The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Thesis 24
Thesis 24.
How these things may evince the morality of a seventh part of time, will be difficult to conceive, unlesse further enquiry be made, to wit, when and by what rules may it be knowne that any law is sutable and agreeable unto humane nature, and consequently good in it selfe? For resolution of which doubt, there is great silence generally in most Writers: Bishop White endeavours it by giving three rules to cleare up this mist; but (pace tanti viri) I much feare that he much darkens and obscures the truth herein,White Treat. of Sab. day. p. 26 28. and muds the streames. For 1. Because the Sabbath is not simply morall, but hath something positive in it, he therefore makes it temporary, as appeares in his conclusion of that discourse: when as 'tis evident by his own confession, that some lawes positively morall are generall and universall. For lawes positively morall (he saith) are either personall onelyonly, as was Abrahams comming out of his owne Countrey, Gen. 12.1. Some are for one Nation or Republick onelyonly, Exod. 22.1, 3…7. Some are common and generall for all mankinde, as the law of Polygamy. 2. Hee seemes to make lawes simply and intirely morall to bee such as are in their inward nature morally good, before and without any ex…ernall imposition of the Law-giver: Now if by externall imposition he meanes the externall manner of Mosaicall administration of the law, there is then some truth in what he affirmes; for doubtlesse before Moses time the Patriarchs had the law revealed after another manner; but if by externall imposition bee meant externall Revelation, whether immediately by God himselfe unto mans conscience, or mediately by man, then it's most false that any thing can be morally good or evill, much lesse entirely and simply so, before and without some such law: for though it may be good and sutable to man before a law pas…e upon it, yet nothing can be morally good or evill without some law, for then there should bee some sinne which is not the transgression of a law, and some obedience which is not directed by any law, both which are impossible and abominable. 3. He makes morall lawes by externall imposition and constitution onelyonly, to be such, as before the externall imposition of them, are a diaphorous, and good or evill onelyonly by reason of some circumstance. When as we know that some such lawes as are most entirely morall, yet in respect of their inward nature generally considered, they are indifferent also: for not to kill and take away mans life is a morall law intirely so, yet, in the generall nature of it, it is indifferent, and by circumstance may become either lawfull or unlawfull; lawfull in case of warre or publick execution of justice; unlawfull out of a private spirit and personall revenge. In one word, the whole drift of his discourse herein, is to shew that the Sabbath is not morall, and this he would prove because the Sabbath is not simply and entirely morall, (which is a most feeble and weake consequence) and this hee proves, because the Sabbath day hath (in respect of its inward nature) no more holines and goodnes than any other day, all the dayes of the week being equally good by creation. But he might well know that the day is not the law of the fourth Commandment, but the keeping holy of the Sabbath day, which is a thing inwardly good, and entirely morall if wee speak of some day:Ibid. Nay, (saith the Bishop) the law of nature teacheth that some sufficient and convenient time bee set apart for Gods worship; if therefore some day be morall, although all dayes by creation be indifferent and equall, according to his owne confession, what then should hinder the quota pars, or the seventh part of time from being morall? will he say because all dayes are equally holy, and good by creation? then why should hee grant any day at all to bee entirely morall in respect of a sufficient and convenient time to bee set apart for God? If hee saith the will and imposition of the Law-giver abolisheth its morality, because he bindes to a seventh part of time; then we shall shew that this is most false and feeble in the sequell.