A Threefold Treatise of the Sabbath, Section 18
SECTION. XVIII. Of the Reſtriction from work on the Seventh day Sabbath.
IN the ſix dayes we are to do all that we have to do, but on the Sabbath day, neither we our ſelves, nor any under our power to reſtrain them, nor our Cattell, are to do any manner of work.
Theſe words being here to be taken as a rule of direction for ever touching the Sabbath: They muſt ſo be underſtood as may ſtand with the perpetuity of the Commandement for holy reſt, and ſanctification of the day in holy duties.
The words (we muſt know) are no Commandement, no more then the former words, Six dayes ſhalt thou labour: The Lord uſeth not to adde *It was fit, if nor neceſſary, not only to preſcribe the portion of time to be ſet apart for Gods ſervice, but alſo the particularity of the day, or not to leav… that to the … of man.precepts to his precepts, for obſervation of them; If they were a precept, it ſhould be negative and ſo binde from all works for ever: But we finde that albeit ſome works were forbidden, yet God allowed divers works to be done on the Sabbath day.
The words therefore are only a reſtriction from ſome works, but not a negative forbidding of every work without exception.
The works from which we are here reſtrained this day, are ſuch works, as upon other dayes we may do (and not the work of ſin, which never ought to be done) ſuch are ſervile mechanick works of our ordinary profeſſion, trade, occupation, and calling, lawfully to be done in the other ſix dayes, which thus I prove.
1. This reſtriction is from the liberty of our labour, and the doing of all we have to do in the allowed ſix dayes, Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, and do all thy work, then preſently followeth the reſtraint, But the Seventh day is the Sabbath, in it no manner of work (to wit) of the nature of the former Six dayes work.
2. Becauſe here is mention of men and maid-ſervants, and cattell, which commonly are ſet about ſuch works.
3. For that God propounds his pattern for reſting on his Seventh day from his work of his Creation in the ſeverall Sixe dayes.
4. Other Scriptures do ſtrengthen this Expoſition, as a reſtriction from ſuch kinde of weeks work on thoſe working dayes.
In Exod. 34. 21. there Earing time, and Harveſt is mentioned, in which time, about ſuch things, men are not to labour on the Sabbath day.
As the work about Husbandry is reſtrained, ſo buying and ſelling of Corne, yea, thoughts and ſpeeches about the ſame, were forbidden, Amos 8. 5. buying and ſelling of wares, and of Victuals, Neh. 10. 31. & 13. 16, 17, 18. Carrying of burthens, and doing any ſuch work on the Sabbath, Jer. 17. 21, 22, 24, 27.
All which Husbandry, buying and ſelling, carrying of burthens, Nebemiah ſharply reproved, and called it the prophaning of the Sabbath, Neb. 13. 15, 16, 18, 19. Theſe be the works from which they were reſtrained on the Sabbath day.
But the Prophet Eſay concerning the Spirituality of the Commandement goeth further, and telleth them that they were to call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and to turn away their feet from the Sabbath: this he expoundeth to be, the not doing of our own pleaſure on the Lords holy day; which he ſets forth in three things. 1. In not doing our own wayes, 2. In not finding our own pleaſures: 3. In not ſpeaking our own words: Then the Prophet telleth us, that this is to honour God, and that herein we ſhew, that we delight our ſelves in the Lord, Eſay 58. 13, 14.
Laſtly, they were reſtrained to hold themſelves from all that which is,
1. Againſt the Naturality of the Law, as not to keep the day to the Lord, but to travell the whole day, work the whole day, or play the whole day.
2. Againſt the Externality, which is in outward holy reſt, and ſanctity, as to lie lazily at home ſleeping, to go to Church unprepared, Eccl. 5. 1. as men go to any other place.
3. Againſt the Spirituality, delighting in vanity, and not in the Lord that day.
4. Againſt Morality, when men carry not themſelves in a decent, ſeemly behaviour, becoming holineſſe, but rudely either in, or out of the Aſſemblies.