinary work and in worship also but here the Lord requireth time and rest to be sanctified and therefore we are to perform holy duties 〈◊〉 that time because it is to be sanctified other times and rests are drawn after worship this time and rest draweth worship necessarily after it hence it was that onely the Jews feasts were called Sabbaths I mean religious Sabbaths not civil or politick as their years were because they included a rest upon destination to an â—oly use That which is mainly questionable here is concerning the day expressed in this Command concerning which may be asked 1. What sort of day or the quamdiu â— How often or the quoties 3. What day of the seven or the quando 4. When we are to reckon its beginning For Answer to the first we say There are two sorts of dayes mentioned in the Scripture one is artificial of twelve hours so the Jews divided their day making â—heir hours longer or shorter as the day was long or short but they kept up the â—umber of their hours alway the other is a natural day which is a seventh part â—f the week and containeth twenty four hours taking in so much time as interâ—eneth betwixt the Suns beginning to ascend after midnight the nocturnal Solâ—ice till it pass the Meridional altitude which is the Suns Vertical point for that â—ay till it come to that same very point of Midnight again which is the Suns natuâ—al course every twenty four hours comprehending both the artificial day which 〈◊〉 from midnight to midday and the artificial night also which is from midday to â—idnight again The day mentioned here is the natural day because it 's a seventh day proportionable to each of the six dayes given unto us and they with the seventh making up the Week it must contain as many hours as any of the rest doth but the six dayes wherein God made Heaven and Earth c. are natural days therefore the seventh to wit the day of rest must be so also Let us only for further clearing and for directing our own Practise speak here a word or two more 1. We say it is a whole natural day that is as it 's usually employed by us on any of the six Dayes for our own Works that as we spend so much time in our ordinary Callings on other dayes so would we employ so much in Gods Worship secret private and publick on that day what proportion of time we use to give or may and should give ordinarily to our Callings on other dayes we would give as much to God and his Worship to our Souls and our spiritual state on the Lords day or Sabbath Therefore 2. there is not to be understood here a rigid pressing of all these hours to be spent in Duties of immediate Worship but our Working and Walking time having a respect to our infirmities and also to our Duties lest under pretext of infirmity we incroach upon Gods day and give him less then we give to our selves or should and may give him And so in Scripture they accompted what is betwixt rising and going to bed as still the Work of one day or one dayes Work for as God in conceding six dayes to us hath yet so done it as there may be a Reserve of particular times for Worship called for from us to him every day for keeping up our Communion with him so on the seventh day doth the Lord allow so much conveniency of sleep and other refreshing as may be subservient for the main end of the day these being Works of mercy and necessity which Christ allowed on the Sabbath which was made for man and not man for the Sabbath 3. Yet care would be had lest under pretext of these we exceed and apply too much of what is the Lords unnecessarily for our selves and on our lusts and if we will wake for ordinary business and keep up on such and such a Dyet other Dayes yea if we might do it or others no more strong then we do it the pretence of infirmity will not excuse us especially seeing hardly it can be often instanced that timeousness at Gods Work in that day or earnestness and continuance in it hath proved hurtful which we may account as a part of Gods blessing on the seventh day that less meat and sleep may be as refreshful as more at another time thus much for the quamdiu or the Continuance of the day Secondly it may be enquired how often by vertue of this command that day doth recur if it be one of seven or if it be the very seventh And so if this day be to be taken definitely for the very seventh day after the Creation or indefinitely for one day of seven as the Lord should otherwayes determine or had elsewhere determined a stricting then to a day but not any particular day by vertue of this command but to such a day as was formerly described or prescribed from the beginning during the Jewish State and to such another day as God should after Christs coming reveal unto them and pitch upon for his service for taking it for granted that a Seventh day as moral is commanded it followeth to be inquired whether it be the Seventh in number that is one of seven or the seventh in order that is the Seventh day For answering this we would permit 1 That there is a great difference betwixt these two the one to wit that there be a Seventh doth concern the matter and substance of piety the other to wit which of these Seven it be is more circumstantial and is alike if it be appointed by God and have the blessing 2. That it is usual for God in his commands concerning worship not at first to express a particular definitely but to deliver it in the bosome of a general indefinitely mediately and by clear consequence as it were several Species under one Genus As for instance 1 when Deut 12. 5. he commandeth his people to offer their Sacrifices in the place which he should choose here there is a stinting or astricting of them to the place which God should reveal unto them this before the
matter be Moral not contained in any former Command then is the Command it self Moral seeing a Moral substance and Matter denominateth the Command so Yea it must be Moral otherwise something Morally necessary to Gods service such as the determination of its chief time should be omitted It may be assumed yet further It must be Moral be it what it will to eschew a Tautology in this short Compend of Duties and that of Moral Duties too Again If it be not Moral but contain some Ceremonial thing reducible to one of the three former Commands Then 1. It might have been put amongst other Ceremonials 2. Other Ceremonials might have been put in with it Or. 3. A Reason given Why all are not Reducible to some Moral Command 4. If the matter of this be Reducible to another Command then can it not be accounted a distinct Command neither ought it here to have been given as such but subjoyned to some other as the Servants and Beasts resting is sub-joyned to this 5. It would be â—hewn to what Command it 's Reducible as to the substance of it if it be Ceremonial 6. A Reason would be given Why amongst Ten One and onely One is set down so far different from all the rest And if all these Absurdities follow the Denyal of it's substance to be Moral then for eschewing of them we must conclude it to be Moral and so the fourth Command is Moral Fourthly we reason thus If it be not Moral it must either be Judicial or Ceremonial for the matter and substance of it but it is not Judicial that is it belongeth not to External Policy and Civil Society principally and especially in that one Nation because no such duties are comprehended at least Primarily in any Command of the first Table but in the second which teacheth Duties to others as this first doth to God Neither is it Ceremonial For All Ceremonies that are Typical have their rise since the fall and relate some way to Christ to come But this of sanctifying one Day of seven had it's rise in the state of innocency and was enjoyned to Adam in Paradise before he fell and therefore cannot be called Ceremonial properly more then the Command of a Man's leaving Father and Mother and cleaving to his Wife so that they two should be one flesh which the Apostle Ephes 5. maketh use of Besides if it were Ceremonial in the substance then were it Typical and significant of some thing to come which is hard to shew Then also had it not been Lawful to have retained it for Ceremonials now in their use are not only dead but deadly But this Morality in substance the same with the Command which we plead for was retained by the Apostles and primitive Church to sav no more Therefore it is not Ceremonial And so this Law must needs be Moral To say That the Command is partly Moral partly Ceremonial if we respect it's substance will not hold For 1. There is no such other Law 2. That were to make Confusion betwixt Ceremonials and Morals which it seemeth the Lord himself hath aimed and resolved to keep clearly distinct 3. What ever be Ceremonial That which was allowed and injoyned to Adam in Paradise and wherein we may agree with Him under the Gospel cannot be Ceremonial For neither of these States are capable of proper Ceremonies but both agree on a seventh Day Therefore it is not Ceremonial The third way we make out the Morality of this Command is By particular considering of it self and here we argue thus If it be not onely put into the Decalogue with the other Moral Commands but more singularly explicated and pressed even in it then they then it is certainly Moral that is perpetually Obligatory with the rest But so it is put and set down in the Decalogue and pressed even more then the rest of the Commands as on other accounts so possibly on this because it 's Ground is Positive and Men need the more Words about it Just as in the second Command Ergo c. Now that it is thus put and pressed appeareth these several wayes 1. It shareth of all common Priviledges with the rest of the Commands set down in the Decalogue that were all spoken yea Written by the Lord immediatly and laid up in the Ark. 2. It is proposed and set down in it's Form both Positively Remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy and Negatively in it thou shalt do no manner of work c. Whereas all the other Commands are but one of these wayes set down 3. It hath the Particularity in it that all the rest have to wit To be in the singular Number Thou shalt c. To shew That it speaketh to every one in particular Yea though all the Commands concern all Ranks yet onely here are Son Daughter Man-servant Maid-servant and Stranger expresly mentioned as comprehended in it 4. There is a special Equity holden out here in the proportioning of this time There are six dayes given us to Labour on and therefore it is all the Reason in the World that the Lord have the seventh And if this Concession of Gods of six dayes to work on be Moral For all the time is Gods and we cannot for our use take any part of iâ— but by his grant and there is no other grant But this dividing and proportioning of Time betwixt him and us in which Division too he hath given us by far the laâ—gest Share to wit Six parts of seven Then must the setting a part of a seventh Day be Moral also And so the Command it self wherein both are comprehended viz. The sixth given to us and the seventh reserved for him they must needs stand and fall together For they mutually put each other Thou shalt labour six dayes and rest on the seventh Thou shalt rest on the Sabbath day and Labour six 5. This Day is claimed by the Lord as a thing wherein he hath a special Propriety It s the Lords day for though he did give six yet he reserved a seventh And can or dare any say That he discharged that or dispensed it away from Himself to any other If not it must be His still and cannot without Sacriledge be other wayes applyed 6 Obedience to this Command is pressed by an exceeding weighty Reason drawn from Gods own Example which maketh it clearly Relative to its first Institution Genes 2. Where it is said That He rested after six dayes Work the seventh Day viz. the whole seventh day and so should we which is the more effectual for proving the Morality of this Command Because 1. Iâ—s a Reason that took place even in innocency and so respecteth no Type or Ceremony 2. It is Universal belonging to all Men who are God's Creatures And therefore since the Reason is perpetual so must the Command be like-wise 7. This Command alone and beside all others is expresly pressed in the observation of it not only on Masters and Rulers for
practise in plucking ears of Corn and rubbing them as it is Luke 6 1. which was a sort of preparing and dressing of that meat insinuate the contrary neither can any thing be gathered from that place Exod. 16. 23. against dressing of meat simply but rather the contrary for the Manna that remained over what was dressed on the sixth day was to be laid up till the seventh day or the Sabbath but not till the day after the Sabbath and will it not suppose that they behooved then to dress it on the Sabbath as on other dayes by boyling at least for as to grinding of it at Mills or other wayes there was no necessity for that on the Sabbath out of some extraordinary Case or else they had needlesly laid it up and so behoved to have fires to dress it with And therefore that of not dressing meat of not kindling fire c. must be of what is unnecessary and for servile works or making gain in mens ordinary particular callings But to the third way if any should inquire what more holiness is called for o◠can be win at on the Sabbath then a Believer is called unto on other dayes he being called to endeavour to be perfectly holy every day I Answer Although he be called to be perfectly holy yet not in the holiness of immediate Worship throughout every day He is to be perfectly holy on other dayes according to the duties and imployments of these dayes but on the Lords day he is called to be holy according to the imployments of that day and its duties The Lords people of old were indeed called to perfect holiness all the week over but singularly to sanctifie the Sabbath as a part of their universal holiness 2. Though all the parts of every day should be spent holily yet some parts more especially as what parts are spent in Prayer reading the Scripture c. and somewhat more is required of these who are called to it on a Fasting day then on other dayes even so on the Sabbath 3. There is a difference betwixt a person living holily in the general and a person who is holy in sanctifying the Lords day though a man should be holy every day yet is he not to sanctifie every day which is required on this day whereof we shall now speak This dayes sanctification then we conceive to consist in these 1. That there is more abstractedness not onely from sinful things but even from lawful temporal things required on that day then on other days a spiritual frame of heart separating and setting apart a man from ordinary thoughts Hence we may say that as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth unclean as well as common so a common or every day frame o◠Spirit will be found unclean for the Sabbath there must therefore be another frame of heart different from an ilk a day-frame and suited to that day 2. This day is to be sanctifyed in respect of the Exercises of it beyond other days and that necessarily whereas on some other dayes we may be taken up in some duties of worship arbitrarily but here necessarily And men may and ought to be holy on other dayes in their plowing and other works but there their Holiness is to be in immediate worship to God in some thing relating to that alway such as praying reading hearing conferring meditating c. 3. The sanctification of this day lyeth in this that it must be wholly sanctified but parts of other dayes are ordinarily used in religious Service but this whole day is to be used so a man should be this whole day throughout as in the time of praying on other dayes 4. Duties would be multiplyed that day more secret and private Prayer Reading c. and more publick Worship even as there were double Sacrifices that day under the Law though there were Sacrifices all dayes 5. There would be in the duties of this day more intenseness of Spirit and a further degree of spiritual affections then in these duties of other dayes because this day is purposely set apart for that end and by continuance in duties we may attain to more of a spiritual frame and because not onely the Exercises of Worship praying reading and hearing c. call to Holiness on this day as they do on other dayes but even the very day it self doth call to it even as on a solemn day of humiliation men ought to be more affected and deeply humbled then on other dayes though daily they should repent and be humbled because that day is solemnly set apart for it so ought our worship to be more intense and solemn this day suitable unto it wherein we are as it were dyeted for insisting and persisting in duties of worship where as these duties in this respect and in comparison are on other days but as starts worship is here some way the only work of that day 6. There would be more heavenliness and spiritual sence breathed after that day in the frame of the heart it would be near God and the work of the day would be delightsome and sweet the Sabbath would as it is Isaiah 58. be called a delight and we would endeavour as it is Heb. 4. to enter into his rest to pass through the outward rest into his to be within his chambers yea even in his arms as it were all that day 7. There would be that day more divineness in our Holiness to speak so a sort of Majesty by ordinary in our walk looking like the Sabbath and like the God of the Sabbath There would be an exulting in God that day we would endeavour to have our hearts in a special manner warm in the Exercise of love to him and to be much in praising of him our Whole worship would more absolutely and immediately be aimed and levelled at the honour and glory of God as the end of it then on other ordinary days wherein our prayers and other pieces of worship may more immediately respect our own Case and need but on this day Gods Honour as the end more immediately whatever our own Case be and that both in heart within and in the nature of our Exercises without this is to call the Sabbath of the Lord honourable to honour and glorifie him therein as it is Is 58. a special Majesty being in that days worship by levealling it with extraordinary singleness at Gods praise even as his name is hallowed or sanctified in Heaven by Angels and perfected Saints Hence It 's good to give thanks unto thy Name c. beginneth that Psalm of Praise for the Sabbath-day to wit the 92. These Duties then that further his praise are more especially for that day 8. All these reach both words and thoughts nothing to the hindrance of these is to be admitted neither there are none of our words and thoughts that day but they would in a special manner be Gods and in it we should be spent as his and endeavour to
or tacite conditions in all promissory Oaths 84 Wâ— ther indefinite Oaths such as these imposed in Colledges in Corporations or such as Souldiers take to their Officers be lawful 85 What does not lose the Obligation of promissory Oaths 13. particulars instanced 87. 88 What Oaths are null and of no force 88 Four cases vvherein the Obligation of a lawfull Oath ceaseth 89 Why vvicked men keep their sinful Oaths much more strictly then they do lawful Oaths ibid. What an Oath super addeth to a promise ibid. Obedience The difference between obedience to the moral Law as it respects the Covenant of grace and as it respects the Covenant of vvorks 3 See Duties Command Law Omens and observations vvhen sinful and superstitious 112 How superstitious Observations may be made of a Word of Scripture 113 Oppression shewed to be a sort of rapine and against the 8. command 230 Obtestations vvhen lawful and binding and how vve may also sin in them 90 91 P. PErjury several sorts of it and several vvayes how one may become perjured 85 Whether one that necessitates another to swear vvhen he has a suspicion that other vvill forswear himself become Acessory to his perjury 86 See Oath Poligamy how a breach of the seventh Command 201 Poverty how men sinfully bring it upon themselves and so violate the eighth Command 247 Punishment of the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children threatned in the second Command proved to mean spiritual and eternal punishment especially 73 74 Three considerations for clearing how the Lord does thâ—s punish Children for the Parents sin 75. Five ends for which the Lord threatens the Posterity of vvicked men ibid. How children become guilty of the Parents sin and vvhat special need some have to repent of the sins of their ancestors 76 Praising of God required in the 2. Command 53 Our ordinary failings before the going about this duty ibid. Many failings in the performances of this duty enumerated 53 54 Our failings after praising 54 Prayer required by the second Commandment 50 Many sins before Prayer instanced 51 Many ordinary sins in Prayer ibid. Many sins while joyning with others in Prayer enumerated 52 Many ordinary sins after Prayer instanced in 52 Preface I am the Lord thy God a preface to all the Commandments but more especially to the first command 16 Pride in what things it appear 107 â—08 See Humility Promises vvhy annexed to some Commandments rather then to others 17 Why the fifth Command is called the first Command with Promise 191 What comfort the Promise made in the second Command to the thousand generations c. affords to believing Parents and their children 76 What is the meaning of the Promise annexed to the 5 Commandment and how to be understood 202 What Advantage a Believer under the New Testament â—as by such temporal Promises 203 See Vows R. RApine what it is 239 Religion how concerned in the duties we oâ— to others 190 Riches ten prejudices that come by them 25â— Right vvhether a vvicked men has it to any thing here 202 203 S. SAbbath the observation of it a moral duty 119 120 Three considerations for clearing the morality of it 120 The morality of it proved from the Scriptures way of speaking of it in general 121 The Prophesies Ezekiel 43. 44 45 46. chap. Considered 122 123 Matth. 24. 20. considered 123 2. Proved that all the 10. Commandments are moral and consequently this 124 This cleared from Matth. 5. 19. Jam. 2. 10. 124 125 3. Several peculiar remarks upon the fourth Commandment confirming the morality of it 127 128 4. Four Arguments drawn from Scripture to prove this 128 129 Four notable Witnesses to this truth 129 130 Objections answered 130 131 Remembring of the Sabbath imports four things 144 145 How to reckon when the Sabbath begins and ends 145 146 What proportion of it should be bestowed on spiritual duties 146 Several Considerations tending to clear that the fourth Commandment intended not the seventh but a seventh day primarily 147 148 Six Arguments for Evincing this 148 to 151 Some objections answered 152 Several Considerations for clearing when the Sabbath begins 152 153 Divers arguments to prove that the Sabbath begins in the morning and continues till next morning 152. to 155. 1. That the Sabbath may be changed from the seventh day to the first proved not deregatory from the 4 Commandment 155 156 2. That it was convenient that the day should be changed proved â—56 3. That the change should be to the first day of the work proved most convenient 159 4. That the seventh-day Sabbath was actually changed to the first day proved 160 to 166 5. That this change is not by Humane but Divine Institution proved 166. to 168 6. That this change was made by Christ from the very day of his Resurrection proved to be probable 168 How the Lord did sanctifie the Sabbath and we â—ought to sanctifie it 169 What works are lawful â—n the Lords day 169 170 Eighth Caveats for preventing the Abuse of what liberty God allows on that day 171 172 What is meant by a Sabbath days journey 170 What resting on the Sabbath imports and from what we must rest 173 174 That we are equally oblidged to the sanctification of the Sabbath as they were of old 174. 175 An Objection answered 175 Wherein the peculiar holiness required on the Lords day consists 176 177 What preparation is necessary for the Sabbath 178 Particular directions for sanctifying the Lords day from morning to evening 178 179 What 's to he done vvhen the Sabbath is over 180 How the Lord Blesses the Sabbath 183 184 Why he has yet apart a day to himself 184 How Magistrates are by the letter of the fourth Commandment oblidged to take care that the Sabbath 〈…〉 all that are under them 182 183 Six aggravations of the sin of Sabbath breaking 185 In what sense Sabbath breaking iâ— a greater sin then the breath of any command in the second table 186 Several vvayes vvhereby â—â—e Sabbath is prophaned 186 187 Some directions for preventing this sin 187 Sacraments the right administration of them required in the second Command 55 Eighth observations concerning the Sacraments in general 55 56 Five ends and uses of the Sacraments 56 57 58 How the Sacraments seal the proposition of a practical Syllogisme how the assumption and how the conclusion 57 How we sin by saying too much weight on the Sacraments 〈◊〉 several failings instanced in 59 How vve sin undervaluing of them seventeen vvayes ennumerated 60 61 How vve sin in not receiving the Lords-Supper 62 Many ordinary sailings before the participation of this ordinance ennumerated 63 Many sins on the receiving of the Lords-Supper instanced 64 Many sins after partaking of this ordinance instanced 65 Whether the admission of scandalous persons does pollute the ordinance 65 to 69 Sins forbidden in the first Command 19. 25 26 How vve may find out the sins against the first Command 27 Sins forbidden
what is displeasing to him that may know sin and how to eschew it and may be stirred up to repentance when they have fallen into it this being the Laws property that thereby is the knowledge of sin Rom. 7. 7. and so likewise the knowledge of duty therefore it is summed in so few words that it may be the more easily brought into and retained in the memories and hearts of his people For which cause also of old and late has it always been recommended both in the Word Deut. 5. 1. and in all Catechisms to be learned as a Rule of mens walking and yet so comprehensive is it that without pains and diligence to come to the understanding thereof men cannot but come short of the great scop thereof The third is the great ignorance that is amongst not a few of the meaning of the useful and excellent Scripture and especially in this secure time many not knowing they break the Commandments when they break them at least in many material things and this draweth with it these sad effects 1. That there are few convictions of sin 2. Little repentance for sin 3. Much security presumption confidence in self-righteousness and the like upon which the ignorance of this Scripture hath great influence even as amongst the Jews the ignorance of its Spiritually made many neglect the chief part of holiness and proudly settle on self-righteousness and slight Christ the Mediator as we may see in Pauls example Rom. 7. 9. and this was one reason why our Lord expounded it that by it sinners might see more the necessity of a Mediator who is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe Rom. 10. 4. And as these effects are palpable at this time so we conceive it useful to follow the same remedy this evil being not only amongest the prophane but amongst the most formal and civil who stumble at this stone yea many believers are often so much taken with cases and light in Doctrinal truths that they heed not snfficiently the meaning of the Law whereby their convictions of sin tenderness in practise constant exercise of repentance and daily fresh applications to the Blood of Sprinkling are much impeded And although it may seem not so to suit the nature of this exercise for it would be noticed that the Author delievered this Doctrine of the Law in several Lectures on the Sabbath-morning before Sermon in which time he formerly used to read and expound a Chapter of the Holy Scriptures or a considerable portion thereof which Lectures are not now distinguished because of the close connection of the purposes yet considering the foresaid reasons and the nature of this excellent Scripture which cannot hastily be passed through it having much in few words and therefore requiring some convenient time for explication consideriing the weight of it and its usefulness for all sorts of hearers we are confident it will agree well with the end of this Eexercise which is the end of opening all Scripture to wit peoples instruction and edification to insist a little thereon Our purpose is not to aim at any great accuracy nor to multiply questions and digressions nor to insist in application and use but plainly and shortly as we are able to give you the meaning of the Law of God 1. By holding forth the Native Duties required every Commandment 2. The sins which properly oppose and contradict each Commandment that by these we may have some direction and help in duty and some spur to repentance at least a furtherance in the work of Conviction that so by it we may be led to Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that belives Rom. 104. which is the principal intent of this Law as it was given to Israel To make way for the Exposition we shall 1. Lay down some Conclusions which arise from the Preface 2. Give you some ordinary distinctions 3. Clear and confirm some Rules or Observations useful for understanding of the whole Law The first Conclusion that we take for granted is that this Law as 't is Moral doth tye even Christians and Believers now as well as of old which appears from this that he who is God the Law-giver here Acts 7. 38. is the Angel Christ and 't is his Word as is clear vers 30. 31. as also the matter of it being connatural to Adam it did bind before the Law was given and that obligatory force cannot be seprated from its nature though the exercise of Right Reason in Nature be much obliterate since the Fall therefore Christ was so far from destroying this Law in its Authority and Paul so far from making it void by the Doctrine of Faith that our Lord tells he came to fulfill it Matt. 5. 17. and Paul shews that his preaching of Faith was to establish it Rom. 3. 31. which truth being confirmed by them both in their Practise and Doctrine sheweth that the breach of the holy Law of God is no less sinful to us now then it was to them before us The second Conclusion is that though this Law and obedience thereto lye on Christians and be called for from them yet it is not laid on them as a Covenant of Works or that by which they are to seek or expect Justification no but on the contrary to overturn self-righteousness by this Doctrine which manifesteth sin and of it self worketh wrath which is also clear in that he is here called Our God which he cannot be to sinners but by Grace And also it appears from the Lords owning of this sinful people as his and his adjoyning to this Law so many Ceremonies and Sacrifices which point out and lead to Christ and from his adding the Law on Mount Sinai as a help to the Covenant made with Abraham Genes 17. which was a Covenant of Grace and was never altered as to its substance in which the people of Israel as his Seed was comprehended therefore it appears that this was never the Lords intent in covenanting thus with his people that they should expect righteousness and life by the adjoyned Law but only that it should be useful in the Hand of Grace to mak the former Covenant with Abraham effectual So then though we be bound to obey the Law we are not to seek righteousness or life by the duties therein enjoyned The third Conclusion is that both Ministers in preaching and people in practising of this Law would carry with subordination to Christ and that the duties called for here are to be performed as a part of the Covenant of Grace and of the obligation that lyeth upon us thereby so all our obedience to God ought still to run in that Channel If we ask how these two differ to wit the performing the duties of the Law as running in the Channel of the Covenant of Grace and the performing of them as running in the Channel of the Covenant of Works or how we are to go
on such a day particularly that comes to pass by vertue of his positive Command the first cannot be altered the second by the Lord may but till he alter it the Authority lies still on all and it is equally sin to sin against any of them though without the positive Sanction there is no obligation naturaly requiring obedience in some of them 6. The sixth distinction is of the Moral Law in two Tables first and second The first contains our immediate worship and service and obedience to God himself and is comprehended in the first four Commandments the second contains our mediate obedience to God in all the duties we owe to other in the last six they were at first so divided by the Lord himself for there are Ten in all Dent. 4. 13 From this distinction take notice 1. That all the Commandments of the second Table are of like Authority with the first God spake all these words yea as it appears from Acts 7. 38. it was our Lord Jesus 2. The sins immediately against the first Table are greater then those against the second for this cause Matth. 22. 38. the first is called the First and Great Commandment Therefore 3. In Morals if they be things of the same nature the duties of the second Table cede and give place to the duties of the first Table when they cannot stand together as in the case of love to God and the exercise of love to our Father and Neighbour Luke 14. 26. Matth. â—0 37. when obedience to God and obedience to our superiours cannot consist we are to obey God rather then man Acts 4. 19. and we are to lore the Lord and hate Father and Mother Luke 14. 6. 4. Yet take notice that Ceremonials or positives of the first Table for a time cede and give place to Morals in the second as for relieving or preserving our Neighbours life in hazard we may travel on the Sabbath day according to that Scripture I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath c. 7. The seventh distinction which is ordinary is of the Commandments into affirmative and negative as ye see all the Commandments in the first Table are negatively set down forbidding sin directly Thou shalt not have an other gods c. only the fourth is both negative and affirmative forbidding sin and commanding duty directly as also the fifth only which is the first of the second Table is affirmative all the rest are negative This distinction is not so to be understood as if nothing were commanded or injoyned in negative Precepts or as if nothing were forbidden in affirmative Precepts for what ever be expressed as forbidden the contrary is alwayes in plyed as commanded and whatsoever is expresly commanded the contrary is alwayes implyed as forbidden but the distinction is taken from the manner of setting them down concerning which take these Rules or general Observations for your better understanding many whereof are in the larger Catechism 1. However the Commandments be expressed affirmatively or negatively every one of them hath two parts one affirmative implyed in negative Precepts requiring the duties that are contray to the sins forbidden another negative implyed in the affirmative Precepts forbidding the sins that are contrary to the duties commanded as for example the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain it implies a Command reverently to use his Name So to remember to keep Holy the Satbbath day implies a Prohibition of prophaning it in which sense all the Commandments may in some respect be called negative and so a part of the fourth Commandment is negatively expressed Thou shalt dâ—no work or affirmative in which respect Christ comprehendeth all the negatives under these two great affirmative Commandments of love to God and our Neighbour for every Commandment doth both enjoyn and forbid the like may be said of promises and threatnings there being in every promise a threatning and in every threatning a promise conditionally implyed And this may be a reason why some Commandments are negatively expressed some positively to show us that both are compredended 2. Though the positive Commandment or the positive part of the Commandment be of alike force and Authority with the negative as to the obligation it layeth on us to duty yet it doth not tye us to all occasions and times as negatives do Hence is that common Maxime that affirmative Commands tye and oblige semper ever that is they never want their Authority and we are never absolved from their obedience but they do not oblige and tye ad semper that is in all differences of time we are not tyed to the exercise of the duties enjoyned negatives again oblige both somper and ad semper that is alwayes and in all differences of time For instance in the third Commandment the affirmative part is to use the Lords Name and Ordinances holily and reverently in prayer reading and hearing c. So in the fourth Commandment we are required to sanctifie the Sabbath by wating on Ordinances c. This makes these still duties so as to pray hear c. are still duties but we are not to be and should not be alwayes exercised in these duties for we must abound in other duties also of necessity and mercy we must eat and sleep c. and when we sleep we can neither act love nor sear Again the negative part is not to prophane the Lords Name in his Ordinances this may not be done at any time The reason of the difference is this because in affirmatives we are not alwayes tyed to the acts of Duties and Graces but to the Disposition and Habit. Habits are a Spiritual Quality a Vis or Power sitting and enabling for bringing forth these acts and for the bringing them forth in the due time and season when they shall be called for but in sinful things we are prohibited not only the habits but the acts also the one is alwayes and ever a sin but the other is not alwayes called for as duty If any desire Rules to know when a duty is called for as for instance when we are to pray hear c. it is hardly possible to be particular in this yet we may try it by these Generals 1 Any affirmative Precept binds to present practise when the duty required tends to Gods glory unto which every thing should be done as 1 Corinth 10. 31. and when the omission of the duty may dishonour him 2. When it tends to others edification and omitting will some way stumble and offend 3. When some special Providences meet and concur to give opportunity for such a duty as for instance the giving of Aims when we have it and some indigent person offers whose necessity calls for it Gal. 6. 10. So when secrecy for prayer is offered and no other more necessary duty at that time is called for which we are to watch unto
the family which Persons in secret perform and so Family-worship will be a worshipping of God beside what is in publick and secret in a Domestick and family-relation jointly Thirdly That this Command requireth such a family-worship distinct from publick and secret and something to be performed in worshipping of God amongst persons of related which is not required of others may thus be made out 1. The thing called for in this Command is certainly worship yea immediate worship it being a Command of the first Table and such a thing as the sanctifying of the Sabbath 2. This Command taketh in all Domestick Relations Parents Children Sonâ— and Daughters Masters and Servants Men or VVomen yea and Strangers that may be for the time or on that day sojourning there these are all constituent Members of a Family 3. The thing required of them is not simply rest from labour for 1. That is commanded for the Beasts lest men should be hindered from or interrupted in their holy rest by their waiting on them and none will say we hope that there is no more required as to Children or Servants then as to the Beasts 2. Under the Negative Thou shalt do no work is included the Affirmative Thou shalt sanctifie that day to the Lord. 3. The same Duty is required of all alike in some respect thou Father and thou Son thou Master and thou Servant and if worship be called for from the Father and Master for the sanctifying of that day so it must be also from the Child and Servant 4. The manner of performing this Worship of sanctifying the Lords day in Holy duties is required not only to be in publick nor only in secret but by the Members of each Family joyntly and apart from other Families For 1. It cannot be understood to require worship only in publick together because 1. there may be in some cases no access to publick worship and yet the Command of sanctifying the Lords day lyeth still on and no doubt by Families 2. Waiting on publick worship is but one piece of sanctifying the Lords day and that but in apart of it therefore there must be some other thing included here 2. It cannot be understood of the Master of the Family his putting the Members of the Family separatly to seek and worship God and of his own going about Holy duties himself apart For 1. Though that be worship yet is it not worship from persons in such a Relation or Family worship more then if they were not in such a Relation or of such a Family and though it might be said that such and such persons sanctified the Sebbath yet could it not be said that the Family as such did it even as Families or persons seeking God in secret could not be exonered thereby as to their being in the Congregation nor their serving of God be so accepted as Congre gational service if they met not together when they might Just so it is here yea as it lyeth by this Command on a Congregation and a Minister to sanctifie the Lords day and to come together for that end so doth it lye on the Family and Master of it 2. By this Command there is more required then secret or solitary sanctifying of the Sabbath even a peculiar sanctification of it within one Family distinct from another I say 1. more then solitary worship because the Lords saying thou without repeating Son Daughter c. had been sufficient to have laid it on all separately for themselves the enumeration therefore of the whole Members of a Family must import some other thing for the former is implyed in all Commands as Thou shalt not kill that is as far as in thee lyeth thou nor thy Son c. There must I say be something more understood by the peculiar enumeration pressed in this fourth Command I say 2. Even a peculiar worship because it 's something laid on by this Command which is holden within Gates or doors and neither goeth to the Congregation nor to the persons of other Families at least ordinarily but reacheth the Members of such a Family who are within such a Mans Gates or Doors therefore it must be a distinct Family-worship mainly performed by that Family together 3. The thing required here is not only worship simply but worship as from a member of such a Family therefore it is not solitary worship for seeking of God and moral duties in secret still agree to persons in all places and Families alike but this draweth a line as it were betwixt Families and so divides one Family from another yet maketh the duty more obliging to these within such a Mans Gates or Doors then others without Doors therefore it must be joynt-worship for apart or as concerning secret worship all are every where alike obliged 4. If by this Command something more in the worship of this day be required of a person that is a member of a Family in reference to that Family then there is required of one who is not a member of such a Family or is required of that person in reference to another Family whereof he is not a member then it requireth a distinct Family-worship for no other thing can be understood but a joynt going about the sanctifying of that day in a stricter and nearer way of Communion amongst the members of that Family then with persons and Families in and to whom they are not so interested and related 5. If secret and publick worship were onely required in this Command then should we equally and alike sanctifie the Lords day with other Families and persons not of that Family whereof we are members for in these we joyn alike for them and with them but there is some peculiar thing required here which will not agree to be performed by all alike therefore it is Family-worship that must be here required 6. This Command requireth of Masters suppose them to be Ministers or Magistrates another way of sanctifying the Sabbath and worshipping of God in and with their Families then it doth in reference to other Families the Command being so particular to him and to all that are within his Gates or Doors and members of his Family speaketh this clearly But except it be joynt going about of duties with them there can be no other thing understood to be required for 1. One may exhort another 2. All come in publick together 3. By the Masters example after the publick they all withdraw or should at least to secret exercises 4. Magistrates and Ministers may Command other Families to sanctifie that day What is peculiar then as to their own Families but to joyn with them in duties of worship 7. If there were not Domestick-worship required on this day then except it were in publick Members of a Family could not converse together for they cannot converse together in doing their own works or in speaking their own words their fellowship therefore must be in exercises of worship and so that must needs be
seventh primarily it would have been more clearly expressed thus he hath given thee the first six therefore give thou him the seventh The second reason from Gods example inferreth the same he wrought six and rested the seventh do thou so likewise and so these that work six and rest a seventh as we now do follow Gods example as well as they that wrought six and rested the seventh did Arg. 5. If the positive part of the Command must be expounded by the negative contra then it concerneth one of seven and not the seventh But the first is true 1. To positive part commandeth a day without respect to its order therefore the negative doth so 2. The negative is to be resolved thus ye shall not work above six not thus ye shall not work above the first six as the event cleareth 3. If it be not the first six but six that is in the concession then it is not the seventh but a seventh that is in the inhibition but the first is clear Ergo c. Arg 6. If this Command for the substance of it concern us as being moral and bind us to the first day and the sanctifying of it equally as it obliged the Jews to the seventh then it s one day of seven and not the seventh which is intended primarily by it But it bindeth us to the first Ergo That its moral and bindeth us now is cleared Thus 1. it either bindeth to this day or to nothing therefore it primarily granteth six and not the first six for labour and by clear conseqnence intendeth primarily a seventh and not the seventh for a day of rest 2. If it be a sin against this Command to break the Lords day or Christian Sabbath and prophane it then it obligeth us to it and that directly for indirectly and by consequence the breach of the Sabbath is a sin against any or all of the three former commands 3. If the prophaning of the Sabbath be forbidden on this ground because it is the Lords as it is in this Command then prophaning of the Lords day is equally forbidden in it because its the Lords and is now appropriated to him according to his own will 4. The Testimony of mens Consciences and the constant challenges of all when tender as being guilty of breaking this Command when ever they prophane the Lords day do convincingly hold forth that this Command concerneth and are as so many witnesses of it and consequently prove that it is not the seventh day but a seventh day whether instituted or to be instituted by God which is the substance of it and primarily commanded in it for its never counted a breach of this Command to neglect to sanctifie the seventh day neither do the Consciences of well informed Christians challenge for that though they do most bitterly for the other as is said In sum suppose now the first day being instituted that the Command were to sanctifie the Sabbath we would understand it of the first day because it s already instituted and the same reasons will inforce it even so the seventh day came in then because it was formerly instituted beside the Sabbatisme signifieth not this or that day but what day soever shall be by God solemnly set or is set apart for holy rest and the Command will run for our observing the Lords day supposing its institution as well as it did for that although it more directly tye them yet it doth so but as a reason even as the preface prefixed to all the Commands and the promise affixed to the fifth concern them literally yet are binding in so far as they are moral as appeareth by the Apostles applying the last Ephes 6. 2. without relation to that particular Land or People but as applicable and common to any Land or People making conscience of obedience to Gods commands But here it may be objected 1. The Jews kept the Seventh day Answ 1. Not by vertue of this command but by its prior institution even as they were obliged to Sacrifices and Circumcision by the second command though they were not particularly named in it 2. So we are obliged to the keeping of the First day of the week by this fourth Commandement yet it followeth not therefore this is expresly commanded in it there being indeed no particular day primarily at least instituted in it 2. It may be objected But God rested the Seventh day Answ Gods rest is not principally proposed as the reason of that Seventh day but that he rested one day after six imployed in the works of Creation I'ts to inferr the number not the order otherwaies it would not concern us 2. The Seventh relateth not to the order of the dayes of the week one two three c but it 's called the Seventh with respect to the former Six of work Thus much for the quoties and quamdiu how often the Sabbath recurreth and what is the day It remaineth here to be inquired what is the beginning of the sanctification of this day which belongeth to the quando or wherefrom we are to reckon it seeing it 's granted by all to be a natural day Now it is questioned mainly whether its begininning is to be reckoned from evening about Sun setting or darkness to Sun setting the next day or if it be to be reckoned from morning that is as we fix it when the Sun beginneth to ascend towards us after midnight which is morning largely taken as its evening largely taken when the Sun beginneth to decline after mid-day In this debate then we take morning and evening largely as they divide the whole natural day so the morning is from twelve at night to twelve in the day and the evening from twelve in the day to twelve at night And it must be so here for 1. Moses Gen. 1. divideth the natural day in morning and evening which two put together make up the whole day and these six dayes made up each of them of morning and evening are natural dayes the whole week being divided in seven of them and that reckoning from Gods example is no doubt proposed for our Imitation in this Hence the morning watch was before day and the morning sacrifice about nine of the clock so the evening sacrifice was about three in the afternoon and the evening watch about nine at night 2. It is granted by all and is clear from this command that as we account the six working dayes of the week so must we account the seventh for one must begin where another endeth and if one of them begin at the evening or morning all the rest must do so likewise 3. We suppose the sanctifying of the ordinary Sabbath was from morning to evening I say of the ordinary Sabbath because for extraordinary Sabbaths as of the Passover Exod. 12. and of the Atonement Levit. 23. there were special reasons and though otherwayes they were to be sanctified as Sabbaths yet that they were to begin in the evening before
worship they its beginning must be in the morning for if the latter or following evening belong to this natural day before sleeping time come on then the even before cannot belong to it for it cannot have both but by this Command a whole waking day or an artificial day is to be sanctified together and the even after it before waking time end as well as the morning Therefore it must begin in the morning and noâ— on the evening before Further if by vertue of the concession of six working dayes we may not worâ— the evening after then the day beginneth in the morning for the week day following must begin as the Sabbath did but the former is true Ergo c. Thesâ— things will make out the minor 1. It can hardly be thought consistent with thiâ— Command to work immediately when it groweth dark before folks rest 2. Iâ— said Luke 23. verse 56. and 24. verse 1. of the Women that stayed from the grave till the first day of the week that they rested according to the commandment on the Sabbath day and early in the morning came to the Sepulchre 3. Because Christ accounteth a whole natural day that which lasteth till men cannot work 4. Gods working dayes to say so were such he made not any thing in the evening before the First day 5. The ordinary phrase To morrow is the holy Sabbath Exod. 16. 23 c. sheweth that the day present will last till to morrow come and to morrow is ever by an intervening night So if on the forbidden day men may not work till to morrow then that evening belongeth to it by this Command and if on the sixth day the seventh be not come till to morrow that is after the night intervene then it doth not begin at even but so it is in these places and phrases Yet again its clear that in all the examples of ordinary Sabbaths keeping and sanctifying in Scripture they began in the morning For instance it is said Exod. 16. 27. Some of the people went out to gather on the seventh day no doubt in the morning for they knew well there was none of it to be found any day after the Suns waxing hot they might have dressed of it the night before and not been quarrelled with they being forbidden gathering on the Sabbath the proofs of the former Argument give light to this also There are yet two Arguments to be added which do especially belong to us Christians for clearing the beginning of our Lords day to be in the morning the first is taken from Christs Resurrection thus That day and that time of the day ought to be our Sabbath and the beginning of it when the Lord began to rest after finishing the work of Redemption and arose but that was the First day in the week in the morning Ergo c. This bindeth us strongly who take that day on which he arose to be our Christian Sabbath The second is taken from the History of Christs Passion and Resurrection together wherein these things to this purpose are observable 1. That he was laid in the Grave on Frydays night being the preparation to the great Sabbath which followed 2. That the Woman who rested and came not to the Grave till Sunday morning to use our known names are said to rest according to the Commandment as if coming sooner had not been resting according to it 3. That his lying in the Grave must be accounted to be some time before the Fryday ended other wayes he could not have been three dayes in the Grave and therefore a part of Frydays night is reckoned to the First day then the whole Sabbath or Saturday is the second and lastly a part of the night to wit from twelve a clock at night belonging to the First day or Sunday standeth for the third and so he arose that morning while it was yet dark at which time or thereabouts the Women came to the Grave as soon as they could for the Sabbath and therefore their Sabbath seventh-day ended then and the First day Sabbath began We now come to the third general question concerning the change to wit the change of the seventh day into the First day of the week where first we shall sum up what is moral in this Command and then secondly by some Propositions clear the change and its consistency with this Command To the first then this Command doth morally and perpetually oblige to these 1. That there be a solemn time set apart and observed for Worship 2. That this should be one day of seven 3. That it should be such a day the very day which God commandeth the Sabbath of his appointment whatever day it should be 4. That it be a whole natural day of twenty four hours yet having an Artificial day together undivided 5. That six and no more but six working dayes intervent and that these be together in a week and therefore 6. That the Sabbath be a bounding day dividing one working week from another if then six working dayes must be in one week and go together this will follow also that the Sabbath must be the first or last day of the seven As for the Propositions clearing the change and consistency of it with this command the first shall be this The Sabbath may be changed from the last or seventh day to the first day of the week without any derogation to this command or inconsistency with it for all that is moral in it to wit a day and one day of seven and a bounding seventh day leaving six for work together remain untouched by the change beside the seventh day not having its institution from this Command expresly and directly but only accidentally the particular day whether the Jews seventh day or the Christians first day of the week being supposed by the fourth Commandment as instituted or to be instituted elsewhere as is said and its first institution Gen. 2. being onely a positive and temporary Law may be therefore changed and yet the fourth Commandment keep intire we need not insist in further prosecution of this Proposition much being spoken to it on the matter already 2. Propos Not only may the seventh be altered from what it was under the Law to another seventh day under the Gospel but it is meet and convenient from good reasons even in the Command that it should be so For 1. If these two ages before Christ and after him be looked on as diverse Worlds and if the Redemption by Christ at his coming be accounted the making of the one as Gods Creation was of the other then its meet that when the World is renued by Redemption the Sabbath day should be changed for memory of that as well as it was instituted at first for the memory of the former there being the same reason for both But they are looked on as two distinct worlds and called so in the plural number Heb. 11. 2. and this last World distinguished from the
former Hebr. 2. 5. and the redeeming of the one is looked upon as the making of the other therefore from that day forth the day of rest is to be such as may relate to both now the day being changed to the first it remembreth us of Gods rest at the Creation by distinguishing six dayes from the seventh and it remembreth us of the new Creation by putting Christs Resurrection in the room of the former Arg. 2. If the new World be a work as much for the glory of God and as comfortable to men when it s begun and closed or finished by the work of Redemption as the making of the old World was then the day of rest of the new World is to be made to relate to that much more if the Redemption of the World be more for the glory of God and for the comfort of men then by the ground on which the seventh day was at first instituted it s also again to be changed to wit the memory of Gods great work but both the former are true Ergo or thus if the ground that made the seventh to be chosen for the Sabbath in the old World be changed in the new and thaâ— ground agree better to another then to it then it is to be changed But the ground whereupon the old seventh day was preferred is now changed there are grounds to prefer another day to it for the same ends therefore it is meet the day be changed also Or thus f the perfecting of the work of Redemption and the rest of the Mediator after it be as much to be remembred as the work of Creation and Gods resting after it then the day is to be changed but so it is Ergo. Arg. 3. If by Christ in the new World all the Levitical services be changed and the Ceremonial Worship of that day then it is meet that the day also should be changed 1. For shewing the expiration of that Worship and Law it being hard to keep that day and to distinguish it from the Jewish former Worship 2. To keep Christians more Judaizing and to abstract them even from former services of the Sabbath now abolished just as now no particular family hath the Priesthood as Levi had it before nor no particular Nation hath the Church confined in it as that of the Jews had though these were not typical properly yea it would be such a day as would point out the evanishing of former Ceremonies which the inbringing of the first day abundantly doth Arg. 4. If the Worship and Ordinances of the new Gospel-world be eminently to hold their Institution of Christ the Mediator and to be made some way relative to his Redemption past then it is meet for that end that the Sabbath-day be changed so as it may be dependant on him as all other worship is that is moral-positive or positive-moral and that cannot be done well if the former day be kept unchanged at least not so well as when it is changed but the former is true all Gospel-worship holdeth of him Sacraments Prayer Praise Ministry c. now Sacraments as they seal are not ceremonial for the Tree of Life was instituted to be a seal of the Covenant of works in the state of Innocency before the fall while there were no typical Institutions of a Saviour to come and so Sacraments as they are Seals may be continued as perpetual pieces of worship without hazard of typifying a Saviour to come therefore he instituted new ones and that with relation to his work of Redemption considered as past Hence also his Prayer or Pattern is called the Lords Prayer and his Sacrament of the Supper is called the Lords Supper because instituted by him and relating to him in this sence it is peculiarly said Hebr. 2. 5. That God put in subjection to him the World to come different from what was before and he is put as the Son in the New Testament in the place of Moses who was the Law-giver and faithful Servant in the Old Heb. 3. upon this ground we think that day is called Hebr. 1. 10. the Lords day to bring it in a dependance on Jesus Christ and to make it respect what is past of the work of Redemption Arg. 5. If the day of solemn publick worship be a piece of Gods worship capable of bearing a relation to Christ to come and falling out under the Mediators Kingdom properly then when he cometh in the new World it is meet it should be changed 1. To shew he is come 2. To shew he is absolute over the house and worship of God 3. Some way to preach his Grace and Redemption in the very change of it But it is a piece of Worship and Tribute of our time as is said before and a piece of worship capable of his Institution and Remembrance therefore called the Lords day which could not be were not a day of worship capable of that and it falleth under the power of Christ who Matth. 12. Even as the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and why is that power pleaded in that particular of the day so often if it were not to shew that there is reason by his coming to look on the Sabbath as under him even as all other worship was which stood by Gods positive Command even as this did Arg. 6. If by this Command the day of rest from Gods most solemn work be to be our day of rest then after Christs coming not so before not the seventh but the first day is to be observed but by the command the former is true Again if that day be to be kept in reference to any solemn work of God which was the first day after his perfecting it then the First day is to be kept but by the command the former is true because our resting day is to be kept in reference to the work of Redemption and therefore must be on the First day which was the day after its closing and perfecting as to Christs suffering and labour though not as to its application even as the seventh was of Gods resting from the work of Creation though not from his works of Providence Arg. 7. If the seventh day which the Jews kept had any peculiar tye or motive unto them which by Christ is now taken away then it was meet that at Christs coming that day should be changed We would understand here that there might be somewhat peculiar or typical in their seventh day and yet nothing so in the fourth Command which commandeth one of seven but not the seventh And though we could not particularly pitch upon what is typical or peculiar in it yet may we conceive that something there is as in Tythes Offerings c. though the particular thing which is typified be hardly instructed As 1. If its beginning was on the evening to them as some think the reason of it was peculiar to wit their coming out of Egypt at evening Exod. 12. And in so far
condemned but only such as are in consistent with the end and scope of this Command as by other Scriptures and the practise of Christ and the Saints is clear we conceive therefore these to be permitted 1. All duties of Piety as was sacrificing under the Old Testament or preaching hearing or going about the Sacraments under the New Testament In which sense Matth. 12 our Lord saith the Priests prophaned the Sabbath and were blameless not that formally they prophaned the Sabbath or did indeed break that Command but materially they wrought in killing beasts c. which had been unlawful had it not been in the exercises of piety 2. All things that have a tendency as necessary helps and means to the performance of the former works of piety are lawful as going to the Congregation to hear the Law calling the Assembly for worship by Trumpets or Bells or by a Voice journeying going or riding to Church c. because the duties of the Sabbath cannot well be done without some of these not at all without others of them If it should be asked here What that which is called a Sabbaths day journey Acts 1. 12. was among the Jews and whence it came and what way may it be stinted or limited among Christians Answ It was to them 2000. Cubits which according to the different measuring of that distance of ground consisting of these 2000 Cubits by a lesser or longer Cubit is reckoned to be more or less by learned Men but all agree says Goodwin in his Moses and Aaron in this that these 2000. Cubits was a Sabbath days journey It arose to be reckoned so from these grounds 1. From their expounding Exod. 16. 29. Let none go out of his place thus Let none go without the bounds of the City which with its Suburbs was 2000. Cubits or a mile about 2. That the Tabernacle of the Congregation was so far from the Tents of these who pitched about it in the Wilderness Numb 2. as they supposed and that the Priests kept that distance from the people in entering with the Ark into Iordan Jos 3. 4. whence they gathered that a man might still go to the Ark or place of worship as it was then in these cases at a distance from them and no further on the Sabbath day But we say whatever superstitiously or on custome they took up for that is but their Tradition we cannot stint a Sabbath dayes journey to so many miles fewer or more but it must be as the man is in providence cast to reside further from or nearer to the place where the Ordinances are dispensed for one may go many miles and not prophane the Sabbath if he cannot have the publick Ordinances nearer whereas another may break the Sabbath by going but to his Neighbours door yea by walking in his own house or to his door if either it be done idly or with respect to another civil or worldly end which agreeth not to that day it is not here remoteness or nearness but what sweyeth us and what is our end that we are to try by 3. All works of mercy are lawful on that day as laying beside us something to the poor 1 Corinth 16. verse 1. sending or dealing something to those who are in want Isai 58. verse 7. visiting others to comfort strengthen or otherwayes to edifie them christianly though idle and carnal visits albeit alace too rife are not permitted 4. Good Works as Christ saith Matth. 12. 12. It s lawful to do good or well on the Sabbath such are giving of Physick when it is necessary bringing of Physitians saving a mans life and taking pains for it c. Luke 13. these good Works may be classed either with Works of mercy before or with Works of necessity that follow both being good Works as they are Works of mercy or of necessity 5 Works of necessity such as feeding Beasts leading them to the water pulling them out of Ditches when they are fallen into them on that day and much more preparing honestly sober allowance for the susteining of the body as the Disciples pluckt the ears of Corn Matth. 12. and the Jews Exod. 16. 23. dressed the Manna on the Sabbath though they were not to gather it yet on the sixth day to bake and seethe a part and to keep a part till the morrow but not till the day following and therefore they behoved to dress it also yea Jesus Christ went himself to a Feast on the Sabbath Luke 14. that he might take that opportunity by his spiritual discourse to edifie the Company as he did notably which he would not have done had it been unlawful to dress any meat on the Sabbath yet his carriage was such at that Feast most remarkably that it would be followed as a pattern by such as may be invited by others to eat with them and shall be disposed to go on the Sabbath And if this were the design of the inviters and invited mens eating together on that day would not readily prejudice the sanctification of it as very often it doth Such is flying on the Lords day from a destroying enemy and in other warranted cases Matth. 24. defending our selves against unjust violence c 6. Works of comliness tending to honest or decent walking as putting on of clothes honestly making the house clean from any uncleanness that may fall in it throughout the Sabbath c. By all which Believers have allowance 1. for piety 2. for charity 3. for what is needful for their beasts 4. what is needful and convenient or comely for themselves and more is not necessary In these the Lord hath not streightned them neither hath he pinched and pinned them up to absolute necessity but hath left them to walk by Christian prudence yet so as they may not exceed for the Disciples possibly might have endured that hunger and not pluckt the ears of Corn or beasts may live a day without water and not be much the worse or some sort of Victuals may be provided to be set beside men on the Sabbath needing no dressing or preparing yea a man may live on little or nothing for one day but the Lord hath thought good not to streighten them so as to make his day and worship a weariness and burden unto them seeing he hath made the Sabbath for man to be refreshing to him and not man for the Sabbath nor will he have their Consciences to be fettered with inextricable scruples He leaveth it to men on other days how much to eat and drink by a Christian prudence yet alloweth them not to exceed even on these so here there is some latitude left to conscientious reason to walk by for some may do something at one time and not at another yea one man may take more pains in upholding his body then is called for from another who is stronger so that its impossible to set particular rules which will agree to all but men would look 1. to their end 2.
to their need 3. to what may conveniently attain the end Yet it is needful here to add some qualifications or caveats lest folk indulge themselves too much and exceed under the pretext of the former liberty which the Lord hath condescended to leave men at 1. That men would see that the necessity be real that real sickness keepeth at home that real hazard maketh them flie or maketh them bide at home that it be such a necessity as they caâ—not contrive a way conveniently to evite when it cometh or could not foresee before it came 2. Men would see that that necessity be not brought on by themselves If the thing might have been done at another time that necessity will not excuse though if the sin be taken with and repented of and Christ fled unto for the pardon of it we may go about the doing that lawfully which sinfully we have necessitated our selves unto as suppose one had got warning to flie the day before to bring such a Physician or to provide such drugs c. if he did it not then he sinneth yet when necessity cometh he may still do it but not with a good Conscience till he first acknowledge the former fault of his neglect 3. It would be adverted if that thing may be done as well another time or may not without prejudice that is considerable be delayed till the next day Thus taking or giving of Physick on the Lords day making ordinary civil visits beginning voyages c. will not sustain and bear weight before God when folk do them that day to have their own work day free and so put by the proper duties of the Lords day for some things that may be done the day or dayes following Thus rest is commanded Exod 34. 21 even in sowing rime and Harvest because the necessity is not clear but dependeth on ordinary providence and folks are to expect occasion and opportunities for them afterward 4. Men would take heed that they have not a tickling complacency that such necessities fall on the Sabbath and be not glad to have diversions from the proper duties of the day They would go about such works with a sort of sadness though yet with clearness and peace of Conscience as to their lawfulness Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 24. 20. pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day because it would be heavy to Gods people to flie on that day though it was lawfull 5. We would see that it marr not a spiritual frame and that in doing these we turn not to mind the World as on other dayes There would be still a respect to the day in our frame which is called for in the word remember and even when our hand is otherwayes imployed the heart should not be taken up with these things but so far as is necessary to the acting of them 6. It would be adverted to that they be done without inregularity and so as not to give offence by them hence it was that Christ ever gave the reasons of what he did on the Sabbath lest others not knowing our necessity judge us guilty of Sabbath-breaking or be involved without necessity to do the like 7. Folks would have great respect to the end in these works and to the motive which swayeth and putteth them on If it be outward gain or fear of some temporal loss as if for gaining money a Physician should go rather on the Sabbath then on another day to save the life of a man that turneth then to be a servile work and one of his ordinary Week day calling to speak so So if a Minister should preach with respect to gain or applause on the Sabbath or if any man should make a visit for a meer civil end as we visit on other dayes without a suitable respect to spiritual edification or furtherance of Piety it will marr all and will be found a breach of the Sabbath 8. We would beware of spending too much time in these things but would endeavour timely and quickly to expede and dispatch them and rightly to tryst them Dressing of meat and trimming adorning and busking of folks bodies will not be found a well spent part of the Sabbath when it shutteth out other duties and getteth too much time as it doth with many By all which we may see what need there is to watch over our selves in these things lest our liberty be turned into licentiousness and lest we grow either idle or carnal on that day Let us then consider how far this rest extendeth and under it we take in 1. The rest of the whole man outward and inward in deeds words and thoughts so is it Isai 58. 13. we should not speak our own words nor by proportion think our own thoughts nor find our own pleasures 2. It goeth through the whole day for though every minute of the day cannot be applyed to positive duties yet in no minute of it is it lawful to do another work inconsistent with the qualifications and scope aforesaid that is the negative part in it thou shalt do no work which bindeth ad semper 3. It is to be extended not onely to a mans own person but to all under him children servants c he must be answerable for it that they rest and must give them no occasion of work 4. It s to be extended even to the least work of any sort if unnecessary as gathering sticks speaking our own word c. these are all breaches of the Sabbath 5. This rest extendeth to all actions or sorts of actions or cases which are not comprehended under the former exceptions which are permitted or are consistent with the sanctifying of the Sabbath As 1. All works which tend to our external profit pleasure satisfaction c. all works of our callings which make for the increase of outward gain and profit such whereby we ordinarily sustain our lives These Hebr. 4. 15. are called our own works and here it s such works as ordinarily are wrought in the rest of the six dayes So it is doing thy own pleasure as well as works Isai 58. 2. Such works as tend to others external gain or profit as the great motive of them as Servants may be working for their Masters profit and yet prophane the day 3. Such as are not necessary on that day as ploughing sowing reaping or gathering in and that even in Seed-time and Harvest and so fishing going of mills c. when these are not done for the very preserving of life because they are not necessary out of that case neither is there any thing here of an extraordinary dispensation that maketh them necessary the weather depending on an ordinaryprovidence or ordinarily depending on providence which is to be reverenced Hence though the weather and season be rainy yet it is not lawful to cut down or gather in Corn on the Sabbath their hazard in this ease being common and from an ordinary immediate providence yet suppose that
a River were carrying away Corn or that Winds were like to blow them into the Sea it were lawful in such a case to endeavour to prevent that and preserve them because 1. that cometh by some more then ordinary dispensation of providence in the weather and affecteth and putteth in hazard this Corn more then others 2. Because there is no probability of recovering these in an ordinary way though the weather should alter but there is hope of gathering in of such as are in the fields without that reach of hazard if the Lord alter the season 4. Such as are for carnal pleasure or civil ends thus playing gaming much laughing c. being our own works more especially our own pleasure are unlawful on that day 5. Consider that all things are prohibited which marr the end of the day and are not consistent with the duties thereof such are buying selling c. out of the cases of pressing necessity folks cannot be spiritually taken up and with these also so playing and gaming is no less consistent with praying reading conferring c. then ploughing or such like yea is much more indisposing for it and so we do necessarily thereby incapacitate our selves for the duties of the day 6. All things are forbidden which consist not with this rest and the duties of worship called for from our selves and others thus unnecessary journeying walking even suppose one could or should be exercised in meditation is not resting as is required much less is gadding in companies in the street or fields to the neglect of secret and family duties In a word whatever is not religious and spiritual exercise or furthering or helping unto what is so out of the excepted cases much more whatever is sinful scandalous or unsuitable on other dayes or doth divert from or indispose for the duties of holiness and the worship of God on that day is inconsistent with this rest and so prohibited for This rest is not primarily commanded and required for it self but as conducing and subordinate unto the performing of holy duties in it therefore our rest is to be regulated so as may best contribute to that scope and whatever marreth that though it should not be work strictly but idleness carnalness or playing and gaming and sporting yet its a breach of this rest for 1. That is no religious duty nor 2. tending as a necessary help to it nor 3. is rest commanded that we should pley in it but that we should sanctifie it and 4. playing or sporting cannot be called sanctifying the day otherwayes we might have mo Sabbaths then one and the prophanest would love them best 5. playing separateth not the Sabbath from other dayes more then work doeth for men play in all 6. playing is neither a religious duty it being amongst the most irreligious and prophane nor a duty of necessity for easing of weariness which doth not here come by any bodily toyl and labour but if there be any from being exercised in spiritual duties which therefore change and variety will through Gods blessing do so as the person may be born out in them nor is there any place for it except some duty be neglected therefore its inconsistent with this We come to the second way of considering the sanctification required here and that is by comparing it with that strictness called for from the Jews and to which they were tyed We speak not here of Ceremonials for so their whole service might be more burdensome then ours and particularly their Sabbath-services because they were doubled on that day but of moral duties and in that respect we say that the tye and obligation unto the sanctification of this day is equal and alike unto us with them which is clear in particulars for 1. It tyeth us now to as long time to wit a natural day of twenty four hours as it did them then 2. It restraineth from work and requireth holy rest now as much as then for whatever work then struck against the Letter or purpose and scope of the Command and marred holy duties doth so still 3. It requireth positive sanctification by holy duties as preaching prayer meditation c. and alloweth not idleness nor indulgeth time to other unnecessary works 4. It requireth as spiritual a manner and as spiritual a frame in performing of them now as then For 1. If the Command be moral then is there no change in moral duties for it is the same Command to us that it was to them save in ceremonial things 2. If the same things were allowed to them which are allowed to us and if no more be allowed to be done by us then was allowed to be done by them on the Sabbath then the observation in its strictness is equal but the first is true for works of piety mercy and necessity are allowed to us and so were they to them as by Christs reasoning against them as being here superstitious may appear yea 3. our allowances are taken from the practise of Christ and his reasonings with the Pharisees who in these disputes aimed not to shew that more was lawful by his coming then was before but to shew what then was lawful though they ignorantly or wilfully misunderstood the Command for even then God allowed mercy rather then sacrifice c. which places most clearly warrant us in our practise 4. The Service we have now is as spiritual and without all doubt the promise of the spirit for keeping up in holy duties as large as formerly and therefore our improving of it should be no less Before we proceed there are some Scriptures which seem to thwart with and to be cross to this to which we would speak a little for clearing of them as namely Exod. 16. 23 29. and Exod. 35. 3. where it would seem that going out of the place dressing of meat and kindling of fire were forbidden which are allowed to us To which we say 1. That we speak of the meaning of this fourth Command if any more was forbidden them by peculiar judicial Laws that contradicteth not our assertion these may be abrogated while this command standeth But 2 We conceive that as to these things gathering of sticks kindling of fire dressing meat c. no more is allowed unto us then unto them that is all unnecessary labour in and about these is unlawful to us now and all necessary labour in and about them was allowed unto and lawful for them as may be gathered from Christs practise and his reasoning with the Jews and from the allowance which was to their Beasts In the third place then we say that these Scriptures cannot be literally and universally understood for it cannot be thought that they went not out of the place kindled no fire dressed no meat in any case yea the allowance for their necessity and Christs going in and partaking when invited on the Sabbath-day Luke 14. It s like to somewhat that was prepared that day with his defending of his Disciples
be within view of Heaven to make some Essay of glorified Saints exercise there and to have the Sabbath as a little preludy of that everlasting Sabbath and rest in the bosom of God The Fourth way of considering this sanctification is positively to wit as to the Duties wherein the Sabbath is to be spent which are shortly all duties of immediate worship whether they be inward as meditation self-examination heart prayer either ejaculatory or more continued heart-sorrow for sins c. or outward as vocal prayer and singing of Psalms reading the Scriptures and other pious Books hearing the word c. or whether they secret which may be both inward and outward or private in Families as reading of the word conferring on it repeating Sermons praying together c. or publick as joyning with the Congregation in prayers and praises hearing the word read and the sense given hearing of Sermons participating of the Sacraments when dispensed joyning in solemn humiliations and thanks givings when they fall necessarily or more conveniently to be on the Sabbath All which and such like are proper duties for that day to which liberal laying up and giving for the relief of the poor according to ability and as God blesseth every man would be added as a suitable dnty of it though it be no duty of immediate worship The fifth way is to consider the sanctification of the Sabbath complexly before it come when it 's come and after it's past 1. Then the night before not secluding a suitable remembrance throughout the week remember it 1. by timous leaving of worldly business it 's a great incroachment on the Sabbath thought too too usual to continue longer at work the night before then any other night of the week as if folks would gain the day of rest out of Saturnsdays night and Mondays morning 2 By not suffering this little times leaving of work to be idly spent but being taken up with endeavours 1. To abstract mind the 2. To from other works as well as the hand and to have the heart put in a lively frame mind the work of the day which is coming and to have a suitablenss to it If ye ask what suitableness we have to it Answ Endeavour 1. to be as if ye were about to meet God to tryst as if it were visibly with him and solemnly to treat and enter in marriage with him 2. To be like Heaven and in a special manner in some sort to imitate God as if ye were already entered into his rest and had rested from your own works 3. To be as if ye were to dye and to step into Eternity for this resting should mind us of that and was and is still specially appointed though yet no Ceremony to mind us of Gods separating of us from others for himself that we may rest eternally with him Then 3. for furthering of this look back on the Week past and endeavour to have things clear before the Sabbath come and all by-gone quarrels removed that theremay be no standing controversies against you to begin the Sabbath with 4. Pray with special solemn seriousness in reference to that day that ye may have peace for what is past that ye may be in a right frame for the day that the Minister may be helped to speak as it becometh that others may be fitted to heare and joyn that the Word and other Ordinances may be richly blest of God and that the mercy of having the Ordinances may be minded with praise to the gracious giver of them and suitably improved 2. When the morning of that sweet and desirable day cometh after we have fallen asleep in a special manner as it were in the Lords arms the night before and left our selves there 1. we would timely begin the work and beware that either carnal thoughts get in or the time be idly slepped over but I say we would begine the work early for it 's for that end appointed and sinful thoughts will not be kept out but by filling the room otherwayes with what is spiritualy profitably Shew forth Gods loving kindness in the morning saith the Psam for the Sabbath to wit the 92. Let therefore the Meditation of somewhat of these or such like begin with us even when we are making ready 1. somewhat of God himself whose day it is 2. of heaven and that happiness that is there 3. of the works of God who gave us and all the world a being and who only preserveth the same 4. of Christs redemption and as closed and perfected on this day which especially should be minded that so thinking of our many and great obligations and of the misery we had been in had not that work of Redemption intervened we may begin the day with a due impression of Gods greatness and goodness of our own sinfulness weakness and misery and of this blessed remedy and out-gate 2. We would address our selves to solemn prayer in secret and that at greater length then on other dayes and with persisting in inwith special petitions relating to the day with all the seriousnese may win it 3 We would take a view of our own hearts to see how and where we left the night before and endeavour to have clearness betwixt the Lord and us as to our state and otherwayes maintained and renewed if it was or attained if it was not 4. Too much time would not be spent in adorning of busking or folks bodies or in making other provisions for them but as the whole of it would be taken up in duties of worship as we have before shewed so some part of it would be set apart for secret reading yea for secret praising thanksgiving and singing an exercise not unbecoming that day as that fore-cited Psalm for the Sabbath day sheweth 5. If thou be the Head of a Family or livest in fellowship with others then the family is gravely to be brought together and every particular member is to joyn with the rest And here also prayers and other religious duties are to be doubled according to the ceremonial doubling of Sacrifices on the Seventh-day-Sabbath under the Law for in secret in families and in publick there would be more that day then in other dayes 6. Care and inspection would be taken so far as men can reach that by none in the Society neither secret nor private duties be neglected nor publick duties abstained from but that each may stir up one another and more especially those whose places lead them to it to the sutable sanctification of the day in all the duties of it and withal it would be looked to that none of the family be suffered to stay at home unnecessarily from the publick worship or to be absent from the family worship 7. Timely that ye be not by haste discomposed come to publick-modestly apparrelled it's a shame to see how gaudily some come to publick worship on the Lords day grave in your walk wary and circumspect in you words that they
be spiritually edifying and sutable watch over your eyes that carnal or wordly looks steal you not away nor distemper your hearts but especially over your hearts that they we are not out of a spiritual frame 8. When ye come to the place of publick worship if it be a while a beginning be still watchful and the nearer ye come to it the more watchful for temptations will be very ready to divert or discompose there would be a frequent intermixture of ejaculatory prayers in reference to every thing equisite for attaining and intertaining this composedness 9. When publick worship beginneth study to be as Cornelious was Acts 10 present to joyn in prayer and praise to hear what God will say to receive it to lay it up in your hearts to be sutably affected with it and to resolve through grace to practise it for blessed are they only who hear the word and do it and this would be with delight aming aright at the end of the Ordinances whatever they be whereof we spoke somewhat on the second Comandment 10. When the publick worship is as to it's first diet closed let not your minds turn carnal but depart reverently from it chearing your selves in God fixing the convictions exhortations directions instructions c. in your mind as ye have met with them and be ruminating rather on these then beginning to gaze oâ— discourse with others on subjects that are not spiritual and to edification 11. As soon as ye can win go in secret and seek to have these things fastned and riveted betwixt God and you and let that be your first work and let the little time that interveneth betwixt the diets of publick worship till you return be spent sutably to the day and the end of the duties thereof 12. When all the publick worship is ended then ye would do according to the preceding tenth Direction ye would withal retire a while in secret and reflect on your carriage in publick and also see what good may be gotten of the day and if there be any misses neglects or failings observed as if there be a diligent search there will no doubt be then be humbled seek pardon through Christ and resolve through grace to help these afterward consider what was said and like the noble Bereans Acts 17. put it to the tryal for your confirmation by your considering and examining the Scriptures cited or spoken of and endeavour yet more to have your hearts affected in secret with them 13. Then call your Families and come together after secret seeking of God and 1. be inquiring of one another what is remembred that all being put together ye may be helpful by your memories one to another 2. ye would do this not as if it were enough to tell over the words but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed and ye affected with them Therefore 3. ye would do this with other duties of reading singing and spiritual conference as the occasion of it shal offer with prayer to God before and after being thus exercised â—ill ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began 14 Duties of Charity would be done contributions made liberally according to our ability and relief sent to others as we know their need which also would be inquired after 15. Indeavoure to have the heart in a right frame to close the day with reflecting on our carriage throughout it fearing to lye down with guilt unpardoned and without some special fruit of the duties of the day hast not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights on design that you may be sooner at work the nixt day which smelleth strong of wearying of the Sabbath and of longing to have it at an end of which the Lord complained of old Amos 8. 5. study to lye down with thoughts as you arose leaving your selves in his arms with respect to the eternal Sabbath that is coming 3. When the Sabbath is past and the next day cometh cast not by all thoughts of it instantly but begin your work as having just now ended the Sabbath fearing to let the relish of it wear away and indeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it especially beware to go to your Callings with a Sabbath dayes guiltiness on you O indeavour by all means to have that removed hand all the Week through have one eye to the Sabbath past and another to the Sabbath coming having still that sounding in your ears remember the Sabbath or the Lord day to keep it holy dieting your souls as it were all along the Week for a course of communion with God in the duties of the next Sabbath It will be now easie to know when this command is transgressed which was the sixth way proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath to wit oppositively or negatively which is done 1 by committing any thing contrary to the rest or sanctification of it 2. by omitting any of the things which are required for the right sanctifying of it 3. by an unsuitable frame of heart as to the due manner of performing any of these duties required We will find the weight of this command yet more fully by considering it's reasons how it'sexplicated and pressed This is done 1. by laying down the equity and extent of it v. 9. 10. 2. by pressing it from God's example As to the first v. 9. Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work These words may be looked on 1. As an obliging concession which is indeed very liberal as if the Lord had said all dayes are mine yet I have given thee Six to do all thy work and labour that thou hast to do therefore give me the Seventh It is but a small retribution for Six to return a Seventh 2 As a restriction thou shalt do whatever work thou hast to do within the Six dayes but none of it on the Seventh 3. As a command whereby God distributeth our time and commandeth Six for our work and the Seventh for his And thus these words forbid idleness and command lawful diligence in these Six dayes which we conceive here to be implyed 1 Because God is not carving out what time we may be idle in but what time we should imploy in our own lawful works as well as in his for it cannot be thought that he giveth us Six to be idle on It must therefore be to work on seeing as our life should be taken up in doing either what more immediately concerneth our selves or what more immediatly concerneth God so the scope of this command being to proportion our time betwixt these two what is allowed for either of them must imply an improving of it for that very end 2 The opposition also will confirm this These Six dayes are to be applyed to our work as the Seventh is to be applyed to Gods which is more then a permission and if the negative part be imperative in it thou shalt
not work then the positive Six dayes shalt thou work may well be understood so also 3. Gods example will press it for we are to follow it not only in resting on the Seventh but also in working in the Six dayes as he did 4. Working these Six dayes cometh in as a mean to further and fit for the sanctification of the Seventh for so a man putteth by his business and has the more freedom for the rest on the Seventh whereas idlense often sinfull necessitateth to the breach of it and to a desire that it may be gone Amos 8. 5. And thus idleness is reproved here and diligence commanded under one consideration to wit as the remove of the former and practise of the later do capacitate us to give God his due on his own day when it cometh Even as they are also included in the eight Command Thou shalt not steal for as idleness becometh a snare and temptation to a man to steal and hindereth him from works of Charity and suitable diligence in the works of his lawful Calling readily preventeth the one and capactiateth for the other So is it here for it 's not unusual that the same sin and duty may be forbidden and commanded in diverse commands upon diuerse considerations And this agreeth well both with the words and scope of this command And 5. according to the holy and wise oeconomy of Gods goodness our labour may be commanded to mak his rest to be to us the more relishing and refreshing The tenth Verse containeth three things for explication 1. The Lords claim of the Seventh day as having reserved that to himself it 's his it 's to him and by him for him separated from other dayes 2. Aconsequent flowing from this Therefore that day is not to be imployed to any of our own works no not the least No manner of work no word no thought nor deed of any such sort under whatsoever pretext beside the excepted cases 3. It 's extension as to all relations so to all ranks Parent and Child Master and Servant c. yea it 's thou for thy self and for all thou hast the oversight and charge of Sons Servants Strangers yea and Beasts not that they are capable of sanctifying a day more then the Beasts in Nineveh were of religious fasting Jonah 3. yet this sheweth what ought to be the Masters care it being for his use that Beasts are put to work God injoyneth all wayes of abstaining from every thing that is a mans own work on the Sabbath and will have him solemn in it In a word All within thy gates looketh not only to Masters and all in their families or within their doors but to Magistrates and Governours and all within their Jurisdiction Gates being the place of Judgment used in Scripture to shew the extent as well as seat of power that they should see to their sanctifying of this day and the falling of any under them is their sin when they endeavour not to prevent and amend it And thus Nehemiah understood this command Neh. 13. when he put forth his power not only in contending with the native Nobles but even against Strangers for restraining them from violating this day Hence we gather 1 That idleness is a sin and that they will hardly give God his due on the Seventh day who are not diligent in the duties of some lawful calling and station for Gods honour and others good through the Six dayes of the Week and indeed this is often seen that such are lazie and careless and idle on that day passing it over even as they do other dayes without any difference at all except it be that they come to Church 2. We gather that humane whether Ecclesiastick or Civil appointment of ordinary fixed days for worship throughout the whole day beside the Sabbath will not agree with this command allowing men six for labour It 's true God might Soveraignly limit men but where he hath given liberty if it were but by concession who can restrain Concerning dayes therefore we lay down these four 1. That there can be no solemn seeting apart of any day to any creature thus Saints dayes are unlawful for the Sabbath or day of rest is to the Lord and to none other it being a peculiar piece of worship to him who hath divided time betwixt his worship and our work And although men should keep the day and alter the worship yet this is a taking of that which was once abused and never enjoyned for to apply it to God and wanteth not offence even as the retaining of other things in worship which have been abused and are not necessary is offensive 2. No man can institute any day even to the true God as apart of worship so as to bind consciences to it or to equal it with this day That is apart of Gods royal prerogative and a thing peculiar to him to sanctifie and bless a day 3. Even those dayes which are pretended to be set apart to and for God and yet not as apart of worship cannot be imposed in a constant and ordinary way as Anniversary dayes and feasts are because by an ordinary rule God hath given to man Six dayes for work except in extrordinary cases he shall please to call for some part of them again 4. Yet extrordinarily upon occasions of Humiliation or of Joy and Thanksgiving dayes for that time may be set apart for God without wronging this concession even as in extrordinary times we may work and not rest on the Sabbath day though ordinarily we may not This proportioning of time therefore is for the ordinary rule but yet admitteth of the exception of extraordinary cases 3. We gather that Masters and Parents ought to have a special oversight of their own Children and Families in the worshipping of God and that especially in reference to the sanctifying of this day and that there is a special communion in worshipping of God amongst the several relations of a Family 4. We gather that Magistrates and all who have power over others ought to see to the restraining of Vice and to the performing of outward duties particularly such as relate to the sanctification of the Sabbath as well as to abstain from and to do such and such things themselves in their own persons in and by these over whom they have power and that it 's no less scandalous and sinful for a Magistrate not to see that sin he crushed that the Sabbath be sanctified and the Ordinances of Religion be entertained and received and reverenced in and by those over whom he hath charge then if he committed such sins himself then if he discountenanced the Ordinances and break the Sabbath himself or sufferred his own family or himself to be without the worship of God Why because these are within his gates and he is to account for them He is to rule for God and their good which is mainly spiritual he is to be a terrour to evil doers
as well as to be an incouragement to them that do well and men are according to their places and parts to be forth-coming for God and the good of others And yet this cannot be called a constraining or forcing of Consciences for a Magistrate or Master thus to restrain these who are under them it 's but the using of that power which God hath committed to them to make men to do their duty and to abstain from dishonouring God and the punishing of them if they do other wayes in which respect he beareth not the Sword in vain The 2. and main reason followeth v. 11. wherein this command is three ways pressed also 1. By Gods example who during the space of six days wrought though he might as easily have made all in one day and rested the Seventh and not before the Seventh on which he wrought none even so it becometh men to do seeing he intended this for their imitation and for that end doth propose it here Gods rest on the Seventh is not absolute and in every respect for John 5. 17. he worketh hitherto that is in the works of Providence sustaining preserving and governing the Creatures made by him and their Actions but all things needful for the perfecting of the world were then made and finished Whence by the way we may gather that not only all Creatures were made Angels even these that since turned Devils c. but that they were made within the Six days of Creation when Heaven Earth Sea and all that was in them was made Therefore all our works that are necessary to be done in the six working days would be done and ended that we may rest on the Sabbath as he did The 2. way is by his blessing of it God blessed the Sabbath day which is to be understood not simply in respect of the day which is not properly capable of blessing but in respect of the true observers of it he blesseth it to them and he blesseth them in it which may be in these three 1. That the rest of that day shal not prejudge them in their weeks work but that their labour shal be therefore blessed so that they shal miss nothing by observing that day as the Lord blessed the Seventh year whereon they rested and yet notwithstanding they were as when they laboured Lev. 25. 20. 21. 22. and it 's like that if we will compare such as make Conscience to sanctifie the Sabbath with others who think and seem to gain by breaking of it this will be found at the years end to be verified 2. That the Lord hath set a part that day for a Spiritual blessing and the Communication of it to his people so the Bread and Wine are blessed in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be a mean of conveying Spiritual blessings to the worthy receivers Isa 56. and Psal 92. 3. That God will abundantly manifest his gracious presence and multiply his spiritual blessings that day upon it's due observers more then on other days wherein he is also sought as there is this day a double worship both in respect of the Duty and of the day whereon it 's done so there shall be a double blessing beyond what is on other days in which respect even prayers in and towards the Temple while it stood by divine appointment as a separate place from others had a blessing beyond prayers in other places and thus Christ blessed the loaves and the few small fishes John 6. when he made them by multiplication on the matter to feed far beyond their ordinary proportionableness so service on this day groweth in it's blessing hence we may see an usual connexion betwixt Universal thriving in Religion Grace and Piety and suitable obedience to this command in the tender sanctification of the Sabbath and withall a reason why so few make progress in godliness even little keeping holy the Sabbath as they ought The 3. way is by his hallowing it wherefore be hallowed it or sanctified it that is per â—odum â—â—stinandi or by way of appointing of it for holy uses and separating it from other days as is said The inference wherefore as to the hallowing pointeth at the reason or end wherefore God did it to wit that there might thereby be an excitement left to men to imitate God and that men might not only have Gods command but his example also to bind this duty on him If it be asked here why God will have a day set apart for holy Exercises beside other days It may be answered 1. It 's meet that God be acknowledged Lord of our time by this Tribut being reserved to himself 2. Because men having but a finite understanding beside the now corruption of it connot be intensely taken up with spiritual and heavenly things and with temporal and earthly things both at once or at the same instant for even Adam in innocency could not do that therefore the Lord hath graciously set apart a day for mans help in that 3. It 's to teach man that his chief end is to converse with God and to live with him and that he ought to cary in his own affairs along the week and order things so as the Sabbath may be duly sanctified when it shal come in that sweet soul reposing converse with him 4. To shew man wherein his happiness consisteth it 's even in this to walk and converse with God and to be in his worship this is his rest 5. To shew the excellency of Religion and of the Works of Piety or of Gods Worship above mens Employments in earthly and wordly things It was a Sabbath to Adam in innocency to be abstracted from his labour for the worship of God the one is mens toyl the other is mens spiritual rest and ease far contrary to that which men in the world ordinarily think and judge We see now how great and grievous a sin it is to break this command and with what care this day should be hallowed For 1. It 's a Command of the first Table and so the breach of it is in some respect more then murther Adultery Stealing c it 's included in the first and great Commandement 2. Amongst all the commands of the first Table yea all the commands this religious observance of the Sabbath is most forcibly pressed with more reasons and with more full and particular explication Because 1. All the commands hang some way on this and obedience is ordinarily given to them with the same readiness as this day is employed in Gods Service 2. It keepeth life as it were in all the rest and when men are cold in this so are they in all the rest 3. This tryeth men in theirlove to God best If indeed his company and service be more delighted in thenthe World And is a notable indication of the frame of the soul it maketh proof both of their state and frame as men are usually and habitually on the Sabbath so in effect are they