among Christians Neither is it a small evil amongst us that the Disputes of some against the Divine Warranty of one Day in seven to be separated unto Sacred Uses and the Pretence of others to an equal regard unto all Dayes from their Christian Liberty together with an open visible neglect in the most of any conscientious Care in the Observance of it have cast not a few unwary and unadvised Persons to take up with the Judaical Sabbath both as to its Institution and manner of its Observation Now whereas the solemn Worship of God is the Spring Rule and Measure of all our Obedience unto him it may justly be thought that the neglect thereof so brought about as hath been declared hath been a great if not a principal Occasion of that sad Degeneracy from the Power Purity and Glory of Christian Religion which all men may see and many do complain of at this Day in the World The Truth is most of the Different Apprehensions recounted have been entertained and contended for by Persons Learned and Godly all equally pretending to a Love unto Truth and Care for the Preservation and Promotion of Holiness and Godliness amongst men And it were to be wished that this were the only Instance whereby we might evince that the best of men in this World do know but in part and Prophesie but in part But they are too many to be recounted although most men act in themselves and towards others as if they were themselves lyable to no mistakes and that it is an inexpiable crime in others to be in any thing mistaken But as this should make us jealous over our selves and our own Apprehensions in this matter so ought the Consideration of it to affect us with Tenderness and Forbearance towards those who dissent from us and whom we therefore judge to err and be mistaken But that which principally we are to learn from this Consideration is with what care and Diligence we ought to inquire into the certain Rule of Truth in this matter For whatever we do determine we shall be sure to find men Learned and Godly otherwise minded And yet in our Determinations are the Consciences of the Disciples of Christ greatly concerned which ought not by us to be causelesly burthened nor yet countenanced in the neglect of any Duty that God doth require Slight and Perfunctory Disquisitions will be of little use in this matter nor are men to think that their Opinions are firme and established when they have obtained a seeming countenance unto-them from two or three doubtful Texts of Scripture The Principles and Foundations of Truth in this matter lye deep and require a diligent Investigation And this is the Design wherein we are now engaged Whether we shall contribute any thing to the Declaration or Vindication of the Truth depends wholly on the Assistance which God is pleased to give or withhold Our part it is to use what Diligence we are able neither ought we to avoid any thing more than the assuming or ascribing of any thing unto our selves It is enough for us if in any thing or by any means God will use us not as Lords over the Faith of men but as Helpers of their Joy Now for the Particular Controversies before mentioned I shall not insist upon them all for that were endless but shall reduce them unto those general Heads under which they may be comprehended and by the right stating whereof they will be determined Nor shall I enter into any especial contest unless it be occasionally only with any particular Persons who of old or of late have eristically handled this subject Some of them have I confess given great provocations thereunto especially of the Belgick Divines whose late Writings are full of Reflections on the Learned Writers of this Nation Our only design is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And herein I shall lay down the general regulating Principles of the Doctrine of the Scriptures in this matter confirming them with such Arguments as occurr to my mind and vindicating them from such Exceptions as they either seem liable unto or have met withal All with respect unto the Declaration given of the Doctrine and Practice of the Sabbath in the different Ages of the Church by our Apostle Chap. 4. of the Epistle to the Hebrews § 8 The Principles that I shall proceed upon or the Rules that I shall proceed by are 1. Express Testimonies of Scripture which are not wanting in this Cause Where this Light doth not go before us our best course is to sit still and where the Word of God doth not speak in the things of God it is our Wisdom to be silent Nothing I confess is more nauseous to me than Magisterial Dictates in Sacred things without an evident deduction and Confirmation of Assertions from Scripture Testimonies Some men write as if they were inspired or dreamed that they had obtained to themselves a Pythagorean Reverence Their Writings are full of strong Authoritative Assertions arguing the good Opinion they have of themselves which I wish did not include an equal contempt of others But any thing may be easily affirmed and as easily rejected 2. The Analogie of Faith in the Interpretation Exposition and Application of such Testimonies as are pleadable in this Cause Hic labor hoc opus Herein the Writers Diligence and the Readers Judgement are principally to be exercised I have of late been much surprised with the Plea of some for the Use of Reason in Religion and Sacred things not at all that such a Plea is insisted on but that it is by them built expresly on a supposition that it is by others whom they reflect upon denyed whereas some probably intended in those Reflections have pleaded for it against the Papists to speak within the bounds of sobriety with as much Reason and no less effectually than any amongst themselves I cannot but suppose their mistake to arise from what they have heard but not well considered that some do teach about the darkness of the mind of man by Nature with respect unto spiritual things with his disability by the utmost use of his rational faculties as corrupted or unrenewed spiritually and savingly to apprehend the things of God without the especial assistance of the Holy Ghost Now as no Truth is more plainly or evidently confirmed in the Scripture than this so to suppose that those by whom it is believed and asserted do therefore deny the use of Reason in Religion is a most fond imagination No doubt but whatever we do or have to do towards God or in the things of God we do it all as rational creatures that is in and by the use of our Reason And not to make use of it in its utmost improvement in all that we have to do in Religion or the Worship of God is to reject it as to the principal End for which it is bestowed upon us In particular in the pursuit of the Rule now laid down is the utmost exercise
of our Reason required of us To understand aright the sense and importance of the Words in Scripture Testimonies the nature of the Propositions and Assertions contained in them the lawful deduction of Inferences from them to judge and determine aright of what is proposed or deduced by just consequence from direct Propositions to compare what in one place seems to be affirmed with what in others seems to be asserted to the same purpose or denyed with other Instances innumerable of the exercise of our minds about the Interpretation of Scripture are all of them Acts of our Reason and as such are managed by us But I must not here farther divert unto the consideration of these things Only I fear that some men write Books about them because they read none This I know that they miserably mistake what is in Controversie and set up to themselves Men of Straw as their Adversaries and then cast Stones at them 3. The Dictates of General and incorrupted Reason suitable unto and explained by Scripture Light is another Principle that we shall in our progress have a due regard unto For whereas it is confessed that the separation of some portion of Time to the Worship of God is a part of the Law of our Creation the Light of Nature doth and must still on that supposition continue to give Testimony unto our Duty therein And although this Light is exceedingly weakned and impaired by sin in the things of the greatest importance and as to many things truly belonging unto it in our original Constitution so overwhelmed with Prejudices and contrary usages that of it self it owns them not at all yet let it be excited quickned rectified by Scripture Light it will return to perform its Office of testifying unto that Dutie a sense whereof and a Direction whereunto were concreated with it We shall therefore enquire what Intimations the Light of Nature hath continued to give concerning a Day of Sacred Rest to be observed unto God and what uncontrollable Testimonies we have of those Intimations in the knowledge confessions and expressions of them in and by those who had no other Way to come to an Acquaintance with them And where there is a common or prevailing Suffrage given amongst mankind unto any Truth and that to free us from entanglements about it declared to be such in the Scripture it must be acknowledged to proceed from that Light of Nature which is common unto all though the actings of it be stifled in many 4. The Custom and Practice of the Church of God in all Ages is to be enquired into I intend not meerly the Church of Christ under the Gospel but the whole Church from the Beginning of the World in the various Dispensations of the Will and Grace of God unto it before the giving of the Law under the Toke of it and since the Promulgation of the Gospel And great weight may certainly be laid upon its Harmonious consent in any practice relating to the Worship of God Nay what may be so confirmed will thence appear not to be an Institution peculiar to any especial Mode of Worship that may belong unto one season and not unto another but to have an everlasting Obligation in it on all that worship God as such never to be altered or dispensed withal And if every particular Church be the Ground and Pillar of Truth whose Testimony thereunto is much to be esteemed how much more is the Universal Church of all Ages so to be accounted And it is a brutish Apprehension to suppose that God would permit a Perswasion to befall the Church in all Ages with respect unto his Worship which was not from himself and the Expression of its Practice accepted with him This therefore is diligently to be enquired into as far as we may have certain light into things involved in so much Darkness as are all things of so great Antiquity 5. A due consideration of the Spirit and Liberty of the Gospel with the Nature of its Worship the Reasons of it and manner of its performance is to be had in this matter No particular Instance of Worship is to be introduced or admitted contrary to the Nature Genius and Reason of the whole If therefore such a Sabbatical Rest or such an Observation of it be urged as is inconsistent with the Principles and Reasons of Evangelical Worship as is built upon Motives not taken from the Gospel and in the manner of its Observance enterferes with the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free it discovers it self not to belong unto the present state of the Worshippers of God in Christ. Nor is any thing to commend it self unto us under the meer Notion of strictness or preciseness or the Appearance of more than ordinary severity in Religion It is only walking according unto Rule that will please God justifie us unto others and give us peace in our selves Other seeming Duties that may be recommended because they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pretence of Wisdom in doing even more than is required of us through Humility and Mortification are of no price with God nor useful unto men And commonly those who are most ready to overdo in one thing are prone also to underdo in others And this Rule we shall find plainly rejecting the rigid Observation of the Seventh Day as a Sabbath out of the Verge of Gospel Order and Worship 6. The Tendency of Principles Doctrines and Practices to the Promotion or Hinderance of Piety Godliness and Universal Holy Obedience unto God is to be enquired into This is the End of all Religious Worship and of all the Institutions thereof And a due Observation of the regular Tendency of things unto this End will give a great discovery of their Nature and Acceptance with God Let things be urged under never so specious pretences if they be found by Experience not to promote Gospel Holiness in the Hearts and Lives of men they discover themselves not to be of God Much more when Principles and Practices conformable unto them shall be evidenced to obstruct and hinder it to introduce Profaness and countenance Licentiousness of life to prejudice the due Reverence of God and his Worship do they manifest themselves to be of the Tares sowed by the Evil One. And by this Rule we may try the Opinion which denies all Divine Institution unto a Day of holy Rest under the New Testament These are the Principal Rules which in this Disquisition after a Sabbatical Rest we shall attend unto And they are such as will not fail to direct us aright in our course if through Negligence or Prejudice we miss not of a due regard unto them These the Reader is desired to have respect unto in his perusal of the ensuing Discourses and if what is proposed or concluded be not found suitable unto them let it be rejected For I can assure him that no self-assuming no contempt of others no prejudicing Adherence to any Way or Party no
they are not constituted of God to be the Rule or Measure of other mens Faith Perswasions Apprehensions and Conversations And others whom for some defects at least so supposed by us we may be apt to despise may be yet taught the Truth of God in things wherein we may be out of the way That then which we have to do in these cases is first to endeavour after a full Perswasion in our own minds then to communicate the Principles of Reason and Scripture Testimony which we ground our Perswasion upon unto others labouring with meekness and gentleness to instruct them whom we apprehend to be out of the way so submitting the whole to the Judgement of all that fear the Lord and shall take notice of such things And these Rules have I and shall I attend unto as abhorring nothing more than a proud Magisterial imposing of our Apprehensions and Inclinations on the minds and practices of other men which I judge far more intolerable in particular persons than in Churches and Societies in both contrary to that Royal Law of Love and Liberty which all Believers ought to walk by And therefore as we said what hath been spoken on this subject or shall yet farther be added I humbly submit to the Judgement of the sober and indifferent Readers only assuring them that I teach as I have learned speak because I believe and declare nothing but whereof I am fully perswaded in my own mind § 45 The Nature of the Decalogue and the Distinction of its Precepts from all Commands Ceremonial or Political comes now under consideration The whole Decalogue I acknowledge as given on Mount Sinai to the Israelites had a Political Use as being made the Principal Instrument or Rule of the Polity and Government of their Nation as peculiarly under the Rule of God It had a Place also in that Oeconomy or Dispensation of the Covenant which that Church was then brought under wherein by Gods dealing with them and Instructing of them they were taught to look out after a farther and greater good in the Promise than they were yet come to the Enjoyment of Hence the Decalogue it self in that Dispensation of it was a Schoolmaster unto Christ. But in it self and materially considered it was wholly and in all the Preceptive parts of it absolutely Moral Some indeed of the Precepts of it as the first fourth and fifth have either Prefaces Enlargements or Additions which belonged peculiarly to the then present and future State of that Church in the Land of Canaan but these especial Applications of it unto them change not the Nature of its Commands or Precepts which are all Moral and as far as they are esteemed to belong to the Decalogue are unquestionably acknowledged so to be Let us therefore consider the Pleas for Morality in the fourth Command upon the account of its Interest in the Decalogue and the manifest Evidences of that Interest As therefore the Giving Writing Use and Disposal of the Decalogue were peculiar and distinct from the whole Systeme of the Rest of the Laws and Statutes which being with it given to the Church of Israel were either Ceremonial or Judicial so the Precept concerning the Sabbath or the Sacred Observance of one Day in seven hath an equal share with the other Nine in all the Priviledges of the whole As 1. It was spoken immediately by the Voice of God in the hearing of all the people Exod. 19. Whereas all the other Laws whether Ceremonial or Judicial were given peculiarly to Moses and by him declared unto the rest of the people What weight is laid hereon see Exod. 19. v. 10 11 17 18. Deut. 4. 34. Chap. 33. 2. In the first whereof the work it self is declared in the latter a distinguishing Greatness and Glory above all other Legislations is ascribed unto it And it is worth the Enquiry what might be the cause of this Difference No other appears to me but that God thereby declared that the Law of the Decalogne belonged immediately and personally unto them all and every one upon the Original Right of the Law of Nature which it did represent and express whereas all the other Laws and Statutes given unto them by the Mediation of Moses belonged unto that peculiar Church State and Oeconomy of the Covenant which they were then initiated into and which was to abide unto the Time of the Reformation of all things by Jesus Christ. And here it may be remembred and so in all the ensuing Instances that we have proved the matter of this Command to be first the separation of some time indefinitely to the Worship of God and then the limitation of that time unto one day in seven For this it requires or nothing at all which should be peculiar unto a distinct Precept is required in it as we have before manifested And this one consideration alone is sufficient to evince its Morality 2. This Command as all the Rest of the Decalogue was written twice by the finger of God in Tables of Stone And hereof there was a double Reason First That it was a stable Revocation and Objective Representation of that Law which being implanted on the heart of man and communicated unto him in his Creation was variously defaced partly by the corruption and loss of that Light through the entrance of sin which should have guided us in the Right Apprehension and Understanding of its Dictates and the Obedience that it required partly through a long course of a corrupt conversation which the world had in the pursuit of the first Apostasie and according to the Principles of it plunged it self into God now again fixed that Law Objectively in a way of durable Preservation which in its primitive seat and subject was so impaired and defaced And hereof the Additions mentioned with peculiar Respect unto the Application of the whole or any part of it unto that people were no impeachment as is acknowledged in the Preface given unto them all containing a Motive unto their dutiful Observance of the whole And hence this Law must necessarily be esteemed a part of the Antecedent Law of Nature neither can any other Reason be given why God wrote it himself with those and only those that are so in Tables of Stone Secondly This was done as an Embleme that the whole Decalogue was a Representation of that Law which by his Spirit he would write in the fleshly Tables of the Hearts of his Elect. And this is well observed by the Church of England which after the Reading of the whole Decalogue the fourth Command amongst the rest directs the people to pray That God would write all these Laws in their Hearts Now this concerneth only the Moral Law For although Obedience unto all Gods Ceremonial and Typical Institutions whilst they were in force was Moral and a part of the Law written in the Heart or required in general in the Precepts of the first Table of the Decalogue yet those Lawes themselves had no