The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. An Introduction to the Text.
IN this Chapter we have God unmasking and reproving the Jewes Hyprocriſie in their worſhip and holy Services; indeed in the former Chapter, the Lord had by his Prophet fore-told, that the penitent and the upright of the Jewes ſhould return from the Captivity, their Chains ſhould be knock't off, and their Captivity ſhould be turned as Rivers in the South, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks; but as for the wicked, no peace ſhould be Pſal. 126. 4.to them, the 21 Verſe of the former Chapter, tempeſt and tumult ſhall be their Companions, and they ſhall be toſſed continually from one calamity to another: Now the wicked and hypocritic… Jews, ſuppoſing that the obſervation of Dayes, their frequenting of Ordinances, their waiting on Solemnities, would reconcile them to God again, and make up the breach their ſins had cauſed; they ſet upon this deſign, and multiply their duties, as faſt as they did their ſins, none ſo often on their knees as themſelves; they ply God with Ceremonials, to make amends for their neglect of Morals; and becauſe they were irreligious in their practices, they will be over-religious in their Obſervations: But God in this Chapter where the Text ly…, unravels their folly, and diſcovers their vanity; Alas, it is not the outward Worſhip, or the external attendance on an Ordinance, can either pacifie the anger, or procure the favour of God, no more then a painted Cloud can diſſolve into rain, or the ſign of the Sun caſt forth refreſhing beams. Duties which are the products of hypocriſie, onelyonly the ſhining of that paint, they may provoke, but not put out wrath, may inflame, but not quench that fire. So that in this Chapter we find God uttering his complaints againſt theſe painted hypocrites, theſe earlier Phariſees, who vainly dreamed to take off the edge of Gods fury by an over-plus of Service, when by theſe ſmooth pretences they onelyonly brought Oyl to make the fire of his Wrath to burn with a greater flame: But yet this Chapter ſhall not be ſhut up without the allay of two ſweet promiſes, the firſt made to Charity, the beſt of duties, 10, 11. Verſes; the ſecond made to a Holy Obſervation of the Sabbath, the beſt of dayes, Verſe 13, 14. And thus much may ſerve as a manuduction to lead you to the Text.
CHAP. II. The Explication of the Text.
IN the Text we have two remarkable Parts:
An Eminent Duty enjoyned. Duties they are the Cords of a man, to uſe the Prophets Phraſe, by which we are Hoſ. 11. 4.ſweetly drawn nearer to God, they are our Travel towards Canaan: While we are in a way of duty, we are in Bona opera ſunt via ad Regnum.our way to the Kingdome. Holy Duties are our ſpiritual intercourſe, our traffique with Heaven: and ſuch a duty is enjoyned in the Text.
A Precious promiſe entailed on the accompliſhing and right acting of this duty, and indeed God doth not uſually ſend our duties (when duly performed) empty away. Duties Evangelically acted, they are like Noahs Dove with the Gen. 8. 11. Gen. 44. 2.branch in her mouth; like Benjamins ſack with the ſilver Cup in the top of it. God will not leave unrewarded the ſweat of the ſoul. But of theſe in their order.
For the Duty it ſelf, in the whole of it, is a ſpiritual obſervation of the Sabbath. The Sabbath day, as God ordained it for his own Reſt, ſo it muſt be obſerved for his own Honour. The Sabbath is Gods by his own Inſtitution, and by our ſanctification: As we receive it from God, ſo we muſt keep it to God. But in the Text there are many branches ſprouting from this common ſtock; God directs us many wayes, and in many methods, how to obſerve his Sabbath: and we will trace and open theſe Directions in an orderly progreſs and proceeding. Theſe Directions they are partly negative, and partly poſitive.
Theſe Negative Directions call us from ſome practices which are prohibited, and from ſome language which muſt be reſtrained.
Now there are four ſorts of actions we muſt be abſtemious from upon the Sabbath, or, to ſpeak in Goſpel language, upon the Lords Day.