The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Thesis 119 – Thesis 121
Thesis 119.
The free-grace of God in Christ (not works) is the only sure foundation of justifying faith, or upon which faith is built, Rom. 3.24, 25. 1 Pet. 2.4, 5, 6. Mat. 16.18. This free-grace therefore must first be revealed by the Spirit of God in the Ministry of the Gospel in order unto faith, Rom. 10.14, 15. Eph. 1.13. which generall revelation of free-grace, some make to be the first evidence on which faith rests, and thus far it is true; but now this free-grace is revealed two waies.
1. In the free offer of it to be our own by receiving it, Act. 10.43. Gal. 2.16.
2. In the free promise of it revealing it as our own already, having actually and effectually received it, Ioh. 1.12. Rom. 5.1, 2. 1 Ioh. 5.12.
The free offer of grace (containing Gods call, commandment and beseechings to beleeve and be reconciled) gives us right to this possession of Christ or to come and take and so possesse Christ Jesus by faith. Ierem. 3.22. 1 Cor. 1.9. Rom. 1.5, 6. The free promise of grace (containing revealed immutable purposes and actual assurances of present and future grace) gives us right to the fruition of Christ, or to enjoy Christ as a free gift when 'tis offered; the command and desire of the donor to receive it to be our own, gives us right and powet to possesse it: and when it is received, his promise to us assuring us that it is and shall continue our own, gives us right and priviledge to enjoy it and make use of it. For by two immutable things (the promise confirmed by oath) we have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope before us, Heb. 6.17, 18, 19. The free offer is the first ground of our faith, why we receive Christ to be our own: but the free promise is the first ground of the assurance of faith, why we are assured and perswaded that he is our own already: for the Gospel containing three things, 1. The revelation of Christ: 2. The offer of Christ. 3. The promise of Christ to all those that receive this offer; Hence faith (which runs parallell with the Gospel, the proper object of it) first sees Christ, secondly receives Christ, thirdly is assured of the love of Christ having received him.
The free offer of grace being made to the soul because it is poor and sinfull, cursed and miserable, and that therefore it would receive Christ, hence it is that in this respect the soul is not bound first to see some good in it self and so to receive him, but rather is bound (at first breathings of God upon it) rather to see no good, i. nothing but sin and perdition, death and darknesse, enmity and weaknesse, and therefore to receive him, Luk. 14.21. Revel. 3.17, 18. Gal. 3.22. Rom. 11.32. Hos. 13.3. But the promise of free-grace being actually given to the soul (and not declared only as it is in the free offer, because it hath received Christ already by which he is actually its own) hence it is that in this respect, the soul is bound to see some good or saving work of grace in it self first, and so embrace and receive the promise and Christ Jesus in it: So that although in receiving Christ to be our own, we are to see no good in our selves wherefore we should receive him or beleeve in him; yet in receiving him as our own already, we must first see some good (the work of free grace in us) or else we have no just ground thus to receive him: No man can challeng any promise belonging to him without having a part in Christ the foundation of them; no man can have Christ but by receiving of him or beleeving in him, Ioh. 1.12. Hence therefore they that say that the first evidence of Gods love and free grace or actuall favour, i… to a sinner as a sinner, had need consider what they say; for is it to a sinner as possest with Christ and receiving of him, or as dispossest of Christ not having of him, but rather refusing and rejecting of him. If they say the first, they then speak the truth, but then they raze down their own pernicious principle, that Christ and Gods love belongs to them As sinners: If they affirm the latter, then they do injuriously destroy Gods free grace and the glory of Christ, who think to possesse promises without possessing Christ, or to have promises of grace, without having Christ the foundation of them all. For though the common love of God (as the bare offer of grace is) may be manifested without having Christ, yet speciall actuall love cannot be actually our own, without having and first receiving of him: And if the Spirit of God convince the world of sin (and consequently of condemnation) while they do not beleeve, Ioh. 16.9. I wonder how it can then convince them of pardon of sin and reconciliation, before they do beleeve? unlesse we will imagine it to be a lying spirit, which is blasphemous. These things not considered of, have and do occasion much errour at this day in the point of evidencing, and hath been an inlet of deep delusion, and open gaps have been made hereby to the loose waies and depths of Familism and grosse Arminianism, and therefore being well considered of, are sufficient to clear up the waies of those faithfull servants of the Lord (who dare not sow pillows, nor cry peace to the wicked, much lesse to sinners as sinners) both from the slanderous imputation of legall ministrations after an old Testament manner, as also of making works the ground of faith, or the causes of assurance of faith; the free offer being the ground of the one, and the free promise the cause and ground of the other: Briefly therefore.
1. The free offer of grace is the first evidence to a poor lost sinner that he may be beloved.
2. The receiving of this offer by faith (relatively considered in respect of Christs spotlesse righteousnesse) is the first evidence shewing why he is beloved, or what hath moved God actually to love him.
3. The worke of sanctification (which is the fruit of our receiving this offer) is the first evidence shewing that he is beloved.
If therefore a condemned sinner be asked whether God may love him, and why he thinks so? he may answer, Because Jesus Christ is held forth and offered to such a one: If he be further asked, why or what he thinks should move God to love him? he may answer, Because I have received Christs righteousnesse offered, for which righteousnesse sake only I know I am beloved, now I have received it: If he be asked lastly, how he knows certainly that he is beloved; he may answer safely and confidently, Because I am sanctified: I am poor in spirit, therefore mine is the kingdom of heaven: I do mourn, and therefore I shall be comforted: I do hunger and thirst, and therefore I shall be satisfied, &c. We need in time of distresse and temptation all these evidences, and therefore it is greatest wisdom to pray for that spirit, which may clear them all up unto us, rather then to contend which should be the first.
And thus we see that the whole morall law is our rule of life, and consequently the law of the Sabbath, which is a branch of this rule: We now proceed to shew the third branch, of things generally and primarily morall.
Thesis 120.
Thirdly, Not only a day, nor only a rest day, but the rest day or Sabbath day (which is expressed and expressely interpreted in the Commandment to be the seventh day, or a seventh day of Gods determining, and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God) is here also enjoined and commanded, as generally morall. For if a day be morall, what day must it be? If it be said, that any day which humane wisdom shall determine, whether one day in a hundred or a thousand, or one day in many years; if this only be generally morall, then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination: For it may be very unequall and unjust to give God one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship, and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use. There is therefore something else more particularly, yet primarily morall in this Command, and that is The Sabbath day, or such a day wherein there appears an equal division, and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work, a time for God and a time for man, and that is a …venth day which God determines: A fit proportion of time for God is morall because equal, man cannot determine nor set out this proportion, God therefore only can and must, A day therefore that he shall determine is morall, and if he declares his determination to a seventh, A seventh day is therefore morall. Gomarus confesseth that by the Analogy of this Commandment, not one day in a thousand, or when man pleaseth, but that one day in seven is morall, at least equal, fit, and congruous to observe the same: and if the Analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini, or by vertue of Gods Commandment, the cause is in effect yielded; but if this Analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae, so that humane liberty may do well to give God one in seven, because the Jews did so, and why should Christians be more scant? then I see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annuall holy daies as well, because the Jews had their new moons and yearly festivals; and by Analogy thereof, why may not Christians who have more grace poured out upon them, and more love shewn unto them under the Gospel, hold some meet proportion with them therein also, as well as in Sabbaths? But it can never be proved that God hath left any humane wisdom at liberty to make holy daies, by the rule of Jewish proportions: Beside, if humane wisdom see it meet and congruous to give God at least one day in seven, this wisdom and reason is either regulated by some law, and then 'tis by vertue of the law of God, that he should have one day in seven, or 'tis not regulated by a law, and then we are left to a loose end again, for man to appoint what day he sees meet in a shorter or a longer time, his own reason being his only law; and this neither Gomaras nor the words of the Commandment will allow, which sets and fixeth the day, which we see is one day in seven, which not man but God shall determine and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God.
Thesis 121.
The hardest knot herein to unloose, lies in this, to know whether a seventh day in generall which God shall determine, or that particular Seventh day from the creation be here only commanded; the first seems (in Mr. Primrose apprehension) to writhe and wrack the words of the Commandment; the second (if granted) abolisheth our Christian Sabbaths.