Exposition Upon the Ten Commandments, Exposition 2 · Commandment 4
Commaundement 4.
1 And by this memorandum wee are put in mind of the naturall forgetfulnesse of this Commandement.
2 Of the excellency and worth of it, so as that God saith. Eze. 20.20. the sabbothes being sanctified shall be a signe betweene the people and him, that they may knowe that hee is the Lord their God, in so much as Ier. 17.24. if they sanctifie the sabboths then shall the Kings and Princes enter in at the gates of the Citie of Ierusalem, and shall sit vponupon the throne of Dauid and shall ride vponupon chariots and vponupon horses, both they and their Princes, the men of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, &c. Looke the place so as that the godly hauehave alwaies great account of this commandement.
3 Of the Institution of it in paradise after the creation as being beefore the great number of ceremonies and euen in mans innocency.
4 To prepare our selues for the due keeping of it so, Exod. 10.24.
This preparation is:
1 First the dispatch of our worldly businesse for the weeke past, the night before spending the sixe working dayes so that with ioye wee may keepe the sabboth holy.
Thus much for the preparation remember the Commaundement it selfe followeth in the rest and this commaundement is shortly set down and further declared: shortly set downe, Keepe holy the Sabboth day. This as other commaundements hath the person: The dutie. The person thou as eueryevery one, so especially gouerners, as may appeare in that our sons and daughters must so doe, a patterne whereof we hauehave in Nehemiah. 13.
The dutie as others hath obiect, Act. Obiect is where about the Act and practise is to be, that here is. The sabboth day.
Day is naturall or artificiall: Naturall is the space of 24. houres, equall from euening to euening: from sun to sunne. Artificiall is from the light rising to the setting: I take it that artificiall day is here meant, & though the Iewes did count the sabboth from euening to euening: yet it was but as they counted their other naturall dayes, not to be vp and wake all night no more then their bodies will beare, and because bodily rest is necessarie & allowed, therefore though the night belong to the day to make it whole naturall, and I iudge it were no more to be kept holy then the working day, so as that day is the light, and so much of the night as may be spared for hurting of the bodie.
This day signifieth of it selfe holy eueryevery houre and eueryevery minute thereof as the creature without hurte in it selfe, but this day is not eueryevery daye but the sabboth. Sabboth of it selfe doth signifie rest or time of rest here, it is put for a day especially set apart for rest as the particle ha in the Hebrewe, and the astixe sheweth among the Iewes were sundrie such times, as of yeares, of weekes, of dayes, all which they were to keepe: also among their daies some did not so often returne, some did returne in eueryevery seauen dayes, which day doth manifestly appeare to be meant here, as by repeating the dayes of creation, the dayes of workes is manifest.
This is the obiect, the act followeth, keepe it holy sanctifie it in one word, both are one to sanctifie or hallowe doth signifie diuersly.
1 To make a thing holy by putting holinesse into it morally.
2 To acknowledge a thing holy.
3 To appoint a thing to holy religious and honest vses.
4 To vse those things to those good vses wherefore they were appointed.
This day hath no more holines in it self then any other, for of it self it is counted no more holy then other, onelyonly God hath appointed it to holy vses aboue others and would hauehave vsus vsed therunto now followeth the fur ther declaration of this Commandement, viz. 9.10.11. in it by the waie of exposition or consirmatiō: by exposition, viz. 9.10. wherein God himselfe sheweth his meaning in the cōmaundement, where because mention was made of a day and keeping holy, he sheweth what day he meaneth and what by keeping holy daye is the seauenth after sixe.
Wherein they may and vnlesse iust cause hinder them they must worke: of these sixe daies he saith, then must we labour and do all our worke, that is in al and euerie of these as often as they returne not, but that somtimes one may cease, as by and by may appeare and euen sometimes out of these be set apart for the worship of God by humiliation, by fasting and prayer, and for giuing of thanks, indeede such dayes shall not bind the conscience no further then they hauehave warrant from God.
To worke is to do the duties of our perticular callinges which hee hath in church or common wealth: These must be done faithfully as vntounto the Lord not but that sometimes wa may cease.
1 For necessarie refreshing of the bodie which must needs by continuall toyle be wearied, and therefore maisters should giuegive their seruantes some refreshing in these daies, when neede, is rather then on the Sabboth day which is none of theirs.
2 For some iust priuate causes of ones owne.
3 For religious vses as before, so as that thou shalt worke is not alwaies a commmaundement but a permission. So should one worke in these as to dispatch all their busines of that weeke, and to leaue nothing till the sabboth.
So did the Israelites gather their Manna and prepare it before, &c.
After these sixe, the next day ensuing immediately, is the day the Lord here meaneth, counting from the beginning of the creation: This day according to the reckoning and account of our church is that which we call Saturday, the which for all the peoples being in Egypt and the Sun standing still in Iosias time, and the going of it backe in Ahaz daye wee iudge that the Iewes did obserue.
Object. But here a great question doth arise, why we and other christian churches doe obserue the next day after, which is the eight day from the creation and not the seauenth.
Answ. The Iewish sabboth is changed into that day which we obserue, for the keeping in memory the great benifit of Christs resurrection which is greater to vsus then our first creation. Now this day wee vse hath ground of scripture, 1. Cor. 26.1. Act 20.7. And is called the first day of the weeke, that is the first day after the Iewish sabboth, and in the first of the Reuel. the Lords day for that the Lord Christ rose thereon, and after appeared often in it, to his disciples after his rising.
Obiect. But some may say by what authoritie was this charge, and vponupon what ground standeth our practise.
Answ. All learned men are not of one mind, I thinke they hold the truth, that take it to bee Christ, on changing by expresse appointment or inspiring his Apostles so to do for himselfe, as was said rose on this day, did he appeare to Marie, Iohn. 20. on this day to Tho. mas 8 daies after hee had appeared to his disciples: which likewise Ciril saith must needs be the Lords daies. For this cause saith Iunius. Gen. 17.12. was circumcision counted the eight day, as a Sacrament of the right day. When Christ rose from the dead for the counsel of Phoro Iuliense saith, that Esay. 58.13. Prophesied of this day, sure it is, that presently it was kept by the Apostles: who durst not, if they had not had sufficient warrant so sodenly hauehave left the vsuall day.
Athanasius plainly saith, that Christ himselfe changed the day, certaine it is that vnlesse greater authoritie then that which changed it, & greater cause then that for which it was changed come, it may not be altered from that it is.
This Sabboth is said to be of Iehouah thy God that is ordained by him to be kept vntounto him.
Thus hauehave we the Sabboth day expounded what it is: now followeth the exposition of sanctification, In it thoushalt do no maner of worke, thou nor thysonne, &c. Wherein is shewed what is forbidden and whome: and worke forbidden.
Worke is that which was called before thy worke: to wit, of a perticular calling, except the calling be for duties of godlines, as of a preacher: or the duties be of charitie and kindnes to man or beast, or other creatures: and can neither be well done afore or after.
Now therefore if worke be forbidden, much more rest, playing, and singing: there are forbidden a mans owne selfe or any other by his authoritie or suffering: ones wife is not named because she is presumed to bee himselfe, that whatsoeuer is forbidden him, must be knowne to be forbidden her: Sonne or daughter: knowe to whome we carrie most tender affection and so might winke at them: manseruant or maidseruant: whome thou mightest hauehave vse for to set about thy busines: beast, especially the labouring beast, as Oxe, Asse, Horse.
Quest. Hath God care ouer beasts?
Answ. Yea, for mans sake least man by tending the beast in their labour might be occasioned to breake &c.
The Sabboth whereupon we must knowe that not onelyonly beastes, but whatsoeuer may neede mans helpe, as mill, boate, &c. should stay. Some exception must be made in regard of warre, or a long voyage vponupon the Sea, or riding post for the cōmon wealths great good: Sranger properly proselite one who is won to the Iewish religion others are not so to be vrged.
Marke that any ouer others, are to cause all theirs to keepe holy the sabboth day.
Thus much for the exposition of this commaundement, the confirmation followeth: wherein are reasons to enforce to the obedience thereof.
1 The first whereof is God requireth but one of seauen, therefore good reason it is that wee should obay.
2 God srequireth noe more then that he himselfe hath done, therefore ought men so to do: God resteth from creating, not from gouerning: from making new kinds, not singular things.
3 God hath blessed and hallowed this day, to this end: therefore it must be kept. Thus hauehave we the cōmnandement shortly laid downe: but all this while here is nothing of the place.
The place of Gods worship is eueryevery where: neuerthelesse, the publike must be in publike places, which because it was tied to the Arke and was flitting at this time when the law was giuen, is not mentioned, yet was it set so as whosoeuer would publikely worship God: else where, then did offend.
Such places were the Tabernacle, the Temple of Ierusalen, the sinagogue: we hauehave temples, but indeed this must bee remembred none is tyed so to any one place as the Iewes were to Ierusalem, because the temple there was a Tipe of Christ, without whome nothing could please
And yet againe worshippe as it is in time so must it bee in place of publike pure and sounde worshippe of God, publike places must be resorted vntounto, neither must men tarrie at home or haunt corners.
Quest. But put case, some notorious sinners resort thither, ought not I then to forbeare.
Answer. No, other mens sinnes if I consent not to them, shall not hurt mee.
Quest. It may further bee demaunded, whether a man bee tied to his owne parish.
Answer. Indeede, parishes were distinguished by men: neuerthelesse, not to bee neglected when conueniently, for distance of place, one may resort vntounto them, and there bee in them sufficient meanes of saluation, and no other iust cause restraining. So then publike time, must hauehave likewise publik places, and established in peaceable Churches.
By all this, hitherto wee may perceiue Gods meaning is, to hauehave all publike duties of his worship to bee performed in due sort.
All duties belonging to the Sabaoth are either before it or on.
Duties before it are:
1. To desire the Sabaoth, for the duties of the Sabaoth. Esa. 58.13.14. and therefore Amos blameth those which wish the Sabaoth gone, that they may set forth their corne.
2. Dispatch of all businesse, as much as in vsus lieth, that neither the rest, nor holynesse of the Sabaoth be hindered. Exod. 16.23.29. Ioh. 19.31.
3. That the weeke dayes duties doe not drowne our minds, but that we may freely and chearefully attend the worship of God, this shall we doe vsing the world a not abusing it. 1. Cor. 7. On that day are sundrie duties which before I name, this must be remembred.
1. That all Iewishe superstition must be remoued, the Iewes will not roast an Aple, peele an Onion, kill a Flea, snuffe a Candle on this day, but hire others to doe it for them.
Quest. It may bee demaunded, what should be thought of him who gathered stickes. Numb. 15.32.
Answer. Though the thing seeme small, it was verie great, being done vponupon contempt.
Quest. But what of making fire?
Answer. That none which hindereth the sanctification of this day, should be made.
2. We must not iudge this Commaundement as ceremoniall, being before the fall. Gen. 2.
3. Wee must hauehave more care of the sanctification of this day, then of bodily rest.
4. This day is as much to be spent in the duties of Gods worship, as other dayes in our owne workes.
1. The maner of speech is all one.
2. The worship of GOD is more necessarie.
3. The time shorter.
Now then, the duties vppon this day may bee considered, as they are of preparation to duties, or practise of duties.
Helping to preparation:
1. Is in the morning rising earely.
2. Sober and graue attire, not crauing too much time in putting on, or making to great shew.
3. Moderating eating and drinking.
The preparation it selfe, is to the beginning of this lawe. The practise of duties, is according to the kinds of duties, some duties are priuate, others publike.
Publike duties, are such as must be performed by the whole great assembly in the common place, for Gods worship, whereof wee may consider the properties: and the number they must be.
1. Ioyntly of altogether, so as that in one voice, all the eares, and hearts, present are to attend, so as that in in publike none must hauehave his priuate deuotion, otherwise then the assembly.
2. They must be from the beginning to the end, wee must not come slackely after the beginning, nor depart till the end, and that the assembly be discharged.
3. There must bee all silence and attention: the publike duties themselues are:
1. Of the word of God read and preached: The word of God read, is the canonicall Scriptures, by peecemeale recited, so as that if it were possible in a yeere or such competent time, they might all bee passed thorough. The word preached is the Scriptures, plainely opened and applied to the necessary vses of the hearers vntounto saluation, this all that wee may, we must procure.
Hee that meaneth to profit by the word preached, must:
1. Bring a teachable mind.
2. He must pray for a blessing vponupon himselfe.
3. He must diligently marke the heads and proofes.
4. He must exercise himselfe in it afterward.
2. Making of prayer and giuing of thankes to GOD in the name of Christ, in faith, in louelove, in feeling of our wants, not only for our selues, but others which indeuour in meanes.
3. Celebrating Sacraments, not onelyonly pertaking the Lords supper, but being present at Baptisme: Considering our selues in the present Infant examining our selues, whether we finde the fruite of our Baptisme, yea or no.
4. Gathering, that is laying aside somewhat for the poore. 1. Cor. 16.1
Priuate duties are such, which are to bee performed before or after the publike. Assemblies, are disolued in some priuate place, by single or few persons, of which number are.
1. praier.
2. reading, especially in fearching out the Texts alleadged, for the confirmation of doctrine, and if the Preacher goe on in a Text, to read it ouer before.
3. meditation, Meditation, is an earnest, often, and orderly thinking of a thing, and is either of Gods word or works: Meditation of Gods words, is of that which wee hauehave heard and read, and it is to search out.
1 Whether we vnderstand the meaning of it.
2. Whether we hauehave sound profes for it.
3. How we may remember it.
4. What vse it may serue vsus for.
Conference, which is talking of God word and words with others to edification.
5. All deedes of merciemercy and pittie, visiting the sicke, such as are in prison, comforting the seely minded, &c.
6. Singing of Psalmes.
Quest. But it may be demaunded, must we doe al these?
Answer. It is required that wee spend the day in these, and that if occasion at all do serue, at the least in most of them.