vvhich is the last in the vveeke rather then any other if the Church so determine it if it bee obserued vvithout any superstitious conceipt of more holinesse in that day or annexed to it rather then any other The fourth opinion is that the first lavv for observation of the vveekly Sabbath vvas the fourth commandement given from mount Sina that is did bind only the Isralits to keep the seveÌ„â—h day of the vveek for an holy Sabbath untill the coÌ„ming of Christ but novv under the gospel it is abolishâ—d in respect both of the particular day also the strictnes of the obseruation only the equity of it remains in the Lords day the obseruation vvherof is commeÌ„ded to us by the example of the Apostles â—ovv the lavv of keeping it holy is only ecclesiasticall an holy ordinance of the Church· Thus you see vvhile men build vpon vnsure and vnstable grounds not upon the certain vvords of holy Scripture compared together made to runne in a svveet harmony hovv various different they are hovv contrary some of them in their opinions For the removing of all doubâ—s setling of mens judgments in a sure vvay so farre as God shal enable me I vvill endeavour to select single out vvhatsoever I finde in these severall opinions to be agreeable to the truth to the sacred vvord of God reject the rest vvill ad more over what is wanting to make up a perfect Doctrine not out of mine owne conjections but out of canonicall Scriptures for that is the sure rule of all necessary saving and sanctified knowledge that must be the sure guid when Fathers Councels Churches do lead vs into severall doubtfull wayes First for them who hold that the law of the Sabbath was written in mans heart in the Creation I hold it true insome part to weet thus far That God creating man in his owne Image did print this in mans heart That as he had his whole being from God especially his reasonable soule by which he was made able to understand the will of God revealed to him by his word so hee was bound to obey God and to serue him all his dayes with his whole heart and with all his might And if God did require of him any part of his time and commanded him to obsteine from some good and lawfull workes tending to his naturall good and well being to doe some speciall workes for his Lords pleasure in one day or more selected daies of the weeke or of every moneth or yeare he ought to doe it out of duty and obedience to his Lord and Creatour Thus farre J consent that the law is naturall written in mans heart to weet in generall and in respect of the common foundation J grant also that the law and commandement of God injoyning the rest of men their servants and cattell from hard labour the seventh day or one daie in every weeke is a thing so naturally helpfull needfull for the health and wellbeing of men ever since mans fall and the curse of barennesse laid upon the earth and the punishment of toyle some labour and faint sweating imposed on man kinde that mans own naturall reason will and affection must needes approue it and moue and incline his heart to the obedience of it and his inward thoughts cannot but accuse him of wrong done to his owne body and to the life of his labouring cattell and servants if he disobey it and in this respect it may be called a law of nature Yea I adde moreover that if wee take the law of nature in a large sence as some times it is taken that is for every law which commands such duties and such obedience as in there owne nature are very vsefull profittable to the parties commanded and which is grounded on such just causes weighty grounds as by the judgment of naturall reason are in their owne nature well worthy of such observance then the law commandement of keeping an holy Sabbath on the seventh day in the old Testament in thankfulnesse for Christ promised for a continuall memoriall of that great blessing one the first day of Christs resurrâ—ction now under the Gospell in thankfulnesse for Christ fully exhibited the worke of redemption by him perfected which so much excels the promise made on the seventh day as perfecting of a worke excels the beginning undertaking of it may both in respect of the particular day the sanctification of it be called a law of nature that is a law requiring such morall perpetuall obedience as is in the nature of it most just and worthy to be performed But that the law and Commandement which bound the fathers to keepe an holy rest one the seventh day of every weeke and us under the Gospel to keepe it on the first day especially and no other was in in the creation written imprinted in the heart of man so distinctlie and expressly that man had an inbred notion of it and a naturall instinct of himselfe to observe this law to keepe a weekly Sabbath on those uerie daies which God hath prescribed both to the fathers us This I must needs deny for these reasons following First Gods sanctifying of the Seventh day by his word and commandement and his institution of the Sabbath by a positiue law giuen as my text here shewes had beene vaine and needlesse if the law and the Sabbath of holie rest had beene expressly and particularly written in mans heart already For what man by the instinct of nature by his own naturall reason will and affection is lead and moved to do that hee is vainly needlesly vrged unto by any law or commandement being of himselfe without any monitor ready to performe it Secondly the very word Sanctify signifieth the setting apart of this day to a supernaturall and heavenly vse euen for the performance of such duties as are aboue the naturalll imaginations and thoughts of man and which his naturall reason would never haue revealed to him not his will lead him to do If God by his word and divine superturall revealation had not directed and moved him Therefore this law by which God sanctified instituted the Sabbath is not a naturall law but a divine and supernaturall precept Thirdly in the creation and state of innocency man was bound to serve God as his creatour and the author of all his being and to be content with that estate wherein God had placed him and saw to be very good and to looke no higher It was the inordinat desire of more knowledge and of an higher estate then God had revealed and promised which made our first parents so yeelding to the devils temptations and vndoubtedly it was an occasion of their sinne in eating of the forbidden fruite Now the serving of God as his Lord and Creatour was the duty of man euery day alike for the heavens aboue and the
and faithfull receive and enjoy through him which indeed soe farre exceed all that belonged to man in the state of innocency as Christ the second Adam in his humanity exceeded the first Adam and immutable grace exceeds mutable nature and as eternall fruition of God in heavenly grace excels the fruition of fading pleasures in an earthly paradise CHAP. 6 Secondly Gods sanctifying of the seventh day was not the creation or infusing of any spirituall or supernaturall holinesse into it by which it did excell all other dayes of the weeke For first all spirituall and supernaturall holinesse is created infused by the holy Ghost only into reasonable creatures Angels and men and cannot be in any thing void of reason vnderstanding free will and affections Although things without life and creatures void of reason are called holy by way of relation because they are dedicated to an holie use Yet nothing is called holie by holinesse of qualification that is by holinesse inherent heavenlie grace qualitie and perfection but onelie man and the holie Angels who are partakers of the holie Ghost and haue him dwelling working in them For this holinesse is unstained puritie and vnspotted vprightnesse which possesseth and informeth the vnderstanding will desires affections and inclinations of resonable creatures makes them conformable to Gods revealed will and the rule of his law Sâ—e that to imagine holines infused into any time place or any other thing which hath not reason vnderstanding and will is a mere dreame dotage and superstition Times and places as holy daies and holie temples are holie in Scripture not for any holines inherent in them which they communicate to Gods people but because these daies and places are dedicated to holie use and in them God is pleased by his spirit working with his word and ordinances to beg it increase and stirre vp holy affâ—ctions in men and to come and enable them to performe holie actions according to Gods will Secondlie all true infused inherent holinesse created and wrought by the holie Ghost springs from an eternall fountaine and is founded vpon a sure rock which can never bee removed but standeth firme for ever Where Gods spirit once informeth or taketh possession and worketh true holinesse ther he abides for ever Ioh. 14.16 The Devill and all the powers of darknesse cannot prevaile nor dispossesse him for he is greater then they all 1. Ioh. 4.4 Soe that if God had sanctified the seventh day by infusing holinesse and conforming it with the holy Ghost it could never haue beene profaned polluted and defiled by men neither could there haue beene any chaunge of it from the holy Sabbath to a common and ordinary day of the weeke as now wee see by Christs resurrection It should haue continued Gods holy weekly Sabbath for ever even as men once truly regenerate and sanctified by the holy Ghost are by that spirit sealed vnto the day of full redemption Ephess 4.30 CHAP. 7. THE affirmatiue positions wherein J will shew how God sanctified the seventh day are three First God did on that day reveale himselfe to man a most pure and holy God more then in all the six daies of the creation For in creating all things of nothing he shewed his power And omnipotencie in making al things good and perfect in there kind And in setting the heavens and the earth and all creatures in such an excellent comelie order hee shewed his wisdome and goodnesse And in making man vpright in his owne image giving him dominion over all living creatures to order them according to his will and to the law written in mans heart he declared his righteousnes But on the seventh day by promising Christ a perfect redeemer and Sauiour he manifested and revealed his most perfect purity holinesse diverse waies First by his suffering of man to liue in his sight and to approach to his presence when he was corrupted by his fall and become filthy and abominable and in the strictnesse and rigor of justice worthy to be destroyed with eternall death God did plainly shew that he is a God infinitly holie and cannot receive the least spot and staine of mans corruption approaching to his presence but appeares most pure and glorious and shines forth bejond all measure by making an holy vse of mans vncleannesse and ordering and disposing it to the more full manifestation and communication of his glorie goodnesse to his elect in Christ For as the purity of gold doth more appeare by abiding most pure and perfect in the midst of consuming fire and a furnace of fire full of uncleane ashes and after the touching of things most vncleane Soe Gods perfect purity and holinesse appeares most infinit and vnspotted in that he suffers vncleane man made filthy and abominable by sinne to live in his sight and presence doth order dispose his uncleannesse to an holy end doth meddle with it touch it yet is no whit diminished or obscured therby but made more bright and resplendent in the eyes of the world Secondly God by his promising of Christ to become maÌ„ in mans nature to make a ful perfect satisfaction to justice for mans sin did shew his infinit purity holy hatred of sin more then by any worke of creation In that rather then maÌ„s sin filthines should not be punished to the full his justice fully satitisfied he would giue his own Son a person of infinit value to bear the curâ—e sufferedthe whole punishment of sin in mans nature and so to make full satisfaction for it Thirdly the revealing of Christ and promising of him to be a second Adam who is the Lord from heaven heavenly and a quickening spirit through whom he doth richlie shed his spirit on Adam and all his elect seed in their generation which holy spirit doth dwell in their frail earthly sinfull bodies as in a Tabernacle temple all the time of this fraile life is not stained nor defiled with their corruptions but doth abide most pure and holy and doth overcome mortifie and kill by a long and lingring death the old man of sinne in them and workes in them that spirituall purity and holinesse which though it be not like a grain of mustard seed yet cannot bee destroied or defiled but increaseth more and more and prevaileth against all powers of darknesse this doth aboue all shew the infinit puritie and holinesse of God and of his spirit And therfore J conclude that God by promising and revealing Christ on the seventh daie did then first shew himselfe infinitly pure and did manifest vnspotted holinesse more then in all the six daies of the creation and this is the first point of his sanctifying of the daie to bee an holie Sabbath of rest vntill the full exhibition of Christ a perfect actuall redeemer on the day of his resurrection CHAP. 8. SEcondly God on the seventh daie did though Christ promised â—â—ed the holie Ghost
earth beneath and all creatures in them serving daily for mans naturall good welbeing even every day equallie did put man continually in mind of his duty to weet that he was to loue and serue the Lord with all his heart soule and strength at all times for this is the righteousnesse of a mans owne workes and of his owne person which God required of man in the first covenant in the state of innocency even his constant obedience to the vvhole and law and revealed will of God all his dayes withouâ— one dayes intermission Therefore the Sabbath which requires service of God and worship loue of him as mercifull a Redeemer and that upon one day of the weeke more then all the rest vvas not knowne nor commanded nor observed by nature in the state of innocency Fourthly the lavv of nature written in mans heart requires no particular duty but such as his owne naturall reason and vvill did direct lead him vnto in the creation and vvhich belonged to him in the state of innocency But the lavv of the Sabbath from the first institution commands and requires such things â—nd such vvorkes and duties as did not concerne man in the state of innocency As 1 Rest of man and beast from their vvearisome labour for their refreshing upon one day in seven This man had no need of neither vvas their any need of such rest because the toile and labour of man and beast came in after the fall vvhen God cursed the earth for mans sinne Secondly it requires in generall sanctification of the seventh day by holy and religious exercises and in particular by sacrificing to God by prayer and supplication and by meditating on heavenly things and on eternall rest and by studying all holy duties vvhich might fit men for the sight and fruition of God in heavenly glory All which vvhat soever other holy Sabbath duties and vvorks are mentioned in the word of God do belong to man only since the promise of Christ the blessed seed And in the state of innocency man had no occasion of any such duties he had no need of sacrificing vntill Christ his ransome and sacrifice for sinne vvas promised he neither could have any thought ar meditations of glory in Heauen or studies to fit and sanctifie himselfe for the fruition thereof untill Christ the onlie vvay to eternall rest glory vvas promised vvhat use had he of prayers and supplcations to God for any good thing needful vvhen he lacked nothing or for deliverance from evill vvhen as yet noe evill vvas knovvne in the vvorld What occcasion could he haue to praise God either for Christ before he did so much as dreame of Christ or had any thought of him at all As for naturall guifts and blessings he vvas by them admonished and provoked every day alike to loue serve honour and praise God vvherefore seeing the vvorkes and duties of the Sabbath are holy and tend onely or chiefly to the supernaturall and heavenlâ— life and to the eternall rest which Christ hath purchased in heauen for man vndoubtedly the lavv of the Sabbath vvhich expresly commands such workes and duties everie seuenth day is a positiue supernaturall and divine law not any dictate of nature imprinted in mans heart in the creation Fiftly every law of nature is common to all man kinde and is written as well in the hearts of heathen as of Christians so that the conscience of men whoe never heard of God or of his word is a monitor to admonish them of the duty which that law requires and an accuser if they transgresse that law and men haue no more need to be put in mind of those duties then of any other which the law of nature requires But the law of the Sabbath hath no footsteppe of impression in the hearts of barbarous heathen nations It is quite forgoten among them and onely Gods people who have his written law and word continually read and preached do keepe the Sabbath And God in giving it to Israell in written tables in repeating it often afterwardes still calls upon them to remember it thereby shewing that it is not as the law of nature printed in mans heart but is a law giuen by word and writing and from thence learned and therefore easilie and quickly forgotten Sixthly If it were a naturall law founded upon the creation and binding man to keepe a weekelie holy day in thankfulnesse for his creation and for the creatures made for his vse then it should in all reason binde man to keepe Holy the six dayes in vvhich God Created all things and especiallie the sixth daie wherein God made man himselfe and gaue him rule and dominion over all creatures For holy celebrations are kept weekely or yearely one the dayes in which the blessing and benefits solemnized and celebrated were first bestovved one men Therefore it is not a naturall law grounded on the creation Lastly Christ came not to chaunge the law of nature nor to take away any part of the obedience therof but to establish and fulfill it in every jot and title as he himselfe testifieth Mat. 5.17.18 And yet the law of the Sabbath soe farre as it requires keeping holy the seventh day as the fathers were bound in the old Testament is changed by Christ and by his resurrection in which hee finished the worke of redemption and was exhibited a perfect redeemer And the observation of the seventh and last day of the weeke is abolished And the first day of the weeke even the day of Christs resurrection is sanctâ—fied and substituted in the place of it and so was obserued by the Apostles after them by all true Christian Churches for the Lords day and for the Queene and châ—efe Princesse of all daies as the blessed Martyr Ignatius cals it Epist. ad magnesiâ—s pag. 31. Therefore it is not a law of nature printed eâ—grauen in mans heart J could alleadge more reasons but J hold this perfect number of seven sufficient for this present purpose J will therefore proceed to the next thing which is the discovery of the seuerall kindes of lawes which God hath given to men the briefe discription of every kind particularly by which J shall come to demonstrate what kind this of the Sabbath is CHAP. 11. THE Lawes of God which he hath given to men are of two sorts either lawes printed in mans heart which we cal lawes of nature Or else Positiue lawes which God hath commanded in his word over and above or besides the lawes of naâ—ure Thâ— Law of nature is that will of God which hee as Lord and creatour hath imprinted in mans heart in the creation even that naturall disposition which God gaue to man when he made him in his owne Image by which he doth informe man in the knowledge and moue him to the practise of all duties which belong to him and which he requirs of him for naturall wellbeing continuance in that life good
discouerie of his nakednes and sowing of figge leaues together for aprons Gods voyce was heard walking in the garden in the coole of the day that is after the sunne was gone down the seventh day begunne that Adam hid himselfe the words of the text affirme plainly in the third Chapter Also that after the conventing examining and arraigning of the man the woman and cursing of the serpent and also of the earth passing sentence of punishment on the persons of the man and woman to weet sorrowes labours in this life in the end thereof bodily death and returning to durst God for a comfoâ—table remedie of all these evils promised Christ to redeme man kinde from them all and to purchase for them eternall life and glory the history as it in the same third chapter laid downe shewes most clearly and I do verily beleeve that all reasonable men especially all true Christians will most freely confesse and willingly grant That Christ in the day wherein hee was first promised and did actually undertake to redeeme the world brought in a greater perfection vnto the worke of creation or the things created then they had befor given to them on the six dayes in there creation to weer supernaturall grace and heauenly and spirituall gifts of holinesse which exalt man to astate immutable and eternall Now seeing it is a truth most manifest that in the seventh day God the Father promising the blessed seed Christ to destroy the workes and to breake the head and power of the Dâ—vill the Old serpent and the Sonne of God actually vndertaking mans redemption and beginning to mediate for man And God the Holy-Ghost inspiring by the promise and through Christ grace and faith into both the man the woman to beleeue that out of her who was the instrument of death to man should Christ spring who is the life and light of men and so shee should become Chavab that is the living one or mother of all living there was a supernaturall perfection brought into the world And God brought his worke which hee made to a better estate and shewed a further end of things created Surely it should be too much perverstnes in us and too grosse resisting of our owne reason guided by the text it selfe If wee should dâ—ny or refuse to beleeue that this perfecting of Gods worke is here meant in this place and is the true ground of blessing the seventh day to be the Lords holy Sabbath And thus J hope I haue fully discovered the true sence meaning of the first words shewed how we are to vnderstand this which is here said to weet And on the seventh day God ended or perfected his wâ—rke J proceed to the next words And on the seventh day God rested from all his worke which he had mâ—de to which I â—dde the repetition of the same wâ—rds with some addition in the later end of the third ver namely that he rested from all the worke which he created even from making any more so the words in the Hebrew do runne Now for the word rested it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shabath of which the name of the Sabbath is derived and it doth not signifie a resting of God for to refresh himselfe as being weary nor resting from all working absolutly and simply but ceasing from making any more kindes of creatures for God doth alwaies as a provident Lord and Father work in the continuall generatioÌ„ of particular creatures in multiplying preserving ordering and disposing of them as our Saviour shewes Iohn 5.17 Here therefore we are to vnderstand that on the first sixt dayes the Lord shewed his good will and pleasure in making every thing very good and perfect with naturall perfection So in the seventh day hee rested wholy fro making any new kinde of creature by way of former creation And man being fallen and hauing brought confusion into the world and corruption and vanity vpon the creatures Christ is promised and actually vndertakes and begins to enterceede for man and to be his redeemer and Saviour and by this meanes God may bee sayd to rest divers wayes First whereas the rigour of justice required that man should dye and perish in the same day wherein hee sinned and the creatures made for his vse should together with him be distroyd so should God haue bin busied in executioÌ„ of justice destroying his former work in making a new world of creatures the eternall word the Sonne of God vndertooke mans Redemtion brings rest to God by that meanes from destroying the former and making a new or second worke of creation which is truely called resting from all the worke which he had made Secondly the naturall estate and bâ—st being and perfection which man and other creatures had by creation shewing it selfe mutable by mans fall so appearing If God should haue proceeded and gone on in the same manner of working as he had done in the sixt dayes of the creation there should haue been no rest nor end of his work of making remaking But Christ vndertooke the worke of redemption and as an alsufficient Saviour to perfect for ever them that are sanctified by the coÌ„munioÌ„ of his spirit spiritual supernaturall grace to renue them after his heavenly Image of true vnchaâ—gable holines doth this way bring rest to God fâ—oÌ„ the work or busines of creation sets on foot a new more admirable work in which God resteth and on which he taketh much delight and by which his creatures are reconciled and made pleasing and acceptable to him Thirdly Christ who was promised to become the seed of the woman for mans redemption bâ—ing the eternall wisdome and mighty word of God and able to beare vp the pallace of the earth when it and all the whole tents thereof were disolued and the first foundations thereof were out of course as the Psalmist speakes Psal. 5.3 82 5.8 God doth justly settle his rest on him and commits to him the ruling governing and judging of the world as he is medidiatour and the Sonne of man So our Saviour himselfe affirmes Iohn 5.22.27 Now that on the seventh day God did not barely rest from his worke of creating and making creatures but also that in and by Christ promised on that day hee found rest and rested the severâ—ll wayes before named the holy Scriptures and also common reason doe plainly shew First a bare resting from creation and not working is not a matter of such moment benefit that it should be the ground of blessing and sanctifying of one day in seven every week to the solemne memory of it Holy dayes and feasts mentioned in the Scriptures haue alwaies beene appointed by God and set apart for the commemoration of some great extraordinary workes delivering Jsraell out of Egypt giving of the Law and such like Secondly that Gods resting on the seventh day was more then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in Christ we are called to be Saints and sanctified 1 Cor. 1.2 Secondly there is no thought or hope of eternall rest in heaven but in and by Christ hee brings us into that and by going before us makes way for us Heb. 6.20 9 24. Jt is that which never entered into the heart of man his reason conceives it not till God doth reveale it by his spirit given though Christ 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Thirdly no man can haue accesse vnto God but in Christ there is no approach to the throne of grace but in him Heb. 4.16 It is Christ alone who for his peoples sake sanctified himselfe that they also might be sanctâ—fied Ioh. 17.19 And there is no growing up in grace holinesse but in him and by vnion and communion in one body with him as our head Eph. 13·16 vpon these infalible premises it followes necessarily that the proper end and use of the Sabbath presupposing Christ the first institution thereof must needes be grounded on Christ also Fourthly if Christ as he is the Sonne of man vnited in one person vnto God and so our mediatour be the Lord of the Sabbath so that the alteration and chaunge of it from one of the seven dayes to another is onely in his power and depends wholy on some chaunge in him then the institution of it is grounded one the promise of him and upon his mediation Now the Antecedent is manifest by our Sauiours owne words Mat. 12.9 where hee calls himselfe Lord of the Sabbath day And by his resurrection and becomming the head stone of the corner the Sabbath is chaunged from the day of him promised vnto the day of the full exhibition of him aperfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection as David foretold Psal. 118. And the practise of the Apostles in all Churches of Christian Gentiles doth aboundantly declare Act. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 wherefore undoubtedly Christ promised was the first ground of the institution of the Sabbath as our Saviour in that place of the Gospel Mat. 12.9 affirmes it was made for man that is not only for mens use but also for him the son of man upon the promise undertaking of him to become man the seed of the women for mans redemption for destroying the workes of the Divill VSE This Doctrine thus fully proved confirmed is a Doctrine of speciall use to worke in the hearts of all true Christians who have all their hope confidence in Christ an high holy reverence esteeme of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath to provoke stirre them up to a carefull conscionable diligent observation thereof in all their generations for the promoting propagating of pietye for the increase of devotion and advauncement of Religion in all succeding ages If the observation of the weekly Sabbath were but a dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation then were the chiefe end and ayme of it no more but an earthly felicitye and the fruition of a naturall life in an earthly paradise It should be no better then one of the duties which belong to the old couvenant of life justification by mans owne works which is abolished and made void by mans fall And It is wholy frustrated of the proper end use of it which was justification life by workes of a mans own doing And so being not a part of the wisedome which is from above it should be of lesse esteme and of common and ordinary account with holy Christian Saintes Or if the Sabbath were a legall rite and ceremoniall ordinance onely such as were sacrifices burnt offerings circumcision and legall purifications which were shadowes of things to come then should it be abolished by the full exhibition of Christ and the observation thereof among Chistians of the beleeveing Gentiles were no better then setting up of abominations which make desolate by cutting men of from Christ. But here we are taught better things concerning the Lords holy weekely Sabbath to weet that it is an holy Heavenly Euangelicall ordinance wholy grounded upon Christ and depending onely upon him first instituted upoÌ„ the promised Christ limitted to the seventh day of the weeke in which he was promised to be mans redeemer did undertake in some measure begin actually to mediate and to intercede for man with God and commaunded to be kept onely on that seventh day during the tyme of the old Testament while Christ was onely promised the fathers sought salvation in him to come And now ever since the full exhibition of Christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection necessarily imposed on all Christians and limitted by virtue of the first institution and foundation of it upon Christ to that day even the first day of the weeke which is the greatest day of Christ appearing in the nature of man on earth that is the day of his resurrection to glory and immortalitie and the day of his complete victory and triumph in his owne person over sin death the Devill all the powers of darknesse So that though the particular dayes of the weekely Sabbath that is the seventh of the weeke in the old Testament and the first in the new and under the Gospell may truly be called temporarye and caeremoniall because they have their set tymes and seasons the one the tyme and season onely under Christ promised the other the tyme and season under Christ fully exhibited that is the whole tyme of grace under the Gospell vntill we come both in soules and bodyes to the etternall Sabbath and rest in heaven when Christ Mediatour haveing destroyed all enimyes and delivered up the Kingdome to God his father God shal be all in all Yet they are such ceremonies as are holy in their seasons not by signification and consecration to holy and supernaturall use only as legall shadowes were but also materially and in respect of the very duties which are performed in observation of them yea and effectively because the due observations of them properly tends to begitt and increase true holynesse in Gods people Besides if we consider the observation of a weekely Sabbath simply in it self without limitation to a particular day so it is a perpetuall ordinaunce of God which bindes all mankind to the end of the world And there is none of all Adams posteritye but by Gods first institution he is bound to keep the holy weekely Sabbath upon that very day of the weeke which by the word of God and the ground of the institution appeares to be most seasonable in the age and the state of the Church under which thy live and have their being on earth Now these things being soe how it is possible that any true syncere Christian who as by one spirit and by a true lively faith soe also in his whole heart and in all holy affections is vnited vnto Christ and hath all his hâ—pe confidence in him as in his only Redeemer Lord Saviouâ— should not
he is promised or fully exhibited Thirdly because there is none of all the Sonnes of men who live in the Church and know the word law of God discern their own frailtie but know how hard it is for them to continue in grace in the knowledge of Christ in the understanding of the misteries of godlinesse without often exercises of religious duties as well in publick as in private without much hearing publick instruction in the word and law of God Therfor every rational man must needs know acknowledg himselfe bound by the light of reason his naturall appetite of his own happinesse to use all means for continuance increase of grace of heavenly knowledg in himselfe needfull to salvation especially this keeping of an weekly Sabbath which he findes by experience to be ameans to hold him fast to Christ. But if any who liue are borne in the Church in such times places wherin they haue sufficient means to know Gods revealed will and law for the keeping of an holy Sabbath weekly do through negligence idlenesse malice or perversnesse remaine wilfully ignorant of this law will of God as well as diuers alients This shal in no case excuse them neither doth it from the bond of this duty no more then it doth froÌ„ the bond of any other laws of which they are wilfull ignorant but God will punish them both for their failing in this duty for their wilfull shutting of their eyes eares and refusing to know his will law Now because a great part of mankind even of Adams posterity do liue out for the Church many nations for many ages even all pagans and Heathen infidels never heard of the Sabbath nor of Gods word vvhich requires the vveekly observation of it We are in the second place to consider vvhether this law of God and this his blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day doth in any respect bind them to this duty And first that ignorance of the law doth not exempt them from the duty it is manifest by plaine reasons First because they had means from Adam and their first progenitours to know this law for when the earth was devided into severall nations and countries the fathers and first founders of euery nation did know that God had in sanctifying the seventh day given this commandement to our first parents and their seed in their loynes But they by wilfull neglect of this duty brought the law into obliuion and their children rejoycing to follow their licentious waies and to put farre from all thoughts of this duty and all regard of this law became wilfully ignorant of Gods will yea they skorne to hearken to Gods word if it be brought vnto them Secondlie no ignorance which is not invincible but might be avoided by due care diligence can exempt a man from any dutie which God hath commanded all mankind to performe Our Saviour tells us that he which failes of his duty out of simple ignorance and doth not his Lords will because he knew it not shal be punished and beaten though with fewer stripes Because God is the Lord of all euerie man ought to enquire after learn his will And therefore Heathen people though they know not this law shal be beaten for neglect of this dutie because they ought to know God and to learne his will who giues them life breath and all things And if they who faile though simple ignorance must be punished though in a lesse measure then wilfull profaners Jt must needes follow that they are bound to the duty though not so strict lie nor in that manner and measure as they who live in the Church in such times and places where they know or may know the law and word of God Thirdlie all mankinde even the most barbarous and sauage nations as they haue their being and all guifâ—s of nature from Gods creating hand and power So they haue all these things continued vnto them by the mediation of Christ and by a common and vniversall virtue of him the Redeemer they are vpheld in life and health and strength in this world And Christ as Mediatour procures all these things to them after a secondarie manner for his elects sake which are either to spring after many ages out of their loines or to receive benifit of their laboures in subduing the earth making it habitable and fit for his people to dwell in and so preparing a place for his Church or the like In this respect God is called the Saviour of all men but especially of them that do beleeve Of all in as much as he preserues them innaturall life but of the faithfull fullie and perfectlie in that he saues them from eternall death and hell and brings them to life eternall And hereupon it is that all things are said to be and to consist in and by and for Christ. Coloss. 1.17 and hee is said to be a ransome for all men that is reaching to all in some measure manner and degree even to infidels to obtaine common guifts for them and to the elect perfectlie to redeeme them Now they who partake the benefit of the Christ the blessed seed promised to Adam they are bound to the dutie which God requires in thankfulnesse for it and for a continuall commemoration thereof Therfore all mankinde even the most barbarous are bound to the duty of keeping an holie sabbath weeklie though they doe not know that which bindes them to it and leades them to the performance thereof Fourthlie Gods blessing of a seventh daie and sanctifying it by his commandement given to our first parents is as easilie to be learned and knowne and kept in memorie as many other things of lesse moment which Heathen Jnfidels doe learne and know and kepe in memory for worldlie respects As for example to measure the times of the world by Yeares and Yeares by months and months by weekes and weekes by seven daies this because the Heathen finde to be verie commodious for worldlie and civill respects therefore they are carefull to learne and remember it and all such things And it is as easilie and as possible to to learne and know Gods law concerning a weeklie Sabbath and they would and might learne it if they were as carefull for their soules and to serve God as they are for their life and to serve their owne lusts and this world And if they would travell and send abrâ—ad into farre countries to learne heavenlie knowledge and holy bevaviour as diligentlie as they do to learne humane knowledge and worldly wisedome art skill they could not be ignorant of Gods law concerning the weekelie Sabbath But they refuse to learne this as they do to learne true religion and shut their eyes against it as they doe against the knowledge of Christ. Therefore as Turkes and other infidels who haue Gods word professed in their Countries cities and among them though they cannot rightlie call vpon
God nor beleeue in Christ without preaching of the word which they will not looke after but skorne it Yet they are bound to repent and beleeue and shall perish for rejecting and not vseing the meanes to git faith So it is with other infidels further of they shall perish for not using such meanes as are in their power wherby they might come to know this other duties which they are boūd to performe in thankfulnes for Gods gracious promise of Christ the redeemer for the commō benifits which they receiue through him CHAP. 16. THE Third thing which I propounded concerning mans sanctification so the Sabbath is the consideration of the duties wherin it doth consist which are of three sorts First some are such are common to all Gods people in all ages of the world and they be duties which are necessarie to the being of the Sabbath Secondly some are proper to the Sabbath of the seventh daie while the fathers under the Old Testament did expect Christ promised and were to keep their Sabbath in memorie of the promise of Christ made to our first parents on the last day of the week Thirdly some are proper to us who liue under the Gospel since Christ fullie exhibited a perfect Redeemer after the buriall of Moses that is the utter abolition of all legall shaddows together with the materiall temple of the Jews The duties common to all such as are necessary to the being of an holy Sabbath at all times they are three especiallie The first is a rest cessation from all seculiar affaires worldly pleasures except only such as are necessarie for mans welbeing cannot be omitted or deferred without great hurt danger of mans health life of the life and safety of the creatures which God hath made for mans use The second is sanctification of the Sabbath with such holy exercises of religion of Gods worship as God requires in that age state of the Church in which they live The third is sanctifying of that day of the week which God hath blessed honoured with greatest blessings aboue all other daies wherein he hath more fully revealed his holines opened the fountaine of holines for the sanctifying of his people Concerning the first to weet rest and cessation from all worldlie affaires bodilie delights there is a doubt made by some whether it doth equally concerne all Gods people as wel christians under the Gospel as the fathers of the old testament Divers are of opiniō that Christians haue more liberty are not so strictly bound to rest from all worldly affaires bodily delights as the fathers were befor Christ. But for the clearing of this point we are to note three specially things First that rest cessation from all seculiar businesse worldly pastimes is a dutie of the Sabbath which generally belongs to all men in all ages who are bound to keep a weekly Sabbath or holy daie by virtue of Gods sanctification of the Seventh daie For first the very name Sabbath which God gaue to the day signifies rest cessation puts us continually in mind of this duty And whosoever cals it by the name Sabbath doth thereby acknowledge it to be a day of rest Secondly a maine ground of Gods first institution of the Sabbath the rest from all workes of creation wherwith God rested in Christ the seventh day who on that day was promised took upon him to be mans mediatour as hath been proved befor out of the words of this text For Chtist the son of God vndertaking to repaire the works of creatiō which were defaced by mans fal to restore al his by another kinde of work then creation even by incarnation obedience suffering satisfaction for sin in mans nature for the redemption of the world did bring unto God the Creatour rest cessation from any more creation of new kindes of creatures And upon this ground even this perfecting of his worke of creation by bringing in redemption and in memory for a signe of Gods resting in Christ promised God sanctified the seventh daie to be an holy weeklie Sabbath bound man to this duty of rest on the Sabbath day from all secular businesse Thirdly in all ages whensoever God repeated the law of the Sabbath or vrged the observation of it either by Moses or the Prophets we shall observe that rest and cessation is injoyned as Exod. 20.10 The seventh day is the Sabbath in it thou shal◠do no maner of worke Exod. 31.14 thou shalt do no manner of worke therein Exod. 33.2 Devt 5.14 whosoever doth any work on the sabbath shall surely be put to death They might not gather man̄a on the sabbath day Exo. 16.28 they who went out to seeke Manna are called trasgressours And all the Prophets which in after times made mention of the Sabbath vrged rest blamed all servile vvorks vvhich concern this life as Isa. 58.13 Jer. 17.27 Neh. 13.17 Fourthly vve in these later daies haue as much need of rest more then men in former ages and the greater hopes and more cleare evidences of rest and glorie in heaven which we haue do more bind us to rest from worldly cares and to set our mindes on heaven where our hopes are These are strong arguments to prove that rest vpon the Sabbath day is a duty which generally belongs to all men in al ages which the first thing serving to satisfie the former doubt to proue the first generall duty Secondly Gods sanctifying of the Sabbath and his first commandement given to Adam for the keeping holy of the seventh day binds all men in all ages to keepe a weekely Sabbath to the end of the vvorld as I haue before proued and therfore the duty of rest belongs to all Thirdly they vvho hold the lavv of the vveekly Sabbath to be but for a time and that it is novv abolished they can shevv no Scriptures to vvarrant their opinion That place vvhich they object Coloss. 2.16 speakes not in the singular number of the vveekly Sabbath instituted here in my text For though the day bee chaunged upon vveightie reasons and good ground Yet the Sabbathisme still remaineth to the people of God not onely the eternall and heavenlie but also the temporall Sabbath on earth which leads to the heavenly The words of the Apostle speake of those Sabbaths or holy daies of the Iewes which were tipicall and shaddows of things to bee exhibited in Christ such as were the first and last daies of the Passouer Pentecost and other great yearly feasts The word Sabbaton being of the plurall number implies soe much and the nameing of feasts daies and new moones which were shaddowes of the law giue us just cause to conceiue that the Apostle intends only the festiuall and not the weekly Sabbaths Or if we should grant that the weekly Sabbath is meant among the rest which the father 's obserued on the
shew that the promises of Christ were solemnly rehearsed And out of Moses and the Prophets every Sabbath day So also they shew that Moses and the Prophets were publickly read and heard in their weekely holy assemblies and by this meanes the people were taught not onely in the promises and prophecies of Christ to beleeue in him a redeemer to come but also in all the righteousnes and duties of the law morall and all the judgments ordinances ceremonies of the law ceremonial wâ—ich was their Scoole-maister to lead them to Christ. Wee haue also to this purpose another plaine testimony Luk. 4.16 Where it is said that our Saviour as his custome was went into the Sinagogue on the Sabbath day stood up to read and the booke of Isaiah the Prophet was delivered unto him And he read a place which was written concerning himselfe and expounded it vnto them with the generall aprobation of the assembly Also Ast 13.15 27 verses Jt is testified that the Iewes in their Sinagogues on every Sabbath daie had Moses and the Prophets read unto them publickely both in forraine countries where they were disperced and also at Ierusalem and in their own countrie And that this was an auncient practise even from Moses and in the time of the Iudges and the Kings of Jsraell and Iudah to reade the law in the holy assemblies and to heare it read by the Priests we may gather from Exod. 24.7 Where it is said that Moses read the Covenant in the audience of the people Deut. 31·11 12 Where the Isralites are commanded to read the law in their assemblies in the hearing of all men women children Iâ— may also be collected from Iâ—sh 8.34.35 Iudg. 18.3 2 Cron. 17.7.8.9 30.22 35.3 That it was in vse after the Captivity the Historie of Nehemiah testifies Nehem. 8.4 9.3 The auncient division of the five bookes of Moses into 54 lectures that thâ—y might be read over once in every yeare by reading one lecture every Sabbath is a thing soe auncient that we finde no mention of the author of it therfore it may be supposed to be from Moses the writer of those books And the reading of a lecture also out of the Prophets everie Sabbath is recorded to be a custome long before Christs birth begun by occasion of the Tirant Antiochus who prohibited the Iewes to reade the law of Moses in their Sabbath assemblies vnder the paine of death As we read in the Apocripall History of the Macchabees lib. 1. c. 1.59 Whereupon they were forced insteed of the Law of Moses to read lectures out of the Prophets as Elias Leuita saith and euer since that custome is retained and was in use in our Saviours daies Luk. 4.16 The fifth speciall dutie of sanctification was the worshipping of the Lord which as it is required of Gods people in priuate and upon particular occasion at all times So publick upon the Sabbath day and in all holy yearlie Sabbaths The dutie of worshippe consists in confession of sinnes praiers supplications lauding and praising God singing of Psalmes and offering of free will offering and the like as wee read Neh. 9.33 Levit. 26.3 Deut. 5.5 Where confession acknowledging Gods favours is called worship and set downe for apart of it Gen. 4.26 12.8 13.4 and Psa. 79.6 Where the name of invocation and calling upon God by prayer is used by Synechdoche for all worship in in generall and Exod. 15.1 Iud. 5. Lauding and praising God with singing of Psalmes and holy Songs are rehearsed as a speciall part of Gods worshippe Now this worshippe of God by publick confession praiers and singing of praises cannot be but in publick assemblies and holy convocations which are especially kept on the Sabbaths and therefore this worshippe must needs be a speciall duty of the Sabbath and one part of the sanctification of it David also shewes this Psal. 42 3. Where he saith that he was wont to go up to the House of God among the multitude which kept holy day with the voyce of joy and singing And the 92. Psalme which is intitulâ—d a Psalme for the Sabbath day doth proclaime it to bee a good and necessarie duty on that day To giue thankes and to sing prayses to the name of the Lord to shew forth his loving kindnesse and truth from morning to night to Triumph in his works to speake of them with admiration and to declare his mercies and judgments and what a rock he is to rest on These are the most notable duties which Gods people were bound vnto in their sanctifying of the seventh day in the old Testament The third and last principall head comprehenâ—ing the rest of the duties which did belong to the observation of the Sabbath in the old Testament is the day it selfe which they were bound to keepe for their weekly Sabbath that is the last day of the week even the seventh from the beginning of the creation That this and no other was to be kept for their weeklie Sabbath in the old Testament appeares most plainlie by three things First because it vvas the day which God blessed with the greatest blessing of al which were giuen and revealâ—d before the resurrection of Christ to weet the promise of Christ of the redemption of the world by him Gods entering into the Covenant of grae with man Christs open actuall undertaking to be mans mediatour Saviour in whom the mutable worke of creation is perfected and God is well pleased and resteth satisfied as J haue before proved Secondly because as the fathers and Isralites obserued it according to Gods commandement in the first institution Exod. 16. before the giving of the law from Mount Sina So in giving of the law to Jsraell in the renuing of the Commandement by Moses vpon divers occasions the Lord doth expresly require the keeping of the seventh day for his holy Sabbath as we see Exod. 20. 31.35 Deut. 5. Thirdlie because not onely as the Prophets and holy men of God urged taught all men to obserue that day vntill the comming of Christ. But also our Saviour himselfe all his life time on earth and after his death kept this Sabbath by resting in the ground And the Apostles also while they lived among the Jewes and the tabernacle was yet standing and Moses was not yet buried did obserue keep for orders sake the old Sabbath of the seventh day as appeares Luk. 4.16 Ast 13.13 and diuers other places CHAP. 18. I Am come now to the last place to the speciall Sabbath duties vnto which all Christians are bound under the Gospell In the right observation of the Lords day which is their holy Sabbath And these speciall duties may be reduced to the common generall heads before named The first which come here to be handled in the first place as the ground upon which the rest are builded is the consideration of the particular day