yet oh that in this matter of the Sabbatâ— God would betimes awaken and that these weakâ—nesses might stirre up their strength for I mucâ— feare and foresee that if it be not done there is aâ— houre and a nick of temptation in such a juncture 〈◊〉 times approaching wherein the enemy will come 〈◊〉 like a flood and rise up from all quarters against the Doctrine of the Sabbath and then farewell all the good dayes of the son of man if this be lost which then men shall desire to see and shall not see them I have therefore been the more willing to let my owne shame and weaknesse appeare to the world if so it be found if this might be any meanes of doing the least good for keeping up the price of Gods Sabbaths in the hearts of any I have therefore spent the more time about the Morality of the Sabbath because the clearing up of this gives light to all the rest The generall CONTENTS of the Theses concerning the Morality of the Sabbath 1. GOD is the superiour disposer of mans time Thes. 1 2. Man who is made next to God and to return to his rest at the end of the larger circle of his life is to return to him at the end of the lesser circle of eveâ—y week Thes. 7 3. What a Moral Law is not 10 11 4. How a Divine Law may be said to be Moral 14 5. What a Moral law is strictly taken 16 6. A Moral Law considered in a strict sense is not good meerly because commanded but is therefore commanded because it is good 17 7. What is that goodnesse in a Moral Law for which it is commanded 21 8. By what Rules may that goodnesse be known which are foure 24 25 9 Divers consectaries flowing from the description of a Moral Law 1. That Divine determination of something in a Law doth not alway take away the morality of it 26 2. That those are not Moral laws only which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature 29 3. That the whole Decalogue in all the parts of it is the Moral Law of God Thes. 30. where Objections are answered to 38 10. Three sorts of Laws which were among the Jewes Moral Ceremonial Judicial 38 11. The true state of the Question whether the Sabbath be a Moral or Ceremonial Law 43 12. The agreement on all hands how far the Law of the Sabbath is Moral 44 13. Something general is agreed on and whether it lies under this general viz. a seventh day 46 14. The chief means of resolving this controversie in opening the meaning of the fourth Commandment 47 15. The things which are Moral in the fourth Commandment are either primarily or secundarily moral 48 16. Those things which are primarily generally moral in the forth Commandment are 3. 1. A time of worship 2. A day 3. A 7th day determined 17. Not the worship it self but only the solemne time of it is required in the fourth Commandment 53 18. How holy duties are for time 56 19. Instituted worship is not directly required in the fourth but in the second Commandment wherein the meaning of the second Commandment is occasionally cleared against Wallaeus 59 20. If the moral worship it self be not required herein much lesse is the whole ceremonial worship 63 21. Neither the publike worship only nor Jewish holy dayes required in this fourth Commandment 64 22. Not a part of a day but a whole day is moral by the fourth Commandment 65 23. Gods wisdome did rather choose a whole day together for special worship then borrow a part of every day 66 24. The sin of Familists and others who allow God no special day but make all dayes equal 68 25. How any day is said to be holy and that though all places are alike holy yet all dayes are not therefore alike holy 69 70 26. Answer to such Scriptures as seem to make all dayes alike holy under the New Testament 72 73. to 79 27. The chief reason why some abolish the day of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment is because they abandon the whole Decalogue it self as any Rule of life unto his people 79 28. An inward Sabbath may well consist with a Sabbath day 80 29. The great controversie whether the Law be a rule of life to a beleever discussed in sundry Theses 81 30. The Spirit is not the rule of life 86 31. Not the will of Gods Decree but the will of his command is the rule of life 91 32. The fundamental Errour of Antinomians 93 33. The rule of the Law is kept in Christ as matter of our justification not sanctification 94 34. How Christ is our Sanctification as well as our Justification 95 35. Duties of Christian thankfulnesse to God were not performed by Christ for beleevers under that notion of thankfulnesse but by way of merit 97 36. Whether a beleever is to act in vertue of a command 98 37. The sin of those who affirme that Christian obedience is not to be put forth by vertue of a command 100 38. To act by vertue of a Commandment and by vertue of Gods Spirit are subordinate one to another 101 39. Whether the Law is our rule as given by Moses on mount Sinai or only as it is given by Christ on mount Sion 102 40. How Works and Law-duties are sometime commended and sometime condemned 105 106 41. The new creature how it is under the Law 107 42. How the children of God under the Old Testament were under the Law as a Schoolmaster and not those of the New 108 43. How the Gospel requires doing and how not and about conditional promises in the Gospel 110 44. Various motives to obedience from the Law and Gospel from God as a Creator and from Christ as a Redeemer do not vary the Rule 111 45. Unbelief is not the only sin 112 46. Three evils arising from their Doctrine who deny the Directive use of the moral Law 113 47. The sin of such as deny the humbling work of the Law under Gospel ministrations 114 48. Their Errour who will not have a Christian pray for pardon of sin or mourn for sin 115 49. Whether Sanctification be a doubtful evidence and may not be a just evidence and wheâ—â—er the Gospel and all the promises of it belong to a sinner as a sinner and whether sight of corruption be by the Gospel the setled evidence of salvation as some plead for 117 50. Whether the first evidence be without the being or only the seeing of grace 118 51. The true grounds of evidencing Gods love in Christ cleared 119. 52. Not only a day nor only a Sabbath day but a seventh day determined is the last thing generally moral in the fourth Commandment 120.122 53. That which is particularly moral herein is this or that particular seventh day 123 54. The morality of a Sabbath may be as strongly and easily urged from the Commandment of observing that particular seventh day from the
rest as this and as afterward it sell out in the finishing of the work of redemption it might have been as well upon such a day as this but it was not then so and hence the rest day fell as it were accidentally upon this and hence it is that Gods example of rest on that particular day doth not necessarily binde us to observe the same seventh day morall examples not alway binding in their accidentals as the case is here although it be true that in their essentials they alway do Thesis 134. There is no strength in that reason that because one day in seven is to be consecrated unto God that therefore one yeere in seven is to be so also as of old it was among the Jewâ—â— for beside what hath been said formerly viz. that one yeere in seven was meerly ceremoniall one day in seven is not so saith Wallaeus but morall God gave no example whose example is onely in morall things of resting one yeere in seven but he did of resting one day in seven I say beside all this it is observable what Iunius notes herein The Lord saith he challengeth one day in seven jure creationis by right of creation and hence requires it of all men created but he challenged one yeere in seven jure peculiaris possessionis i. by right of peculiar possession the Land of Canaan being the Lords land in a peculiar manner even a type of Heaven which every other Country is not and therefore there is no reason that all men should give God one seventh yeer as they are to give him one seventh day By the observation of one day in seven saith he men professe themselves to be the Lords and to belong unto him who created and made them and this profession all men are bound unto but by observation of one yeere in seven they professed thereby that their Countrey was the Lords and themselves the Lords Tenants therein which all Countreys not being types of Heaven cannot nor ought to doe and therefore there is not the like reason urged to the observation of a seventh yeere as of a seventh day Thesis 135. Look therefore as 't is in the second Commandement although the particular instituted worship is changed under the Gospel from what it was under the Law yet the generall duty required therein of observing Gods own instituted worship is morall and unchangeable so t is in the fourth Commandement where though the particular day be changed yet the duty remains morall and unchangeable in observing a seventh day there is therefore no reason to imagine that the generall duty contained in this precept is not morall because the observance of the particular day is mutable and yet this is the fairest colour but the strongest refuge of lies which their cause hath who hold a seventh day to be meerly ceremoniall Thesis 136. If it be a morall duty to observe one day in seven then the observation of such a day no more infringeth Christian liberty then obedience to any other morall Law one part of our Christian liberty consisting in our conformity to it as our â—ondage consists in being left to sinne against it and therefore that argument against the morality of one day in seven is very feeble as if Christian liberty was hereby infringed Thesis 137. It was meet that God should have speciall service from man and therefore meet for himselfe to appoint a speciall time for it which time though it be a circumstance yet it s such a circumstance as hath a speciall influence into any businesse not onely humane but also divine and therefore if it be naturally it may be also ethically and morally good contributing much also to what is morally good and therefore the determination of such a time for length frequency and holinesse may be justly taken in among the morall Laws he that shall doubt of such a powerfull influence of speciall time for the furthering of what is specially good may look upon the art skill trade learning nay grace it self perhaps which he hath got by the help of the improvement of time a prophane and religious heart are seen and accounted of according to their improvements of time more or lesse in holy things Time is not therefore such a circumstance as is good only because commanded as the place of the Temple was but it is commanded because it is good because time nay much time reiterated in a weekly seventh part of time doth much advance and set forward that which is good Thesis 138. That Law which is an homogeneall part of the morall Law is morall but the fourth Commandment is such a part of the morall Law and therefore it is morall I do not say that that Law which is set and placed among the morall Laws in order of writing as our adversaries too frequently mistake us in that it is therefore morall for then it might be said as wel that the Sabbath is ceremoniall because it it is placed in order of writing among things ceremoniall Lev. 23. but if it be one link of the chain and an essentiall part of the morall Law then it s undoubtedly morall but so it is for its part of the Decalogue nine parts whereof all our adversaries we now contend with confesse to be morall and to make this fourth ceremoniall which God hath set in the heart of the Decalogue and commanded us to remember to keep it above any other Law seems very unlike to truth to a serene and sober minde not disturbed with such mud which usually lies at the bottome of the heart and turns light into darknesse and why one ceremoniall precept should be shuffled in among the rest which are of another tribe lineage and language hath been by many attempted but never soundly cleared unto this day surely if this Commandment be not morall then there are but nine Commandments left to us of the morall Law which is expresly contrary to Gods account Deut. 4. To affirm that all the commands of the Decalogue are morall yet every one in his proportion and degree and that this of the Sabbath is thus morall viz. in respect of the purpose and intent of the Lawgiver viz. That some time he set apart but not morall in respect of the letter in which it is exprest it is in some sence formerly explained true but in his sence who endeavours to prove the Sabbath ceremoniall while he saith it is morall is both dark and false for if it be said to be morall only in respect of some time to be set apart and this time an individuum vagum an indeterminate time beyond the verges of a seventh part of time then there is no more morality granted to the fourth Commandment then to the Commandment of building the temple and observing the new moons because in Gods command to build the Temple the generall purpose and intention of the Lawgiver was that some place be appointed for his publike worship and in commanding to
or evill without some law for then there should bee some sinne which is not the transgression of a law and some obedience which is not directed by any law both which are impossible and abominable 3. He makes morall lawes by externall imposition and constitution onely to be such as before the externall imposition of them are a diaphorous and good or evill onely by reason of some circumstance When as we know that some such lawes as are most entirely morall yet in respect of their inward nature generally considered they are indifferent also for not to kill and take away mans life is a morall law intirely so yet in the generall nature of it it is indifferent and by circumstance may become either lawfull or unlawfull lawfull in case of warre or publick execution of justice unlawfull out of a private spirit and personall revenge In one word the whole drift of his discourse herein is to shew that the Sabbath is not morall and this he would prove because the Sabbath is not simply and entirely morall which is a most feeble and weake consequence and this hee proves because the Sabbath day hath in respect of its inward nature no more holines and goodnes than any other day all the dayes of the week being equally good by creation But he might well know that the day is not the law of the fourth Commandment but the keeping holy of the Sabbath day which is a thing inwardly good and entirely morall if wee speak of some day Nay saith the Bishop the law of nature teacheth that some sufficient and convenient time bee set apart for Gods worship if therefore some day be morall although all dayes by creation be indifferent and equall according to his owne confession what then should hinder the quota pars or the seventh part of time from being morall will he say because all dayes are equally holy and good by creation then why should hee grant any day at all to bee entirely morall in respect of a sufficient and convenient time to bee set apart for God If hee saith the will and imposition of the Law-giver abolisheth its morality because he bindes to a seventh part of time then we shall shew that this is most false and feeble in the sequell Thesis 25. There are therefore four rules to guide our judgments aright herein whereby we may know when a law is sutable and agreeable to humane nature and consequently good in it selfe which will bee sufficient to cleare up the Law of the Sabbath to be truely morall whether in a higher or lower degree of morality it makes no matter and that it is not a law meerly temporary and ceremoniall 1. Such lawes as necessarily flow from naturall relation both between God and man as well as between man and man these are good in themselves because sutable and congruous to humane nature for there is a decency and sweet comlinesse to attend to those rules to which our relations binde us For from this ground the Prophet Malachy cals for feare and honour of God as morall duties because they are so comely and seemly for us in respect of the relation between us If I be your Lord and Master and Father where is my feare where is my honour Mal. 1.6 Love also between man and wife is pressed as a comely duty by the Apostle from that near relation betweene them being made one flesh Ephes. 5.28 29. there are scarce any who question the morality of the duties of the second Table because they are so evidently comely suitable and agreeable to humane nature considered relatively as man stands in relation to those who are or should bee unto him as his owne flesh and therefore he is to honour superiors and therefore must not kill nor steale nor lye nor covet nor defile the flesh c. but the morality of all the rules of the first Table is not seen so evidently because the relation between God and man which makes them comely and suitable to man is not so well considered for if there be a God and this God be our God according to the first Commandement then it 's very comely and meet for man to honour love feare him delight trust in him c. and if this God must be worshipped of man in respect of the mutuall relation between them then 't is comely and meet to worship him with his owne worhsip according to the second Commandment and to worship him with all holy reverence according to the third Commandment and if he must be thus worshipped and yet at all times in respect of our necessary worldly imploiments cannot be so solemnly honoured and worshipped as is comely and meet for so great a God then 't is very fit and comely for all men to have some set and stated time of worship according to some fit proportion which the Lord of time onely can best make and therefore a seventh part of time which he doth make according to the fourth Commandment 2. Such lawes are drawne from the imitable Attributes and Works of God are congruous and suitable to mans nature For what greater comelinesse can there be or what can be more suitable to that nature which is immediately made for God then to be like unto God and to attend unto those rules which guide thereunto Hence to be mercifull to men in misery to forgive our enemies and those that doe us wrong to be bountifull to those that be in want to be patient when we suffer evill are all morall duties because they are comely and suitable to man and that because herein hee resembles and is made like unto God Hence to labour six dayes and rest a leventh is a morall because a comely and suitable duty that because herein man followes the example of God and becomes most like unto him And hence it is that a seventh yeare of rest cannot be urged upon man to be as much morall as a seventh day of rest because man hath Gods example and patterne in resting a seventh day but not in resting any seventh yeare God never made himselfe an example of any ceremoniall duty it being unsuitable to his glorious excellency so to doe but onely of morall and spirituall holinesse and therefore there is somewhat else in a seventh day that is not in a seventh yeare and it is utterly false to thinke as some doe that there is as much equity for the observation of the one as there is of the other And here by the way may bee seen a grosse mistake of Mr. Primrose who would make Gods example herein not to be morally imitable of us nor man necessarily bound thereunto it being not naturally and in respect of it selfe imitable but onely because it pleased God to command man so to doe as also because this action of God did not flow from such attributes of God as are in their nature imitable as mercy bounty c. but from one of those attributes as is not imitable
particular precepts saith hee perhaps unawares are conclusions flowing from these principles out of Matth. 22. And are the principles good in themselves and suitable to humane nature and doe not all the conclusions participate of their nature For what are all particular precepts but particular unfoldings of love to God and love to man If all the precepts of the second Table be morall which doe onely concerne man why should any of the first fall short of that glory which doe immediately concerne God Shall man have six and all of them morally good and God have but foure and some one or more of them not so Is it comely and good to have God to be our God in the first Commandment to worship him after his owne minde in the second to give him his worship with all the highest respect and reverence of his Name in the third and is it not as comely good and suitable that this great God and King should have some magnificent day of state to be attended on by his poore servants and creatures both publikely and privately with speciall respect and service as oft as himselfe sees meer and which we cannot but see and confesse to be most equall and just according to the fourth Commandment If mans life must bee divided into labour and rest is it not equall and good if wee have six dayes that God should have a seventh If the bruit beasts could speake they would say that a seventh dayes rest is good for them Exod. 23.12 and shall man who hath more cause and more need of rest even of holy rest say that it is not good for him even to rest in the bosome of God himselfe to which he is called this day Take away a Sabbath who can defend us from Atheisme Barbarisme and all manner of Devilisme and prophanesse And is it evill thus to want it and shall it not be good to have it I confesse if God had commanded a perpetuall Sabbath it had not then been good but sinfull to observe any set Sabbath but if God will have man to labour for himselfe six dayes and this labour be morally good being now commanded why is it not then as good to observe a seventh in rest to God being also commanded of him Thesis 31. It is therefore at least an indigested assertion of those who affirme that the Decalogue sets out the precepts of the law of Nature and yet withall doth superad certaine precepts proper to the Jewish people in which last respect they say all men are not bound to the observance thereof and they produce the fourth Commandment for proof but in respect of the first they are But although in the application of a law something may bee proper to the Jewish people yet with leave of the learned there is never a law in it but it is morall and common to all for to make any law in the Decalogue proper is an assertion springing from a false and blinde principle viz. That that law onely is morall which is naturall not naturall as suitable to humane nature but which is seene and knowne by the common light of corrupt nature without the helpe of any externall usher or teacher If also any lawes in the Decalogue be proper how will any finde out and discerne morall lawes which concerne all from proper laws which appertaine onely to some For if God hath made such a mingling and not severed morall lawes by themselves then man hath no law or revelation by any dictinct and severed lawes left unto him to discerne lawes proper and peculiar from laws morall and common which how pernicious it may bee to mens soules to bee left to such uncertainty as also how injurious to God and crosse to his maine ends in discovering morall lawes let the wise consider for if they say that wee must flye for help herein to the light of corrupt nature then as hath been shewn an imperfect light and a blinde guide and a corrupt judge must be the chief rule of discerning that which is morall from that which is peculiar and proper for doubtlesse such a kinde of light is the light of corrupt nature Thesis 32. Some thinke that those commandments onely are morally good which the Gospel hath declared and confirmed to be so and by this shift they thinke to avoid the absurdity of flying to the blinde guide of corrupt nature to judge of these colours viz. what is morall and what is not Mr. Primrose therefore excludes the fourth Commandment from being morall the other nine being ratified by the light of the Gospell which this he saith is not but if his meaning be that there must be a generall ratification of lawes morall by the verdict of the Gospell then the fourth Commandment cannot be excluded from being morall because it hath a ratification in generall from the Gospell for therein wee read that the morall law is holy just and good Rom. 7. and that Christ came not to destroy the least jot or tittle of the law Matth. 5. much lesse a whole law of the fourth Commandment In the Gospel also God promiseth to write his Law upon our hearts wherein the fourth Commandment is not excepted But if his meaning beâ— this that the Gospell must particularly mention and so make a particular ratification as it were by name of every morall law then his assertion is unsound there being many judiciall lawes of Moses of which some are wholly morall others containing in them something of common and morall equity which we have no expresse mention of in the blessed Gospell and let him turne over al the leaves of the Gospell hee shall not finde that proportion of time which himselfe affirmes to be morall in the fourth Commandment to bee expressely and particularly mentioned in the Gospell and therefore that also must be excluded from being morall upon his owne principles as well as what we contend for in this Commandment so to bee Thesis 33. Some of those who maintaine the law of the Sabbath to be ceremoniall affirme that every Law in the Decalogue is not morall upon this ground to wit because the Law is called Gods Covenant which Covenant they shew from sundry instances not only to comprehend moralls but also ceremonialls for they make it the excellency of the Decalogue to comprehend as a short epitome all Gods Ordinances both morall and ceremoniall which epitome is more largely opened in the writings of Moses where not onely morall but also ceremoniall lawes are expressed and dispersed And hence they thinke that as the other nine are the summary and epitome of all morall Ordinances so the fourth Commandment which was kept with the practise of Ceremonies was the summary and epitome of all the ceremoniall ordinances and hence the fourth Commandment becomes ceremoniall But for answer to this wily notion unjustly father'd upon Austin and Calvin by some it may thus farre be granted that as the word Law is sometimes taken more strictly for
being shusted into the Decalogue and so might ceremonialls also Thesis 38. There were three sorts of laws which are commonly knowne and which were most eminently appearing among the Jewes 1. Morall 2. Ceremoniall 3. Judiciall Thesis 39. The morall respected their manners as they were men and are therefore called morall The ceremoniall respected them as a Church and as such a kinde of Church The judicial as a Common wealth and as that particular Common-wealth Morall laws were to govern them as an human society Ceremoniall as a sacred society Judiciall as a civill society Thus the Learned speak and being candidly understood are true Thesis 40. The morall law contained in the Decalogue is nothing else but the law of nature revived or a second edition and impression of that primitive and perfect law of nature which in the state of innocency was engraven upon mans heart but now againe written upon Tables of stone by the finger of God For man being made in the Image of God he had therefore the law of holines and righteousnes in which Gods Image consisted written in his heart but having by his fall broken this Table and lost this Image neither knowing or doing the will of God through the law of sinne now engraven on it Hence the Lord hath in much pitty made knowne his law again and given us a faire copy of it in the two Tables of stone which are the copy of that which was writ upon mans heart at first because the first Table containes Love to God in holinesse the second Love to man in righteousnesse which holinesse and righteousnesse are the two parts of Gods Image which was once engraven upon mans soule in his primitive and perfect estate Ephes. 4.24 Nor indeed doe I see how that popish Argument will be otherwise answered pleading for a possibility in man to keep the law perfectly in his lapsed and fallen estate in this life for say they God makes no lawes of impossible things it being unjust for God to require and exact that of a man which hee is not able to doe to which it is commonly and truely answered That man had once power to keep the law in his innocent estate and hence though man be not able to keep it now yet God may require it because hee once gave him power to keep it and that therefore it is no more unjust to exact such obedience which hee cannot performe than for a creditor to require his money of his broken debtor or spend-thrift who is now failed as they say and not able to repay Man therefore having once power to keep the law and now having no power this argues strongly that the law of the Decalogue contains nothing but what was once written as a law of life upon his heart in his innocent estate for I see not how Gods justice can be cleared if he exacts such obedience in the Decalogue which is impossible for man to give unlesse the very same law and power of obedience was written upon his heart at first and therefore it is a wilde notion of theirs who thinke that the Covenant of works which God made with Adam is not the same for matter with the Covenant of works exprest in the morall law for wee see that there is the same Image of holinesse and righteousnesse required in the Tables of stone as the condition of this Covenant which was once written upon mans heart and required in the same manner of him Now this law thus revived and reprinted is the Decalogue because most naturall and suitable to humane nature when it was made most perfect therefore it is universall and perpetuall the substance also of this law being love to God and man holinesse toward God and righteousnesse toward man Matt. 22.37 39. Luke 1. Hence also this law must needs bee morall universall and perpetuall unlesse any should bee so wicked as to imagine it to be no duty of universall or perpetuall equity either to love God or to love man to performe duties of holinesse toward the one or duties of righteousnesse toward the other Hence again the things commanded in this law are therefore commanded because they are good and are therefore morall unlesse any shall think that it is not good in it selfe to love God or man to be holy or righteous and which is still observable there is such a love required herein and such a lovelinesse put upon these lawes as that by vertue of these all our obedience in other things which are not moral becomes lovely for there were many ceremoniall observances in which and by which the people of God exprest their love to God as Mr. Primrose truely concludes from Deut. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6. and Matth. 22.37 38 40. but yet this love did arise by vertue of a morall rule for therefore it was love to worship God in ceremoniall duties because it was lovely to worship God with his own worship of which these were parts which is the moral rule of the second Commandment And hence Master Primrose may see his grosse mistake in making one law of the Decalogue ceremoniall because the summary of the Decalogue being love to God and love to man and our love to God being shewne in ceremoniall as well as in morall duties because our love is seen shewn in our obedience to all the Commandments of God ceremonial as well as moral For though there be love in ceremonial dutys it is not so much in respect of themselves as in respect of some morall rule by vertue of which such duties are attended Thesis 41. The ceremoniall law consisting chiefly of types and shadowes of things to come Heb. 8.5 and therefore being to cease when the body was come Col. 2.17 was not therefore perpetuall as the law morall but temporary and of binding power onely to the nation of the Jewes and their proselytes and not putting any tie upon all Nations as the morall law did Every ceremoniall law was temporary but every temporary law was not ceremoniall as some say as is demonstrable from sundry judicials which in their determinations were proper to that Nation while that Jewish polity continued and are not therefore now to be observed Thesis 42. The Iudiciall lawes some of them being hedges and fences to safeguard both morall and ceremoniall precepts their binding power was therefore mixt and various for those which did safeguard any morall law which is perpetuall whether by just punishments or otherwise doe still morally binde all Nations For as Piscator argues a morall law is as good and as precious now in these times as then and there is as much need of the preservation of these fences to preserve these lawes in these times and at all times as well as then there being as much danger of the treading downe of those lawes by the wilde beasts of the world and brutish men sometimes even in Churches now as then and hence God would have all Nations preserve these fences for
ever as hee would have that law preserved for ever which these safeguard but on the other side these judicialls which did safeguard ceremoniall laws which wee know were not perpetuall but proper to that Nation hence those judicials which compasse these about are not perpetuall nor universall the ceremonialls being pluckt up by their roots to what purpose then should their fences and hedges stand As on the contrary the morals abiding why should not their judicials and fences remaine The learned generally doubt not to affirme that Moses judicials binde all nations so farre forth as they containe any morall equity in them which morall equity doth appeare not onely in respect of the end of the law when it is ordered for common and universall good but chiefely in respect of the law which they safeguard and fence which if it bee morall it 's most just and equall that either the same or like judiciall fence according to some fit proportion should preserve it still because 't is but just and equall that a morall and universall law should bee universally preserved from whence by the way the weaknesse of their reasonings may bee observed who that they may take away the power of the civill Magistrate in matters of the first Table which once he had in the Jewish common-wealth affirm that such civill power then did arise from the judiciall and not from any morall law when as it 's manifest that this his power in preserving Gods worship pure from Idolatrous and prophane mixtures according to the judiciall lawes was no more but a fence and safeguard set about morall Commandments which fences and preservatives are therfore for substance to continue in as much power and authority now as they did in those dayes as long as such lawes continue in their morality which these preserve the duties of the first Table being also as much morall as those of the second to the preserving of which later from hurt and spoil in respect of their morality no wise man questions the extent of his power Thesis 43. If therefore the question be now made whether the law of the fourth Commandment be morall or no we must then remember that the true state of the question is not in this to wit Whether the law of the Sabbath be a principle of the light of nature knowne and evident of it selfe or at least such as every man that hath the use of reason may readily finde out without some externall revelation as Mr. Ironside injuriously states it wrastling herein with his own shadow with many others of his fellowship in this controversie For morality as hath been declared is of larger extent then such naturality But the question is whether it is one of those lawes which is therefore commanded because it is holy just and good in it selfe whether man see it by any previous light of corrupt nature I or no and being thus commanded as such a law whether it be not therefore of perpetuall and universall obligation binding all Nations and persons in all ages in their hearts lives manners to the observance thereof as a part of that holinesse we owe to God and which God requires of all men according to rules of morall equity or on the contrary whether it be not rather a typicall ceremoniall figurative and temporary precept binding onely some persons or that one Nation of the Jews for some time from the obedience of which law Christians in respect of any law of God are now exempted Thesis 44. For clearing up whereof it may not be amisse to take notice of the agreement at least in words herein on all hands even by those who oppose that morality of the Sabbath which we plead for All sides agree in this viz. That the law of this fourth Commandment concerning the Sabbath is morall But as the differences about the meaning of Tu es Petrus are many so here the difficulty lies to know how and in what sense and respect it may bee called morall for Master Ironside expressely consents in this viz. That all the Commandments of the Decalogue are morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so saith he is that of the Sabbath it is morall for substance but not for circumstance Master Primrose also when he is awake expressely confesseth thus much viz. That the Sabbath is morall in its foundation end marrow and principall substance and that a stinted time is morall and grounded on the principles of nature and therefore the Gentiles saith he had their set dayes of religion and this he tels us is ratified by the Gospel which commendeth to the faithfull the Assembling of themselves together for Word and Sacraments and consequently that they have appointed times to attend upon them wherein the word of God be read and preached as under the old Testament every Sabbath day nay he yields yet more viz. That not onely stinted times but that also there should be a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time for Gods service now under the Gospell as under the Law and therefore affirmes that the Jewish annuall Feasts and new Moons being but once a yeare or once a moneth and so being rare and seldome could not teach us the convenient and most suitable frequency of Gods publick service as the Sabbath did which returned weekly and therefore he saith that the Commandment runs not thus viz. Remember to keep the new Moons but Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day So that by Mr. Primrose concession not onely a time but a stinted time not onely a stinted but also such a convenient proportion and suitable frequency of time as is once in seven dayes is morally holy by vertue of the fourth Commandment Gomarus also concludes that the publick worship of God required in the fourth Commandment cals for observation not onely of certain but also of sufficient dayes for worship and what these sufficient dayes bee is to bee gathered from the fourth Commandment viz. that they bee not more rare and lesse frequent then the weekly Sabbaths of the Israelites because if God as he shewes challenged a weekly Sabbath of a stiffe-necked people laden with the burden of many other Festivals and Ceremonies how then should Christians freed from their yoaks and burdens have them lesse frequent Master Breerwood also to the like purpose professeth That Christians should noâ— bee lesse devout and religious in celebrating the Lords day then the Jews were in celebrating their Sabbath and his reason labouring with some spice of a contradiction is this viz. because the obligation of our thankfulnesse to God is more then theirs although the obligation of his Commandment to us in that behalfe is lesse for I confesse it s beyond my shallownesse to conceive how the thankfulnesse should bee more and the Commandment lesse unlesse he will imagine some such popish work as exceeds the command Wallaeus comes almost quite over the threshold unto us and maintains upon solid arguments
that by the force and analogy of this fourth Commandment all the true worshippers of God are bound to the exact observation of one day in the circle and compasse of seven and then he produceth a cloud of witnesses both ancient Fathers and the chief of our late reformers testifying to th◠same morality of one day in seven which himself maintaines that whoever shall read him herein would wonder how it should ever enter into the hearts of learned men as White Rogers Dow the Historian and many others to imagine and go about to befoole the world as if the morality of a seventh day was the late and soure fruit growing out of the crabbed and rigid stock of some English Puritans and reformers wherein they are forsaken of all their fellowes whom in all other things they so much admire in other Reformed Churches It being therefore confessed on all hands that the Sabbath is morall though I confesse at other times our Adversaries unsay this at least in their Arguments the Controversie therefore onely lies in this viz. How and in what respect it should be so Thesis 45. The generall consent herein also is this to wit That the morality of the Sabbath chiefly is in respect of some generality or in respect of something which is more generall in this Commandment rather then in respect of that particular day which the Commandment doth also point at for if the morality of it did lie in observing that particular day only how could there bee a change of that day to another For if the morality of a Sabbath was limited unto a particularity or to that one particular day it is then impossible that any other day to which that first is changed should be morall by vertue of the same Commandment but wee shall shew in fit place that the day is lawfully changed and morally observed and therfore that which is in this Commandment firstly morall must of necessity be somewhat more generall Thesis 46. The generall which we acknowledge to be morall in this command rightly understood is a seventh day Our adversaries would make it more generall and resolve it into a day or some day for solemne worship yet when they are forced to see and acknowledge by the dint of argument that this is too generall because thus the Commandment may be observed if one day in a thousand or once in ones life it be sanctified they doe therefore many times come nearer to us to somewhat lesse generall then a day viz. to a stinted fixed and appointed day and to such an appointed day as containes a sufficient proportion of time for God with convenient frequency no lesse frequent then theirs in the old Testament which was every seventh day as may be seen Thesis 44. and truly thus much being acknowledged by them one would think that the controversie with this sort of men was brought unto a comfortable and quiet issue and full agreement but it is strange to see how contrary the language is of these men sleeping from what it is when they are awake They strike fiercely at a seventh day and a determined time as impossible to be morall when they meet with them in the darke and yet we see acknowledge them in effect to be morall when they meet with them sometimes in the light Thesis 47. But because a seventh day may be accounted convenient by some and morall by others and because the determination of it may bee made by some either more lax or narrow viz. either to any day in seven which man or the Church may appoint or to such a seventh day as God shall determine It is therefore needfull for the clearing up of this controversie to seek out with an impartiall and sober mind the true meaning of the fourth Commandment and to enquire more particularly and exactly what is required it it and what is commanded by vertue of it which some able men not taking a right observation of in the dark and tempestuous times of controversie have therefore made miserable shipwrack not onely of the truth but also of themselves and souls of others Thesis 48. The things which are morally enjoyned in this Commandment are these two 1. Some things are Primariò i. Primarily firstly and more generally morall 2. Some things are secundariò i. Secondarily derivatively and consequently morall A time a day a seventh day of rest are in the first respect moral but in the other respect this or that particular seventh day may be said to be morall Things primarily morall are perpetuall things secondarily morall are not necessarily so As for example To honour superiors and fathers whether of Common-wealth or family is primarily morall but to honour these or those particular superiors is secondarily morall because our honouring of them ariseth from that primary and generall law of morall equity viz. that if our fathers are to be honoured then in the second place it followes that these and those particular persons being our lawfull fathers are to be honoured also To honor our fathers whom God hath set over us is perpetuall to honour these or those particular fathers is not perpetuall because themselves are not perpetuall but changeable It was a morall duty to honour this particular King David but it was not perpetuall for when David was taken away they were not bound to honour King David any more when King Solomon his sonne became his successor nor was it a ceremoniall duty to honour this or that particular King because it was changeable from one to another but it was a morall duty so to doe wherein the law and rule is not changed it being primarily morall but onely the object which wee are bound to honour secondarily in respect of the generall rule So 't is in this law of the Sabbath To keep a day a seventh dayes Sabbath is perpetual it being primarily morall but to observe this or that particular day is of it selfe changeable being secondarily morall For if it bee a morall duty to sanctifie a seventh day which God shall appoint then it 's morall as it were in the second place to sanctifie this or that seventh interchangeably which God doth appoint and yet it doth not follow that this or that particular seventh is in it selfe ceremoniall because it is changeable◠for in such a change the morall rule is not changed but the morall object onely to which it is morally applyed the duty is not changed but onely the day and in this respect it should not seem hard to make somethings morall which are not perpetuall for lawes primarily morall are properly perpetuall but lawes secondarily morall not necessarily so but changeable because as hath been said herein there is no change of the rule but onely of the object or application of the rule which may be variously and yet morally observed Thesis 49. This distinction of things primarily and secondarily morall is taken from the truth of things and which those who study this controversie
Christ to be beholding to any of the light upon Moses face It seemes then that the law written is not to be a Christians rule but onely so farre as it is written in the heart a most accursed assertion for how and why did Christ Jesus himselfe resist temptation to sinne was it not by cleaving to the written word Matth. 44.10 and was not this done for our imitation why did David and Christ Iesus delight to doe Gods will was it not this because it was written of them that so they should doe Psa. 40.7 8. Did not the law in their hearts make them thus cleave to the written law without Why did Paul perswade Children to honour their parents was it not because this was the first Commandment with promise Ephes. 6.2 had it not been more Evangelically spoken to perswade them rather to look to the law of Moses written on their hearts within to direct them hereunto rather than to be beholding for any light upon Moses face to direct them herein how comes it to passe that Paul preacheth no other thing but what was in the old Testament of Moses and the Prophets who were onely the Interpreters of Moses Acts 22.20 How is it that Christ himselfe borrowes light from Moses Psalmes and all the Prophets to cleare up his resurrection and suffering Luke 24.27 32 if no light must bee borrowed from the face of Moses if indeed wee were perfect in this life as wee shall bee in heaven there would then bee no need of the writings of the Apostles Prophets or Moses of Law or Gospell but we being but imperfectly enlightned it 's no lesse than extreame ingratitude and unthankfulnesse to preferre our owne imperfect and impure light before that perfect spotlesse and heavenly Law and counsels of God without us which when the most perfect beleever doth see he may cry out with Paul The Law is holy but I am carnall what is this but painted Popery to make the spirit within to be the supreame Iudge and superiour to the Spirit of God in the written word without onely they shrine it up in the Popes private Conclave and Kitchin or somewhat worse but these in a company of poore imperfect deluded and perhaps corrupted men it 's true the Covenant of grace strictly taken in the Gospel needs not to borrow any light from the Covenant of works in the Law but yet for all this the grace of God appearing in the Gospel will have us to walk worthy of God unto all well pleasing according to the Law Tit. 2.12 13. and to mourne bitterly that we are so unlike the will and image of God revealed in the Law Rom. 7.23 24. Thesis 105. The Apostle Paul as he sometimes condemnes works and sometime commends them so he sometimes rejects the Law and sometimes commends the Law sometime hee would have Beleevers dye to the law and sometime hee exhorts them to live in all holy obedience to it the Apostle therefore must speak of the Law under various considerations or else must speake Daggers and flat contradictions and therefore of necessity wee are to consider the Law not alway under one respect but variously for consider the law as a Covenant of workes or as the way unto or matter of our justification and so works are condemned and the Law is rejected and abrogated and so we are to die to the Law but consider the Law as a rule of life to a person justified already and so the Law is to be received and works are to bee commended and we are to live thereunto Thesis 106. When the Gospel nakedly urgeth Beleevers to good workes and obedience to the Law it is then considered onely as a rule of life but when wee meet with such Scriptures as set the Law and Christ the Law and grace the Law and promise the Law and faith c. at opposition one against another then the Law in such places is ever considered as a Covenant of life from which we are wholly freed and unto which we should be wholly dead that weâ— may be married unto Christ Rom. 7.4 hence therefore their arguings are feeble and weak who would prove a Christian to be wholly free from the directive power of the Law because a Christian is said not to be under the law but under grace Rom. 6.14 and because the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Iohn 1.17 and because the inheritance is not by the law but by promise and by faith Gal. 3.12.18 for these and such like Scriptures speake of the law as standing in opposition to Christ and therefore speake of it as of a Covenant of life by which men seek to be justified from which we grant a Beleever is wholly freed and unto which hee is not bound nay hee is bound to renounce it and cast out this bond-woman but all this doth not prove that he is free from it as his rule of life Thesis 107. The Law and mans sinfull heart are quite opposite one to another Rom. 7.9 10 11 13. but when through the grace of Christ the heart is changed so as there is a new nature or new man in a beleever then there is a sweet agreement between this new nature and the Law for saith Paul I delight in the Law of God in my inner man it is therefore a most false assertion to say that the old man of a Beleever is to be kept under the law but the new man or new nature is above all Law for though the new nature bee above it as a legall covenant yet it never comes to be willingly under it as a rule untill now an imperfect new nature is infinitely glad of the guidance of a holy and most perfect law Psalme 119.140 Thesis 108. It is very evident that the children and sonnes of God under the new Testament are not so under the Law as the children and sonnes of God were under the old Testament for the Apostle expressely tels Gal. 3.23 that before the faith came we i. the children of the Old Testament were shut up and kept under the Law and were under it as under a Schoolmaster verse 24. and these of whom the Apostle thus speaks are not onely wicked and carnall Jewes but the deare children of God and heires of eternall life in those times as is evident from Gal. 4 1 2 3. but the Apostle speaking of the sonnes of God in Gospel-times since faith is come and revealed speakes as expresly that we are now no longer under the law as under a Schoolmaster Gal. 3 25. and that now when the fulnesse of time is come God sent his sonne to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4.3 4 5. which though it bee true of all men by nature viz. that they are under the law yet an impartiall cleare eye will easâ—ly discerne that the Apostles dispute is not of our being under the Law by nature meerely
law but the externall face of these things was scarce any thing else but Doing and Law by reason of which there is a vaile spread over the hearts of the lewes in reading the old Testament unto this day as is evident 2 Cor. 3.13 so that the inside or end of the morall law being Gospel and the out-side and meanes appointed to this end being law hence the Gospel was then lesse clearly and the law was more clearely revealed in those times to say that Iesus Christ and his benefits or eternall life were then dispensed under a Covenant of works or sub conditione perfectae obedientiae as some eminent Worthies affirm is such an errour which wise and able men might easily fall into by seeing how much law was revealed and urged in those times for though the law simply considered in it selfe contained the matter of the Covenant of works yet considered relatively in respect of the people of God and as they were under Abrahams Covenant of grace so it was given to them as a rule of perfect righteousnesse by both which they might the better see their owne weaknesse and unrighteousnesse â—nd flye to Christ and therefore the Apostle Gal. 3.17 cals the promise which was made to Abraham the Covenant and gives not this title to the Law but calls it the law which he saith could not disanull the Covenant confirmed in Christ and although it be propounded to them in way of Covenant Exod. 19.5 yet this is to be understood as some thinke of Evangelicall keeping Covenant not of legall or if of legall yet then it is not propounded simply as a Covenant of works to convey Christ to them but ex hypothesi or upon supposition that if they did think to be Gods people and have him to be their God by doing as Iunius observes the carnall Jewes did thinke and hope so to have him and as that young man thought Mat. 19.17 as Chamier observes that then they must keep all these Commandments perfectly and to bee accursed if they did not continue therein I dare not therefore say that Christ and eternall life were dispensed in a Covenant of works under which Covenant the Iewes were shut in old Testament times but rather this that the law was more strongly pressed as a yoke upon their shoulders and that this law which containes the Covenant of works was more plentifully revealed and insisted on and the Gospel more sparingly and darkly but now in Gospel times the day-starre is risen though in few mens hearts yet in the doctrine and cleare revelation of it therein and therefore the Gospel is called the mystery hidden from ages and generations past but now is made manifest to his Saints Col. 1. â—6 which cannot bee meant as if they had no knowledge of it for Abraham saw Christs day and there is a cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament who dyed in faith Heb. 11. but not such cleare knowledge of it as now they were therefore then under the Law as servants because so much working and doing was urged and chiefely revealed but indeed were sonnes and heires but wee now are not so under it but are as sonnes having the Lord Iesus and our fathers face in him clearely revealed and faith in him chiefely and most abundantly urged in his blessed Gospel and thus the Apostle tels us in this Text Gal. 4.1 with 4.5 that the heires of the Promise under the Old Testament were as servants but by Christâ— comming we are now as sonnes look also as they are said to be under the Law not as if they had no Gospel revealed or no use of the Gospel but onely because the Gospel was more darkly revealed and the Law more plentifully urged so we are said not to be under the Law not as if there was no Law or no use of the Law belonging to us but because now the Gospel is more clearely revealed and the Law not externally so proposed and imposed as it was upon them 2. The Law was a Schoolmaster Tutor and Governour to lead them unto Christ to come for so the Apostle tels us in this place Gal. 3.23 that before faith came we were shut up under the Law unto the faith which should afterward be revealed Thus the Ceremoniall law pointed to Christ to come the morall law discovered mans sinne and misery and need of Christ who was to come nay all the promises were made with reference to Iesus Christ to come but now the fulnesse of time being come that the Sonne of God is come now we are no longer under the Law after this manner neither ceremoniall or morall law are of any use to us to lead us unto Christ to come for Christ is already come and hence it is that Beleevers now are said to be rather under the Gospel than under the Law and Beleevers under the Old Testament to be rather under the Law than under the Gospel because although these had the efficacy of Christs Redemption yet they were not yet actually redeemed because the Redeemer was not yet come into the flesh and in this respect they were under the rigour of the law and hence it was fit that they should bee handled as servants and the law and curse thereof principally revealed but now Christ being come and having actually redeemed us having been not onely virtually but actually made righteousnesse and a curse for us now therefore is the time that we should see Christ Iesus with open face and hear principally concerning faith and the fathers love in him now Christ is revealed chiefely being come the end of the Law then the Law was revealed chiefely Christ being not yet come as the meanes to this end looke therefore as the promise before Christ of which the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.17 18 19 21 22. was fulfilled in Christ being come as Divines speak rather than abolished and yet abolished as it was a promise of grace to come so the morall law is rather fulfilled than abolished in Christ being come and yet as it did lead unto Christ to come it is abolished to us now under the Gospel 3. The law being principally revealed and yet so revealed as to lead unto Christ Jesus to come hence ariseth a third thing of the law from which we are now delivered viz. they were therefore under more terrour and feare of the Law than we are on Gods part revealing the Gospel more clearely in these times and therefore saith the Apostle Gal. 4.4 5 6. that when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne to redeeme us from under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of Sonnes and thereby the Spirit of Sonnes crying Abba Father could not they who were Sonnes under the Law call God Father yes verily doubtlesse thou art our Father say they Isaiah 63.17 but they having lesse light they had more feare and lesse of the Spirit of Adoption I say still ex parte Dei revelantis than we have in these dayes We are not
here only commanded the first seems in Mr. Primrose apprehension to writhe and wrack the words of the Commandment the second if granted abolisheth our Christian Sabbaths Thesis 122. For clearing up of this difficulty therefore and leaving the dispute of the change of the Sabbath to it 's pâ—â—per place it may be made good that not that seventh day from the creation so much as a seventh day which God shall determine and therefore called the seventh day is primarily morall and therefore enjoyned in this Commandment for which end let these things be considered and laid together 1. Because the expresse words of the Commandment do not run thus viz. Remember to keep holy That seventh day but more generally the Sabbath day 't is in the beginning and so 't is in the end of this Commandment where it is not said that God blessed That Seventh day but The Sabbath day by which expression the wisdom of God as it points to that particular seventh day that it should be sanctified so it also opens a door of liberty for change if God shall see meet because the substance of the Commandment doth not only contain That seventh day but The Sabbath day which may be upon another seventh as well as upon that which God appointed first and that the substance of the command is contained in those first words Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy may appeare from the repetition of the same Commandment Deut. 5.12 where these words As the Lord thy God commanded thee are immediately inserted before the rest of the words of the Commandement be set down to shew thus much that therein is contained the substance of the fourth command the words following being added only to presse to the duty and to point out the particular day which at that time God would have them to observe 2. Because in the explication of those words the Sabbath it is not called That seventh but The seventh for so the words runne Six daies shalt thou labour but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God the meaning of which is thus much to wit that man taking six daies to himself for labour that he leave the seventh to be the Lords now unlesse any can shew that no other day but that Seventh could be the seventh for rest nor no other six daies but those six daies going before thaâ— seventh could be the six daies for labour they can never prove that this fourth Commandment hath only a respect to That particular Seventh and it is no small boldnesse necessarily to limit where God hath left free for we know that if God will man may take other six daies for labour and leave another Seventh for God then those six daies and that Seventh day only 3. The change of the Sabbath undeniably proves thus much if it can be proved that the morality of this command did not lie in that particular day only for if that only was morall how could it be changed and if it did not lie only in that Seventh wherein then did it more generally lie was it in a day more largely or in a Seventh day more narrowly now let any indifferent conscience be herein judge who they be that come nearest to the truth whether they that fly so far from the name Seventh which is expresly mentioned in the Commandment or they that come as near it as may be whether they that plead for a Seventh of Gods appointing or they that plead for a day but God knowes when of humane institution and it 's worth considering why any should be offended at the placing of the morality of the command in a Seventh more then at their own placing of it in a day for in urging the letter of the Commandment to that particular Seventh to abolish thereby the morality of a Seventh day they do withall therein utterly abandon the morality of a day for if That Seventh only be enjoyned in the letter of the Commandment and they will thence inferre that a Seventh therefore cannot be required how can they upon this ground draw out the morality of a day 4. Because we know that ratio legis est anima legis i. the reason of a law is the soul and life of the law now let it be considered why God should appoint the Seventh rather then the ninth or tenth or twentieth-twentieth-day for spirituall rest and the reason will appear not to be Gods absolute will meerly but because divine wisdom having just measures and ballances in its hand in proportioning time between God and man it saw a seventh part of time rather then a tenth of twentieth to be most equall for himself to take and for man to give and thus much the words of the Commandment imply viz. that it is most equall if man hath six that God should have the seventh now if this be the reason of the law this must needs be the soul and substance of the morality of the law viz. That a Seventh day be given to God man having six and therefore it consists not in That Seventh day only for the primary reason why God appointed this or that Seventh was not because it was that seventh but because a Seventh was now equall in the eye of God for God to take to himself man having the full and fittest proportion of six daies together for himself and because a seventh was the fittest proportion of time for God hence this or that individual and particular seventh in the second place fall out to be morall because they contain the most equall and fittest proportion of a Seventh day in them there was also another reason why That Seventh was sanctified viz. Gods rest in it but this reason is not primary as hath been said and of which now we speak 5. Because if no other Commandment be in the Decalogue but it is comprehensive and looking many waies at once why should we then pinion and gird up this only to the narrow compasse of that Seventh day only 6. Because our adversaries in this point are forced sometime to acknowledge this morality of a Seventh with us we have heard the judgement of Gomaras herein Thesis 44. and M. Primrose who speaks with most weight and spirit in this controversie professeth plainly That if God give us six daies for our own affairs there is then good reason to consecrate a Seventh to his service and that in this reason there is manifest justice and equity which abideth for ever to dedicate to God precisely a seventh day after we have bestowed six daies upon our selves it cannot be denied saith he but that it is most just Now if it be by his confession 1. just 2. most just 3. manifestly just 4. perpetually just to give God precisely one day in seven the cause is then yeelded the only evasion he makes is this viz. that though it be most just to give God one day in seven yet it 's not more just then to give God one in six
time to be sanctified rather then a fifth a fourth or a ninth not simply because it was this seventh or a seventh but because in his wise determination thereof he knew it to be the most just and equall division of time between man and himself and therefore I know no incongruity to affirm that if God had seen one day in three or four or nine to be as equall a proportion of time as one day in seven that he would then have left it free to man to take and consecrate either the one or the other the Spirit of God not usually restraining where there is a liberty and on the other side if he had seen a third or fifth or ninth or twentieth part of time more equal then a seventh he would have fixed the bounds of labour and rest out of a seventh but having now fixed them to a seventh a seventh day is therefore morall rather then a fourth or sixt or ninth day because it is the most equall and fittest proportion of time all things considered between God and man the appointment therefore of a seventh rather then a sixt or fourth is not an act of Gods meer will only as our adversaries affirm and therefore they think it not morall but it was and is an act of his wisdom also according to a morall rule of justice viz. to give unto God that which is most fit most just and most equall and therefore although there is no naturall justice as Mr Primrose cals it in a seventh simply and abstractly considered rather then in a sixth or tenth yet if the most equall proportion of time for God be lotted out in a seventh there is then something naturall and morall in it rather then in any other partition of time viz. to give God that proportion of time which is most just and most equall and in this respect a seventh part of time is commanded because it is good according to the description of a morall law and not only good because it is commanded Thesis 131. 'T is true that in private duties of worship as to reade the Scriptures meditate pray c. the time for these and the like duties is left to the will and determination of man according to generall rules of conveniency and seasonablenesse set down in the word mans will in this sence is the measure of such times of worship but there is not the like reason here in determining time for a Sabbath as if that should be left to mans liberty also because those private duties are to be done in that time which is necessarily annexed to the duties themselves which time is therefore there commanded where and when the duty is commanded but the time for a Sabbath is not such a time as naturally will and must attend the action but it 's such a time as Counsell not nature sees most meet and especially That counsell which is most able to make the most equall proportions of time which we know is not in the liberty or ability of men or Angels but of God himself for do but once imagine a time required out of the limits of what naturally attends the action and it will be found necessarily to be a time determined by counsell and therefore our adversaries should not think it as free for man to change the Sabbath seasons from the seventh to the fifth or fourth or tenth day c. as to alter and pick our times for pâ—ivate duties Thesis 132. There is a double reason of proposing Gods example in the fourth Command as is evident from the Commandment it self the first was to perswade the second was to direct 1. To perswade man so to labour six daies together as to give the seventh or a seventh appointed for holy rest unto God for so the example speaks God laboured six daies and rested the seventh therefore do you do the like 2. To direct the people of God to That particular Seventh which for that time when the Law was given God would have them then to observe and that was that Seventh which did succeed the six daies labour and therefore for any to make Gods example of rest on That Seventh day an argument that God commanded the observation of that Seventh day only is a groundlesse assertion for there was something more generally aimed at by setting forth this example viz. to perswade men hereby to labour six daies and give God the seventh which he should appoint as well as to direct to that particular day which for that time it 's granted it also pointed unto and therefore let the words in the Commandment be obseâ—ved and we shall finde mans duty 1. More generally set down viz. to labour six daies and dedicate the seventh unto God and then follows Gods perswasion hereunto from his own example who when he had a world to make and worke to doe he did labour six daies together and rested the seventh and thus a man is bound to do still but it doth not follow that he must rest that particular seventh only on which God then rested or that that seventh though we grant it was pointed unto was only aimed at in this example the binding power of all examples whatsoever and therefore of this being ad speciem actus as they call it to that kind of act and not to the individuum actionis only or to every particular accidentall circumstance therein If indeed man was to labour six daies in memoriall only of the six daies of creation and to rest a Seventh day in memoriall only of Gods rest and cessation from creation it might then carry a faire face as if this example pointed at the observation of that particular seventh onely but look as our six daies labour is appointed for other and higher ends then to remember the six daies worke of God it being a morall duty to attend our callings therein so the Seventh day of rest is appointed for higher and larger ends as Didoclavius observes then onely to remember that notable rest of God from all his works it being a morall duty to rest the Seventh day in all holinesse Thesis 133. It was but accidentall and not of the essence of the Sabbath day that that particular Seventh from the creation should be the Sabbath for the Seventh day Sabbath being to be mans rest day it was therefore suitable to Gods wisdom to give man an example of rest from himselfe to encourage him thereunto for we know how strongly examples perswade now rest bâ—ing a cessation from labour it therefore supposes labour to goe before hence God could not appoint the first day of the creation to be the Sabbath because he did then but begin his labour nor could he take any the other daies because in them he had not finished his work nor rested from his labour therefore Gods rest fell out upon the last of seven succeeding six of labour before so that if there could have been any other day as fit then for exemplary
observe New Moons that some time be set apart for his worship and so there was no more necessity of putting Remember to keep the Sabbath holy then to remember to keep holy the new moons And look as the commandment to observe new moons cannot in reason be accounted a morall commandment because there is some generall morality in it viz. for to observe some time of worship so neither should this of the Sabbath be upon the like ground of some generall morality mixed in it and therefore for M Ironside to say that the law of the Sabbath is set among the rest of the morall precepts because it is mixtly ceremoniall having in it something which is morall which other ceremoniall commands he saith have not is palpably untrue for there is no ceremoniall law of observing Jewish moons and festivals but there was something generally morall in them viz. That in respect of the purpose and intention of the Law-giver some time be set apart for God just as he makes this of keeping the Sabbath Thesis 139. To imagine that there are but nine morall precepts indeed and that they are called ten in respect of the greater part according to which things are usually denominated is an invention of M. Primrose which contains a pernicious and poysonfull seed of making way for the razing out of the Decalogue more laws then one for the same answer will serve the turn for cashiering three or four more the greater part suppose six remaining morall according to which the denomination ariseth For although it be true that sometime the denomination is according to the greater part viz. when there is a necessity of mixing divers things together as in a heap of corn with much chaff or a Butt of wine where there be many lees yet there was no necessity of such a mixture and jumbling together of morals and ceremonials here M. Primrose tels us that he doth not reade in Scripture that all the Commandments are without exception called morall and therefore why may there not saith he be one ceremoniall among them But by this reason he may as well exclude all the other nine from being morall also for I reade not in Scripture that any one of them is stiled by that name Morall And although it be true which he saith That covenants among men consist sometime together of divers articles as also that Gods Covenant taken in some sence sometimes did so yet the Covenant of God made with all men as we shall prove the Decalogue is ought not to be so mingled neither could it be so without apparent contradiction viz. That here should be a covenant which bindeth all men in all things to observe it and yet some part of it being ceremoniall should not binde all men in all things it commands nor is there indeed any need of putting in one ceremoniall law considering how easily they are and may be reduced to sundry precepts of the morall law as appendices thereof without such shuffling as is contended for here Thesis 140. If this law be not morall why is it crowned with the same honour that the rest of the morall precepts are if its dignity be not equall with the rest Why hath it been exalted so high in equall glory with them Were the other nine spoken immediatly by the voice of God on mount Sinai with great terrour and majesty before all the people Were they written upon Tables of stone with Gods owne finger twice Were they put into the Arke as most holy and sacred so was this of the Sabbath also Why hath it the same honour if it be not of the same nature with the rest Thesis 141. Our adversaries turn every stone to make answer to this known argument and they tell us that it 's disputable and very questionable whether this law was spoken immediatly by God and not rather by Angels But let it be how it will be yet this law of the Sabbath was spoken and written and laid up as all the rest were and therefore had the same honour as all the rest had which we doubt not to be morall and yet I think it easie to demonstrate that this law was immediatly spoken by God and the reasons against it are long since answered by Iunius on Heb. 2.2 3. but it's uselesse here to enter into this controversie Thesis 142. Nor do I say that because the law was spoken by God immediatly that therefore it is morall for he spake with Abraham Iob Moses in the mount immediatly about other matters then morall laws but because he thus spake and in such a manner openly and to all people young and old Jews and Proselyte Gentiles then present with such great glory and terrour and majesty Surely it stands not saith holy Brighâ—man with the majesty of the universall Lord who is God not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles speaking thus openly not privately and gloriously and most immediatly to prescribe laws to one people only which were small in number but wherewith all nations alike should be governed Mr Ironside indeed thinks that the Lord had gone on to have delivered all the other ceremonials in the like manner of speech from the mount but that the fear and cry of the people that he would speak no more to them stopt him but the contrary is most evident viz. that before the people cried out the Lord made a stop of himself and therefore is said to adde no more Deut. 5.22 It was a glory of the Gospel above all other messages in that it was immediatly spoken by Christ Heb. 1.2 2.3 and so Gods immediate publication of the morall law puts a glory and honour upon it above any other laws and therefore while Mr Ironside goes about to put the same honour upon ceremoniall laws he doth not a little obscure and cast dishonour upon those that are morall by making this honour to be common with ceremoniall and not proper only to morall laws Thesis 143. Nor do I say that the writing of the law on stone argues it to be morall for some laws not morall were mediatly writ on stone by Ioshuah Josh. 8.32 but because it was writ immediatly by the finger of God on such Tables of stone and that not once but twice not on paper or parchment but on stone which argues their continuance and not on stone in open fields but on such stone as was laid up in the Ark a place of most safety being most sacred and a type of Christ who kept this law and upon whose heart it was writ Psal. 40.6 7. to satisfie justice and to make just and righteous before God all that shall be saved of all whom the righteousnesse of this Law according to justice was to be exacted what doe these things argue but at least thus much that if any Law was to be perpetuated this surely ought so to be Mr. Primrose tels us that the writing upon stone did not signifie continuance of
against the second Commandment might not as wel blot out much of that light of nature about the Sabbath also and then how shall the light of nature be any sufficient discovery unto us of that which is morall and of that which is not Thesis 147. There is a Law made mention of Iam. 2.10 whose parts are so inseparably linked together that whosoever breaks any one is guilty of the breach of all and consequently whosoever is called to the obedience of one is called to the obedience of all and consequently all the particular Jaws which it contains are homogeneall parts of the same Totum or whole law If it be demanded What is this Law the answer is writ with the beams of the Sun that 't is the whole morall Law contained in the Decalogue For 1. The Apostle speaks of such a Law which not only the Jews but all the Gentiles are bound to observe and for the breach of any one of which not only the Jews but the Gentiles also were guilty of the breach of all and therefore it cannot be meant of the ceremoniall Law which did neither binde Gentiles or Jews at that time wherein the Apostle writ 2 He speaks of such a Law as is called a royall Law and a Law of liberty vers 8.12 which cannot be meant of the ceremoniall Law in whole or in part which is called a Law of bondage not worthy the royall and kingly spirit of a Christian to stoop to Gal. 4.9 3. 'T is that law by the works of which all men are bound to manifest their faith and by which faâ—â—h is made perfect vers 22. which cannot be the Ceremoniall nor Evangelicall for that is the Law of faith and therefore it 's meant of the Law morall 4. 'T is that Law of which Thou shalt not kill nor commmit adultery are parts vers 11. Now these Laws are part of the Decalogue only and whereof it may be said he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Remember to keep the Sabbath holy and therefore the whole Decalogue and not some parts of it only is the morall Law from whence it is manifest that the Apostle doth not speak as M. Primrose would interpret him of offending against the Word at large and of which the Ceremoniall Laws were a part but of offending against that part of the word to wit the morall Law of which he that offends against any one is guilty of the breach of all hence also his other answer fals to the dust viz. that the fourth command is no part of the Law and therefore the not observing of it is no sinne under the New Testament because it was given only to the Jews and not to us for if it be a part of the Decalogue of which the Apostle only speaks then 't is a meer begging of the question to affirm that it is no part of the Law of Christians but we see the Apostle here speaks of the Law and the Royall Law and the Royall Law of Liberty his meaning therefore must be of some speciall Law which he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law now if he thus speaks of some speciall Law what can it be but the whole Decalogue and not a part of it only as when he speaks of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means not some part but the whole Gospel also and if every part of the Decalogue is not morall how should any man know from any Law or rule of God what was morall and what not and consequently what is sinful and what not if it be said the light of nature we have proved that this is a blind and corrupt-Judge as it exists in corrupt man if it be said by the light of the Gospel this was then to set up a light unto Christians to discern it by but none to the Jews while they wanted the Gospel as dispensed to us now many morall Laws also are not mentioned in the Gospel it being but accidentall to it to set forth the Commandements of the Law Thesis 148. If Christ came to fulfill and not to destroy the Law Mat. 5.17 then the Commandement of the Sabbath is not abolished by Christs comming if not one jot prick or tittle of the Law shall perish much lesse shall a whole Law perish or be destroyed by the comming of Christ. Thesis 149. 'T is true indeed that by Law and Prophets is sometimes meant their whole doctrine both ceremoniall and morall and propheticall which Christ fulfilled personally but not so in this place of Matthew but by Law is meant the morall Law and by Prophets those propheticall illustrations and interpretations thereof in which the Prophets do abound for 1. The Lord Christ speaks of that law only which whosoever should teach men to break and cast off he should be least in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.19 but the Apostles did teach men to cast off the Ceremoniall Law and yet were never a whit lesse in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. He speaks of that Law by conformity to which all his true Disciples should exceed the righteousnesse of Scribes and Pharisees but that was not by being externally ceremonious or morall but by internall conformity to the spiritualnesse of Gods Law which the Pharisees then regarded not 3. Christ speaks of the least Commandements and of these least Commandments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now what should those least Commandements be but those which he afterward interprets of rash anger adulterous eyes unchaste thoughts love to enemies c. which are called least in opposition to the Pharisaicall Doctors conceits in those times who urged the grosse duties commanded and condemned men onely for grosse sins forbidden as if therein consisted our compleat conformity to the Law of God and therefore by the least of those Commandments is meant no other then those which he afterward sets down in his spirituall interpretation of the Law vers 21. never a one of which Commandments are Ceremoniall but morall Laws and although Mr. Primrose thinks that there is no connexion between the seventeen and the other expositors verses of the Law which follow yet whosoever ponders the Analysis impartially shall finde it otherwise even from the 17 Verse to the end the conclusion of which is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect who is never made a pattern of perfection to us in ceremoniall but only in morall matters 't is true indeed which some object that there is mention made of Altar and Sacrifice vers 23 which were ceremonials but there is no Law about them but only a morall Law of love is thereby prest with allusion to the ceremoniall practice in those times he speaks also about divorce but this is but accidentally brought to shew the morality of the Law of adultery the Law of retaliation wants not good witnesses to testifie to the morality of it but I rather thinke 't is brought in to set forth a morall Law against private revenge
observe it in respect of the Churches Custome and constitution as some pretend why may not the Chuâ—ches Commandment be a rule of obedience in a thousand things else as well as in this and so introduce Will-Worship and to serve God after the tradition of men which God abhors Thesis 4. The observation of the first day of the weeke for the Christian Sabbath ariseth from the force of the fourth Commandment as strongly as the observation of the media cultus or means of worship now under the New Testament doth from the force of the second Commandment only let this be supposed that the day is now changed as we shall hereafter prove as also that the worship it self is changed by divine institution for Gospel-institutions when they be appointed by divine and soveraign Authority yet they may then be observed and practised by vertue of some morall Law The Gospel appointed new Sacraments but we are to use them by vertue of the second Commandment so here the Gospel appoints a new seventh day for the Sabbath but it stands by vertue of the fourth Commandment and therefore the observation of it is not an Act of Christian Liberty but of Christian duty imposed by divine Authâ—rity and by vertue of the moral Law Thesis 5. For the morality of the fourth Commandment as hath been proved being preserved in observing not that Sabbath only nor yet a Sabbath meerly when man sees meet but in observing the Sabbath i. e. such a Sabbath as is determined and appointed of God which may therefore be either the first or last of the seven dayes Hence it is that the first of the seven if it be determined and instituted of God under the New Testament ariseth equally from the fourth Commandment as the last seventh day did under the old Testament and therefore it is no such piaculum nor delusion of the common People as Mr. Brabourne would make it to put the Title of the Lords Sabbath upon the Lords day and to call it the Sabbath day for if it be borne out of the same wombe the first seventh was if it arise I mean from the same Commandment Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day why may it not bear the name of the Sabbath nâ—w as the first-born did in former times Thesis 6. If the Lord would have man to worke six dayes together according to his own example and the morality of the fourth Commandement that so a seventh day determined by himselfe might be observed Hence it is that neither two Sabbaths in a week can stand with the morality of the fourth Commandement nor yet could the former Sabbath be justly changed into any other day then into the first day of the week the first day could not belong to the week before for then there should be eight days in a week and if it did belong to the week following then if we suppose that the second day had been the Sabbath there must be one working day viz. the first day to go before it and five working dayes after it and so there should not nor could not be six working dayes continued together that the seventh might be the Lords according to the morality of the fourth Commandement And hence it is that no Humane or Ecclesiasticall power can change the Sabbath to what day of the week they please from the first which now is Thesis 7. It should not seem an uncouth Phrase or a hard saying to call the first day of the weeke a seventh or the seventh day for though it be the first absolutely in order of existence from the Creation yet relatively in way of relation and in respect of the number of seven in a week it may be invested with the name and title of a seventh even of such a seventh as may lawfully be câ—owned and annointed to be the Sabbath day for look as Noah though he was the first in order of yeares and dignity of entrance into the Ark yet he is called the eight 2 Pet. 2.5 in that he was one of them as the learned observe qui octonarium numerum perficiebant or who made up the number of eight so it is in respect of the first day which in divers respects may be called the first and yet the seventh also Mr. Brabournes Argument therefore is of no solidity who goes about to prove the Christian Sabbath to be no Sabbath Because That Sabbath which the fourth Commandement injoynes is called the seventh day but all the Evangelists cal the Lords day the first day of the week not the seventh day For he should remember that the same day in divers respects may be called the first day and yet the seventh day for in respect of its naturall existence and being it may be and is called the first day and yet in respect of divine use and application it may be and is called the seventh day even by vertue of the fourth Commandement which is the Lords day which is confessed to be the first day Thesis 8. For although in numero numerante as they call it i. e. in number numâ—â—ing there can be but one seventh which immediately follows the number six yet in numero numerato i. e. in number numbred or things which are numbred as are the dayes of the week any of the seven may be so in way of relation and proportion As suppose seven men stand together take the last man in order from the other six who stand about him and he is the seventh so againe take the first in order and set him apart from the six who stand below him and if the number of them who are taken from him make up the number of six he then may and must necessarily be called the seventh Just thus it is in the dayes of the week the first Sabbath from the Creation might be called the seventh day in respect of the six dayes before it and this first day of the week may be called the seventh day also in respect of the six working dayes together after it That may be called the last seventh this the first seventh without any absurdity of account which some would imagine and if this first day of the week is called the eight day according to Ezekiels Prophesie of Evangelicall times and his reckoning onward from the Creation Ezek. 43.27 why may it not then in other respects put on the name of a seventh day also Thesis 9. The reason why the Lord should depose the last seventh and exalt and crowne the first of seven to be the day of the Christian Sabbath is not so well considered and therefore to be here narrowly examined For as for those Easterne Christians who in the primitive times observed two Sabbaths in a week the Jewish and the Christian doubtlesse their milke sod over and their zeale went beyond the Rule The number of Jewes who were beleevers and yet too too zealous of their old customes we know did fill those places in their dispersion and before more then
THESES SABBATICAE OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE Sabbath WHEREIN The Sabbaths I. Morality II. Change III. Beginning IV. Sanctification are clearly discussed Which were first handled more largely in sundry SERMONS in Cambridg in New-England in opening of the fourth COMMANDMENT In unfolding whereof many Scriptures are cleared divers Cases of Conscience resolved and the Morall Law as a rule of life to a Believer occasionally and distinctly handled By THOMAS SHEPARD Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England What evill thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath Nehem. 13 17 18. If ye hallow the Sabbath to do no work therein then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes Jer. 17.24.25 London Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Iohn Rothwell Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard 1650. THE Preface OF THE AUTHOR To the READER THat a seventh part of time hath been religiously and universally observed both under the Law and under the Gospel is without all controversie the great doubt and difficulty which now remaines concerning this Time is the Morality of it whether it was thus universally observed in the Christian Churches by unwritten Tradition or by Divine Commission Whether from the Churches Custome or Christs Command Whether as a Moral Duty or as a Humane Law for although some would make â—he observation of such a portion of time the soure fruit of the Ebionites superstitious Doctrines yet all the Ancient and best Writers in the purest times do give such honour to it that whoever doubts of it must either be utterly ignorant or wilfully blinded in the knowledge of the Histories and Doctrines of those times and must desire a Candle to shew him the Sunne at noone day Clemens onely seemes to cast some staine upon it by making all dayes equall and every day a Sabbath but upon narrow search his meaning may appeare not to deny the observation of the day but onely to blame the froth and vanity of sundry Christians who if they externally observed the day they cared not how they lived every day after nor is it to be wondred at if Origen turne this day sometime into an Allegory and a continuall spirituall Rest-day who miserably transformes many times the plainest Scriptures into such shapes and turnes their substance into such shadowes and beating out the best of the Kernels feeds his guests with such chaffe and husks and although many other Festivals were observed by those times which may make the Sabbath suspected to be borne out of the same womb of humane custome with the rest yet we shall finde the seventh dayes Rest to have another Crowne of glory set upon the had of it by the holy meÌ„n of God in those times then upon those which superstition so soone hatcht and brought forth so that they that reade the Histories of those times in observing two Sabbaths in some places Easter Whitsunday yea divers Ethnick and Heathenish dayes will need no other comment on those texts of Paul wherein he condemnes the observation of Dayes which beginning to flie abroad in the day light of the Apostles might well out-face the succeeding ages and multiply with more authority in darker times yet so as that the seventh dayes rest call it what you will still kept its place and ancient glory as in the sequell shall appear When therefore the good will of him who dwelt in the burning bush of the afflicted Primitive Churches gave Princes and Emperours to be their nursing fathers pious Constantine among other Christian Edicts injoynes the observation of the Lords Day wherein if he was bound by his place to be a nourishing father he went not beyond his Commission in swadling and cherishing this truth and appointment of Christ and not suffering it to dye and perish through the wickednesse of men the power of Princes extending to see Christs Lawes observed though not to impose any humane inventions and Church constitutions of their own It s true indeed that this Princely Edict was mixed with some imperfection and corruption it following too short in some things and extending too far in others but there is no just cause for any to stumble much at this that knowes the sick head and heart by the weak and feeble pulse and crasie temper of those clouted though otherwise triumphing times The Successours of this man-child borne out of the long and weary throwes of the poore travelling Church were inlarged generally in their care and conscience to preserve the religious honour due to this day untill the time of Charles the Great who in the latter end of his reign observing how greatly the Sabbath was profaned especially by the continuance and leaudnesse of Church-men did therefore call five Nationall Councels which I need not here mention in all which the Sabbath is advanced to as strict observation to the full as hath been of late yeers condemned by some in the Sabbatarian Reformers that it is a wonder how any man should cast off all shame and so far forget himselfe as to make the Sabbath a device of Fulco or Peter Bruis Eustachius or the Book at Golgotha and put the Visor of Novelty upon the aged face of it as if it were scarce known to any of the Martyrs in Queen Maries time but receiving strength and growth from Master Perkins was first hatcht and received life from under the wings of a few late Disciplinarian Zelots And it cannot be denied but that the Sabbath like many other precious appointments and truths of God did shake off her dust and put on her comely and beautifull garments and hath been much honoured and magnified since the times of the Reformation the doctrine and darknesse of Popery like that of the Pharisees not only obscuring the Doctrine of Faith but also of the Law and obedience of Faith and so hath obscured this of the Sabbath only herein they did excell their forefathers the Scribes and Pharisees for these added their own superstitious resting from things needfull and lawfull to their meerly externall observation of the day but they unto their eternall observation of the name of the Day added their abominable prophanations to it in May-games and May-poles in sports and pastimes in dancing and revellings and so laid it level and made it equall in a manner to the rest of their Holy dayes that as they came to shuffle out the second Commandment almost out of the Decalogue so in time they came to be blinded with that horrour of darknesse as to translate the words of the Commandment into some of their Catechismes Remember to keep the Holy Festivals and therefore those Worthies of the Reformation who have contended for all that honour which is due to this day are unjustly aspersed for pleading for a jewish and superstitious strictnesse when
thus much that it is perpetuall and universall a law which bindes all persons all times and in all ages and herein lies the chiefe matter of controversie at this day Now in what respect and how far forth the law of the Sabbath is perpetuall shall be hereafter shewn mean while it may not be amisse to enquire more narrowly into the nature of a morall law For though a Law primarily morall is perpetuall yet perpetuity seems to bee an adjunct rather than of the essence of a morall law and the difficulty will still remaine untouch'd viz. to know when a law is perpetuall and what is internall and intrinsicall to such a law as makes it perpetuall or morall whereinto I would not search lest I should seem to affect curiosity but that our criticall adversaries put us upon it with whom there is nothing lost in case weâ— gaine nothing by wrastling a little with them upon their owne grounds where for a while we shall come up to them Thesis 14. A divine law may be said to be morall two wayes 1. More largely and generally morall 2. More strictly and specially morall Thesis 15. A law generally morall is this that the whole soveraign will of the Lord be done and submitted unto by every creature and in this large sense every law of God whether ceremoniall judiciall or for speciall triall may be said to be morall because the soveraigne will of God is in all these lawes to be adored It is a morall duty that Gods will be done and hence it is that so far forth as the will of God is in them so far forth to yield obedience to them is a morall duty but the question is not about this morality nor what things are thus morall Thesis 16. A law more strictly and specially morall which concernes the manners of all men and of which wee now speake may bee thus described viz. It is such a Law which is therefore commanded because it is good and is not therefore good meerly because it is commanded Thesis 17. This is Austins description of it long since whom most of the Schoolmen follow which learned Cameron with sundry late Wriâ—â—â— confirme and which our adversaries in this controversie plead hard for and unto which the evidence of Scripture and reason seemes to incline for laws meerly judiciall and ceremoniall are good lawes Deut. 6.18 24. but this was meerly because they were commanded and therefore it had been simply evill to burne Incense offer Sacrifice or performe any ceremoniall duty in the worship of God unlesse they had been commanded What is there therefore in morall lawes which is not in those lawes verily this inward goodnesse in them which others have not and because of which goodnesse they are therefore commanded For to love God to honour parents to preserve the life of man to be mercifull and bountifull and just in all our dealings c. are inwardly good and are therefore commanded and are therefore morall laws and hence we see that when the Apostle would set forth the glory and excellency of the morall law for of no other law can he speake Rom. 7.7 12. he gives these titles to it that it is holy just and good which holines justice and goodnesse he opposeth to his owne morall not ceremoniall wickednesse I am carnall saith he but the law is holy just and good And look as it was evill in it selfe for to have a nature contrary to the law so the Law which was contrary to that nature was good in it selfe and was therefore commanded and therefore in this thing morall lawes are in a higher degree good than such as were onely ceremoniall which were therefore good meerely because commanded The Prophet Micah therefore perceiving how forward many were in ceremonial duties sacrifices in opposition hereunto he tels them The Lord hath shewed thee O man what is good speaking of morall duties of shewing mercy and walking humbly with God Micah 6.8 Was not Sacrifice and Offerings good as well as mercy and walking humbly Yes verily but herein lies the difference as our most Orthodox generally make it Sacrifice and Offerings were not per se and in themselves good but onely as commanded for higher ends and to further morall obedience Ier. 7.22 23 and 6.19 20. Isa. 1.14 16 Psal. 50.13 14 15. but such morall obedience as thâ— Prophet mentions viz. to shew mercy and to walk humbly were good in themselves and were therefore commanded of God and here called by the Prophet good The summe of morall obedience is love to God and man Matth. 22. But what love is this surely t is in such things â—â— are in themselves lovely and consequently in themselâ—â—â— good for otherwise ceremoniall obedience should be a part of morall obedience because in performing such obediences is meerely ceremoniall wee shew our love to God also It being a branch of love to have respect unto all Gods Commandments Deut. 6.1 2 3. with 5 6. Onely herein our love toward God appeares in ceremoniall duties because these lawes are commanded our love appeares in the other because the things commanded are also lovely in themselves The Image of God is good in it selfe as God himselfe is good in himselfe now the morall law is an exact rule of nothing else but Gods Image as is evident Eph. 4.24 where the Image of God is made to consist in holinesse and righteousnesse the first Table being the rule of the one the second Table being the rule of the other and hence it followes undenyably that morall lawes respecting onely Gods Image have respect onely to such things as are good in themselves and wherein we resemble and are made like unto God Some things saith Cameron are good in themselves viz. such things wherein Gods Image shines forth as hee is holy just and good Colos. 3.10 Ephes. 4.24 Some things are indifferent neither good nor bad in themselves but meerely as commanded or forbidden which also bear not Gods Image unlesse it be sub ratione entis but not sub ratione boni moralis i. e. they resemble God as he is a being but not as he is holy just and good in himselfe the rule of which resemblance is the morall law which therefore commands things because they are good Thesis 18. God out of his absolute soveraignty could have made lawes binding all persons in all ages and in this respect morall without having any more goodnesse in them then meerely his owne will but it is his will and good pleasure to make all lawes that are morall to be first good in themselves for all men before he will impose them upon all men And hence it is a weaknesse for any to affirme that a morall law is not such a Law which is therefore commanded because it is good because say they t is not the goodnesse of the thing but the soveraigne will of God which makes all things good for it is the soveraigne will of God as
and standing in the roome of all mankinde Hence as nothing was writ then but what was common to all men so such things thus writ were good for all men and suitable to all men it being most injurious to God to think that any thing evill should be imprinted there if therefore it bee proved that the law of the Sabbath was then writ upon mans heart then it undenyably followes that it is meet and suitable to all men still to observe a Sabbath day and indeed to the right understanding of what is suitable to man as man and consequently morall there is nothing more helpfull than to consider of our primitive estate and what was suitable to our nature then for if that which is morall in marriage is to be searched for in the first and ancient records of our first creation by the appointment of our Saviour I then know no reason whatever others object but morality in all other lawes and duties is there to bee sought also for although our originall perfection is now defaced and lost and in that respect is a merum non ens as some call it yet it had once a being and therefore in this controversie we may lawfully enquire after it considering especially that this being which once it had may be suffiently knowne by the contrary being of universall corruption that is in us now as also by the light of the Scriptures in which the searcher and maker of all hearts declares it unto us and indeed there are many morall duties which will never appeare good and suitable to man but rather hard and unreasonable because impossible untill we see and remember from whence we are fallen and what once we had Thesis 26. If therefore a morall law command that which is suitable to humane nature and good in it selfe then it followes from hence which was toucht before that divine determination of something in a law doth not alway take away morality from a law for divine determination is many times no more but a plain and positive declaration of that which is suitable just and good and equall for man to observe now that which points out and declares unto us the morality of a law cannot possibly abolish and destroy such a law For a morall law commanding that which is suitable and good as hath been shewne it is impossible that the Commandment which determineth and directeth to that which is good that by this determination it should overthrow the being of such a good law nay verily particular determination and positivenesse as some call it is so farre from abolishing as that it rather addes to the being as well as to the clearing up and manifestation of such a law For if it be not sufficient to make a morall law that the thing be good in it selfe but that also it must be commanded then the Commandment which many times onely detemines to that which is good and consequently determination doth adde unto the being of a morall law Thesis 27. There is scarce any thing but it is morally indifferent untill it falls under some divine determination but divine determination of twofold 1. Of such things which are not good fit or needfull for man to observe without a command as Sacrifices and Sacraments and such likes now herein in such lawes positive determination may be very well inconsistent with morality and it may bee safely said that such a law is not morall but rather positive and thus the learned sometimes speak 2. Of such things as are equall good in themselves needfull and suitable for man and here particular determination and morality may kisse each other and are not to be opposed one to another and hence it is that if Gods Commandment positively determines us to observe any part of instituted worship suppose Sacraments or Sacrifices yet such lawes are not morall although it bee morall in generall to worship God after his owne will because the things themselves are not good in themselves nor needfull but if God shall determine us to observe a Sabbath day this determination doth not take away the morality of the command because it being good in it selfe to give God the meetest and fittest proportion of time for holy Rest and the commandment declaring that this seventh part or so is such a time hence it comes to passe that this time is good in it selfe and therefore determination by the commandment in this case doth not abolish the morality hereof It is a morall duty to pay tribute to Caesar to give to Caesar that which is Caesars hence because a man may give too much or too little to him that determination which directs us to that particular which is Caesars due and most meet for him to receive and us to give that is best in it selfe and is therefore morall so prayer is a morall duty but because a man may bee tempted to pray too oft or else too seldome hence determination of the fittest and this fittest season makes this or that morall So 't is here in the Sabbath I doe willingly and freely professe thus farre with our Adversaries of the morality of the Sabbath that it is a morall duty to give God some time and day of holy Rest and worship as 't is morall to give Caesar his due and to pray to God but because we may give God too many dayes or too few hence the determination of the most meet and fittest proportion of time and particularly of this time makes this and that to be also morall If no day at all in generall was good and fit for man to give to God and God should notwithstanding command a seventh day then the commandment of such a day with such positive determination could not bee morall any more then the determination of sacrrifices and such like But every day say some of our Adversaries some day say others of them being acknowledged to be equall just and good and most meet to give to God hence it is that determination of a seventh day doth not abolish but clear up that which is morall because it points out unto man that which is most meet and equall Hence therefore it follows that a seventh day is therefore commanded because it is good and not good meerly because commanded Determination also declaring what is most meet declareth hereby that this commandment is also morall and not meerly positive and ceremoniall which not being well considered by some this fourth commandment having some more positivenesse and determination then divers of the rest hath therefore been the chiefe stumbling stone and rock of offence to many against the morality of it by which they have miserably bruised themselves while they have endeavoured to destroy it upon so grosse a mistake Thesis 28. It is true that God out of his absolute soveraignty and good pleasure of his will might have determined us to observe a fourth a ninth a twentieth part of our time in holy rest more or lesse as well as to
a sevenâ—h yet let us consider of God as acting by counsell and weighing and considering with himselfe what is most meet and equall and what proportion of time is most fit for himselfe and then with leave of better thoughts when I see better reason I suppose no man can prove unlesse hee bee made privy to the unknowne secrets of the wisdome of God that any other proportion had been as meet as this now made by the actuall determination of God there was not therefore the meer and soveraigne will of God which thus determined of this seventh part of time but also the wisedome of God which considering all things saw it most meeâ— and suitable for man to give and God to receive from man and therefore being commanded and thus particularly determined becomes morall Thesis 29. If that commandment be morall which is therefore commanded because it is good then hence it followes in the second place that such lawes onely are not morall lawes which are known to all men by the light of corrupt nature For as hath been already said a law may bee holy just good suitable and meet for all men to observe whether the light of corrupt nature by awakening or sleeping principles as some call them know it or no and such a comelinesse and suitablenesse in such a law is sufficient to make it morall There were many secret morall sinnes in Paul which he never saw nor could have seene by the light of corrupt nature untill the law fell upon him with mighty efficacy and power Romans 7. for God is not bound to crook his morall lawes to what our corrupt mindes are actually able of themselves to see any more than to what our corrupt wils are actually able to doe If the light of nature be imperfect in us since the fall which no wise man doubts of then there may be many things truely morall which the light of nature now sees not because 't is imperfect which in its perfection it did see and this consideration of the great imperfection of the light of nature is alone sufficient for ever to stop their mouthes and silence their hearts who goe about to make an imperfect light and law of nature the perfect rule and onely measure of morall duties and who make so narrow a limitation of that which is morall to that which is thus imperfectly naturall 't is not now lex nata but lex data which is the rule of morall duties The holy Scriptures containe the perfect rule of all morall actions whether mans corrupted and imperfect light of nature see them or no. It is a common but a most perilous and almost groundlesse mistake of many in this controversie who when they would know what is morall and what is not so of such things as are set downe in the Scriptures they then â—lye to the light of corrupt nature making it to bee the supream Judge hereof and there fall to examining of them whether they are seen by the light of nature or no which is no lesse folly than to set up a corrupt and blinde Judge to determine and declare that which is morall to make the perfect rule of morality in Scripture to bow downe its back to the imperfection and weaknesse of nature to pull out the Sunne in heaven from giving light and to walke by the light of a dim candle and a stinking snuffe in the socket almost gone out to make the horne-book of naturall light the perfection of learning of the deepest matters in morall duties to make Aristotles Ethicks as compleat a teacher of true morality as Adams heart in innocency and in a word to make man fallen and in a manner perfectly corrupt and miserable to bee as sufficiently furnished with knowledge of morall duties as man standing when he was perfectly holy and happy Imagine therefore that the light of nature could never have found out one day in seven to bee comely and most meet for man to give unto God yet if such a proportion of time be most meet for man to give to God and it appeares so to be when God reveales it it may and should then be accounted a morall law although the light of nature left in all men could never discerne it The Schoolmen and most of the popish generation not considering these things which notwithstanding are some of their owne principles have digged pits for themselves and made snares for some of their followers in abolishing the fourth Commandment from being in the true sense of it morall because they could not see how such a speciall part of time viz. a seventh part could be naturall or by the light of corrupt nature discernable which things so discernable they sometimes conclude to be onely morall But how farre the light of corrupt nature may discerne this proportion shall be spoken to in its proper place Thesis 30. If lastly those things which are thus commanded because they are good be morall then the whole Decalogue may hence appeare to be the morall law of God because there is no one law in it which is therefore good onely because 't is commanded but is therefore commanded because it is good and suitable to humane nature When I say suitable to humane nature I doe not meane humane nature considered absolutely but relatively either in relation to God or relation unto man for not onely the light of nature but of common sense also beare witnesse that every precept of the second Table wherein man is considered in relation to man is thus farre good for how comely and good is it to honour Parents to be tender of other mens lives and comforts to preserve ones selfe and others from filthy pollutions to doe no wrong but all the good we can to other mens estates c. Nor doe I thinke that any will question any one Commandment of this Table to bee good and suitable to humane nature unlesse it be some Nimrod or Brennus that professed he knew no greater justice than for the stronger like the bigger fishes of the Sea to swallow up the lesser in case they bee hungry or some Turkish Tartar or Caniball or some surfetted Professor transformed into some licentious opinionist and so growne Master of his owne Conscience and that can audaciously out-face the very light of nature and common sense through the righteous judgement of God blinding and hardning his heart And if the Commandments of the second Table be thus farre good in themselves are not those of the first Table much more Is love to man when drawne out into all the six streames of the second Table good in it selfe and shall not love to God drawn out in the foure precepts of the first Table as the Spring from whence all our love to man should flow much more Are the streams morally sweet and is not the spring it self of the same nature Love to God and love to man are the common principles saith Aquinas truely of the law of nature and all
the Decalogue onely Rom. 3.20 Iames 3.8 and sometimes more largely for the whole doctrine contained in all the writings of the Old Testament wherein the Gospel also is comprehended Psal. 19.7 Psalme 119.1.51 55. so the word Covenant is sometime taken more strictly for the covenant of works which is contained compendiously in the Decalogue onely writ by the finger of God in two Tables Deut. 4.13 14 Exod. 34.38 and sometime more largely for all the holy writings of Moses Exodus 24.7 8. and 34.10 Levit. 26.14 Ier. 34.13 Now although all the writings of Moses may be called the Covenant as it is largely taken and so the covenant comprehends not onely morall but ceremoniall lawes yet they are never called That Covenant which was writ by the finger of God in two Tables of stone and given to Moses and in this strict sense the word Covenant comprehends no other lawes but morall nor can the places and texts which they alleadge evince the contrary for in that place of Exodus 24.7 it is not said that the Tables of the Covenant but the Booke of the Covenant was read in the audience of all the people which Booke we readily acknowledge to comprehend ceremonials as well as morals but not the Tables of the Covenant of which the question now is so also when the Lord saith Exod. 34.10 that he will make a Covenant his meaning is that he will revive his Covenant by writing as it is there set downe in the same chapter in which writing it is very true that there is mentioned made of many ceremoniall lawes but suppose this covenant written by Moses comprehends sundry ceremoniall lawes will it therefore follow that the Tables of the Covenant written with the finger of God did the like No such matter and therefore there is an expresse difference put in the same chapter verse 27 28. between the covenant written by Moses and the ten Commandments written by the finger of God But secondly Let it be granted that the Decalogue comprehends summarily all the lawes which are particularly dispersed here and there in the writings of Moses yet it doth not follow that there must bee one ceremoniall law written by the finger of God and lifted up in the Decalogue to be the epitome and summarie of all ceremoniall lawes elsewhere explained in the writings of Moses For all lawes whether ceremoniall or judiciall may be referred to the Decalogue as appendices to it or applications of it and so to comprehend all other lawes as their summary But such a summary will no way enforce a necessity of making any one of them the epitome of ceremonialls and the other nine of them of the morals for we know that many judiciall lawes are comprehended under morall lawes being referred as appendices thereunto by Calvin Martyr Chemnitius Ames and sundry others and yet it will not follow from hence that one of the lawes in the Decalogue must be a judiciall law as the summary of all judicials which are branches of the Covenant as well as Master Primrose his ceremonials Thesis 34. It should not seem strange that that law which in the generall nature of it is moral may in the particular application of it be unto a thing ceremoniall and in this respect it cannot be denyed but that the morall law may comprehend all ceremoniall lawes but it will not hence follow as Mr. Primrose inferres that one law in the Decalogue must be ceremoniall as the head and summary of all ceremoniall lawes because we say ceremoniall lawes may bee comprehended under some morall law as speciall applications thereof ex gr It is a morall law to worship God according to his owne will and not after mans inventions as the second Commandment holds it forth Now in the application of this law the Lord points out his owne instituted worship in sundry significant ceremonies sacrifices sacraments c. which particular institutions though ceremoniall are to be referred unto and are comprehended under the second Commandment which is a morall law for if God will be worshipped with his owne worship according to this Commandment then its necessary for the Lord to shew and that under his Commandment what those institutions be wherein he will bee worshipped many of which are ceremoniall which are therefore directly comprehended here Thesis 35. There is therefore no necessity of making one law in the Decalogue to bee ceremoniall that it may be the summary head of all ceremonials viz. because ceremonialls are branches of the covenant which is the Decalogue for upon the like ground there must bee one judiciall law also as the summary of all judicials nay one Evangelicall law also as the head of all Evangelicals sprinkled here and there in Moses his writings of which we read Iohn 5.43 Rev. 10.6 7 8. with Deut. 30.12 13. Gal. 3.8 with Gen. 12.3 for judicials and Evangelicals are branches of the Covenant as well as ceremonials if Mr. Primrose his principle be true but if by his owne confession nine of them are morals and one of them only the head of ceremonialls how shall judiciall and Evangelicall summaries come in which either he must make room for in the Decalogue or acknowledge his foundation to be rotten upon which he hath built up one ceremoniall law among the nine moralls Thesis 36. It is true that among men the same body of Lawes may be framed up of divers articles as Mr. Primrose pleads but that the Decalogue was such a body as had ceremonials mixt with morals it can never be made good by any colour of proof except it be that which we have shewn will as strongly enforce an introduction of some one judiciall and another Evangelicall law into the Decalogue as well as one ceremoniall but such a confusion of Law and Gospell Evangelicals and judicials ceremonialls and morals the blessed God abhorres for it neither suits with Gods wisedome and end in giving the law nor yet with mans weaknesse which God pitties to make such a jumbling and confusion of things together for who can then tell what law is morall and what Evangelicall and what ceremoniall unlesse it be as was shewn by flying for light to the dictates and instinct of nature to shew unto poore deceitfull man what lawes are morall and what not wherein the remedy would have been as bad as the disease Thesis 37. If there must be one law in the Decalogue ceremoniall that so the more Authority may bee procured hereby as Mr. Primrose pleads unto all Gods Ordinances and therefore one of the ceremonials was written in the Decalogue with Gods owne finger and honoured with the like prerogatives as the morall lawes were which were immediately spoken by God himselfe Then if this reasoning be solid why was not one judiciall and another Evangelicall precept alike honoured also For was there not as much need to procure Authority to this as well as to ceremonials and yet wee see their Authority was sufficiently procured without
Commandment which therefore sets down the proper punishment for this sin So by love of God is not meant love of God at large which is seen in keeping every Command but in particular when we love God in his owne Ordinances and institutions Look therefore as hatred of God in setting up mans inventions and institutions which superstitious persons thinke to be much love to God is here condemned in the negative part of the Commandment so on the contrary love to God in closing with him and seeking of him in his owne Institutions whether Word or Sacraments c. is here enjoyned in the affirmative part of this Command and consequently not as Wallaeus would have it in the affirmative part of the fourth Command Keeping my Commandments being set downe as a fruit of this love and both together being opposed to hatred of God Hence by Commandments cannot be meant in generall all the ten Commandments as some imagine upon miserable weake grounds which I lift not to mention but in speciall Gods Institutions and Ordinances commanded in speciall by him to which humane inventions and Images of mens heads and hands are commonly in Scripture opposed and are therefore condemned because not commanded or because none of his Commandments Ier. 7.31 Deut. 12.30 31. Matth. 15.9 If therefore againe Gods Institutions and Commandments are here enjoyned in this second Commandment they cannot bee directly required in the fourth Command These things being thus cleared the objections of Wallaeus are easily answered For first he saith That from the negative part of this second Commandment cannot be gathered such an affirmative part as this is viz. That God will be worshipped by the Word and Sacraments But that this assertion thus barely propounded but not proved is false appeares from what hath been said concerning the true meaning of the negative part of this Command For if humane inventions under the name of graven Image bee forbidden then Divine Institutions such as Word and Sacraments bee are here commanded and from that negative any ordinary capacity may readily see what the affirmative is Hee saith again secondly That if instituted worship was contained under the affirmative part of the second Commandment then this Commandment is mutable because God was thus worshipped one way before Christ and another way since Christ but saith he the second Commandment is morall and therefore immutable and therefore such mutable worship cannot be enjoyned herein But we have formerly shewne that although this Commandment be morall and immutable in respect of it selfe yet in respect of the application of it to this or that object or thing commanded it may be in that respect mutable For it is an immutable law that God must be worshipped with his owne worship such as hee shall institute and this is the summe of the second Commandment it selfe yet the things instituted wherein there is onely an application of the command may be mutable the second Commandment doth not immutably binde to the observance of this or that particular instituted worship onely But to observe Gods instituted worship and to attend his appointments which is the onely morall law and rule in the affirmative part of this Command Hee thirdly objects That the worshipping of God in Word and Sacraments c. is never opposed in all the Scripture to the worshipping of Images But this is false for Gods Institutions of which Word and Sacraments are a part are frequently opposed to humane inventions the worship appointed by God to the worship devised by man Images of Gods devising are oft opposed to Images of mens owne inventing the voice of God which was onely heard with the eare is opposed to an Image or similitude which might bee seen Deut. 4.12 A graven Image a teacher of lies is opposed to the Lords teaching of truth and also to his presence in his Temple which was the seat of instituted worship Habak 2.18 19 20. The worship of Images which God would have abolished is opposed to the worship of God by Sacrifices and Ceremonies in the place which God should chuse Deuter. 12.1 to 20. but yet he tels us That to worship God in Images and to worship him in Spirit and Truth which is inward worship are opposite as also the lifting up of pure hands in every place John 4.28 1 Tim. 2.8 Hee tels us also that acknowledging of God in his Immensity and Infinite Majesty are opposed to Image-worship Rom. 1.20 21 22. Isa. 40.22 Bee it so But will it therefore follow that to worship God according to his own Institutions is not to worship him in Spirit and in Truth Is it rather a carnall than a spirituall worship to attend on God in Word and Sacraments May we not lift up pure hands in the use of Gods own institutions Is not Gods Immensity and Majesty acknowledged and seen in the use of his owne Ordinances as well as creatures and providences I confesse the blinder sort of Heathens might worship stocks and stones and Images of creeping things and four-footed Beasts in the place of God himselfe terminatively and God might account of all their Image-worship as such though used relatively and hence the opposition may well bee made between worshipping them as God and an infinite God and this worship as was said fals then under the first Commandment but assuredly this Image-worship which the Apostle condemnes Rom. 1.21 23. in debasing the infinite Majesty and limiting it to this and that Image wherein they did worship it is forbidden being only relative worship in the second Command For I think the Apostle in Rom. 1. hath an eye principally at the most lascivious Idolaters in the world viz. the Egyptians among whom principally we read of those Images of creeping things and foure-footed beasts in their Hierâ—gliphicks and yet we know that all that base worship did set out something or other of the Deity which therein and so relatively they did worship But I must not enter into the Discourse of these things here sufficient is said to cleare up this point viz. That Gods instituted worship fals directly under the second not fourth Command Thesis 62. It is true that the exercise of publick worship of many together is to be at this time upon the Sabbath but doth it follow that therefore this publick worship it self falls directly under this command For if publick Assemblies bee as some think a part of naturall worship so as that the light of nature directs all men dwelling together as creatures to worship God together publickly as Creator then this worship fals directly under the first not fourth Commandment where natural worship is directly commanded but if publick Assemblies be considered as distinct Churches politically united and combined publickly to worship God then such Churches considered thus as politicall not mysticall Assemblies do fall directly under the second Command as parts of instituted worship for as all devised formes of Churches whether Diocesan Provinciall Nationall Universall being the
inventions of man to further the worship of God are condemned directly in the second Command 〈◊〉 all such Churches as are framed into a spituall policy after the fashion and patterne of the Word and primitive institution are with leave of Erastus and his disciples enjoyned in the same Commandment and therefore not in the fourth Gomarus and Master Primrose therefore do much mistake the mark and scope of the fourth Commandment who affirme That as in the three first Commandments God ordained the inward and outward service which hee will have every particular man to yeeld to him in private and severally from the society of men every day so in the fourth Commandment he enjoyneth a service common and publick which all must yeeld together unto him forbearing in the mean while all other businesse But why should they think that publick worship is more required here than private Will they say that the Sabbath is not to bee sanctified by private and inward worship as well as by publick and externall worship Is not private preparation meditation secret prayer and converse with God required upon this day as well as publick praying and hearing the Word If they say that these are required indeed but 't is in reference to the publick and for the publick worship sake it may be then as easily replyed that the publick worship is also for the sake of the private that each man secretly and privately might muse and feed upon the good of publick helps they are mutually helpfull one to another and therefore are appointed one for another unlesse any will thinke that no more holinesse is required upon this day than while publick worship continues which we hope shall appeare to bee a piece of professed prophanesse In the meane while looke as they have no reason to thinke that private worship is required in this command because the exercise of private worship is at this time required so they have as little reason to thinke that the publick worship it selfe is herein enjoyned because the exercise of it is to be also at such a time It is therefore the time not the worship it self either publick or private which is here directly commanded although it be true that both of them are herein indirectly required viz. in relation to the Time Thesis 63. If therefore the morall worship it self whether publick externall or private be not directly required in this fourth Command much lesse is the whole Ceremoniall worship here enjoyned as Master Primrose maintaines for the whole Ceremoniall worship both in Sacrifices Ceremonies Typeâ— c. was significant and were as I may so say Gods Images or media cultus meanes of worship by carrying the minde and heart to God by their speciall significations and therefore were instituted worship and therefore directly contained under the second and therefore not under the fourth Command And if there bee but nine Commandments which are morall and this one by his reckoning is to bee ceremoniall and the head of all ceremonials and that therefore unto it all ceremoniall worship is to appertaine then the observation of a Sabbath is the greatest Ceremony according as wee see in all other Commandments the lesser sinnes are condemned under the grosser as anger under murder and lust under adultery and inferiour duties under the chief and principall as honouring the aged and Masters c. under honouring of parents and so if all Ceremonialls are referred to this then the Sabbath is the grossest and greatest ceremony one of them and if so then 't is a greater sinne to sanctifie a Sabbath at any time than to observe new moones and other festivals which are lesse Ceremoniall and are therefore wholly cashiered because ceremoniall and if so why then doth Master Primrose tell us That the Sabbath is morall for substance principall scope and end and that its unmeet for us to observe fewer dayes than the Iewes in respect of weekly Sabbaths Why is not the name and memoriall of the Sabbath abandoned wholly and utterly accursed from off the face of the earth as well as new moones and other Jewish festivals which upon his principles are lesse ceremoniall than the weekly Sabbath It may be an audacious Familist whose Conscience is growne Iron and whose brow is brasse through a conceit of his immunity from and Christian liberty in respect of any thing which hath the superscription of law or works upon it may abandon all Sabbaths together with new Moones equally but those I now aime at I suppose dare not nor I hope any pious minde else who considers but this one thing viz. that when the Lord commands us to Remember to keep the Sabbath holy hee must then according to this interpretation command us that above all other Commandments wee observe his Ceremoniall worship which they say is here enjoyned rather than his morall worship which they acknowledge to be enjoyned in all the other nine Commands at the gate of none of which Commands is written this word Remember which undoubtedly implyes a speciall attendance to bee shewne unto this above any other for as wee shall shew keepe this keep all break this slight this slight all and therefore no wonder if no other Command hath this word Remember writ upon the portall of â—t which word of fence denotes speciall affection and action in the Hebrew Language but I suppose it may strike the hardest brow and heart with terrour and horrour to go about to affix and impute such a meaning to this Commandment viz. That principally above all other duties we remember to observe those things which are ceremoniall for although the observation of Ceremonies bee urged and required of God as Master Primrose truely observes from Psalme 118.27 Ieremiah 17.26 Ioell 19.13 Malachy 1.7 8 10 13 14. yet that God should require and urge the observation of these above any other worship is evidently crosse to reason and expresly crosse to Scripture Isaiah 1.11 12 13 14 15. Isaiah 66.3 Psalme 50.13 Ieremiah 6.20 Amos 3.21 Micah 6.7 To remember therefore to keepe the Sabbath is not to remember to observe Ceremoniall duties Thesis 64. Nor should it seem strange that Jewish holy dayes are not here enjoyned where a holy time a Sabbath day is commanded for those Jewish holy dayes were principally instituted as Wallaeus well observes for signification of Christ and his benefits as may appeare from â— Cor. 5.7 Luke 4.19 Hebrewes 10.5 and therefore being significant were parts of instituted worship belonging to the second not fourth Command but the Sabbath day as shall be shewn is in its originall institution and consecration of another nature and not significant yet this may bee granted that ceremoniall holy dayes may be referred to the fourth Command as appendices of it and if Calvin Vrsin Danaeus and others aimâ— at no more it may bee granted but it will not follow from hence that they therefore belong to the second command indirectly and directly to the fourth
is not meant the weekly Sabbath for then say some what will you understand by new moons which are conjoyned with them yet these two things are evident 1. That Sabbaths and new moons were set times of worshipping God under the old Testament 2. That it is usuall with the Prophets to vaile and not alway to type out the worship and so the times of worship which were to be under the new Testament under the Ordinances of God observed in the old as may appeare Isa. 19.19 Mal. 1.11 as also by Ezekiels Temple and such like hence then it followes that although this place should not evict a seventh dayes Sabbath yet it demonstrates at least thus much that some let times and dayes shadowed out under the name of new moons and Sabbaths are to be observed under the new Testament and this is sufficient to prove the point in hand That all daies are not equall under the Gospell Thesis 78. The Kindome of heaven indeed doth not consist in meat and drink as the Apostle saith Rom. 14.17 i. in the use of externall indifferent things as those meats and drinks and some kind of dayes were or if in some sense it did yet not chiefely in them as if almost all religion did chiefely consist in them but doth it from hence follow that it consists not in things commanded nor in any set dayes of worship which are commanded If because the kingdom of God consists in internall peace and righteousnesse and joy of the holy Ghost that therefore all externall observances of times and duties of worship are not necessary to be attended by Gospel-worshippers as some secretly imagine then farewel all externall Preaching Sacraments Profession and Confession of the Name of Christ as well as Sabbaths and let such artists of licentiousnesse bring in all prophanesse into the world again by a law from heaven not condemning the acts of the outward man though never so abominable in abstinence from which by this rule the kingdome of heaven doth not consist Is it no honour to the King of glory as it is to earthly Princes to be served sometimes upon speciall Festivals in speciall state with speciall and glorious attendance by his people as well as after a common and usuall manner every day We have seen some who have at first held community of dayes onely to fall at last through the righteous judgment of God blinding their hearts to maintaine community of wives and that because the kingdome of God hath as they have thought consisted no more in outward relations as that is between Husbands and Wives than in the observation of externall circumstances and dayes Thesis 79. But this is not the ordinary principle by which many are led to maintaine an equality of dayes under the Gospel but this chiefely viz. that the morall law is not to bee a Christians rule of life for we aknowledge it to be no Covenant of life to a Beleever that either by the keeping of it he should be justified or that for the breach of it he should be condemned but they say that when a Believer hath life by the Covenant of grace the law is now not so much as a rule of life to such a one and then 't is no wonder if they who blow out the light of the whole morall law from being a light to their feet and a lamp to their paths if they hereby utterly extinguish this part of it viz. the Commandment of the Sabbath This dashing against the whole law is the very mystery of this iniquity why some doe cashier this law of the Sabbath and they doe but hide themselves behinde a thread when they oppose it by their weapons who therefore abandon it because it alone is ceremoniall above any other law Thesis 80. The Sabbath saith one is perpetuall and morall but not the Sabbath day the Sabbath which some make continuall and inward onely is perpetually to be observed but not the Sabbath day a Sabbath is by Divine ordination but a Sabbath day is to be observed onely as a humane constitution But they should doe well to consider whether that which they call an inward continuall Sabbath be inconsistent with a speciall day for I am sure that they under the old Testament were bound equally with us to observe a continuall Sabbath in resting from all sinne and resting in God by Iesus Christ Heb. 4.1 2. yet this did not exempt them from observing a speciall day A speciall day is a most powerfull meanes to Sabbatize every day Why then may not a Sabbath and a Sabbath day consist together An every day Sabbath is equally opposite to a time occasionally set as to a set day which the Commandment enjoyns and therefore if it exempts a Christian from observing a set day it sets him free also from all observation of any such set time for if because a Christian Sabbath ought to bee continuall and that therefore there ought to bee no set dayes then there should not bee any occasionally set times for the worship of God because these neither can be continuall and if there ought to be no such set times we may then bid good night to all the publick worship and glory of God in the world like the men with one eye to him who put his other eye quite out And if any here reply that there is not the like reason because holy time and days are not necessary but holy duties are necessary and therefore require some occasionall set time for them I answer That let the difference be granted yet that which I now dispute on is this ground and supposition onely viz. That if all set dayes are to bee abandoned because a Christians Sabbath ought to bee continuall and inward then all occasionall set times also are to bee abandoned upon the same ground because these cannot bee continuall and inward no more than the other as for them who think no holy day necessary but holy duties lawfull every day we have already and shall hereafter cleare up more fully in its proper place Mean while it is yet doubtfull to me whether those who follow Master Saltmarsh and some others will acknowledge the lawfulnesse of any occasionall set times for publick worship of hearing the word and prayer c. For he makes the bosome of the Father to bee the Christian Sabbath typified in the seventh day of the first Creation and he makes the six dayes of worke to be a type not onely of the Lord Iesus in his active and fulfilling administrations while he was in the flesh but also to be a figure of the Christian in bondage or to use his own words of a Christian under active and working administrations as those of the law and Gospel are as all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances c. From whence it will follow from his principles for I know not his practice that all formes of worship Duties Graces Prayer Ordinances are then to cease as types
and shadowes and figures when once the substance is come to wit when they come in this life to the highest attainment which is the bosome of the Father which bosome is the true Sabbath of a Christian man Now I confesse that the bosome of God in Christ is our rest and our All in All in heaven and our sweet consolation and rest on earth and that we are not to rest in any meanes Ordinances Graces Duties but to look beyond them all and to be carried by them above them all to him that is better than all to God in Christ Jesus but to make this bosome of God a kinde of canker-worme to fret and eat out the heart and being not only of all Sabbaths and Ordinances of worship but also of all duties and graces of Gods Spirit nay of Christ Jesus himself as he is manifested in the flesh and is an externall Mediator whom some lately have also cast into same box with the rest Being sent onely as they think to reveale but not to procure the Fathers love of delight and therefore is little else than a meere forme and so to cease when the Father comes in the room of all formes and so is All in All This I dare say is such a high affront to the precious bloud of Christ and his glorious Name and blessed Spirit of grace that he who hath his Furnace in Zion and his fire in Ierusalem will not beare it long without making their judgements and plagues at least spirituall exemplary and wonderfull and leading them forth in such crooked wayes with the workers of iniquity when peace shall be upon Israel Are these abstracted notions of a Deity into the vision and contemplation of whose amazing glory without seeing him as he is in Christ a Christian they say must be plunged lost and swallowed up and up to which hee must ascend even to the unaproachable light the true and onely Sabbath Are these I say the new and glorious light breaking out in these dayes which this age must wait for which are nothing else upon narrow search than Monkish imaginations the goodly cob-webs of the brain-imagery of those idolatrous and superstitious hypocrites the Anchorites Monks and Fryers who to make the blinde and simple world admire and gaze upon them gave it out hereby like Simon Magus that they were some great ones even the very power and familiars of God Surely in these times of distraction warre and bloud if ever the Lord called for sackcloth humiliation repentance faith graces holinesse precious esteem of Gods Ordinances and of that Gospel which hath been the power of God to the salvation of thousands now is the time and must Gods people reject these things as their A. B. C and must the new light of these times be the dreames and visions and slaverings of doting and deluded old Monks Shall the simplicity of Gospel-ministery bee rejected as a common thing and shall Harphius his Theologia Mystica Augustinus Elutherius Iacob Behmen Cusanus Raimundus Sebund Theologia Germanica and such like Monk-admirers be set up as the new lights and beacons on the mountaine of these elevated times Surely if so God hath his time and wayes of putting a better relish to his precious Gospel and the crosse of Christ which was wont in Pauls time to be plainly preached without such popish paintings and wherein Gods people knew how to reconcile their sweâ—â— rest in the bosome of the Father and their Sabbath day Thesis 81. If sinne which is the transgression of the law bee the greatest evill then holines which is our conformity to the law is our greatest good If sin be mans greatest misery then holinesse is mans greatest happinesse It is therefore no bondage for a Christian to be bound to the observance of the law as his rule because it onely binds him fast to his greatest happinesse and thereby directs and keeps him safe from falling into the greatest misery and woe and if the great designe of Christ in comming into the world was not so much as to save man from affliction and sorrow which are lesser evils but chiefely from sinne which is the greatest evill then the chiefe end of his comming was not as some imagine to lift his people up into the love and abstracted speculation of the Father above the law of God but into his owne bosome onely where only wee have fellowship with the Father above the Law of sinne Thesis 82. The bloud of Christ was never shed to destroy all sense of sin and sight of sinne in Beleevers and consequently all attendance to any rule of the law by which means chiefely sinne comes to be seen but he dyed rather to make them sensible of sinne for if he dyed to save men from sin as is evident 1 Iohn 3.5 Tit. 3.14 then hee dyed to make his people sensible of sinne because hereby his peoples hearts are chiefely weaned and sever'd from it and saved out of it as by hardnesse and unsensiblenesse of heart under it they chiefely cleave to it and it to them and therefore we know that godly sorrow workes repentance never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 And that Pharaoh's hardnesse of heart strengthened him in his sin against God unto the last gasp and hence it is also that the deepest and greatest spirit of mourning for sin is poured out upon Beleevers after God hath poured out upon them the spirit of grace as is evident Zach. 12.10 11. because the bloud of Christ which was shed for the killing of their sinne now makes them sensible of their sinne because it 's now sprinkled and applyed to them which it was not before for they now see all their sins aggravated being now not onely sinnes against the law of God but against the bloud and love of the Son of God It is therefore a most accursed doctrine of some Libertines who imagining that through the bloudshed and righteousnes of Christ in their free justification God sees no sinne in his justified people that therefore themselves are to see no sinne because now they are justified and washed with Christs bloud and therefore lest they should be found out to bee grosse liars they mince the matteâ— they confesse that they may see sinne by the eye of sense and reason but faith being crosse to reason they are therefore to see the quite contrary and so to see no sinne in themselves by the eye of faith from whence it followes that Christ shed his bloud to destroy all sight and sense of sin to the eye of faith though not to the eye of reason and thus as by the eye of faith they should see no sin so it will follow that by the same bloud they are bound to see no law no not so much as their rule which as a rule is index sui obliqui and in revealing mans duty declares his sinne I know that in beholding our free justification by the bloud of Christ we are to exclude all law
from our consciences as a covenant of life not to see or feare any condemnation for sinne or any sinne able to take away life But will it hence follow that a justified person must see no sinne by the eye of faith nor any law as his rule to walke by to discover sinne and is this the end and fruit of Christs death too Surely this doctrine if it be not blasphemous yet it may be knowne to be very false and pernicious by the old rule of judging false Doctrines viz. if either they tend to extenuate sinne in man or to vilifie the precious grace of Jesus Christ as this Doctrine doth Thesis 83. If sinne be the transgression of the law which is a truth written by the Apostle with the beams of the Sunne 1 Iohn 3.4 then of necessity a Beleever is bound to attend the law as his rule that so he may not sinne or transgresse that rule Psalme 119.11 for whoever makes conscience of sinne cannot but make conscience of observing the rule that so he may not sinne and consequently whoever make no conscience of observing the rule doe openly professe thereby that they make no conscience of committing any sinne which is palpable and downe-right Atheisme and prophanesse nay it is such prophanesse by some mens principles which Christ hath purchased for them by his bloud for they make the death of Christ the foundation of this liberty and freedome from the law as their rule the very thought of which abominable doctrine may smite a heart who hath the least tendernesse with horrour and trembling Porquius therefore a great Libertine and the Beelzebub of those flies in Calvins time shuts his sore eyes against this definition of sinne delivered by the Apostle and makes this onely to be a sinne viz. to see know or feele sinne and that the great sinne of man is to thinke that he doth sinne and that this is to put off the old man viz. Non cernendo amplius peccatum i. by not seeing sinne So that when the Apostle tels us that sinne is the trangression of the law Porquius tels us That sinne is the seeing and taking notice of any such transgression surely if they that confesse sinne shall finde mercy then they that will not so much as see sinne shall finde none at all A Beleever indeed is to dye unto the Law and to see no sinne in himselfe in point of imputation for so he sees the truth there being no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus but thus to dye unto the law so as to see no sinne inherent in himselfe against the law this is impious for so to see no sinne and die unto the law is an untruth if the Apostle may be believed 1 Iohn 1.10 Those that so annihilate a Christian and make him nothing and God all so that a Christian must neither scire velle or sentire any thing of himselfe but he must be melted into God and dye to these for then they say he is out of the flesh and live in God and God must bee himselfe and such like language which in truth is nothing else but the swelling leaven of the devout and proud Monks laid up of late in that little peck of meale of Theologia Germanica out of which some risen up of late have made their cakes for the ordinary food of their deluded hearers I say these men had need take heed how they stand upon this precipice and that they deliver their judgements warlly for although a Christian is to bee nothing by seeing and loathing himselfe for sinne that so Christ may bee all in all to him yet so to bee made nothing as to see know thinke feele will desire nothing in respect of ones selfe doth inevitably lead to see no sinne in ones selfe by seeing which the soule is most of all humbled and so God and Jesus Christ is most of all exalted and yet such a kind of annihilation the old Monks have pleaded for and preached also as I could shew abundantly from out of their own writings insomuch that sometime they counsell men not to pray because they must be so farre annihilated as nihil velle and sometimes they would feigne themselves unable to beare the burthen of the species of their own pitchers in their cels from one end of them unto another because forsooth they were so farre annihilated as neither to velâ—â— so neither to scire or know any thing beside God whom they pretended to be all unto them and themselves nothing when God knowes these things were but braine bubbles and themselves in these things as arrand hypocrites as the earth bore and the most subtle underminers of the grace of Christ and the salvation of mens soules Thesis 84. A true Beleever though he cannot keep the law perfectly as his rule yet he loves it dearely he blames his owne heart when he cannot keep it but doth not find fauâ—l with the law as too hard but cries out with Paul The law is holy and good but I am carnall hee loves this Coppy though hee can but scribble after it when therefore the question is made viz. Whether a Beleever be bound to the law as his rule the meaning is not whether he hath power to keep it exactly as his rule or by what meanes hee is to seek power to keep it but the question is whether it bee in its self a Beleevers rule for to be a rule is one thing but to be able to keep it and by what meanes we should keep it whether by our own strength or no or by power from on high is another Thesis 85. If the Apowle had thought that all Beleevers were free from this directive power of the law he would never have perswaded them to love upon this ground viz. because all the law is fulfilled in love Gal. 5.13 14. for they might then have câ—st off this argument as weak and feeble and have truely said if this principle were true what have wee to with the law Thesis 86. There is the inward law written on the heart called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 and there is the outward law revealed and written in the holy Scriptures now the externall and outward law is properly the rule of a Christian life and not the internall and inward law as some conceive for to outward law is perfect in that it perfectly declares what is Gods will and what not but the inward Law as received and writ in our hearts is imperfect in this life and therefore unfit to bee our rule The inward law is our actuall yet imperfect conformity to the rule of the law without it is not therfore the rule it selfe The law within is the thing to bee ruled Psal. 17.4 Psalme 119.4.5 The outward law therefore is the rule The law of the Spirit of life which is the internall law is called a law not in respect of perfect direction which is essentiall to the rule but in
respect of mighty and effectuall operation there being a power in it as of a strong law effectually and sweetly compelling to the obedience of the law For as the law of sinne within us which the Apostle calls the law of our members and is contrary to the law of our mindes or the law of the spirit of life within us is not the rule of knowing and judging what sinne is but the law of God without Romans 7.7 and yet it is called a law because it hath a compulsive power to act and encline to sin like a mighty and forcible law so the law of the spirit of life the law of our mindes is called a law not that it is the rule of a Christians life but that it compels the heart and forceth it like a living law to the obedience of that directing rule when it â—s made known to it from without It is therefore a great mistake to thinke that because God translates the law without into a Beleevers heart that therefore this heart-law is his only or principall rule of life or to imagine that the spirit without the externall law is the rule of life the spirit is the principle indeed of our obedience whereby we conforme unto the rule but it is not therefore the rule it selfe It is true indeed 1. That the spirit inclines the heart to the obedience of the rule 2. It illuminates the minde also many times to see it by secret shinings of preventing light as well as brings things to their remembrance which they knew before 3. It acts them also sometime so as that when they know not what to pray it prompts them Romans 8.26 When they know not what to speake before their Adversaries in that day it 's given to them Matth. 10.19 When they know not whither to goe nor how to goe it 's then a voice behinde them and leads them to fountaines of living waters Isaiah 30.21 Revel 7.17 But all these and such like quickning acts of the spirit doe not argue it to be our rule according to which wee ought to walke but only by which or by meanes of which we come to walke and are enclined directed and inabled to walke according to the rule which is the law of God without For the Pilot of the ship is not the compasse of the ship because that by the Pilot the ship is guided nor doth it argue that the Spirit is our rule because he guides us according to the rule It is not essentiall to the rule to give power to conforme unto it but to be that according to which we are to be conformed And therefore it 's a crazy argument to prove the law of the Spirit to be the rule of our life because it chiefly gives us power to conforme unto the rule for if the law be that according to which are to bee guided although it should give us no power yet this is sufficient to make it to be our rule Thesis 87. The Spirit of God which writ the Scriptures and in them this rule of the holy law is in the Scriptures and in that law as well as in a Beleevers heart and therefore to forsake and reject the Scriptures or this written rule is to forsake and reject the holy Spirit speaking in it as their rule nay 't is to forsake that Spirit which is the supreme Judge according to which all private spirits nay all the actings dictates movings speakings of Gods owne Spirit in us are to be tried examined and judged To the law and the testimony was the voice of the Prophets in their dayes Isa. 8.20 The Lord Christ himselfe referres the Jewes to the searching of Scriptures concerning himself Iohn 5.39 The men of Bereah are commended for examining the holy and infallible dictates of Gods Spirit in Pauls Ministery according to what was written in the Scriptures of old It is therefore but a cracking noise of windy words for any to say that they open no gap to licentiousnesse by renouncing the written and externall law as their rule considering that they cleave to a more inward and better rule viz. The law of the spirit within for as hath beene shewne they doe indeed renounce the holy Spirit speaking in the rule viz. the law without which though it be no rule of the Spirit as some object yet it is that rule according to which the Spirit guides us to walke and by which we are to judge whether the guidance bee the spirits guidance or no. Thesis 88. Some say That the difference between the old Testament dispensation and the new or pure Gospel and new Covenant is this to wit That the one or that of Moses was a Ministery from without and that of Christ from within and hence they say that the meer Commandments or letter of Scripture is not a law to a Christian why he should walke in holy duties but the law written on our hearts the law of life But if this bee the difference between the old and new Testament dispensation the ministery of the old and the ministery of the new then let all Beleevers burn their Bibles and cast all the sacred writings of the new Testament old unto spiders and cobwebs in old holes and corners and never be read spoken or meditated on for these externall things are none of Christs Ministery on which now Beleevers are to attend and then I marvaile why the Apostles preached or why they writ the Gospel for after times for that was the chiefe end of their writing as it was of the Prophets in their times Isaiah 30.8 that men might beleeve and beleeving have eternall life and know hereby that they have eternall life Iohn 20.31 1 Iohn 5.13 For either their writing and preaching the Gospell was not an externall and outward Ministry which is crosse to common sense or it was not Christs Ministery which is blasphemous to imagine and it is a vain shift for any to say That although it was Christs Ministery yet it was his Ministery as under the Law and in the flesh and not in meere glory and spirit for its evident that the Apostles preachings and writings were the effect of Christs ascension and glory Ephes. 4.8.11 when hee was most in the spirit and had received the spirit that hee might poure it out by this outward Ministery Acts 2.33 and it is a meer New-nothing and dream of Master Saltmarsh and and others to distinguish between Christ in the flesh and Christ in the Spirit as if the one Christ had a divers Ministery from the other For when the Comforter is come which is Christ in the Spirit what will he doe he will lead it s said unto all truth Iohn 16.13 But what truth will he guide us into Verily no other for substance but what Christ in the flesh had spoken and therefore it 's said that he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14.26 and therefore if I may use their
They that see how justly they deserve to bee forsaken of God and given over to their owne hearts lusts and to be for ever sinning and blaspheming God in hell where God will never command them to think of him speak of him doe for him pray to him more cannot but account it a high and speciall favour of Jesus Christ to command them any thing or bid them doe any thing for him a poore humbled prodigall will account it great love to bee made a hired servant Iohn Baptist will count it a high favour if he may but untie Christs shoe-latchet and bee commanded by him to doe the meanest worke for him David wondred at Gods grace toward him that God should command him and in some measure enable him to offer willingly Lord saith he what are wee I doe therefore marvaile how any can pretend that they are acted by the love of Christ and not by the law of commands considering that there is so much love in this for Christ to command and how they can professe their relish of preaching Gods free grace and love and yet cannot away with sweet and gracious exhortations pressing to holinesse and holy duties in the revealing and urging of which there is so much free-grace and heart-love of Christ Jesus surely if the love of Christ is to lead us then the commands of Christ wherein hee discovers one chiefe part of his love are to guide us and be a rule of life unto us The man who in his cool and deliberate thoughts imagines that a Christian under the rule of the law is a Christian under bondage may be justly feared that himself is still under the bondage of sin and Satan and never yet knew what the true love of Christ Iesus is to this day Thesis 93. The fundamentall errour of Antinomians ariseth from this in imagining the great difference between the law and Gospell to be this viz. That the law requires doing but the Gospel no doing and that all beleevers being under the Gospell are therefore under no law of doing but wee must know that as the Gospell exacts no doing that thereby we may be just so it requires doing also when by Christ Iesus we are made just For if the Gospell command us to be holy as God is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 and perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5.48 then the Gospel doth not onely require doing but also as much perfection of doing as the Law doth the Law and the Gospell require the same perfection of holinesse onely here is the difference which many have not observed the Gospel doth not urge this perfection nor require it of us as the Law doth for the law calling and urging of it that so hereby we may be made just it therefore accepts of nothing but perfection but the Gospell requiring it because wee are perfectly just already in Christ hence though it commands as much as the Law yet it accepts of lesse even the least measure of sincerity and perfection mixed with the greatest measure of imperfection Thesis 94. The Law say some of the Antinomians is to bee kept as an eternall rule of righteousnesse but their meaning then is That beleevers are thus to keep it in Christ who hath kept it for them and if they meant no more but that Christ hath kept it for righteousnesse to their justification they speak truely but their meaning herein is not only in respect of their justification but also in respect of their sanctification for they make Christs righteousnesse to bee materially and formally their sanctification hence they say A beleever hath repented in Christ and mortified sinne in Christ and that mortification and vivification is nothing but a beleeving that Christ hath mortified sinne for them and beene quickned for them and that That sanctification which is inherent in Christ and not that which is inherent in us is an evidence of our justification But this principle which confounds a Christians justification and sanctification as it casts the seed of denying all inherent graces in a Beleever so it layes the basis of refusing to doe any duty or conforme to any law in our owne persons for if this principle bee true which no Orthodox writer doubts of viz. That we are to seek for no righteousnesse in our selves to our justification because wee are perfectly just and made righteous for that end in Christ then it will undenyably follow that wee are not to seek for any holinesse and sanctification in our selves because we are perfectly sanctified also in Christ Iesus who hath repented and beleeved and mortified sinne perfectly for us in his owne person Look therefore as the perfection of Christs righteousnesse to our justification should make a Christian abhorre any personall righteousnesse of his owne to his justification so if wee bee perfectly sanctified in Christ then perfection of Christs holinesse to our sanctification should make a beleever not onely renounce the Law but to abhor all personall holines through the Spirit to our sanctification and then a Beleever must abhor to seek any love or feare of God in his heart which is not painted but professed prophanesse and the inlet not per accidens but per se to all manner of loosenesse and wickednesse in the world Thesis 95. Wee deny not but that Christ is our sanctification as well as our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 but how not materially and formally but virtually and meritoriously and with meet explications exemplarily our righteousnesse to our justification is inherent in him but our sanctification is inherent in our selves yet it is derived from him and therefore it is virtually and meritoriously onely in him and hence it is that wee are never commanded to justifie our selves unlesse it be instrumentally and sacramentally when as we are commanded by faith to wash our selves Isa. 1.16 and as Paul at his baptisme was commanded to wash away his sinnes Acts 22.16 but wee are frequently and abundantly exhorted to repent beleeve mortifie our affectiions upon earth to walke in newnesse of life to be holy in all manner of conversation c. because these things are wrought by Christ in us to our sanctification and not wrought in Christ for us as our righteousnesse to our justification Thesis 96. They that are in Christ are said to be compleat in Christ Col. 2.10 and that they receive all grace from his fulnesse Iob. 1.16 so that is seemes that there is no grace in themselves but it is first in him and consequently that their sanctification is perfected in him but wee must know that though the perfection and fulnesse of all grace is first in Christ yet that beleevers have not all in him after one and the same manner nor for the same end for our righteousnesse to our justification is so in him as never to be inherent in us in this or in the world to come but our righteousnesse to our sanctification is so farre in him as that it is to be derived
these things because commanded let him then quit himselfe from hypocrisie and himselfe from being a deep hypocrite in all these if he can Surely those who straine at this gnat viz. not to doe a duty because commanded will make no bones of swallowing down this camell viz. not to forsake sinne because 't is forbidden and whosoever shall forsake sinne from any other ground shewes manifestly hereby that hee hath little conscience of Gods command I know the love of Christ should make a Christian forsake every sin but the last resolution and reason thereof is because his love forbids us to continue in sinne for to act by vertue of a command is not to act onely as a creature to God considered as a Creator but by vertue of the will and commandment of God in a Redeemer with whom a Beleever hath now to doe Thesis 101. To act therefore by vertue of a command and by vertue of Christs Spirit are subordinate one to another not opposite one against anotherâ— as these men carry it This caution being ever remembred that such acting bee not to make our selves just but because we are already just in Christ not that hereby wee might get life but because we have life given us already not to pacifie Gods justice but to please his mercy being pacified toward us by Christ already for as Iunius well observes a great difference between placare Deum and placere Deo i. between pacifying God and pleasing God for Christs bloud onely can pacifie justice when it is provoked but when revenging justice is pacified mercy may be pleased with the sincere and humble obedience of sons Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.21 When a Beleever is once justified hee cannot be made more just by all his obedience nor lesse just by all his sins in point of justification which is perfected at once but he who is perfectly justified is but imperfectly sanctified and in this respect may more or lesse please God or displease him be more just or lesse just and holy before him It is I confesse a secret but a common sinne in many to seek to pacifie God when they perceive or feare his anger by some obedience of their own and so to seek for that in themselves chiefely which they should seek for in Christ and for that in the Law which is onely to be found in the Gospel but corrupt practises in others should not breed as usually they doe corrupt opinions in us and to cast off the law from being a rule of pleasing God because it is no rule to us of pacifying of God For if wee speak of revenging not fatherly anger Christs bloud can onely pacifie that and when that is pacified and God is satisfied our obedience now pleaseth him and his mercy accepts it as very pleasing the rule of which is the precious law of God Thesis 102. They that say the law is our rule as it is given by Christ but not as it was given by Moses doe speak niceties at least ambiguities for if the Lord Christ give the law to a Beleever as his rule why should any then raise a dust and affirme that the law is not our rule For the Law may be considered either materially or in it selfe as it containes the matter of the Covenant of works and thus considered a Beleever is not to be regulated by it for he is wholly free from it as a covenant of life or it may be considered finally or rather relatively as it stood in relation and reference unto the people of the God of Abraham who were already under Abrahams Covenant which was a Covenant of free-grace viz. To be his God and the God of his seed Gen. 17.7 And in this latter respect the law as it was given by Moses was given by Christ in Moses and therefore the rule of love toward man commanded by Moses is called the law of Christ Gal. 6.2 For the law as it was applyed to this people doth not run thus viz. Doe all this and then I will be your God and redeemer for this is a Covenant of workes but thus viz. I am the Lord thy God viz. by Abrahams Covenant who brought thee out of the land of Egypt and house of bondage Therefore thou shalt doe all this If therefore the law delivered by Moses was delivered by Christ in Moses then there is no reason to set Christ and Moses together by the eares in this respect I now speake of and to affirme that the law not as delivered by Moses but as given by Christ is our law and rule Thesis 103. The law therefore which containes in it selfe absolutely considered which Luther cals Moses Mosissimus the Covenant of works yet relatively considered as it was delivered by Moses to a people under a Covenant of grace which the same Author cals Moses Aaronicus so it is not to bee considered onely as a Covenant of workes and therefore for any to affirme that the law is no Covenant of works as it is delivered on Mount Sion and by Jesus Christ and that it is a Covenant of works onely as it is delivered on Mount Sinai and by Moses is a bold assertion both unsafe and unsound For if as it was delivered on Mount Sinai it was delivered to a people under a Covenant of grace then it was not delivered to them onely as a Covenant of workes for then a people under a Covenant of grace may againe come under a Covenant of works to disanull that Covenant of grace but the Apostle expressely affirmes the quite contrary and shewes that the Covenant made with Ahraham and his seed which was to be a God to them Gen. 17.7 and which was confirmed before of God in Christ the law which was foure hundred and thirty yeares after cannot disanull Gal. 3.17 Now that the people were under a Covenant of grace when the law was delivered on Mount Sinai let the Preface of the ten Commandments determine wherein Gods first words are words of grace I am the Lord thy God c. and therefore thou shalt have no other Gods but mee c. I know Paraeus Zanchy and others affirme that the law is abrogated as it was in the hands of Moses but not as it is in the hand of Christ but their meaning is at sometime in respect of the manner of administration of the Law under Moses and when they speake of the morall law simply considered yet it never entred into their hearts that the law as delivered on mount Sinai was delivered onely as a Covenant of works as some would maintain Thesis 104. But there is a greater mystery intended by some in this phrase as given by Christ for their meaning is this to wit As Christ by his Spirit writes it in our hearts not any way a rule as written by Moses A Beleevers heart saith Master Saltmarsh is the very law of Commands and the two Tables of Moses and in this respect it becomes not saith he the glory of
be set to do the same work and have the same rule given them to act by but the motives to this their work and the stripes and punishments for neglect of their work may be various and divers a son may be bound to it because he is a son and beloved a servant may be bound to do the same work because he is hired and shall have wages if the son neglect his work his punishment is only the chastisement of a father for his good if a servant be faulty he is turned quite out of doors So although Beleevers in Christ and those that are out of Christ haue divers and various motives to the obedience of the law of God yet these do not vary the rule the law of God is the rule to them both although they that be out of Christ have nothing but fear and hope of wages to urge them and those that are in Christ should have nothing but the love of a Father and the heart-bloud mercy of a tender Saviour and Redeemer to compell them the one may be bound to do that so they may live the other may be bound to do because they do live the one may be bound to do or else they shall be justly plagued the other may be bound to do the same or else they shall be mercifully corrected It is therefore a meer feeblenesse to think as some do that the law or rule is changed because the motives to the obedience of it and punishment for the breach of it are now unto a beleever changed and aâ—tâ—ed for the Commandment urged from Châ—ists love may binde strongly yea most strongly to doe the same thing which the same Commandment propounded and received in way of hiâ—e may binde also unto Thesis 112. Some think that there is no sin but unbelief which is a sin against the Gospel only and therefore there being no sin against any law Christ having by his death abolished all them the law cannot be a rule to them An adulterous and an evill generation made drunk with the cup of the wine of the wrath of God and strong delusion do thus argue Are drunkenesse whoredom lying cheating witchcraft oppression theft buggery no sins and consequently not to be repented of nor watcht against but only unbelief Is there no day of judgement wherein the Lord will judge men not only for unbelief but the secrets of all hearts and whatever hath been done in the body whether good or evil according to Pauls Gospel Rom. 2.16 2 Cor. 5.10 How comes the wrath of God to be revealed from heaven not only against unbelief but against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of man Rom. 1.18 If there was no sin but unbelief how can all flesh Jews and Gentiles become guilty before God that so they may beleeve in the Gospel as 't is Rom. 3 21 12 â—3 24 if they are all guiltlesse untill unbelief comes in There is no sin indeed which shall condemn a man in case he shall beleeve but will it follow from hence that there is no sin in a man but only unbelief A sick man shall not die in case he receive the Physick which will recover him but doth it follow from hence that there is no sicknesse in him or no such sicknesse which is able to kill him but only his wilfull refusing of the Physick surely his refusing of the Physick is not the cause of his sicknesse which was before not the naturall for that his sicknesse is but only the morall cause of his death Sin is before unbelief comes a sick sinner before a healing Saviour can be rejected sin kils the soul as it were naturally unbelief morally no sin shall kill or condemn us if we beleeve but doth it follow from hence that there is no sin before or after faith because there is no condemning sin unlesse we fall by unbelief No such matter and yet such is the madnesse of some prophets in these times who to abandon not only the directive use of the law but also all preparing and humbling work of the law and to make mens sinning the first foundation and ground of their beleeving do therefore either abolish all the being of any sin beside unbelief or the condemned estate of a man for sin yea for any sin untill he refuse Christ by unbelief for publishing which pernicious doctrines it had been well for them if they had never been born Thesis 113. One would wonder how any Christians should fall into this pit of perdition to deny the directive use of the law to one in Christ if either they read Ps. 119. with any savour or the Epistles of Iohn Iames with any faith in which the law is highly commended and obedience thereto urged as the happinesse and chief evidence of the happinesse of man but that certainly the root of this accursed doctrine is either a loose heart which is grown blind and bold and secretly glad of a liberty not so much from the law of sin as from the law God or if the heart be sincere in the main yet it slights the holy Scriptures at present and makes little conscience of judging in the matters of God according unto them for if it did it could hardly fall into â—his dirty ditch out of which the good Lord deliver and out of which I am perswaded he will deliver in time all those that are his own for I much question the salvation of that man who lives and dies with this opinion and as every errour is fruitfull so this is in speciall for from this darkning the directive use of the morall law arise amidst many others these ensuing evils which are almost if not altogether deadly to the souls men they are principally these three Thesis 114. The first is a shamefull neglect in some affecting foolishly the name of new Testament Ministers of a wise and powerfull preaching of the law to make way by the humbling work of it for the glorious Gospel and the affectionate entertainment thereof for through the righteous judgement of God when men once begin to abandon this use of the law as a rule they abolish much more readily this use of the law to prepare men thereby for the receiving of Christ I know there are some who acknowledge this use of the law to be our rule but not to prepare but how long they may be orthodox in the one who are heterodox in the other the Lord only knows for I finde that the chief arguments against the one do strike strongly against the other also It 's an easie thing to cast blocks before the blinde and to cast mists before the face of the clearest truth and to make many specious shews of new Testament Ministry free-grace and Covenant against this supposed legall way and preparing work but assuredly they that have found and felt the fruit and comfort of this humbling way for which I doubt not but that thousands and thousands are blessing God in heaven that ever they
the shew of a rationall answer though some have endeavoured it with all wilinesse 3. That whereas by this doctrine they would clear up the way to a full and setled evidence and Christian assurance they do hereby utterly subvert the principall foundation of all setlednesse and assurance of faith which is this viz. that if Jesus Christ be given to death for me then he will certainly give all other things to me if we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more shal we be saved by his life if Christ hath died and risen for us who then shall condemn who shall then seperate us from Gods love Rom. 8.32 Rom. 6.9 10. But if they hold no such principles I would then know how any man can have evidence of this viz. that God loves him and that Christ hath died for him while he is a sinner and as he is a sinner or how any Minister of the New Testament can say to any man under the power of his sins and the devil that he is not condemned for his sins but that God loves him and that Christ hath died for him without preaching falsehoods and lies and dreams of their own heart for 1. God hath not loved nor elected all sinners nor hath Christ died for all sinners 2. If every man be in a state of condemnation before he beleeve the Gospel then no man can be said to be in a state of reconciliation and that God hath loved him untill he refuse the Gospel but every man is in a state of condemnation before he beleeve because our Saviour expresly tel us that by faith we passe from death to life Ioh. 5.24 and he that hath not the son hath not life 1 Ioh. 5.12 and therefore if those be Ministers of the new Testament who first preach to all the drunkards and whoremongers and villaines in a parish that God loves them and that they are reconciled by Christ death and that they may know it because they are sinners then let the heavens hear and the earth know that all such Ministers are false Prophets and cry Peace Peace where God proclaims wrath and that they acquit them whom God condemns and if they be Ministers of the Old Testament spirit who first shew men their condemned estate and then present God as wroth against them while they be in their sin that so they may prize and fly to favour and free grace then such are Ministers of the old Testament and not of the new because they preach the truth and if preaching the truth be an old Testament Ministry no wise man then I hope will desire the new wine for the old is better while the Lion sleeps and God is silent and conscience slumbers all the beasts and wilde sinners of the world and many preachers too may think that there is no terrour in God no curse or wrath upon themselves in the midst of the rage increase and power of all their sins but when this lion roars and God awakens and conscience looks above head they shall then see how miserably they have been deceived they may slight sin abolish condemnation talk of and wonder at free-grace now and beleeve easily because they are sinners but certainly they shall be otherwise minded then Some men may have good ends in preaching Gods free-grace after this manner in the Gospel and make the Gospel a revelation of Gods actuall love to sinners as sinners and make a Christians evidence of it nothing else but the sight of his sin and of his being under the power of it but little do they think what Satan the father of this false doctrine aims at which are these four things chiefly 1. That sanctification faith c. might be no evidence at all to a Christian of a good estate for this they say is a doubtfull evidence and an unsettling way of assurance because they will hereby be as bones out of joynt in and out humbled to day and then comforted but hard-hearted to morrow and then at a losse whereas to see ones self a sinner that is a constant evidence for we are alway sinners and the Gospel proclaims peace to sinners as sinners 2. That so men may keep their lusts and sins and yet keep their peace too for if peace be the portion of a man under the power of sin and Satan look then as he may have it why may he not keep it upon the same terms And therefore W. C. saith That if conscience object thou art an hypocrite perhaps truly yet a hypocrite is but a sinner and Gods love belongs to sinners as sinners And if this be thus what doth this doctrine aim at but to reconcile God and Belial Christ and Mammon not onely to open the door to all manner of wickednesse but to comfort men therein 3. That so he may bring men in time purposely to sin the more freely that so they may have the clearer evidence of the love of God for if Gods love be revealed to sinners as sinners then the more sinfull the more clear evidence he hath of Gods love and therefore one once intangled with these delusions was inticed to commit a grosse wickednesse that more full assurance might be attained 4. That so the true preaching and Ministry of the Gospel of Gods free-grace might be abolished at least despised which is this viz. Thou poor condemned sinner here is Christ Jesus and with him eternall remission of sins and reconciliation if thou believe and receive this grace offered humbly and thankfully for this is Gospel Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.16 Rom. 10.5 6 7 8. Rom. 3.14 25. Act. 8.37 And hence Mr. W.C. hath these words That if the Gospel hold forth Christ and salvation upon beleeving as many saith he preach it were then little better tidings then the law Ah wretched unworthy speech that when Jesus Christ himselfe would shew the great love of God unto the world Ioh. 3.16 he makes it out by two expressions of it 1. That the father sent his only Son 2. That whosoever did beleeve in him or if they did beleeve in him they should have eternall life The Lord shews wonderfull love that whoever beleeve may have Christ and eternall life by beleeving but this doctrine breathing ouâ— Gods dearest love by this mans account is little better then law which breaths out nothing but wrath But why doth he speak thus Because saith he it is as easie to keep the ten Commandements as to beleeve of ones self Very true as to beleeve of ones self but what is this against the preaching and holding forth Christ and salvation upon condition of beleeving For is not this preaching of the Gospel the instrument and means of working that faith in us which the Lord requires of us in the Gospel And must not Jesus Christ use the means for the end Were not those three thousand brought into Christ by faith by Peters promise of remission of sins upon their repentance Were not many filled
the Law but the hardnesse of their stony hearts which the Law writ upon them was not able to overcome and t is true that the stony Tables did signifie stony hearts but its false that the writing on stone did not signifie continuance also according to Scripture phrase For all the children of God have stony hearts by nature now God hath promised to write his Law upon such hearts as are by nature stony and his writing of them there implies the continuance of them there so that both these may stand together and the similitude is fully thus viz. The whole Law of God was writ on Tables of stone to continue there so the whole Law of God is writ on stony hearts by nature to continue thereon Thesis 144. Only morall Laws and all morall Laws are thus summarily and generally honoured by God the ten Commandements being Christian pandects and common heads of all morall duties toward God and men Under which generals all the particular morall duties in the Commentaries of the Prophets and Apostles are virtually comprehended and contained and therefore Mr. Primrose's argument is weake who thinks that this honour put upon the Decalogue doth not argue it to be morall Because then many other particular morall Laws set down in Scripture not in Tables of stone but in parchments of the Prophets and Apostles should not be morall For we doe not say that all morall Laws particularly were thus specially honoured but that all and only morall Laws summarily were thus honoured in which summaries all the particulars are contained and in that respect equally honoured It may affect ones heart with great mourning to see the many inventions of mens hearts to blot out this remembrance of the Sabbath day they first cast it out of Paradise and shut it out of the world untill Moses time when in Moses time it s published as a Law and crowned with the same honour as all other morall Laws yet then they make it to be but a ceremoniall Law continuing onely until the comming of Christ after which time it ceaseth to be any Law at all unlesse the Churches constitution shall please to make it so which is worst of all Thesis 145. Every thing indeed which was published by Gods immediate voyce in promulgating of the Law is not morall and common to all but some things so spoken may be peculiar and proper to the Jews because some things thus spoken were promises or motives only annexed to the Law to perswade to the obedience thereof but they were not Laws for the question is whether all Laws spoken and writ thus immediately were not morall but the argument which some produce against this is From the promise annexed to the fifth Command concerning long life and from the motive of redemption out of the house of bondage in the preface to the Commandments both which they say were spoken immediatly but yet were both of them proper unto the Iews But suppose the promise annexed to the fifth Commandement be proper to the Jews and ceremoniall as Master Primrose pleads which yet many strong reasons from Eph. 6.2 may induce one to deny what is this to the question which is not concerning Promises but Commandements and Laws Suppose also that the motive in the Preface of the Commandments literally understood is proper to the Jews yet this is also evident that such reasons and motives as are proper to some and perhaps ceremoniall may be annexed to morall laws which are common to all nor wil it follow that laws are therefore not common because the motives thereto are proper We that dwel in America may be perswaded to love and feare God which are morall duties in regard of our redemption and deliverances from out of the vast sea storms we once had and the tumults in Europe which now are which motives are proper to our selves Promises and motives annexed to the Commandements come in as means to a higher end viz. obedience to the Laws themselves and hence the Laws themselves may be morall and these not so though immediatly spoken because they be not chiefly nor lastly intended herein I know Wallaeus makes the preface to the Commandments a part of the first Commandment and therefore he would hence infer that some part at least of a Commandment is proper to the Jews but if these words contain a motive pressing to the obedience of the whole how is it possible that they should be a part of the law or of any one law For what force of a law can there be in that which only declares unto us who it is that redeemed them out of Egypts bondage For it cannot be true which the same Author affirms that in these words is set forth only who that God is whom we are to have to be our God in the first Commandement but they are of larger extent shewing us who that God is whom we are to worship according to the first Commandement and that with his own worship according to the second and that reverently according to the third and whose day we are to sanctifie according to the fourth and whose wil we are to doe in all duties of love toward man according to the severall duties of the second Table and therefore this declaration of God is no more a part of the first then of any other Commandment and every other Commandement may challenge it as a part of themselves as well as the first Thesis 146. It is a truth as immovable as the pillars of Heaven That God hath given to all men universally a rule of life to conduct them to their end Now if the whole Decalogue be not it what shall The Gospel is the rule of our faith but not of our spirituall life which flows from faith Gal. 2.20 Ioh. 5.24 The law therefore is the rule of our life now if nine of these be a compleat rule without a tenth exclude that one and then who sees not an open gap made for all the rest to goe out at also For where wil any man stop if once this principle be laid viz. That the whole law is not the rule of life May not Papists blot out the second also as some of Cassanders followers have done all but two and as the Antinomians at this day do all and have they not a good ground laid for it who may hence safely say that the Decalogue is not a rule of life for all Mr. Primrose that he might keep himselfe from a broken head here sends us for salve to the light of nature and the testimony of tbe Gospel both which saith he maintain and confirm the morality of all the other Commandements except this one of the Sabbath But as it shall appeare that the Law of the Sabbath hath confirmation from both if this direction was sufficient and good so it may be in the mean time considered why the Gentiles who were universall Idolaters and therefore blotted out the light of nature as Mr. Primrose confesseth
Our Saviour indeed doth not speak particularly about the law of the Sabbath as he doth of killing and adultery c. but if therefore it be not morall because not spoken of here then neither the first second or fift command are morall because they are not expresly opened in this Chapter for the scope of our Saviour was to speak against the Pharisaicall interpretations of the Law in curtalling of it in making grosse murder to be forbidden but not anger adultery to be forbidden but not lust which evil they were not so much guilty of in point of the Sabbath but they rather made the Phylacteries of it too broad by overmuch strictnesse which our Saviour therefore elsewhere condemns but not a word tending to abolish this Law of the Sabbath Thesis 150. If therefore the Commandment is to be accounted morall which the Gospel reinforceth and commends unto us according to Mr. Primrose principles then the fourth Commandment may wel come into the account of such as are morall but the places mentioned and cleared out of the New Testament evince thus much The Lord Jesus comming not to destroy the Law of the Sabbath but to establish it and of the breach of which one Law he that is guilty is guilty of the breach of all Thesis 151. If the observation of the Sabbath had been first imposed upon man since the fall and in speciall upon the people of the Jews at mount Sinai there might be then some colour and reason to cloath the Sabbath with rags and the worn-out garments of ceremonialnesse but if it was imposed upon man in innocency not only before all types and ceremonies but also before all sin and upon Adam as a common person as a Commandement not proper to that estate nor as to a particular person and proper to himselfe then the morality of it is most evident our adversaries therefore lay about them here that they might drive the Sabbath out of Paradise and make it a thing altogether unknown to the state of innocency which if they cannot make good their whole frame against the morality of the Sabbath fals flat to the ground and therefore it is of no small consequence to clear up this truth viz. That Adam in innocency and in him all his posterity were commanded to sanctifie a weekly Sabbath Thesis 152. One would thinke that the words of the Text Gen. 2.2 3. were so plain to prove a Sabbath in that innocent estate that there could be no evasion made from the evidence of them for it is expresly said that the dâ—y the Lord rested the same day the Lord blessed and sanctified but we know he rested the Seventh day immediatly after the Creation and therefore he immediately blessed and sanctified the same day also for the words runne copulatively he rested the Seventh day and he blessed and sanctified that day but its strange to see not only what odde evasions men make from this cleare truth but also what curious Cabilismes and fond interpretations men make of the Hebrew Text the answer to which learned Rivet hath long since made which therefore I mention not Thesis 153. The words are not thus copulative in order of story but in order of time I say not in order of story and discourse for so things far distant in time may â—e coupled together by this copulative particle And as Mr. Primrose truly shews Exod. 16.32 33. 1 Sam. 17.54 but they are coupled and knit together in respect of time for it is the like phrase which Moses immediatly after useth Gen. 5.1 2. where t is said God created man in his Image and blessed them and called their names c. which were together in time so t is here the time God rested that time God blessed for the scope of the words Gen 2.1 2 3. is to shew what the Lord did that seventh day after the finishing of the whole creation in six daiâ—s and that is He blessed and sanctified it For look as the scope of Moses in making mention of the six daies orderly was to shew what God did every particular day so what else should be the scope in making mention of the seventh day unlesse it was to shew what God did then on that day and that is he then rested and blessed and sanctified it even then in that state of innocency Thesis 154. God is said Gen. 2.1 2 3. to blesse the Sabbath as he blessed other creatures but he blessed the creatures at that time they were made Gen. 1.22 28. and therefore he blessed the Sabbath at that time he rested Shall Gods work be presently blessed and shall his rest be then without any Was Gods rest a cause of sanctifying the day many hundred yeers after as our adversaries say and was theâ—e not as much cause then when the memory of the creation was most fresh which was the fittest time to remember Gods work in M. Primrose tels us that the creatures were blessed with a present benediction because they did constantly need it but there was no necessity he saith that man should solemnize the seventh as soon as t is made but as we shall shew that man did then need a speciall day of blessing so t is a sufficient ground of believing that then God blessed the day when there was a full and just and sufficient cause of blessing which is Gods resting it being also such a cause as was not peculiar to the Jews many hundred yeers after but common to all mankinde Thesis 155. The Rest of God which none question to be in innocency immediatly after the creation was either a naturall rest as I may call it that is a bare cessation from labour or a holy rest i. a rest set apart in exemplum or for example and for holy uses but it was not a naturall rest meerly for then it had been enough to have said that at the end of the sixt day God rested but we see God speaks of a day the seventh day God hath rested with a naturall rest or cessation from creation ever since the end of the first sixt day of the world untill now why then is it said that God rested the seventh day Or why is it not rather said that he began his rest on that day but that it is limited to a day Certainly this argues that he speaks not of naturall rest meerly or that which ex natura reâ— follows the finishing of his work for it 's then an unfit and improper speech to limit Gods rest within the ciâ—cle of a day and therefore he speaks of a holy rest then appointed for holy uses as an example for holy rest which may well be limited within the compasse of a day and hence it undeniably follows that if God rested in innocency with such a rest then the seventh day was then sanctified it being the day of holy rest Thesis 156. It cannot be shewn that ever God made himself an example of any act but that in the present
The end of daies and why may not this be the end of the daies of the week a known division of time and most famous from the beginning of the world as Râ—vet demonstrates out of the best Antiquaries rather then at the end of the moneths of the yeere But 't is not good to wrastle with probabilities of which many are given which do rather darken then clear up this cause This only may be added that suppose the Patriarks observed no Sabbath from mans fall to Moses time yet it will not follow that man in innocency was a stranger to it because man in his apostacy forgot or did not regard to keep it Thesis 172. If therefore it was a duty which Adam and his posterity were bound to keepe by a Law given them in innocency Then it undeniably follows that the observance of a Sabbath doth not depend upon great numbers of people to sanctifie it for at first creation the number was but two and yet they both were bound to observe it then nor yet is it to be cast aside through any mans freedom from worldly imcumbrances whereby he hath liberty to serve God more frequently every day for thus it was also in the state of innocency and yet the Sabbath to be observed then It is therefore unsound which M. Primrose affirms herein viz. That the consecration of a certain day for Gods service is not necessary but then only when many troop together and make up the body of a great Assembly and that therefore it may be doubted whether the Patriarks having but small families and little cumber observed any Sabbath but rather served God alike every day with great ease and assiduity and that therefore there was no need nor cause of a Sabbath till they became a numerous people at mount Sinai But beside what hath been said how will it appeare that the posterity of Seth called the sons of God Gen. 6.1 2. were not a numerous people Or that Abrahams family was so small out of which he could gather three hundred fighting men to pursue five mighty Princes in battell But suppose they were few yet have not small companies and particular persons as much need of the blessing of a Sabbath and speciall communion with God therein as great numbers and troops of people Is not the observation of the Sabbath built upon better and surer grounds mentioned in Scripture then bignesse of number and freedom from cumbers not mentioned at all Thesis 173. If Adams fall was before the Sabbath as Mr. Broad and some others otherwise orthodox in this point of the Sabbath conceive by too much inconsiderate wresting of Psal. 49.12 Iohn 8.44 yet it will not hence follow that he had no such command in innocency to observe the Sabbath before his fall For whether man had fallen or no yet the thing it selfe speaks that God was determined to work six dayes in making the world and to rest and so to sanctifie the seventh that hee might therein be exemplary to man and consequently God would have given this law and it should have been a rule to him whether he fell or no and indeed the seventh daies rest depends no more upon mans fall then the six daies worke of creation which we see were all finished before the fall the seventh daies holinesse being more sutable to that state then the six daies labour to which we see he was appointed if Gods example had any force to direct and lead him thereunto Againe if the law of labour was writ upon his heart before he was actually called forth to labour viz. To dresse and keep the garden Gen. 2.15 why might not also the law of holy rest be revealed unto him by God and so answerably writ upon his heart before he fell or came actually to rest upon the Sabbath Little of Adams universall obedience to the Law of workes was as yet actuall while he remained innocent and yet all his obedience in time to come was writ upon his heart the first moment of his creation in the Image of God as it were aforehand and why might not thiâ— Law of the Sabbath be writ so aforehand And therefore M. Broad need not trouble himself or others in enquiring whether God sanctified the Sabbath before or after the first seventh day wherein God rested and if before it how Adam could know of the Sabbath before Gods compleat rest upon the first seventh day the cause of it for God was as well able to make Adam privy to his counsell aforehand concerning that day before Gods rest on it which was a motive to the observance of it as he was to acquaint his people with his purpose for a holy Passeover before the occasion of it fell out Mr. Broad indeed tels us that its most probable that God did not blesse and sanctifie the first Sabbath or seventh day of rest because it is not said that God blessed the Sabbath because he would but because he had rested in it but by his leave it is most proper to say that God at the end of the six daies worke had then rested from all his works and thence God is said to sanctifie and rest the seventh day his cessation from worke which is the naturall rest being the cause of resting the seventh day with a holy rest as we have shewn and therefore there is no reason to stay till the seventh day was past and then to sanctifie it against the next seventh day the first seventh day upon the ground mentioned being first sanctified and which Adam might be well enought acquainted with aforehand as hath been shewn Thesis 174. If the Scriptures may be judge of the time of mans fall which yet is not momentous to cast the balance either way in this controversie it will be found that neither Angels nor men did fall the sixt day before the Sabbath for then God looked upon all his works and they were very good Gen. 1.31 and therefore could not as yet be bad and evill by any sin or fall and now because it 's more then probable that if Adam had compleatly sanctified and stood one Sabbath he had stood immutably as I think might be demonstrated he therefoâ—e not standing a whole seventh day for then he could not have fallen and yet not being fallen the sixt day he therefore fell upon the Sabbath day that as the breach of every other command was wrapt up in that first sin so this of the Sabbath The objections against this from Iohn 8.44 that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and from Psal. 49.12 that man in honour did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abide one night in that estate with some other conjecturall reasons taken from some of the Schoolmens Obs and Sols are easily answered by a serious and sober minde and therefore I leave them Thesis 175. Adams soul say some did not need a Sabbath because every day was a Sabbath to him nor did his body need it
if speciall light in them they shall then have more speciall and saving light Thesis 194. As it is no argument that that Law is according to the light of nature which the Gentiles generally practised for then Polytheisme and Sacrificing of beasts yea wil-worship should be according to the light of nature because these sins were generally practised so it is no argument that that Law is not according to the light of nature which they generally neglected and therefore suppose the Gentiles never observed a Sabbath yet this is no argument that it is therefore no morall Law I know M. Primrose thinks that the Sacrifices were by an instinct of nature Because it dictates that all sinnes whereof mortall men are guilty are to be expiated by Sacrifice and Offerings to God offended Which assertion hath some truth in it if those words By Sacrifices and Offerings be left out for what light of nature could make men think that an infinite Deity offended could be pacified by such carnall observances as the Sacrifices of brute beasts and their blood which never offended This custome the Gentiles might retain as a Relique of former instruction and institution by their first Fathers after the flood which being matters meerly ceremonious might be retained more firmly then other morall duties of great consequence however we see that the practice of the Gentiles is no fit guide to direct that which is according to the law and light of nature Thesis 195. If more narrow enquiry be made what the Law of nature is these distinctions must be observed 1. The Law of nature is either of pure or corrupt nature The Law of pure nature was the Law of God writ on Adams heart in innocency which was nothing else but that holy bent and inclination of the heart within to act according to the holy Law of God revealed or Covenant made with him without and thus Aquinas places the law of nature in this inclination The Law of corrupt nature is that dimme light left in the minde and morall inclination left in the will in respect of some things contained in the Law of God which the Apostle cals Conscience Rom. 2.15 which naturall conscience is nothing but the remnants and generall principles of the law of pure nature left in all men since the fall which may be increased by more knowledge of the Law of God or more diminished and defaced by the wickednesse of man Titus 1.15 2. The Law of corrupt nature is taken either more largely or strictly As it is taken more largely so it comprehends all that which is agreeable and sutable to naturall reason and that from a naturall innate equity in the thing when it is made known either by divine instruction or humane wisdom although it be not immediatly known by the light of nature and thus many judiciall laws are naturall and morall though positive and of binding nature unto this day As it is taken strictly so it comprehends no more but what nature immediatly knows or may know without externall instruction as parents to be honoured mans life to be preserved 3. The Law of nature strictly taken are either principles of nature or conclusions from such principles The principles of the law of nature are in some respect many yet may be reduced to this one head viz. That good is to be followed evill to be avoided Conclusions are deductions from those principles like severall streames from the same spring which though lesse evident then the principles yet may be readily found out by discourse and sad search 4. Conclusions arising from these principles are more immediate or mediate Immediate are made by Aquinas to be two 1. Love God with all thy heart 2. Love thy neighbour as thy selfe Mediate are such as arise from the former principles by means of those two more immediate conclusions and of this kinde are some as he thinks yea all the laws of the Decalogue if right reason may be judge Now to apply these Thesis 196. If the question be whether the Sabbath be known by the light of pure nature the answer is yea for Adams minde knew of it and his heart was inclined and bent to the keeping of it although it be true that now this light in corrupt nature as in many other morall duties is almost wholly extinct and worn out as hath been formerly shewn And to speak plainly this great and first impression left on mans heart in pure nature is the first rule according to which we are now to judge of what is the law of nature and it serves to dash to peeces and grinde to powder and dust most effectually and strongly the dreams and devices of such as would make the Sabbath not morall because not naturall or not easily known by the present light of corrupt nature when as corrupt nature is no perfect copy but a blotted discovery of some part of the light of nature which was fully imprinted at large in pure nature and therefore it is no wonder if our adversaries so much oppose the Commandment of the Sabbath in the state of innocency such therefore as are otherwise Orthodox in this point and yet make this description of the Law of nature viz. which was written on mans heart in his first first Creation to be both uncertain and impertinent doe unwarily pull down one of the strongest bulwarks and the first that ever God made to defend the morality of the Sabbath there is indeed no expresse Scripture which makes this description of the Law of nature as they object and so it is of many other things which are virtually and for substance contained in the Scripture although there be no formall description set down of the same and the like I say of this description here Thesis 197. If we speak of the Law of nature strictly taken for that which is immediatly and readily known by the common light of nature in all men then it may be safely affirmed that although the Sabbath should not be in this sence naturall yet it will not follow that it is not therefore morall for the moral law once writ on mans heart in pure nature is almost blotted out only some rudera and old rubbish is left of it in a perverse minde and a corrupt heart Eph. 4.18 we see the wisest of the heathens making those things to be morall vertues Iunius instanceth in the Law of private revenge and we know they magnified will-worship which the Scripture condemns as morall vices and sins God would have common-wealths preserved in all places of the world from the inundation and deluge of mans wickednesse and therefore he hath generally printed the notions of the second Table upon mens hearts to set bounds as by sea-banks unto the overflowings thereof and hence it is that they are generally known but he would not have Churches every where and therefore there is but little known concerning matters of the first Table and consequently about this Law of the Sabbath
unworthy to come into it cannot but infinitely and excessively prize that love of Jesus Christ this day to come and enter into his rest and lie in his very bosome all the day long and as a most loving friend loth to part with them till needs must and that the day is done Thesis 18. The fourth is This holinesse ought not onely to be immediate speciall and constant but all these holy duties are thus to be performed of us as that hereby we may enter into Rest so as that our soules may finde and feele the sweet of the true Rest of the Sabbath and therefore it must be a sweete and quieting holinesse also for the Sabbath is not only called a Sabbath of Rest in respect of our exemption from bodily labour but because it is so to be sanctified as that on this day we enter into Rest or such a fruition of God as gives rest to our soules otherwise we never sanctifie a Sabbath aright because we then fall short of this which is the maine end thereof untill we come so to seeke God as that we finde him and so finde him as that we feele Rest in him in drawing neare to him and standing before him that as God after his six daies labour did Rest and was refreshed in the fruition of himselfe so should we after our six daies labour also be refreshed in the presence of the Lord That in case we want meanes upon the Sabbath yet he may be in lieu of them unto us and in case we have them and finde but little by them conveyed to us yet that by that little we may be carried on the wings of faith beyond all meanes unto that Rest which upon this day we may find in his bosome that as Christ after his labours entred into his Rest Heb 4. so we ought to labour after the same Sabbatisme begun here on earth but perfected in Heaven that after all the weary steps we tread and sinnes and sorrowes we finde all the weeke yet when the Sabbath comes we may say returne unto thy Rest oh my soule The end of all labour is rest so the end of all our bodily and spirituall labour whether on the weeke-daies of Sabbath day it should be this Rest and we should never think that we have reached the end of the day untill we Taste the Rest of the Day nor is this Rest a Meteor in the Ayre and a thing onely to be wisht for but can never be found but assuredly those who are wearied with their sinnes in the weeke and wants on the Sabbath and feele a neede of rest and refreshing shall certainly have the blessing viz. the Rest of these seasons of refreshing and rest and the comforts of the Holy Ghost filling their hearts this day Isa. 10.2 3 4. Isa. 56.5 6 7 8. Isa. 58.13 14. Psal. 36.7 8. Not because of our holinesse which is spotted at the best but because of our great high Priests holinesse who hath it written upon his forehead to take away the iniquity of all our holy Offerings Ex. 28.36.38 and who hath garments of grace and bloud to cover us and to present us spotlesse before the face of that God whom we seeke and serve with much weakenesse and whom at last we shall finde when our short daies worke here is done and our long looked for Sabbath of glory shall begin to dawn Thesis 19. Now when the Lord hath inclined us thus to Rest and sanctifie his Sabbath what should the last act of our holinesse be bvt diffusive and communicative viz. in doing our utmost that others under us or that have relation to us that they sanctifie the Sabbath also according to the Lords expresse particular charg in the Commandement Thou thy Sonne thy Daughter thy Servants the Stranger within thy Gates the excellency of Christs holinesse consists in making us like himsele in holinesse the excellency and glory of a Christians holinesse is to endeavour to be like to the Lord Christ therein our Children Servants Strangers who are within our Gates are apt to prophane the Sabbath we are therefore to improve our power over them for God in restraining them from sinne and in constraining them as farre as we can to the holy observance of the Rest of the Sabbath least God impute their sinnes to us who had power as Eli in the like case to restrain them and did not and so our Families and Consciences be stained with their guilt and bloud Thesis 20. And if superiours in Families are to see their Gates preserved unspotted from such provoking evils can any thinke but that the same bond lies upon Superiours in Common Wealths who are the Fathers of those great Families whose subjects also are within their Gates and the power of their Jurisdictions the Civill Magistrate though he hath no power to impose new Lawes upon the Consciences of his subjects yet he is bound to see that the Lawes of God be kept by all his Subjects provided alwaies that herein he walke according to the Law and Rule of God viz. that 1. Ignorant Consciences in cleare and momentous matters be first instructed 2. Doubting Consciences have sufficient means of being resolved 3. Bold and audacious Consciences be first forewarned hence it is that though he hath no power to make Holy daies and to impose the observation of them upon the Consciences of his subjects because these are his own Lawes yet he may and should see that the Sabbath Day the Lords holy Day that this he observed because he doth but see to the execution of Gods Commandement herein By what Rule did Nehemiah not onely forbid the breach of the Sabbath but did also threaten bodily punishment upon the men of Tyre although they were Heathens yet were they at this time within the Gates and compasse of his Jurisdiction Nehem. 13.21 certainly he thought himselfe bound in conscience to see that the Sabbath should not be prophaned by any that were within his Gates according to this fourth Commandement If Kings and Princes and civill Magistrates have nothing to do in matters of the first Table and consequently must give any man liberty to Prophane the Sabbath that pretends Conscience why then doth Ieremy call upon Princes to see that it be not prophaned with promise of having their Crownes and Kingdomes preserved from wrath if thus they do and with threatning the burning up and consuming of City and Kingdome if this they do not Ieremy 17.19.25.27 If civill Magistrates have nothing to do herein they then have nothing to do to preserve their Crownes Kingdomes Sceptets Subjects from fire and Bloud and utter ruine Nehemiah was no Type of Christ nor were the Kings of Israel bound to see the Sabbath kept as Types of Christ but as nursing Fathers of the Common-Wealth and because their own subjects were within their Gates and under their power and therefore according to this morall Rule of the Commandement they were bound not onely to keepe it themselves but