The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 65 – Part 66
Gods Justice Sabbath-breakers punished.
Object. GOd commanded the seventh day to be kept holy; we observe not that day,Exod. 20. but keep the first day of the week.
Answ. The Lord commanded a seventh day to be kept holy, not the seventh day next ensuing the sixth day: The Sunne stood still a day in Ioshua's time, and wentIosh. 10. 12. 1 Kin. 20. back ten degrees in Ahaz diall: Then the Jewes themselves could not keep their Sabbath upon that prec…ise and just distinction of the time, called at the first the seventh day from the Creation. Old things, saith the Apostle, are passed away, all 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rev. 21. 5.things are become new. He that will be in Christ must be a new Creature.
There is
New Knowledge,Col. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 10. Iohn 13. 34. Heb. 10. 20.
New People,
New …ommandement,
New Way,
New Wine,Luke 5. 36, 37. &c.
New Garment,
New Vessell,
New Man, All things are become n…w.Ephes. 4. Matth. 26. 28. Rev. 2. 17. Rev. 4. 9. Rev. 21. 5. & 3. 1…. … Pet. 3. 13.
New Testament, All things are become n…w.
New Names, All things are become n…w.
New Song, All things are become n…w.
New Jerusalem, All things are become n…w.
New Heaven, All things are become n…w.
New Earth. All things are become n…w.
And therefore of necessitie there must be in stead of the old a new Sabbath, and day of rest for the people of the Lord, according to Pauls saying, There remaineth a rest to the people of God.Heb. 4. 9.
On this Day
On our Lords Day
The Lord brought forth the light of the world in Creation.Gen. 1. Matth. 28. Gen. 8. Gen. 17. Exod. 12. Exo. 19. & 20. Exod. 30. Exod. 40. Levit. 9. Levit. 9. 24. Numb. 16. Numb. 17. 1. Luk. 24. Ioh. 2. …. Iohn 20. 19. Act. 1. 3. Matth. 27. Act. 2. Act. 2. & 20. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 2. Rev. 1. 10.
Christ brought forth the light of the Gospel by his Resurrection.
Noahs Arke rested on the mountaine of Ararat after the floud.
Circumcision was by the Lord unto Abraham first ordained,
The Israelites were from the bondage of the Egyptians delivered.
The Law was first given to the Israelits on the Mount by God.
The Cloud of Gods Majestie on the children of Israel first rested.
The Tabernacle with all his appurtenances was by the Israelites reared.
Aaron, and his children executed first their Priest-hood.
Fire first from heaven consuming the Israelites sacrifices descended.
The Isra…lites were first solemnely by the Lord himself blessed.
The Princes of Israel first publikely unto the Lord offered.
Christ Shewed his first miracle in Cana of Galilee: Rose from death: and appeared to his disciples after his Resurrection, shewing them things to come.
Saints that slept arose out of their graves, appearing.
The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles, together praying.
The Apostles usually among the people assembled, used Preaching.
The people laid up for the poore, as the Lord had prospered them.
Saint Iohn being in the Isle Pathmos had a Revelation.
All sh…dowing that it should be the first and chiefest Holy-day of the new Testament that should be kept holy by all Christians to the Lord, and to his Son Christ.
The Jewes kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds Creation.
Christians celebrate the Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds Redemption.
They as a figure of Grace when they should rest frō servitude of sinne.
Wee as a figure of Glory when wee shall rest frō occasions of sinning.
They had bodily sacrifices of beasts: we Spirituall Sacrifices of Prayer.Heb. 7. 12. Heb. 10. 8.
They the Leviticall Priesthood of the law: we Christian ministerie of the Gospel.
They Jewish Temples and Synagogues: we Christian Churches.
They Sacraments of Circumcision, Passeover: we of Baptisme, & the Lords Supper.
They the Jewes Sabbath so called; we the same into the Lords day changed.Rev. 1. 10.
The Heathens called this day Dies Slou, as dedicated tothe Sun: we from the Resurrection call Sunday as dedicated to the Service of God; which said day was constituted by the Apostles (Authour against whom no except on can be taken) and so celebrated by Christians to this day. Concerning the alteration whereof the Prophet Hosea might seeme to speake (when he saith) I will cause Hos. 2. 11.the Sabbath and Feasts to cease.
Now to keep holy a Sabbath to the Lord is to celebrate an holy rest unto God, not only abstaining from all labour of the body, but also practising all godly Exercises, as Prayer, Hearing the Word, receiving the Sacrament, &c. And to prophane the same, is to labour in servile works of our ordinary callings, to travell about ordinary businesse, to keepe Fayres and Markets on that day, to use sports and recreations, or any thing else more then things of necessitie.
By Prophanation
The man that gathered sticks on that day was stoned.Numb. 15. Ezek. 22. Ezek 20. Ezek. 23. Ne…. 13. 17, 18.
The Priests neglecting GOds service on that day were plagued.
The Israelites Prophaning the Sabbath were not suffered to enter into the land of promise, but died in the wildernesse: they were delivered into the hands of their enemies being heathen nations, who stoned them, and slew them with their sonnes abd daughters with utter destruction.
The person that defileth and worketh on the Sabbath shall be cut off.Exod. 31. 14. Chap. 35. 2.
Prophaners Cause the Lord to kindle a fi…e in the gates of the citie: yea, such as shall devoure the palaces, and shall not be quenched.Ier. 17. 27.
Reade Mark 6. 2. Luke 4. 16. Act. 13. 14. Chap. 16. 13. Chap. 18. 4. Exod. 12. 16. Chap. 23. 12. Chap. …1. 13, 14. N…em. 10. 31. Exod. 35, 3.
The Lord God
1. Blessed the seventh day, rested on it, and sanctified it, commanding theGē. 2. 3. & 20. 11 Exod. 34. 21. Chap. 12. 16. Chap. 35. 3. Chap. 16. 25. Numb. 28. 9. Israelites to rest on the said day both in earing-time and Harvest, and that they should do no work save only about that which every man must eat.
2. He commanded that they should kindle no fire on that day, forbade them to gather Manna thereon, willed them on the contrarie to offer double unto him on that day what they did on any other in their sacrifices, oblations. &c.
3. He promised that if they would sanctifie the Sabbath, they should haveLevit. 26. 2, 3, &c. Isai. 56 2. Chap 58. 13. Ier. 17. 21. rain in due season, the land should yeeld her increase, and that they should be blessed in all their l…bours: And further that if they did beare no burd…ns on that day, …or bring it in by the gates, &c. but did sanctifie the same, that then their Prince should sit on his throne, and the Citie Jerusalem should continue for ever among them.
4. He promised the Eunuch that sanctified his Sabbath a place, and a name,Isai. 56. 5. even an everlasting name that should not be put out.
5. He promised that person that kept his Sabbath, calling it the pleasant, holy, and glorious Sabbath of the Lord, giving him the honour, not doing after his own imagination, to bring him to his holy hill to make himIsa. 58. 13. &c. joyfull in the house of Prayer, and to accept his offering.
Use.
1. Let all Magistrates take Example by godly Nehemia…, who protested against those that carried burdens on the Sabbath day: reproving the rulers for suffering wares to be sold on that day, commanding the gates to be shut, and set servants toNehem. 13. see that none should carry burdens on that day; As also protested to lay hands on the Chapmen that stayed all night withiout the wals of the Citie, whereupon they came not again to buy and sell as usually they had done.
2. Seeing God hath promised so many blessing to those that sanctifie the same, let it move us not onelyonly to remember to keep holy the Sabbath day, as God hath commanded, but also to keep it holy, as he hath willed, &c.
Gods Justice Swearers punished.
SWearing is not onelyonly when the Name of God is sworne by, but also when in common and ordinary talke men fill up their sentences with needlesse oathes, as to sweare by the Crosse, Masse, &c.
Swearing is both Godly, and Ungodly.
Godly When men are called by Magistrates to depose the truth; or in a privateExod. 12. 11. H…b. 6. 16. cause betweene partie and partie, and that for the ending of contentions and debates, &c.
And Wicked When men sweare upon every light occasion, and in their daily talke,Matth. 5. 34. Hos. 4. 2. and that without truth, and this sinne is so great that the Prophet ranks it before lying, killing, adultery and stealing, as the capitall sin of all of them.
The man that blasphemed the Name of the Lord was stoned to death.Lev. 24. 16. & 5. 1. Zech. 5. 3, 4, &c.
Shall be cut off (saith the Lord,) the curse is gone forth, and it shall enter into the house of him that falsly sweareth, and shall remaine in his house, and shall consume it with the timber and stones thereof.
Swearers And they
Cause the land to mourne, and every one that dwelleth therein to beHos. 4. 3. Ie…. 23. 10, &c. Chap. 5. 7. cut off, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of Heaven: As also they cause the fish to be taken away in the sea, and the pleasant places in the wildernesse to be dryed up.
The man That useth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse, and theIsraelites, Ier. 5. 2, 7. & 8. 14. plague shall never goe from his house, when he shall offend, his fault shall be upon him, and if he sweare in vaine, he shall not beEcclus. 13. 11. found righteous: his house shall be full of plagues.
God saith, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain: thou shalt notExod. 20. Lev. 19. 12. defile his Name: for he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain▪
Christ saith, Sweare not at all, &c. but let your communication be yea, yea, and Matt. 5. 34. Ioh. 5. 34. Matth. 12. 36. Iam. 5. 12.nay, n…y, for what i… else proceedeth of sin.
Saint Iames willeth men …bove all things not to sweare for feare of condemnation.
Use.
Ʋse. It should teach u… (as the wise man saith) not to accustome our selves to swearing,Syr. 23. 13. for that in it …ere are many fals: neither to take for custome the Name ofEcclus. 23. 9, 10. the holy one, for we shall not be unpunished for such things.
Reade Ier. 5. 2, 7. Amos 8. 14.