A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Section 4 – Section 15
SECTION. IV. Of the Externalitie or Poſitiveneſſe of the Law.
THe Externalitie or Poſitiveneſſe of this Law is the openly making known of Gods Will in the Commandements given by word of mouth, and after written in the two Tables of Stone.
This Externalitie of precepts, the Lord added for his Church, unto thoſe generall rules, and principles in nature, and to that common light in all men.
For the Lord never ſuffered his Church to be only directed by that light in nature, never ſince Adams fall, who having it in perfection, could not guide himſelf to it.
And therefore we read, before Moſes days, of Gods Word, of his ſpeaking to Adam, Noah, and to Abraham, viva Voce, giving his charge, Commandements, Statutes, and Laws, of which the Lord maketh mention to Iſaac telling him, that in keeping theſe Abraham obeyed his voyce, Gen. 26. 5.
This Poſitiveneſſe or Externalitie is to guide thoſe Generalities, unto more Specialities, which naturall men could never rightly diſcover without this help of Gods externall precepts.
This conſiſts in the Letter, and written words of the Law in the Commandements, and the farther meaning thereof is to be learned from other Scriptures, to know what is contained in the ſhort precepts.
This Externalitie properly belongeth to the outward man, for the ordering of it.
And this Externalltie may be diſpenſed with▪ in ſome precepts, though the naturalitie cannot: for this is written in every mans heart, but ſo is not this Externalitie.
We ſee Gods diſpenſation in ſome Specialities, as Gods allowing Cain to marry with his Siſter: alſo Polygamie in the Patriarches: In Gods commanding Abraham to kill his ſonne: In the Magiſtrate commanded to kill the offender: Deut. 13. 9. ſo in warre to kill, Numb. 31. 17. In his allowing of the Iſraelits to rob and ſpoile the Egyptians, Exod. 3. 22. And what is it but a diſpenſation, when God raiſeth up ſome to ſpoile other? And that children may leave their parents in caſe of Marriage, Gen. 2. 24. and Matth. 19. 5. and that variance may be between them for the Goſpel ſake? Matth. 10. 35. Luk. 14. 26.
The Commandements of this Law in reſpect of the meer Externalitie, manifeſted in Specialities may be called Poſitive laws, as ſuperadditaments for Specialities of thoſe generals: as for example, Naturalitie teacheth me a God: but the Poſitiveneſſe telleth me that I muſt have only the God of Iſrael for my god: Nature teacheth to worſhip God, but the Poſitive precept forbids to make any graven image or likeneſſe thereby, to worſhip him, but to worſhip in ſpirit and in truth: Nature teacheth to honour God, the Poſitive Commandement forbids the taking of Gods name in vaine: Nature *It teacheth alſo that for the proportion of this time, the creature muſt depend and waite upon his Creator: who alone can make the work of ſix dayes ſerve to keep us ſeven. By light of nature tis no way fit the ſervant ſhould preſcribe unto his Maſter, but rather the Maſter unto his ſervant; eſpecially conſidering the ground of that diſtinction of ſervi a libere natura.teacheth to have a time to ſerve God ſolemnly, the Poſitive precept commandeth a Sabbath day, and directeth us to the keeping of a ſeventh day Sabbath.
SECTION. V. Of the Spirituality of the Law.
THe Spirituality of the Law is the ſpirituall extenſion of every precept of the Law beyond all that which the naturality reacheth unto, and above the ſpeciality of the Letter of the Commandements in the externalitie thereof.
I call it the Spiritualitie of the Law, for that this knowledge is only attained by the ſpirits ſpeciall illumination, and grace. And conſiſts not in the only bare knowledge of the minde touching the extenſion, but alſo in the hearts affection, drawn on along with the utmoſt extent of the underſtanding, to love what is commanded, to hate what is forbidden, to joy in obedience, to ſorrow for failings, and falls, fearing ever to offend.
This Spirituality is that which is promiſed of God in his Covenant of Grace, made with his People, to be written in the minde and heart, Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10.
This is the reparation of that bleſſed image of God, conſiſting in wiſedome, holineſſe, righteouſneſſe, and uprightneſſe, Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Eccleſ. 7. 29.
The Naturality is common to all, in and out of the Church.
The Externality belongeth to thoſe in the Church, and in this reſpect may the Law be ſaid to be given only to the Iſraelits.
This all the outward children of the Church may attain unto, and others out of the Church by converſing with and coming among them, or theſe going unto them, or getting ſome of the wri…ngs of the Church; For its not poſſible, that the learned Heathen got all their knowledge by the Naturality in them, and their common light, but by the acceſſion of the helps from the Church.
Therefore to gather, that whatſoever we finde in their writing concerning God, and the things appertaining to him, to be all from their meer light in nature, will not hold for a ſound concluſion.
This Spirituality is proper only to the Elect; The firſt is by inſcription, but bettred by diligent improvement of thoſe principles and helps from the Church: The ſecond is by information, and bettered by good education, and inſtruction publikely and privately in the Church. The third is by the ſpeciall inſpiration of Gods holy Spirit in a conſtant uſe of the means, and in the grace of Self-deniall which every one muſt come with that will be a true obedient obſerver of the Law.
SECTION. VI. Of the Morality of the Law.
THe Moralitie of the Law properly ſpeaking, and diſtinctly to common underſtanding is not the Naturalitie, nor perpetuity of the Law, as if theſe three indiſtinctly were all one. But the Moralitie of the Law is the Laws, power, binding the whole man outwardly to the good behaviour in all good manners concerning holineſſe towards God, and righteouſneſſe towards man, according to the Naturalitie, Externality, and Spiritualitie of the Law.
And from this conſideration truely, properly, diſtinctly, and clearly it is, and may be called the Morall Law; the brief Epitome of Chriſtian Ethick, Oeconomick, Politicks, and Eccleſiaſticks, and of whatſoever du… we owe to God or man.
SECTION. VII. That there are ten Commandements.
HAving thus prefaced theſe neceſſaria praecognita, I come to the fourth Commandement for the right underſtanding whereof many things are to be made clear.
Firſt that there are ten Commandements of the Law: I would not ſpeak of this, but that one hath pleaſed to call this number vulgar Idols.
I. Its the number which Moſes recordeth, Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 4. 13. and holdeth Deut. 10. 4. and ſaith, God added no more, Deut. 5. 22. more then ten there was not, nor fewer may we make them, leaſt we be guilty of the curſe, and break the Commandement, Deut. 4. 2. of adding to, and taking from Deut. 12. 32.
II. Its commonly called the Decalogue by the moſt learned Divines.
III. Our Church in the Catechi…me would have children to be taught that there are ten Commandements.
IV. Saint Auguſtine in Epiſt. 118. cap. 12. ſpeaks of ten Commandements.
V. The Papiſts though they rob God of one ſacriledgiouſly, yet do not diminiſh his number of ten.
VI. The number hath thus been reckoned for three thouſand and two hundred of years and more, and never either denyed, or lightly diſregarded, till the ſpirit of too much boldneſſe in ſome hath dared without ſhame to ſpeak contemptuouſly of the number.
SECTION. VIII. Of the fourth Commandement in what words contained.
THis fourth Commandement is and hath been hitherto accounted one of them, and is a Commandement in forme of ſpeech ſo delivered unto us.
But here we are carefully to conſider which is the Commandement, and in what words its comprehended.
The miſtake herein hath occaſioned all the contention concerning the perpetuity of the Commandement.
The Commandement is contained only in theſe words: Remember thou the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
I. Moſes in the repetition of the Law, Deut. 5. 12. ſheweth us this plainly, who upon the words of the Commandement, Keep the Sabbath day to ſanctifie it, addeth immediately theſe words, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, between the precept and the next words following, Sixe days ſhalt thou labour, &c. And ſo evidently telleth us which be the words of the Commandement, and thereto holdeth our thoughts: ſo we may not take any of the following words to be any part of the ſubſtance of the Commandement.
II. The learned have ſet the Commandement apart by it ſelf in a diſtinct Verſe: Exo. 20. 8. from the words following.
III. The Lord himſelf in the promulgation of the Law, in every other of the Commandements, where reaſons be added, maketh a difference between the Commandement, and the reaſons annexed, as we may ſee in the ſecond, third, and fifth, and therefore ſo here.
IV. Every reaſonable mans underſtanding giveth him to know a difference between a Commandement, and that which, for ſome cauſe, is annexed thereto, as here we may clearly ſee it.
SECTION. IX. Of the meaning of the words of the Commandement.
THus knowing the Commandement it is fit to underſtand the meaning.
Remember (that is) be mindefull of it, ſo, that thou forget it not, call it to minde, think upon it, and conſider the Sabbath as a day to be obſerved, and kept, and therefore Moſes putteth keep for Remember.Deut. 5. 12.
The Sabbath day (that is) the reſt day: for Sabbath ſignifieth ceſſation and reſt, taken from Gods reſt, Gen. 2. 2. Moſes calleth it the Sabbath of reſt, Exod. 31. 15. Sabbatum ceſſationis: and this reſt is Requies ſancta, Exod. 31. 15. an holy Sabbath, Exod. 16. 23. Nebe. 9. 14. and the day is an holy day, Exod. 35. 2. But not ſo the reſt, nor day, in themſelves; but a reſt unto Lord, Exod. 16. 23. 25. and 35. 2. holy to the Lord, Exod. 31. 15. Sanctificata, as ſome tranſlation hath it, ſet apart and ſeparated to the ſervice of God, as a ſanctified reſt and day, which the Lord calleth his holy day, Iſai. 58. 31.
To keep it holy: This is the end of remembring the Sabbath day, to ſanctifie it (that is) as God did ſet it apart, and ordained it for holy uſes, and his wo…ſhip, ſo we are to count it the Lords, ſeperating it from other days, and beſtowing the reſt, and the day of reſt, upon the Lord, for that end and uſe, for which he hath made the reſt and the day holy: This is to keep it holy.
From the Commandement thus underſtood, we may obſerve.
1. That a Sabbath, a reſt, is impoſed upon us, Exod. 23. 12.
2. That God hath appointed a day for this reſt.
3. That both the reſt and day, are holy, ſanctified for holy uſes to the Lord.
4. That we are to keep holy the reſt day, or the day of reſt, both the reſt, and the day.
SECTION. X. Of the reſt upon the Sabbath.
THE Commandement chargeth us with reſt, with this muſt we begin and keep the day, without this no Sabbath day: It hath it denomination from reſt: The day for the holy uſe of the reſt, is ſaid to be bleſſed: Exod. 20. 11. And from Gods reſting he is ſaid to bleſſe and ſanctifie it, Gen. 2. 3. This reſt is principally mentioned; the day is called the reſt of the holy Sabbath, The reſt of the holy reſt, Exod. 16. 23. the Sabbath of reſt, Exod. 31. 15. Therefore this is the firſt thing, in the firſt place to be obſerved, in the keeping of the day holy unto the Lord, which is, by making our reſt holy to him, by imploying our reſt holily: For the day is kept for the reſt ſake, by Gods own example, and becauſe of the holy uſe of the reſt upon that day, wherein we do reſt, and not for the days ſake, for without the reſt we could not keep the day; nor would God have commanded the day, but for that he reſted and made the reſt holy for holy uſes on that day. The Conſideration of this would cut off much prophaneſſe and make us better obſervers of the day unto the Lord.
SECTION. XI. Of the day for the reſt.
THe Lord having impoſed reſt upon us, in the next place he enjoyneth us a day for the reſt: Time is neceſſary for all things, and without time we cannot reſt: Nature and experience teacheth this.
This time allotted by God is a day, but in the Commandement the day is not determinately ſet down, it pitcheth upon no certain ſet day; But the Commandement is, Remember the Sabbath day (to wit) what day ſoever, to keep it holy, So the holy obſervation of the day is the ſubſtance of the comet. This generality is agreeable to the Naturalitie of the Law.
And thus the Lord delivered the Commandement.
1. To lay down in it the naturality of the Law, aſwell as in the reſt of the Commandements.
2. And ſo to hold up the perpetuity of it, with all the other precepts.
3. To teach that no one certain ſet day is of the very ſubſtance of the Commandement: Therefore is it propounded indifinitly without limitation.
4. To inform us that the ſeventh day from the Creation, (as Biſhop Andrews doth hold in his Catechiticall doctrine) is not of the ſubſtance of the Commandement.
5. This was for an admittance of the Changeableneſſe of the day; For this Commandement being affirmative, and propounded in generall termes maketh it applicative to this, or that day, To this, while it remaineth, and to that which may come in the roome of it, when this is changed, and taken away: as thus.
Honour the King (to wit) whoſoever is King. If Saul be See this Simile in the next Treatiſe more at large.King, honour him, when he is dead, and David be King honour him: So is it in this Commandement, Keep holy the Sabbath day, while the ſeventh day from the Creation is the Sabbath, keep it holy: if it be changed, and the firſt day of the week be the Sabbath, then keep it holy: God foreſeeing it neceſſary that the ſeventh day from the Creation was to be changed, he propounded the Law ſo, as to make the day alterable, as being for the time, by way of application belonging unto the Commandement, but not of the ſubſtance, no more then S…ul was of the ſubſtance of this Commandement, Honour the King.
If this had been, or were well pondered, the Controverſie of the Sabbath had been prevented, and ſhould ceaſe …ow to trouble the Church.
SECTION XII. Of the words annexed to the Commandement.
WHen God gave this his Commandement, he himſelf annexed words unto the Commandement, purpoſely to guide his people in the right underſtanding of this Precept, and to binde them by reaſons to the obedience thereof, unto the worlds end.
To all the Commandements God made a Preface, to enforce obedience to all of them, even from his Covenant of Grace, made with Abraham to be his God, and the God of his ſeed after him, Gen. 17. 7. calling himſelf, The Lord their God, in giving his Law, and remembring them of that their great deliverance, which he had promiſed alſo unto Abraham, Gen. 15. 13, 14.
To the ſecond, third, and fifth Commandements, he added reaſons, all which the learned take to be for the ratification of the Commandements, and to urge us to keep them, and ſo do interpret the words accordingly.
The words of God knit to this Commandement, have, no doubt, been added for the like purpoſe, even to be a Confirmation, and an eſtabliſhment of the Precept, and the perpetuity thereof, and to move us to keep it.
Yet nevertheleſſe of late, divers have endeavoured to fiſh out of the words, matter to change the nature of the Commandement, from Morall (as they ſpeak) to Ceremoniall, and to take away ſo the perpetuity of the Commandement, and there withall mens hearts, and conſciences from affecting and obeying it, as being no Commandement now obliging any Chriſtian, and ſo do they rob God of one of his Commandements ſacrilegiouſly.
But the words are ſo to be interpreted (according to Gods intention) as may uphold the nature and perpetuity of the Precept, as the words annexed to the other Commandements do very forcibly, as alſo to binde us unto a carefull keeping of the Precept, as they do very effectually, and do meet with all that which our corrupt nature may perverſly object againſt our obedience thereunto.
In the words we are to note, 1. The Scope of all the words, 2. The Matter; which is,
1. A Directory guiding to the obſervation of the Commandement in Gods allowing of us ſixe dayes, and the reſerving of the Seventh to himſelf.
2. A reaſon of his thus approportionating time between him and us for labour and reſt.
3. A Concluſion in the laſt words, upon which this fourth Commandement is raiſed: As if God had ſaid, I have from the beginning bleſſed and hallowed the Sabbath day, therefore I do command them to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy: Thus inforcing the Commandement from the prime inſtitution: Note it well; So as the Commandement is a binding Law from the firſt inſtitution, for the Sabbaths more ſolemn obſervation for ever.
SECTION XIII. Of the ſcope of the words.
THe ſcope and uſe of the words, is to take man from his own bottome: For after the Lords Memento, before the Commandement, to forget oblivion and forgetfulneſſe of it, through worldly diſtractions; He cloſely anſwereth, and meeteth with mans corruption, which might hinder him, in ſubmitting to this Commandement.
If any man ſhould be unwilling to give God a day, he ſheweth his bounty in giving us fix, for fear of repining.
If any man ſhall think ſix dayes not enough for his worldly affairs, the Lord preſcribeth a means, which is labour, by which he may finiſh all that he hath to do, if he loyter not, nor buſie himſelf in other mens matters.
If any man ſhould undervalue the ſeventh day, as of mans deviſing, God, to prevent this contempt, here challengeth it to himſelf, and preſenteth himſelf in his Soveraign authority over us, ſaying, it is the *This is remarkably of great force to direct us aright in our Chriſtian Sabbath. For the day of the Lords reſt, muſt be the day of our reſt. Now the day of the Lords reſt may be either the day of the Lord our Creators reſt, or the day of the Lord, our Redeemers reſt.Sabbath of the Lord thy God.
If any man ſhould ſuppoſe that he might deferre off to the Sabbath day ſome of his week dayes works, the Lord doth inhibite him from doing any ſuch manner of work, for fear of incroaching upon his Sabbath.
If any man ſhould claim any exemption for himſelf, or any under him, God cometh with his charge upon parents, and maſters, upon children, and upon ſtrangers, for fear of any miſapplying it onelyonly to ſome▪ or a conceit of any diſpenſation for other ſome.
If any man ſhould ask an example of imitation, and perhaps preſume to neglect it, becauſe great men little regard it: God hath given us his own example, both for labour on Sixe dayes, and reſt on the Seventh day.
If any man ſhould doubt of any good hereby, and enquire and aske what good and benefit, he might reap by the obſervation of this day, more than of any other? The Lord telleth him that he hath bleſſed the day for him.
And laſtly, if any man ſhould leave his worldly buſineſſe, and might now follow his vain pleaſures: The Lord telleth him that he hath ſanctified it to holy uſes. Thus God fortifieth his Commandement, and wiſely meeteth with mans corruptions, to keep us in a carefull obſervation of this Commandement.
SECTION XIV. Of the Directory in the words.
THe words are to be a perpetual direction, in what ſpace of time, and what day in that ſpace we are to take for the Sabbath day: For the words of the Commandement being generall, and not appropriated to any particular day, or ſpeciality of time; God would not have his people, either the Iſraelites then, or the Iſrael of God in any age, to be ignorant of the time or day, but to be able certainly to determine, and to be reſolved of the day, without any doubtfull diſputation concerning the ſame; as all might, and may, if we will uſe this Directory for our guide herein: I ſay, its a Directory, for its not brought as a reaſon of the Commandement, becauſe here is no ſuch connexion of the words to the Commandement, with a For, as the reaſons are in the two other Commandements; but here the Lord, without any ſuch connexive word, preſently ſaith, Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, &c. as if he had ſaid, I will direct thee, leſt thou miſtake the generality of the Precept in application, how thou muſt know in what ſpace of time, and on what day in that ſpace, thou maiſt keep my Sabbath.
SECTION XV. That one day in Seven muſt be the Sabbath day.
FOr this number God exceedeth not here, firſt mentioning Sixe, and then a Seventh day, and no more: So as within this time limited, is the Sabbath day.
In the beginning of time God made the menſuration of all time to be onelyonly Seven dayes, Gen. 1. 31, & 2. 2, which was afterwards called a week, Gen. 29. 28.
The Week then conſiſting of ſeven dayes muſt be the compaſſe in which to finde the Sabbath.
The firſt Sabbath was within a week, to which the words of God here hath reference.
Whether nature doth teach to conſecrate one day of ſeven to God as Z…nch▪ in…tum praeceptum holdeth is not here to be diſputed: Its enough that we have Gods example from the beginning, and here his Word, for a ſeventh day.
The practice of Gods Church is grounded hereon, which from time to time, from age to age, thouſand of yeers have obſerved one day in a week for the Sabbath.
One Maſter Dowe ſaith in his diſcourſe of the Sabbath, that many grave and judicious Divines, both ancient and modern judge the inſtitution of one day in ſeven to be perpetuall: For this, he, inſteed of all, citeth Chryſoſtome on Gen. 2. 3. and Maſter Hooker in his Eccl. Pol. pag. 379. Who ſaith Gods immutable Law exacteth this of us as a duty for ever.
Reaſon may leade to think that God would not here mention only ſo many dayes, and no more, upon the giving of the Commandement, if it were not for this end.
Gods will and Commandement ſaith our Homily of prayer, was to have a ſtanding day in the week, for people to come together.
Its very reaſonable to give God one day of ſeven.
1. Becauſe God in his wiſedome choſe his day within that compaſſe.
2. That this his choice is moſt fit to be imitated: He knew that a day in this ſpace was moſt neceſſary for us to obſerve.
3. For that a week is the firſt and principall ſpace of time, and all times of moneths and yeers, are but the revolution of a week, from the worlds beginning. For this ſee Doctor Rivet in his diſſertation, De origine Sabbati: which being ſo, what reaſonable man will deny to give God his day within this ſpace, the firſt, the chief, and the ſhorteſt ſpace of all other times, and that which is the fitteſt: For that the ſpace of a week between Sabbath and Sabbath is not too farre a ſunder to make us forget our dutie, nor yet the return too quick to hinder man in his labour, for the neceſſaries of his life and ſtate, ſaith Maſter Dow.