It is objected that the Rest commanded in the fourth Commandement was a figure of Christs rest in the grave and therefore is now banished with the rest of those shadowes We answer this typicall relation to Christ Answer was accidentall to the Sabbath not essentiall That was accidentall to the Sabbath it was a Sabbath before it was a Type for it was a Sabbath before Christ was looked upon as a sacrifice for sin that is before man had fallen and consequently before there was any need of our Saviours resting in the grave Seeing therefore it was a Sabbath before it was a type it may remaine a Sabbath though the type be taken away They will it may be grant that there must be a rest from labour upon the Sabbath day Objection 2 but the strictness of that rest such as the Jews observed The strictnesse of the rest enjoyned the Jewes is taken away is ceremonious and abolished The rest say they to be observed of us Christians is only for publike worship and no longer so that the remainder of the day after publike duties are ended is free and then men are at liberty to make use of the time remaining for recreations or for any secular affaires as occasion shall required In answer hereunto we have shewed already that although publike worship be principally yet it is not solely provided for in this Law which as we have proved out of Esay 58.13 reacheth to our private carriage also And the Law calls the whole day the Sabbath or rest of the Lord that is both commanded by him and consecrated to him For the whole week being distributed into seven parts sixe are allowed for labour and the seventh is consecrated unto God which therefore must be a naturall day as the other sixe are To replie that we are not bound by that Law is to begge the question But why should not Christians be bound to rest the whole day as well as the Jews The Jews not bound to rest but for holy duties Surely if the Sabbath were a type of Christs rest in the grave yet there could be no type in a whole day as there was in Jonas his three daies So the rest of the whole day having no type in it is not abolished for that cause What then was it a part of the burthen of those ceremonious observances from which Christ hath freed us To give the fuller answer hereunto let us examine what rest was enjoyned the Jewes that we may discover wherein the burthensomenesse of that rest consisted First I conceive no man will think that the Jewish rest was a totall cessation from all action like that in the Aegyptian darknesse Exod. 10.23 as if men after the publike exercise were to sit still and to do nothing Was it then a ceasing from labours to follow sports that the Sabbath might be like the feast of the Calfe Exod. 32.6 or was it rest from worldly labours to fit men give them the more leisure to attend holy duties Such a rest indeed the Law requires For which we have as much need of rest as they and the Sabbath to be kept holy Now if this were all that God required of the Jews to rest that they might be exercised in hearing reading praying c. Is this the liberty Christ hath purchased unto us that we may be lesse godly then they lesse frequent in prayer and other holy duties then they For if we are bound at least to equall if not to go beyond them in our exercise in those holy duties we have as much need of rest from ordinary employments as they had This will be made more evident unto us if we lay before us these five particulars First 1. As having a more weighty ground for observing this holy rest our ground of consecrating the Sabbath is as great and weighty and more cleer and evident to us then it was to the Jews seeing Gods mercies towards man are more cleerly represented us in mans redemption then they could be to them in the worlds creation and conservation Secondly 2. And are as much bound to advance Gods majesty as they 3. And more helps then they 4. And as much need to prevent distractions as they 5. And our duties are as many or more then theirs the majesty and greatnesse of God to whom we consecrate this day is as fully manifested to us as to them Thirdly our helps and means for the raising up of our spirits to an holy rejoycing in God are greater and more effectuall then they were unto them Fourthly we need as much as they all helps to prevent the distraction of our minds and to the quickning of our spirits Lastly our exercise in spirituall and holy duties is in all respects as much or more then theirs So that if all be laid together the observing of a whole day of rest for our exercise in holy duties is as usefull and as needfull to us Christians as it was heretofore to the Iews To cleer this point yet more fully 1 Private prayer and reading let us lay before us the right manner and order of performing the duties in which the Sabbath day is to be sanctified First therefore all men must needs grant that the private exercises of prayer reading Gods word and meditation which are constantly to be used on other daies are not to be neglected but ought rather to be enlarged on the Sabbath day 2. Recordation of Gods mercies generall and Particular Again as the Sabbath ought to be a day of gladnesse and rejoycing in God Psalm 118.24 for all his mercies to man in generall so it is a time of recounting his extraordinary favours to our own souls in particular which will be of speciall use to quicken and fill our hearts with the love of God by tasting the sweetnesse of his goodnesse and to carry us on with more cheerfulnesse and life of spirit in the performance of all the duties of that day both private and publike Thirdly 3. Preparation to publique duties for the publike duties themselves they can never be rightly performed without precedent preparation David will wash his hands in innocency and so compasse Gods Altar Psal 26.6 and Solomon tels us we must take heed to our feet when we enter into Gods house Eccles 5.1 and bethink our selves of the majesty and greatnesse of that God before whom we present our selves and of our own vilenesse that are but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 nay which is worse unclean and filthy persons Isa 64.6 unworthy to stand before a God that hath pure eyes and the Apostle tells us of superfluity of naughtinesse that must be laid aside when we come to hear that we may receive the word with meeknesse Jam. 1.21 into an honest and good heart Luk. 8.15 Meditations by which we must prepare our hearts in our private exercises of reading Gods word and prayer much more in these which are more solemn and publike Again
the principall end of the Sabbath Adam needed that Law for the observation thereof as well as we In the last place it is urg'd that if the Sabbath had been instituted in Paradise Answer to the third then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of it and had certainly observed it Now that the Patriarchs did not observe it it is evident say they because we find no mention upon record of the observation thereof by any of them either before or after the Flood till Exod. 16. immediately before the giving of the Law We answer that if they can make it appeare that none of the Patriarchs did observe the Sabbath we will be willing to grant them that they had no Law that bound them to any such observation But it will be a very hard matter to make that appeare by any convincing argument Yes say they if they had observed it there would have been left some record of it by Moses who wrote their lives as say they he hath left us instances of their observing of the other Nine Commandements but for their observation of the Sabbath day he makes not so much as the least mention at all To this we answer divers things First 1. It followes not we have no recording of the Patriarchs observing the Sabbath therefore they observed it not we except against this form of arguing from Negative authority which according to the sentence of Logicians proves nothing at all and hereof though we might give other instances we will content our selves with one only concerning the point which we have in hand In all the Books of Ioshua Iudges Ruth For 550 years after Moses we have no record of keeping the Sabbath the two books of Samuel and the first booke of Kings containing the history of the Church for 550. yeares and written much more largely then the books of Genesis and the beginning of Exodus we finde not upon record so much as the very name of the Sabbath shall we therefore conclude from thence that the holy men of those times especially Ioshua Samuel and David kept not the Sabbath when we know they had a Law that bound them thereunto and yet we have instances enough out of the same books of their keeping of the other nine Commandements It will not be sufficient to except against the instance produced by us that we know these holy men kept the Sabbath though there be no record of their keeping of it because we are sure that they had a Law that bound them to keep it but the Patriarchs had no such law this I say is no just exceptiō against our instance for it is to beg the point in question All that they can gaine by this Allegation is that it is not so certaine that the Patriarchs kept the Sabbath because it is not so certaine that they had a Law that bound them to observe it Now this is a wild form of arguing It is not certaine though we prove it is or at least not so certaine that the Patriarchs had a Law that bound them to keep the Sabbath therefore it is certaine that they kept it not As for that colour that they make use of for the strengthning of their exception against our instance that Moses records the Patriarchs keeping of the other nine Commandements It were enough that we have said already that we have the like evidences in the books of Ioshua Objection Iudges c. of those holy mens keeping of the other nine Commandements We have records of the Patriarchs keeping the other nine Commandements But to give a fuller answer I conceive they will not say that in the book of Genesis there be instances of the Patriarchs observing of every duty required and prescribed in those Nine Commandements Answer but will name us some duties only which they performed in obedience to every one of them Not of all the duties of all those nine 4. And we have records of the Patriarchs publike worship And we say that we finde instances of the Patriarchs observing of the Fourth Commandement for we read that they worshipped God publikely Gen. 4.26 chap. 12.8 which that phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord implies as I conceive they themselves will not deny And I am sure they acknowledge that publike worship is a duty of the Sabbath But hereunto they will reply that the performing of this publike worship proves not the observation of the Sabbath or seventh day for that worship To which we answer that using of publike worship necessarily supposeth a time a fit time and a time of Rest for that worship for so much themselves acknowledg to be of the Law of Nature And it is probable on the seventh day Adde hereunto what is recorded of the sending out of Noahs dove just at the distance of seven daies Gen. 8.10 12. Surely this could not be done casually that they should accidentally light just upon the distance of seven daies so many times together If then it were done purposely why was that number chosen above all others was there any mysterious holinesse in that number If conjectures might take place we might with great probability conceive that Noah and his children had upon those daies dedicated to his worship been suing for peace and sent out to see whether there might be any tydings of a comfortable answer to their prayers These I confesse are no infallibly-concluding arguments to prove the Patriarchs observation of the Sabbath or seventh day but seeing it is possible nay more very probable that Moses in this relation points at some such thing it is enough to overthrow the opposites conclusion which must be this That it is certaine that Moses makes no mention of the Patriarchs observation of the seventh or Sabbath day Secondly we answer that the place Exod. 16.23 2. It appeares Exod. 16.23 that the Sabbath was known before the Law was given proves evidently that the observation of the Sabbath was a thing sufficiently known to the children of Israel before the Law was delivered unto them upon Mount Sinai For when the Elders of Jsrael wondering that the people had gathered twise so much Manna on the sixth day as they had done each of the five daies going before come to Moses to enquire of him what the reason of that strange event might be ver 22. he answers them presently To morrow is the holy Sabbath of the Lord c. which is all one as if he had said as he doth afterwards in expresse termes ver 29. that the Lord gave them on the sixth day a sufficient portion of bread for two daies that no man might breake the rest of the Sabbath by going out to gather food upon that day In that place you see Moses speaks of the Sabbath as of a thing which the children of Israel well knew beforehand or else he had spoken Parables to them in naming a day and referring the into an Ordinance of which
A VVAy to the Tree of 〈◊〉 Discovered in Sundry DIRECTIONS for the Profitable Reading OF THE SCRIPTVRES Wherein is described occasionally The nature of a Spirituall Man And in a Digression The Morality and Perpetuity of the Fourth Commandment in every circumstance thereof is discovered and cleared BY IOHN WHITE Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word in Dorchester in the County of Dorset Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have Eternall life Iohn 5.39 LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Royston at the signe of the Angel in Ivy-lane 1647. TO The right Worshipfull the Mayor Recorder Bailives Burgesses and the rest of the Inhabitants in the Burrough of Dorchester in the County of Dorset Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ NO man I conceive will wonder Right Worshipfull and Dearely Beloved in the Lord that I present you with this small Treatise being an accompt of some of my labours which I have taken amongst you I know not of whom they are likely to finde nor desire they may have better acceptance then of those of whose love manifested unto me in so many honours and favours by which you have so many waies engaged me now neere these two and fourty yeares wherein I have continued amongst you I have had so aboundant and full experience Besides in presenting you with this poore Treatise I give you of your own as I may truely say with the Prophet David 1 Chron. 29.14 although not altogether in his sense For am not I yours as S. Paul tels the Corinthians that himselfe and Apollo and Cephas were theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 And by consequent the issues of all my weake abilities you may as justly challenge to be your own as the Master might claime the issues of the bondslaves borne in his house to be his and as in true estimation it is such so I desire you to accept it as an acknowledgement although in no proportion a satisfaction of that great Debt which I owe unto you And to speake truth it will be of speciall use to you to accompt this labour of mine such as it is as your own that you may so entertaine and embrace it so use husband and employ it to your best advantage as we use to doe those things that are our own For the chiefe reason wherefore the manifold helps which God is pleased to afford us by the labours of other men usually profit us so little is because men looke not on them as matters wherein themselves have a peculiar interest and so neglect them as we too usually doe those things which are of common and generall concernement As for the matter handled in this short Treatise I desire you to take notice that of all the Truths that I have delivered unto you in so large a time of my Ministery continued amongst you I have chosen this above all other subjects to recommend unto you in a more especiall manner and to leave with you as a memoriall of my tender affection towards you for these two weighty reasons First because this duty of studying the Scriptures whereunto this Treatise is intended as an help is of all others of most generall concernement and of most necessary and common use Secondly because it hath pleased the Lord to cast us into dangerous times wherein some men endeavour what they can to bring the Scriptures into contempt crying down that sacred booke as containing nothing else but a dead letter and being a beggerly element fit for none but the lowest forme of Christians Others that are unstable and unlearned as the Apostle tearmes them 2 Pet. 3.16 wrest them at their pleasure to their own destruction and the endangering of their brethrens soules Let me therefore in the bowels of Christ beseech you Brethren as you ever hope to get any power of grace into your hearts to have your spiritual life quickened your comforts assured and your wayes directed to take heed to this Sure and Infallible word of Truth as to a Light shining in a darke place as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 1.19 as containing in it your Food your Physick your Evidences your Comforts your Armes both for offence and defence and in a word which is the very life of your Soules the Light of your Vnderstanding the Director of your Wills and the Moderator of your Affections Study this Word which our Saviour tearmes Searching of the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 which is done not by Reading them over cursorily but by examining them diligently comparing Scripture with Scripture that we may know the full minde of God revealed therein who many times layes not down the whole truth together in one place but leaves us to take in some other clauses out of other places to make up the full of that truth which hee would reveale unto us For want of this care of laying Scripture to Scripture many taking up the truth of God by parts ground thereupon dangerous errours wronging God in making him to speake what he never meant and overthrowing their own Faith to the hazard of their owne Soules Of one thing we must be very carefull that we bring with us our minds free and not prepossest with any Opinion which we have either framed in our owne phantasy or received from others A mind forestalled by an erroneous conceipt is no fit Judge of any Truth or of any Testimony cōcerning Truth but as coloured glasse transmits the light and represents it to the eye infected with the same colour with which it selfe is dyed Or as the taste distempered by some ill humour relisheth all things which it receives according to that humour with which it selfe is infected so happens it with a minde prepossest with any phantasie it apprehends and judgeth of all things according to that opinion which it selfe hath entertained Lastly the Scriptures being in themselves exceeding broad to use the Psalmists expression Psal 119.96 that is of large comprehension and withall very mysterious containing in them wonders as they are tearmed ver 18. there needs together with our reading much Meditation upon what we have read as the same Prophet tells us that he did meditate upon Gods Law all the day Psal 119.97 much conference especially with Ministers and other experienced Christians much use of learned mens writings which give great light to the understanding of darke places in Scripture which wee shall often meet withall But above all fervent and continuall Prayers wherein acknowledging our owne blindnesse and inability of our selves to search into the deep Mysteries revealed in the Word with Agur Prov. 30.2 3. we beg earnestly the assistance of Gods Spirit to open our eyes Psal 119.18 to make us to understand the way of his precepts ver 27. to give us understanding that wee may know his testimonies ver 125. being assured that as there is no other meanes to reveale unto us the mind of God but his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 so God will not deny that
are in the right way when they are wide of it yet that lets not another man who is in the right way to know and be assured that he is in it This large Description of the nature of a Spirituall man The use of this description of a spirituall man is of singular use both for the encouragement of those that find themselves in some good measure answerable to this patterne that is here set before them to goe on with cheerfulnesse in the study of the Scriptures and in all other holy duties required of them As also for the awakening of others who when upon examination they finde themselves out of this blessed condition may labour with earnest desires and fervent prayers to beg that Spirit at Gods hands that may make them such as finding themselves while they remaine otherwise in a dangerous condition in which neither Gods word nor any of the rest of his ordinances can profit them as they ought CAP. VIII Of the choice of fit Times and Seasons for Reading the Scriptures THere is a season to every purpose under the Sunne saith the wise man Eccl. 3. the observation whereof not onely addes grace unto every good action but many times facilitates the work it selfe which we have in hand and makes it more easie to be compassed The consideration whereof ought to move us in such a weighty work as is the study of the Scriptures to enquire what times and seasons may be most conveniently chosen out and set apart for the exercising of our selves in this so holy a duty No time limited by God for the study of the Scriptures but the Sabbath It is true that besides the Sabbath day God hath limited to men no certain time for the duties of Prayer and study of the Scriptures only we have generall commands to be frequent and continuall in Prayer Eph. 6.18 1 Thess 5.17 and diligent in meditation of the Word Iosh 1.8 of both which we have examples in the practise of holy men Only in generall the often exercising of our selves therein is required Psalme 58.17 Dan. 6.10 Psal 119.97 But the particular times for either duty which are impossible to be directed by any generall rule are left to be determined by Christian wisdome Now times either for Prayer or Reading may be either constant and set Times for studying the Scriptures are 1. Occasionall or uncertain and occasionall For there are times wherein God calles us extraordinarily to Prayer Isa 22.12 either in afflictions felt Iames 5.13 or feared Psalme 116.3.4 and 50.15 or for mercies expected Dan. 9.2 3. or already received Psal 18.1 and 116.12 13. The like occasions we may meet withall for searching the Scriptures to resolve us in doubts Psalme 73.17 To comfort us in afflictions Psalme 119.50 To direct us in matters of advice Psalme 119.24 To guide us in our way verse 105. To assist us in temptations Eph. 6.17 Such or the like occasions may cause us to have recourse to the word extraordinarily besides the ordinary studies of it to make us wise unto salvation and furnish us to every good work 2 Tim. 3.15.17 For the constant and daily study of the Scriptures is required 2. Set and constant And that for All men not onely of the Ministers of the word Tim. 4.15 17. Magistrates Deut. 17.19 although indeed it concernes them above others but besides of all John 5.33 and that by a kind of necessity considering mens ignorance in matters appertaining to godlinesse Psal 73.22 Prov. 30.21 the difficulty of understanding things that never entred into mans heart 1 Cor. 2.9 and the great necessity of attaining the knowledge of those things which are the grounds of Faith the Rules of practice and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Nay Even such as have attained some good measure of knowledg if we had attained to some good measure of the knowledg of the Mysteries of godlinesse by the Word yet how we should be ready in the use thereof either for directing our own waies Psal 119.50.105 for admonishing others Col. 3.16 for defence in time of temptation with our Saviour Mat. 4.4.7.10 for comforting our Brethren 1 Thess 4.18 for examining our teachers doctrine with the Bereans Acts 17.11 unless besides the knowledge of the Scriptures we keep them fresh in memory by continuall meditation and often perusing of that volume which being so large as it is must of necessity take up some reasonable portion of time daily for this exercise In limiting this time for Reading the Scriptures respect must be had both to Order In choosing times for reading Scriptures we must respect and Proportion For the former godly men have accustomed to begin the day with religious exercises as with Prayer Psal 5.3 and 88.13 and Psal 55.17 1. The Order 1. The morning is a sit time for Prayer Reading the Morning was one of the three times wherein David presented his prayers unto God Now although Prayer and Reading of the Word be two distinct exercises yet that they mutually help one another is most manifest and consequently are fit to be joyned together For the Word ministers matter of Prayer and is the ground of our Petitions who have no promise to be heard unless we ask according to Gods wil 1 Io. 5.14 which is no where revealed but in the word which therefore strengthens our faith in Prayer Again Prayer must needs awe us with the reverence of Gods Majesty and consequently prepare our hearts to tremble at Gods word in reading it which God is well pleased withall Isaiah 96.2 The fitnesse of the Morning for these exercises is evident 1. As it is fit to honour God with the first of our time not only because the first of our time as of all things else belongs unto God whose service ought to be our speciall and chiefest care but besides 2. The heart in the morning is freest from worldly thoughts because the heart being then most free from worldly thoughts is fittest for holy meditations And withall when in the beginning of the day the heart of a man is seasoned with holinesse and with the feare of God he findes himself the better fitted to walk humbly with him all the day after It is very fit to close up the day with these duties wherewith we began it 2. It is good to close up the day with these holy exercises The Evening was one of Davids times for Prayer Psalme 55.17 and 141.2 and Isaaks as it seemes Gen. 24.63 Then indeed it is fit to passe our accompts with God concerning our carriage the day before that having made all our reckonings even with him we may with assurance lay down our selves to rest in peace Now we have already intimated how fit it is to joyne Prayer and Reading together so that if the Evening be a fit time for Prayer it must be acknowledged to be fit for Reading also The Mornings then and Evenings
2. The proportion of time to be allowed for holy duties wherein we must respect 1. The Duty and therein 1. What must be done We must study the whole Scripture are our fittest times for Prayer As for the proportion of time to be allotted for this exercise it must indifferently respect both the Duty and the person that undertakes it In the exercise it must be considered both what must be done and in what manner For the former seeing all Scriptures were written for our Instruction 1 Cor. 10.11 not onely the Laws and Commandements which we are to doe and obey Deut. 29.29 but Examples too not only the New Testament but the Old also it must needs be our duty to know and consequently to study them all wherefore we must so proportion our time for this exercise that we may often goe over by reading the whole body of the Scriptures The manner of Reading the Scriptures 2. In what manner With great deliberation as holding out 1. Things weighty must be with great deliberation and that not onely because the matter contained in them is weighty and of a mysterious nature the Phrases significant the expressions briefe and sometimes by the propriety of the language wherein they were written unusuall and therefore not easie to be understood of the vulgar 2. And nearly concerning our selves but also because that which we read so nearly concerning us and must be carefully laid up in our hearts and written there Pro. 2.5 and 7.1 and be hidden in them Ps 119.11 that it may be our continuall meditation ver 97. and dwelling in us Col. 3.16 may not onely furnish us for every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 but also enable us to instruct our friends and neighbours talking unto them upon all fit occasions of wisdome and judgement Psal 37.30 31. and at home our families as we sit in the house and walke by the way Deut. 6.7 This time allotted for the reading of the Scriptures must not onely be proportioned to the worke And allot time accordingly but to the persons too that study them and that with due respect had Having respect 1. To mens abilities both to their abilities and employments The weaknesse of mens abilities whether of naturall understanding and memory or of knowledge gotten by learning which must needs be weak in young beginners especially imposeth on them necessarily the more labour and paines in study and consequently requires more expence of time in reading If the Iron be blunt and one whet not the edge he must put to the more strength saith Solomon Eccl. 10.10 As for mens callings 2. And emploiments 1. Requiring more study by Ministers Magistrates Husbands Parents and employments Ministers who need to be furnished with all knowledge are required to give themselves wholly to this study 1 Tim. 4.13.15 Magistrates to have the book with them to read in it all the dayes of their life Deut. 17.19 Iosh 1.8 Husbands who must teach their wives at home 1 Cor. 14.35 Parents who must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and talke of the Law in their family Deut. 6.7 As they need a greater measure of knowledge 2. More time to be allotted where mens callings are easie for the necessary discharge of their duties so must they allow the more time that they both attaine it and have it ready for daily use Again seeing all mens Employments are not alike but some are more toilesome and others being more easie afford more leasure for the attending of those holy duties it must be considered how much may be conveniently spared from such necessary businesses as their callings cast upon them seeing God requires Mercy and not Sacrifice Mat. 9.13 Howsoever Yet all must set a part some time for this duty even those who are most straightned by the businesse of their imployments must notwithstanding so order their affaires that they spare some fit portion of time for these duties of Gods service who can easily recompence it unto them by prospering their labours and assures us that he will be no mans debtor for the least service done for him Mal. 1.10 Of two things men are to be admonished First Three caveats to avoid 1. Negligence 2. Incombrance with too much businesse that they bring not themselves into straights of time either by negligence in their callings which often puts them to labour at unseasonable times or by loading themselves unnecessarily with multiplicity of businesse and worldly imployments which when they have undertaken being not able to dispatch in convenient times they take liberty to make use of those times for worldly affaires that are fit to be set apart for holy duties By either of these wayes men being drawn to omit these duties at the first at last by disuse of practise lose withall the very desire and resolution to performe them These must know that God in matters of his service dispenseth with inevitable but not with voluntary necessities He will indeed have Mercy and not Sacrifice but neither negligence nor covetousnesse rather then Sacrifice Secondly 3. Not to mistake suspension for a discharge frō the duty men must take heed that they mistake not a dispensation for suspending these duties for a full discharge from them Employments in secular affaires are not better then holy duties neither is the service of men better then the service of God Consequently the one ought not to be left for the other Onely whereas our affaires are so limited to their season that they must sometimes be done at present or not at all whereas holy duties suspended for a time may be performed afterwards God is pleased that his Services shall give precedence to our urgent necessities not that they shall be excluded by them Wherefore he that by inevitable necessity is enforced to omit Prayer or Reading in the time appointed must redeeme the first opportunity for the performance of them as soone as he may afterwards This holy exercise of Reading the Scriptures daily being every way so necessary so comfortable so profitable let all that desire to grow in knowledge Faith and Obedience that expect Gods blessing upon their soules and labours attend daily at the gates of Wisdome Pro. 8.34 encouraged by that gratious promise We shall know the Lord if we follow on to know him Hos 6.3 Especially in these times under the Gospell wherein it is promised that all the earth shall be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the Sea Hab. 2.14 CAP. IX Of the Manner of Preparation before the Reading of the Scriptures OF what necessity carefull Preparation is to the Reading of the Scriptures hath beene sufficiently manifested in the first Chapter wherein we shewed that the Truths revealed in Scripture are in themselves deepe and great Mysteries that our understanding is shallow and full of darkenesse and thereby unable to comprehend them Lastly that our rebellious carnall dispositions are with
in it we must labour earnestly to work our hearts to the love of those Counsells of God which we embrace by faith for their Righteousnesse Psal 119.128 Purity ver 140. Perfection ver 96 97. and especially for the usefulnesse and wonderfull benefit of them to our selves that we may desire them with all our soules Psal 119.131 and delight and rejoyce in them ver 162.174 To this purpose it will be needfull to set before us the wonderfull efficacy of the Word which not only counsells Psal 119.24 and directs us in our waies v. 105. but helps us farther in clensing them ver 9. in quickning the spirit ver 93. giving wisdome v. 98 99 100. converting the soul Ps 19.7 bringing great reward that we obtained by observing them ver 11. and great peace which they have that love them Psal 119.165 These eminent excellencies of the Word set before us in such particulars cannot choose but make these heavenly counsells precious in our eyes as they are to holy David Psal 119.72.127.162 and bring the soule to delight in them exceedingly Such fervent affections This will make us serious in devising how we may put the counsels of God in practise if they once quicken a mans spirit cannot choose but move him to advise seriously with himselfe how he may bring both his heart and practise to conforme to those holy counsells and directions which he finds laid before him in Gods Word wherupon he must necessarily fall to the considering of his disposition condition employments and occasions and to the devising of a way how to frame out of the Word rules to himself for the ordering of them aright according to the mind and will of God with the Prophet David Psal 119.59 bethinking himself what means he may make use of to that purpose taking the Word with him as a light in his hand to guide his steps Psal 119.105 joyning to the company of godly persons v. 63. chasing away the wicked that might withdraw him vers 115. and this he doth with all speed vers 60. with a resolution to hold on in this holy course to the end vers 112. unto which he binds himself by a solemn vow and covenant v. 106. A man having thus resolved upon the practise of such duties as the Word prescribes For which end we are to take hold of the first Opportunities offered must embrace the first opportunity offered unto him to put his resolution in execution Partly because Opportunities are not alwaies presented and besides because the time of this life which is allotted for the practise of the duties required is short and the duties themselves are many wherein the more we abound the more we increase our reward and further our account at the last day 2 Cor. 9.6 And lastly because the inlargement of the heart is requisite to the running of the way of Gods Commandements Psalme 119.32 which therefore it will be needfull for us to make use of when it comes upon us knowing that we cannot command it when we will Now in setting to the Practise of such duties as the Word prescribes although we must have respect to all Gods Commandements after Davids example Psalme 119.6 for that is our Righteousnesse Especially for those duties which are layed before us in Reading the Word Deuteronomy 6.25 yet seeing all duties cannot be performed at once we must take more speciall care for the present not only of those things which our imployments in our particular callings or incident occasions press upon us but of those also which the Word which we have read or heard directs unto conceiving that God thereby more especially commends them unto us for that present We know that we are not onely to do what God hath commanded In all our Practise we must observe not only what is commanded but withall as it is commanded but besides to do it as he hath commanded Deut. 5.25 without turning aside to the right or left hand verse 32. that is to perform the duties which God prescribes in such Manner Forme and Order as he requires them to be done Wherefore he that desires to be accepted in his Obedience ought to set the Word of God before him as David doth his judgments Psalme 18.22 as a man doth the coppy by which he writes This is done by keeping the rules given us in the Word fresh in our memories reviving them by often meditation This use David made of the Word which he caryed alwaies with him as a Lanthorne to direct him in every step Psalme 119.105 having it ever with him verse 98. and having respect to his statutes continually verse 117. Thus it behoves us to make use of the Word after we have read it Examining our waies how neere they come up to the rule or come short of it But withall because we know the rules thereof are not only given for direction but besides for examination of our waies it will be good for us to call our selves daily to account how our practise answers the rules that are from time to time set before us in reading or hearing the Word Both that on the one side we may be incouraged in conforming our practise to the Law and rejoyce in the grace of God working in us with thankfulnesse That wee may be either thankfull or humbled and on the other side when we find that we have swarved from the duty required and the rule set before us we may be humbled and grieved for our failings and driven to seek unto Christ to make up our peace and may pray more earnestly for Gods assistance to look better to our waies for time to come as David doth Psal 119.131 132 133 176. I make no question but that the consideration of these directions given for the profitable reading of Scriptures will work diversly upon divers persons * 1. Obj. Such a strict rule will discourage some 1. As conceiving it impossible to be followed 2. Or requiring more time then can be spared 2. Object And others to mourne when they come short of what is prescribed To the first 1. The difficulty ariseth from their unwilling minds 2. As much time may be spared from their vanities To the second 1. We deal with a gratious Father who accepts a willing mind 2. Only we must endevour to come as neer to the rule as we may Some conceiving the rules impossible to be observed in that exact manner as is prescribed or at least that such a strict observation of them will cause greater expence of time labour then they are willing to spare are deterred from the performance of the duty as the Jewes were from following our Saviour upon the hearing of his Sermon Joh. 6.60 61. Some others men of tender hearts may pondering all these duties in their thoughts be driven to mourn in secret when they find their own performances so unanswerable to the rules formerly delivered and may doubt whether they are accepted or no. To
most employed in secular affairs are said to sanctifie a day by leaving of their labours in secular things that they may spend their time in holy duties And how can God sanctifie a day by his act of resting But how God can be said to sanctifie one time above another seeing he is holy in all his works Ps 145.17 who can imagine Others interpret the words Sanctified and Blessed 2. Sanctified means that he decreed to do it only as Jer. 1.5 to expresse not what God did at present but what he decreed then to act and do afterward viz. when he gave his Law to his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai And to give the better countenance to this interpretation they parallel it with another place Jer. 1.5 where God tels Jeremiah that he sanctified him before he came out of the womb In which place Sanctified can signifie no more Answer then he decreed to sanctifie Now to forbear all other exceptions against that parallel place in Jeremiah Where doth Blessed signifie Decreed to blesse admit the word Sanctifie signifie decree to sanctifie where doth the word Blessed signifie decree to blesse But admit such an instance might be found for that also Again it is taken so in one proves not that it must be so in this This were a mad form of reasoning The words Sanctified and Blessed in one place signifie Decreed to sanctifie and blesse where the circumstances of the Text admit other interpretations therefore the same words where they may have a better construction according to their usuall and proper signification must be interpreted in a sense lesse proper and usuall though no necessity urge us thereunto If such a liberty as this were admitted we should never be able to draw any certain conclusion out of any place of Scripture whatsoever A third sort there are who acknowledge that these words 3. It is related in Genesis by anticipation Gen. 2.3 import an institution but that is say they related in that place by way of anticipation referring and pointing out unto us a time when this was done more then 2400 years after when the Law was given by Moses upon mount Sinai Now this interpretation must suppose the whole third Verse Gen. 2. to be inserted there by a Parenthesis and then some clause must be added by way of supply to make up some such sense as this But what enforceth to admit an anticipation This resting of God upon the seventh day was the reason and ground of Gods sanctifying and blessing the seventh day in the Law which God gave unto his people by the hand of Moses upon mount Sinai But first what incongruity with the scope of this place or with any circumstances of the Text in which this is related or with any other place of Scripture or with any principle of faith enforceth us to allow such an anticipation in this place as we are forced to admit in some other places because we cannot otherwise find how they may agree either the words with themselves or with some other place of Scripture without which necessity to admit anticipations were to confound all order of Scripture For the countenancing of this anticipation they say that Moses Gen. 2. having mentioned Gods rest vers 2. upon the seventh day had thereupon a fit occasion to point at the Law which being given afterwards It cannot be proved that the Law was given before Genesis was written was grounded upon that rest of God which is here related To which we answer First this conceit supposeth that which no man in the world shall be ever able to prove that the book of Genesis was written by Moses after the giving of the Law otherwise how could Moses in this place give a reason of that Law which was not then in being but it seems more probable if conjectures may have any place in reasoning that the book of Genesis as it is placed first in order The contrary seems more probable so was first written For it is manifest by Saint Stephens words Act. 7.25 that God had revealed himself to Moses before he went out of the land of Aegypt into Midian and had designed him to be the deliverer of his people Again that Moses during his abode in Midian had leisure enough to pen that history it is evident in it self Lastly that the penning and reading of that history might be of singular use to stir up the children of Israel to go up out of Aegypt to take possession of the land of Canaan in which their Fathers had been so long a time sojourners and so blessed and advanced by God that they were esteemed as Princes amongst those with whom they lived especially God having so freely and fully given that land to them and their posterity is so evident that no man can with any colour deny it So that it must needs follow that in setling their anticipation upon such a supposition they build at the best upon a very uncertain ground Besides 2. The pointing at the Law in Genesis had been superfluous it had been meerly superfluous to have pointed at the ground of instituting the Sabbath in this place in Genesis seeing it is cleerly expressed in the body of the Law given by Moses Now whosoever considereth what brevity Moses useth in penning the history of the world allowing but 6 Chapters to the setting out of an history of 1650 yeares must needs judge it to be very improbable that he would lengthen it with needlesse and uselesse repetitions Lastly all that can be inferred on it the fairest that are produced to countenance this fained anticipation proves no more but this if all were granted that they alleage that there may be an anticipation but how will they prove that it must be and that is it which it concerns them to make good especially seeing there are so many strong if not convincing arguments which prove the contrary as we have shewed already Hitherto there appears for ought that we see no great occasion Arguments against the giving of the Law of the Sabbath to Adam or use at all of this pretended anticipation Gen. 2.3 which notwithstanding we must be enforced to acknowledge if it can be proved that the Sabbath was not Instituted before the giving of the Law by Moses upon mount Sinai or till the first intermission of the raining of Manna which was not long before it Wherefore they endeavour to prove that the Law neither was nor could possibly be given to Adam in Paradise This maintainers of that opinion labour to make good by three Arguments First 1. It was impossible for Adam to observe the Sabbath that it were absurd to conceive that God would give Adam a law which was impossible for him to observe Secondly that he should give him a law 2. It was needlesse which to him in the state of innocency 3. The Patriarchs till Moses his time never kept
the Sabbath was altogether needlesse and superfluous Thirdly they insist strongly upon this that if God had given Adam such a law at that time then had the Patriarchs been bound to the observation of that law Now say they if the Patriarchs had been bound to the observation of that law they had certainly kept it but that neither all or any of them observed any such is manifest by the history of their lives written by Moses wherein there is no mention of any such thing For the first of these three arguments which is Answer to the first that it was impossible for Adam in Paradise to keep a Sabbath they reason thus The Sabbath say they was appointed for the publike worship of God 1. That supposeth publick worship to be the whole duty of the Sabbath as all men must needs acknowledge But Adam and his wife could not make a publike assembly nor consequently worship God publikely nor by the same observe a Sabbath according to the Law To this we answer in the First place Though publike worship be the principall yet it is not the sole duty of the Sabbath Honoring God forbearing to do ones own waies or to find his own pleasure or to speake ones own words are duties of such an holy day of Rest as God delights in Isa 58.13 as well as publike worship And the Fourth Commandement which sets apart an whole day unto the Lord entirely and commands therein a totall cessation from all our employments in our ordinary calling makes it evident The sequestring of our selves from our ordinary secular affaires for religious duties is the full scope of that fourth Commandement which if a single person shut out by sicknesse or any other casuall accident from publike Assemblies perform he keeps an acceptable Sabbath unto God though he cannot joyne with the Congregation in the duties of publike worship Againe why may not two persons where there are no more 2. Two where no more are may be esteemed a publike assembly be esteemed to be a publike Assembly It is cleare that our Saviour esteems the meeting of two or three for prayer a gathering together Mat. 18.20 And then it 's plaine that Adam and Eve meeting together in Paradise and employing the whole day in prayer and other holy and religious exercises may in a true and proper sense be said to worship publikely so that in this argument brought against possibility of keeping a Sabbath by Adam and Eve in Paradise 3. It is no good argument Adam could not then keep the Sabbath therefore he had no Law for it the propositions are both faulty Besides this is no good argument Adam and Eve could not at that present keep a Sabbath therefore they had no Law given them by God to command it The fifth Commandement prescribing the duties of Parents to their Children is questionlesse a Law of nature shall we say that this Law was not at the least written in Adams heart from the beginning because he had then no child We think it wisdome to make laws for warres in time of Peace although there can be no execution of them for the present The Next Argument against the Institution of the Sabbath in Paradise Answer to the second is that then Adam needed no Sabbath neither for his body nor for his mind For his body they say he needed no Sabbath because that he being exercised in no painfull or toylsome labour but exercised only in such work as might be accounted rather a recreation then a labour needed no rest at all or refreshing of his body thereby 1. Ease by rest though it be a consequent is not the scope of the Sabbath To this we answer that the ease of man and beast from labour although it be a consequent of the rest of the Sabbath yet was it never the scope of it seeing the moderation of labour belongs properly to the same commandement which enjoynes labour that is unto the Eight as the Apostle also interprets it Eph. 4.28 The Fourth Commandement forbids labour indeed but not so much for mercy as for Piety nor so much for easing of the toyle of the body as for the preventing of the distraction of the mind by labour seeing we know the body cannot labour but the mind must needs be more or lesse employed withall which therefore at that time cannot so freely be wholly exercised in Spirituall duties as it ought So that Adam might have use of a Sabbath in Paradise although he needed it not for the ease of his body 2. Adam might make use of the Sabbath in respect of his minde Yea but say they Adam much lesse needed a Sabbath in respect of his mind then he did in respect of his bodie because his mind in that state of Innocency being continually filled with heavenly thoughts he could not choose but keep a perpetuall Sabbath To this Objection we have answered in part already that the Sabbath requires of us not only the filling of the mind with heavenly Meditations but besides a totall sequestration of the whole man to the exercise of all holy duties forbidding us to finde our own pleasure or our own waies Isa 58.13 that is take up any employment either of body or minde about any of those affaires which may properly becalled our own such as are all our secular affaires Now although Adam in Paradise had not in that ease and pleasure of his in keeping the Garden his minde so wholly taken up with that businesse as ours are now in our more toylsome works yet it must needs be and was his duty too to attend and to have his minde exercised in the thoughts of those things that he tooke in hand which on the Sabbath ought to be wholly laid aside In one word Adam was and ought on other dayes to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of earthly things but on the Sabbath day he was to be wholly heavenly minded in the use of heavenly things All then that can be made good in this parcular is only this that Adam in some respects lesse needed a Sabbath then we doe whence cannot possibly be inferred that he therefore needed none at all nay upon the same ground it will follow that because he being riper in knowledge stronger in faith and more quickned and fervent in affection lesse needed the Sacraments or other like helps as we doe it was not fit for him to have any Sacrament at all As well as of the Sacraments c. Rather we may conclude that because Adam infinitely excelled us in all these abilities therefore though he lesse needed yet he was more fit to keep a Sabbath then we are having more leisure and being more heavenly minded then we are All this while we speake of the Sabbath as if it were given to man only for his own good whereas the principall scope of it is the honouring of God which was Adam duty as well as ours So that in respect of
methodically in the interpretation of the Commandement we must first enquire what the scope is at which it aimes The appointing of a day of rest cannot be the scope of the fourth Commandement For all Laws being rules directed to some end proposed cannot so well be interpreted any way as by the end unto which they are directed Now the appointing of a day of rest cannot possibly be the last scope of this Commandement seeing we know rest from labour is enjoyned to give us freedome for holy duties and the exercising of our selves therein But of rest for holy duties which consequently must be the principall thing intended in the fourth Commandement But then it will be questioned to what kind of holy duties this day is consecrated For there are many that imagine that God hath set it apart only for duties of publike worship Publick and private But this opinion seemes not to agree with the letter of the Law which in expresse tearms gives the whole day unto the Lord for his own immediate service in religious worship Now we know publike worship takes not up the whole day It must needs be granted therefore the Lord appointed that day of holy rest for the performance of something more unto God then publike worship and so much is expresly affirmed Isa 58.13 where we are forbidden to find our own pleasure or speak our own words upon that day which as all men must acknowledge must needs extend to the ordering of our carriage in private as well as in publike so that the setting apart of a whole day of rest unto God for his publike and private worship seemes to be the full scope of this fourth Commandement Next to the scope of this Law 3 Parts of the fourth Commandement the 1. Summe 2. Explication 3. Reason we are to consider advisedly the frame and composure of it and therein we are first to take notice of the principall parts of the Law which we shall find to be three First we have laid down unto us the summe of the Law Exod. 20.8 Secondly we have the explication of that sum ver 9. Thirdly we have the reason of all v. 11. Each of these two first parts containe three heads of duties pointed out in the summe and opened and unfolded in the explication and confirmed in the reason of the Law The first duty is Preparation intimated in the word Remember The second the Sequestration from ordinary employments implied in the word Sabbath The third is Sanctification of that rest expressed in the phrase to keepe it holy All these are explained in their order Our Preparation must be by the dispatch of all our Secular affaires in six daies Our rest must be a cessation by all persons from our usuall labours and imployments in secular affaires The Sanctification of our rest must be by employing our selves in holy duties The confirmation of all follows in the reason of the Law of Preparation and rest from Gods own Act of Creating the world in sixe daies and ceasing from his work on the seventh and the Sanctifying of that rest from Gods Commandement and ordaining the seventh day to be a day of rest unto us for ever Now wherein the strength of that Confirmation lies will be the maine point in question of which hereafter To come now to the Explication of the words and phrases in this Commandement The first word in the summe of this Law Remember is diversly interpreted some conceive that it implies the importance of the duty commanded as that word is used many times to intimate some matter of speciall observation as Deut. 9.7 Others there are that think it points at the Antiquity of that Law given many ages before and therefore to be called afresh to minde as the Psalmist saith he will remember the works of the Lord his wonders of old Psal 177.11 and 143.5 and withall some conceive that he taxeth the peoples forgetfulnesse of that Law and neglect of the observation of it in the time of their bondage in Aegypt Some or all of these senses may be implied in this word Remember but beyond all these we may probably conceive that it may import Remember implies Think upon and by dispatching of thy busines provide for the Sabbath Think upon and accordingly before-hand provide for the observation of this holy rest by dispatching of all the works of thy calling that nothing may be undone which providence and diligence might prevent that might hinder thy rest on the seventh day As for those which conceive that in this Law labour upon the sixe daies is commanded as well as rest upon the seventh they are much mistaken The precept for labour is delivered in the eight Commandement as the Apostle interprets that Law Eph. 4.28 In this place is commanded the dispatch of our secular affaires before the Sabbath whether it be done in six daies or fewer it is not materiall as to this Law The next tearme to be explained Sabbath is a day of rest which only and not seventh is expressed in sum and conclusion of the Commandement is the name of the Sabbath or day of rest and easing from labour as that word properly signifies which is repeated againe in the conclusion of the Commandement And it is not to be passed by without observation that whereas the old Sabbath from the beginning till Christ came was the seventh day or last of the weeke and both in the explanation and reason of the Commandement is appointed to be one of the seven yet God mentions not the name of seven either in the Summe or in the Conclusion of the Commandement We have therefore reason to conceive that seeing God in this Law was to prescribe something of the Law of Nature The day of rest being of the law of nature the set day of positive institution which is the appointing of a day of holy Rest to be consecrated unto God for his worship which the very light of nature teacheth and in the explanation and reason of the Law to adde something which is of positive Institution namely the proportion of the time and the set day wherein this rest was to be observed he first settles that which is of the Law of nature and afterwards establisheth that which is Positive God purposely makes choise of such fit expressions especially in his Law in which he is most exact as may best acquaint us with his minde Wherefore seeing this is a fit Method to be observed by him and seeing the composure of this Law agrees with it we have reason to conclude that the Lord himselfe intended it in this place The last phrase in the sum of this Commandement remains which is To keep it holy To keep holy is to employ the day in holy duties of Gods immediate worship Now to keep a day holy is to employ it in holy actions directed to the immediate service and worship of God in the use of such
ordinances as he hath left unto his Church and to passe our time therein in holy speeches and meditations Actions may be holy either in the manner of doing them as when we performe duties either to God or men in obedience to Gods will in a reverend and holy fear of his name in thankfulnesse for mercies received and for the advancement of his glory which ought to be our maine scope in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 And so we are redeemed out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holinesse all the daies of our lives as Zachary tels us Luke 1.75 which reacheth to all our ways and actions Or else actions are holy besides in the matter or subject of them In meditations conferences prayer hearing reading c. as divine meditations conferences prayers reading or hearing Gods word c. These duties or the most part of them must have a place in our daily employments but must be so our whole work upon the Sabbath day as the works of our ordinary callings ought to be on the other six days This then is the brief sum of the law after which there follows a larger explication thereof describing more fully and cleerly what God means by that day which he calls the Sabbath what manner of rest it must be and within what compasse and revolution of time it must be observed In the explication is assigned the proportion of time for this rest a day of seven namely that it must be one day in seven or one day in every weeke And in the limiting and assigning of that proportion of time that he may shew unto us at once not only the meaning but also the equity of this Law he makes a distribution of the week into seven parts whereof he allowes unto us sixe for our ordinary labours and employments in our severall callings and contents himselfe with the seventh day only which he appoints to be a day of holy rest for his owne immediate worship which is notwithstanding not a day lost unto us but indeed a day of blessings a day of thriving in grace and a day of enjoying an holy Communion with our God and rejoycing in him a day of enjoying heaven upon earth if it be observed as it ought to be To take up the words themselves in order as they lie before us Sixe daies allowed for labour whether the sixe first or last is not expressed it followes sixe daies shalt thou labour which sixe daies those daies of labour shall be he expresseth not whether the sixe first or the sixe last but speaking indefinitely he leaves the words to be understood indefinitely Questionlesse the maine thing that he prescribes in this explication is the proportion of time to be set apart for this holy rest the order to be observed therein he sets down afterwards in the reason of the Commandement wherein he leaves a rule to direct us which of the seven daies we are to set apart for this holy rest But in this explication the chiefest thing that God sets before us is the equity of reserving this proportion of time that is In this proportion of time the equity of the Law appeares one day of seven for his own worship which will be sufficient for that use and yet lea ves sufficient time for the dispatch of our own affaires Day here is a naturall day such as the other sixe are By a Day he means a naturall day consisting of foure and twenty houres which is the seventh part of the week Shalt is as much as Maiest a word rather of permission then command God in this place having no purpose to order any thing concerning our secular affaires farther then they have relation to his own worships and to the making way for the better observation of this holy day of rest It follows And doe all thy work in which if in any clause of this Law Doe all thy work is dispatch thy work that thou maist be free to keep the Sabbath lies the force of a command but that command is not so much to require us to labour as by labour to dispatch all the businesse of our secular employments leaving no needfull thing undone that by care and diligence might have been finished in the sixe daies precedent the neglect whereof might be an occasion of violating the rest of the Sabbath Our works are the works of our secular callings excluding businesses which our callings lay not upon us By all our work he meanes all the work that our particular callings lay upon us in which God hath placed us and which alone are properly called our own works So that by this clause he excludes all businesse that cannot properly be called our own as not imposed on us by God in the callings assigned us by him and by consequent prohibits intermedling with unnecessary businesse Three things layed before us in this explication 1 A command to dispatch our works 2 A promise implied that we shall be able to do it 3. The manifestation of the equity of this Law and overlading our selves with many employments which may be more then sixe daies labour can dispatch So that in this clause we have three things laid before us First a direction or command expressed to dispatch our works in sixe daies Secondly we have a promise implied that by Gods prospering hand assisting us we shall be able to compasse our works for he saith we shall doe c. a word that includes a promise as well as it expresseth a command Thirdly we have Gods equity in the command who requires no more time of us then we may spare without prejudice God then having allowed us a sufficient proportion of time for our own employments in the next place takes order for his own worship in the words following But the seventh day c. Seventh is an ordinate number signitying one of seven Now the word Seventh being indeed an ordinate number may either signifie one in seven and so note out only the proportion of time which God reserves to himselfe as the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.16 and the third part of an Hin Numb 15.6 7. signifie no more but such a proportion of either measure Or it may note the seventh in order as when David is named the seventh Son of Jesse 1 Chro. 2.15 we are to understand the last youngest of seven in this sense our opposites generally take it in this place but in whether of the senses it must be taken here we are now to examine the determination of this point being of great importance to guide us aright in the interpretation of this Commandement Objection 1 Those who take Seventh in this place Ha prefixed before Seventh notes a particular day for the seventh in order or the last of seven strengthen their opinion with a double reason First say they here is Ha Notificative prefixed before Shebigni Answer of purpose to point out