Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 14
The fourth Commandment.
Remember the Sabbath day,Fourth Commandment. to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work.
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy Cattel, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.
The Affirmative part of this Commandment is this:
We do keep it holy if we do cease from sin,Affirmative part. and from the works of ordinary callings; and if this being done we do also perform spiritual duties, which God doth require of us.
As a preparation to the sanctification of the Sabbath day, we must rise in the morning, and pray privately. Thus did Christ the day before the Sabbath: Mark. 1. 31. 39. Thus they were want to do under the Law, Exod. 32. 5. 6. Aaron proclaimed, saying, to morrow shall be the holy day of the Lord; and the people rose up early the next morning.
The Sabbath must again be sanctified, by frequenting the assemblies where we may hear the pure word of God, Act. 13. 14. 15.
And by Meditation upon Gods word and his Creatures, Psal. 92. Act. 17. 11.
By exercising of works of charity by visiting the sick, by giving Alms to the needy, by admonishing those that fall; by reconciling those that are at difference, Nehem. 11. 12.
The Sabbath is either Ceremonial, or Moral.
It is Ceremonial.Ceremonial Sabbath. 1. In respect of its strict observation.
2. As it is a Type of the inward rest of the people of God, that is, of their continual resting from the work of sin, (Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12.) And of the blessed rest of the faithfull in the Kingdom of Heaven, Heb. 4. 10. Isa. 66. 23.
And as it was observed the seventh day after the Creation of the World, and was then solemnized with other Ceremonies, Numb. 28. 9.
But in the light of the*How the Sabbath is moral. Gospel the Ceremony of the Sabbath is ceast, Colloss. 2. 16. 17.
The Sabbath was by the Apostles translated from the seventh day to the day following, (Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1. 2.) And this day is called the Lords day, because our Saviour rose again there on, Rev. 1. 10.
The Sabbath is moral, as it is a certain seventh day to preserve, and conserve the Ministry of the word, and the solemn worship of God in the holy assemblelies of the Church, and for this cause, we as well as the Jews are upon this day enjoyned rest from our vocations, Isai 58. 13.
It is also moral, because servants and Cattel are on this day freed from their labours.
In this Commandment we are not forbidden any holy things, or things of present necessity, as the preservation of life, or the maintaining of the glory of God, or a Sabbath days journey, Act. 1. 12.
Or journeys unto the Prophets, or places appointed unto the worship, and service of God, 2 Kings 4. 23.
Or works of mercy in the securing, either of life, or goods, Matth. 12. 12.
Or provision of meat, or drink, Matth. 12. 1.
Or watering of Cattel, Luke 13. 15.
Or curing of diseases, as did Christ and his Apostles by praying, and calling upon the Name of God.
Or the necessary voyages of Marriners.
Or the tending of a flock by shepherds.
Or the necessary imployments of Medicines, Mark. 2. 27.
The Negative part of this Commandment is this.
We must not pollute the Sabbath of the Lord,Negative part. Matt. 24. 20. Lament. 1. 7. Levit. 19. 30.
We are here forbidden the works of all ordinary callings, and all unnecessary things, Exod. 16. 29.
As fairs on the Sabbath day, Nehem. 13. 19.
All manner of Husbandry, plowing, sowing, reaping, mowing, and bringing in of Harvest, Exod. 34. 21.
All jests, scurrility, sports, revellings, all manner of Prophanes, and Hypocrisie.