A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Section 8 – Section 3

A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath · Section 8 – Section 3

p. 34SECTION VIII. The Sabbath was obſerved of Gods people, before the Law given at Mount Sinai.

THe Sabbath being inſtituted of God, Gen. 2. 3. it was obſerved of Gods people before the Law at Sinai.

1. It muſt needs bee, that Adam obſerved it, elſe he did neglect the inſtitution, and Gods imitable example to ſtirre him up to the ſame. Now if Adam did neglect it, it muſt needs be: Firſt, either of ignorance, which could not be, for as he knew the Lords work of ſix dayes, ſo could he not be ignorant of Gods reſt the ſeventh day, this he ſaw, being created before, though he muſt be taught the ſix dayes work, either by Gods ſecret inſpiration, or by inſtruction of his voyce: Therefore Adam was not ignorant of this firſt inſtitution of the Sabbath. Secondly, if he neglected it wittingly, it was no leſſe than contempt, which to conceit of Adam could neither ſtand with his ſtate of innocency before his fall, nor with his ſtate of grace after his fall.

Therefore ſeeing Adam did neither of ignorance nor knowledge neglect it, he then obſerved it: and if he knew it, and obſerved it, without all queſtion he would teach others to obſerve it, he being after the fall one of the holy men of God, a teacher and inſtructer of Gods people, as hee is reckoned in Gen. 5. amongſt the teachers in thoſe dayes.

Some perhaps will here ſay, it would eaſily be granted, that the words were binding, if it could bee proved, that Adam knew of this inſtitution.

The works of God are wrought for man to know, and in knowing them, to acknowledge God in them, and to obſerve them, and to make that uſe of them, which he intendeth by them; This is an univerſall truth.

Againe, his works wrought, are to bee taken notice of, p. 35of the firſt to whom they may become obſerveable, and to whom they doe belong: This is undeniable.

All Gods works are documentary, and lead men to ſome uſe of them, as the Scriptures doe teach.

Adam, created in the excellency of perfection according to the image of God, ſaw Gods workmanſhip of the world, and knew God in them, and well underſtood how to make uſe of them.

But now that in ſix dayes God was creating all things, Adam could not know but by information from God, nor could he know the ſeventh day, to be the ſeventh day on which God reſted, but by his knowledge of the ſix dayes before it.

Yet after God made him, he knowing that God wrought ſix dayes, and hee beholding Gods reſt on the ſeventh day, by his excellent underſtanding, he could conceive that God in both, to wit, in his ſix dayes working, and in his ſeventh dayes reſting, made himſelfe a patterne for his imitation: for elſe what needed God to take ſo many dayes for working, or the ſeventh day for reſting.

But concerning the ſeventh day, Gods exemplary reſt is not only mentioned by Moſes, but Gods bleſſing and ſanctifying of the day, not for himſelfe, for ſo to think were abſurd, ſaith learned B. Lakes, but for man, Mark. 2. 27.In his Theſ.

If ſo, then Adam muſt needs know thus much, elſe Gods bleſſing and ſanctifying of the day for Adam and his poſterity had beene of none effect.

Although there bee a diſpute about the time, yet on all hands the words are acknowledged to be words of an inſtitution. Now every inſtitution of God is made manifeſt without delay to them whom it concerneth, no inſtance can be given to the contrary; but I have proved the inſtitution to have beene upon Gods reſt, after the ſix dayes work, and therefore was it forthwith knowne unto Adam to bee an inſtitution of the Sabbath; for which cauſe he knew himſelfe bound to obſerve it, as no doubt, but hee and the Patriarchs did, as followeth to bee proved in the next Section.

p. 362. The holy men of God, before the Law, knew the ſpace of times, they knew the ſpace of yeares, and reckoned by yeares, Gen. 5. and 7. 11. and 14. 4. They knew the ſpace of a monethmonth, Gen. 29. 24. and 38. 20. Exod. 2. 2. and could reckon the moneths, knowing which was firſt, which the ſecond, the third, and fourth, &c. Gen. 8. 13, 14. Exod. 12. 2. and 19. 1. They moreover obſerved weeks, Gen. 29. 2…, 28. and knew how many dayes made a week, elſe how could Laban ſay fulfill her week, or Jacob underſtand what he meant by it? But it is ſaid, he fulfilled her week, which was ſeven dayes, which made the week, as they had learned from God, in working ſix dayes, and reſting the ſeventh day; and as the Hebrew name ſheweth it: for a week was called foreign Shabuah, comming of foreign Septem, ſeven, which language the Church of God then ſpake, and the Septuagint tranſlates the words foreign, which the Latines call Septimana and Hebdomada, which doth conſtare ſeptem diebus, as a man learned in the Hebrew tongue delivers it. All doe reckon ſeven dayes for a week, and ſo is it taken in the Scriptures where a week or weeks be mentioned, Dan. 9. 27. and 10. 3. Levit. 12. 15. Luk. 18. 12. Now they knowing a week, and taking to themſelves ſix dayes of the week for work from Gods example, and as God allowed them, as we ſee by his words in giving the Law, Exod. 20. 9. 11. may it bee in reaſon thought otherwiſe, but that they gave God the ſeventh day according to his owne inſtitution?

3 The much obſerving of the number of ſeven and ſeventh, may ſomewhat move us hereto; elſe, why did God himſelfe ſo obſerve it? Firſt, in his reſting upon the ſeventh day at the beginning, Gen. 2. 2. 3. Secondly, in his diſtinction of beaſts and foules, commanding Noah to obſerve the number of ſeven, in taking in to him the cleane, Gen. 7. 2. 3. Thirdly, in ordering ſo the Arke, by the hand of his providence, that it (as the Type of the Church) ſhould reſt in the ſeventh Month, on the Mountaines of Ararat, Gen. 8. 4. and that the earth ſhould be dryed on the ſeventh day of the ſecond Month, falling p. 37out upon no other number but upon the number of ſeven; I ſay, by the guidance of Gods providence, to teach the godly, that as hee reſted the ſeventh day Sabbath, ſo the Arke the Typicall Church, ſhould reſt on the ſeventh day; and as he ending his work of Creation, and bleſſed the ſeventh day; ſo h…e ending his work of his judgement, upon the ſinfull word, upon the ſeventh day, on which the earth was dryed: which ſeventh day might very likely be the ſeventh day Sabbath; what may bee ſaid to the contrary I know not: For the Sabbath day, as now ſometimes it doth, might fall upon the ſeventeenth day of one Month, and on the twenty ſeventh day of another Month. Fourthly, in ordayning the Paſſeover to bee kept upon a ſeventh day, Exod. 12. 3, 6. for the fourteenth day was the ſeventh day; for if wee reckon from the firſt day of the MonethMonth, to the tenth, and the keeping up of the Lamb till the fourteenth day, it muſt be the ſecond ſeventh day of the Month, which the Jewes began at the evening, and continued to the evening. Fiftly, in the Lords appointing the feaſt of unleavened bread, to conſiſt of the number of ſeven dayes, and the ſeventh day to be an holy Convocation, Exod. 12. 15, 16. and a feaſt unto the Lord, Exod. 13. 6. Sixthly, in his not rayning of Mannah on the ſeventh day, becauſe he would have no gathering on that day. All theſe put together, doe ſhew that God did much extoll the ſeventh day before his people, and thoſe holy Patriarches, to ſtirre them up to obſerve the ſeventh day Sabbath. Seventhly, to adde to all theſe the Lords ſpeaking to Noah, of the number of ſeven dayes to bring in the Floud, and opening the windowes of Heaven, and breaking up the fountaines of the great deep on the ſeventeenth day of the ſecond Month, Gen. 7. 11. and in bringing the Floud upon the old world, upon the ſeventh day, Gen. 7. 10. as the learned Tranſlatours have it in the Margin. So Tremelius and Innius give us it, from the Hebrew Text: Fuit ipſorum dierum ſeptimo: Ʋatablus hath it, Cum illuxiſſet dies ſeptimus, that hereby, among other the wickedneſſes p. 38of the times, God might ſhew his wrath againſt thoſe evill men, for profanation of the Sabbath, and the contempt of that his holy inſtitution.

Here I might annex the Patriarch Noah, his obſervation of the number of ſeven, againe and againe, in ſending out the Dove; Gen. 8. 10. 12. and likewiſe (being come out of the Arke) in his ſacrificing an acceptable offering to God, on the ſeven and twentieth day of the Month, in which hee came forth, Gen. 8. 14. 20. 25. like enough to bee the obſervation of the firſt Sabbath in the new world; ſo let me conceive it, till any can ſhew me plainely the contrarie. Howſoever it was, we ſee the number of ſeven was obſerved herein by him, as being mindfull of the ſeventh day of Gods reſting, and ſanctifying it for a Sabbath: For I would faine know, why the number of ſeven ſhould bee ſo obſerved of God, and holy men, not only by Noah, but by Abraham in ſome caſes, except it were to minde them of Gods ſeventh day; the firſt time of the mention of ſeventh, which God ſo bleſſed and ſanctified▪ in making the ſeventh day his reſting day? As for the conceit of perfection in the number of ſeven, I conceive it to bee without ground of Scripture, except with relation to Gods ſeventh day, bleſſed and ſanctified.

4 Saint Paul in Heb. 4. ſpeaketh of Gods reſt on the ſeventh day, when God finiſhed his work, and of the participation of that reſt, as Biſhop Lakes ſaith, two wayes, Typically, and Spiritually: the firſt by Ioſhua, giving the Iſraelites reſt in Canaan; and the ſecond by Chriſt, a reſt from ſinne here, and a ſpirituall bleſſedneſſe hereafter. The Apoſtle telleth us, that an entrance was made into the ſeventh daies reſt, inſtituted by God, when hee had finiſhed his work, and reſted thereon, into which man entred and reſted, as alſo did the Iſraelites into the Typicall reſt by Ioſhua, and ſo doe the Iſraelites of God into the ſpirituall reſt by Jeſus Chriſt.

Now as wee Chriſtian beleevers doe partake of our reſt, and as the Iſraelite beleevers enjoyed the Typicall p. 39reſt, ſo did the holy Patriarches and Fathers enjoy the ſeventh day Sabbaths reſt, and kept that reſt: for to what purpoſe elſe is that firſt reſt mentioned?

5 Genebrad in his Chron. ſaith that the Hebrewes held that Noah and the reſt of the Fathers did keep the Sabbath, once ſanctified by God, and citeth Rabbi Iohai, Pater Rabbi Simeonis, Rabbi Moſes, Hadarſan, and Rabbi Salomò; Aben Eſra on Exod. 20. is alſo of this judgement.

6 It is moſt cleare, that God gave to the holy men of God, his Lawes to live by, his Charge, his Commandements, his Statutes, and his Lawes, and they obſerved them: ſo it is ſaid of Abraham, the prime Patriarch, who alſo was acquainted therewith, Gen. 26. 5. The godly were followers of good things, walking with God, Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. They vexed at the ſinfull courſes of men, 2 Pet. 2. 8. 9. They preached againſt their impieties, Iude 14. 15. 1 Pet. 3. 20. and God threatned deſtruction to the world therefore, Gen. 6. 3, 7. and accordingly did deſtroy them, Gen. 7. 19. Now if God gave his Lawes, and reproved ſinne, and puniſhed ſinne; would hee amongſt theſe his Lawes (the particulars whereof are not mentioned) ſuffer his firſt inſtitution, his bleſſed and ſanctified ſeventh day Sabbath, to bee unthought of, and to bee neglected? May wee reaſonably think that the godly having received other Lawes, and obſerved and kept them (as the Text ſayth they did) that they would careleſſely omit to obſerve this inſtitution of the Sabbath, amongſt thoſe his Lawes, Statutes, and Commandements?

7 Before any feaſt mentioned by Gods appointment, Moſes, and Aaron, and the Elders of the people, Exod. 3. 18. could ſpeak of a feaſt to be kept unto the Lord, before Pharaoh, Exod. 5 1. on which they were to offer ſacrifices unto the Lord, verſe 3. Now what Feſtivall day could this bee, but the ſeventh day Sabbath; for as yet, no other Feſtivalls were inſtituted. Therefore how ever it was, that in Egypt perhaps in time of their cruell bondage, and only towards the end of it, they could not obſerve p. 40the Sabbath; this hinders not to apply it to the Sabbath, becauſe Moſes ſpake to Pharaoh in the terme of a Feaſt and Sacrifice, becauſe it was better underſtood of Pharaoh, than if peradventure hee had mentioned the name Sabbath, which they might keep in Egypt, in the dayes of thoſe Kings which knew Ioſeph, before the extremity of their bondage.

8 The fourth Commandement, and all words thereto added, telleth us that the Sabbath day was kept holy, before the time that it was written in the Tables of Stone.

Firſt, the prefixed Memento, telleth us ſo much, that it was before obſerved, and God would ſtill have it carefully kept: for the Memento, hath reſpect unto the time paſt.

Secondly, the manner of this delivery of this Commandement, may perſwade us to this; for the other Commandements are uttered imperatively, ſo as they inforce the dutie, as in the fifth Commandement, Honour thy Father and Mother; the duty charged, is Honour: and in the other Commandements, the ſin is forbidden, as, Thou ſhalt not take my name in vaine, Thou ſhalt doe no murther; and ſo of the reſt. But now in the fourth Commandement, the Lord falleth not upon the maine of the precept, as to ſay, keep holy the Sabbath day; but the imperative ſpeech is laid upon the word Remember: ſaying, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; cleane otherwiſe than in any other of the reſt of the precepts; and the reaſon hereof is, for that hee had before inſtituted it, and it had been before obſerved of the Iſraelites, as in the next reaſon is clearely proved: Therefore hee ſayth not, keep holy the Sabbath as now inſtituted, but thus, Remember to keep holy the Sabbath, as if hee had ſaid, as it hath been before obſerved of you, and ſtill to bee kept holy.

Thirdly, all the principall words annexed to the Commandement, tell us of no new thing then impoſed, but what was well enough known and made uſe of before: as, firſt ſix dayes for labour, they were allowed before p. 41Exod. 16. 4. 5. Secondly, the ſeventh day to be the Sabbath; this alſo in plain words Moſes had taught them, Exod. 16 23. 26. Thirdly, of the Lord their God, which they knew, from Abrahams dayes, Gen. 17. 7. and by Moſes in Egypt, Exod. 6. 7. Fourthly, That in it they ſhould not doe any manner of work; this they were forewarned of, Exod. 16. 29. and ſome were reproved for offending, verſ. 28. Fiftly, that in ſix dayes God made heaven and earth, &c. This was evident of old time unto the Fathers, Gen. 24. 3. 7. And laſtly, that hee reſted the ſeventh day, bleſſed and hallowed the Sabbath; Gods owne words of the inſtitution, Gen. 2. 2. 3. So that we ſee it clear from the fourth Commandement, and the words thereto annexed, that this Law was known & practiſed before it was given in Horeb.

9 And laſtly, to make up all ſure; Moſes telleth us in plain words, that the ſeventh day Sabbath was kept, Exod. 16. 30. and that the people reſted on the ſeventh day, which he ſaith was a Sabbath to the Lord, verſe 25. the reſt of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, verſe. 23.

Now this Text being ſo cleare, that it cannot be denied, except one dare ſay Moſes lyed. Some have endeavoured to darken the truth, and to becloud the antiquitie of the Sabbath, in the former inſtitution, and uſe thereof, by being pleaſed to vent their erroneous conception, and to ſay (but without any ground of reaſon) that this Chapter Exod. 16. ſpeaketh of the firſt inſtitution of the Sabbath.

But for anſwer hereto, I doe deny that any ſuch inſtitution can here be proved; and to make this cleare, looke into the Text, and obſerve two things; firſt, what God ſpake; ſecondly, what God did to finde an inſtitution: firſt God himſelfe ſpake of giving of Manna, alſo of gathering a certaine rate every day, and on the ſixth day twice as much, verſe 4. 5. 23. but in all this chapter, God ſpeaks not ſo much as one word of the ſeventh day Sabbath, nor doth he ſay, that hee bleſſed or ſanctified it, nor doth Moſes write▪ any ſuch thing of God in this chapter as he ſpeaketh of Gods reſting, bleſſing, and ſanctifying p. 42it in Gen. 2. 3. as hee ſhould have done, if any anticipation were there, with relation to this place: ſecondly, what God ſpake in verſe 28. is implicitly of the Sabbath; firſt wrapping it up among his Commandements and Lawes given before this time, to them and their Fathers; ſo farre is he from inſtituting a Sabbath in this place.

Secondly, he reproveth them for the breach of it, as already commanded before with other his Commandements and precepts there mentioned. Now if God ſpake no words of the Sabbath, but what the people were to doe in ſix dayes, and eſpecially on the ſixth, God paſſing by the very naming of the ſeventh day, and where he ſpeaketh of it implicitly, it is only by way of reproofe, to the people for tranſgreſſing and breaking of it: How can here be the inſtitution of the Sabbath? ſeeing God doth not ſo much as name it, but reproves the breach of it, which implyeth it to have beene before this time, elſe ſhould he have reproved them for a tranſgreſſion and a ſin, whereof there was no Law.

Next let us ſee what Gods acts were, whether they will afford an inſtitution. Firſt, hee gave them the Manna verſ. 15. but this bleſſing was only on the ſix working dayes; what is this to the inſtitution of the Sabbath? truly no more than his ſix dayes work in the Creation for the inſtitution of the ſeventh day for a Sabbath. Secondly, he preſerved the Manna, gathered on the ſixth day in the morning, from breeding of wormes, and from ſtinking, being kept over night to bee eaten on the ſeventh day: what is this to the inſtitution of the day? The bleſſing, was not the bleſſing of the day, but of the eating of the Manna on the Sabbath day, for which cauſe God did preſerve it, that they might keep the Sabbath before this time bleſſed and ſanctified, Gen. 2. 3.

Thus we ſee, that neither by any words of God, nor by his deeds, can here bee proved the ſeventh dayes inſtitution for the Sabbath.

Secondly, let us ſee what may bee gathered from p. 43Moſes, for inſtitution of the Sabbath here in this time.

True it is, that hee nameth the ſeventh day, three or or foure times in this Chapter; which he ſaith was the Sabbath, but not as an inſtitution; neither could Moſes inſtitute the Sabbath: for what God here did not, he could not doe: but he mentioneth here the Sabbath;

1 As a reaſon why hee approved the peoples act, in gathering on the ſixth day two Omers; becauſe the next day the morrow after, was the reſt of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, Exod. 16. 23. Here is no inſtitution, nor reaſon alleadged for it, as in Gen. 2. 3. but it is brought as a reaſon for a thing of another nature, to approve of the collection of a double rate of Manna, on the ſixth day.

2 He nameth it againe in verſe, 25. but occaſioned by the Manna, which was, that they ſhould eat the reſerved Manna, for that none was to be found that day in the fields; becauſe it was the Sabbath day, on which they were to reſt: So here is a reaſon, why they ſhould not goe and ſeek Manna, but to eat what was gathered before, but no inſtitution of the day, but an appointment of the meanes uſed for to reſt on the day formerly inſtituted.

3 Hee mentioneth it againe in verſe 26. to the ſame purpoſe, to keep them within on the ſeventh day Sabbath, becauſe ſix dayes the Lord would give it them to gather, but on the ſeventh day Sabbath, there ſhould none be found; which words make no inſtitution, but are an information for the preventing of the breach of the Sabbath.

4 He nameth it in verſe 29. upon the Lords reproving them for the breach of the Sabbath, by ſome going forth to ſeek Manna contrary to ſo much fore-warning given by Moſes; whereupon Moſes dealeth a little more roundly with them, as a man having authority: ſaying, See, for the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the ſixth day the bread of two dayes; abide yee every man in his place, let no man goe out of his place on the Sabbath day. In theſe words Moſes firſt commands every p. 44man to abide within, and that none ſhould goe out to ſeek it on the ſeventh day. Theſe be the only words of any Command about the Sabbath in this chapter, which doe not inſtitute the day, but ſerve only to prevent the peoples ſinning any more in going out to ſeek it, as they had done. Secondly, Moſes giveth two reaſons for his ſo ſtrict a charge laid upon them, which he would have them to ſee and conſider of, for the better reſtraining of themſelves from the breach of the Sabbath. The firſt is from Gods grace and favour, that he had given them the Sabbath: And the other is, that he allowed them on the ſixth day the bread of two dayes. Where out of theſe words let us obſerve two things. The firſt is, that the mentioning of the Sabbath commeth only in ſtill occaſionally concerning the Manna, and not of purpoſe to inſtitute a Sabbath; but wholly in all the foure places, it is ſpoken of, either of gathering the double rate of Manna, or of the eating the Manna reſerved, or of gathering Manna on every of the ſix dayes, or of tarrying within, and not to goe out to ſeek it when it was not to be found; and all this to this end, that the Sabbath might be kept more carefully of the people, as the event plainly ſheweth: For upon theſe conſiderations about the Manna, the people harkened to Moſes, and did reſt on the ſeventh day, verſe 30.

The ſecond thing, wherewith I will and may conclude my anſwer, is, (that which may ſatisfie any, not wilfully averſe from the truth) the change of the tenſe, in the two reaſons: Moſes ſpeaking of Gods giving of Manna (becauſe it was at this time given whilſt the people were in the wilderneſſe of Zin, Exod. 16. 1.) ſaith in the preſent tenſe, Dat vobis, he giveth you in the ſixth day the bread of two dayes: but ſpeaking of the Sabbath, he uttereth the words in the preterperfect tenſe, Jehovah dedit vobis ipſum Sabbatum: The Lord hath given to you the Sabbath, as that ſame which was of old, which evidently declareth the Sabbath to have beene before this time, and not now at this preſent in this place inſtituted: For if it had beene now at this time given, as the Manna was, Moſes would have ſaid, he giveth you the Sabbath, and not, he hath given it.

p. 45Having thus anſwered this place of Exod. 16. yet one thing remaineth to be removed as a great block in the way; which is the ſilent paſſing over the obſervation of the Sabbath from the Creation till the rayning of Manna: and therefore they are bold to conclude from a meere Negative, that there was no obſervation of the Sabbath.

Anſw. 1. I have proved the inſtitution, Gen. 2. 3. which is enough to prove, that they ought to have obſerved, which if they did not, was ſin in them: but the reverence we owe to thoſe holy men of God, bindeth us to think better of them than ſo.

2. I have ſhewed my reaſons why wee are to bee perſwaded that the Sabbath was kept of them, of more force to confirme this aſſertion, than ſuch a weak argument from the bare ſilent paſſing it over hiſtorically, can bee of any validity to refell it.

For as the hiſtoricall narration of Moſes ſpeaketh nothing of the obſervation of the day, after the inſtitution of it; ſo we may finde after it was commanded on Mount Sinai, that no mention is made of any obſervation of the day in all the book of Joſhua, nor in the book of the Judges, nor in Ruth, nor in the firſt or ſecond of Samuel, nor in the firſt book of the Kings: ſhall we therefore conclude, that in all this time, valiant Joſhua, the Princes of the people, the worthy Judges, holy Samuel, zealous David, and others, did not obſerve the Sabbath? In all the Hiſtory of Heſter no mention is made of God; will we therefore ſay hee was not then knowne or worſhipped of Mordecai, Heſter, and the religious Jewes?

God by his ſpirit directed the holy Penmen to write ſo, in ſuch manner, and of ſuch things, as he in his heavenly wiſdome thought fitteſt to make rehearſall of to poſterities, and not to embolden men to deny ſuch and ſuch things not to have beene, becauſe the Lord was not pleaſed to mention them. If we ſhould thus reaſon, what an ill face of a Church would we imagine to have beene in the world till Moſes his dayes.

For the better clearing of this point, and to manifeſt the p. 46abſurd and impious reaſoning from the ſilence of Scripture in this ſort, I will divide the times from the Creation till Moſes, and then let men ſee the ſilent paſſing over of many things, and whether men dare to deny the obſervation of the Sabbath upon that only very ſelfe ſame ground.

1. From the Creation to the fall, how long, is uncertain, the Story is only in two chapters and no more: In this ſpace is not one word of Adams worſhipping of God, not a word of any holy duties practiſed: May we think therefore he performed no ſuch thing to God? If we be aſhamed ſo to conclude from the ſilence of the Scripture herein, why dare any deny Adams obſervation of the Sabbath, upon no other ground? ſeeing he knew it to be inſtituted, and had Gods example of reſting before him for his imitation?

But yee will perhaps ſay, that Adam could not keep it, becauſe he fell before the Sabbath day.

Anſw. Learned Zanchius is confident to affirme, that Chriſt took an humane ſhape, and conferred with Adam, and taught him how to keep the Sabbath to the Lord. And it ſeemes to me ſomewhat unlikely that God would ſuffer Adam to fall the very day of his creation.

Firſt, Adam was made the ſixth day, what time is not noted; let it be in the morning, it cannot be then; firſt becauſe of the things to be done before he fell: 1. All ſorts of beaſts and foules were brought to him to name them, every ſeverall ſort according to their natures, which took up ſome time. 2. He was caſt into a deepe ſleepe. 3. A rib was taken out of his ſide, and thereof the woman was made. 4. The Lord brought her to Adam, and married them, who ſpake of her, and of the conjunction of man and wife. 5. God put them into Paradiſe to dreſſe the Garden, and gave them a Commandement: all which took up ſome ſpace of time.

Secondly, in reſpect of the time of the temptation, the Serpents comming into the Garden, then the conference betweene him and Eve, and after betweene Eve and Adam: the temptation was not ſo ſuddenly begun and ended, as the ſhortneſſe of the Story may ſeeme to intimate.

p. 47Thirdly, the things done after the fall: 1. A confuſed ſhame of face to ſee themſelves naked: 2. Their ſowing leaves to cover their nakedneſſe: 3. Their hiding themſelves, which was in the coole of the day. 4. Their examination, and anſwer, and then the ſentence after upon all.

Fourthly and laſtly, the caſting of them forth of Paradiſe. All which may give us to think, that theſe things could not well happen upon his day of creation.

2. It is not likely, that Eve would ſo ſuddenly ſtraggle from her husbands company, and ſo immediately to be ſet upon by the Serpent, as ſoone as they were in the Garden.

3. They could not conceive of the excellency of their ſtate of perfection, nor of the efficacy of Gods bleſſed image and likeneſſe in them, if they had enjoyed no time for the expreſſion thereof: For what time could they have had together to diſcerne of each others excellency, to contemplate upon Gods creatures, to behold their glorious habitation, and to praiſe God for his goodneſſe, if they had fallen the ſame day.

4. The words of Gods approbation of all his works: he ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good, Gen. 1. 31. which approbation he gave of them at the end of the ſixth day: For upon the words written by Moſes of Gods ſeeing all things very good, he addeth, and the Evening and the Morning was the ſixth day, that is, the day naturall was finiſhed, for ſo the words are to be underſtood of every of the other five dayes, verſe 5. 8. 13. 19. 23.

Now God ſpeaking in the end of the ſixth day ſo well of all his works, if Adam had fallen on that day, and God had curſed the earth for mans ſin, how could it be ſaid, that hee ſaw every thing good, when through the ſin of man, all things on a ſudden came to be out of frame.

5. It cannot ſtand with the beginning of the ſecond chapter of Geneſis, that Adam ſhould fall the firſt ſixth day: becauſe, when Moſes had mentioned in the other chapter the ſixth day conſiſting of the evening and morning; he begineth with a ſummary repetition of all Gods works. Gene. 2. 1. as yet without crack or flaw in them: ſecondly with mentioning p. 48of Gods ending his work which he had made, and not marred again by curſing of it, as yet, Gene. 2. 2. Thirdly Moſes telleth us, how God reſted on the ſeventh day (to wit) from all his work which he had made. Now what is reſting, but the Lords ceaſing to create further any other things, than what he had created, and his pleaſureable delight in the full accompliſhment of his works done in thoſe ſix dayes? And his reſting was from his work made; ſo it was from his creating only, and not from puniſhing, as his reſting ſhould have beene, had man fallen before his reſt here ſpoken of, Gen. 2. 2. Therefore from all theſe reaſons it is very likely, that Adam and Eve fell not on the day of their creation. But now to returne againe to the point.

2 From Adams caſting out of Paradiſe unto the reſtoring of religion by Seth, Gen. 4. 26. which was the ſpace of 235 yeares, which Story is conteined in one only chapter, Gen. 4.

In this ſpace of 235 yeares, there is no mention of Adams perſonall repentance, of his faith, and love to God; not a word of his praying to God, of his worſhipping of him, or of any duty performed by him, unto God, or man; can any or will any conclude hence, that Adam failed in all theſe? No; why then, upon the ſame reaſon, dare any conclude no keeping of the Sabbath by Adam, becauſe it is not recorded, that he obſerved it: eſpecially, ſeeing wee read of Gods reſting, and of the inſtitution and making it the Sabbath for man?

3. From the reſtoring of religion by Seth, unto the Flood, was 1422 yeares, all which long ſpace of time is hiſtoried within two chapters and a halfe in Gen. 5. and 6. to verſe 17. of the ſeventh chapter.

Now in all this time, for ſo many hundreds of yeares wherein lived many holy men, the ſonnes of God mentioned in Gen. 5. yet not one word by Moſes ſet downe of any publick worſhip, in offering ſacrifices, as before; not a word of any holy meeting any where, not a word of any good they did one to another, not a word of any thing worthy note of any of them, or of their children, ſave of Enoch and p. 49Noah: will we hence conclude them defective in all things? no, then why judge we them defective in keeping of the Sabbath?

IV. From the day of the floud, and Noahs entring into the Ark, unto the calling of Abraham out of Ʋr, which is the ſpace of 352. yeers, ſome ſay 427. yeers comprehended in part of the ſeventh Chapter from the ſeventeenth Verſe to the end, and in the 8, 9, 10, 11, foure Chapters, and no more.

In this ſpace nothing is ſpoken of any Divine praiſes, of any ſolemn meetings of them together; can we conclude, that ſo many holy men mentioned in Chapter 11. of bleſſed Shems race, did fail therein? if not, why dare we ſay, they kept not the Sabbath?

V. From Abrahams calling out of Ʋr to Jacobs going down into Egypt, is about 215. yeers, this ſpace is ſtoried in many Chapters from Gen. 12. to 46.

In which ſpace, though Morall duties were performed, and that its ſaid in the generall terms, Gen. 26. 5. that Abraham kept the Lords charge, his Commandements, his Statutes, and his Laws, yet the particulars of theſe are not expreſſed; And therefore here may we include the obſervation of the Sabbath, and can no more ſeclude it, then we can other duties obſerved, which yet are not related to be kept by him in particular: eſpecially if we conſider how God includeth the fourth Commandement among them, Exod. 16. 28. as before is declared. If any yet deny it to be kept of Abraham, becauſe it is not nominated, why deny they not as well other things to have been performed by him, ſeeing they are not by name mentioned?

VI. From Jacobs going into Egypt, to the bringing of them out under Moſes into the Wilderneſſe of Sin, ſpoken of in Exod. 16. 1. The ſpace was alſo 215 yeers, for they came to this Wilderneſſe upon the fifteenth day, of the ſecond monethmonth, after their departure from Egypt, which was at the full end of the 430. yeers, as God foretold Abraham, Gen. 15.

p. 50The ſtory of all this time is compriſed in the five laſt Chapters of Geneſis, and in the firſt ſixteen Chapters of Exodus. In which ſpace after Jacobs departure from Canaan not one word of their worſhipping of God, of no Altar, no Sacrifice, no holy duties in publike; yet I hope we will not ſay, that all theſe things were neglected of them, becauſe not mentioned; if not, then no more may we deny to them the obſervation of the Sabbath; for now at this time they being in the Wilderneſſe of Sin, Exod. 16. it is plainly ſaid, they reſted upon the ſeventh day, as an holy reſt and Sabbath to the Lord.

Thus have I c…early ſhewed, that their negative Argument from the Scripture is no good reaſon to deny the obſervation of the Sabbath in all this ſpace of time, except they will deny upon the ſame ground, ſo many holy men to have ſinfully neglected other neceſſary duties, alſo, as is before rehearſed.

But before I conclude, I think a Queſtion fit to be propounded and anſwered.

Queſt. Why was now in Exod. 16. the keeping of the Sabbath ſo plainly ſpoken off, and not before?

Anſw. 1. Now the people hungring after food for the belly, Exod 16. 3. and the Lord determining that he would raigne Mannab, which they ſhould gather every day by a certrain rate, and on the ſixt day twice as much, the reaſon was, becauſe the ſeventh day was the Lords Sabbath, on which day the Lord raigned no Mannab, nor would he have any to go forth to ſeek it, for that it was an holy reſt unto the Lord: This was the reaſon of the mentioning of it, as appeareth by all that which is before delivered out of the Text.

II. Becauſe now they were a people openly ſeparated to God from all other Nations, and an holy people, Deut. 7. 6. Exod. 19. 6. Therefore aſſoone as he had delivered them, (within ſix weeks ſpace or thereabouts) after they came from Egypt, he took order for their keeping holy the Sabbath day, as a ſpeciall evidence of their holyneſſe before p. 51God; the breach whereof he reproved as the breach of all his Commandments and Laws, both then, Exod. 16. 28. and afterwards; in ſo high eſteem had God his inſtitution of his Sabbath: and no marvell, becauſe by the breach of it God is much diſhonoured, and in the obſervation of it. The three firſt Commandments of the firſt Table are kept in publike view before men; for in obſerving the Sabbath day, we profeſſe the God of Iſrael as the firſt Commandment teacheth, Then in aſſembling together, and worſhipping God, we do what the ſecond Commandment bindeth us to do: and when on that day we contemplate upon the creatures, take occaſion thereby to praiſe him, and ſhew an outward holy behaviour to advance his glory, we do what the third Commandment commandeth us to do: ſo that the holy obſervation of the day to the Lord, keepeth up a publick practice of all our duties to every Commandment of the firſt Table: therefore no marvell it was that God took order ſo ſoon for the keeping of the Sabbath day.

III. Becauſe God intended not untill this time, to ſet out any glorious face of his Church hiſtorically unto us; but rather other things, happening in the courſe of times, from the fall, as in the Story doth appear unto this time.

1. From the Fall to the Floud, the ill fruits of Adams fall, and the increaſe of ſin to mans deſtruction is recorded.

2. From the Floud to Abraham, the planting of the world by people, with their preſumptuous ſinning, cauſing them to be ſcattered over the face of the earth, according to their diſtinct languages.

3. From Abraham to Iſraels going into Egypt, God moved Moſes to record the carriage of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, as private families (upon which the Church conſiſted) living among idolaters, as pilgrims and ſtrangers, while they were in Canaan, till God brought them into Egypt.

4. From the entrance into Egypt to their mighty deliverance, God was pleaſed to inſtruct Moſes to ſet down how Joſeph came into Egypt, his troubles and honour; how by p. 52him Iſrael came into Egypt by Joſephs means; the peaceable reſt, there till another King aroſe, and then of their heavie bondage, till God ſent Moſes to free them.

But now God intending to make glorious his people, and his worſhip more publickly to be obſerved of all Iſrael at one ſet time weekly, Moſes relateth the Lords pleaſure concerning the Sabbath, not to have it neglected, but ſolemnely to be kept as an holy reſt unto the Lord, according to Gods firſt inſtitution thereof, Gen. 2. 3.

And thus much for the Patriarchall-Sabbath, before the Law publiſhed upon mount Sinai.

FJNJS.

A TREATISE OF THE MOSAICALL-SABBATH.

By Richard Bernard, Rector of Batcomb.

EXOD. 31. 15.

Six dayes may work be done, but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of reſt, holy to the Lord, whoſoever doth any work in the Sabbath day, he ſhall ſurely be put to death.

LONDON, Printed for Edward Blackmore, and are to be ſold, at the ſigne of the Angel in Pauls Church-yard. 1641.

The Contents.

1. WHy it is called ſo.

2. Of the Law of the ten Commandments.

3. Of the Naturalitie of the Law.

4. Of the Externallitie or Poſitiveneſſe of the Law.

5. Of the Spirituallitie of the Law.

6. Of the Moralitie of the Law.

7. That there are ten Commandments.

8. Of the fourth Commandment, in what words contained.

9. Of the meaning of the words of the Commandment.

10. Of the reſt upon the Sabbath.

11. Of the day for the reſt.

12. Of the words annexed to the Commandment.

13. Of the ſcope of the words.

14. Of the directorie in the words.

15. That one day in ſeven muſt be the Sabbath day.

16. Of the ſeventh day Sabbath.

17. Of the ſix dayes work.

18. Of the reſtriction from work on the ſeventh day Sabbath.

19. Of works which might be done on the Sabbath.

20. Of the rigorous ſtrictneſſe ſuppoſed to be put upon the Iſraelites that day.

21. Of the reaſon added unto the directorie, with the concluſion.

22. The arguments to prove it ceremoniall, anſwered.

23. That the fourth Commandment is no part ceremoniall.

24. The fourth Commandment is a perpetuall Precept.

25. How much of the Moſaicall Sabbath is in the Commandment to be kept holy.

26. How the day was kept.

27. Of Judaizing and true underſtanding thereof.

p. 57OF THE MOSAICALL SABBATH.

SECTION. I. Why it is called ſo.

I Call the Sabbath here Moſaicall, not as any new Sabbath from the former, being the ſame with the Patriarchall Sabbath, farther now ratified and eſtabliſhed.

Nor do I ſo name it, as if Moſes were the inſtitutor of it, or no publiſher of it. But becauſe God, the Lord of the Sabbath did give this Commandement of the Sabbath, with the reſt of his divine precepts, when he had ordained Moſes the Ruler over his people Iſrael under him: and for that he delivered to Moſes the two Tables in which the Commandements were written, to deliver them unto the people.

p. 58SECTION. II. Of the Law of the ten Commandements.

THe Law of which the precept of the Sabbath is part, is ſaid by the Apoſtle to be holy and ſpirituall, Rom. 7. 12, 14. and if that Commandement Thou ſhalt not luſt, be boly, juſt, and good, ſo is the whole Law, and every Commandement thereof. His encomiis legem integram or…at Apoſtolus, ſaith Paroeus.

This whole Law hath in it Naturalitie, Poſitiveneſſe, Spiritualitie and Moralitie.

SECTION. III. Of the Naturalitie of the Law.

1. THe Naturalitie of the Law is ſo much thereof, as by the principles of Divinitie in Nature, written in all mens hearts, Rom. 2. 14, 15. and furthered by the common light of Chriſt, Joh. 1. 9. may be known and aſſented unto. And this knowledge is more or leſſe, as Naturall men partake of that naturall light: for from hence ariſeth the difference in naturall men, and not from the common principles, which be one and the ſame in all men.

From this Naturalitie in the Law, it may be called the Law of Nature, not ſo as if it were the work of Nature, but for that its in every mans nature, God writing it in every mans heart, Rom. 2. 15. ſince the fall, at the time of the ſouls infuſion into the body, as God did to Adam before his fall.

This Naturalitie of the Law conſiſts in generalls, and cannot reach to true Specialities, without ſome further help and better direction, yet by deductions it may go far towards the Specialities.

This ſerves to make all men inexcuſable, Rom. 1. 20.