gross violations of this Command and study to be more affected even when narratively ye are telling somthing wherein his Name is mentioned than otherwise 4. Tremble at this sin and sutably resent it when ye hear it in others be affected with it and labour to make them so that ye may thus train your selves to an abominating of that evil 5. Let it never pass in your selves especially without some special grave animadversion Look back on all your life and see if ye can remember when and where ye were gro â—â—y guilty reflect on your worship and observe omissions and defects at left in respect of what ye might have been at and learn to loath your selves for these and to be in bitterness for them especially if the escapes have been more late and recent let them not sleep with you lest ye be hardned and the Sentence stand in force unrepealed against you what will ye sleep and this Word stand in the Bible on record as a Registred Decree against you 6. Seek for much of the Spirit for none can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 7. Frequently and seriously put up that Petition to the Lord Hallowed be thy Name Matth. 6.9 The other word of Use is for what is past I am sure if we could speak of it and hear it rightly there is here that which might make us all to tremble and evidence convincingly to us our hazard and the necessity of Repentance and flying to Christ Tell me Hearers believe ye this Truth that there is such hazard from this guilt tell me if ye remember what we spoke in the opening of it is there any of you that lyeth not under the stroak of it If so what will ye do flye ye must to Christ or lye still and can there be any secure lying still for but one hour under God's Curse drawn out O ye Atheists that never trembled at the Name of the Lord and that can take a mouthful of it in your common discourse and ye who make it your by-word and mock or jest ye whom no Oaths can bind and all ye Hypocrits who turn the pretended honouring of the Name of the Lord and the sanctifying of him in his Ordinances into a real prophaning of it let me give you these two charges under certification of a third 1. I charge you to Repent of this sin to flye to Christ for obtaining pardon haste haste haste the Curse is at the door when the Sentence is past already O sleep not till this be removed 2. I charge you to abstain from it in your several Relations all ye Parents Masters Magistrates Church-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 than 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. v. 8 9 10 11. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy Six days 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 nor 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 days 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 and Hallowed it THe Lord in his infinite Wisdom 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 only true God should be worship'd The 2d stinteth and limiteth men to that worship alone which he perseribeth The 3d. 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 a-part 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 only that spent in worship there being no exclusive determination of exercise 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 acknowledgment 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 days 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 than 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 ayming somtimes to darken the meaning of it somtimes to loose from the strict tye of observing it and that not only 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 days 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 God's 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 than 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 Lord's 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
changed from the Seventh day to the first proved not derogatory from the 4 Commandment 255 2 That it was Convenient that the day should be changed proved 256 3 That the change should be to the first day of the week proved most convenient 260 4 That the Seventh-day-Sabbath was actually changed to the first day proved 262 to 271 5 That this Change is not by Humane but Divine Institution proved 271 to 275 6 That this change was made by Christ from the very day of his Resurrection proved to be probable 275 How the Lord did Sanctifie the Sabbath and we ought to sanctifie it 276 What works are Lawfull on the Lords day 277 279 Eight Caveats for preventing the Abuse of what liberty God allows on that day 280 281 What is meant by a Sabbath days journey 278 What resting on the Sabbath imports and from what we must rest 282 283 284 That we are equally oblidged to the sanctification of the Sabbath as they were of old 285 An Objection answered 286 Wherein the peculiar holiness required on the Lords day consists 287 288 289 What preparation is necessary for the Sabbath 290 Particular directions for Sanctifying the Lords Day from morning to evening 291 292 293 What 's to be done when the Sabbath is over 294 How the Lord Blesses the Sabbath 299 Why he has set a part a day to himself 300 How Magistrates are by the letter of the 4 command oblidged to take care that the Sabbath be observed by all that are under them 296 298 Six aggravations of the Sin of Sabbath-breaking 301 302 In what sense Sabbath-breaking is a greater sin then the breach of any command in the second table 303 Several wayes whereby the Sabbath is prophaned 304 305 Some Directions for preventing this sin 306 Sacraments the right administration of them required in the 2 command 85 Eight observations â— Concerning the Sacraments in general 85 86 87 Five ends and uses of the Sacraments 87 88 How the Sacraments seal the proposition of a practical Syllogisme how the assumption and how the conclusion 88 89 How we sin by laying too much weight on the Sacraments ten several failings instanced in 92 How we sin in undervaluing of of them seventeen wayes enumerated 93 How we sin in not receiving the Lords-Supper 97 Many ordinary failings before the participation of this ordinance enumerated 98 Many sins on the receiving of the Lords-Supper instanced 99 100 Many sins after partaking of this ordinance instanced 101 102 Whether the admission of scandalous persons does pollute the ordinance 102 to 108 Sins forbidden in the 1 command 30 39 40 41 How we may find out the sins against the 1 command 42 43 Sins forbidden in the 2 command 70 71 72 Sleep whether we may not Contract the guilt of sin when Sleeping Answered affirmatively 19 The difference between the case of Sleeping-men and mad-men 19 20 Seven arguments to prove the affirmative answer to the question 21 22 23 24 Swear see Oath Superstition see omens and observations superiours why called Fathers and Mothers 314 T TAbles of the Division of the Moral Law into two Tables 7 8 Three observations on the Connexion of the two Tables 310 Four Scriptures that help to understand the second table 311 Temperance in eating and drinking stands not in an indivisible point 377 See drunkenness Theft what that forbidden in the 8 Command is with the several sorts of it 396 Four sorts of theft more strictly taken 401 Twenty five wayes of stealing or wronging the goods of others 404 to 410 How men sin against the 8 Command in reference to their own goods 411 Whether theft ought to be punished with death 427 Threatnings why annexed to some Commands and not to others 27 What the meaning of the threatning annexed to the 2 command 114 115 How the threatning annexed to the 3 command is to be understood 179 See punishment Trading the lawfulness of it and how to be managed 417 Some general rules for right buying and selling 41 â— W WOrd the right hearing of it required in the 2 Command â—5 How many wayes we sin before the hearing of the word ibid. Many sins while hearing the word instanced 76 77 Many instances of sin after the hearing of the word 77 78 How a word of Scripture may be superstitiously abused 177 Worship of God the difference between that enjoyned in the 1 command from what is enjoyned in the 2 command 52 53 Worship of Images among the heathen two-fold 58 Some distinctions of divine worship 59 How religious worship differeth from evil or politick ibid. Worshiping of God by Images proved unlawfull 61 The heathens way of worshiping Images Considered ibid. The place Deut 12.31 considered 62 The Israelites worshipping the Calf in the wilderness Mica's Image Jeroboams Calfs the high Places in Juda Considered 62 63 64 That such a way of worshiping God is forbidden in the 2 Command proved by five arguments 67 Exceptions answered ibid. Will-worship prohibited in the â— Command 72 See more in Idolatry Images Onbelief how â— breach of the 1 command 47 Vsury how forbidden 428 All gain by Lending of Mony neither contrary to equity nor charity ibid. Six considerations for clearing this 429 431 On what grounds Vsury might be forbidden peculiarly to the Israelites 430 Several inconveniences that follow the asserting the unlawfulness of all profit by lent-mony 432 Whether one that lends Mony may contract for so much gain 433 Some Cautions to prevent abuses in this 434 Vowes not only lawfull but in some cases necessary proved 144 In what cases and what things lawful and how to be gone about 145 146 How they bind in moral duties and how in accessory helps to duties 147 How and in what respects Vowes against sin and for holiness at baptisme or other occasions bind 147 148 How the breach of them aggravats si â— 149 Whether these aggravations render it more eligible not to Vow at all 150 Whether the Simple omission of duty be a lesser sin then the doing Contrary to our Vow 150 151 Whether one under Conviction of failing in performing Vowes can keep up his peace 151 152 How we may be helped to perform our Vowes to the Lord 152 153 ERRATA Reader Please to take Notice that there are two Marginal Notes of the Publishers thorow the Printers inadvertency slipt into the Body of the Book the one is PAge 3. line 2. the other is p. 333. l. 2 Some other Mistakes the Judicious Reader will easily correct as in p. 75. l. 3. trust for tryst i. e to meet p. 253. l. 3. trusted for trysted and elsewhere p. 231. l. 9. private for family p. 234. as for has p. 287. l. 2. needless by for needl â—sly p. 289. l. 7. e â—ealting for exulting p. 30 â— l. 23. statutes for statu â—s p. 320. l. 7. mediate for immediate idem p. 344. l. 6. p. 341 l. 5. dead for dear p. 358 l. 19. walking for waking p. 382.
of this 4. Also that he came not to destroy it which yet the Lord never did of Ceremoni â—ls but rather foretold the Abolition of them as he did of the seeking and worshiping of God in the Temple at Jerusalem c. Yea when he cleareth the Doctrine of the Sabbath from the Pharisies corrupting Traditions he doth never weaken its former Obligation nor insinuate its weakness but sheweth the true meaning thereof which from the beginning made it not only consistent with the works of Piety and mercy but exceedingly helpful to both A Second place Confirming the whole Decalogue or rather Asserting it's Authority is in the Epistle of James Jam. 2.10 He that Offendeth in One is Guilty of All Why Because He is the same God and Law-giver And no Servant nor Angel who spake them All one as well as another of them And it being clear there that he speaketh of the Decalogue called the Royal Law there being no Law instanced in nor any other that can be of a like Authority in these Laws instanced but only it nor that could be pleaded for by James on such Grounds on such a time and it being also clear That he giveth to all those Laws which the Lord spake at that time alike Authority other-wise his reasoning would not be good if any one Law or Command could be instanced to him of the Ten which the Lord spake and was abrogated and not binding it necessarily followeth that this 4th Command being one of the Ten must be of equal authority with t he rest It may be noted also That James here doth not as neither doth our Lord nor any of his Apostles when they cite the Law give New Authority to the Laws he citeth but supposeth them to have it already and maketh use of them as Confirmations of the thing he pressed which could not be if their Authority depended on or flowed from the present Citation of them Thirdly we reason further thus Either there is some Moral Duty contained in this Command and laid on by it which is not in any of the former or there is but some Ceremonial thing in it reducable to one of them For the Perfection of this Law requireth that all things needful to the Worship of God should be summed in it and the Scope thereof which is Briefly to compend all requireth there should be nothing in it that 's needless superfluous or that might have been left out Now if 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 other-wise some-thing 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 sub-joyned to some other as the Servants and Beasts resting is sub-joyned to this 5. It would be shewn 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 Only 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 â—o 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 than the Command of a Man's leaving Father and Mother and cleaving to his Wife so that they too 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 say no more There-fore 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 only put into the Decalogue with the other Moral Commands but more singularly explicated and pressed even in it than 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 than the rest of the Commands as on other Accounts so possibly in 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 apeareth these several wayes 1. It shareth of all Common Priviledges with the rest of the Command set down in the Decalogue that were all spoken yea Written by the Lord immediatly and l â—id 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. Where-as all the other Commands are but
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 only 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 fort if unnecessary as gathering sticks speaking our own words 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 Heb. 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 vvorks Isa 58. 2. Such vvorks as tend to others external gain or profit as the great motive of them as Servants may be vvorking for their Masters profit and yet prophane the day 3. Such as are not necessary on that day as ploughing sovving reap â—ng or gathering in and that even in Seed time and Harvest and so fishing going of mills c. vvhen 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 vveather depending on an ordinary providence or ordinarily depending on providence vvhich is to be reverenced Hence though the vveather and season be rainy yet it is not lavvful to cut dovvn or gather in Corn on the Sabbath their hazard in this case being common and from an ordinary immediate providence yet suppose that a River vvere carrying avvay Corn or that Winds vvere like to blovv them into the Sea it vvere lavvful 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 vveather and affecteth and putteth in hazard this Corn more then others 2. Because there is no probability of recovering these in an ordinary vvay though the vveather should alter but there is hope of gathering in of such as are in the fields vvithout 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 ovvn vvorks more especially our ovvn pleasure are unlavvful on that day 5. Consider that all things are prohibited vvhich marr the end of the day and are not consistent vvith the duties thereof such are buying selling c. out of the cases of pressing necessity folks cannot be spiritually taken up and vvith these also so playing and gaming is no less consistent vvith praying reading conferring c. then ploughing or such like yea is much more indisposing for it and so vve do necessarily thereby incapacitate our selves for the duties of the day 6. All things are forbidden vvhich consist not vvith this rest and the duties of vvorship called for from our selves and others thus unnecessary journeying vvalking 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 vvord vvhatever is not religious and spiritual exercise or furthering or helping unto vvhat is so out of the excepted cases much more vvhatever is sinful scandalous or unsutable on other dayes or doth divert from or indispose for the duties of holiness and the vvorship of God on that day is inconsistent vvith 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 vvhatever marreth that though it should not be vvork strictly but idleness carnalness or playing and gaming and sporting yet it 's 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 vve should play in it but that vve should sanctifie it and 4. playing or sporting cannot be called sanctifying the day othervvayes vve might have mo Sabbaths then one and the prophanest vvould love them hest 5. playing separateth not the Sabbath from other days more then vvork 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 vveariness vvhich 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 it 's 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 burdensom 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 it's 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 vvarrant 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 vve proceed there are some Scriptures which seem to thwart vvith and to be cross to this to vvhich vve vvould speak a little for clearing of them as namely Exod 16.23 29. and Exod. 35.3 vvhere it vvould seem that going out of the place dressing of meat and kindling of fire vvere forbidden vvhich are allowed to us To vvhich vve say 1. That vve speak of the meaning of this fourth command if any more vvas forbidden them by peculiar judicial Laws that contradicteth not our assertion these may be abrogated vvhile 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 vvas allowed unto and lawful for them as may be gathered from Christs practice and his reasoning with the Jews and from the allowance vvhich vvas to their Beasts In the third place then vve say that these Scriptures cannot be literally and universally understood for it cannot be thought that they vvent 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 vvhen invited on the Sabbath day Luke 14. It 's like to somewhat that was prepared that day vvith his defending of his Disciples practise in plucking ears of Corn and rubbing them as it is Luke 6.1 vvhich vvas a sort of preparing and dressing of that meat insinuate the contrary neither c â—n 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 vvas dressed on the sixth day vvas to be laid up till the Seventh day or the Sabbath but not till the day after the Sabbath and vvill it not suppose that they behooved then to dress it on the Sabbath as on other days by boyling at least for as to grinding of it at Mills or otherways there vvas no necessity for that on the Sabbath ou â— of some extraordinary Case or else they had needless by la â—â—â—o up and so behoved to have fires to dress it vvith And therefore that of not dressing meat of not kindling fire c. must be of what is unnecessary and for servile vvorks or making gain in mens ordinary particular callings But to the third way if any should inquire what more holiness is called for or can be win at on the Sabbath then a Believer is called unto on other days he being called to endeavour to be perfectly holy every day I Answ 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 days 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 days 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 days sanctification then we conceive to consist in these 1. That there is more abstractedness not only 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 of 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 〈◊〉 beyond other days and that necessarily whereas on some other days we may be taken up in some duties of worship arbitrarily but here necessarily And men may and ought to be holy on other days 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 days 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 days 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 days 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 days 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 only the Exercises of worship praying reading and hearing c. call to Holiness on this day as
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 â— 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 bl â—ssed 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 insisting with special petitions relating to the day with all the seriousness we 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 or busking of 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 your words that they be spiritually edifying and sutable watch over your eyes that carnal or worldly looks steal you not away nor distemper your hearts but especially over your hearts that they wear 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 requisite for attaining and intertaining this composedness 9. When publick worship beginneth study to be as Cornelius was Acts 10. present to joyn in prayer and praise to hear what God will say to receive it to l â—y it up in your hearts to be sutably affected with it and to resolve through grace to practice it for blessed are they only who hear the word and do it and this would be with delight aiming aright at the end of the Ordinances whatever they be whereof we spoke somewhat on the second Commandement 10. When the publick worship is as to its 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 or 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 sutable to the day and the end of the duties thereof 12. When all the publick vvo â—ship 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 d â—y 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 Boreans 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 vvords but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed and ye affected vvith them Therefore 3. ye vvould do this vvith other duties of reading singing and spiritual conference as the occasion of it shall offer vvith prayer to God before and after being thus exercised till ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began 14. Duties of Charity vvould be done contributions made liberally according to our ability and relief sent to others as vve knovv their need vvhich also vvould be inquired after 15. Indeavour to have the heart in a right frame to close the day vvith reflecting on our carriage throughout it fearing to lye dovvn vvith guilt unpardoned and vvithout some special fruit of the duties of the day haste not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights on design that you may be sooner at vvork the next day vvhich smelleth strong of vvearying of the Sabbath and of longing to have it at an end of vvhich the Lord complained of old Amos 8.5 study to lye dovvn vvith thoughts as you arose leavi â—g your selves in his arms vvith 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 vvork as having just novv ended the Sabbath fearing to let the relish of it vvear avvay and indeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it especially bevvare to go
Covenant of Works t â— them and therefore it is that the Lord rejects as we may see Isaiah 1.13 66. 2. 3. Jer. 7.22 their Sacrifices and Services as not commanded b â—cause rested on by them to the â—r â—judice of Grace and contrary to the strain and scope of this Law complexly considered 4 Distinguish betwixt the Moral and Ceremonial and Judicial Law the first concerns manners and the right ordering of a Godly Conversation and because these things are of perpetual equity and r â—ctitude the obligation of this Law as to that is perpetual and therefore in the expounding of it these two terms Moral and of Perpetual Auth â—rity are all one and to be taken so 2. The Judicial Law is for r â—gulating outward Society and for Government and doth generally excepting what was peculiar to the people of Israel agree with the Moral Law this as given to them is not perpetual their policy being at an end 3. The Ceremonial Law is in Ceremonies Types and Shadows pointing at a Saviour to come this is also abrogate the substance being come but there is this difference that the Judicial Law is but M â—rt â—a dead and may where 't is thought fit with the foregoing caution be used under the New Testament but the Ceremonial Law is Mortifera deadly and cannot without falling from grace Gal. 5.2 4. be revived 5 When we speak of things Moral we are to distinguish between things Naturally Moral that is such as love to God and our Neighbour and such like which have an innate rectitude and holiness in them which cannot be separate from them and things positively Moral that have their obligation by a special positive superadded Sanction so that their rectitude flows not from the nature of the things themselves as in the former As for instance in the fourth Commandment it is naturally Moral that God should be worshipped Nature teacheth it but that he is to be worshipped 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 naturally requiring obedience in some of them 6 The sixth distinction is of the Moral Law in two Tables first and second the first contains ou â— immediate worship service and obedience to God himself and is comprehended in the first four Commandments th â— s â—cond contains our mediate obedience to God in all the duties we owe to other â— in the last six they were at first so divided by the Lord hims â—lf for there are Ten in all Deut. 4.13 From this distinction take notice 1. That all the Commandm â—nts of the second Table are of like Authority with the first God sp â—ke all these words yea as it appears from Act. 7.28 it was our Lord Jesus 2. The sins immediat â—ly aga â—nst the first Table are gre â—ter th â—n those against the second for this cause Matth. 22.38 the first is called the First and Great Commandment Ther â—fore 3. In Morals if th â—y be things of the same nature the duti â—s of the second Table cede and give place to the duties of the first Table when th â—y 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. 10.37 wh â—n obedience to God and obedience to our Superiours cannot consis â— we are to obey God rather than man Act 4.19 and we are to love the Lord and hate Father and Moth â—r Luke 14. â—6 4. Y â—t take notice that Ceremonials or positives of the first Table for a time cede and give place to Morals in the second as fo â—â—elieving or pr â—s â—rving our Neighbours life in hazard we may trav â—l on the Sabbath day according to that Scriptur â— I will h â—ve M â—rcy and not Sacrifice â— and the Sabbath was made fo â— 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 T â—ble are negatively set down â—orbidding sin directly Th â—â— shalt not have an other gods c only the fourth is both negative and â—ffirmative â—orbidding sin and commanding duty directly as also the fi â—th only which is the first of the s â—cond T â—ble is affi â—mative all the r â—st are negative This disti â—ction is not so to be understood as if nothing were commanded or injoyned in negative Pr â—c â—pts or as i â— nothing were fo â—bidden in affirmative Pr â—c â—pts â—or whatever be expr â—ss â—d as forbidden the co â—â—â—ary is always in ply â—d as command â—d and whatsoever is expr â—sly commanded the contr â—ry is always imp â—yed as forbidden b â—t the disti â—ction is taken from the manner of setting them down conc â—rning which take th â—s â— Rules or G â—neral Obs â—rvations for your better understanding many wher â—o â— are in the larger Cat â—chisme 1 Howev â—r 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 contr â—ry to the si â—s forbidden another negative implyed in the affirmative Precepts forbidding the sins that are contrary to the duties commanded as for example the third Comm â—ndme â—t Thou shalt n â—t take the Name of the Lord thy God in v â—in it implies a Command reverently to use his Name So to remember to keep Holy the Sabbath d â—y 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 neg â—tively expressed Th â—u shalt do no work or affirmative in which respect Christ c â—mprehendeth all the neg â—tiv â—s under these two great affirmative Commandments of love to God and our Neighbour for every Commandment doth both â—njoyn and forbid the like may be said of promises and threatnings there b â—ing in every promise a threatning and in ev â—ry threatning a promise conditionally implyed And this may be a reason why some Commandments are negatively expressed some positively to shew us that both are comprehended 2 Though the positive Commandmen â— or the positive p â—rt 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 Maxim 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
and should have an Authority Domestick in it's Regulation For a Master of a Family may Authoritatively command the Members of the Family to Pray keep the Sabbath c. and may suitably Correct for the Neglect of those Duties whereas that other is by Christian Communion and Admonition only Ye will see this Family-Worship clear 1. By considering the Jews Eating of the Passover Where there was 1. Secret Worship no question a-part 2. There was Publick-Worship a Holy Convocation the First Day and the Last But 3. There was peculiarly a Family-Worship or if the Family was little two joyned together for Eating the Passover within the House wherein all the Members of that Family or of those two little Families that were Circumcised were necessarily to be present and to be joyners this is Family-worship 2. By considering Psal. 101. compared with other Scriptures where ye have 1. David mentioning his private carriage and longing for God and walking in a perfect way 2. His publick carriage as a Magistrate in cutting off the wicked from the City of God as ye have 3. Elsewhere his publick-worship as Psal. 122.1 and 2 Sam. 6. 4. his fellowship with all the Godly being a Companion to them that feared God Psal. 119. v. 63. Yet 5thly and lastly Ye have a walk within his House with a perfect heart mentioned there as contradistinct from all which must infer some Religious performances of duties or exercise of worship in his House in reference to that station as well as in private or in publick yea a joynt exercise because it is such an exercise as he performed only at home in his house whereas had it been Praying for them or any thing that other-wise he might have done a-part he needed not goe home to them for performing of it Yet 2 Sam. 6. ver 20. when the Publick Worship is done he goeth home to bless his House which manifestly sheweth a Peculiar Duty performed by him in his Family acording as he resolved in that 101. Psalm 3. It will yet further appear that there is such a thing and some way what it is by considering Zach. 12. from verse 10. to the last where there is First â— Publick Mourning of the Whole Land 2. Of several Families together Families shall mourn then 3. Families a-part 4. Their Wifes a-part and so every Particular Person in secret In which place it i â— clear 1. That there is a Worship of Families besides Publick and Secret VVorship 2. That that VVorship includeth the same Duties jointly performed by the Members of the Family which Persons in secret perform and so Family-VVorship will be a VVorshipping of God beside what is in Publick and Secret in a Dome â—tick and Family-Relation Joyntly Thirdly That this Command requireth such a Family-worship distinct from publick and secret and something to be performed in worshipping of Go â— amongst persons so 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 Sons 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 than as to the Beasts 2. Under the Negative Thou shalt do no work is included the Affirmative Thou shalt san â—tifie 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 a part 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 a part 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 a-part For 1. Though that be worship yet is it not worship from persons in such a Relation or Family-worship more than 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 Sabbath 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 Congregational-service i â— 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 than secret o â— solitary sanctifying of the Sabbath even a peculiar sanctification of it within one Family distinct from another I say 1. more than 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 somthing 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
and pressed The 1. is Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it or keep it holy For the opening up and winning at the clear meaning whereof we would consider three words The first is what it is to remember or as it is infinitively set down remembring to remember this is prefixed and would look rather like the inferring of something commanded already then the new instituting of a command and so indeed it seemeth to suppose a day formerly institute and set apart for God as was hinted before which by this Command his people are put to mind It doth beside import these four with a respect as it were to four times 1. A constant and continued Duty at all times and in all dayes that is that we would remember that God has set apart a seventh day for himself and therefore every day we would remember to cast our Affairs so as they may not be impediments to us in the sanctifying of that day and we would endeavour alwaies to keep our hearts in such a frame a â— we may not be discomposed when that day shall come and this affirmative part of this command bindeth semper or alway and its negative ad semper on other dayes as well as on the Sabbath 2. It importeth a timely preparing for the Sabbath when it is a coming or when it draweth near this remembring it calleth for something to be done in reference to it before it come a man by this is obliged to endeavour to have a frame of heart that he may be ready to meet the Sabbath and enter kindly to the Duties of it when it â—hall come otherwayes if it come on him while he is in his common or course frame and not fitted for it it will say he has not been remembring it before it came 3. Remembring importeth an intenseness and seriousness in going about the Duties of the day when it cometh and that it should be with all carefulness sanctified and that men should be mindful of the duties called for lest their hearts div â—rt from them or slacken bensil and grow formal in them whereby mens inclination to forget this duty or to be superficial in it is much hinted at this word we take to be moral being a mean â—or furthering the great Duty aimed at of sanctifying the Lords day or Sabbath coming 4. Remembring may import this that the Sabbath even when it is past should not be soon forgotten but that we should look on the Sabbath past to remember it lest by loosing the fruits of it vvhen it is by we make our selves guilty of prophaning it The next word is the day of the Sabbath By Sabbath here is meaned rest as it is exponed by the Apostle Heb 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 only 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 in 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 only 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 holy 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 2. 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 their hours longer or shorter as the day was long or short but they kept up the number of their hours alway the other is a natural day which is a seventh part of the Week and containeth twenty four hours taking in so much time as interveneth betwixt the Suns begining to ascend after midnight the nocturnal Solstice till it pass the Meridional altitude which is the Suns Vertical point for that day till it come to that same very point of Midnight again which is the Suns natural course every twenty four hours comprehending both the artificial day which is from midnight to midday and the artificial night also which is from midday to midnight 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 Waking 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 upon 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 u â— 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 inquired 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 other wayes determine or had elsewhere determined astricting 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 premit 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 Temple was built tyed them to the Ark and sometimes to one place and sometimes to another as it was removed and placed till it was brought to Jerusalem but after the Temple was built and chosen for the place it astricted men to that yea when the Temple is destroyed and Christ come it astricteth men to no place by another but it obligeth men to worship God every where in spirit and truth It 's true this is a Ceremonial precept and will not hold in all things especially as to its abolition yet while it stood by a positive Authority or Precept it sheweth that God may command a particular as one day of seven and yet not instantly so determine but that one and the same command may inforce to diverse dayes at diverse times upon supposition o â— God 's manifesting his mind even as by one command men were astricted successively to diverse places 2. See it instanced in the second Command wherein God requireth such a worship as he himself should prescribe which is the moral affirmative part of it and dischargeth all worship by Images that is its moral negative part thereof by vertue whereof Believers were then tyed to offer Sacrifices to Circumcise to keep the Passover c. but now Believers are tyed to Baptize to celebrate the Lords Supper c. yet by vertue of one and the same command so here that command which requires the Seventh day from the Jews may require the First day from us Christians for the Sabbath because these particulars are not expresly directly and immediately called for by these commands but indirectly and by consequence yet this second command tyed the Jews to abstain from blood and to circumcise before the ceremonial Law was added to them because these commands were formerly revealed to them but it tyed them to these accidentally to say so and by consequence only even so we say of the fourth command as to the Seventh day it being instituted before consider for this Exod. 16.26 where six dayes for gathering of Manna and a seventh for rest are spoken of A third Instance is in Tithes which was the Lords requiring a part of their Means or Substance as this was a part of their time he there required the tenth part of their increase as here he doth the seventh part of their time yet God in proportioning their estates did not particularly limit to any exact and precise order but as to this proportion of their estates whatever they were so we say here had not the day been determined otherwayes then by this command it would not have implyed any particular definite day of the Seven 3. We premit that though the Seventh day be called moral as is expressed in the command or understood yet it is but moral-positive and so alterable at the will of the Law-giver and therefore the question would not be much different if acknowledging the Seventh day to be commanded to the Jews as well as one of seven we yet asserted the seventh to be discharged and one of seven to be still retained for so one of seven would be binding now and not the Seventh 4. Yet lest we should seem to admit somewhat changeable in the very command it self precisely considered we would put difference betwixt the commanding part of the Law and its explicatory part the command may be moral and indefinite although some things in reasons and motives were not so as in the preface which inforceth all the commands and in the promise annexed to the fifth there was somthing peculiar to that people yet cannot we cast off all because of that suppose there had no more been in this fourth command but remember the day of rest to keep it holy that would not have inferred the Seventh day though we think the Jews because of its former sanctification would have been obliged to keep that day by vertue of this command And suppose that in the explications or reasons there may be something added peculiar to that people which cannot be a Seventh day but at the most if any thing the Seventh day yet that which is in the commanding part will still stand moral to wit that the day of rest should be remembred and if it can be made out that it was determined to the Jews to sanctifie the Seventh day though it were in the reasons added and to us afterward to sanctifie the First day
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 It 's 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 osten the Sabbath recurreth and what is the day It remaineth here to be inquired what is the beginning of the sancti â—ication 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 beginning 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 it 's 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 days 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 was added as a special solemnity of these solemn times and therefore the example or instance of these will not be concludent here to the prejudice of what we assert but rather to the contrary seeing there is a particular excepting of them from the ordinary rule and the particular intimation of their beginning in the evening will rather confirm our assertion that the ordinary Sabbaths did begin in the morning 4. It 's not questioned if on the evening before people should be preparing for the Sabbath following we said that this is included in the word remember but if we speak of the Sabbath to begin at the evening before then it will be comprehended as a part of the very day and so it will conclude the work or observation of the day to close at the next evening We conceive especially to us Christians the day is to begin in the morning as is said and to continue till the next morning for which we reason thus Arg. 1. As other dayes begin or as dayes began at the first so must this but dayes ordinarily begin in the morning Ergo c. If the first Six of Moses's reckoning begin so then this beginneth so also but they do begin so which may be cleared from Gen. 1. where the evening and the morning make the First day after the Creation 1. If there the morning and the evening do fully divide the natural day then the morning must go before the evening every morning being for its own evening But they do divide the natural day all being comprehended under Six days Ergo c. the consequence is clear to natural sense for the forenoon which is the morning must be before the afternoon which is the evening the ascending of the Sun is sure before its declining and seeing the morning natural to speak so of the natural day is from the twelfth hour at night this must be the beginning of the day Again the question then being only whether to reckon the evening or the morning first it would seem necessary to reckon the morning first for if the evening be first that evening must either be 1. the evening of a day preceding morning seeing every evening supposeth a morning to go before it in proper speech and I suppose the History of the Creation Gen. 1. is not set down in metaphorical termes or 2. it must be an evening without a morning and that in proper speech here used is absurd and seems also to be as impossible i â— nature to wit that there should be a consequent and posterior evening or afternoon without a preceding morning or forenoon as that there should be an effect without a cause or 3. it must be the evening following its own morning and so that morning must be last preceding the first evening recorded Gen. 1. the evening and the morning were the first day which to affirm would not only be absurd but would also manifestly fasten the loss of a dayes time on the Scriptures calculation and it seemeth hard in all speech and Scripture-phrase to put the evening before its own morning seeing there must be both morning and evening in each day neither doth the Scripture speak any way of evening but when it 's drawing towards night which still supposeth the morning of that same day to be passed or else we must divide the day in the middle of the Artificial day and make the Natural day begin at twelve of the noon day which will be as much against the Scripture phrase that reckoneth still the whole Artificial day as belonging to one Natural day the Artificial day and night being the two parts of one whole natural day All the force of the opposite reason is this the evening is first named Ergo it is first Answ. Moses his scope is not to shew what part of one day is before another but to divide one day from another and to shew what goeth to make a whole day to wit an evening and a morning not a morning alone but an evening added to the morning which preceded that made the first second third day c. as one would reckon thus there is a whole day because there is both evening and morning In this account it 's most sutable to begin with the evening because it presupposeth the morning and being added to it cannot but
be a day whereas it is not so proper to say morning with the evening as evening now added to its morning compleateth the first day and evening now being past as the morning before God did put a period by and with the evening to the First day it being the evening that compleateth the day and divideth it from the following day and not the morning as one would say the afternoon with the forenoon maketh a compleat day and the afternoon or evening is first named because 1. the day is not compleat without it seeing it compleateth it 2. because the day cannot be extended beyond it now the first day is closed because the evening of it is come Arg. 2. What time of the day God began his rest we must begin ours but he began his in the morning of the Seventh day the Artificial night having intervened betwixt that and the Sixth which is clear for 1. Gods resting this day is more then his resting in the other nights of the Six dayes it being granted by all that he made nothing in the night 2. There had not otherwise been any intermission betwixt his labour and his rest which is yet supposed by distinguishing the dayes Again if by vertue of the command of a day to be sanctified we should begin the night or the evening before then these two or three absurdities would follow 1. Then we would confound the preparation by the word remember and the day together 2. Then we Christians might also by vertue of the concession of Six dayes for work begin to work the night before Monday as the Jews on this supposition might have begun their work the night before Sunday 3. Then we were almost no sooner to begin the sanctifying of the day then to break it off for rest and when its sanctification is closed as soon to fall to our ordinary Callings Arg. â— If by this command a whole Natural day is to be employed for duties of Worship as another day is employed in our ordinary Callings then is it to begin in the morning the antecedent will not be denied the consequent is thus made good if men account all the labour of their working time from one nights rest to another to belong to one day then must they begin in the morning or else they must account vvhat they vvork after the first evening to belong to another day but that vvay of reckoning vvas never heard of the tvvelth hour belonging to that same day vvith the first hour Again if by this command a vvhole Artificial day together that is our vvaking and vvorking time betvvixt tvvo nights â—e to be employed for Gods vvorship then its beginning must be in the morning for if the latter or follovving 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 vvhole vvaking day or an Artificial day is to be sanctified together and the even after it before vvaking time end as vvell as the morning Therefore it must begin in the morning and not on the evening before Further if by vertue of the concession of Six vvorking dayes vve m â—y not vvork the evening after then the day beginneth in the morning for the vveek day follovving must begin as the Sabbath did but the former is true Ergo c. These things vvill make out the minor 1. It can hardly be thought consistent vvith this command to vvork immediately when it groweth dark before folks rest 2. It 's said Luke 23. v. 56. and 24. v. 1. of the women that stayed from the grave till the first day of the week that they rested according to the commandement 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 it 's 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 of 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 Frydayes night being the preparation to the great Sabbath which followed 2. That the Women who rested and came not to the grave till Sunday Morning to use our known names are said to rest according to the Commandement 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 otherwaies 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 â— 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 intervene 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 days 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 remaining 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 Commandement as instituted or to be instituted elsewhere as is said and it 's first Institution Gen. 2. being only a positive and temporary Law may be therefore changed and yet the fourth Commandement keept 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 it 's 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 Heb. 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 days 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 vvhen it s begun and closed or finished by the vvork of Redemption as the making of the old World vvas 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 vvit the memory of Gods great vvork 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 that ground agree better to another then to it then it is to be changed But the ground whereupon the old Seventh day vvas preferred is now changed and there are grounds to prefer another day to it for the same ends therefore it is meet the day be changed also Or thus if the perfecting of the vvork of Redemption and the rest of the Mediator after it be as much to be remembred as the vvork 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 from 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 vvere not typical properly yea it vvould be such a day as vvould point out the evanishing of former Ceremonies vvhich the in-bringing 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 vvay 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 vvell if the former day be kept unchanged at least not so vvell as vvhen it is changed but the former is true all Gospel-worship holdeth of him Sacraments Prayers Praises Ministry c. now Sacraments as they â—eal are not ceremonial for the tree of life vvas instituted to be a seal of the Covenant of vvorks in the state of Innocency before the fall vvhile there vvere no typical Institutions of a Saviour to come and so Sacraments as they are Seals may be continued as perpetual pieces of Worship vvithout 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 Heb. 2.5 That God put in subjection to him the vvorld to come different from vvhat vvas before and he is put as the Son in the Nevv Testament in the place of Moses vvho vvas the Lavv-giver and faithful Servant in the Old Heb. 3. upon this ground vve think that day is called Heb. 1.10 the Lords day to bring it in a dependance on Jesus Christ and to make it respect vvhat is past of the vvork of Redemption Arg. 5. If the day of solemn publick Worship be a piece of Gods Worship
hallowed or sanctified it that is by separation destination and appointment for holy uses and as a part of worship so he sanctified the Temple Altar c. not by infusing any holiness in them but by appointing them for holy uses Thus only God can sanctifie a day or any other thing so as to make it a part of worship and no man or power on earth what somever can do that 2 In the precept it self we are commanded to sanctifie it that is by the application of it unto the uses wherefore he hath set it apart thus we sanctifie what he hath sanctified when we use it and imploy it according to his appointment And so we are to consider the sanctifying of this day in these duties called for from us on it This sanctification is two wayes set down 1. In its cessation and rest separating it from other uses and so keeping it from the common uses to which other dayes may and use to be applied 2. In its special application to and imployment in holy uses For clearness we shall consider this sanctification 1. In respect of its rest what we are to abstain from 2. Comparatively with that strictness cal â—ed for from the Jevvs 3. Eminently vvhat is required more as to holiness this day then on other daies vvherein also the Lords people should be holy and vvherein this go â—â—â— beyond these 4. Positively â—n vvhat duties it should be taken up 5. Complexly in respect of vvhat is called for to the right sanctifying of that day before it come on in the time of it and after it is past and that in publick and private and by all relations Master Servant c. and throughout the vvhole man thoughts vvords and deeds and throughout the vvhole day 6. Oppositively or negatively vvhat are the breaches of this command and the aggravations of these sins vvhich break it First then vve consider it in its rest vvhich is required and because there are extreams some giving it too little as the Jevvs did before the captivity some too much even to being superstitious as the Jevvs after the Captivity and the Scribes and Pharisees particularly in Christs time did stretching this rest too farr We must therefore consider it more narrovvly and particularly for quieting of our Consciences for the Jews are by the Prophets Ezek. 20. Jer. 17. and by Christ Matth. 12. reproved for both extremes respectively We do then in this matter assert first That there is a rest required here which is extensive to a mans words thoughts and actions whereby many things lawful on other dayes become unlawful on this day Yet 2. we assert That by this rest all sort of actions are not condemned but only such as are inconsistent with the end and scope of this command as by other Scriptures and the practice 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 tendencie 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 nor 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 Cubi â— is reckoned to be more or less by learned Men but all agree saies Goodwin in his Moses and Aaron in this that these 2000 Cubits was a Sabbath daies 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 Jordan 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 daies 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 Cor. 16.1 sending or dealing something to those who are in want Isa. 58.7 visiting others to comfort strengthen or otherwaies to edifie them christianly though idle and carnal visits albeit alass â— too rise 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 Physiti â—ns saving a mans life and taking p â—ins 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 pluck't 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 â—lying 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 charitie 3. for what is needful for their beasts 4. what is needful and convenient or comly 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 necessitie 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 pluck't 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 festered with inextricable scruples He leaveth it to men on other dayes how much to eat and drink by a Christian prudence yet allovveth them not to exceed even on these so here there is some latitude left to conscientious reason to vvalk 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 vvho is stronger so that it 's impossible to set particular rules vvhich vvill agree to all but men vvould look 1 to their end 2. to their need 3. to vvhat 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 libertie vvhich the Lord hath condescended to leave men at 1. That men vvould 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 necessitie as they cannot contrive a vvay conveniently to evite vvhen it cometh or could not foresee before it came 2. Men vvould see that that necessitie be not brought on by themselves If the thing might have been done at another time that necessity vvill not excuse though if the sin be taken vvith and repented of and Christ fled unto for the pardon of it vve may go about the doing that lavvfully vvhich sinfully vve have necessitated our selves unto as suppose one had got vvarning to slie the day before to bring such a Physician or to provide such drugs c. if he did it not then he sinneth yet vvhen necessity cometh he may still do it but not vvith a good conscience till he first acknovvledge the former fault of his neglect 3. It vvould be adverted if that thing may be done as vvell another time or may not vvithout 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. vvill not sustein and bear vveight before God vvhen folk do them that day to have their ovvn vvork day free and so put by the proper duties of the Lords day for some things that may be done the day or daies follovving Thus rest is commanded Exod. 34.21 even in sovving time and harvest because the necessitie is not clear but dependeth on ordinary providence and folks are to expect occasion and opportunities for them aftervvard 4. Men would take heed that they have not a tickling complacencie 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 slie on that day though it was lawful 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 irregularity 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 necessitie 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 Physitian 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 sutable 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 trust 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
they do on other days 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 days 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 whereas 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 exalting 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 levelling 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 in either there are â—one 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 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 e â—â—culatory 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 be secret which may be both inward and outward or private in Families as reading of the word conserring on it repeating Sermons praying together c. or publick as joyning with the Congregation in prayers and praises hearing the vvord read and the sense given hearing of Sermons participating of the Sacraments when dispensed joyning in solemn humiliations and thanksgivings vvhen they fall necessarily or more conveniently to be on the Sabbath All vvhich and such like are proper duties for that day to vvhich liberal laying up and giving for the relief of the poor according to ability and as God blesseth every man vvould be added as a suitable duty of it though it be no duty of immediate vvorship The fifth way is to consider the sanctification of the Sabbath complexly before it come vvhen 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 vvorldly business it 's a great incroachment on the Sabbath though too too usual to continue longer at vvork the night before then any other night of the vveek as if folks vvould gain the day of rest out of Saturnsdays night and Mondays morning 2. By not suffering this little times leaving of vvork to be idly spent but being taken up vvith endeavours 1. To abstract the mind from other vvorks as vvell as the hand and to have the heart put in a lively frame 2. To mind the vvork of the day vvhich is coming and to have a sutableness to it If ye ask vvhat sutableness should vve have to it Answ. Endeavour 1. to be as if ye vvere about to meet God to tryst as if it vvere visibly vvith him and solemnly to treat and enter in marriage vvith him 2. To be like Heaven and in a special manner in some sort to imitate God as if ye vvere already entered into his rest and had rested from your ovvn vvorks 3. To be as if ye vvere to dye and to step into Eternity for this resting should mind us of that and vvas and is still specially appointed though yet no Ceremony â—o mind us of Gods separating of us from others for himself that vve may rest eternally vvith 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 there may be no standing controversies against you to begin the Sabbath vvith 4. Pray vvith special solemn seriousness in reference to that day that ye may have peace for vvhat 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 sitted to hear 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 vvith 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 slipped over but I say we would begin 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 spiritually profitable Shew forth Gods loving kindness in the morning saith the Psalm 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.
to your Callings vvith a Sabbath dayes gu â—ltiness on you O indeavour by all means to have that removed and 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 Lords day to keep it holy dieting your souls as it vvere all along the Week for a course of communion vvith God in the duties of the next Sabbath It vvill be novv easie to knovv vvhen this command is transgressed vvhich vvas the sixth vvay proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath to vvit 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 unsutable 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 its reasons how it 's explicated 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 immediately 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 idleness often sinfully 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 eighth Command Thou shalt not steal for as idleness becometh a snare and temptation to a man to steal and hindreth him from works of Charity and sutable diligence in the works of his lawful Calling readily preventeth the one and capacitateth 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 diverse 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 make 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 and for him separated from other dayes 2. A consequent 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 â—ayes 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 and 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 failing 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 setting 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 a part of worship so as to bind consciences to it or to equal it with this day That is a part 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 a part 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 extraordinary cases he shall please to call for some part of them again 4. Yet extraordinarily 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 extraordinary 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 be 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 brake the Sabbath himself or suffered 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 vvhich 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 ways in vvhich respect he beareth not the Sword in vain The 2. and main reason followeth v. 11. wherein this command is three way â— pressed also 1. By Gods example who during the sp â—ce 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 vvere then made and finished Whence by the way vve may gather that not only all Creatures vvere made Angels even these that since turned Devils c. but that they vvere made within the Six days of Creation vvhen 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 vvould 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 vvhich 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 shall not prejudg them in their weeks work but that their labour shall be therefore blessed so that they shall miss nothing by observing that day as the Lord blessed the Seventh year whereon they rested and yet notwithstanding they vvere as vvell provided as vvhen they laboured Lev. 25.20 21 22 And it 's like that if vve vvill 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 Is. 56. and Psal. 92.3 That God vvill abundantly manifest his gracious presence and multiply his spiritual blessings that day upon it's due observers more then on other days vvherein he is also sought as there is this day a double worship both in respect of the Duty and of the day vvhereon it 's done so there shall be a double blessing beyond what is on other days in vvhich respect even prayers in and towards the Temple while it stood by divine appoin â—m â—nt 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. vvhen 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 vve may see an usual connexion betwixt Vniversal thriving in Religion Grace and Piety and suit â—ble 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 he hallowed it or sanctified it that is per modum destinandi or by vvay 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 vvit that there might thereby be an excitement left to men to imitate God and that man might not only have Gods command but his example also to bind this duty on him If it be asked here vvhy God vvill 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 Tribute being reserved to himself 2. Because man having but a finite understanding beside the now corruption of it cannot be intensely taken up with spiritual and heavenly things and with temporal and earthly things both at once o â— 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 vvith him and that he ought to care in his own affairs along the week and order things so as the Sabbath may be duly sanct â—fied vvhen it shall come in that sweet soul reposing converse with him 4. To shew man wherein his happiness consisteth it 's even in this to vvalk and converse with God and to be in his worship this i â— 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 worldly things It vvas 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 vvorld ordinarily think and judge We see now how great and grievous a sin it is to break this command and vvith vvhat 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 vvith more reasons and vvith more full and particular explication Because 1. All the commands hang some vvay on this and obedience is ordinarily given to them vvith the same readiness as this day is employed in Gods Service 2. It keepeth life as it vvere in all the rest and vvhen men are could in this so are they in all the rest 3. This tryeth men in their love to God best If indeed his company and service be more delighted in then the 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 as to these 3. No breach of any command hath more aggravations for 1. It is against reason and equity vvhen God hath given us so many and so good reasons for it 2. It 's high Ingratitude the Sabbath being a Mercy and a great Mercy indeed it is to be priviledged vvith access to converse vvith God a vvhole day of every vveek in duties of vvorship 3. It 's against Love God's Love hath instituted it and our Love should in a special manner vent it self to him on it 4. It 's cruelty against our selves for the Sabbath kept holy is backed with the promise of a special blessing and we by this sin prejudge our selves of that yea the Sabbath rightly spent is a mean both of holiness and of nearness to God of conformity to him and of communion with him it promoteth both So that it is eminently verified here that these who sin against this command â—in against and forsake their own Mercy 4. No sin doth more evidence universal untenderness and as it 's a sin in it self so it evidenceth especially when gross a very sinful and some way Atheistical frame and disposition as may be gathered from Neh. 13. Yea 5. It occasioneth and breedeth other sins it habituateth to sinning and hardneth against challenges so that men ordinarily become very gross and loose and fall in scandalous sins who neglect the sanctification of the Sabbath which is the quickner and fomenter some way of all duties and knitteth the two Tables of the Law together hence it cometh to pass that vve often hear men that have turned to be very loose gross and scandalous and some of them on Scaffolds and at Gibbets cry out of Sabbath-breaking imputing the one to the other as a main cause for by this sin men grow stout against challenges and formal in secret duties a â—d so at length sit quite up 6. No sin hath more sharp challenges for it and more sad Judgments avenging it then sins against this command have there been any men deeply challenged for sin or at death whether ordinary or violent brought to express and utter their challenges but sins against this command have been main ones The slighting of the Lords Sabbath made Jerusalem to be burnt with fire Jer. 17. last for this sin they are threatned with terrible plagues Ezek. 20.21 24. not only in temporal things v. 23. but with spiritual plagues to which they are given up v. 25.26 You know that a man was stoned for gathering of sticks on the Sabbath Numb 15. see also Exod. 16.28 and Ezek. 22.8 where the Lord accounteth Sabbath-breaking a refusing to keep his Commandements and Laws and a despising of his holy things O is it possible that a man can be well that breaketh the Sabbath or to vvhom it is not a delight If any should ask here if indeed the breaches of this command be greater sins then the br â—aches of the comm â—nds of the second Table and if so if God will be avenged on these severely For Answer premitting this one word that in comp â—ring breaches of the commands of the two Tables vve vvould compare sins of a like nature together that is sins of presumption vvith sins of presumption and sins of infirmity vvith sins of infirmity vve say that a presumptuous sin against the fourth Command if it vvere but to go unnecessarily to the door or to gather sticks is a greater sin then a presumptuous murther because it s â—riketh more immediately against God And that a sin of infirmity against the fourth command is greater then a sin of Infirmity against the sixth Yet we grant that presumptuous Murther is a greater sin then a sin of infirmity against the fourth command because presumption and high handedness in the manner of sinning in a sin little on the matter comparatively dareth God as it were and striketh immediately against him and so is an additional high aggravation of it beside vvhat it is in the nature of it And though our censures against presumptuous breaches of the Sabbath which are now as great sins as formerly as is clear from what is just now said be often more mitigated now under the
l. 21. unlawfull for lawfull p. 393. l. 32. evils for ends p. 437. l. 21. Falsly or safely p. 455. l. 22. proving for roving AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Delivered in several LECTURES EXOD. 20.1 2. And God spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage BEing through Gods strength resolved to Essay the opening of the Ten Commandments all that we shall say by way of Preface shall be to give you an account or the Motives which have ingaged us in this Work T â—e first is the Excellency of this Scripture it being by the Lord himself intended as a comprehensive sum of his peoples duty and commended to us from this that though all the Scripture be his Word yet this in a singular manner is so for he spake all these words himself and by a Voice immediately formed by himself he pronounced them first to his people and afterward twice by his Finger that i â— immediately by himself without making use of any P â—n man as in â—ther Scriptures he wrote them for his peoples behoof upon two Tables of Stone which were afterwards commanded in a singular manner to be kept in the Ark D â—ut o. v. 2 5. and to be l â—arn â—d Deut. 5.1 as also to be written on the Posts of their Doors and diligently pressed on their Children Deut. â— 7 8 9 10. In opening of which Commandments not only the Prophets and Apostles but our blessed Lord in that Sermon of his upon the Mount Matth. 5.6 7. doth much insist The second is the usefulness of this Scripture and of the knowledge of it to all that would know what is pleasing to God that they may be fitted for duty to him and may know what is displ â—asing to him that they may know sin and how to eschew it and may be stirred up to r â—pentance when they have fallen into it this being the Laws property that ther â—by 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 Cat â—chisms to b â— 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 c â—nnot but come short of the great scope ther â—of The thir â— is the great ignorance that is amongst not a few of the meaning of this 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 Spirituality made many neglect the chief part of holiness and proudly settle on self righteousness and slight Christ the Mediator as we may see in Paul's 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 amongst the prophane but amongst the â—ost 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 sufficiently the meaning of the Law whereby their convictions of sin tenderness in practice â—onstant 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 delivered 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 and considering the weight of it and its usefulness for all sorts of hearers we are confident it will agree well with the end of this Exercise 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 m â—aning of the Law of God 1. By holding forth the N â—tive Duties â—equired in 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 believes Rom. 10.4 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 Act. 7.38 is the Ang â—l Christ and 't is his Word as is clear v. 30 31. as also the matter of it b â—ing connatural to Adam it did bind before the Law was given and that obligatory force cannot be separated 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 P â—ul so far from making it void by the D â—ctrine of Faith that our Lord tells he came to fulfil it M â—tth 5.17 and Paul shews that his preaching of Faith was to est â—blish it Rom. 3.31 which truth b â—ing confirmed by them both in their Practice and Doctrine sheweth that the breach of the holy Law of God is n â—l â—ss sinful to us now than 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 D â—ct â—ine 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 a â— 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 Gen. 17. which was a Covenant of Grace and was never altered as to its substance in which the people of Israel as his S â—ed 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 make 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 and 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 about the duties of the Law with subordination to Christ and his Grace â— answer they differ in these four things which shew that these duties are not only to be done but to be done in a way consistent with and flowing from Grace which also follows from this that in the Preface to the Commandments he stileth and holdeth himself forth as Redeemer to be the object of our duty and the motive of it 1 They differ I say first in the End or account upon which they are performed we are not to perform duties that life pardon or enjoying of God may be meritoriously obtained by them but to testifie our r â—spect to him who hath provided these freely for us that we should not r â—st in duties which are engraven on these Covenant-Blessings 2 They differ in the Principle by which we act them 't is not in our own strength as the works of the first Covenant were to be performed but in the strength of Grace and by vertue of the promises of Sanctification comprehended in the s â—cond Covenant 2 Cor. 7.1 3 They differ as to the manner of their acceptation duties by the first Covenant are to abide their tryal upon the account of their own worth and the inherent perfection that is in them and accordingly will be accepted or rejected as they are conform or disconform to the perf â—ct Rule of Gods Law but by the second Covenant the acceptation of our performances prayers praises are founded on Christs Righteousness and Gods mercy in him in whom only they are sweet-smelling Sacrifices and accepted as our persons are for he hath made us to be accepted as to both only in the beloved Eph. 1.4 4 They differ in respect of the motive from which they proceed for the great motive of our obedience in the Covenant of Grace is not fear of threatnings and wrath in case of disobedience which by the Covenant of Works is the main thing sways men to duties nor is it a purchase of Heaven to themselves by their holiness which also by that Covenant is a predominant motive of mens obedience but it is love and gratitude and that not simply to God as Creator but as Redeemer as the Text here sheweth I brought thee out of the House of B â—ndage it is that we may set forth the praises of him who called us and that we may glorifie him that has bought us where Duties have these qualifications they are consist â—nt with Grace and subservient to it but when those are wanting or excluded Christ is wronged and men turn legal and in so far fall from and overturn Grace These Conclusions as necessary Caveats being laid down we shall propose these distinctions for clearing of them 1 We would distinguish betwixt a Law and a Covenant or betwixt this Law considered as a Law and as a Covenant a Law doth necessarily imply no more than 1. To direct 2. To command inforcing that obedience by Authority a Covenant doth further necessarily imply promises made upon some condition or threatnings added if such a condition be not performed now this Law may be considered without the consideration of a Covenant for it was free to God to have added or not to have added promises and the threatnings upon supposition the Law had been kept might never have taken effect but the first two are essential to the Law the last two to Believers are made void through Christ in which sense it is said that by him we are freed from the Law as a Covenant so that Believers life depends not on the promises annexed to the Law nor are they in danger by the threatnings adjoyned to it Hence we are to advert when the Covenant of Works is spoken of that by it is not meaned this Law simply but the Law propounded as the condition of obtaining life by the obedience of it in which respect it was only so formally given to Adam This then is the first distinction betwixt the Law and the Covenant of Works 2 Distinguish betwixt these Ten Commandments simply and strictly taken in the matter of them and more complexly in their full Administration with Pr â—face Promises Sacrifices c. in the first sense th â—y are a Law having the matter but not the form of the Covenant of Works so Moses by it is said to describe such righteousness as the Covenant of Works doth require yet he doth not propound it as the righteousness they were to relye on but his scope is to put them to a Mediator by revealing sin through the Law Rom. 10.3 In the second sense it is a Covenant of Grace that same in substance with the Covenant made with Abraham and with the Covenant made with Beli â—vers now but differing in its Administration 3 Distinguish betwixt Gods intention in giving and the Believers in Israel their making use of this Law and the carnal multitude among that people their way of receiving it and corrupt abusing it contrary to the Lords mind In the first sense it was a Covenant of Grace in the second it turn â—d to be a