The Sabbath Vindicated, Chapter 3
Broad.
CHAP. III. I. Whereby the Sabbath was Sanctified.
THe Sabbath was sanctifyed by resting from worke.Thus Zan…hy in effect likewise Vicest, and D. Boys and this Analys… naturall. Some make two parts the one affirmative, the other negative but they are out of the way. In the fourth Commandement we have to observe.
1. The Commandement it self briefly delivered, and is thus Remember the Sabbath to Sanctify it.
2. Then followeth the explication in order, God shewing what is the Sabbath, the seaventh Day is the Sabbath to the Lord thy God.
And after how it is sanctified. In it thou shalt not doe any worke.I do not write as many doe that the Sabbath was sanctified by praying, hearing of word and if thou marvailest thereat see at the end of the Booke.
3. A reason is yeelded why God requireth this service, For in the sixe Dayes the Lord made Heaven &c. Here thou seest that God himselfe being expositor, to sanctifie the Sabbath Day is not to doe any worke on the seaventh Day, read also, Ier: 17 24.
II. Whereby the Sabbath was profaned.
The Sabbath was prophaned by worke as Exod: 31. 14.Profanare sine vio…are; v…cat …o die operari, perin de at que professo. Mart: in Math: 1…, 8.
Every one that defileth the Sabbath shall surely bee put to Death, for whosoever doth any Worke therein, that Soule shall bee cut off from among his People. Further the Sabbath was profaned by the least worke, and thus hee prophaned it who only gathered stickes therein. As he that …ateth the least food may be said to breake his fast as well as he that eateth his belly-full. So hee that did the l…ast worke brake the rest or Sabbath as well as he that laboured all Day.
Some would have the Sabbath prophaned by Drunkennes, Lasciviousnes, Dauncing &c.In it God said, Thou shalt doe noe Worke, not in it thou shalt not worship Idols, thou shalt not drinke excessively &c. for he needed not these things being forbidden by other Commandements.
Ans: 1. If by one Sinne then by another and then every man profaned the Sabbath.
2. Any Day in the Weeke was as well defiled by Sinne as the Sabbath, for every Day was alike exempt from Sinne.
The punishment for prophaning the Sabbath was Death. If then such as haunted the Ale-house and the like prophaned the Sabbath, as well as he that gathered stickes they should much rather in reason have undergone the punishment.
Now although the Sabbath was defiled by worke and whosoever wilfully or carefully did any worke therein was to be put to Death. Yet in two cases worke was to be done on the Sabbath.In what cases the Sabbath might be prophaned.
1. In case of necessity Thus the Disciples being hungry pulled the Eares of Corne and rubbed them in their Hands, Math: 11.which was a kind of reaping and threshing. Where their Fingers were in stead of Hookes, and their Hands of Thresholds. Thus againe the Iewes pulled Oxen out of Pitts, and thus in the time of the Maccabees they determined to fight in their defence on the Sabbath.1 Mac: 2.
2. When they had Commandement from God or Christ,Iosh: 6. thus the Israelites by Commandement from God compassed Iericho, & thus the man by Commandement from Christ caryed his Bed, Ioh: 5. some say that the carying of the Bed was a meanes of publishing the miracle, and thus defend the fact, but there was other meanes to make the miracle knowne, and they will not say (I thinke) that the Man on the next Sabbath might have done so againe on his owne …ead, that then which made his fact lawfull was only the Commandement of Christ, who being Lord of the Sabbath could cause any man to prophane the same when he saw good.
Answer.
Herein you go about to prove' that the' Sabbath was either only or chiefely sanctified by resting from Worke.
First, by your owne Analys of the fourth Commandement wherein you would make God to put the chiefest part of the Sabbaths sanctification in Rest.
Secondly, by your proofe out of Ier: 17. 24.
Thirdly, by proving the Sabbath to be prophaned by workes, which againe you prove by shewing how he that gathered Stickes on that Day was more severely punished, then many a one that other wayes seemed more to prophane it.
1. For your proposition it selfe, which is that the Sabbath was sanctified by resting from worke.
To this I answer. I wish the Geneva note upon the title of the 92 Psal: which is a Psalme or Song for the Sabbath Day, that this teacheth that the use of the Sabbath standeth in praising God and not only in ceasing from Worke. Whereunto I adde Mr. Calvin upon the 2. of Gen: saith he, God did not simply command man to keepe the seaventh Day holy as if he were delighted with rest, but to the end he being free from all other businesses might more willingly and quietly apply his mind to the Creator of the World. Furthermore saith he it is an holy rest which delivereth Men from the impediments of the World, that they may wholy bend themselves to the service of God.
Secondly, I answer that it was neither only nor principally sanctified by resting, for then any labour even about the worship and service of God had beene unlawfull, and by this doctrine the best way for them to have sanctified it, had beene to have laine all Day in their Beds,*But as one observes upon Gods commanding Adam to worke in Innocency, that Idlenes was never Mans happines, much lesse his holines. and they had sanctified it better in the Night then in the Day, and every man in his owne House then in publicke Congregations, which but even now you your selfe contradict.
Which Dr. Heylin would have us beleeve it is, whilest every where he would perswade us. That holy labours and necessary were breaches of it among the Iewes, such as were Circumcision offering sacrifices, and fight or flight in time of danger &c.
Whereas hee ought to know that rest from our owne workes is only enjoyned (Isai: 58. 13.) that so wee may be imployed in Gods.*And therefore Exod: 35. 2. It is called a Sabbath of rest to the Lord, that is, to the Lords use, like as the same phrase in the 5 verse shewes, where they are bid to take from among them an offring to the Lord.
And therefore was not the worke of Circumcision unlawfull though a painefull one, nor the worke of offering Sacrifices though a toylesome one, much lesse workes of mercy and Charity. For Christ sayth, Math: 12. 12. That it is lawfull to doe well on the Sabbath Day. No worke was a breach of the Sabbath, which was either in it selfe (as were religious actions) or upon occasion lawfull to be done upon the Sabbath. And therefore in the beginning of that chapter he makes the Disciples rubbing the Eares of Corne for hunger (occasioned in his service on the Sabbath Day) to be equall with the Priests sacrificing in the service of the Temple, which was in it selfe no prophanation of the Sabbath (though in the 5 verse Christ said, Have yee not read in the Law how that on the Sabbath Day the Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath) for wee read no such thing in the Law, that they prophaned the Sabbath.
But he meanes they did that on the Sabbath which the Pharisees might, through their superstitious misprison, as well call a prophanation of the Sabbath, and count unlawfull as that action of his Disciples. I deny not, but Rest from worldly workes was a positive part of the Sabbaths sanctification in the time of the Iewes, because of the holines which did then accompany it being a Type (and that transcendent to all the rest) as I have often said.
But that it was ever meant to be either the whole or principall part of the Sabbaths sanctification I utterly deny: although they abusiv…ly made it so, even to the neglect of acts of mercy (for which they were blamed by Christ the Lord of the Sabbath as you say) by a superstitious misinterpretation of Gods commandement (agreeing with selfe-love and sensuality) as you doe by falsifying the true sence of the word Sanctifie.
2. To come to your Analys whereby you would prove your position to it I answer. That in it you confound the end and the meanes by making the Commandement it selfe which consisteth in the first and last words to be expounded by the middle part, as if sanctification which alwayes signifieth to set apart to an holy use should be properly interpreted by resting from worke: as if God would put up with negative service only; or as if that which is negative could be the principall matter of a precept affirmative. But indeed the rest which you would make to be the only interpretation, is chiefely and properly of a subservient nature, serving as a significant accomodation to the maine duty of holines commanded as may appeare.
First, by the Rest which was commanded them on their other Sabbaths was it not chiefely removendo prohibens, by removing an impediment the better to devote them to services which was then enjoyned them, of feasting and sacrificing and humbling their Soules, and doth not the same hold good to us in our Sabbath, which is to be sanctified by all these at once in a spirituall sence. That it was so to them is evident in the 23. Levit: 27. 28. 29. 30. Where God having instituted the day of attonement, telleth them how they were to sanctifie it in the 27 verse, to wit, it shall be an holy convocation to you, and yee shall afflict your Soules, and offer an offering to the Lord: and then in the 28 and 29 verses he bids them, yee shall doe no worke in that same Day, and what's the reasons why, it followes, for it is a Day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the Lord. For whatsoever Soule it is that shall not be afflicted in that same Day hee shall bee cut off from among the people. As who say, yee have other matters in hand (then worldly busines) on that Day, which yee must wholy intend, and therefore surcease such things and such imployments as may take you of from such matters, or hinder the fitnes of your hearts in them (which is a thing too well knowne to them that worship God in spirit, how that a small carnall imployment is found oft times an hurtfull distraction to their spirit) and therefore it followes in the 30 verse whatsoever Soule it bee that doth any worke on that same Day &c. Which is a lively demonstration of the nature of the Sabbath Rest in i…s first and chiefe respect. And observe by the way, how here at large, as in the fourth Commandement in briefe (though in other places of Scripture it also is manifested at large) God first layeth downe the maine sanctification of the Sabbath before he prescribe the meanes.
Secondly, in that this rest is so farre approved of God as it conduceth to spirituall labour, and againe spirituall labour is no where condemned though it bee a breach of rest. For rest (take it as it was primarily intended in its first institution, without the intervening holines which it contracted in the time of the Iewes) is no ordinance or part of Gods worship abstractively considered, for so it neither a… swereth the Antitype nor fulfilleth the commandement, but relatively, for it relateth to Gods solemne worship on the Sabbath, as fasting doth to prayer, upon solemne occasions,*And this you may see to bee Master Breerewoods opinion in his second tract. pag. 15. The commandement of the Sabbath (saith hee) enjoy…eth. 1. outward worship of God. 2. Cessation from works as a necessary preparation for that worship, that as thee end, this as the meanes. which if it bee used is no part of prayer, and yet omitted is an impeachement to it, because joyntly considered it is an ordinance, and of necessary) and seasonable use at that time: And as in fasting wee must not onelyonly fast from things nourishing (reall necessity ever excepted) but much more from things pleasing; so in keeping the Sabbath, wee ought not to rest onelyonly from profitable labours, but more especially from distracting bodily recreations, because the Sabbath should bee both our full delights and full imployment as Heaven shall be hereafter: For the commandements being Synecdochicall, as therefore in the commandements touching adultery and murder the thoughts and words conducing thereunto are forbidden: So in this commandement touching the Sabbath, as works are forbidden so worldly thoughts whence worldly works issue (as adultery from lust) and the discourse of worldly things, so likewise paritate rationis, pleasure must needs bee included; For labour being forbidden as an impediment, consequently therefore whatsoever proveth an impediment is forbidden. This commandement as the rest being Synechdochicall.
And thus Musculus least (saith hee) God should seeme to speake of some prophane idlenes, hee saith not remember that thou keepe the Sabbath day, but that thou hallow the Sabbath-day. Now to hallow (saith hee) that day is to make the rest of it devout, holy, and imployed to godly exercises, whereby the mind may bee instructed, exercised, and grounded in things concerning godlines. And Cyrill (quoted by Doctor Heylyn pag. 141.) in Amos 8. and Gaudentius Brixianus speake to the selfe same purpose.
The Iewes (saith Gaudentius) neglecting those spirituall duties which God commanded on that day abused the Sabbath rest unto ease and luxury. For whereas being free from temporall cares (saith Cyrill) they ought to have imployed that day to spirituall uses, and to have spent the same in modesty and temperance, and in the repetition and commenmoration of Gods holy Word, they on the other side did the contrary wasting the day in Gluttony and Drunkennes and idle delicacies.
And whereas you would bring the reason which God alleadgeth from himselfe in the commandement to make it good: That to rest on the Sabbath is the adequate sanctification, with this I would have you compare that speech of Christ (who by your owne acknowledgement was Lord of the Sabbath) I will have mercy and not sacrifice; where hee blameth the Iewes, notwithstanding the typicall holines of this rest in their times, for their not sanctifying the Sabbath with acts of mercy, through their superstitious misprison of this rest. Also consider how that God intended his spirituall service and worship in the very commandements of the second Table, much more then in those of the first. Againe I oppose hereunto the reason which God giveth from his owne example, in the fourth of Deut. to wit, his not appearing to them in any likeness, to cry downe their making of Images to worship them, which yet is no argument to prove that their not making of Images (though hee was to bee obeyed and imitated therein) was his proper worship or any part thereof, but onelyonly in a negative sense, which doth exclude some thing but conclude nothing.
And therefore that which Zanchy saith of strangers rest is proper to the busines in hand. Isti jubebantur non simpliciter quiescere, sed quiescere ut ipsi suo modo Sabbatum sanctificare possent. *Whereby you may see how hee se…v…th your turne, though put in your margent.This (suo modo) is of different sense to different sorts and conditions of people, for the strangers that knew not the true worship had their suo modo, nay and the Cattle theirs, and so the Iewes that knew it under types and figures had also their suo modo, and so have wee now ours.
And indeed if that rest was principally respected; why was not other cattle and creatures commanded to bee kept from labouring as well as the Oxe and the Asse: Why were they not as well to stoppe up the Bee-hives on the Sabbath-day to keepe them from working like as they doe in Winter, to preserve them from destroying; But wee see that onelyonly the labours of those beasts are forbidden, which might bee a distraction to mans better imployments and sanctified rest; which appeareth in that for the better accommodating us to holy duties (as for the hearing of a Sermon) wee may interrupt the rest of our Cattle (though other wayes commanded) and use their labour on that day; as in the example of the Shunamite, 2 Kings 4 22. 23.
Lastly I would aske you wherein wee shall sanctifie our everlasting Sabbath in Heaven, whether by a bare resting from our works or by positive worship. Surely you will say by positive worship; And yet I deny not, but our rest will bee an happy meanes thereunto; And so much is signified now by our Sabbaths rest: For such as is the Antitype, such is the type.
Thirdly touching your proofe cut of Ier. 17. 24. I answer.
1. That the reason of Gods taxing them with this was, because it was a fault most obvious (as may appeare in that amongst other workes, hee instanceth most their bearing of burthens as the thing most frequent and abusive) so doth hee complaine of their prophaning the Sabbath by working in it, because that being a fault most obvious they would bee the soonest convinced thereby; For man can naturally better conceive of his outward grosse and sensitive errours, then of his spirituall ones, which notwithstanding was implyed therein. Like as at the day of judgement hee will judge us by our works, and yet therein wee shall answer for our infidelity, for in the one hee involues the other.
God tooke the same order with the Iewes under the Law that Christ did under the Gospell, that is, still to blame them for those faults which were either most apparant or most proper to those times and persons; knowing that if they failed in those they must needs faile in the more materiall; But when they were diligent to doe the outward duty, and neglected the inward then God blameth them in that respect also: As wee may see by that which hee telleth them touching their sacrifices, how that hee that sacrificed a sheepe, was as if hee cut of a dogs necke: whereas had they neglected to have sacrificed hee would first have called on them for his outward service; because without that the inward could not bee performed: So of the Sabbath-rest; hee must first bring them from prophaning the Sabbath, before hee could bring them to a due sanctifying of it: For except they made good their bodily rest, according to the commandement, they could never meditate rightly their rest in Heaven.
Againe in the second place, I say, that though God in this 17. Ier: did thus sharpely reprove their prophaning the Sabbath by working, yet hee never meant that in resting consisted its chiefest sanctification, as may appeare by the 58. of Isa. 13. Which Master Calvin in his institutions upon the fourth commandement bringeth to prove that we were to rest from our works that day, that God might worke his works in us, and that the Prophets did call backe the Iewes from thinking themselves discharged by their carnall rest.
In the third place I answer, that this rest being a transcendent type, and of speciall sanctitie in those times, could not bee neglected, no not in the letter of it, without grosse prophanation of the Sabbath, besides the injury done to the usefull signification of it; because that then it was a part of the Sabbaths sanctification, I meane, of its very positive sanctification: And therefore had God just cause to complaine his Sabbaths were not sanctified, when they were so notoriously prophaned.
Fourthly, now I come to speake to your third proofe touching the prophanation of the Sabbath; which is say you by working, to which I answer.
First, that a man by working (if it bee seasonable) sanctifieth the Sabbath, and againe by resting, if it bee carnall and unfruitfull, he may prophane it.
Secondly, to argue from the prophaning to the sanctifying is no good argument, as because works prophane it, therefore rest onelyonly sanctifieth it. It may as well bee argued from the second commandement, that hee that doth not make Images to bow to them, is consequently a true worshipper of God. For though it bee most true, that every one, that resteth not from worldly imployments on the seaventh day, doth prophane the Sabbath and breake the commandement. Yet on the contrary, every one that doth rest cannot bee said to sanctifie it, no more then every one, that doth not make Images to bow to them, may bee said to worship God aright, and yet every one that doth make Images to bow to them, doth prophane the true worship of God. So Master Hisdersham, to keepe a bodily rest on that day from all our owne works is but the outside of the commandement, and concerneth onelyonly the outward man, and the outward and bodily observation of the fourth commandement (which, as the whole Law, is spirituall) and may bee performed by a man which hath no truth of Grace in him at all. Thus also Musoulus on the fourth commandement after hee hath shewne how those words of the commandement (Thou shalt in it doe no manner of worke) doe forbid all manner of lets which may hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath, because (saith hee) that is to bee done not with a patched mind, but with all our indeavour, and with a whole mind. In his conclusion, speaking against such as prophane the Sabbath by licentiousnes, the very cattle (saith hee) doe use the Sabbath-day better then wee, which though they doe nothing towards the sanctifying of it, yet their rest is so farre forth to bee preferred, that they doe nothing whereby the holy rest is prophaned and defiled, and the eyes of Gods Majesty offended.
As concerning the proofe you bring to backe this last argument withall, to wit, the example of Gods severe punishing worke though but a small one, when yet sins and other things which might seeme more to prophane it were passed over, I answer:
First, that God was curious in maintaining in violate their discipline in their dayes, which was then both his owne ordinance and the proper meanes of their instruction (for shadowes were then substances) so that if they were remisse in observing to doe the type, such as was this rest, they sinned both against God and their owne soules, and under went a double guilt of punishment and losse, like as wee, under the Gospell▪ doe sin more in not beleeving in Christ, then in breaking the whole Law.
Secondly, I say, that God was the severer in menacing and punishing this, because else they would have beeue apter to thwart it, judging of it rather by matter of fact, then by matter of duty or command, which I thinke was a notable aggravation of his sin that gathered stickes, judging the offence by the thing; As its like Adam did (and as you doe afterward) when hee ate the apple, which happily God fore seeing imposed the greater judgement to over-awe him.
And this Sabbath-rest (as that of eating the apple) not being a Law written in the conscience, and therefore they not having their conscience so lively in that as in other sins, had need of the stronger barre to keepe them of from breaking it.
Thirdly, this instance you give was whilest they were in the wildernes (as the Scripture phraseth it Num. 15. 32.) when the type was more lively and significative, and they better in abled to observe it, and therefore was the sin so much the more offensive and presumptuous, and consequently worthy of severer punishment.*Hee himselfe typifying that the neglect of Gods rest brings certaine and unavoidable ruine. Which you never read of, to bee executed after they came out of the wildernes, and yet were their prophanations in regard of their works farre greater.
As for the mans carrying of his bed, I answer to it two things.
First, that it was no breach of the Sabbath, but a manifestation of the miracle by a lawfull action (I meane lawfull though Christ had not commanded it) being necessary, because happily hee had never a one else (being a poore man) to ly on at night: Or els in his absence his bed might have beene wronged or stolne.*See pa…alell to this Matth. 9. 6. And put case hee had left it and in his absence it had beene stolne, and hee meeting the theife, the theife threw it downe and runne away, might not hee in your opinion have then taken it up and carried it home? And why then might not hee lawfully carry it home before to prevent stealing, as after it was stolne: And wee have reason to beleeve it to bee commanded by Christ to one of these ends: For it is like hee was poore or had no body to watch it, nor yet to carry it for him; for then hee might have had some man to have put him into the Poole when the water was troubled, but hee had none. In like case I appeale to your opinion whether you thinke it a breach of the Sabbath▪ for a Iew in his Sabbath-dayes journey finding a cloake-bagge or a bagge of money, to take it up and carry it away least if hee leave it there till the next day, to avoide carriage on the Sabbath, another that hath as little right to it as hee, find it and carry it for him.
Secondly I answer, that Christ neither could nor did command him to breake the Sabbath or prophane it. First, I say hee could not, for that tye which the Law hath upon us, by the condition of our nature, because wee are borne under it; it had upon Christ by the condition of his office and voluntary susception because hee was made under it: So that it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnes: And therefore hee is said in that respect to have beene obedient to his parents, though hee were not onelyonly the Son of Mary but the Lord of Mary: Therefore when Scripture denieth all sin to have beene in him, it implieth that hee was exactly conformable to the Law, in doing all that it requires, and in leaving undone all that it forbids. Secondly, I say hee did not, upon that reason which you alleage, to wit, as being Lord of the Sabbath: For 1. Though indeed hee was Lord of the Sabbath, yet in his humane nature, wherein hee was under the Law, hee was not to shew his foveraigne authority to the breach of any part of it, either morall or ceremoniall, for so it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnes. Secondly, that place of Scripture whence you borrow your reason is mistaken by you; For those words, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day, doe not intend that Christ is Lord of it as you meane, for him to keepe or breake it at pleasure; But Son of man signifieth mankind, as is evident. 1. by comparing the 27. and 28. verses of the second of Mar. The 27. verse saith, The Sabbath was made for Man, and not Man for the Sabbath, and then in the 28. verse it followeth with this word of coherence, therefore the Son of Man is Lord &c. where the one and the other doe intend man in genere and for Christ if you will secondly because that in that action it was not Christ himselfe that Lorded it over the Sabbaths-rest, but his Disciples, for though it was done in his service yet not by his commands as you reason, but of themselves for the releife of their necessity.
But to conclude I see not then by these arguments how your first*To wit in the sense. proposition can be made good. For if so bee rest sanctifieth the Sabbath then doth man and beast sanctifie it alike, then is there no difference betweene the stranger and the Israelite, nor betweene the Israelite and his oxe.
If you had said that not resting in the prophaning of the Sabbath, as bowing to Images is the prophaning of Gods worship wee had easily agreed: But that by the sense of the fourth commandement it is properly or principally*Though occasionally and by accident I acknowledge it to be a part of the Sabbaths sanctification in the … of the Iewes. the sanctifying of the Sabbath, I can no more yeild you, then that not bowing to Images is properly or principally the worship of God by the sense of the second commandement.
Ohi. But you will say, is not Gods commandement kept in both these, when they doe not bow to Images, and when they doe not labour but rest.
Ans. I answer that the things, which the commandements properly and principally strike at are not observed thereby; For these are rather preventions of Gods dis-worship then any parts of his worship; And hee that knoweth these commandements aright, knoweth they intend doing as well as not doing: And therefore hee that out of a good conscience forbeareth to doe the one (wherein indeed he negatively keepeth the commandement) will by vertue of the same conscience set you the other. For otherwise hee should give but a poore account to his Master at the last day, who when hee asketh him what hee hath done, answereth him with what hee hath not done, and when hee asketh him an account how hee hath imployed his Sabbaths, and what glory and worship hee hath done him in them, hee answereth him, I never prophaned thy Sabbaths with bodily labour but alwayes rested on that day, neither did I ever bow to an Image, surely his wayes shall bee as his that hid the talent in a napkin, for hee hath reason to looke for no better, thinking of God as hee did, that hee was hard in his commandements and therefore hee kept them as hardly in the negative and not in the affirmative.*Whereas Bishop Lake in his Sermons pag. 213. saith, that negatives are but to attend affirmatives and God doth not reward the ferbearance of …vill but the doing of good. Master Dod pag. 74. saith, one may forbeare the sins of the second commandement, and yet bee a damnable breaker of that commandement: for God commands not onelyonly to turne from dumbe Idols, but also that wee should serve the true and living God 1 Thes. 1. 9. else such are as well guilty of the breach of this Law as Idolaters, they for doing that they should not wee for not doing that wee should. So of the fourth commandement.
And for authority sake take notice what Thomas Aquinas saith to this purpose. In the observance of the Sabbath saith hee two things are to bee considered, one whereof as the end, and this is, that man bee vacant to divine things, which is signifi…d in that which hee saith (remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbath.) for those are said to bee sanctified in the Law which are applied to divine worship; But the other is the cessation of works signified when it … added, on the seaventh day of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any work…. And againe saith hee Spirituall works are not forbidden on the Sabbath-day, for therefore doth a man abstaine from other works on that day, that hee might bee vacant to works pertaining to the service of God. And saith hee yet further, servile works as they respect either the service of sin, or the service of man doe contrary the observan…e of the Sabbath, in so much as they hinder mans application to divine things.
For a closure to perswade the spiritualizing of the Sabbath observe what one speaking of the word remember as it is prefixed to the fourth commandement, saith.
To remember the keeping of the Sabbath (saith hee) is so to keepe it in mind as to prevent worldly busines falling on that day, to desire after it, to prepare for it; to delight and glory in it, as wee doe in those things wee keepe much in remembrance: for when hee speaks▪ of remembrance hee cals on us for such affections and actions as become remembrance, therefore when God bids you remember the Sabbath hee commands you to desire it; Thus David still explain… himselfe by the word remember in the Psalmes as Psalme 44. 4. and in other places. For it is a rule amongst the Hebrewes in e…pounding of Scripture, that verb… se…su… cum affect… … so that by remembring the Sabbath wee should desire it, delight in it, and account the busines and imployment thereof honourable to us, glorifying God in the consecrating it to him, being joyfull in it and the duties of it, both as the soules market day to provide it necessaries, like as the Husband man is glad of the market to buy and sell in, and as the soules holy-day for to procure it refreshing; as Schoole-boies joy in a play-day, and not bee weary of the day nor heavily doe the dutie… of it.