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SABBATUM.
The Myſtery of the Sabbath DISCOVERED.
Wherein
By EDM. PORTER, B. D. Somtime fellow of St John's Colledge in Cambridge, and Prebend of Norwich.
Aug. Cont. Adimant c. 2. Tom 6.
Sabbatum, non repudiatum (eſt) ſed intellectum à Chriſtianis.
Epiphan. Haer. 30.
Chriſtus est magnum illud Sabbatum, & perpetuum; Cuius figura erat parvum Sabbatum, quod inſerviebat uſque ad ipſus adventum.
Prudent. in Apotheoſi —En tibi Chriſtum,Infelix Judaea, deum! qui Sabbata ſolvensTerrea, Mortales aeterna in Sabbata ſumpſit.
Origen in Math. Tract. 29.
Ʋ enient autem Dominus noſter Sabbatum noſtam, & requies noſtra, attulit nobis requiem Sabbati ſui. &c.
London, Printed for Charles Webb, and are to be ſold at the Bore's Head in St Paul's Church-yard.
OF all the miſtakes and miſunderCommunis error facit jus; for we have lived to ſee Sabbatarian errors to be grown up into a Law, and to be confirmed. And the very appllation of Sabbath (which in the Moral part of the fourth CommandSunday, which is the firſt day of the week, and the eighth from the Creation. And this, even by many Preachers, ſome of them being very lear
The principall miſleader into theſe erThe Practiſe of Piety; the right Author whereof, I think, is concealed: A late Sacrament:
Sabbath; which word Sabbath, this Writer not onely applies to our Sunday, but alſo labours vehementSeneca ſaiSuſpectus eſt judici, qui plus quam ſe defendit. Verily, his over-many vain prooſs, and ſuperfluous pleadings, may, to a judicious Reader, make his cauſe to be ſuſpected the more, either of error, or (which is worſe) of deſigne and colluſion.
For ſome of our own learned Writers have long ago declared in their printed Books, that the late, or yeſterday uſe, of calling our Sunday, The Sabbath, was ſet on foot by that ſort of men, who have made it their trade to aſperſe, both the Doctrine and the DiſcipliPolitian ſaith of one of his oppoſits, me carpit, ut carpat, ſed ut victum quaerat: And indeed, our Zelot Sabbaalitèr non fiunt Floralia. And they have moreover abuſed the preſent State with this word Sabbath, whereby our Sunday is of late re-baptized, or Turkened into a Sabbath; which our former ParliaCharls of bleſſed meEngland alſo, for weighty reaſons; called by none other name but Sunday. But ſuch things need not ſeem ſtrange, when the Nobles and Worthies of David, and alſo the Sage and Reverend Aaronites, and their Learned Levites, are excluded from the Sanedrim.
As for the appellation of Sabbath, ſo miſapplied to our Sunday, no authority of Scripture, can, with any colour of right reaſon, be alledged, either directly, or deSabbath, nor did any Apoſtle ſo call it, nor inOrigen, who is unThe Chriſtian Sabbath, as will appear in this
As for the other late and new name of Lord's Day, which they would derive from Apocalyps,
The Lord's Day; but, The Dominicall day, as our Engliſhmen generally ever did before, and yet do, call the Sunday-Letter, not The Lord's day Letter, but, The Dominicall Letter. And the WeDies Solis, or Dominica. For in Scriptures, the Lord's Day, Paul and St. Peter, and are Cor. 5. 5 Phil. 1 10. 2 Pet. 3. 10.The Day of the Lord, and, The Day of Chriſt; but in a far different ſignification from that, which theſe men now call the Lord's Day; for thoſe words ſignifie The Great Day of Uni
Beſides, a judicious Reader will conSundayes, they call them, Two,
The Day of the Lord; which yet will not come home to their purpoſe.
Therefore, thoſe prudent SLeiturgie, did, with great caution, deSunday, as ſome of the moſt antient Fathers did before, both in the Greek and Dominica, was generally received; although the word Ignatius, ad Magneſianos.
Neither did thoſe Primitive Chriſtians, before mentioned, who firſt began this ſoRevelation was written; ever call this day ſo as it is now called. We find it recorded under the title of, The firſt day of the week, or firſt day after the Sabbath, Act. 20. 7. and
Cor. 16. 2. (Sabbath, Lord's day, or Reſurrection day; nor did they then call it Sunday, becauſe the naming of the ſeven week
Notwithſtanding, the ſucceeding Church did conform unto that day, becauſe their Predeceſſors had fixed thereon. And they further alledged new reaſons for the rePentecoſt, That the creation of Heaven, and Earth, and Light; That Manna rained from Heaven firſt; and all theſe, on this firſt day of the week. Bellarmine addeth, (if you will believe him)
Dominica, and Sunday, reſpectively.
We cannot with reaſon, account this apSunday, to be any diſparagement to the ſolemnity of the feſtivall, in regard, that our Saviour himſelfe, (for whoſe HoThe Sun which ſhall no more
Iſa. 60. 20 Mal. 4. 2. Matth. 17 2. Matth. 13 43. Rev. 1. 16. & 10. 1. & 12. 1.go down) And the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, his glorious Transfiguration is reſemSun; his Saints are promiſed, at their glorification, To ſhine as the Sun; his owne Countenance, and his mighty Anglory of the Sun: ſo that this Name is high, and glorious; The diſuſing of this word Sunday, and Dominica, of late among us, is upon ſome reaſon of State, as of ſome other good old words alſo; as, The word Kingdome, and Three Kingdomes, and Biſhop, and Common Prayer, Leiturgy, and Letanie, are now left; And inCommon-wealth, Three Nations, Presbyters, Independents,
Directory, Sabbath, Lords-day, &c. but o
Multa renaſcentur quae jam ceci dêre: Horace. cadentqueQuae nunc ſunt in honore voca bula; Si volet uſus.
As for the warrant, and authority for hallowing, and aſſembling thereon; We ſay, That it is not grounded on the fourth Commandement, which doth not in the least mention, or meddle therewith; Neither did Chriſt, or any Apostle command it, as Chemnitius, a Learned Proteſtant granHonour our Parents, wherein, lawfull Magiſtrates are included, and their juſt lawes authorized: Our reaſons are theſe, 1. The inſtitution of the Church Primitive, 2. The Apoſtolicall approbation thereof, 3. The Imperiall decrees, and alſo, the ReSubmit your
Pet. 2. 13ſelves to eve
And, Obey them, that
Heb. 13. 17have rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls. Chriſt alſo ſaid, If be neglect the Church,
Matth. 18 17.let him be as an Heathen man, and a Publican. For theſe, and ſuch like rea
As touching the Myſterious Apocalyps, from which the late appellation of Lord's day is taken, by a Tranſlation of Proteſtant, and Roman, to be Theopneuſt, and Canonicall; yet, it cannot be denied, that many Learned men, both Anciently, and Lately, have doubted concerning the Writer thereof, and alſo, have been anxiouſly perplexed with the obſcurities therein.
Firſt, for the Writer. That he was named John, the Book often declareth; But whether he were St. John the Apoſtle, the Text doth not declare, nor do the AnciBeza is inclined to conjecture, that, if it were not written by St. John the Apoſtle, yet, that it was written by St. Mark the Evangeliſt, who was alſo named John, becauſe we read of John, ſurnamed Mark, Act. 12. 12. and Act. 15. 37.
But Beza's conjecture diſagreeth with the Hiſtory of St. Mark, who is recorded by St. Jerome, to have ſuffered death, in the eighth year of Nero, (Mr. Selden's Eutychius ſaith, he died in the firſt year of that Emperour) whereas, the Apocalyps was firſt ſhewed, long after, in the Reign of Domitian, by whom, St. John the Apoſtle was ſentenced to death, in a veſſell of flaming oile, as Tertullian, and Jerome, and Euſeb. Emiſ. report, and that he came out of that veſſell unhurt: And becauſe, that ſentence was executed near the Latin gate at Rome, (as other Writers ſay) therefore, the Church Kalender recordeth this Porta Latina, on the
May, and in memory thereof, a feaſt is held yearly on that day, (or for it) in St. John's Colledge in Cambridge.
After this, St. John was exiled to the Ile of Patmos, where this Revelation was Domitian, he was recalled from baniſhment, and retiEpheſus, and there lived, and died in the Reign of Trajan, and was there buSt. Jerome.
Now becauſe there was another, named John, of that time, who was alſo buried at Epheſus, and that, two Monuments were there ſhewed, and both ſuperſcribed with the Name, or Title of John; and both reSt. Jerome, as himſelfe ſaith, and ſo alEuſebius, who further addeth, Fortaſſis, ſecundus hic, erit Joannes ſub cujus nomine Revelatio habetur. And Dionyſius, the Famous, and Learned Biſhop of Alexandria, although he was Confident, that it was written by inſpiration of the divine ſpirit, yet, ſaith he, Non liquidò videtur, quodillius Joannis ſit, qui Evangelium ſcripſit. And addeth, Fieri potuit, in illis temporibus, fuiſſe alium aliquem Joannem ex ſanctis, cui haec revelaverit Deus. i. e. That it
did not clearly appear, that St. John the Evangeliſt was the Writer of the Apocalyps; but poſſibly, that ſome other holy man in thoſe times, named John, was he, to whom God revealed thoſe things: thus he. Neither need it ſeem ſtrange, that this Revelation ſhould be unduly attributed to St. John the Apoſtle, ſeeing, we find other Revelations, as Early as this, which went abroad, untruSt. Peter, and alſo of St. Paul, as Euſebius, and Auſtin, and Sozomen report.
Secondly, for the obſcurity of this Beza, who acknowledgeth himCui haec myſteria val
And both Mr. Selden, and Mr. I. Gregory of Oxford, two Learned men, have affirmed, from the Teſtimony of Bodinus the Learned French-Writer, that Calvin acknowledged, that He knew not what this obſcure Writer meant. So our late Reverend DioceBiſhop Hall, called this Apocalyps, A Revelation unrevealed: and this he ſaid particularly, in respect of the Myſtery, of the Thouſand years of Martyrs reignRevel. 20. 4. The like he reporteth of the moſt Learned, and
Biſhop Andrews, that he prohe had not proceeded ſo far, as to underſtand it; much leſſe can we Pygmy-Theoiogues. It is now fifteen hundred years old, and not yet underſtood; Mr. Brightman hath not cleared it, nor hath Mr. Mede's Key unlockt it. Nor will it ever (I ſuppoſe) be perfectly underſtood, untill ſuch a Commentary be made thereon, as Divines ſay of other obſcure Prophecies, viz.
Prophetiae priùs aenigmata ſunt, ſed peractae intelliguntur. And, Prophetiae obſcurae ſunt, antequam fiunt: ſed factas, quis non agnoſcit? And, Prophetiarum adimpletio eſt earum expoſitio. (i. e.) Prophecies are Riddles: the onely or beſt Expoſitor of them is their fulfilling.
Amongſt the many obſcurities of this Apocalyps, this may go for one; viz. What day of the week or year the Writer meant by Dominica dies. That he meant our Sunday, or anniverſary Eaſter, (which is ſo called, from the Riſing of Chriſt) will be hard to prove. It may poſſibly ſignifie the day of the Nativity, or of the Aſcenſion of our Lord, or the day of Pentecoſt, for ought can appear; for none of theſe are inthe Paſſion of our Lord; of which, poſſibly, Christ ſpake, when he ſaid, Your father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day. For indeed, the Joh. 8. Abraham, in a myſterious Scene, or dumb-ſhew; as, when he acted the reſemIſaac, laying firſt the wood on him,
Gen. 22.him upon the wood; juſt as was afterwards really done to Chriſt. As for his rejoycing, it is no marvell if he reHis day; it was indeed, the day of the Jews, of which it is ſaid, Haec eſt hora veſtra;
Luk. 22. 53the day of the Lord. We find both, Tradidit Judas, and, Tradidit Deus, Rom. 8. 32. And, Filius Dei tradidit ſeipſum, Gal. 2. 20. Epheſ. 5. 2. Judas, for mony; but Chriſt gave himſelf for us. The day of his Paſſion was a day of ſorrow, and alſo a day of joy, in ſeverall reſpects. We know, that the PriNatalitia, (ſo they called the paſſion dayes of MarParaſceue, or day of Chriſt's Paſſion, in St. Auſtin's time, as himſelf ſaith, in one of his Paſſion-Sermons, agimus, & Epulamur. So St. Paul gloried in the Croſſe of Chriſt, Gal. 4. 16. And ſeemeth to appoint a Feſtivall for the Paſſion of Chriſt, when he ſaid, 1 Cor. 5. 7. Chriſt our paſſeover is ſacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Feaſt. Which St. Jerom reads, Itaque Epulemur. So, it is no novelty, to apply the word Dominica to the Paſſion; for we know, that there is another Dominica, which hath been called by the Church, more than twelve hundred years together, Dominica Paſſionis; as we find in St.
Ambroſe, and in St. Auſtin, and ever ſince in the middle-age Writers, and later Poſtillers: And even in our time, and at this day it is called, Paſſion-Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday in Lent; and is ſo called, onely in a memoriall of the atJoh. 8. 58. which paſDominica in the Revelation may not poſſibly relate to the grand Paſſion of our Lord. Laſtly, This Dominica might poſſibly point at the old Sabbath-day, which was really a day of the Lord's appointing; which yet, the Writer abſtained from calling it Sabbath,
Day-Sabbath was then utRevelation was writSabbath-Law, than Hallowing of a day, there can be no ſufficient cauſe alSunday to be the Sabbath.
Theſe two diſagreeing in the day, yet agree in miſunderſtanding and abuſing thoſe words of Chriſt, Pray that your flight
Matth. 24. 20.be not in Winter, neither on the Sabbath day. By which words, each party would have their ſeverall Sabbaths confir
To this we anſwer,Firſt, This was ſaid to
the Apoſtles, when as yet they were but DiſJohn) before the time he ſpake of came. Therefore this monition was intended, as to be declared to the Jews, whom Chriſt knew to be intangled in Sabbaticall ſu
Pray that it be not in
the Winter; ſurely no Jew would think it a ſin to fly for life in winter, (onely beFirſt, for Winter; Becauſe the daies would be ſhort, the waies foul, the ſeaſon cold, and dangerous to themMountains, unto which verſ. 16.Secondly, for the Sabba
Euſebius)
Jeruſalem, not one Chriſtian was left in that great City: they were all departed before to Pella beyond Jordan, to which they were warned by that Divine Oracle, Migremus hinc, as Euſebius thought.
Woe be to them
that are with child, and give ſuck in
thoſe daies. he woe muſt ſignifie tempochild-bearing, or giving of ſuck, are ſins, becauſe in Scripture, both are accounted bleſſings. So that praying againſt this Sabbath-Hight, or Winter-flight, is but to pray againſt temporall calamities.
Pray that it may not be; but he would abſolutely have forbidden it, as he did all tranſgreſſions of the Morall Law.
Joh. 5. 18. What will they do when their enemies invade them on the Sabbath day? for then, they muſt either break their Sab
Saturday or Sunday. 1. If Saturday, we ask, Why themSunday, we ſay, This place will appear miſerably in
For theſe, or for better reaſons, the late Learned and Reverend Biſhop of Worceſter, (my moſt dear Country) when he was Profeſſor of Theology in Oxford, doubted not to conclude publickly upon this very place: That it is ridiculous for any to argue for a confirmation of a Sabbath
An. 1622.from theſe words, which Chriſt foretold but onely as an inconvenience, which would ariſe from the Judaicall ſuperſtition.
I find alſo another pretty argument uſed of late, to prove our Sunday to be a Sabbath; for, The word Sabbath ſignifieth Reſt; therefore Sunday being a day of Reſt, ought to be called Sabbath. If this will hold, VVhy ſhould not our late frequent Faſting-dayes, and Thanks-givings, be called Sabbaths, which were enforced by watch-men, and under penalties, with as great caution as our Sundayes, from working and travelNights, the time of generall Reſt; and our Beds, the place thereof; and even our Graves, be called Sabbaths? But if the Inventer of this ArGod
Heb. 4. 4.Reſted) he might eaſily have anſwered his own argument with a better. For the true Sabbaticall Reſt cannot otherwiſe be rightly underſtood, but onely of the Reſt both of God and Man; and this Reſt can no where be found, but onely in Chriſt the Saviour.
There is yet another ſcruple, occaſioned by our tranſlation of the fourth CommandRemember to keep holy the Sabbath, &c. Hence ſome imagine, that to keep holy relateth onely to a Day, and not to Chriſt. But the more clear, and true, and unſcrupulous Tranſlation might have been, by our old Engliſh word, Hallow, or by the word, Sanctifie, borrowed from the Latine; thus, Remember that thou Hallow (or Santhe Sabbath day. This doubt will be plenChap. 9.
Notwithſtanding all this; it may be granted, that Chriſt giving that monition to pray, did fore-ſee and relate to ſome
Club-Law, or Law of Arms; which was indeed the tyrannicall and ſuZelots and Rebells, which cruelly inſulted over their Country-men the Jews, as Simon, John, and Eleazer, (of whom we read much in Joſephus) who then rebelled againſt Caeſar, their Lawfull Prince at that time, (though Nero) and thereby cauſed the utter and finall ruine of their Ci
If we now examine the Jewiſh ſuperſti
So ſome Chriſtian Sabbatarians have Mr. Tho. Roger's Preface on the 39 ArSunday, (Lord's day, they call it) or throw a boule, is a ſin as great, as to kill a man, or comTuppius reporteth. Beſides all this, ſome of our own Sabbatarians have la
I have alſo addreſſed this diſcourſe to you, My moſt Honoured Lord, and Lady, for an acknowledgement of your many faMy Lord, in your love to Truth, and Piety, have taken pains to inMyſtery, by carefull attention in hearing, and by your more private readings, and conferences, beſides your ſecret Meditations, (beſt known to your ſelf). Of which Christian imploy
I beg both your pardons for my tediouſEpiſtolar as Iſagogical, which I ſo de
Aequales ſcribit libros Calvinus, & Umber.
In old time, Writers were thought to proPlinius the younger, (a man of ſinTrajan) deTacitus (his contemporary) to record his Name in his Hiſtory, becauſe he thought that ſo, it might continue as long as the World: And before him, Ovid, by the ſame way, promiſed the like to himſelfe, and to his Wife,
—Nomenque erit indelebile noſtrum.AndPerpetui fructum donavi nominis—
So when Picus Mirandula wrote a book,
Politian; he returned this anſwer, Ago tibi gratias ob immortalitatem. Juſt ſo did Lipſius to ano
But I may not promiſe, or hope for any ſuch production, or iſſue, by theſe papers, to you, or to my Lady, though I wiſh I could; yet I am well aſſured, that the Doctrine here
Neither do either of you need any ſuch immortalizing Pharmacum, or paper-charm for that, which your owne eminent, and ſhining vertues may by themſelves proEpiſtles (as the Apostle ſpeaketh, Cor. 3. 2.for a Memoriall before God,
Act. 10. 4.Regiſtry of the Book of Life. In the m
PAg. 5. line. 8. read, force, and neceſſity, p. 8. l. 3. tell us, p. 13. l. 27. Judaical, p. 25. l. 6. Onera. p. 26. l. 23. Judaical, p. 32. l. 31. We are, p. 34. l. 16. Judaico, p. 37. l. 6. Speaketh, p. 41. l. 23. Phariſaical, p. 46. l. 34. killing law, p. 48. l. 5. Law of God, p. 65. l. 5. l. 6. p. 89. l. 17. intermunl. 18. p. 107. l. 6. God added, p. 134. l. ult. And in him, p. 166. l. 16. judicial l. 20. judicial, p. 168. l. 1. 10 act a part, p. 227. l. 1. Jeremie In the Margin, p. 13. l. 1. Ignatius, p. 125. l. 3. Laer
De minutioribus, viderit lector.
The Church diſturbed about the Doctrine of the Sabbath: Of Sunday-Sabbatiſm: Of works practiſed therein, and Recreations forbidden. That the celebration of Sunday is pious, although not commanded by the Fourth Commandment. How the Antient Patriarks did Sabbatize, yet kept not a Seventh day. That the ten Commandements are ſtill in force. A paſſage in St. Auſtin and Iſychius explained: and an abuſe of the Commandements in the Roman Catechiſm, ſhewed.
Sabbath, (as it is delivered in the Fourth Commandment of the Morall Law) hath more diſturbed the Chriſtian Church in theſe latter times, then they did the Fathers, & the Zealous Chriſtians in the Church Primitive; yet then, was the Doctrin of the Sabbath miſtaken and perverted by Ebion, who taught, that Chriſtians ſhould neHebdomarie, or ſeEpiph. haer. 30.Epiphanius and Theod. haer. fab. Lib. 2.Theodoret, branded with the mark of a Ju
And now, although the rejection of the Jewnew light, or religious zeal; becauſe they have obſerved, that by orReaſon of State; whereupon ſome of the apPreachers of theſe times have openly in the Pulpit declared their diſlike, and ſaid, that now the State Civil is become like a Ship; and the Church like a Cock-boat, which muſt follow the motions and turnings of that Ship of State: intimating hereby, that our Religion muſt be reformed ſo, as to be ſubſervient to the intereſt and accommodations of the Civill goKyrk ſhould have bin made the Ship, and the State ſhould have bin the Cock-boat.
Moſe and Aaron were brethren, and agreed that Moſes might be directed by Aaron in SpiAaron Supported by the Brachium temporale, or civill authority of Moſes for ſtabliſhing true Doctrine, and godly Diſci: which formerly was the happy, and peaOptatus truly ſaid againſt the diſturbing Donatiſts,
Optat. lib. 3. p. 83.Non eſt Reſpublica in eccleſia, ſed eccleſia in Republica eſt, i. e. The Commonwealth is not included in the Church, but the Church is in the Commonwealth. And yet the civil power will not excuſe thoſe governors before God, which authoriſe the breaking of the ComMoral law of God.
For if the Seventh-day Sabbath, practiſed in the Jewiſh Commonwealth, or the Eighth, a: And if our Sunday be really commanded by this morall law of God, or grounded thereon by a moral equity, (as ſome have untruly affir
The Rule of Divines is, (which I firmly beNon licet in quavis neceſſitate, leges Dei morales, ſeu naturales, violare. i. e. It is not lawfull in any caſe of neceſſity, to vioOptat. lib. 3.Nega Deum, Incende Teſtamentum, Thus pone. i. e. Deny thy God, Burn the Book of God, WorJoſeph would not yield to adultry with his lady though he knew the conGen. 39. Dan. 3.golden im
though they were aſſured of the fiery furnace. All inconveniences dangers and neceſſities muſt ſubmit to the mo
But it is far otherwiſe in lawes meerly Ceremonial, whether Jewiſh, or Chriſtian: the tranſProverb will take place Aug. in. Soliloq. c. 2. To. 9.Neceſſitas non habet legem. i. e. Neceſſity hath no law; and Inter arma ſilent leges. Lawes [humane] are dumb in time of Warr.
Therefore becauſe the Seaventh day Sabbath of the Jewes was meerly a law Ceremonial, it might, without ſin, upon neceſſity be ſlighted.
Mattathias the wiſe and zealous Macchabean prieſt with his aſſociates decreed, and firſt taught the Jewes, that they might, upon neceſſity, fight, and reIoſ. Antiq: l. 12. cap. 9. 1 Mac. 2. 41.Joſephus & 1 Maccab. 2. 41. So likewiſe the Jewes of Antioch, when they were by force of neceſſity compelled, refuſed not to Work on their Sabbath day; as the ſame Joſephus reporteth. And our Saviour excuſeth his diſciples for plucking eares of corne, and cauſJoſ. de Bello lib. 7 Mat. 12. Iohn. 5.David did in neceſſity of hunger eat the holy Shewbread; and the people of Iſraell for 40 yeares together in the wilderneſſe abſtained from Circumciſion as being very dangerous in their marches, alChron. 30. 2. Ex. 12.Hezekiah the Paſſeover was celebrated in the ſecond month, which was otherwiſe then the law preſcribed. Ex. 12. All theſe things were done upon neceſſity, or ſome uſefull convenience, without any offence to God * becauſe the SabNum. 9. 11.Eleazar & the 7 brethren mentioned both by h Joſephus
Ioſep. de Maccab. 2 Mac. c. 6. & 7.Macchab. cap. 6. & 7. (who were put to cruel tortures and death for refuſing to eat Swines-fleſh offered to Idols) might have eaten thereof in that neceſſity, and have ſaved their lives, without offence to God; becauſe that law was but Ceremonial; Only they knew, their
Scandal or offence to their brethren the Jewes, and therefore they abſtained; juſt as St. Paul ſaith in the like caſe 1 Cor. 10. 27. 28. Whatſoever is ſe
if any ſay unto you, This is offered in ſacrifice unto Idols, eat not for his ſake that ſhewed it.
Juſt ſo it is with our Chriſtian Ceremonies, whereof Sund
is one; and therefore the SoMetallicae Condemnationis, and were forEuſibius, & Hilarie. & Chryſoſtome.
Euſ. Hiſt. l. 8. c. 13. Hil. cont. Conſtant. lib.
Chryſ. de. laudibus Martyrum hom. 70.: and yet thereby, neither the former Chriſtian Confeſſors, nor theſe, do of
There is not (I think) any good, and prudent chriſtian, that doth not approve of, & moſt wil: the equity whereof is only this; That as God, under the law, required one day in ſeaven to be Sanctified, as a figure, and ſhadow of his peo
The Sabbath which is truly Moral, and perth Commandment, is another manner of Sabbath, & much differing from the Jewiſh ſeventh day Sabbath, or the Chriſtians Sunday, and is not ſuch a ſabbath as is by many now adayes ſuppoſed: neither is the vi
And yet in this Aſſertion, I ſhall not in the
Iuſt. dial. cum Tryph. Tert. Adv. Iudaeos. Euſeb. de. Demonſt. lib 1. c. 6.Juſtin Martyr, and Tertallian, and Euſebius, who tells us, that neither Adam, nor Enoch, nor Noah, nor Melchiſdeck did ever Sabbatize And Athanaſius alſo, who affirmed very truely, That the obſervation of the 7th day ſabbath, be an not, untill the dayes of Moſes; All which I firmly beleeve to be true; provided, that we underviz: of the hebdomary, weekly, or 7th day Sabbath, which verily is not that Sab
For the Sabbath, which in the fourth comSon of God, the Meſſiah, the great Peace-maker, even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: of which true Sabbath, the Jewiſh, LeMoſes was born; and, before it was written in ſtone, it was written in man's heart, as all other Moral lawes were; and it was, and is to laſt untill the end of this world and in the next world alſo, and not to be An
For the Moral law, which was written by
ten Commandments, juſt ſo many, no more, nor leſſe: which number the holy Scripture mentioneth, Ex.
Ten commandments, or Decem verba Foederis Tenn words. And ſo again, Deut. 4. 13. Tenn words or Commandments. And God wrote them on two Tables of Stone, to ſignifie the durableneſſe of them all: and therefore the Moral Sabbath there meant, muſt continue as long, and as firmly, as any of the other nine. We muſt ſtill have Ten Commandments, which is the reaſon that St. Auſtin, and generally all our Divines to this day, call this Moral law Decalogum, as conſiſting of Ten words, or Commandments.
The ſame Father in his book intituled Aug. Tom 3.Speculum, reciting the Moral law out of Ex. 20. doth quite omit the fourth commandment which is of the Sabbath; and this he did becauſe 1. He knew that the Seaventh-day Sabbath was none of the Moral laws of God, but that it is totally antiquated, and expired. 2. Becauſe he perceived that men did miſtake the meaning of the true Moral Sabbath, by fixing the duety thereby required, only, on the keeping holy of a day, whereas they ſhould have known, that the Sabbath there meant is only Chriſt. So that by this miſconceit, men ſlighted the SubAug. epist 86.Judaeus ſi ſabbatum obſervando Dominum negat, &c. i. e. If the Jew by obſerving his Sabbath day doth thereby deny, that his Lord Meſſiah is come, how can the Chriſtian ſafely obſerve the Sabc
Epiſt. 119. cap. 12.Januarius cap. 12. he thus writeth. c. Praeceptum
de Sabbato, ſolùm figuratè praecipitur. de requie quae in ſolo Deo certa invenitur-ergo non ad literam jubemur obſervare diemillum; nam niſi aliam Spiritualem requiem ſignificet, lex ridenda judicatur. i. e. The law of the Sabbath day is only figurative ſignifying that Sabbath or reſt, which is no where to be found ſure and certain, but only in our God; Therefore we are not hereby to obſerve a day as it is literally ſet down: for unleſſe ſome other Spiritual reſt be thereby meant, that Sabbath law might ſeem ridiculous, Thus he.
Upon the ſame reaſon Iſychius of Jeruſalem affirmeth, That the ſabbath day which the Jewes obſerve, is none of the Ten Comman: for the Sabbath there meant ſignifies Iſych. in Levit. lib. 7. c. 26.Requiem intelligibilem, ſaith he, i. e. not a Corporal but a ſpiritual or intelligible Reſt; which reſt is only in our God. He added, that if we will take the words going before, viz [I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Aegypt] for one of the commandments, we ſhall ſtill have Tenn. Indeed, The myſterious Sabbath which is really meant, and intended in the morality of the 4th Commandement, is, only, that God which delivereth us out of (not only Egyptian, but alſo) Helliſh Slavery, which deliverance is implied, and couched in this word Sabbath; ſo that we need not put out one of the commandments, and in the room of it, take in a new for preſerving the number of of Ten, for that number will be found thereCompoſition, in making but one Commandment of the two firſt: And the falDiviſion, in making two of the laſt, as is apparent in their books, and particularly in Ledeſma's dial. p. 81. Ferus. libell. precat. p. 59. 60.Jacobus Ledeſma a Jeſuite, and alſo of Ferus.
The word Sabbath; That it ſignifieth Reſt. Of the Reſt of God, and the Rest of man. Of our reſt Corporal and Spirituall. The diffferences of Sabbaths. The ſeverall ſorts of Jewiſh lawes, which command, or enforce the Sabbath. The Judicial lawes of the Jewes, not fit to be impoſed on Chriſtian
WHat this word Sabbath ſignifieth, we are certified by two learned Jewes: firſt, Philo ſaith, Sabbatum interpretatur Quies, i. e. The interpretation of Sabbath, is Reſt. With him Ioſeph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2.Joſephus agreeth, Sabbatum ſignificatrequiem i. e. that it ſignifieth quiet or Reſt. With them our Chriſtian writers generally conſent as, Euſebius, Nazianzen, Epiphanius, Jerome, & Auſtin.
The Reſt, which is ſignified by this word Sabbath, is 1 The Reſt of God, mentioned Gen. 2. 2. God reſted on the 7th
day from all his works. And ſo again, Ex. 20. 11. (How the
Reſt of man; and this Reſt is of two Sorts: Firſt Reſt Corporal, by ceaſing from worldly ſervile labours on the 7th day, both himſelf, & his family, and his poor beaſts alſo, Secondly Reſt Spirituall; which conſiſteth in the quiet, and tranquillity of our minds, and conſciences, when we are freed, and quitted from the diſturbing perturbations of our Conſciences, and turbulent horrors of our Souls, upon conſideration of our ſinns, and fear of divine vengeance.
This Spirituall reſt, is not confined to a Seaventh day only, but is a continuall Reſt or Sabbath to every holy Chriſtian. St. Auſtin ſaith, Aug. de Geneſi ad lit. l. 4. c: 13.Fidelium, perpetuum Sabbatum obſervatur. i. e. The faithfull keep a continuall Sabbath. And again, he ſaith, Ibid. in Pſal. 91.Noſtrum Sabbatum eſt in tranquillitate conſcientiae eſt gaudium ſpei noſtrae-intus eſt in corde Sabbatum noſtrum. i. e. The Chriſtian mans Sabbath conSt. Jerom, that the Jewiſh SeHieron. Tom. 9. 11. n. 40.Judaeis, Sabbatum in ocio corporali ſignificabat ſanctificationem in requie Spirit
The Sabbath which the Jews obſerved by a corporal reſt did ſignify a SanctiOrigen tells us Orig. in Math.
29.Qui vivit in Chriſto, ſemper ſabbatizat a peccato. i. e. He that doth live, or abide in Chriſt, doth alwayes Reſt from ſin. His meaning is not, that a Chriſtian is alwaies
Ignatius,
Inat. ep. ad MagNon Sabbatizemus Judaico m
That we ſhould not deceive our ſelves by keep
For the more clear underſtanding of the difJubilean Sabbath, which was every fiftieth yeare, when old owners returned to their ancient inheritances. But our inquiry muſt muſt only be, for the authority of the Saturday, weekly, or 7th-day Sabbath, with the ſigni
For the Jewiſh lawes: we find 3 ſeveral difeMor
2. Ceremonial. 3. Judiciall, by all which the Sabbath is eſtabliDeut. 6. 1. Now theſe are the Commandments, the Statutes, and the Judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you] The ancient Latine Tranſlation thus renders them: 1. Praecepta to ſignifie the ten commandCeremoniae, to ſignifie the ceremoniJudicia, to ſignify the lawes Judiciall. My deſigne of diſcourſing of them, requires that I begin with the lawes Judiciall.
Civill, Common, or Statute-law, ordained for the ordering and governing of the commonwealth; by this law, puniſhments were enacted to be inflicted on the tranſgreſſors both of theſe judicial laws, and alſo upon them that tranſgreſſed other lawes; for, by it, Sabbath-breakers were puniEx. 31. 14. And Ex. 35. 2. The gatherer of ſticks on the Sabbath day, is ſtoned to death. Num. 15. 35. Idolaters are adEx. 22. 20. To curſe Father or Mother was death, Levit. 20. 10. Bearing falſe witnes in matters capital, was death, Deut. 19. 18. 19.
This judiciall (I ſay) appointed puniſhments for the tranſgreſſors of the other ſorts of lawes,
There are ſome, that have thought fit that theſe judicial laws of Moſes ſhould (with ſome additions) be made the laws Politick of ChriſtiMoſes, or, through him, from God; for theſe re
2. Many of them were enacted purpoſely to ſerve for the diſcovery of the Meſſiah, & to be an evidence of the fulfilling of ſome Prophecies wch concerned the Tribe & genealogy of Chriſt before his actuall manifeſtation in the fleſh.
3. Many of them are but Typicall, & therefore not to be uſed now, ſince the Types are fullfiled by Chriſt the Antitype, ſo that now they muſt needs be antiquated, and quite out of date, as well as all the other Leviticalls or ceremoni
4. Theſe judicialls would not be conveniMeſſiah, as we ſee, their Sabbatizing and Circumciſing yet do; Much leſſe can they be fit for us Chriſtians, becauſe of many and great inconveniences which would enſue thereupon. Such as theſe:
1. If the Jewiſh 7th year-Sabbath were in force with us, wherein the whole land was to reſt from Tillage, and Husbandry, as is comEx. 23 11. and Levit. 25. 4. how ma
2. If the Jubilean Sabbath law, of repoſſeſſing eſtates by the Ancient and rightfull owners ſhould now take place with us, as was commanLevit. 25. 13. This would bring much ſorrow to our late purchaſers, or intruders into other mens eſtates, & would reduce many of our new Gentry to their former trades, and much diſappoint their Gentle-homified poſterity.
3. If all thoſe which by ordinary works tranſJewiſh Sabbath (which is our Saturday) ſhould be put to death, as was commanded Ex. 31. 14. What would be
4. If all falſe Prophets ſhould be put to death that ſpeak to turne us out of the way which the Lord our God hath commanded us to walk
Deut. 13. 5. it would be ill with many of our new Time-ſerving PreachPreaching in the New Teſtament is often called Propheſying, as Mat. 7 22. and 1 Cor. 14. 1.
5. If thoſe that Curſe their Parents, though but a Domeſtick FathEx. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. what ſhould become of thoſe Sonnes of Be
which have curſed, and blaſphemed their Publick Father, Patrem Patriae?
6. If Sacriledg ſhould now be puniſhed with death, as it was, Jo
7. 25; Or falſe wittneſIuvenal. Sat. 8.Deut. 22. 21; Or if no uſury muſt be taDeut. 23. 19; Or if all debts muſt be releaſed freely to our neighbour or brother, every ſeventh year, as it is commanDeut. 15. 2: Such Judicials would much diſpleaſe a great number of people of this king
He that imagineth that he can compoſe one frame of lawes Politick, or Eccleſiaſtick that may fitly ſerve, and accommodate all chriſtSolomon, the Church appeared fair as the Moon, Cant. 6, 10. Upon which words, the Gloſſ. ſaith [Variatur ſtatus ejus, nunc clara, nunc dehoneſtata vitiis pravorum] i. e. The Church is ſomtimes cleer, ſomtimes denigrated by the vices of men; her ſtate is vaDoctor Donn was a profound Divine, and a rare Poet (Poets are called Divine, and the Scripture calles them Prophets Tit. 1. 12.) Luna, eſt Eccleſia quia à filio illuminatur, qui eſt Sol. Aug. in Pſal. 10.Eccleſia Lunatica i. e. The Church Lunatick, as St. Auſtine calls this life Aug in Solilo. c. 11. Tom.Vitam Lunaticam.
This I truſt, is enough, to ſhew that the keeping holy of the Jewiſh Sabbath or Saturday, or a weekly Seaventh day, cannot be inMoſes.
Of the Ceremoniall laws. Why God expreſſed a diſlike of them, before they were abrogated. The Diſſolving of them; and particularly, the Sabbath, by Chriſt: And why Chriſt did diſſolve it. The judgment of the Fathers herein. That it is now pernicious to Sabbatize; as the Jewes did, and doe yet. That Chriſt appointed no new Sabbathday in-stead of the old.
Ceremoniall Lawes, ſuch as concernAbrahamicall or Moſaicall or Jſraeliticall people, untill the ending of the Leviticall Preiſthood, and no longer; as CircumciſiAbrahamits long before Levi or Moſes were born, and afMoſes Ex. 12. 49. Levit. 12. 3.): So the Paſcall feaſt, and Sacrifices of certain beaſts and birds, to be offered only at the Tabernacle, or Temple: So Feaſtivalls are appointed, of new Moons of At-onements or Expiation, and other Feſtivalls beſides the 7th day ſabbath, which are recorded Levit. 23. and are alſo called Sabbaths as the At-onement, Levit. 16. 31. And the 7th year Lev. 25. 4. And the feaſt of Trumpets Lev. 23. 24: and of Tabernacles Levit. 23. 39. All which
Types, Shadows, and Figures. Which are now expired, becauſe the Subſtance and Antitype of them is come, which is Chriſt, who was but onely prefigured, and repreſented by thoſe Ceremonies.
Now becauſe thoſe Ceremonialls, were of none other uſe, but onely to prefigure Chriſt with his benefits; And becauſe the Jewes did not rightly uſe them to that purpoſe and inIſa. 1. 12, 13, 14. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices—bring no more vain oblations-the Newmoons and Sabbaths, I cannot away with them-your appointed feaſts my Soul hateth, they are a trouble to me, I am weary to beare them. The ſame rejection of theſe Ceremonies we find againe J
6. 20. And particularly of their feaſts he ſaith, Amo
5. 21 I hate and deſpiſe your feaſt-dayes. And, before theſe prophets, the holy Pſalmiſt had ſaid, Pſal. 40. 6 Sacrifices and offerings thou diddeſt not deſire. All theſe reprehenſions were, only becauſe the Iſraelites of thoſe times did erre from the true meaning and intent for which thoſe Sabbaths and Sacrifices were ſet up; for they ſuppoſed that the Opus Operatum, or bare outward work and literall performance (without any faith or conſideration of the Meſſiah thereby ſignified) was all that God required of them.
Meſſiah was come, and by preaching publiſhed, thoſe Ceremonies enPaul tels us of the grand ceremony, Circumciſion, Gal. 5. 2. If ye be Circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing; And of SabCol. 2. 16. Let no man judg you in meat, or drink or in reſpect of an Holy-day, or New-moon, or of Sabbath dayes; which are a Shadow of things to come, but the Body is Chriſt.] By which we are fully aſſured that the very Seaventh day Sabbath was but a meer figure, and Type of the true Eternall Sabbath, which is Chriſt; That the Jewiſh Sabbath was but the ſhadow; And that the body thereof was Chriſt.
Juſtly therefore are the Jewes reproved for doting ſo much on the Shadow-ſabbath, and utterly neglecting the Subſtance, and body, which was but only repreſented by that ſhadlike the dog in the
Gabriae fabula. 32.Fable, which let-go and eſt the Subſtantiall fleſh out of his mouth, by ſnatching at the ſhadow thereof in the water; So the great Oratour Demoſthenes perceiving the Greeks to neglect the weighty matters of State which he delivered in an Oration, tells them a tale, & then reproves them for liſtening with more attention to a ridiculous caſe, Plut. de 10. Orat.
of two men contending for the ſhadow of an Aſse, than they did to the great affaires of their Country. This ſurely was the reaſon that our Saviour ſo often took occaſion to ſlight, and decry the Jewiſh ſeventh-day ſabbath, becauſe he ſaw the Scribes and Phariſees ſo ſtrict, and
Sabbath, which was their Meſſiah, in whom only, true Sabbatical Reſt was to be found, and no where elſs.
And now ſince Chriſt is come, and fully made known to his Church; the Jewiſh Ceremonies are uſeleſs and quite gon, as may thus appear.
It is evident enough, that Chriſt did, on purCeremony to the S
and from the Letter to the Spi
& meaning thereI
5. 8. The Jewes therefore charge him with their Sabſought to kill him, verſ. 18. Afterwards, He makes clay, on the SabJoh 9. 14. which he needed not to have done in order to the curing of the blind man: therefore it was done upon anverſ. 16. He alſo excuſeth his Diſciples for plucking eares of corn on the Sabbath day, Math. 12. And tels the Phariſees that their own Jewiſh prieſts did proShew-bread, and brought in fuell for the Altar, they killed, waſhed, ſkinned, dreſſed, and Sacrificed beaſts; and ſo labou
To this diſſolution, and nulling of the Jewiſh Sabbath, the Fathers, and other Chriſtian writers generally agree (except ſome few Sabbatarians). Saint Auſtin upon occaJoh. 5. 18. ſaith, Epiſt. 11.Chriſtus ſabbatum ſolvi, i. e. Chriſt hath dide Gen: ad lit: L: 4. C. 13.Jam ab uſu fidelium obſervatio Sabbati abla
The obſervation of the Sabbath is now taken away from believers, who now keep a perpetual Sabbath. (For our conſtant adhering to Chriſt is our continual Sabbath), And again he ſaith. de ſpiritu & litera. C: 14.Quiſquis nunc obſervat Sabbatum ſicut litera ſonat, carnaliter ſapit, quod mors eſt. i. e. That man which now obſerveth the Sabbath literally, is carnally minded; and to be carnally minded is death, ſaith Saint Paul, Rom. 8. 6.
With him agrees Saint Ambroſe uſing theſe words, de fide. l. 2. c. 4.Chriſtus Sabbatum ſol
Chriſt did dithe Jewes ſought to kill him, Ioh. 5. 16. Again he ſaith, Epiſt. l. 5. Ep. 42.Sabbatum, & Circumciſio, ceſſant ſub Evangelio] i. e. Both the Sabbath, and alſo Circumciſion do ceaſe, under the Goſpel. By theſe words he declareth, that the Jewiſh Sabbath is but ſuch a typical, and temporary CePaul Gal. 5. 2. but alſo by the whole Councell of the Apoſtles, Act. 15. 24.
St. Jerome alſo thus writeth of St. Paul.
Nullus Apoſtoli Sermo eſt, vel per epiſtolam, vel praeſentis, in quo non laboret docere, Antiquae legis Onra depoſita, id eſt Sabbatum, Circumciſionem, Calendas. &c. The Apoſtle, in every Sermon of his, either written by Epiſtle, or de
Before him, Athanaſius had thus Written, upon thoſe words Mat. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father].
Athan. Tom. 1. 294.Sabbatum injunctum eſt priori populo-ſednovae creaturae non praecepit obſervationen Sabbati]. i. e. The Sabbath was impoſed on the firſt people (The Iſraelits) but not on the new people (The Chriſtians) The Jewiſh Sabbath was appointed to be on the laſt day of the week, which might intimate that is was near Ending: for when Chriſt, the true Sabbath, and the true light was come, the Sabbaticall ceremony was uſeSt. Chryſoſtom alſo obſerveth in his Sermon on the PaChryſ. Serm. 7. Tom. 5Chriſtus quando ſolvebat Sabbatum, maximum aliquod meraculum edebat, ut ſic Sabbatiſmum auferret.] When Chriſt diſſol
The ancient and grand Heretick Marcion, upon this truth of Chriſts diſſolving the Saturdenying Chriſt to be the Son of that God who made the World, and Ordained the Law; ſuppoſing, that the true ſon of the Creator, would not null the law of the ſame Creator. By this it appeares, that even this Heretick ſo farr agreed with the Catholick Church, as to acknowledg the diſſolution of that Sabbath by Chriſt, as Tertullian alſo doth in his writings againſt that Heretick, whereof he gives this reaſon. Tert. Cont. Mar. Lib. 4.Quia Deus eſt Dominus Sabbati, ergo deſtruere potuit]. i. e. Becauſe our Lord Jeſus is the Lord of the Sabbath, therefore he might diſſolve it; The ſame Father ſaith again, in aDe Idololatria. c. 4.[Nobis (Chriſtianis) Sabbata extranea ſunt, ſicut Neomen ia]. To us Chriſtians, Sabbatizing is a ſtranger, as much as New-Moon dayes are; This he wrote becauſe he knew that Sabbath-keeping was a fading and tem
In ſome Epiſtles yet extant, which paſſed beAuſtin, and St. Jerome, concerning their differing opinions in ſome Judiciall cereAuſtin thus writeth and faith. Hier. Epiſt. 97. Tom. 2.That after the death, & Reſurrection of Chriſt,
And indeed the pubPreaching up of Chriſtianity, was their Funerall Oration, and the Burning of the Temple, was their Funerall pile; But when theſe Sepulture-offices were once performed, then thoſe Typicall Ceremonies became, not only dead, but deadly, pernicious, and mortiferous. To this St. Hierome addeth this aggravation. In Barathrum Diaboli devolvunt eum qui obſervat]
Auſtin alſo conſenteth To uſe thoſe Ceremonies now, is the ready way to drive men into Hell. So St. Chryſoſtom, having in his Sermons often forbidden the peoAntioch, where Chryſoſtome then was a preacher, he adds, Chryſ. Homil Antioch. 34.That, after his admonition, if any did Sabbatize, himſelfe was innocent of their blood] So deadly did he think it. And before him Origen had both affirmed, and preached Orig. in Jeremi. Hom. 9.That now to obſerve Sabbaths, is to return to thoſe beggerly Elements of Cerenondum deſcenderat Chriſtus] That the Sabbatizer thereby declareth, that he doth not beleeve that Chriſt is come, who is the true Sabbath, which now is to be kept.
For this cauſe, it may reaſonably be thought, that our Lord Jeſus neither at the diſſolution of the Old Jewiſh Sabbath day, nor at any time after, did command, or ſo much as intinew Sabbath day for Chriſtians, leſt Chriſtians alſo, like the Jewes, ſhould erroneMoral precept, for SancGrand Sabbath, which is Chriſt: who is the Only Sabbath that wee Chriſtians can, or ought to have. For at this day we ſee that the Sabbath which is Commanded in the Fourth precept of the law Moral, is, by the greater number of people thought to be meant only of Sanctifying a day; for ſo they are now taught by the greater number of our Preachers: But herein, the People deceive themſelves, and the Prea
To the judgment of the Ancients before menMede, which I eſteem ponderous: who in one of his books thus writeth, Mede Diatrib, 15We may not now keep the Jewiſh Sabbath, leſt we ſhould thereby ſeem not to acknowledg our
Redemption performed, but expect ſtill: Their Sabbath was but a ſhadow]. Thus he, moſt truly and correſpondently with the Primitive Church. It was indeed but a Shaddow of our Redemption by our Redeemer, which being performed (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh) it is paſſed away like a Shaddow.
By what hath bin ſaid, I truſt the ReadPſal. 144. 4.Jewiſh Sabbath is no more but a branch of the Ceremoniall Law, now Antiquated, and, by the aumorall equity deduced from it, can be that Sab
Of Lawes Moral, and why ſo called. Of Sunday-Sabbatizing. Of Origen, and his Chriſtian Sabbath. That Saturday was a Church-day, for Sermons, Sacraments and Scripture-leſſons; and then alſo a faſting day, long after Origens time. Chriſtians did more reverently keep Saturday, then the Jewes themſelves did that Sabbath. Sunday, not to be called Sabbath. Eaſter day why altered from the Jewes Paſchall day. The author's reverend eſteem of the Chriſtian Sunday,
Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. Which Divines, commonly call (though improperly) The law Moral. So called, becauſe they were ordained as rules to guide, and direct us in our demeanours, or Manners; for therin, we find precepts Ethicall for our private perſons, againſt Murther, AdulOeconomicall, for our deportment in a family, as honouring of Parents, Mercifullneſſe to ſervants and poor Cattle. And Political, againſt Idolatry, and for Reverencing ſuperiors, as Magiſtrates, and eſpecially Kings who are the Publick Parents of Subjects. All theſe Ten Commandments, are lawes Moral ▪
And more alſo, they are lawes Naturall, they are written in our hearts. And more yet, they were lawes, and binding
written in ſtone, and ſo would be to the end of the World, although they never had binne written, therefore they are perpetuall, all and every one of thoſe Ten; never to be abrogated or antiquated. I ſay, there are Ten of them, (although I do not beleeve, or affirm that all the words in the fourth Comviz. the words which mention the ſeaventh day Sabbath, of which I ſhall give an account anon) for we ſhall find Ten, without them.
The reaſon why I ſaid, that theſe Ten lawes are but Improperly called Moral, is, Becauſe (if we ſpeak critically, and Logically) All laws whatſoever, are Moral; for all are but Rules for mens manners, and demeanours. So are the lawes Judiciall, and Ceremoniall before handEvangelicall precepts. And all Politik (both Imperiall and Municipall) lawes. So are the Edicts of Supream Magiſtrates: So were anciently the Roman Senatus-conſulta Pleb
and even the Canons, and ConCouncells and Synods, were Moral; but with his difference, The Ten CommanMoral
i. e. by nature, though they never had binne openly Commanded, either by Word, or Wrting; The other Morals (moſt of them), are ſo, Only
i. e. by Conſtitution. Nor could they have the ap
Of the Ten Commandements, Nine are confeſſedly ſtill in full force and vigour, whereof no doubt or queſtion is made among prudent and ſober Chriſtians, but only by another gang
Antinomian dotage; Only the fourth Commandement conSabbath, is that which many good men ſtumble at, which hath occaſioned much diſtraction, and trouble, and bitterneſs; and alſo many unprofitable written books by ſome that would have the Seaventh day kept literally on our Saturday, as the Jewes did. And by others who would ground the Chriſtian Sunday upon this fourth Commandement, and thereupon preſs the Jewiſh and Phariſaical ſtrictneſs of Sabbatizing on the Sunday, as if all the Scriptural admonitions for keeping of the Jewiſh ſeaventh day, did by a kind of moral equity (as they ſay) require the ſame to be performed on our Sunday; and therefore both themſelves and their proſelytes, call Sunday, The Sabbay day—Nimiùm patienter (as one ſaith) too tamely, and unadviſedly. For in New Teſtament, they cannot find that our Sunday, (which is the firſt day of the week) is ever called Sabbath, unleſs they will call every day a Sabbath, becauſe the Goſpels do, in their account, reckon ſeveral week-dayes by the Sabbath, For they call our Sunday, i. e. the firſt day from the Sabbaths: we tranſlate it, The firſt day of the week, Mat. 28. 1. And ſo it is Mar. 16. 2. So the Phariſee is brought in, boaſting that he faſted, i. e. Twice in a Sabbath, we tranſlate it, Twice in the week, ſo that any week-day might be named Sabbath as well as the firſt day or Sunday. But this is ſo weak an argument for their Sabbath, that the Learned Sabbatarians do not vouchſafe ſo much as to mention it.
Origen (as is pretended) & by him but once, that I could find. His words are theſe. Sabbatum Chriſtianum obſervare, eſt deſinere ab operibus ſecularibus, ad eccleſiam convenire, lectionibus & tractatibus aures praebere, &c.] i. e. The obſervation of the Chriſtian Sabbath, is, by laying aſide our worldly buſi
This is pretended to be ſpoken of our Sunday, but it is not certain, whether he ſaid it of the old ſeaventh day of the Jewes, or of the eighth day of the Chriſtians; for it is affirmed by our greateſt Sabbatarians, That ChriOrigen's time: And the Fathers do alſo acknowledg that Saturday, and Sunday, were, for a long time, Church dayes; and ſo they were with us in England, in mine own remembrance in CitParliament, dated their Saturday-Orders under the title of Die Sabbati.
That Chriſtians did ſo aſſemble, are we aſſured by Sozomen. And Hiſt. lib. 7 c. 19.Theodoſius the Elder (long after Origen was dead) for he thus wriSabbato & Poſtridie Sabbati, Conſtantinopoli, Conventus Eccleſiaſticus
erat):—In multis civitatibus Aegypti,
lib. 7. c. 9veſpere in Sabbato myſteriorum participes fi
Juſt ſo ſaith Socrates alſo, in the reign of the ſame Theodoſius.
Hiſt lib. 5 cap. 21.Licet omnes ubique Eccleſiae, ſingulis ſeptimanis die ſabbati myſteria celebrent; tamen Alexandrini & Romani, id facere
On the Sabbath, (or Saturday,) at Conſtantinople, and in many Cities of Aegypt, the Church aſſembled and communicated in the holy SaAlexandrians, and Romans refuſe to obſerve that Order.
S
alſo mentioneth the Cuſtome of Preaching on the old Sabbath-day; even there and then, when that day was made a faſting day. de verb. Dom. Ser. 43.Sermo in die Sabbat—non erattum prandium, eo die ven
DOrigen in uſing thoſe words of chriſtian Sabbath, did only compare the holy practiſes of Ch
with the evil cuſtomes of the Jewes, which lived in his time, ſhewing that chriſtians did more reverently uſe the Jewiſh Sabbath, then the Jews themſelves did; for chriſtians did on that day go to Church, & hear Scriptures, & Sermons, & Communicate But the Jews ſpent that day luxurioſo ocio i. e in idleneſs & luxury, as Auſtin ſaith, and
Alexandria ſpent their ſabbath in Theaters, or Play-houſes in beholding Stage-playes and Pageantry, as Hiſt. lib. 7. Cap. 12.Socrates affirmeth. So Chriſtians were better Sabbath-keepers, than the Jewes were. This doth not, in the leaſt, prove that ChriOrigen did ſo mean.
For the ſame Origen, had before called our Sunday, Diem Dominicum, i. e. The DomiSabbath day, as in Ex. Hom. 7.Manna non deſcendebat in Sabbato, ſed primùm in Dominico die—In Noſtrà Dominica, Dominus ſemper pluit Manna—Intelligant Iudaei, etiam tum praelatam eſſe noſtram Dominicam Iudiaco Sabbato. i. e. Manna never came down on the Sabbath day, but God firſt rained it on our Sunday. The Jewes may hereby take notice, that our Sunday was even then (ſo early,) preferred before their Sabbath.
And though we ſhould grant that thoſe words (Chriſtian Sabbath) do there ſignify our Sunday: yet this will not amount to any ſoSunday-Sabbath, becauſe Origen's authority is invalid, having bin conHereticks by Epiph. Haer. 64.Epiphanius, under the title of Origianiſtae: and yet, that book of Origen, is now not extant in that Language wherein he wrote it, but was tranſlated into Latin by Ruffinus, who is generally noted, to Deteriorare as St. Ambroſe ſpeaketh, i. e. to be a depraver of all books, that he took in hand to tranſlate or reform.
Notwithſtanding I have Intituled this book,
Sabbatum. By which word, I mean that Sabbath which is Moral, and natural, and is commanded in the fourth Commandement, which is ſtill in force, and binding both Jewes and Chriſtians, and all men in the world; and ſo it was before any Law was written, and ſhould have ſo continued alDay-Sabbath had bin comPatriarks did apprehend before the dayes of Moſes; but the Scribes and Phariſees and vulgar Jewes after Moſes, did not, nor yet do to this day. The true ſubſtantial and moral Sabbath, intended in that Law is their M
our Chriſt, who is the Jeſus, i. e, the Saviour, and therefore the perfect and only, and everlaſting Sabbath or Reſt of all believers: Which truth I truſt will hereaf
But if our Brethren do indeed believe, that our Sunday is that Sabbath which is literally or but equitably (as they ſay) commanded in the Moral Law, then, verily, they ſhould perform all thoſe duties, and ſervices which the Law giver commanded to be done on the Sabbath day; then they muſt offer bloody Sacrifices; two Lambs for the Sabbath, beShew-bread which was to be done on the Sabbath, and in order heerunto, they ſhould joyn Chron. 9. 32.Fifth Monarchy, or Earthly Kingdome of Saints.
If it be ſaid, that the Sunday-Sabbath differs from the Jewiſh; in that, theirs was on the laſt day of the week, but this on the firſt: This will not help, becauſe other feſtivals of the Jewes were Sabbaths, and all required ſacrifices, and might fall on any day of the week, as the Paſſover, and Pentecoſt, and the reſt; for they were moveable feaſts, depenMoon. But the performance of ſuch ſhadowie ceremonies now, would be a real denyal of Chriſt, as if he were not come, and were not the grand Sacrifice, of which the former were but meer Figures, which figures now are but Cyphers.
All good and prudent Chriſtians do believe, and confeſs, that the Jewiſh Ceremonial SaSabbath to our Sunday, leſt therein we ſhould ſeem to Judaize. Juſtin Martyr ſaith juſt. Dialog. cum Tryph.Gentes & Chriſtiani non obſervant Sabbata, ne Judaei putarentur]. i. e. The Gentiles, or Nations which are Chriſtians, do now abſtain ftom obſerving the Sabbath, leſt they might thereby be thought to be of the Jewiſh infidelity: and ſeeing, that the thing it ſelf is gone, there
Sabbath, applyed to our Sunday is not only a ſign of our ignorance in Religion; but it is, moreover, Scandalous, in that it hudwinketh the people with a Moſaical, & Jewiſh vaile, as the Apoſtle ſepaCor. 3. 15. And thereby hindereth them from diſcerning the true Sabbath, which is Chriſt, and leadeth them into the Jewiſh error; ſo as to think, that the whole duty required in the fourth Commandment conſiſteth in keeping holy one day of the week, as if that were the only, or principal, and ultimate duty thereof: which is not only untrue, but dangerous alſo. And this error, of Sabbatarians mixed with their too hot, and ignorant zeal therein, and in ſome other Judaizing practiſes hath given our adverſaries occaſion to deteſt our Perſons, and alſo to blaſpheme our Religion, and (as a Luther an once did ſome Calviniſts,) to call us Baptized Jewes.
For this reaſon it was, in all probability, that the Ancient-fathers, & moſt learned Chriſtians in the very primitive times of the Church, did ſo warily, & cautiouſly abſtain from putting the appellation of Sabbath upon the Chriſtian Sunday, leſt they ſhould be thought to JuPaſſover (for the ſolemnity of our Eaſter is the remembrance, and confeſſion of the Eaſter, that is, the Riſing or R
from the preciſe fourteenth day of the Moon, to the Sunday; and this, leſt ChriTypicall Paſſover as the Jewes did, as if Chriſt the true Paſſover were not come, and therecatitae.
Teſſares-cae-decatitae, or Quar
as we find in Epiph. H ar. 50Epiphanius. The ſame reaſon alſo, moved the holy Apoſtles themſelves to meet in Council, on purpoſe againſt the errors of ſome Phariſees, and Judaizing Chriſtians, in their dayes; who ſaid that the Converted Gentiles ought to be Circumciſed, and to be comMoſes law, (they meant the law Ceremonial) as we read, Act. 15. 5. So early did they decree againſt the danger of Judaizing.
This is not ſaid by me as in diſlike, or in the leaſt to diſparage the Chriſtians godly and zealous care in Sanctifying the Sunday, deuſance of the Church in all ages thereof, and the ſacred lawes and decrees of Chriſtian Princes, upon which, as on two pillars, the Authoritative ſanctificatiRem tene, linguam corrige. Good Chriſtian, keep the Sunday or (as now it is in England called of late, though not by the Church of England) the Lords-day and keep it holy, in the name of God, but abſtain from calling
Sabbath day; Becauſe the Sabbath was but a figure, and is gon; and becauſe neither the old Jewiſh Sabbath, nor the ChriMemento alſo, more than any other Commandment; as being indeed, the greateſt of them all, and moſt nearly concer
Of the Fourth Commandment; what part of it is moral, and what Ceremonial. Why a Ceremonial, is taken into the Ten Commandments. Of the Memento, and ſome other Prerogatives, proper to this fourth Commandment: The Exbenefit of this Sabbath-law. Why it is placed in the middle of the Commandments. How the whole law is performable by men.
FOr the right underſtanding of this great myſterious Sabbath, we muſt firſt diligentEx. 20. 8.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the ſeaventh 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 the ſtranger that is within thy Gates.
For in ſix dayes, the Lord made heaven, and earth, the ſea, and all that in them is, and reſted the ſeaventh day; wherefore the Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
All our learned Divines generally agree thus farr, that this Commandment is partly Moral; ſo that the Moral part thereof is to be obeyed, and kept, at this day, and alſo during the continuance of the world. They alſo agree; that part of it is Ceremonial, appertaiM
came in the fleſh, and was made known unto that people; or during the Pedagogie of them; or, at moſt, during the Judaical ſtate and politie. All this I conceive to be very true.
But the main difficulty conſiſteth onely in the right dividing this Commandment, by ſeperating the Moral and everlaſting part, from that part which is but Ceremonial, and temporal, and typical. Which that I may truely, and Chriſtianly perform, I here moſt earneſtly implore the aſſiſtance, and illuminaPaul exhorted Timothie), a workman rightly dividing the word of truth.
For the underſtanding whereof; I here preDiviſion, or SeMoral, Myſterious, and Perpetuall part thereof, from that which is only Typicall, Ceremoniall, and Temporall; And what part of that precept bindeth us ChriſtiIſraelites, and the Patriarks, and Prophets, and even Adam himſelfe, and all his poſteriMoſaicall, or Judaical people, and doth not at all concern the ChriMoſes.
The want, or neglect of a right diſtinction of theſe differing parts of this Commandment in our later Theological Writers, hath occaſioeighth day Sabbath. Which was never intended to be put upon the people of God by this 4th Commandement. And moreover, it hath alſo obſcured the moſt needfull, moſt holy, and Myſterious Sabbath Spirituall, by which we only can expect an eternall, and heavenly Sabbath, and ſalvation of our Souls and bodies.
For many good, pious and well-meaning Chriſtians are hereby miſlead into the ſame arror and miſtake, that the Jews were in, by thinking, that the whole and ultimate duty
th Comanſtumbling Block in the way, to remyſteriouſly Veiled, Which is Chriſt; Who only, is the everlaſting Sabbath, or Reſt, both of the Godhead, and alſo of us Men.
It is now time, that I ſet down plainly what I conceive to be the Moral part of this ComPatriarchs before Moſes was born, and before it was written in ſtone. Theſe are the words, Ex. 20. 8.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.]
In theſe few words, is contained the whole Morality of that Law: So that no more of the words are to be accounted Moral, or binding us: for all the following words are but a branch of the Ceremoniall law. And although they are here joyned with the truly Moral Sabbath, and alſo, by the ſame God, written in the ſame Tables of Stone; Notwithſtanding, this will not make them to be a Moral law, becauſe they are ſo annexed: for this reaſon only, to
Type and figure of the Grand Sabbath; To keep the Iſraelites mindfull by a weekly Sabbath, or reſt, of that everlaſting Reſt which they were to expect in their Meſſiah, and not otherwiſe. For now, we ſee that all learned Divines have rejected, and the whool Chriſtian world have long ſince diſu
Theſe later words, which are ſo annexed to the fourth Morall Law, are to be conſidered by themſelves in their proper place: but for pre
For the underſtanding whereof, the Reader may obſerve divers things Conſiderable; and ſome of them proper, and peculiar to this Commandment, ſo as not to be found in any other of the Nine.
1. In thoſe words recited, There is no menSeaventh day (for that was meerly Typical, and Ceremonial) but the Sabbath-day: Therefore ſurely there muſt be underſtood ſome other Sabbath day, beſides the Seventh day Sabbath: for otherwiſe, it had bin enough to have ſaid Remember the Seaventh day to keep it holy: But the Seaventh day is one thing, and the Sabbath day is another. They differ as much, as Shadow and Subſtance; as Type, and Antitype; as Signum, & Signatum, i. e. as the bare ſigne, from that which is ſignified thereby: for the Jewiſh Seaventh-day-Sabbath, which was but only a ſigne, and ſhadow of the Subſtantial, Myſticall, and Spi
[Remember] is prefixed, as a John Baptiſt or fore runner of Chriſt; which Memento, we find not in any of the other Nine. Surely, there is ſomething in this Commandement, of moſt weighty concernment, and more than is in any other of the nine; for if in this Commandment God had only intended the keeping of the SeaRemember; Becauſe all thoſe lawes, which are truly Moral, are alſo unexpiRemember.
From this Memento, Some doe argue, that the Seaventh day Sabbath was obſerved before the dayes of Moſes; as if Remember, related only to former uſances. If that were true, it will make againſt their Seaventh day Sabbath, and for our truly Morall Sabbath, i. e. Chriſt; becauſe they may ſee that the Memento is preSabbath day, but not to the Seaventh Day; for that was not alwaies to be re
3. In this Sabbatical Commandment, we finde, not only a Memento, going before; but alſo another remembrance following after it, as a type and ſhadow of the grand Sabbath for direction of God's people, as the Pillar of
and Cloud, ſometimes before, and ſomeEx. 14. 19. For ſo it pleaſed God to ordain a weekly Shaddowy Sabbath, to keep them in a continuall rememMeſſiah; in whom only, true, certain, & eternall Reſt was to be found. Indeed Joſhuah was to lead them into the Earthly Reſt of the land of Canaan, the land of Promiſe; but he was but a type of the Meſſiah, and is therefore called Jeſus, Acts 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. and Canaan but a ſhadow of heaven; and the weekly Sabbath, but a figure of the Subſtantiall Sabbath; Only their Meſſiah, our Jeſus, was to lead his people into the bleſſed and everlaſting Sabbath or Reſt in heaven. Now the adding an annexion of a ceremonial type to this Sabbaticall and Moral law, which is not found in any other of the Nine, doth cleerly ſhew, that the Grand Sabbath here intended, is of the moſt weighty and Conſiderable concernment of all, and is therefore moſt principally to be Remembred. For if it were poſſible for us men preciſely to keep all the other Nine Commandments, ſuch a performance would not be Sufficient for our Eternall Reſt without the keeping of this. For this Sabbath is Chriſt, in whom alone rethere is none other name whereby we muſt be ſaved, Acts. 4. 12. And moreover, although we have tranſgreſſed, and broken all the other Nine, yet if we ſhall afterwards conſtantly and faithfully keep this Sabbath, we ſhall find therein an help and remedy, to preſerve us from the dangerous conſequences, that otherwiſe will follow us, upon ſuch diſobe
The conſideration of that terrible ſentence in the Law, Deut. 27. 29. (Curſed is he, that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do
them,) and of that in the Goſpel, Jam. 2. 10. Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, and yet offead in one point, is guilty of all] may drive Chriſtians to reſtlesneſs of conſcience and diſSabbath, or Reſt, in Chriſt be not apprehended, wch is principally that One point in which we muſt be moſt cautelous. Chriſt himſelf hath ſaid Mat, 10. 32. Whoſoever ſhall confeſs me before men, him will I confeſs: But whoſoever ſhall deny me (totally, & finally) him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven,
The two Tables of this moral law, would vit. Solo
MoGraecian laws of Draco, and Lycurgus, which are ſaid to be written Sabbath law; Auſt. ſaith, he diſrelliſhed that famous book of Cicero called Hortenſius.
Aug. conf. l. 2. 4.Quod nomen Chriſti non erat ibi, i. e. Becauſe the name of Chriſt was not there: and ſo ſhould we theſe two tables, if Chriſt were not included therein. But, bleſſed be our gracious Law giver, there we find Chriſt under the name, and appellation of Sabbath, juſt as (in the Goſpel) he is calThe Lord of the Sabbath: & this ſweet name only, maketh this yoke eaſie and burden light.
If there were nothing but the bare letter in this Moral Law, woe unto us, it would be but a kling law, and (as the Apoſtle ſairh) A killing letter, if Chriſt were not in it; But there is alſo in thoſe ſacred Tables (as the
Cor. 3. 6.) a ſpirit that giveth life, (that is) there is a ſecret, myſterious, and ſpiritual meaning, not o
By vertue of this ſecret ſpirit, this Law (which of it ſelf, & conſidered in the bare letRom, 4. 15. The law worketh wrath] beviperae cineres medentur morſui. lact. deira. cap. 13. p. 716.Antidote, or remedy, to preſerve men from the danger of their poyſon, as we read in Plinie of lib. 29. c. 4Theriaci paſtilli. i. e. cakes or pills of Treacle. made of the venemous viper. So, in a nightDragon preſented an hearb to Great Alexander, which cured his friend Ptolomy of a mortal wound by a poyſoned arrow, as lib. 17.Diodorus writeth. Antiochus had a Theriaca or Treacle that preſerved him againſt all poyſons, as the forenamed lib. 20. cl. 24.Plinie reporHomer phanfied of his Odyſs. lib. 20.Antidote, with being faithfully appreAntidote, is wrapped up, and covered in this
Sabbath law; For the Sabbath, is Chriſt, and Chriſt hath performed the whole law, and we that are united to him as members of his myſtical body, have alſo in him, & by him performed the whole law God, becauſe we are one with him as the Apoſtle ſaith, We are members of his body, Eph, 5. 3. And, Ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus. Gal, 3. 28,
The J
placed this fourth Commandpenultimate place of the firſt table, ſuppoHonouring parents, to belong thereunto, and therefore they make it the laſt Commandment of the jos. Antiq. l. 3. cap. 4.Philo, & alſo in Joſephus. And this they did, becauſe they underſtood not the right meaning & firſt table, as ſtanding in the mid'ſt, and confines of both Tables. And this they did (as may probably be conjectured) becauſe they underſtood, that this Sabbath-Law ſheweth us the only way, and meanes, whereby the whole law of both Tables may be by men performed, and that is, By keeping, or ſanctifying this myſterious Sabbath, which is Chriſt.
If it were not for this Sabbath, God had herein made ſuch a law for man as never would have bin kept and obeyed; and ſo his laws muſt have bin like the lawes which de Cur. Grae. affect. lib. 9.Plato phanſied for his imaginarie Common-wealth, which were never executed. But, as one ſaith of the invention of Poets.
in Pſe
1. ſc. 4.—Poeta cùm tab
As the Poet when he takes his pen, ſeekes that which is no where extant, and yet finds it: ſo our Legiſta
writes a law, reLeige people, and yet finds it in his own Sonne, who thereby becomes the Sabbath or Reſt both of God and Man.
For we well know, That the Tranſgreſſion of the law is ſin 1 Ioh. 3. 4. That the wages of ſin is death Rom. 6 23. That all men are ſinThere is none that doth good, no not on, Pſ. 14. 3. which the Fathers thus read, uſque ad unum] i. e. none but one. And yet Chriſt ſaith, If thou wi
19. 17. Theſe words of Chriſt are moſt certainly true, No entring into life without keeping theſe Commandments. If we enquire, How ſinbut that man is Chriſt. That the due ſenDeath is executed on man but that man is Chriſt: And with all, that all faithfull men, and true members of Chriſt have both performed the law, and ſuffered the puniſhOne. For they are really united with Chriſt in one body by the cement of the Spirit; for the ſame Spirit which is in the Lord Jeſus, is given and comChriſt dwell
So that the keeping of Chriſt faithfully, is keeping of the Command: all evangelical exhortations for beleeving in Chriſt, are but precepts for kehe that believeth, and is baptiſed,
ſhal be ſaved. That whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhould not periſh. And Beleeve on the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. Theſe are the prounion with Chriſt, who thereby, and not otherwiſe, becomes our Reſt, and everlaſting Sabbath.
That, Chriſt is the true Moral Sabbath. Why he is concealed under this word Sabhath. That the Scriptures do declare him to be the Sabbath. The difference between the Lord of Sabaoth, & the Lord of Sabbath. Of the Sabbatiſm, mentioned Heb. 4. 9. A paſſage of Iſaiah. Another of St. Paul. applied to Chriſt's Sabbath-ſhip. Sabbath-day-breaking, is not called a ſin, in the New Teſtament.
THis Sabbath, as is ſaid, doth ſignify Chriſt, whereof I nothing doubt. But, under the law, both Chriſt, and his gracious intentions towards man-kind, were covered (as Moſes himſelf was) with a vail, and (as yet) not to be made publick. Thus the Grand myſtery of Chriſt's union with his
Paſchal lamb, his Croſs unAltar, His Paſſion and blood-ſhedding, under the figures of ſacrifice
And that everlaſting Reſt and BleſSabbatical reſt. This Secrecie of Chriſt, and of his benefits, was ſignified by the Ark, and Vail of the Temple: the meaning whereof was, that Chriſt would be concealed, as ſhut up in a Cheſt, or hidden behind a Curtain, until he had actually performed his mercifull purpoſe, eſpecially, by his Croſs, and Paſſion, and Death; for after them, was the vail rent immediatly, and not before. And therefore he had formerly charged his Diciples, to tell no man that he was the Chriſt, Mat, 16. 20. Luk, 9. 21. left the certain knowledg of him ſhould hinder his paſſion; for ſo the Apoſtle tells us 1 Cor. 2. 8. Had they known, they would not have Crucified the Lord of glory. And after him, Tertullian renders the ſame reaCont. Mar. lib. 3.Niſi ignoratus, pa
If Chriſt had not bin unknown, he could not have ſuffered. And upon thoſe words, Joh. 8. 28. When ye have lift up the Son of man, then ſhall ye know hat I am he] Auſtin ſaith: in Joh.
40.Differo cognitionem veſtram, ut
he ſuffered his own Diſciples, (as yet) to be ignorant of his purpoſe, that ſo he might accompliſh his Paſſion. And again he ſaith Idem de Temp. ſerm. 174.Si Chriſtus man feſtus veniſſet, quis au leret judicare? i. e. If Chriſt had bin publickly manifeſt
Theſe are the reaſons (as may be thought)
vailed under this word Sabbath: for otherwiſe the Law giver might and would have written this Sabbath-law in plainRememb
7th day of every week until his comming and therein do no manner of work]. Verily, I firmly beleeve this, to be the meaning, and main importance of this fourth Commandment.
But yet, for our better ſatisfaction, we muſt further inquire, Whether the holy Scriptures, and alſo the Chriſtian Church, do declare Chriſt to be that Sabbath, which in the Mothe Sabba
For if ſo, then I truſt, this Doctrine will be aſſented to, by the Chriſtian Reader.
To this we ſay, That the Scriptures do clearly put the appellation of Sabbath upon Chriſt; for as the Son of God conſidered in his pure Divinity, and without, and before, his incarnation is called The Lord of hoſts, Iſa. 1. 9. Jer. 11. 20. which in the New TeſtaThe Lord of Sabaoth, Rom. 9. 29, Jam. 5. 4. Sabaoth is by ſome Divines Polan. p. 140.Church of England accounteth it, and aſcribeth it to every one of the Three Perſons, in the Hymn; ſinging, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabao
And ſo it was heretofore eſteemed in this Kingdome, as we perceive by an odd ſtory of one of the Biſhops of London, reported by B
out of Matthew Paris, thus: As this Biſhop lay muſing in his Bed, he heard an unknown voyce ſaing to him,
O Gilberte Foliot, Dumrevolvis tot, & tot Deus tuus eſt Aſtarot.
The Biſhop preſently
Men
If therfore, the Lord of Sabaoth were the name of the Son of God, before his commng in the fleſh, (which name ſignifieth the Lord of Armies,) as if by this name it were ſigniThe Lord of the Sabbath,
Mat. 12. 8. Mar. 2. 28. Lu. 6. 5. is the name of the ſame Son of God, ſince he is become The Son of man, and God incarnate, and Emmanuel. And this, in order to be a perſon fitly prepared, and qualified to perform the law for us, and to ſuffer for our Tranſgreſſions, as a Redeemer, a Saviour, and procurer of an everlaſting Sabbath, and Reſt to our otherwiſe unquiet, reſtleſs, and troubled ſouls and conſciences. As alſo himMat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Reſt. And ye ſhall find Reſt unto your ſouls. Surely, every good Chriſtian will find, that to be true, which one ſaid to the ſame purpoſe confeſſ.
Inquietum eſt, Domine, cor meum, done
My heart is unquiet, O Lord, until it may find reſt in thee. Now if that Sabbath, mentioned in this Commandment be not meant of Chriſt, then, there is no precept in all the Decalogue of faith in Chriſt, without which the Law is
impoſſible, & we ſhould be Reſtleſs. And further alſo, If, that Sabbath, do not ſignify Chriſt, then have we Chriſtians no Sabbath at all; and if ſo, what will become of us?
But, we are aſſured by the great Apoſtle, that, although the Jewiſh, Ceremonial, SeaHeb. 4. 9. There remaineth a Reſt to the people of God] This reſt is there called i. e. a Sabbath or Sabbatiſm. And that it may appear to what people of God this SabVerſ. 3. We which have believed, do enter into Reſt] Therefore this Sabbath, or Reſt, belongeth to us Chriſtians. He further addeth, verſ. 6, They to whom it was firſt preached, entred not in, becauſe of unbeleif.] The Reſt, or Sabbath here mentioned muſt needs ſignify Chriſt. The Jews are they to whom this reſt was firſt preaLuk. 24. 47. to begin at Je
The Jews entred not into this Reſt, becauſe of their unbelief i. e. they could not be received into the body myſtical of Chriſt, as members thereof, beReſt through faith, as it is ſaid, We which have believed, do enter (that is) they enter into Chriſt, they are united with him & thereby obtain this Reverlaſting Sabbath. For, what can be ſo truly called a Reſt and Sabbath as our repoſe, & reſting in the Lord, which leaRev. 14. 13. Bleſſed are the dead which dy in the Lord-that they may reſt from their labours.
The Apoſtle in that place, Heb. 4. uſeth two ſeveral words for Reſt: 1. i. e. Reſt, and Sabbath. This he did, becauſe he was to ſpeak of two ſeveral Reſts. 1. The Earthly Reſt of the Iſraelites after they were put into quiet poſſeſſion of Canaan by Joſhuah (who is there called Jeſus.) 2. The everlaſting Reſt of Gods People, by entring into Chriſt through Faith, and this Reſt is called Sabbatiſm; ſo that Sabbath and Sabbatiſm do plainly ſignifie Chriſt, and our Reſt in him.
For confirmation hereof, it is worth our obſervation; That the great Prophet Iſaiah. c. 58. v. 12. ſpeaketh of the Sabbath, as of a Perſon: If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleaſure on my holy-day, and ſhalt honour him.] He calls the SabHim, which muſt ſignifie a Perſon, and cannot be ſaid of a meer Day. Who is meant by this Him, is declared, in the next verſe, to be the Lo
for ſo it followeth, Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord.] So that the Sabbath, here meant, is the Lord; even the ſame Lord, who in the Goſpel calls himThe Lord of the Sabbath: whereas other typical Sabbaths, whether weekly, or annual, were but ſigns of this grand Sabbath, as we
Ezek. 20. 12. I ga
St. Paul, to me, ſeemeth to make this DoCol. 2. 16. Let no man judge you in meat, or drink, or in reſpect of an holy-day, or of the new-moon, or of the Sabbath-days; which are a ſhadow of things to come, but the body is of Chriſt.] What can be more plainly ſaid then this, to ſhew, That Chriſt is the true, real, and ſubſtantial Sabbath? And that all other Sabbaths, are but ſigns, types, figures, and meer ſhadows of Chriſt, who is the Body that projecteth theſe ſhadows; for God himExod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbath ye ſhall keep; for it is a ſign between me and you—that ye may know that I am the Lord—] So this, which was the principal and moſt frequent Sabbath of all, was no more but a ſign, and what the ſignatum, i. e. the ſignification of it was, is ſhewed, to be the Lord.
The Scriptures often mention Sabbaths in the plural number, as Lev. 19. 3. Keep my Sabbaths, and alſo Sabbath in the ſingular numJews were charged to keep other Sabbaths (as that which is appointed in the Feaſt of Trumpets, Levit. 23. 24. and that in the Feaſt of Tabernacles, Levit. 23 39. and that in the Feaſt of Atonement, Levit. 23. 32.) as well as the weekly Sabbath, becauſe we find that tranſLevit. 23. 29. But now, all theſe Ceremonial Sabbaths are vaniſhed: This being granted, it will follow, in regard of the authority and perpetuity of the Moral Law of God, That there muſt needs be ſome one ſpecial, ſingular, and myſterious Sabbath of greater neceſſity and concernment to be ſtill kept, than all thoſe Hebdomarie, or Annual Sabbaths, and that ſurely is Chriſt, The Lord Paramount of all Sabbaths, which were but ſhadows of him. Whoſoever therefore ſhall imagine that the keeping of any weekly, or yearly Day Sabbath, is the principal, or only duty required in this Moral Law, he is ſuch an one as the Pſalmiſt deſcribeth, Pſal. 397. A man that walketh in a vain ſhadow]
It is very conſiderable, and ſurely for ſome weighty reaſon, That our Saviour, very often in the Evangelical Hiſtories, occaſionally menDecalogue; yet, it may reaſonafirſt Table, becauſe he ſaw that the Jews did miſunderſtand that Comſeventh day Sabbath, as if that had been the full and only intendment and duty required by that Commandment: for, if Chriſt had urged it, the Jews had been by him countenanced in their erroneous Sabbatizing, which he came to diſſolve; therefore he forbare the naming of that particular Law, and for the ſame cauſe he abſtained from mentioning any of the other Laws of that Table; leſt if amongſt them this Law ſhould be omitted without any men: This omiſſion of the Sabbath Law, the Reader may obſerve, Mat. 19. 17. Where Chriſt ſaid, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandements.] And when he was asked, Which Commandments? he anſwered, Thou ſhalt not murther, nor commit adultery, nor ſteal, nor bear falſe witneſs: and, Honour thy Father and Mother, and Love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf:] See the ſame again, Mark 10. 19. and Luke 18. 20. In all which places, there is no expreſs mention of the Sabbath Law, or of any other Law of the firſt Table.
But when he was more ſtrictly queſtioned by a knowing-man, a Lawyer, or Scribe, beMat. 22. 36. Maſter, which is the greateſt Commandment in the Law?] Yet then, he anſwered him but in
Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. This includeth all the four precepts of the firſt Table, Sabbath and all. He that performeth this, doth thereby keep the Sabbath. ThereEmmanuel, our Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour, is to keep this MoPerſon, Chriſt, the Son of God, and the Son of man;
Finally, This Commandment, which I have ſet down in theſe words, [Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy] is certainly a MoIoh. 34. Sin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law] He means, the Law Moral. But we are well aſſured, that the Goſpel doth not account the
Sabbath-breaking to be ſo much as once menCor. 6. 9 Neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankinde nor Theeves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners ſhall inherit the kingdom of God.] See more, Gal. 5. 19. Uncleanneſs, laſciviouſneſs, wi
See more 1 Tim. 1. 9. Lawleſs, diſobedient, ungodly, and ſinn
(ſuch as are now called Spirits),
ASabbath-breakers.
Yet, the abuſers, or neglecters of the true Moral Sabbath (which is Chriſt) are deeply threatned; as Judas for betraying him, the Jews for crucifying him, and All that ſhall deny him: So the Sanctifiers of him are gloconfeſſors of him, the believers in him, the relievers of him, or of his poor Members for his ſake,) to be reSabbath-ſhip of Chriſt
The Doctrine of the Primitive Church concerning the Sabbath, ſhewed out of Tertullian, and other Fathers. How the Patriarks kept the Sabbath, before the days of Moſes. The Doctrine of the Church of England herein. The meaning of Prayers at the rehearſing of the ten Commandments. How the Law may be written in our hearts, and how it is performable by men.
TErtullian in that Book which he wrote againſt the Jews, affirmeth, That the Law which God impoſed upon our firſt Parents in Paradiſe, was obligatory both to them, and alſo to all the world in their ſucceeding generations, which Law if they had obeyed, had been a Law large enough. He ſaith again, In hac lege Adae datâ, omnia praecepta condita recognoſcimus, quae poſte
In that Law which God gave to Adam, all the Laws of Moſes were ſecretly couched. And again, Primordialis lex eſt data Adae & Evae, quaſi matrix omnium praeceptorum Dei, i. e. That firſt Law given to Adam and Eve, was as the womb of all the Laws of the Decalogue.] Then he reckoneth up all the Moral Laws; firſt, generally as Chriſt doth, Mat. 22. 37. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God wi
And, Thou ſhalt
love thy neighbour as thy ſelf.] Then he parThou ſhalt not kill. Not commit adultery. Not ſteal. Not bear falſe witneſs. Honour thy Father and Mother. Thou ſhalt not covet]: Now the Law given to Adam was only in theſe few words. [Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou ſhalt not eat.] Yet, in them, all the Laws of the Decalogue (ſaith he) are implied. His reaſon is, If they had ſo loved God] They would not have diſobeyed his Command. If they had loved their neighbour] that is, one another, themſelves and their pothey would not have killed them, by bringing in Mortality, and Original corruption of Luſt. Nor would they have ſtolen the fruit which belonged not to them. Nor h
Thus he.
From this paſſage, we may obſerve, that in the judgement of this Learned Father, the whole Decalogue having been thus impoſed upon our firſt Parents; therefore the Law of Sabbath keeping amongſt the reſt, muſt needs be put upon them.
We obſerve again, That it being confeſſed by this Father, in the ſame Book, and immeAdam, nor Abel, nor Enoch, nor Noah, nor Melchiſdeck nor Abraham, did ever Sabbatize, although the whole Decalogue was impoſed on them, alſo, ſo as is ſaid; and alDecalogue be every one of them, the law of Nature and therefore
Patriarks muſt be obliged to keep this Sabbath law, as well as any of the other Nine: This being granted; how ſhall we quit this learned Father from contradicting himſelf in theſe two propoſitions, firſt, The Patriarks were bound to keep the Sabbath; ſecond, The Patriarks neither did nor were bound to keep the Sabbath.
This Riddle is eaſily unfolded, by diſtinMoral from the Sabbath Ceremonial; that is, The true Real, Natural, and Subſtantial Sabbath from the Figurative, Typical, and Umbratical Sabbath; Or. the Body from the Shadow. We affirm therefore, that the Jewiſh, Hebdomarie, ſeaventh-day, or Saturday-Sabbath, was but the ſhadow or type; and that the Meſſiah, even Jeſus Chriſt, our Lord Emmanuel was, and is, the true ſub
We alſo affirm, that neither Adam, nor any of thoſe forenamed Patriarks did ever keep, or ſanctify any ſeaventh-day, or Saturday-Sabbath; and alſo that ſuch a Sabbath day was never known, or impoſed on Gods people, before the dayes of Moſes. And for this, we have the confeſſion of a learned Jew even Philo, more than once. Philo. de vita Moſ. lib. 1.Iſraelitae ignorabant mundi nat alem, prinſquam ex Manna didiciſſent] i. e. The Iſraelites knew not the firſt day of the world, until the Manna fell] thereAnte Moſem, Sabbati diem ignor abant homines].
But we alſo confeſs, and firmly believe that all thoſe holy Patriarks, were bound, and therefore did, certainly keep and ſanctify the true ſubſtantial Sabbath, before Moſes was born: for their Sabbath was the Son of God, even their true and onely Lord God, who in due time was to take our humane nature on him, So to be the Emmanuel, & in our nature to perform the whole Law which the GodReſt or Sabbath, to our otherwiſe wearied, and trembling ſouls. For Chriſt only is that proSeed of the woman which ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head: & the birth, & manifeſtation of him in the fleſh, is that day which our father Abraham rejoyced to ſee, and he is that well beloved Son, in whom alone the Godhead is well pleaſed, and reſteth ſatisfied, and at peace with us. If thoſe holy Patriarks had not kept this Sabbath, they could not enter into the eternal Sabbath of heaven.
That Chriſt only is the Sabbath Moral, to the ſanctification whereof, we all are perpetualOrigen ſaith Orig. in Math. Tract. 29.Qui vivit in Chriſto, ſemper Sabbatizat.] He that liveth in Chriſt, liveth in a continual Sabbath. The holy man Macarius, calleth the weekly SabHom 35.i. e. but a Tyi. e. That it was but a branch in the ſhadowie or Ceremonial Law. But, Hoc eſt ver
The true Sabbath is the quiet of our ſouls, reſting in tranquillity and joy of our Lord. Thus he.
After him, Epiphanius moſt evidently de: for thus he writeth, Epiph: Haer. 8.In lege figurae erant, in Evange
Under the law were figures, but the truth of them was ſhewed in the Goſpel, in the Law, carnal Circumciſion was uſed until the great CircumEb
the Ancient Judaizing Heretick, raiſed a report, Id Haer. 30.Saint Paul had deſired the Jewiſh High-preiſt's d
But the true cauſe of the Apoſtle's decrying the Jewiſh Sabbath was this, Chriſtus eſt magnum Sabbatum, quietos nos faciens à peccatis noſtris.-Ejus figura, erat parv
ad ipſius adventum] Chriſt is the grand Sabbath, for he ſetteth us at reſt, from the troubles of our ſoules by reaſon of our ſins: the Jewiſh little weekly Sabbath, was but a figure of Chriſt our great Sabbath; and was to laſt, but until his comming.] To this doctrine the learned Romaniſt's do aſſent, as Biſhop White hath obſerved out of Pet. Damianus, Biſhop of Oſtia above 500 years ſince, who thus writeth, Pet. Damiani. lib. 2 Eph. 5.Quid per Sabbatum intelligere debemus niſi Chriſtum? in Illo ſiquidem Sabbato requieſc
What ſhould we underſtand by the Sabbath, but Chriſt? for in him is our reſt and hope.
St. A
is moſt plentiful in aſſerting this doctrine; for beſides what I have obſerved before out of him, he further ſaith of CircumAug. Cont Admantum. c. 16. To. 6.Circumciſionem approbamus ſpiritualem-& Sabbatum, nam ad aeternam requiem intendimus.] We Chriſtians approve of Circumciſion, but it is CircumciſiRom. 2. 29. Circumciſion in the heart, not in the letter, but in the ſpirit, and Coloſ. 2. 11.—Circumciſion made without hands) & we approve of that Sabbath by which we intend, and truſt to obtain everId. Cont Adiman. c 2. To. 6.Sabbatum non eſt repudiatum a nobis (Chriſtianis) ſed intellectum] We Chriſtians do not utterly reject the Sabbath, but we underſtand it more truly than the Jews do. Of the ſame myſterious Sabbath he ſaith again. Id de Gen. ad lit. lib. 4 c 13.A fidel bus, perpetuum Sabbatum obſervatur.] They that believe in Chriſt, do keep a Sabbath perpetual. What he meanes by this Sabbath is declared by theſe words, Id. Cont Fa
19. c. 9.In Chriſto
Sabbatum habemus, nam ait, Ego faciam ut requieſcatis.] Our Sabbath is in Chriſt, for he it is that ſaith, I will give you reſt, Mat. 11. 28. And to ſhew the difference between the TypiThe Jews were offended, becauſe Chriſt commanded the infirm man to carry his bed, on their Sabbath day, Jo. 5. 10. But Chriſt might have anſwered them.
Tract. 17.Sacramentu ̄ Sabbati, & ſignum obſervandi unius diei, ad tempus datum Judaeis; impletionem verò Sacramenti illius in illo veniſſe, Sabbatum ad ſignificationem meam vobis praeceptum eſt] The SaAuſtin, Calvin ſeemeth to me to ſubſcribe, where he ſaith inſtit. 2. 8. 31.Chriſtus eſt verum Sabbati Complementum.] The keeping of a ſeaventhJuſtin Martyr long ago taught, Dialog cum Triph.
Sabbata finem habuêre, nato Chriſto). When Chriſt came, Sabbaths went away.
Laſtly, it would be inquired, what the Church of Englands doctrine is, concerning that Sabbath in the fourth Commandment (which Church, I firmly believe to be, in her doctrine, and diſcipline, the moſt truly Catholick
Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
This prayer, hath much troubled the minds of ſome of our Religious, and well-meaning Countrymen, becauſe their teachers did not aCatechiſms they expound it, to be meant only of ſanctifying a day as the Jews did. But if they ſo mean, this prayer would be not only vain, but alſo an impious mocking of God; ſeeing the Commandment mentions onely the ſeaventh day, and that preciſely, and none other, and that is our Saturday, which both we, and all other Chriſtian-Churches have utterly rejected; but if they thereby unSunday, that is not ſo much as mentioned, much leſs intended there; nor may it be called a Sabbath day, nor is the celebration of our Sunday to be enforced by vertue of that Commandment, but otherwiſe, as is before ſhewed.
But thoſe Judicious, Leanred, and Godly men, and alſo heroical Martyrs, who were the compilers of our Engliſh Liturgy (as, Cranmer, Ridley and others,) did rightly unUnion with this bleſſed Sabbath; we may then with comfort apply Pſ. 42. 5.Pſalmiſt to our own ſouls; Why art thou caſt down O my ſoul? And why art thou diſquieted in me? Hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him for the help of his countenance.
Now, becauſe the prayer above mentioned (though it were granted to us) is not full enough to ſupply, and ſatisfy our defects, and neceſſities: for neither a good inclination, readineſs, or willingneſs; nor yet our earneſt deſires no, nor our laborious endeavours to perform the Law, do amount to the real, and perfect keeping thereof, without which we cannot enter into life, as Chriſt hath ſaid, Mat. 19
Write all theſe thy Lawes in ouhearts, we beſeech thee. •
Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 18. 10. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. If we enquire what that Law is, and how God doth write it in our hearts and to what intent it is done: The Anmiſſion of the Spirit of Jeſus into us. The intent or purſpiritual union of Chriſt with us, we may fulfill the Law: For, beJeſus Chriſt is in you: and Chriſt liveth in me, and Chriſt may dwell in our hearts: And Chriſt himſelf ſaith, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. And the Apoſtle again, Ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus; And, that we may know, that when we have the Spirit of Jeſus in us, then we have alſo the Lord Jeſus himſelf in us: Another Apoſtle tels us; Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit.
But how ſhall it appear, That the putting of Chriſt into us, is the putting of the Law of God into our hearts? The Anſwer is, That Chriſt is the Law there meant, and he is called the Law, and is really the Law; is called by Phmuch more is Chriſt ſo.
Law fulfilled. That Chriſt is called the Law, the Pſalmiſt tels us, I will preach the Law, whereof the Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou art m
Here the Son is called the Law, or Precept of the Lord. Then that Chriſt is the Law fulfilled, or the fufilling of the Law; Of him it is ſaid in another Pſalm: In the volume of thy Book it is written of me, that I ſhould fulfill thy will, O my God: I am content to do it, yea thy Law is within my heart. And this Chriſt himſelf profeſI am not come to deſtroy, but to fulfill, the Law. This alſo was ſignified by his Type, the Ark, wherein I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me. If he can do all things, then he can do all the works of the Law: But we are well aſſured, that he could not in his own proper perſon alone conſidered, perform the Law, but it muſt needs be thus onGod would incline our hearts to keep this Sabbath-law, which is, Chriſt, That by keeping him, the whole Law of God may be kept by us, through and in him, ſo as is here expreſſed, by having the Law thus written in our hearts.
Thus, this Moral Law, which (as Divines acknowledge) is altogether impoſſible to the
Chriſt is the end or perfect on of the Law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth: that is, He that believeth in Chriſt, hath the benefit of performance of the Law brought home to him: So St. Ambroſe tels us, Perfectionem leg is habet, qui credit in Chriſtum.
That Chriſt is called a Day. Why Chriſt, and the ſeventh day, are both called Sabbath. The firſt Inſtitution for keeping holy the ſeventh day. Why the firſt ſeventh day of the World is deſcribed without Evening and Morning. The Sabbath deſcribed by Philo, Parallel'd with Melchiſedech; and both Types of Chriſt.
IF Jeſus Chriſt be the only Sabbath, which is myſteriouſly covered, and ſpiritually meant, and really and ultimately intended in the Moral part of this fourth Commandement, (as certainly he is) becauſe he only is our Redeemer, our Mediator, and the Peace-maker of God with manDay, as here it is; Remember
the Sabbath day; for by this word Day, a man may reaſonably-imagine, that the principal inThe ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, by which words, a man at firſt hearing would think that the Sabbath, in both parts of this Law, is nothing elſe but a day: for, if the ſeventh day be a Sabbath, why may not the Sabbath be thought to be a Seventh day?
1. Our Anſwer is, That the ſeventh day is called a Sabbath, becauſe it was a type and fiPaſchal Lamb is called the Paſſover, yet we know, Chriſt only is the true Paſſover, as the Apoſtle tels us, 1 Cor. 5. 7. So the Rock is called Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. 4. So of the Euchariſtical bread it is ſaid, This is my body, though it was but a Sacrament, or holy ſign of the body of Chriſt. And the ſeven Eares are ſeven Yeares, Gen. 41. 26. Juſt ſo,
the ſeventh day is the Sabbath, that is, the ſign, type, and figure of the myſterious Sabbath, which is Chriſt.
2. As the ſign hath the name of the thing ſignified, ſo the thing ſignified hath the name of the ſign: for Chriſt is not only here called the Sabbath day, becauſe he is the thing ſignified by that day, but he is alſo called by the names of other typical feſtivals, as the Paſſover, as is Propitiation, or Atonement, deſcriLevit. 16. And this, becauſe he only is that Lamb of God, that cauſeth the deſtroying Angel to Paſſover us untouched; and he only is (as the Apoſtle cals him) 2 Joh. 2. 2. The Propitiation for our ſins.
It was full four and twenty hundred yeares (by our Engliſh account) after the Creation, when God firſt appointed any Seventh day to be celebrated as a Sabbath, or Reſt, yet the very firſt ſeventh day of the world is ſo deſcribed by Moſes, Gen. 2. 2. as to ſignifie Chriſt, as may reaſonably be conceived; for that day is there ſet down without any mention of its Evening or Morning: And this is the obſervation of St. Auſtin on the 92. Aug. in Pſal. 92. 7In Sabbato non invenitur veſper, &c. 1. In that Sabbath day deſcribed Gen, 2. where the firſt mention is of Gods Reſt, the Reader ſhall not find any limiEvening or Morning, although in every other of the former ſix dayes, it is expreſly ſaid, The Evening and the Morning were the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6th day.
Philo the Jew, and his fellow Jews, called the Sabbath i. e. without Mother, I know not what this Jew's meaning was, to call
Chriſt our true Sabbath was indeed without Mother, in reſpect of his Divine Nature, as alſo without an earthly father in reſpect of his humane GeMelchiſedech being the figure of Chriſt, is (for the ſame reaſon) deſcribed without father and without mother, Heb. 7. 3.
Yet, as we are well aſſured, that Melchiſedech had both a father and a mother: ſo are we as certain, that the firſt Seventh day had both an evening and a morning. But as Melchiſedech is ſaid to be without father and mother, for this reaſon only, becauſe there is no mention of his parents in holy Writ; and this alſo was, that thereby he might be a fit repreſentative of Chriſt: So the firſt Seventh day is ſet down without any mention of Evening and MornMich. 5. 2. His goings forth have been from everlaſting. So the Goſpel ſaith of him, Heb. 1. 8, out of Pſalm 45. 6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. The very Jews confeſJohn 12. 34, We have heard out of the Law, that Chriſt abideth for ever. Chriſt therefore is not only a Sabbath, but a day alſo, and an everlaſting day without any evening or morning.
The holy Prieſt Zacharias, Luke 1. 78. cals Chriſt, The Day-ſpring from on high: And the Prophet Zechariah cals him Orientem, i. e.
Day-ſpring, Zech. 3. 8. Adducam ſervum meum Orientem. And Chap. 6. 12. Ecce vir Oriens nomen ejus, i. e. Beheld, I will bring forth my ſervant, the Eaſt. And, Behold the man whoſe name is Eaſt Our late Tranſlators have for Eaſt rendred Branch (I know not why, exJ. Gregorie of Oxford. Chriſt. calleth himſelf, John 8. 12. The light of the
world. Old Simeon cals him, Luke 2. 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles. Chriſt is ſo much a Day, that the Prophet ſtyles him, Dan. 7. 9. The Ancient of Dayes; which the Hebrews affirm to be ſaid of Ben-David, that is, of Chriſt the Son of David, as Mr. Broughton hath told us, for he indeed is the Creator of all dayes, beDieſpiter, i. e. the FaPſal. 118, 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made? Or whether Chriſt meant himſelf and his own humane naJoh. 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it. Let thoſe that liſt, examine: But St. Auſtin upon theſe, and ſuch like paſſages in Scripture, doubteth not to affirm, Aug. in Pſal. 54.Chriſtus eſt dies aeternus; i. e. Chriſt is an everlaſting day, This I truſt is enough to ſhew, that Chriſt is called both, our Sabbath, and alſo a Day, and thereSabbath day which we are required to keep holy, or ſanctifie, which is next to be conſidered.
Of Sanctifying the Sabbath. How the Godhead is ſaid to be ſanctified. How the humane nature of Chriſt is Sanctified Of the name of God, and that it ſignifies God himſelf. That the name of Jeſus, ſignifies the Perſon of Jeſus. How God ſanctifieth us, and how we ſanctify God. How Chriſt is to be kept holy.
THere is yet another ſcruple in the words of this Moral part of the fourth ComSabbath-day there mentioned, doth ſignifie Chriſt, ſeeing, that whatſoever is meant by thoſe words, the ſame is required alſo to be Sanctified, or kept holy, Ex. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, And Deut. 5. 12. Keep the Sabbath-day to ſanctifie it] It may therefore be demanded, how Chriſt can be ſaid to be Sanctified or kept holy; for the word ſanctifie ſeemeth to ſignifie to be made holy, & no man will ſay that Chriſt can be by us made holy, eſpeciHoly. As Holy: Holy: Holy: is ſaid of all the DiHoly is his name. And, Thy holy Child Jeſus. And, the Holy one of Iſrael. And Be ye holy as I am holy.
To this our Anſwer is, that it needs not to ſeeme ſtrange, or uncouth, that our Lord JeGodhead conſidered without Incarnation, is alſo requiSanctified; as the great Prophet tels us, Iſa. 5. 16. God that is holy, ſhall be ſanctified in righteouſneſs] and Chriſt ſo teacheth us to pray Hallowed (or ſanctified) be thy name]. Let it not be thought, that this word (Name) doth ſignifie no more but an appellation of God, as if the only meaning were, That whenſoever we uſe this word, God, we ſhould do it with great & awefull reverence (which yet we ought to do) but the name of God doth herAuſtin.
Tract. 29.Non eſt Deus duae ſyllabae, & duas ſyllabas colimus; manet aliquod magnum, quod eſt Deus, ſono non manente] i. e. When we mention God, or Godhead think not that we mean a word, a ſound, a ſyllable or two, as if we worſhipped ſounds, words, or ſyllables; for that great thing which is God, remaineth, when no ſound or ſyllable is heard. Juſt ſo, he ſaith of Chriſt, upon thoſe words, Joh. 14. 13. Whatſoever ye ſhall ask in my name];
Id. lib. Tract. 102.Non eſt intelligendus Dominus de ſono & ſyllabis—qui hoc ſentit de Filio—non petit in ejus nomine, etiamſi non taceat literis & ſyllabis Chriſtum] i. e. When we ask in the name of the Lord, Name doth not ſignifie only that word, Chriſt, (as if it were a Charme) he that thinks ſo, doth not pray in the name of the Son of God, though the word Chriſt be in his mouth. Thus he.
The Son of God, is by St. John, called The word; yet he that ſhall think that The Word, in that place ſignifieth only a GramThe word was God] ſo it ſignifieth the real, and ſubſtantial Son of God: It is therefore a very ſlander, that ſomeof late, have put upon this Church, for requiring an adoration of our Lord Jeſus, when that name is mentioned. They ſay, we worſhip only a name. But we worſhip only the Lord Jeſus himſelf, as the Apoſtle meaname Jeſus, ſignifieth the Perſon Jeſus, as the name of God ſignifieth God himſelf.
Thoſe phraſes of Bleſſing, and Magnifying, and Glorifying, and Juſtifying, and Sanctifying God, and The name of God which we find in the Scripture, are all to be underſtood in the ſame ſenſe. For, when it is ſaid, Job. 1. 21. Bleſſed be the name of the Lord] it is all one with that of Luk. 1. 68. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael]. ſo Mal. 2. 2. Give glory to my name] is all one with that of Joſh. 7. 19. My Son, give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Iſrael]. That of Ezech. 36. 23. I will ſanctifie my great name] is all one with that of 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God] Where, for thoſe words (Lord God, both the Syriac, and old Latine read, The Lord Chriſt, as Beza notes. There is alſo mention of Juſtifying God, Pſ. 51. 4. yet neither Juſtifying, Bleſſing, Gloryfying, or Sanctifying, can make any addition by any of theſe Attributes, to the plenitude of God; Theſe are but the expreſſions of man; notReally Effectually, and Actually, by induing us with ſanctifying Graces, but we cannot ſanctifie God otherwiſe, than affectionately, declaratively, and verbally; and alſo by conforming our ſelves to his Commandments. And ſo, Chriſt, our Sabbath, is to be ſanctified by us, by an holy imitation of his Vertues, as the APet. 1. 16. Be ye holy as I am holy; and to keep this Sabbath, is to be wary and mindful alwayes to keep Chriſt by a firm faith; to be fixed to him, never to deny or reject him: And to keep him holy, is to purifie ou
As the Godhead did really magnifie the Lord Jeſus, by uniting it ſelf in a Perſonal union with that man, and thereby made him the Chriſt, or the Anointed One, (in which conſideration only, he is our Sabbath) and being ſo anointed, he was thereby really ſanctiPſalm 45. 7. God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladneſs above thy fellows, that is, above all other Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets. And Philip. 2. 9. That God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. So we ought to ſanctifie the ſame Lord Jeſus our Sabbath, in a way of preheminence, diſtinguiſhing him by
God hath many holy Ones, but none ſo hoJeſus; He is ſaid to be ſanctified by the Father, John 10. 36. ſo are others; but Chriſt ſuper-eminently, and Angel cals him, The moſt Holy, Dan. 9. 24. And the ſame Angel again cals him, That holy Thing, Luke 1. 35. And even Satan conThe holy One of God, Mar. 1. 24. Therefore Chriſt our Sabbath being thus by way of excellency declared to be the holy One, and the moſt Holy of all Holies; ſurely he ought to be ſo eſteemed, and alſo to be ſo declaratively ſanctified by us, in the moſt hum
We find many ſanctifyings of Creatures, as of Prophets, and Prieſts; and of Places, as the Tabernacle, Temple, and Veſſels; of Dayes and Times, as Sabbaths, & Feſtivals but none to be ſo highly ſanctified as Chriſt our SabSeparating of him in a preferment, above all other hallowings, or ſanctifyings, which are performHeb ▪
7. 25. Our High-Prieſt is holy—ſeperate
from ſinners; for he was born of a Virgin; and this, to ſeperate him from the common contaHeb. 10. 29. to be an heinous ſin, worthy of ſore puniſhment, to count the blood of the Covenant (which is the blood of Chriſt) to be
i. e. common, which is to eſteem his blood no better then the blood of another man, or indeed, of all men in the world; and ſo not to ſeperate, or preferre, or ſanctifie it, above all others: This is the grand Sin there intendReſt, as Chriſt hath done, whom we therefore moſt worthily account, and call, our Sabbath: Yet this is not all, for we ſhall find, that Chriſt is not only the Reſt of men, but that he is alſo the Reſt of God, which is next to be conſidered.
Of Gods Reſting. That it is not a ceſſation from working, Nor meant of his ending the Creation. Nor his laying aſide his care and Providence in Government. This Reſt and Working doe conſiſt together. Something concerning the Creation of Humane Souls. Of Ʋniverſals, what they are, and where to be found. A Question diſcourſed, Whether God hath created any new kinds of Creatures, ſince the firſt Seventh day.
CHriſt is our Chriſtian Sabbath, we know none other Sabbath beſides him for none but he can give ſure and laſting Reſt to our Souls; he only hath wrought our peace with God, and appeaſed the juſt diſpleaſure of the Godhead, he hath effected our Reconciliation, and he is that Atonement, by which God and man are reunited, or ſet at one: By his mediQuietus eſt, or Acquittance of our debts is ſigned by God; ſo that, if we can keep this Sabbath holy, and perſevere therein, we may with true comfort and cheerWho ſhall
lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that juſtifieth,—it is Chriſt that died.
Thoſe that teach others, or that do imathe Lords day (which is but a novelty with us in England, as is ſaid before) but alſo the Sabbath day; They are farre ſhort and beneath the great purpoſe and intendment of this fourth Commandement, and conceive too meanly and lowly of that moſt high and myſterious Sabbath, which ſignifieth not only the Reſt of man from bodily labours, but alſo our reſt from labours, and terrors of our Conſcience; and moreover, it repreſenteth to us the Reſt of God, as it is ſaid both in this Commandement and before alſo, Gen. 2. 2. He reſted on the Seventh day.
For to ſay that God laboured in theſe ſix dayes of Creation, is a weak and heatheniſh conceit, ſuch as we read in that Epicurean DiTully,
Tull. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1.Si in mundo Deus ineſt aliquis, qui regat, qui gubernet, qui curſus aſtrorum, muta ioneſque temporum, rerum viciſſitudines, or dineſque conſervet, terraſque & maria contemplans, hominum commoda, vitaſque t
If there be a God in this World, ruling and ordering it, and continuDemiurgus could not both create and
What is here meant by Gods reſting?
Why he is ſaid to reſt on the Seventh day, and not on any of the former ſix dayes?
To the firſt Querie: VVhat is meant by
Querie.
Gods reſting? We ſay, this reſting doth not at all ſignifie, or intend any ceſſation of the GodHe ended his work which he had made; and alſo, That he reſted from all his works which God had created, Gen. 2. 2. yet it is not ſaid, that he ceaſed: reſting and ceaſing are not all one.
Nor can this Reſt be meant of any eaſe or refreſhment of God, as after ſome motion, or ſtirring work, or labour; for ſuch a reſt was needleſs to him who never laboured at all. Nor can it be meant of any wearineſs of God; that were impoſſible. St. Auſtin ſaith truly, Aug. de Civit. lib. 12. c.
In opere Dei non eſt labor, nec in quiete deſidia: quieſcens agit, agens quieſcit: And again, Deus nec creando defeſſus, nec ceſſando refectus;
i. e. In Gods working there is no labour, nor in his reſting any ceſſation; he reſteth working, and working reſteth; he was nei
Nor can this Reſt of God be ſo underſtood, as if he then laid aſide, and caſt off all care and providence for his Creatures which he had newly made. This cannot be imagined by us; for all Chriſtians, and Heathens alſo, do acco-operate with his Creatures; by his aſſiſtance it is, that theſe great wheels of HeaNazianzen ſaith, God is called Actum Purum, and the SchoolNatur am natur antem, i. e. God is purely Active, and he that continually ſupNature; for in him we live, and move, and have our being. Of him Auſtin,
De Civ. l. 4. c. 12.Deus eſt anima mundi, Mundus eſt corpus Dei; e. i. God is ope
Spiritus intus alit, totamque infuſa per artus. Virg. Ae6.. • Mens agitat molem, & magno ſe corpare miſcet.
All which is ſigned for a Scriptural-truth by
Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 6. God worketh all in all. So then, this Reſt cannot ſignifie Gods ceſſati
But our Neoterick Theologs have found out another Anſwer, and do generally expound this Reſt of God, to ſignifie only a ceſſation from the work of Creation: for they ſay that, although God doth continually work, or oindividual or particular Creatures, as Men, Beaſts, Fiſhes, Plants and Hearbs, hut all theſe new productions are of the ſame Species, i. e. ſort and kind, that God made at the firſt.
1. In this Anſwer we obſerve two things.
Firſt, It is confeſſed, that this Reſt of God is not an abſolute ceſſation from Work, but onviz. from making any new ſpecies or kinds of Creatures.
Secondly, It is confeſſed, that this Reſt of God may conſiſt together with his working, for indeed the working or operation of God is as vigorous and ſtirring now, and ever ſince the Creation, as it was then; God did never intermit, or lay aſide his working. St. Auſtin ſaith of himſelf; Aug Epist. 110.Meum ocium, magnum habet negotium: It is moſt true of God, whoſe Reſt (here meant) is not without great working. Chriſt ſaith, My Fathe
worketh hitherto, and I work: And again, M
(Georgick-works are circular, as one ſaith;
—Redit Agricolis labor actus in orbem.Virg. Georg. lib.2.
God doth work unto this day, as he did alſo on that firſt 7th day, wherein he is ſaid to reſt, & ſo he hath done on every 7th day ever ſince, & ſo he will do till the end of the World. And moreover, although it ſhould pleaſe God, ſtill to make new Creatures, of new kinds, ſuch as were not created at firſt; yet ſuch a new Creation would not in the leaſt hinder, or diſturb this bleſſed Reſt. Therefore this Anſwer will in no wiſe ſatisfie us.
Beſides all this, Thoſe Writers that tell us, Gods Reſting ſignifieth only his finiſhing or ending the Creation; yet themſelves affirm, that God doth yet daily create new Souls; and this, becauſe they do not believe, that our Souls are propagated from our Progenitors, as our Bodies are; ſo that even by their own confeſſion, the Creation did not end on the firſt ſixth, or ſeventh day. Now although I do not aſſent to their opinion of the daily creation of humane Souls, becauſe I do not underſtand how that doctrine can conſiſt with the doctrine of Redemption, if our Souls and Chriſts Soul be not derived from Adam; yet it is evident, that their opinion maketh againſt them, (whether it be true or falſe) for by ſaying, that our Souls are daily created, they muſt confeſs, that the Creation is not yet ended.
To that which they ſay, That God doth not create any new kinds of Creatures, ſuch as in Schools are called Genera, and Species,
Univerſals, although he doth ſtill make particular Creatures, as Men, Beaſts, Fiſhes, Fowles, and Plants: We anſwer, That God doth make Creatures now ſo as he did before, and not otherwiſe; (except only the manner of making, immediately by himſelf, and by way of creation). As he then made particuAdam and Eve, ſo now he makes Man and Woman: God did not otherwiſe make Univerſals, or Species then, than he doth now; for then he made only particular Crea
and not univerſals but only by creating particulars: The univerſal is but the common nature of each particular, and theſe univerſals are no where to be found, but only in particulars, though we ſhould ſeek them in Plato's Region of Idea's, or in that Tull. de. Nat. Deor. lib. 1. Diog. Laert. in Epic.
Intermundum (Epicurus dreamed of; for who can ſhew me Man, except he ſhew me ſome particular perſon: For, although it be granted, that theſe univerſals are realities, having an eſſence or being, yet they have no exiſtence or ſubſiſtence, nor are any where to be found but only in particulars; and we know, that our Acuteſt Schoolmen have much contended about theſe univerſals; ſome ſaid, they are realities, others, that they are but words; and others, that they are but meer notions and conceptions of mans brain; and therefore thoſe diſſenting Sects are ſeverally called, Reales, Nominales, Conceptuales. In a word; as God made Man and Woman at firſt, ſo he doth ſtill; his Reſting is not to be underſtood of ceaſing from making his CreaOmnipotencie now, as much as at
Pſalmiſt ſaith, It is God that
made us, and not we our ſelves: And again, I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the
loweſt parts of the earth; that is, in the Womb: In our vulgar Catechiſms, the firſt Queſtion is, Who made you? 'Tis anſwered, God; and the Anſwer is true: It is all one with God to make Man of Earth, or in the VVomb, or of a Rib, or of Nothing; for all theſe wayes of making are Acts of his Almightineſſe.
Finally, If it may appear unto us, That God hath indeed made new Creatures, and ſuch as were not created in the ſix or ſeven firſt dayes of the World but ſince; then I truſt the Reader will perceive, that this Myſterious Reſt of the Godhead implieth a farre greater matter, then only a ceſſation from making new ſorts or kinds of Creatures. For mani
1. That after the fall of Man, God inflictEve, and all other Women, in Child-bearing, Gen. 3. 16. which Sorrow was not at firſt made, yet that ſorrow is ſomething, (as our good Matrons know); it is not nothing.
2. The Earth was curſed for Mans ſin, Thorns and Thiſtles are ordained, Adam is condemned to ſorrow, and ſweating labour, verſ. 16, 17, 18. All which are Realties, yet not made at firſt.
3. We are aſſured by our Divines, That Buc. p. 56. & 58.Mors & Morbi ordinata ſunt a Deo, i. e. Mortality and Sickneſſes were ordained by God; and alſo, that hurtful Creatures, ſuch as Vipers, Toads, Spiders, Hornets, Waſpes,
Non pertinent ad opera primae Creationis, i. e. that theſe were no part of the firſt Creation; therefore they muſt be ordained ſince: If it be ſaid, that theſe and other hurtful Creatures, ſuch as Lions, Beares, Wolves, were at firſt, but yet without their noxious malignity and hurtful qualities; this Anſwer will not ſatisfie us, becauſe even thoſe qualities are realties. So Earth
Poſt ignem Aetheriâ domo Subductum, Macies, & Nova febrium Hor. Cor.1.Od.3.Terris incubuit cohors.
4. What can be ſaid againſt the newneſs of the Egyptian Plagues? The burning of Sodom? The laſt Deſtruction of Jeruſalem? and the tribulation brought upon that People, of which Chriſt ſaid, That it ſhould be ſuch as was not from the beginning of the world to
that time? Now, that God is the Author of ſuch kinds of evils (viz. evils of puniſhAmos 3. 6. Shall there be evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? And Moſes declareth, that all thoſe evils which are threatened, Deut. 28. (and are now come to paſſe) to be from the Lord, which yet are but new in reſpect of the Creation.
5. What can be ſaid againſt the newneſs of thoſe Wonders or Miracles wrought by the finger of God, by the Prophets, by Chriſt, and
The blind man, when he received ſight, told the Phariſees to their face (which they could not deny) John 9. 32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
6. What can be ſaid againſt the newMonſters, or of mixt Creatures, ſuch as Leopards, and Mules, &c. which now are extant, but were not ſo at firſt crea
7. It is ſaid, Jer. 31. 22. The Lord
Movi coeli, & terra ▪ extractio, Movi Adami generatio, miracula, morbi novi, non ſunt opera primae extractionis. Mart. Borrhai. in Gen. 2. in verbum Requievit.
hath created a new thing on the Earth; a VVoman ſhall compaſſe a Man: Which is meant of Chriſt to be conceived in the Womb of the Virgin-Mother, which was a new thing indeed, and a peculiar Signal mark to know the Meſſiah by.
8. The ſame Creator profeſſeth, Iſaiah 65. 17. Behold I create new Heavens, and a new Earth. If you ſay, it is meant but of a new State, or condition of the Church under the Goſpel; I ſay ſo too; But this new State or condition is not nothing; it is not ſuch as it was before, and is new: So is the creating of a clean or new heart, Pſalm 51. 10. it is a work of Regene
9. The ſame Creator profeſſeth, Iſaiah 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips: thereMatth. 10. 19. Dabitur in illa hora: And by that which others ſaid of him, John 7. 46. Never man ſpake like this man: And all thoſe new Languages at Babel were of Gods crea
Our Anſwer to this firſt Querie, for preſent, ſhall be but only Negative, (beviz. That this Reſt of God doth not ſignifie only his ceſſation from creating the World; And moreover, we affirm, That although God had made more ſuch Worlds, as Epicurus thought; or if he had made innumerable (Worlds, of meer Creatures, as Plut. de Placiti
2. c. 1.Democritus in Plutarch, ſaid; yet all ſuch Worlds would not be of value and worth ſufficient to procure this Myſterious Reſt, and complacency of the Al
That the Reſt of God is fixed on the Seventh day only; although he intermitted creation for ſome time in every former day. That his Reſt did not conſiſt in any meer Creature. Of the Reſt of God before the Creation. That God performed part of the Creation on the Seventh day, and what that was. Jewiſh fables concerning the creation of Adam and Eve. A ſhort Anſwer to the ſecond Querie.
OUr ſecond Querie, is; Why God is ſaid to Reſt on the Seventh day, and not on any of
Querie.
the former ſix dayes. There is, ſurely, ſomeReſt of the Godhead, more then the bare Letter ex
Doubtleſs God did not beſtow the whole compaſs of each ſeveral day, with its evening and morning, in a continual creation, or formPſalmiſt ſaith, By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens
made, and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth—for he ſpake, and it was done. It is not likely that this word or breath of God was produced to the length of each whole day, but that there was ſome reſpite, and ſome time of ceſſation, between the Acts of creating the ſeveral Creatures, each ſeveral day: yet this reſpite of God is never called his Reſt until the Seventh day; That there was a reſpite, we read, that Adam was firſt formed,
then Eve.
It is alſo very conſiderable, That although it is ſaid, Exod. 20. 11. In ſix dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is: Whereby it appeareth, that all the Creatures were made, as the Angels of Heaven, the Fowls of the Air, and Man, Beaſts, Plants, Fiſhes of the Earth and Sea: Notwithſtandmeer Creatures, but in ſomething that was more noble and worthy of this great honour, of being the Acquieſcence or Reſt of the Godhead.
But what ſhall we ſay of the pre-exiſtence of God before the Creation, and the infiniteneſs and eternity thereof before all times, when nothing was in being, but only the pure Godimmanent or internal Actions of the Godhead were then, we know but little, and that only, which the holy Apoſtles have taught us, in whom we read of the eternal purpoſe of God to o
the world; and of chuſing us in him. But we find no mention of any tranſient or external Works of the Godhead, ſuch as Divines call Operationes Dei ad extra, and ſuch as Creation is. Yet in all that infinite and incomprehenſiReſted, nor until this Seventh day. Therefore this Reſt of God conſiſteth in ſomething elſe, beſides a ceſſation or ſuſpenſion of working, and alſo, beſides that bleſſed quiet and tranquillity, which for ever was, and is in the Godhead; of which the heathen Phih
Niſi Quietum, nihil Bea
God could not be happy if Tull de Nat. Deor. lib. 1.Reſt.
The Reſt of God muſt be in ſomething that is proportionable and equivalent in worth to himſelf; therefore not in the whole great Creaeternal, without any ending, or intermiſſion, or ceaſing, therefore not in meer worldly Creatures; for Heaven and Earth
ſhall paſſe away: And, they ſhall wax old and
periſh]. Indeed, men ſet up their Reſt [in poor worldly temporalties, and for them loſe eternal Reſt; So doth not the Godhead. So that this Reſt of God muſt be grounded on ſome moſt worthy Subject, or occaſioned by ſome moſt excellent Object, better than the world, or any meer creature thereof; and what that is, we will enquire anon.
In order whereunto, I offer to the conſideraviz. Whether the Godhead did not perform ſome part of the Creation on this very ſeventh-day, on which God is ſaid to Reſt?] For if it may appear to be true, that ſomething was then made, or perfected, which was not finiſhed in the ſix dayes; This may happily afford us ſome light to guid us into the meaning, or cauſe, or occaſion of God's Reſt on that ſeventh-day, more then on any, or all the former ſix dayes.
To this, our Anſwer is: fi
That no man doubteth, but God did work on the firſt ſeSecondly: That the Scripture ſeemethſixth, but on the ſeventh-day: for ſo we read Gen. 2. 2 On the ſeventh day God ended his work which he had made] If it were not ended, but on the ſeventh day, then ſurely it was not ended on the ſixth day.
If it be here ſaid, that although it was enPlutarch ſaid, If Alexander be dead to day, he will be dead to
morrow]
preciſely, and on none other day. For otherwiſe it might be ſaid as well that God ended his work, and reſted on the eighth, or ninth, or any other after-day.
The Septuagint, inſteed of the Seventh-day, rendred The ſixth-day, Gen. 2. 2. For they being Jews, and zealous for their Sabbath, would not have it thought, that God wrought on the ſeventh-day. But St. Jerome diſcoHier. Quaest. in Gen. To. 3.In Hebraeo; diem ſeptiman habet] That the text in HeArct abimus Judaeos, qui de ocio Sabbati gloriantur—dum Deus oper atur in Sabbato complens opera ſua in eo. &c.] We ſhall by this, much preſs the Jews againſt their SabSt. Jerome, but of many other Later, and right-Learned Divines.
If it Adams ſide was not opened, until the morning of the ſeventh-day. And this may with great probability be obſerMoſes Gen. 2. Where, after the Creation of the man, (which was performed on the ſixth day,) it
God put the man into the garden of Eden. verſ. 15. 2. God gave him the Law againſt eating the forbidden fruit. 3. God ſaid, he would make him an help, meet for him. 4. God brought every Reaſt of the field, and every Foul of the aire unto Adam. 5. Adam gave names to all Cattel, and to the fouls of the aire, and to every Beaſt of the field v. 20. 6. God cauſed a deep ſleep to fall upon Adam. And then took one of his ribs, and of it made the woman.] All theſe tranſactions required a good ſpace of time, which reaſonably, might extend until the end of the ſixth day, and ſo unto the beginning of the ſeventh, which we know was to commence, and be accounted from the evening of the ſaid ſixth day. His travel Eſtward to Eden, and his naming that multitude of Creatures, might well cauſe wearineſs, and wearineſs might incline him to that deep ſleep, wherein the woman was made, and this may juſtly be judged to be within the compaſs of the ſeventh-day. For I think no man will deny, but that, between the Creation of the Man, and the extraction, and forming of the woman, a good portion of time inter
But then, (If Eve were not made or formed, before the ſeventh-day) how ſhall we ſalve the truth of the Scripture which ſaith, [In ſix dayes the Lord made heaven, and earth, the ſea, and all that in them is]. To this the Anſwer is obvious, and frequent; for in the Creation of the man, the woman was ſubCivit. l. 15. c. 17.St. Auſtin obſerveth. That Gen. 2, The ▪ man, and woman are both called Adam. And the
Gen. 1. 27. Male, and female created he them]. This was ſaid before the woman was taken out of Adam's ſide. Walfridus Strabus, (or whoſoever was the auFaemina nondum erat facta;
jam homo maſculus & femina perhibetur, ſed quia ex latere Adae erat proceſſura, in illo computatur per ſubſtantiam, à quo fuer
Theſe words are ſaid of the time before Eve was formed; the man is here preſented both as male, and female, for Eve was accounted in Adam, becauſe ſhe was then Originally, and Subſtantially inrolled in him, and ſoon after to be extracted and built out of him. And again, the ſame Gloſſer upon the ſame words tels us. 1. c. Mulier nondum à viro diviſa.] i. e. When thoſe words were ſaid, they were to be underſtood of a time, before the woman was taken out the man.
This truth was acknowledged by the Jewiſh writers, who, nevertheleſs invented fabulous conceipts thereupon. They ſaid, that Adam, & Eve were created as One perſon, their backparts were joyned together until God divided them.—And, That Adam was created with two faces. Some of them called Adam Androgynum.
Lyranus and the Gloſſer affirm) i. e. an Epicene, of both ſexes, juſt as the poet fained of his Ovid. Met. l. 4. Aelia, laelia, Criſpis, nec vir, nec mulier, nec Androgyna &c. Chytraeus in Epitaph. Bononienſ. p. 173.Hermaphroditus, The truth is, that the woman, was then in Adam, though but rough-caſt (as we uſe to ſay) and not tamould, not finiſhed or poliſhed. For it is as eaſie to apprehend, Eve to be then in the ſide of Adam, as it is for us to believe,
loines of Adam; for which we have a ſtrong Apoſtolical evidence, Heb. 7. 10. Where it is ſaid of Levi, before he was born, that he was in the loins of Abraham] And ſo upon the ſame reaſon, we were cerLevi, and Ahraham, in the loines of Adam.
So, our Anſwer to this ſecond Querie for preſent, ſhall be only this, That, therefore, God is not ſaid to Reſt until the ſeventh-day. Becauſe, (that until then,) the principal work was not finiſhed, in which alone, the Reſt of God conſiſted. And what that is, will now ſoon appear.
In the mean time, I will lay this for my conſeventh-day or Ceremonial-Sabbath, was not ordained by God for a memorial of the Creation of the world, and all the meer Creatures thereof, or, for his ceaſing from the work of Creation; But for an Evangelical meReſt of God. Of which we are next to enquire.
Why the Rest of God is not mentioned, until the ſeventh-day. Why it is fixed on the Creation of Mankind, rather than of any other of the creatures. Anſwers to certain enquiries. That the conſideration of Chriſt, to be propagated from the man, and the woman; was the only cauſe of this Reſt of God.
IT may juſtly ſeem ſtrange, and wonderful; that the moſt bleſſed, moſt glorious, and Almighty God, who is Bleſſedneſs, and Happineſs it ſelf, and that, ſo infinitely, and inhappineſs, or reſt can be added to him, ſo as to make him more happy, or more at Reſt, than he was from Eternity; And yet ſo it is, that God is here, and now, ſaid to Reſt, and alſo, to Reſt ſo now, as not before this ſeventh day.
Certainly this Reſt, muſt be occaſioned by ſomething that is External, and Extra-eſſential to God. And therefore it muſt be ſuch a Reſt, or complacencie, or acquieſcence, as the Godhead aſſumed, and took in ſome ſpecial creature; and yet not only in that creature conch God intended ſome excellent, & beneficial addition of worth, & goodneſs, by wch conſide
This, (as to me ſeemeth) Moſes darkly imvailed) in theſe words, Gen. 2. 2. He reſted on the ſeventh day from al his work, which he had made]. This Reſt then, ſeemeth to be occaſioned from his work; for it is not ſaid that he reſted in his work, but (occafrom his work] It followeth, verſ. 3. God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it, becauſe that in it, he had reſted from all his work, which God created to make]. This ſudGood reader, obſerve with me, that in this later expreſſion of God's reſtfirſt, it is ſaid He reſted from all his work which he had made]
: But in the later it is ſaid, He reſted from all his work, which God created to make]. Theſe words (creEngliſh Tranſlation reades this text, [created, and made,] yet in the margin, it is there confeſſed, that according to the Hebrew, it is to be read [created to make] which is indeed the true, and farr better reading; ſo, both St. Hierome, and our other maſters in the holy tongue read it; ſo doth the Latine, of Sixtus, and Clemens. Quod creavit ut faceret] i. e. which he created to make].
By which expreſſion, I humbly conceive, that the holy Spirit doth ſecretly, and myſteReſt of God conſiſteth in ſome creature newly made; upon which, the Godhead purpoſed to conferr ſome preferment,
he created it to make] ſo ſaith the Expoſitor upon thoſe words creavit ut faceret]
Ut ad certum uſum pararet, ac deſtinaret] i. e. God reſted from that work which he created, that he might prepare, and appoint it to a certain uſe. So that, To make, muſt ſignifie, that God intended to make ſome furwhat creatur
this is; And what further uſe God intended to make of it; And what prerogative of honour he would add to it we are diligently to enquire.
1. We can not, with reaſon, and judgment, faſten the occaſion of this Reſt of God, upon aMan; for from the creation of Adam, God did firſt take occaſion to expreſs a complacency, and acquieſcence or Reſt,
2. We may not think that this Reſt of Go
was occaſioned only by the creation of the firſt Adam, conſidered ſingly by himſelf, and as a ſecond Adam, which is Chriſt, who is ſtiled by St. Paul, 1. Cor. 15. 45. The laſt Adam, becauſe, whChriſt as a creature in reſpect of his humane nature) for as Eve was then Originally, and Subſtantially in Adam's ſide (as is before ſaid):
ſeminally in his Loines; ſo that the conſideration of Chriſt, now wrapped up in this Root of Adam, was that which occaGen. 1. 31. Behold! it was very good. Indeed his other Creatures are ſaid to be good, but not any, nor all, ſaid to be very good till now.
3. Though Adam was now made; and in him Chriſt was ſeminally couched: yet it is not preſently ſaid, that God Reſted; nor untill ſome other Act was performed by the GodReſt, until Eve was taken, and formed and finiſhed, out of Adam's ſide, and this was not done until the Seventh day (as is before ſhewed). This was, becauſe Chriſt the Saviour of Mankind was not otherwiſe to come into the open World, that there he might perform the grand Work of a Redeemer, and Saviour, but only through the Woman: Our merciful God doth then, and not till then, declare his Reſt, when he had laid and compleated the founReſt of us his (otherwiſe wretchedAdam himſelf could be ſaved (ſuppoſing his fall) but through the fertility of the Woman; nor could Eve, or any of their poſterity, obtain Redemption and ſalvation otherwiſe, than ſo; as the Apoſtle teacheth us; 1 Tim. 2. 15, She ſhall be ſaved in child-bearing; that is,
Eve, and be born of a Woman; for God confined our Redemption, and our Redeemer ſo, when he ſaid, The Seed of the Woman ſhould bruiſe the
Serpents head: And in the Goſpel, God ſent forth his Son made of a Woman. So, early David in theſe words, Pſalm 132. 11. Ex fructu ventris, the fruit of the belly, which St. Auſtin
Thigh: And propheIſaiah, chap. 7. 14. to be conceived by a Virgin. And performed in the perſon of the ever bleſſed Virgin Mary.
Now we may eaſily return an Anſwer to the above mentioned Enquiries, concerning the Reſt of God.
1. In which of the Creatures God is ſaid to Reſt? To this we ſay, That his Reſt was only in Mankind, not in the man alone, but (for the honour and everlaſting comfort of all holy Women) he expreſſed not his Reſt until he had formed the Woman out of the Man, although the manner thereof is declared, after the ex
2. What further uſe (beſides their Creat on) God intended to make of the Man and the Woman? To this we ſay, That God purpoſed out of the Man and Woman to raiſe and produce Chriſt, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind, from eternal and deſerved miſery; and alſo through the ſame Chriſt to crown Mankind with everlaſting glory; and for this
Reſt; ſo that in Chriſt alone is the true, reall, and final Reſt, and Sabbath, com
3. What prerogative or peculiar honour added God to this Creature Man, more then to any other Creature? To this we anſwer: 1. He made Man in his own Image, ſo, as not any other Creature was made. 2. From the Seed of Man, he ordained that the Redeemer ſhould proceed, and not from any other Creathe holy Angels are, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Thou haſt made him a little lower than the Angels: Yet the Apoſtle tels Heb. 2. 16. That Chriſt took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. 3. God purpoſed (which he alſo performed) to unite himſelf, ſo with Man, as not with any other Creature, to be one perſon with Man; even this very Creator, at this very time of Mans creation, intimated, that himſelf would one day become Man, that he would be incarnate, and ſo Emmanuel; which is obſcurely ſignified by thoſe words; In the Image of God created he him. And Sabbath and Reſt of Man conſiſteth, and in nothing elſe.
From theſe Premiſes, my Concluſion is, That the principal (and indeed the only) cauſe of this Reſt of God conſiſted in the conſideraMeſſiah out of the Man and the Woman, to be united with our humane nature,
That the Reſt of God conſiſted in his purpoſe of producing Chriſt, proved by Scripture and Reaſon. Of the Image of God. Why the Woman was taken out of the Man. Of the Union of Chriſt with Mankind. Why Redemption is only of Mankind. The meaning of the Sacramental Bread and Wine. That the Soul of Chriſt was derived and propagated from the firſt Man. Something concerning Univerſal Redemption.
THat the Divine purpoſe of the IncarnatiReſt of God was now (and not before) declared, may appear by many overtures, or expreſſions, in and about the Creation, and other affairs, concerning the firſt Man and Woman.
1. It is ſaid by the Godhead; Let us make
Man. Whereby the concurrence of all the Divine Perſons in the Creation of Man is ſigLet us make, but God created, and, Let there be Light; and, Let there be a Firmament; and, Let the Earth bring forth, &c. Now, although we know that all the Three Divine Perſons did co-operate in the creation of every Creature; (as the ſure Rule of DiOpera Trinitatis ad extrà ſunt indiviſa: Yet their concurrence is not ſo declaChriſt, even He that is betLet all the Angels of God worſhip
him,
2. Not only the making of Man is decreed, but it is added; In our Image and likeneſſe; and, In the Image of God created he him. Here is Our Image, Plurally; and, The Image of God, Singly. Our Image, ſignifies the Image of the Three Divine Perſons ſtamped on Man. Power, Wiſdom, Holineſſe; which are the Characters of the Father, Son, and Spirit (as Divines ſay). But this is not all, for, ſo much of this Image was ſoon deſaced: Nor was this Image proper to Mankind, but is found alſo in the holy Angels, and alſo more eminently in them than in Man
Image or likeneſſe of God, which is ſo peculiar to Man, as that it is not to be found in any other Creature, as Theod. in Gen. quaeſt. 20.Theodoret moſt judiciouſly obſerveth. This being granted, the Image there mentioImage and Similitude, which in after-times the ſame God himſelf would aſſume in the perſon of the Son: And this was fulfilled, when the Son of God became the Son of Man. This is the exTertullian upon theſe words; Tertul. adverſ. Prax. p. 387.Ad Imaginem Dei. i. e. Ad Imaginem Filii, qui homo futurus erat. And again, upon the ſame words; Idem de Reſurr. p. 39.Chriſtus cogitabatur homo futurus: i. e. The Image of God ſignifieth the humane nature; and ſhape, which God, in the Perſon of the Son, would one day take upon himſelf. Juſt ſo doth Orig. in Gen Hom. 1.Origen expound this Image of God; and ſo doth the above menTheod. in Gen. quaeſt. 19. Iſa. 7. 14. & 9. 6. Ioh. 1. 14 1 Tim. 3. 16 Rom. 8. 3Theodoret. The performance whereIſaiah, when he called the Mighty God, Emanuel; and fulfilled alſo, when The Word was made fleſh, and when God was manifeſted in the fleſh, and the Son of God was ſent in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh. This ſurely is the Image of God there meant, which continued in Man after the fall, and ſo doth untill this day.
This Expoſition is made more credible by another paſſage, from the mouth of God, utBehold! the Man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil. Some Expoſitors have thought this to be ſpoken (reſt to his troubled Conſcience. The Reader may obſerve, that whereas before there was mentiOur Image and likeneſſe; (that is) the likeneſs of the whole Trinity, it is now otherLike one of Us: ſo that Man, who before was made like all, is now become but like one of the Divine Perſons: This one doth ſurely ſignifie Chriſt, who was then intended to be that Seed of the Woman before promiſed; to be Incarnate, to be Mortal, to be made a curſe for us, Gal. 3. 13. to be a man of ſorrows,—to be wounded for our tranſgreſſions, Iſai. 53. 3, 5. To know good (for he was Goodneſs it ſelf); And to know evil, of ſorReſt, Sabbath, and Salvation of Man; for this reaſon only it is ſaid, The Man is become like One of us.
3. It is greatly to be conſidered, that the creation of the Woman was unlike the creaAdam was made of Earth, immediately, Gen. 2. 19. but the Wofleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bone, yea, and Soul of his Soul: for we find not, that God
Eve, becauſe ſhe was to re
By this we may underſtand, that the ReAdam; for otherwiſe, Chriſt could not have been qualified ſo fitly, as to be our Redeemer. But becauſe the Redeemer, and the Redeemed, muſt needs be united in one humane nature, therefore the wiſe and merciful Godhead (as the Apoſtle obſerveth) hath
made of one blood all Nations of men, Chriſt and all: And hence it is, that the ſame Apowe are members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bones. And this, becauſe Chriſt, and We, and all Mankind, the Woman and all, took our nature from one and the ſame Lump of Adam; for therefore was the Son of God Incarnate, & became Emmanuel, that he might fulfill the Law of God in the ſame fleſh, or nature, upon which the ſaid Law was impoſe
All this was done in order, and preSabbath or Reſt for Man, by thus producing fitly, the moſt holy Jeſus to be a Redeemer and Saviour of Man
For, except Chriſt and Mankind be united in one humane nature, and ſo be as one Man, or as one Perſon, neither Chriſt's fulfilling the Law, nor his Death, can ſerve for us; becauſe the obedience of one cannot ſerve for another: nor doth the Juſt Godhead puniſh one for aEvery
one ſhall die for his own iniquity: And, The Soul that ſinneth, it ſhall die. Neither could
He that juſtifieth
the wicked, and he that condemneth the juſt, both are abomination to the Lord. ThereEve muſt needs be made of Adam, and not of another piece of Clay, that ſhe and all her poſterity may in that one lump be united with Chriſt.
For this reaſon it is ſaid of Chriſt, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldeſt not, but a body
haſt thou prepared for me: And, In the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God; That is, The Son was to perform the Law of the Godhead in the behalf of Mankind; which that he might do for us, God prepared him a body, derived from the ſame fleſh, from which all the bodies of ManReconciling us (to God) in the body of his fle
Upon the ſame reaſon it is, that RedemptiAdami
or Mankind, whoſe nature Chriſt hath aſſumed, with them, in Adam; So that the benefit and merit of his obedience cannot reach unto the apoſtate-Angels, becauſe he took
not on him the nature of Angels, who are therefirſt Adam, ſo neither ſhall they be reſtolaſt Adam; and although our
Hence it is alſo, that Chriſt himſelf ſaid, Except ye eat the fleſh of the Son of Man, and drink his bloud, ye have no life in you. (This eat his fleſh, ſignifieth, to be united with his fleſh, as our meat is with us, which groweth into one intire body with us. And, to drink his blood ſignifieth, to be united with the Soul of Chriſt; for without an union of our fleſh and ſoul with his fleſh and ſoul, Chriſt cannot profit us: Therefore our Mother Ev
and we, with Chriſt alſo, in her, muſt have taken both our fleſh and ſoul from Adam; elſe Eve muſt periſh, and ſo muſt we. The Roman, and alſo our Anglican Divines, do greatly miſtake the meaning of the Sacramental Cup, in teaching, that the Wine ſignifieth, only, the blood of Chriſt; whereas, indeed, it preſenteth, not the blood, but the Soul, or Life of Chriſt; It was not the ſhedding of his Blood (literally tablood or
water iſſued out of his body). But the pringiving up his Ghoſt, or pouring out his preciThe good Shepherd giveth his life for the
Sheep, (Covenant, firſt made with man, In the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die. And we know, that blood in the old Teſtament did ſignifie the life or ſoul of Creatures, as a viſiDeut. 12. 23. The blood is the life; and ſo St. Auſtin expounds thoſe words, both there; and Levit. 17. 14. Cont: Adimant: cap ▪
12 Cont: Adverſ: legis l: 2: c: 6Anima Sanguis; viz. in ſigno—Non quia hoc erat, ſed quia ſignificabat ſicut dicitur Petraeſt Chriſtus: i. e. The blood is the life: Not as if blood were our ſoul; but beThat Rock was Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. 4. Even the Heathen Poet calleth blood the ſoul of Man;
Virg: Aen:9—Purpuream vomit ille animam—
Verily, if the Sacramental Wine repreſented nothe body of Chriſt doth alſo include the blood. But blood ſignifies more than ſo, which they either know not, or will not acknowMaſter of the Sentences, even Peter Lombard, about the year 1150. in theſe words, Lomb: Sent. 4 diſt: 11Panis ad carnem refertur, Vinum ad animam—ut animae, & carnis ſuſceptio in Chriſto, & utriuſque liberatio in nobis ſignificetur. The Sacramental Bread relateth to the Fleſh, and the Wine to the Soul;
: which is alſo obPerkins.
Perk. Probl. p. 146 Mat. 26. 26
When Chriſt ordained the Myſterious Euchariſt, he ſaid of the Bread, Take, eat, This is my body; he did not ſay, here is my body, not hic eſt, but hoc eſt; his meaning was, my body to you, is ſuch a thing, as this bread is to be to you it will be united with you, and be one boActive and Paſſive, may bePaul ſaith, The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Chriſt? Communion
Co-unio, or unio-cum; i. e. Communion ſignifies the mu
In like manner, Chriſt himſelf ſaid of the Wine; This is my blood of the new Teſtament;
old, typical, or ceremonial Teſtament, was only the life or ſoul of ſacrifi: But the blood of the New Teſtament, was the Life and Soul of Chriſt poured out for us.
Juſt ſo the Apoſtle ſaith; The Cup of bleſſing—▪s
it not the communion of the blood of Chr
that is, The Wine received into us, myſteriouſly ſignifieth, the communion or coDrink ye all of this; that he might thereby ſhew, that all, who can
For the Paſſion of Chriſt is not to be lookuniverſal man, in whom all Men were comprehended; ſo that in his Paſſion, Death, and Reſurrection, the Death, Burial, and Reſurrection of all his Members is included, as the Apoſtle ſaith, If ye be dead with Chriſt—And, —buried with him—And, If ye be riſen with Chriſt: by this union, that ſaying of the Prophet (before mentioned) is performed, Every o
becauſe all Men, with Chriſt alſo, were one in Adam, as Auſtin ſaith againſt the Pelagians,
Lib. 3. c. 7. Tom.
In ejus natura, noſtra inſita fuit—omnes, ille unus fuerunt; that is, Our nature was planted in Adam, ſo that all we were that one Man; for there is no man in the World, whoſe nature was not aſſumed by Chriſt, whereof this reaſon is rendred by Proſp. de Providentia. fo. 216Proſper in his Poem, though in a faulty verſe, in my Edition, thus,
—ut ſemine ab ipſo Idem homo in Chriſti corpus naſcendo venire . •
This is that weighty reaſon, why Eve, the Mother of us all muſt needs be taken out of that one Lump of the firſt Man; That ſhe, and all her poſterity (having been therein uniAdam.
This was the method of our merciful CreContra-Remonſtrants, to ſhew cauſe, why we ſhould not acknowledge the benefit of his Death, as well as of his Birth, to be offered univerſally to mankind; ſeeing, that both his fleſh and his ſoul; and his whole humane nature, were with ours aſſumed, and propagated from the firſt Man; and alſo (as Athanaſius moſt truly affirmeth) De Incarnat. Christi p. 552.In the work of Redemption his body was given for our bodies, and his ſoul for our ſouls, and his whole man for our whole man.
Many of the Fathers, and thoſe of them who are moſt eminent for learning, were much taken with a common fame, and alſo perſwaTert. Poem. n. 11. Cyp. n. 97 Or
43. Athan. n. 25 Baſil. Mag. n. 23 Baſil. Seleuc n. 14. Hier n. 4 Aug. To. 10 n. 55 Epip. Haer. 49Chriſt was crucified in the very place, where Adam was buried; as we find in Tertullian, Cyprian, Origen, Athanaſius, in both the Baſils, in Epiphanius, Jerome, and Auſti
And that, becauſe Adam's crany, or ſcull was there found, therefore that place was named Golgotha or Calvaria, which is noted by all Roman Capitol, that at the foundation thereof, the head, or ſcull of a Man was found, and be
(as Arnob. Cont. Gent. lib. 6.Arnobius ſaith) therefore
Capi-tolium. The Fathers took ſuch ſpecial notice of this tradiGolgotha; becauſe they conceived, that it was to ſignifie the benefit of Chriſts death to be extended to the whole Adam, that is, both to his own perſon, & alſo to all his poſteJerome, in an Epiſtle to Marcella, are theſe, Hier. Epiſt. 17Calvaria appellata eſi, quia ibi Calvaria Adami condita eſt, ut ſanguis Chriſti ſtillans de cruce, peccata ejus dilueret. For, as Chriſt is the head of the whole body, or corporation, Myſtical; ſo is Adam the fountain and head of the whole corporatiNatural, of Mankind.
There was lately a book printed and pubthere were men before Adam. If the AuPagan, Turk, or Jew would do; for ſuch another thing did the Jews invent, and report as a Tradition, that, For the firſt Man God created two Wives or Women: And hence it was, that the Jews forged many vain Genealogies, which are the ſame that St. Paul forbids, as fabulous and endleſs, 1 Tim. 1. 4. As Cont. Adverſ. legis l 2. c 1. Tom. 6.Auſtin thought. This phanſie doth diſturb the Doctrine of Redemption by Chriſt, who was neceſſarily to proceed from on Man, and through that one Woman of whom it is ſaid, The Seed of her ſhall bruiſe thy head: therefore for our comfort, and for confirmation of our faith, and for the manifeſtation of the juſt proceedings of God in the way and mannamed the Man and the Woman, from whom all Mankind, together with Chriſt, were propa
Of Adam's Solitude, and ſomething of Monaſtick life, and the reaſons thereof. That the Womans help conſiſted not in ſociety, nor child-bearing (ſimply conſidered); but only in reſpect of the Generation of Chriſt. Of Child-bearing, that it is not ſalvifical, without Faith in Chriſt. Of good and evil occaſioned by the Woman. Why ſhe was named Vita, or life. Why God ſuffered the Woman to occaſion the fall of Man.
4. MY fourth Reaſon, why I have ſaid, that this Reſt of God conIt is not good that Man ſhould be alone, I will make him an help meet for
him
The Heathens accounted Solitude a great infelicity, although they abounded in all oSi Deus nos in Solitudine c
And—Si quis in coelum aſcendiſſet; in ſuave foret, niſi aliquem cui narraret haberet—i. e. If God ſhould
God himſelf could not be happy if he were alone. Solitarineſs doth, indeed, incline ſome to careleſneſs, and, nemo videt, is an incouragement to vices. The great Philopher ſoid of a ſolitarie man Ariſt. Pol. lib. 1. c. 2.
—Loca ſola nocent, loca ſola caveto; Semper habe Pyladen aliquem, qui cures Oreſtem.
The man is now placed in his pleaſant ParaIt is not good to be alone.
But the Church, doth not abſolutely conEremitical, and Monaſtick Chriſtians, were ſo called, beNazianzen ſaith, and therefore ſuch were called Salvian. de gub. lib. 8.ſervi Dei, as being the principal ſervants of God. 2. The deſart was a refuge, and a preSoz. lib. 1. c. 13.Sozomen thought, was the chief cElias fled in
from the fury of Jezabel;
flying into the wilderneſs from the Dragon;
John Baptiſt was ſent into the wilderHerods maſſacre, as Baſil of Seleucia thought Baſil. Seleu. in Eriſt. can. n. 17. Mat. 23. 35.Zacharias the ſon of Barachias was ſlain, as many of the Fathers affirm. Theſe two are by St. Jerome accounted the precedents of EreAntonius, and Paulus, who continuDidymus, who contiSoc lib. 4. c: 18.Socrates writeth. The piety of ſuch EreJerome ſaid, that Hier. Epiſt. 22.That thereby he might eſcape hell. An holy woman in Chryſ. cont. vituperatores. l. 3. To. 4.Chryſoſtome deſired that her ſon might be brought up in a ſolitary life, that thereby he might obtain heaven; This kind of life was accountJerome; and other Ancient writer's called ſuch Livers: Adam might have continued ſoIt is not good that man ſhould be alone.
Theſe words, (as all the words of God,) are weighty in truth and in myſtery; In theſe, the
Meſſiah is implyed. God had ſaid before of all the creatures, man and all, that they were very good. But now He ſaith, It is not good &c. Divines ſay, In ſinu Dei non eſt contradictio] God doth neither harbour, nor utter contradictions; The woman was in the man Originally, when God pronounced the creatures very good; but ſhe was not yet ſeperated, and formed out of the man; ſhe was intended by God, and, by her the Saviour; but ſhe was not yet extended, or exhibited. The man was indeed very good even in his own very creation, being but newly come out of the Creator's, hand; but yet, if man had ſo conti
Neither may we think that this Solitude of the man, was much bettered by the ſociety of the woman (conſidered meerly, & ſingly of her ſelf) without any further intendment; the man had not yet need of her in reſpect of any corpo
If nothing, but only ſociety had bin intenSexe; and ſo the world beAngelical world above, or as the people of Rome are ſaid to have bin at firſt, Flor
l. 1. c. 1.Populus virorum] a people of men, without any women. If it be demanded, How mankind ſhould have continued, if no
Auſtin, anſwereth that this queſtion is Aug. de Bono viduit. b. 23. To. 4.Querela vanorum i. e. but a vain querie. For God could have made Immortal bodies of men, as wel as Immortal ſouls, and men might have continued, as Immortal Angels do.
Beſides, If the help here intended, had bin only for propagation of children, and for repleniſhing the earth, without any further, or greater conſideration; this might have bin don by creating ſeveral men, and women, at firſt; and theſe, of ſeveral parcels of earth, or other materials, nor ſhould the woman have needed to be made of a peece of the man; another lump of clay would have ſerved, for ſo the earth might have bin repleniſhed. St Jerome upon thoſe words Gen. 1. 28. Be fruitfull, and repleniſh the earth] Thus writeth to the noble virgin Euſtochium Hier. Epiſt. 22. cap. 8.Creſcat ille qui terram impleturus eſt, tuum agmen in Caelo eſt]. So the wiſe and merciful Godhead intended this help for man, not only to repleniſh the earth, but alſo to ſupply heaven; by producing the Saviour of the man, and woman, from both.
The Lonelineſs here meant, is in another reſpect, far more grievious than the want of ſuch companions, as either women. or men, or AnExternal communication, or ſociety, with the moſt holy Godhead; For we find that, not only wicked men, as Cain Gen. 4. 9. and Baalam the conjuter. Num, 22. 12. had exterJob. 1. 6. And in the Goſpel, when Satan not only conthe top of
an high mountain, and to the Pinacle of the Temple; Therefore without another kind of ſoAdam, nor we his poſterity can find any help meet for us, though with the Prophet we ſeek one, in the ſtreets of Jeruſalem, or with Lanct. in Diog.
Philoſopher, in the populous Citiy of Athens. For only the Son of God, (which is hereintimated to be derived from the man, and through the woman,) is that help meet for man; without whom, (in any other conbe good for man to be.
For, without this help, man had continualone, although he had not wanted other company, becauſe he had bin nothing but meer man, if God had not vouchſafed to be come Emmanuel, or God-with-Man; The Jewiſh Doctors have obſerved, that in the apman, and woman, (Iſh, and Iſha,) Gen, 2. 23. the name of God (Jah) is inwithout Chriſt having no hope, and without God in the
world; But might be of The ſociety of Jeſus, (rightly underſtood.) Without this ſoSolomon would be veriWo to him that is alone, when]
he falleth, he hath not anot her to help him up.
Chriſt the Redeemer was already in the loins of the man, but not yet in the womb of the woAuſtin
in Pſal. 44.Conjunctio nuptialis, Thalamus eſt uterus Virginis] i. e. A matrimonial union, and the mariage-chamber was the Virgin's womb. This mariage was now contracted in Paradiſe, and conſummate, when the word was actually made fleſh; But the Bride is not yet brought home to the bridgroom's houſe; This is that great myſtery which the Apoſtle mentions, They two ſhal be one fleſh-but I ſpeak of Chriſt, &
the Church].
This is that help meet for man, which the merciful Godhead intended; without which man had continued wofully alone, without God, without a Saviour; though he had an Eve with him, yet both had bin miſerably ſolitary, and as one ſaith ſolus cum ſola; neither could they have bin ſuch an help to each other, as was meet for both: They had (indeed) at the creation a life natural given them; but (without this Divine help) Eve could not have procured that ſpiritual, healife, which yet was to be effected through her fertility, and not other
Mart. 12. 47. ex Ovid. l 3.Nec tecum poſſum vivere, nec ſine te.
This myſterious truth, ſurely, was known by Adam, who was a Prophet, (and is ſo acOrig in cant. hom. 3. Aug: de Gen: l. 9. c: 19.Origen, and Auſtin,) as may alſo appear by his prophetical words before the fall, Gen. 2. 23. but eſpecially by his ſo navitam, that is, life, Gen. 3. 20. as both Hier. in Gen. Ambr. de Parad: c: 14: Joh. 14. 6.Jerome, and St. Ambroſe read that place, and the word Eve, or Cavah, ſignifieth life; whereMeſſiah, to proceed from the woman; even that Meſſiah who calls himſelf, The way the truth, and the life] for thereby, only, could ſhe be an help meet for man now fallen, and in this reſpect only was ſhe called life, becauſe from her, Chriſt was to come; ſo that ſhe was, indeed, the firſt virgin is often called by the Fathers, and viz. of God-incarnate; otherwiſe ſhe was not an help meet for man, but rather quite contrary: Nor could her ch
have ſaved her ſelf, or others; except Chriſt the Saviour had bin in her progeny: nor yet, could her bearing of Chriſt originally in her womb have helped her, except ſhe had alſo conceived him in her heart by ſaith as St. Auſtin very truly affirmeth of the bleſſed Virgin Mary, (who was neerer akin to Chriſt, than Eve was) Aug. de vir. c. 3: To. 6.Nihil Mariae profuiſſet materna propinquitas, niſi feliciùs Chriſtum corde, quàm carne geſtaſſet &c. Neither Eve, nor Mary, could have bin ſaved by propagating, or bearing Chriſt in the womb, if they had not conceived him in their hearts.
If we lay aſide this conſideration of Eve, & conhelp to man, for ſhe ocSatan: in wch reſpect, Tertullian ſaith of her Fae
The firſt inlet of Satan,
Chryſoſtome, cals Job's wife Chryſ. n. 56.The Inſtrument of Satan: and Orig. n. 17.Origen cals her c
muſcipuiam. i. e. The trap of Satan, And ſaith moreover, that Satan deſtroying the goods and children of Job, yet touched not his wife, but left her on purpoſe to ſupplant the holy man.
But God looked otherwiſe on Eve when he called her an help; and conſidered her ſo, as the Fathers ſpeak of the bleſſed Virgin-mother, whom they call Ambr. de Spirit. lib. 3. c. 12.Templum Dei. And Fulg. ſerm. 3.Feneſtram Coeli And Scalam Coeli And Portam Coeli. i. e. A Temple of God; The window of heaven; The ladder and gate of heaven: for all theſe was Eve in reſpect of her fruitfulneſs, and the propagation of Chriſt from her.
For in other child bearing ſhe was unhappy, as firſt in Cain, then in the holy, but unfortuAbel; ſome of her poſterity are called, a generation of vipe
and alſo ſaid to be of their Father the Devil, and one of them Devil. The conſideration of ſuch miſcarAuguſtus wiſhed that he had died without wife and child,
Suet. in Aug. c 65.Capitolinus ſaith of the good Emperor Antoninus the Philoſopher.
Capit. in M. Aut. c. 8.Felix fuiſſet, ſi fi
he had bin hapCommodus.) Dead Tantalus, in the fable, is brought in, deſiring rather to reSen. in Thye
Lu. 23. 29.Eve might rather have deſired barrenneſs, as Chriſt alſo ſaid for ſuch reaſons, Bleſſed are the barren.
Adam had by his wife, was not in regard of her ſociety, nor in her childbearing, (generally conſidered) neither was ſhe named Life, onely for that ſhe was to be the mother of all other men and women to come; nor for any amorous or laſcivious apprehenJu
6.Anime mi, mi Phaedria) But it was ſurely in a far greater conſideration, and in prophecy, and faith, of the Meſſiah to come by her, and of redemption, and immorVita. or Life.
This certainly was the reaſon, that God calAn help, and meet for man,] and for nothing elſe, but onely the preconſideOur help
ſtandeth in the name of the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth.] For without this help, he ſaith in another place, O be thou our help in trouble, for vain is the help of man:] And more vain is the help of Woman.
Finally, for this cauſe, it may reaſonably be thought, that the wiſdom and providence of the Godhead permitted the fall of man to be occaſioned by the woman, that ſo, the man might be induced, and neceſſitated, to ſeek for Life and Help otherwiſe; and not in the Perſon, but in the bleſſed Seed and poſteAmbroſe thus writeth; Ambroſ. de Parad. cap. 10.Et ſi mulier prior peccatura erat, tamen Redemptionem ſibi paritura, ſalva erit per generationem ſiliorum inter quos, generavit & Chriſtum.] (i. e.) Although the woman firſt ſinned, yet Redemption
was to come by her; therefore ſhe ſhall be ſaved in child-bearing, becauſe amongſt her children, Chriſt was one.
By this time, I truſt it appeareth to the Reader, that the grand, and onely reaſon, of the expreſſion of the Reſt of God at that time, was the providentiall, and mercifull conſide
An Anſwer to the Queſtion, How God can be ſaid to Reſt? That the Reſt of God is in Christ; and why? That the Tabernacle and Temple are called God's Reſting-place, onely as they were figures of Chriſt. That the Ark is called God's ſtrength, in the ſame reſpect. That God's Reſt in Sion is alſo meant of Chriſt. That the Union of God and man in Chriſt, was ordained onely for man's Salvation, and everlaſting Reſt. That man's Reſt is called God's Reſt. Certain Concluſions concerning this Reſt of God.
WE are now come to the laſt, but the greateſt difficulty of this Sabbaticall Doctrine, touching the Reſt of God, and to give ſome Anſwer to thoſe two Queries,
How God can be ſaid to Reſt, who never
laboured, or was at unreſt?
Why his Reſt is fixed, firſt, on
the ſeventh day of the world, and not mentio
We may not think, that this expreſſion of the Reſt, Contentment, or Complacency of God, was occaſioned onely by the newneſſe of that work; as man pleaſeth himſelf in new apparell, new faſhions, or new buildings. This could not be the cauſe of God's Reſt, unto Whom, all his intentions and works were known from Eternity, and were all preſent to his Divine Providence, with whom there is no futurity; becauſe, whatſoever is future in reſpect of our human apprehenſion, is ideally preſent to God. In which reſpect, the words of Solomon may be rightly underſtood, There
is no new thing under the Sun,] for nothing is new to the Godhead. And, the Apoſtles have declared, that this very myſtery, in which (as we have ſhewed) the Reſt of God conſiſteth, is, The eternall purpoſe which he purpoſed in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.] And, That our Redemption
—with the pretious blood of Chriſt—was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world.] And moreover, That God hath alſo choſen us in him before the foundation of the
world.] This being undeniable, we may wonder, that this Reſt of God is confined or limited to this one time, and not mentioned
To the firſt of thoſe Queries, our Anſwer is, That the onely Reſt, or Sabbath of God, is Querie anſwered.Meſſiah; becauſe, in the Obedience of Chriſt, both active and paſſive, the Godhead doth reſt ſatisfied, contented, and well-plea
For therefore doth God reſt in him, beuttermoſt farthing. So that the Reſt of God is in no wiſe to be aſcribed to him, in reſpect of any ceſſation from the work of Creation, but onely in conſideration of the acquieſcence of God, in Chriſt's ſatisfaction, and thereby man's acquieſcence, or ac
That the Reſt of the Godhead conſiſteth in Chriſt onely, may appear by many paſſaKing Solomon's Prayer, Ariſe, O
Lord God, into thy Reſting-place, thou, and the Ark of thy ſtrength.] This he ſaid of the Temple at Jeruſalem. The like was ſaid beDavid, of the Tabernacle; Ariſe, O Lord, into thy Reſt, thou and the Ark of thy ſtrength.] And the like was ſaid, Moſes, Numb. 10. 35. And
it came to paſſe when the Ark ſet forward, Moſes ſaid, Riſe up, Lord, and let them that hate thee flee before thee.]
God is gon up with a ſhout,] Pſ. 42. 5. was ſaid of the TabernaLyranus in loc.
good Reader, that Moſes calls the Ark, Lord; and, that David and Solomon call the Tabernacle and Temple, God's Reſt, and Reſting-place. Theſe ſpeeches muſt needs point at, and ſigMoſes give the title of Lord to the Ark, becauſe it was the type and ſignall of his preſence with his peoDavid and Solomon call the Tabernacle and Temple, God's Reſt, becauſe they were the figures and types of Chriſt's Body, wherein the Godhead was to reſt; but the very ſubſtantiall Body of Chriſt, was the reall and true Temple of God indeed; ſo Chriſt ſaid, Deſtroy this Temple—
But he ſpake of the Temple of his Body.]
That the Ark was the figure or repreſentaJerom, upon thoſe words, Thou and the Ark of thy ſtrength.]
Hier. iTu, & corpus aſſumptum, quo divini
So doth St. Auſtin expound thoſe words, Corpus Chriſti, quod ex Maria natum eſt.] (i. e.) The Ark ſignified that body which God the Son aſſumed of the Virgin Mary, in which his Godhead was covered.
But the Reſting place of God cannot be meant principally, or ultimately, of the tyTemple, for that is deſtroyed long ago: nor of the Ark, for that is alſo loſt; nor is the Godhead now hid in a Cheſt. The true Reſting-place of the Godhead, is onely the human Nature of Chriſt, in which it reſteth, and abideth for ever, ſo as not to be ſeparated
John Baptiſt thus ſpake, I knew him not; but he
that ſent me—the ſame ſaid unto me, Upon whom thou ſhalt ſee the Spirit deſcending, and remaining on him, the ſame is he, &c.] For Chriſt is he on whom the Divine Spirit, or Godhead, not onely deſcended, but reſteth and remaineth for ever.
The holy Pſalmiſt, in the place before menFor the Lord hath choſen Sion,
he hath deſired it for his habitation. This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell.] What was Sion literally? but an Hill or Rock; and how doth God dwell there? Verily, no otherwiſe than in any other common part of the world. Nor can it truly be ſaid to be his Reſt for ever, (if literally underſtood) becauſe we are ſure, Sion is long ſince forſaken, as was propheſyed by Iſaiah, Jeremy, and Micah; and that this Sion ſhould be plowed as a field.] Which proEuſeb: de Demon. lib. 6. cap. 13.Euſebius ſaith, he ſaw performed with his own eyes.] Which dereliction is thought to have been intimated by that ſtrange voice which was heard in the Temple, a little beJoſeph. n. 24. Hegeſ. n. 34 Euſeb. Hiſt lib. 3. cap. 5. Hieron. n. 4Let us depart hence;] of which, ſpeciall notice was taJoſephus, Hegeſippus, Euſebiu, and Jerom.
But, in Sion was the houſe of David, and the Tabernacle, and the Ark; and the Temple alſo ſtood on a part of that great hill of Sion, all being figures of Chriſt; for this reaſon oneSion, This is my reſt for ever,] becauſe the everlaſting Reſt of the Godhead was to be in the family, poſterity, or Son of
David] and is him, who was repreſented,
Tabernacle, Temple, and Ark; and that is, onely in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo Arnobius exArnob. i
131.Requies Dei in Jeſu evidens eſt, & ſpecialis; in quo eſt arca.] This Reſt of God is meant evidently of Jeſus, in whom eſpecially was the Ark of God.]
That which the great Prophet Iſaiah ſaith of the progeny of Jeſſe, may put us out of doubt, that Jeſus onely is the Sabbath or Reſt of the Godhead, Iſ. 11. 1. There ſhall come forth a rod out of the ſtem of Jeſſe, and a branch ſhall grow out of his roots ▪: and the Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him.] For, from Jeſſe came David, from David came Chriſt, and upon Chriſt doth the Divine Spirit or Godhead for ever reſt. And this Reſt of the Godhead is the very ſame thing, which was ſignified by that heavenly voice of God the Father, uttered (more then once) in the GoſThis is my beloved Son in whom I am
Beza in Math. 3. 17.well pleaſed;] which Beza moſt pertinently, and for weighty reaſons, renders, In quo acquieſco,] (i. e.) In whom the Godhead doth acquieſce, or, is at reſt. For if God were not well pleaſed, and ſatisfied, and at reſt with mankind by Chriſt, the expoſtulation of the Pſalmiſt might, with trembling, be taken up by us all, Wherefore haſt thou made all men
for nought?
If it be here ſaid, that this Reſt of the Godhead in Chriſt, may poſſibly ſignifie the continuall and ſempiternall manſion, conjunGodhead and Manhood, thus joyned, one Hypoſtatical
To this we anſwer and affirm, that all the ſaid allegation is true, and that Chriſt may rightly be called the Reſt of God, in conReſt, than onely a meer union of God with man. For we muſt further enExinanition, ſo as to be perſonally united with a creature, and to be in the form of a ſervant, whereby the mighty God, in the perſon of the Son, became mortall, and ſubject to all the infirmities of mankind, (except ſin) and even death alſo.
By the ſerious meditation hereof, we ſhall find, that the finall cauſe, or motive of this union of the Godhead with our human nature, was not intended, or effected, for any reſt, contentment, or complacency of the GodAtha ſer 3 cont. Ari
Athanaſius, that God the Son had
never been ordained to become Emmanuel, or Incarnate, if Mans neceſſity (for Rehad not wanted, and neceſſarily required it. Thus he.
It being thus evident, that this Reſt of God is not called a Reſt in reſpect of himſelf, but only in reſpect of that Reſt, which by his goodneſſe and mercy he hath ordained for his poor Creatures. It muſt needs follow, that God calleth that his Reſt, which is indeed (not only principally, but) ſolely, the Reſt of MankindEmmanuel, is therefore the Reſt or Sabbath of the GodGlory be to God—and on Earth peace, Good will towards Men; Or, (as Beza more truly reads it) To Men
Beza in Luk. 2of good will (
From theſe premiſes I infer the 4 concluſions following, which I offer to the conſideration of the Chriſtian Reader: and do here ſet them down, that in this Doctrine of the Sabbath I may be rightly and plainly underſtood.
Firſt, That Chriſt is that only Sabbath, or Reſt, both of God and Man, which is mentionfourth Commandement; and alſo in Gen. 2. 2.
Secondly, That Chriſt is therefore called the Reſt of God, becauſe God hath in mercy ordained him to be the Reſt for Man
Thirdly. That God cannot otherwiſe be ſaid to Reſt in Chriſt (for our good) but only becauſe all faithful and holy Men do ſet up their Reſt in Chriſt.
Fourthly, That the Reſt of God (here meant) conſiſteth only in the Reſt of Man; and that God calleth that his Reſt, which indeed is primarily and properly Mans Reſt.
The Reſt of God cannot be meant of any new reſt, in reſpect of himſelf only, becauſe it is impoſſible that any increaſe or acceſs can be added to infiniteneſs, ſuch as is the bleſſed, eternal, and unſpeakable Reſt of the Godhead: Therefore there muſt needs be ſome other ex
The holy Scriptures do very often aſcribe the paſſions or affections of Men unto God; as when God is ſaid to repent, to be angry, to be greived, and vexed, and diſpleaſed; although we are ſure that no ſuch changes can conſiſt with the immutable Godhead; for the ſame Scripture that ſaith, in one place, It repented
the Lord: In another place ſaith, The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie, nor repent. Therefore
Anthropo-pathetical, or after the manner of Men; as a Man puls down an houſe which himſelf built, becauſe he is an
That the Reſt of Man is called Gods Reſt, ſhewed by other like paſſages in Scripture. That Chriſt is called the Reſt of God only, becauſe he is the Reſt of Mankind. An anſwer to the ſecond Query above mentioned, ſhewing, Why God is ſaid to Reſt on the firſt Seventh day only, and not before. The Concluſion, and St. Auſtin's Judgment in this Doctrine of Gods Reſt.
THere are many paſſages in Scripture con
Gen. 22. 12. It is ſaid by God, in the perNow I know that thou feareſt God—ſeeing thou haſt not with-held thy Son—from me. This God did know before; but becauſe by this grand trial, God made both Abraham and others know it, therefore it is ſaid, Now I know.
Aug. de Gen. l. 4 c. 9Quia nos cognoſcere facit, ſaith the Expoſitor, i. e. God is ſaid to know only, becauſe he now made man to know. It is ſaid of one Sabinus in Seneca,
Sen. Ep. 27Putabat ſe ſcire, quod quiſquam in domo ſuâ ſciret; ſo God accounteth the apprehen
Deut. 13. 3. The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God. Not as if God did not know before and without trial; but becauſe hereby Man might perceive whether he doth really love God.
Gen. 18. 21. God ſaith of Sodome, I will go down now, and ſee whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it—if not, I will know. What need was there of this going down to ſee and know, when God knew what was beforeSodomites, by making them ſee and know their own wickedneſs, in attempting that Sodomitical ſin.
In the like ſenſe alſo, even Neſcience or Ignorance is transferred on the Son of God, as Mark 13. 32. But of that day knoweth no
man, no not the Angels—neither the Son, but the Father only. It were blaſphemy to ſay abſolutely, that God the Son did not know it, who is the ſame only God with the Father, and is alſo called by the great Prophet. The mighty God, and The everlaſting Father, (for every Perſon is the Father in reſpect of Neither the Son; the meaning is, as St. Auſtin and other Expoſitors with him, generally aLib. 83 quaeſt. quaeſt, 60Neſcire filii eſt, cum non prodit hominibus, quod inutilitèr ſcirent.—And De Gen. Cont. Manichae'os l. 1. c. 22Quia diſcipulos neſcientes reliquit: Becauſe Chriſt would not reveal the day of Judgment to his Diſciples, therefore he is ſaid not to know it. In this ſenſe only it is, that St. Hilary
Hil. de Trin. lib. 9. Luke 13 27 Mat 7. 23Habemus neſcientem Deum; our God profeſſeth to ſome, I know you not. For otherwiſe we ſay with Auſtin ▪,
Aug. Pſal. 10 1 Cor. 1. 24Domine quid ignorabas? Lord! how is it poſſible, that the Wiſdome of God ſhould not know all things? ſo, that God the Son is ſaid not to know that day, only, becauſe Men do not know it.
Iſai. 1. 24. God is repreſented by this ProAh, I will eaſe me of mine adverſaries. So the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, Pſalm 2. 4. and 37. 13. The Lord ſhall have them in deriſion—The Lord ſhall laugh at him. So Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit it ſelf maketh interceſſion for us with groanings. And Epheſ. 4. 30. Greive not the holy Spirit of God. And 1 Theſ. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit. Theſe ſayings muſt needs be underſtood eaſed: Nor can the holy Spirit make interceſſion, or be Mediator, nor groan, nor be greived, nor quenched; nor doth God deride or laugh Men to ſcorn: But becauſe holy Men, in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth, are diſturbed, and perſecuted, and greived, and quenched, therefore Gods Spirit is ſaid to be ſo; The groanings of the Spirit are the doleful Ejaculations of holy Men. The eaſing of God, is the removing of Adverlaughing, is the expoſing of proud Tyrants to the ſcorn and deriſion of them, over whom they have domineer'd; juſt as the hunger, and thirſt, and nakedneſs, and impriſonment, and perſecution of the Members of
Mat ▪
25. Acts 9.
So the Reſt or Sabbath of the Godhead muſt be meant only of that everlaſting SabThe Lords
delight is in them that fear him. Now becauſe no delights or pleaſures can poſſibly be added, or new, to the unſpeakable bleſſedneſs of God, therefore this delight muſt be underſtood of Men, That Mans delight in God, and his well-being in a courſe of godlineſs leading to the everlaſting delights, and joyes of Heaven, is here called God's delight; juſt ſo as mans Reſt is called the Reſt of God.
For we may not think, that the Reſt of God is confined, limited, or circumſcribed in the ſingle perſon of Chriſt, for indeed Chriſt is not otherwiſe the Reſt of God, but only in conſideration of us Men, and in regard, that in Chriſt the Sabbath or Reſt of Men is incluReſt of the Godhead, but as he is looked on, and conſiderThis is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. The Reader may obſerve, that it is not ſaid, With Whom, as if the complacencie or acquieſcence of God were only with the particular perſon of Chriſt; but it is ſaid, In Whom, (in, by, and through him, God would be at peace, and well pleaſed with others, even with all the Members of the moſt holy Jeſus.
And indeed the whole Oeconomy and deMeſſiah,
Unto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given. Here is both Meſſiah given to us. Then he is called, The Prince of Peace: This ſignifies, that he was to be the maker of Peace, or Atonement, or ReconciliaMeſſiah, or Chriſt, (that is) anointed, fitted, and preJeſus, and this, in order to the benefit of Man; for ſo the holy Angel ſaid, Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his People from their ſins.
Jeſus is qualified and endowed with ſufficient power to effect that great and merciful purpoſe of the Godhead toward Mankind; the ſame Prophet cals him, Wonderful, Counſeller, The Mighty God, The Everlaſting Father. This, I truſt, is enough to ſhew the meaning of Gods Reſt.
Now to the ſecond Querie above mentiQuerie Anſwered.
viz. Why God is ſaid to Reſt on the Seventh day, preciſely, and not before. Our Anſwer is
1. Becauſe on the Seventh day, and not be
2. God is not ſaid to Reſt, until he had actually begun the Work of Mans Reſt; which was not done, untill the Man and the Woman were both of them finiſhed: for then, and not before, was the Saviour of Mankind really and
What God (in his Divine and Secret Counthe building of his Church; for now the firſt ſtone was laid, even Chriſt, who only is the founda
and the Rock, and the chief corner-ſtone thereof; The houſe built upon a Rock, Matth. 7. 24. ſignifieth the Church; when Peter had ſaid, Thou art
Chriſt, the Son of the living God, Chriſt preUpon this Rock will I build my Church. The Apoſtle tels us, Chriſt was
the ſpiritual Rock. And, Other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is Jeſus
Chriſt.
Now this foundation of Reſt muſt needs be made known unto the Man, for otherwiſe it could not be his Reſt; and conſequently it could not be the Reſt of God until Man did ſo know it, that he might relie, and truſt, and ſet up his Reſt upon it; that is, upon Chriſt. Therefore the holy Scripture doth by divers intimations ſignifie, that this great Myſtery was then revealed to Adam, for he was illumiMoſes) that he was made in the
that is, in the ſame ſhape which God his Redeemer would one day aſſume (as is before ſhewed). He knew, the Woman was taken and built out of him, on purpoſe to proThis is bone of my bones, and fleſh of my fleſh. This ſpeech doth ſhew, that the Man was not ignorant in the great Myſtery of the Union of Himſelf and the Woman, and their future progenie, with Chriſt alſo, in one lump; which union was contrived by the Godhead, only in order and neceſſity to the Redemption of Adam, and his off-ſpring, and nothing elſe; And it is the ſame, which by the great Apoſtle is applied to the myſterious union of Chriſt and his Church. They two ſhall be one fleſh—This
is a great Myſtery, but I ſpeak concerning Chriſt and his Church.
After the Fall of Man, it pleaſed the merciThe Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head; for afVita, i. e. Life, as is before ſhewed; whereby he decla
All theſe intimations and overtures being but deſcriptions of the great Saviour to pro
builded of the Rib (aedificavit coſtam in
Multierem). Rachel and Leah are ſaid to build the houſe of Iſrael. The natural Body of Solomon, Wiſdome hath built her an houſe: So is his myſtical Body alſo; Ye are Gods building.
Acts 9. 31. The Churches had reſt—and were edified. The Word of God, and preaching, and brotherly exhortation, are reThe Word is able to
build you up. St. Paul calleth preaching there, where Chriſt was named before, building on another mans foundation; and Theſſalonians, to edifie one another.
The prime foundation of this building is Chriſt; upon Him the Prophets and Apoſtles are laid as Super-ſtructures, or ſecond FounBehold
I lay in Sion, for a foundation, a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious corner-Stone, a ſure foundation. And this is ſo applied to Chriſt, by St. Peter, who alſo calleth the Members of Chriſt, Lively ſtones, built up a ſpiritual
houſe. And Sion is mentioned, becauſe (as the ſame Prophet foretold) Out of Sion ſhall
go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jeruſalem: For ſo indeed, the Law of Chriſt, and the preaching thereof, began there, as Chriſt appointed, Luk
24. 7. And of Apoſtles and Prophets, and Chriſt; St. Paul telleth the Epheſians, That they are built upon
the foundation of the Apoſtles, and Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief Corner-ſtone.
It hath been an ancient Cuſtome amongſt Men, to expreſs a joy and delight, both at the laying of the foundation, and alſo at the raipraiſing the Lord, with Trumpets, and Cymbals, and
Songs. So they did before at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple, The Levites a
white linnen, ſinging, with Cymbals, Pſalteries, and Harp
This cuſtome was alſo continued by the Chriſtians, in their Encaenia, or Dedication of their holy Edifices, as the Fathers and Church-Hiſtories do very often report.
The moſt noble, and moſt holy Edifice in the World, is the Church; Whereof God himſelf is the Builder; The Materials of it are, the Son of God, together with all his hoReſt; as it
God Reſted: And in another place, Exod. 31. 39. He was refreſhed. And this was done only to ſignifie the Love and Good
Then again, at the Nativity of Chriſt, when this building was raiſed for that graciHeavenly Levites to ſing, Glory to God on high. And at the Dedication thereof, at his Baptiſm, God the Father, by a voice from Heaven, declared Peace on Earth to men of good-will. This is enough, to the ſecond Query.
THe ſumme of this Doctrine concerning the Reſt or Sabbath of God, conſiſteth in theſe two Propoſitions following:
The Reſt of God is only in conſideration of Chriſt.
Chriſt is called the Reſt of God, for none other reaſon, but only becauſe the merciful Godhead intended by him to procure and effect the everlaſting Sabbath and Reſt of of Man.
This Doctrine concerning the Sabbath, which I have here delivered, is not New, nor of mine own invention; I utterly diſclaim all novelliſm, and that which is now adayes (but falſly) called new light, eſpecially in ſo concerning and weighty matters of Religion; for I have ſhewed before, by many teſtimonies of the Fathers, that this Doctrine is the ſame which by them was taught and believed in the Ancient Church; and now again, for a cloſe, I will ſub joyn only the Teſtimony of St. Auſtin, who ſurely was the moſt profound TheoPſal. 132. 14. This is my Reſt for ever:
Aug. in Pſal. 131(Haec) verba Dei ſunt Requies mea, ibi requieſco; Fratres, Quantum nos ana: Deus, ut, quia nos requieſtimus, ſe dicat requieſcere: non enim, ille aliquando turbatur, aut ſic requieſcit; ſed ibi ſe dicit requieſcere, quia nos in illo requiem habebimus: i. e. Theſe words of God (This is my Reſt for ever) are my Reſt, therein do I reſt. Brethren, ſo great is the Love of God to us, that, becauſe we reſt (in Chriſt), God ſaith that he reſteth; for God is not at all diſturbed, nor can ſo reſt; yet he ſaith, that he reſteth there, only becauſe there (in Chriſt) we ſhall have our Reſt.
God Reſteth, ſaith, De Gen. cont. Man. lib. 1 c. 22. Tom. 1Significat Requiem noſtram poſt bona opera. And again, Epiſt. 119. c. 10Significat ſe daturum nobis requiem aeterndm. And again, God reſteth:
De Gen. ad. lit. lib. 4. c. 9. To. 3Quia nos quieſcere facit. And again, upon the ſame words, Requievit Deus,
De Civit. lib. 11. cap. 8Deus fit Requies eorum, qui in eo requieſcunt per fidem. That is, When God is ſaid to reſt, it ſignifieth only our Reſt after our labour. And—That he will give us everlaſting Reſt. And—becauſe he maketh us to Reſt. And becauſe—He is the Reſt of all them that repoſe their truſt in him. Thus doth this learned Father moſt judici
This Doctrine, which declareth the Lord Jeſus to be the true and ſubſtantial Sabbath, which is intended in the fourth CommandePen-Polemicks about Sabbatiſm, which have of late diſturbed the minds of many good Chriſtians; For by this Expoſition we ſhall eaſily diſcern that SabNine; And ſo we ſhall have ſtill Ten Commandements, and not only Nine (as ſome have obLaw Moral, and Natural, and written in our hearts. For I beſeech the Reader to conſider,
Of him the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Whom
have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon ea
He is our God, our Creator, Preſerver, and Maintainer, from whom we have our very being, our life, and motion; And more than all this, our Lord Jeſus, the Lord of the Sabbath, or the L
is He, that hath redeemed us from everlaſting perdition; and more alſo, He only hath prepared for us, and tendered to us (if we will accept his offer) the everlaThou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mind. This mul
In this Faith I conclude, and thus confiThat the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is my only Sabbath: In his Boſome do I repoſe my ſelf: All my hope and expectation of eI will lay me down in peace, and take my reſt, for
it is thou, Lord, only that makeſt me dwell in ſafety.
Thus having, as I truſt, retrived the moſt true and moſt ancient Sabbath, I now cloſe up this diſcourſe with our Church-prayer, both
Lord—Incline our hearts to keep this Law: Amen, Amen.
Thus much concerning the Sabbath Moral: Next, of the Sabbath Ceremonial.
Macrobius Saturnaliorum lib. 6. cap. 9.
Quia ſeculum noſtrum ab—omni Bibliothecâ vetere deſcivit: Multa ignoramus, quae non laterent, ſi Veterum lectio nobis eſſet familiaris.
Hebdomarie, or Ceremonial Sabbath: wherein is contained an Exth Commandment.
An Expoſition of the Ceremonial Part of the 4th
Commandment begun. That the 6 dayes labour is not a Precept, but onely a Permiſſion. That the 7th
day is called a Sabbath, onely becauſe it is a figure of the true Sabbath. That the 7th
day Sabbath was not changed by Christ to the 8th
day, but utterly diſſolved. That it was never inſtituted till the dayes of Moſes. St. Jerom's Tranſlation and our Engliſh, compared. The Jewiſh Sabbath, and Chriſtian Feſtivalls compared. Of VVorks on the Jewiſh Sabbath. That Corporall Reſt was but the figure of our Reſt in Chriſt.
HAving thus far proceeded in the ſearch of the Sabbath Morall, which is comRemember the Sabbath day to ſanctifie it.] In the next place, we are to conſider the other words of that Law, which we have declared to be meerly Typicall, Ceremoniall, and Temporall, and obliging the Jews onely, and not other Na
Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, and do all thy work.
1. Theſe words are no Command, ſo as to require our labour, all the other ſix dayes; but they are onely a Permiſſion, by which the Jews were invited to a diligent and cheerfull celebration of their Sabbath, in regard God had given them ſix dayes for their own occaAdam, except onely one. Thus far Calvin and other Divines gene
2. For if theſe words were a Command to work all the other ſix dayes, they would conPentecoſt,
Levit. 23. 21. and at the Atonement, Levit. 23. 28. at the Feaſt of Trumpets, Levit. 23. 25. and at the feaſt of Tabernacles, Levit. 23. 35. Theſe Feaſts did all depend upon the Moon, and therefore might, and did fall on any, and every one of the other ſix dayes re
3. If this Law were Morall, how could we Chriſtians lawfully abſtain from working on our Sundayes, and Faſting-daies, and daies of Thankſgiving, and other Feſtivalls, com
But the ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.]
Theſe words (as I conceive) are not right: of which we will enquire anon, and for preſent take them as they are preſented.
In what ſenſe the ſeventh day is here ſaid to be the Sabbath of the Lord our God, we have ſhewed before; namely, That it is thereAelian wrote over his pictures, This is an Ox, this is an Horſe, this is a Tree] So in Scripture, the Ark is often called JEHOVA, as Catech. part 2. p. 45.Beza obſerveth; the Altar is alſo ſo called, Exod. 17. 15. and the Dove is called the Spirit, Joh, 1. 33. the ſeven KinGen. 41. and the Rock iCor. 10. 4. For if the ſeventh day were the onely Sabbath intended in this Com
That Chriſt, or the Apoſtles, changed the ſeventh day to the eighth, or Saturday to Sunday, is often too boldly affirmed by our Sabbatarian Writers, and too tamely ſwal
But to ſay that Chriſt utterly diſſolved the Ceremoniall, or ſeventh-day Sabbath, and yet left the true Sabbath unaltered to us, (which is our firm Reſt in himſelf); and that the Church firſt, then Chriſtian Magiſtrates alſo, aſſumed another day, even our Sunday, inSunday a SabThe ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.]
For we are well aſſured, that the ſeventh day is not ſo to be accounted the Reſt of God, as if God ceaſed from his operation on every, or, on any one ſeventh day; but his Reſt was onely in conſideration of the Saviour of Man
Upon this reaſon it was, that the ſeventh day was long after ſanctified, or ſet apart, for a day of bodily reſt, that thereby it might be a type, figure, and ceremoniall remembrance, or commemoration of Chriſt, the great and myſterious Sabbath.
Therefore the Seventh day, and the Sabbath day, are two diſtinct and ſeverall things, and differ as much as the ſhadow and the body, or as Chriſt and the Lamb, that is, as much as Type and Anti-type: For, as the Lamb litethey are a ſhadow of things to come, but the body is
Chriſt.]
The Reader may further obſerve, that it is not here ſaid, The ſeventh day was the Sabbath,] but Is, in the preſent tenſe; and this, becauſe God never declared, that the ſeventh day ſhould be obſerved, untill the daies of Moſes, although the Godhead did ever, from the firſt ſeventh day, acquieſce in Chriſt: and not onely upon the ſeventh day, but every day, and every minute, and ſo will do to
Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, the Reader will never find the word, Sabbath, ſo much as once mentioned, untill Moſes wrote the Hiſtory of his own time, which was about 24 hundred years after the creation of the world.
We obſerve alſo, that in St. Jerom, (accorCalvin and all, theſe words are otherwiſe read than our Engliſh TranſlaThe ſeventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;] but they, Septimo die, Sabbatum Domini Dei tui eſt.] i. e. On the ſeventh day the Sabboth of the Lord thy God is.]
By theſe words it may appear, that the ſeventh day was not the true and reall Sab
Juſt ſo the Fathers ſpake concerning the great Chriſtian Feſtivall of the Nativity of Chriſt, on the 8th of the Kalends of January, or 25th.
December;
Cyp. n. 99Adeſt Chriſti Nativitas. And, Orig. n. 46. & Hieron. n. 41.Hodie verus Sol mundo ortus eſt. And, Chryſ. n. 61.Deus hodie factus eſt homo. And, Aug. de Temp. Ser. 16.Hodie natus. eſt Chriſtus.] i. e. Now is the Nativity of Chriſt come—This day the true Sun is riſen—This day was God made Man—To day was Chriſt born.] In all which paſſages, every one knows, that theſe Fathers meant not, that Chriſt was really born on that very particular day, wherein they ſpake or wrote theſe words; but onely, that the celebration of his Nativity was performed on that day. So it is here, the ſeventh day was not the true, reall, and moNazianzen ſaith of Chriſtian Feſtivalls, Naz. O. rat. 39.Feſti celebratio eſt memoria Dei: i. e. Chriſtian Feſtivals are but memorials of God. So God himſelf ſaid of the Sabbath-Feaſt, Verily my Sabbath ye ſhall keep, for it is a ſigne between me and you—that ye may know that I am the Lord (JEHOVA) that doth ſanctifie you.
In it thou ſhalt not do any work.
Firſt, this branch, doubtleſſe, belongeth onely to the Ceremoniall, Jewiſh, or ſeventh-day Sabbath, but not at all to the true ſubSaturday-Sabbath is antiquated and quite gon.
3. If this branch were Morall, it muſt needs be in force at this day, and then, No fire muſt be kindled, Exod. 35. 3. No ſticks gathered, Numb. 15. 32. Nor Manna, Exod. 16. 26. No burden carried, Neh. 13. 19. Jer. 17. 21. No journeying, or going out of our place, Exod. 16. 29. No harveſt-work, Exod. 34. 21. In a word, we might not feed our Cattle, or milk our Kine, or draw a Beaſt out of a pit, nor perform the works of Surgery, of Mid
But if we can ſhew, that ſuch works were done on the ſeventh day; and alſo, that they are ſufficiently warranted to be inoffenſive to God, then, I truſt, the Reader will perceive, that this prohibition of works doth not at all belong to the keeping of the true, morall, and everlaſting Sabbath, but onely to the Jewiſh ſanctifying of their ceremoniall and temporall Sabbath. And therefore this Law was diſpenſable, in caſe of neceſſity, or of charitable convenience, as may thus appear.
1. The Iſraelites performed the works of Journeying and War, in their marching about
ſeven daies together, (one of them muſt be the Sabbath day.) This was done by God's expreſſe command, in the Old TeſtaSabbath day's journey.
2. The Prieſts in the Temple carried fuell, and kindled fires, offered Sacrifices, and baked bread; and ſo (as Chriſt ſaid) they profaned
the Sabbath; that is, the ſeventh day, or cereyet were blameleſſe.] And this, becauſe there was a neceſſity laid on them, even the commandment of God; who yet, would not have ſo commanded a
3. As for carrying burdens, we know, Chriſt commanded the impotent man to take
take up his bed. And for Cures, himſelf per
4, As for the works of mercy and charity towards our brethren, and even to our poor cattle, how many generall precepts have we? A righteous man regardeth the life of his
beaſt.] It is Chriſt's own orgument, If a ſheep may be lifted out of a pit on the Sabbath day, much more may a man in danger be holpen. This he grounded on the Word of God, by his Prophet, Hoſ. 67. I will have mercy and not ſacrifice:] That is, God will rather diſpenſe with his own due for a while, then thereby retard the works of mercy and compaſO Lord, thou preſerveſt
man and beaſt.
Thus, As Moſes caſt the two Tables of the Law out of his hands, and brake them, and yet profanation of the ſeventh day, or ceremoniall Sabbath.
If it be here demanded, why God ſo ſtrictthe God of all conſolation; for ſo Chriſt hath ſaid, Theſe things have I ſaid unto you, that in me ye might have peace, in the world ye ſhall
have tribulation.] For the tribulations of the world do not extinguiſh or null the peace of God in his ſervants. So he ſaith again, concerning the agonies of this preſent life, Come unto me all ye that labour
and are heavy laden—Take my yoke—and ye ſhall find reſt unto your ſouls.] By which it appeareth, that the ſpirituall Reſt, or Sabbearing the croſſe of Chriſt.
There is moreover a further reach and rea
The Expoſition continued. Why the Woman is not here mentioned. That ſons or ſervants ſinned not, by working upon command. The miſeries of ſervants. Why cattle might not be wrought on Sabbath-daies. That ſtrangers were not obliged to Sabbatize, except they reſided within the Jewiſh Pale. Why cattle are mentioned before ſtrangers. Why ſervants, cattle, and ſtrangers, are not mentioned at the beginning of this Law, with the Memento. That, by theſe Circumſtanſtances, the ſeventh-day-Sabbath is proved to be meerly Ceremonial & Judaical.
Thou, nor thy ſon, nor thy daughter.
THey that ask, why the wife was not here named; may as well ask, why the man or husband was not; for neither are particularThou. A woman may have a ſon, and daughter, and ſervantMale and female created he them. And both the Old & the New Teſtament account them as one, They
ſhall be one fleſh ▪] In Grammar, there is, Hic & haec homo; and in Theology, the wife is eſteemed as haec vir, or, as St. Jerom tranVirago; and Lyranus yet nearer, calls the woman, Vir
Both are inveſted with ſuperiority over their chilUbi tu C
And at our Chriſtian matrimony, the man ſaith, With all my worldly goods I thee endow.]
Nor thy ſon, nor thy daughter, thy man-ſervant, &c.]
This is added, becauſe otherwiſe the Jews might have thought it no tranſgreſſion in themſelves, to have cauſed their children or ſervants to work, if the parents or maſters wrought not. But by theſe words, the conN. Byfield.
Brerewood hath obſerved) which to affirm is moſt ridiculous. But if the Jewiſh ſons, or ſervants, or ſubjects, had wrought on their Sabbath at their own choice, without com
Thy man-ſervant, nor thy maid-ſervant.
The condition of ſervants was lamentable, their maſters power over them was great, and ſo was their cruelty. God therefore provided ſome eaſe for them; otherwiſe, the unmercifull and covetous Jews would have afforded no reſt to them at all. Neither did the Judaicall Laws of the Jews, wholly provide againſt the cruelty of maſters; for if a Jew, by cruell Thou ſhalt not kiil,] and was therefore anſwerable to God for murder.
But their condition under the Gentiles was far worſe, who had legall power of life and death over them. They were not onely bought and ſold like cattle, but alſo eſteemed as vile, or worſe than their beaſts. One makes it a queſtion, Tul. Offic. l. 3.Utrum equi a
Another ſaith, A
143.Cariùs equum, quàm ſervum emunt?] and another, Ambroſ. n Ser. 41. To. 5.Quidam canum
magis quam ſervorum curam habent,] Their labours were ſuch as cattle are uſed for; they called them, Cato the Elder, as Plutarch ſaith. Beſides, great were the cruelties and tortures inflicted on poor ſervants, for light or no cauſes: Juvenal Sat. 6.Pone crucem ſervo—Nil fecerit, eſto. Hoc volo, ſic jubeo—Seneca ſaith of them, Sen. Epiſt. 47.Tuſſis, ſternutamentum, magno malo luitur. One Vedius Pollio, a Roman, Dion. in Aug. c. 15.commanded one of his ſervants to be caſt into his pond of Lampries, onely for breaking a drinking-glaſſe. And when Pedanius, a RoTacit. Annal. lib. 14.Tacitus reporteth. But moſt barbarouſly cruell was that fact of Parrhaſi
a Painter, which is related by Sen. lib. 5. cont. 35.Seneca, (either as a true Hiſtocaſus dab
who toPrometheus by. Nor was this all, but for an aggravation of their miſeries, they were ſo far from being pittied, that Poets and Players made them a common argument of publick mirth and deriſion, in open Theaters, wherein they were deſcribed as catenarum coloni, ulmorum Acharuns, verberea ſtatua, Gymnaſium flagri, Plagipatidae, Plagigeruli, Sexcentoplagi, &c. And
Phaeton, or Hercules burning, or of one crucified; and in ſtead of dying in jeſt, they were in earneſt really put to death, as apSpectacula of Mart. Spect. Ep. 7Martial. And this was done to pleaſe the people.
Thus were the Jews and Heathen-GThat ſervant which ſhall ſmite his fellow-ſervants—ſhall be cut in ſunder, and ſhall have his portion with
hypocrites.
Nor thy Cattle.
The mercifull Godhead, by his Law, taPhilo de Charitate Moſis. p. 710Philo obſerveth; in imitation whereof, the Jews had a Tradition, belike from ſome of their holy Anceſtors, concerning mercy to be ſhewEuſebius reports in theſe words, Euſeb. de Praep. l. 8. cap. 2.Nuilius animalis preces, cum ad te lamentanti ſimile
refugiat contemnas. The meaning was, that if a poor beaſt or bird, purſued by ravenous beaſts or birds, or birds of prey, ſhall fly to a man for ſafeguard, he ſhould protect it from the purſuer. This proviſion for cattle is an
1. Becauſe the Jewiſh-Sabbath was a type or figure of Reſt, not onely of mankind after the end of this world, but alſo of the reſt and freedom, of other worldly and domeſtick creatures, which are now ſubſervient to man, and toiled with labours; as the Ox, and Aſſe, the Horſe, and Mule, and Camell, &c. A mercifull man cannot chuſe, but many times to pitty and commiſerate the exceſſive laApoſtle ſaith, that one day, They ſhall be delivered from the bondage—under
which the whole creation groaneth.
2. Becauſe the working of domeſtick cattle, muſt needs require the aſſiſtance and co-opera
Nor the ſtranger that is within thy gates.
By this Law, other Nations are not re: Onely if aliens, or forrainers, did ſojourn within the Jewiſh-gates, that is, within the juriſdiction, either Domeſtick, or Politick, of the Jews; then the Jews are required to cauſe them to forbear working on their Jewiſh Sab
That ſons, ſervants, and even cattel, are here placed before ſtrangers, the reaſon is, 1, Becauſe they are the Jews own peculiars, of nearer relation, and more ſubject to their commands, than ſtrangers are. 2. To intimate, that the Jews ſhould firſt practiſe and obey the Law in their own perſons, and families; for otherwiſe it would ſeem vanity, pride, or hylade other men with burdens, which themſelves will
not touch with one of their fingers; which may concern thoſe, which lay the reſtraint of Jew
Certain Obſervations, ariſing from this Expoſition.
By what hath been ſaid, it may evidently appear to a diligent Reader, that this ſeventh-day Sabbath was meerly Ceremoniall, and concerned onely the Jews, or Iſraeliticall peo
1. Becauſe the tranſgreſſion or violation of this Sabbath-Law, by ſons or ſervants, by command or compulſion of their Rulers, is
2. If this ſeventh-day Sabbath-keeping were a Law Morall; then it muſt follow, that whoſoever tranſgreſſed therein, whether by his own will and election, or by command, or fear, or compulſion, greatly ſinned. Other
3. Theſe words, [Thou, and thy ſon, and thy daughter, thy man-ſervant, &c.] are not ſaid of any other of theſe morall Laws; Not, of having other gods, nor of Idols, nor Perjury, nor diſhonouring Parents, nor Murder, nor Aduliery, nor Theft, &c. Becauſe ſons, daughters, and ſervants, tranſgreſſing any of theſe truly Morall Laws, though by any comChildren, obey your Parents; but in the Lord. And again, Wives, ſubmit your ſelves to your own husbands; he addeth, as it is fit in the Lord. And, Children, obey your parents in all things—Servants, obey in all things your maſters; he addeth, Fearing God. So that if their commands be of things indifferent onely, or, though againſt ſome Laws of God, which are but meerly ceactively; but if their commands be againſt the Morall Law of God, the ſervant muſt in no wiſe perpaſſively, by bearing his puniſhment patiently. In this caſe, we have Chriſt's own direction concerning paHe that loveth father or mother more
than me is not worthy of me. And, If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother—yea, and his own life alſo, he cannot be my diſciple. For, although it is not lawfull in any caſe to hate the perſons of our parents, (otherwiſe than we muſt hate or ſleight our own lives or ſouls) yet, in obedience to God, we may, and muſt, hate and deteſt their per
4. If this ſeventh-day Sabbath had been in force from the firſt ſeventh day of the world, as ſome have too hotly and unadviſedly afAegyptian bondage, had been thereby obliged to SabAegypt. For when they petitioned Pharaoh, by Moſes, to have leave to go into the deſart three daies journey to ſacrifice,
Jacob nor Joſeph, nor any of thoſe other Patriarks, Sabbatized, while they conAegypt, which they might have done at their firſt comming, and alſo during the great authority of Joſeph; and alſo would, if any ſuch morall Law had been impoſed on them. Therefore, if they had neglected their Moſes himſelf, and Aaron alſo, had been relegated; as one ſaith:
Apud Fuſtitudinas, Ferri-crepinas inſulas. Ubi v. vos homines, mortu incurſant boves. •
But in the Babyloniſh Captivity, when this ſeventh day-Sabbath was actually in force; although (no doubt) the captive Jews were commanded and forced, and therefore did work on this ſeventh day; yet they did not of
In that book intituled, Quaeſtiones Vet. & Novi Teſtamenti, which goes under the name of St. Auſtin; The Author very judiciouſly thus writeth, Aug. parte 2. quaeſt. 23. To. 4.Quod ſemper non licet, non
habet excuſationem; Sabbatum non obſervare, quand que excuſationem habet, ſed Adulterium, &c. nunquam. i. e. That which to do is alwayes unlawful, cannot be excuſed from ſin upon any colour whatſoever; but the breaking of the Jewiſh Sabbath-day, in ſome caſes is excuſable, whereas, the tranſgreſſion of the Moral Lawes of God, as by Idolatry, Per
5. Finally, Let it be conſidered, that theſe words, [Thou, thy Son, Servant, Cattel, and Stranger] are not placed at the beginning of this fourth Commandement, as (Remember) is; nor mentioned until the Moral part of this Law was deſcribed, and finiſhed: But they are with great wiſdome warily reſerved, to be put into the Ceremonial part thereof; becauſe they do not belong to the Moral Sabbath, which commandeth the keeping holy, or the ſanctifying of the Meſſiah; for Cattel canMeſſiah) might be kept holy, or ſanctified, by Servants, even in the midſt of their ſoreſt labours. As our Chriſtian Martyrs did keep this Sabbath, even in the time when they laboured in the Mettal-mines, and alſo, in the
Romans had a Feſtival, which they called, Ovid. Faſt. l. 2.Feſtum Stultorum. And at Syracuſa in Sicilie there was a Feſtival called, Dies Aſinarius. And among the Greeks
Ovid. Faſt. l. 2.Athaeneus l. 3.Porcalia (i ▪ e. The Feaſts of Fools, Aſſes, Swine, and Dogs. So indeed the Jewiſh Seventh-day Reſt, or Sabbath, was not only for Maſters and Servants, but alſo for Cattel, as requiring onBiſhop Andrews doubted not to call, Sabbatum Boum, & Aſinorum. In a word, the Ceremonial Sabbath belonged, not only to Men, but to Cattel alſo, who had their intereſt therein: Therefore thoſe words [Servants and Cattel] are joyntly placed in the ceremonial part of this Commandement, and not in the morall part thereof with the Memento.
But the true Moral and Myſterious SabSi vocaveris Sabbatum, Delicatum; & Sanctum Domini glorioſum; & glorificaveris eum: i. e. If thou call the Sabbath a Delight; the holy of the Lord, Honourable; and ſhalt honour him. Here the Sabbath is deſcribed as a Perſon, and not as only a day (as is before obſerved): And
The Stranger, or Gentile, includeth all other Nations beſides the Jews, even us Chriſtians alſo; and ſo the Jews at this day account us, but as Gentiles, and Strangers; although the wall of partition between them and us is broken
down. But we Gentiles do at this day keep the true Moral Sabbath (which is Chriſt) ſo do not the Jews. And the Jews keep the Saturday, ſhadowie, and ceremonial-Sabbath (unſeaſonably, now when it is out of date); but ſo do not we Chriſtians, ex
The Expoſition continued. How God is ſaid to have made all in ſix dayes, and yet that he ended his Work on the Seventh day. Why the Creation was prolonged ſix dayes. The order of Creatures, firſt Heaven, then Earth. When the Heaven of Angels was made, and that it was intended principally for Mankind. Why Heaven and Earth are mentioned together. Why the making of Hell is not mentioned, though it was prepared within the firſt ſix dayes. Why the Creation is mentioned in this fourth Commandement, and not in any of the other Nine. That the Moral Sabbath doth ſignifie the Creator, which is God the Son, who is called, The Beginning, the Word, and the Wiſdome of God; and is therefore commanded to be ſanctified.
For in ſix dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in in them is, and reſted the Seven
IT is here ſaid, That the World was made in ſix dayes: and before, Gen. 2. 1. that the Heavens and Earth were finiſhed, and all the
hoſt of them. And yet it follows immediatly, That on the ſeventh
How both theſe PropoMaterially, Subſtantially, and Originally, although as yet Informiter, as the Gloſſe ſaith, that is, not formed, faſhioned, or compleated, which work was reſpited until the ſeventh day; and thereupon it is ſaid, that on it he ended his Work, and not before.
In ſix dayes.]
Although God could have made the World in one minute, yet he prolonged the work for ſix dayes, whereof St. Auſtin and other WriAbraham was not born till the old age of his Parents; nor the Egyptian deliverance performed, nor the Land of Canaan poſſeſſed, till four hundred yeares after the Promiſe.
Heaven and Earth.
The order of theſe Creatures is obſervable; Firſt Heaven, then Earth. The bleſſing of Jacob was, The dew of heaven, and the fatneſs of the earth: But Eſau's was, The fatneſs of earth, and the dew of heaven; A true ChaClaud. de Rapt. Proſ. lib. 1.
—Salve gratiſſima tellus Quam nos praetulimus coelo—
So the Epicure in Nazianzen profeſſed, Da mih
give me my portion in this World—
Heaven.
Gen. 1. 1. It is ſaid, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The Heaven there meant, I take to be that which St. Paul cals, The third Heaven, (which to us is inviſiAug. de Civit. lib. 11.Auſtin, and other
Gen. 2. 1. The Heavens and the Earth were fini
The word Heaven, alone, implieth the creation of Angels, as Auſtin ſaith in the place before cited; or, if not, theſe words, all the hoſt of heaven, will include them. And here it is ſaid, The Lord made heaven and earth—and all that therein is: By which words, we con
So the Heaven, which is ſaid to have been created in the beginning, muſt ſignifie the EmThe Firmament, Gen. 1. 7. And this Firmament is alſo called Heaven, verſ. 8. To pCome ye bleſſed
—inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World: By which words, ſurely, he meant that Heaven, which was created in the beginning for bleſſed Angels and Men.
Now although this higheſt Heaven was made, and alſo inhabited by Angels, yet God is not ſaid to reſt in that Work; nor, untill he had finiſhed the Man and the Woman, and in them had laid their Saviour to conduct
(prepared for You.) In or(Are
they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter, for them who ſhall be Heirs of ſalvation. By which moſt gracious proviſion, our God hath declared himſelf to be a true Philanthropus. And alſo, a lover of Mankind, rather more than a lover of Angels.
For, out of this heavenly Paradiſe the apoEve; therefore the fall of Angels was before the fall of Man: Indeed, Man alſo was ſent out of the earthly Paradiſe for ſin; but yet he was not left withSeed of the Woman, even the Meſſiah, who is therefore the true and reall Sabbath of Man. And herein, alſo, is the love of God to Man highly expreſſed, in that he reſted, only in conſideration of Mankind, and the Saviour of us; and not in the creation, either of Heaven, or of Angels.
Heaven and Earth.
See how our merciful Creator, in the very beAdam was compoſed of an heavenly Soul, and an earthly Body, as a reſemblance of the ſecond Adam, who conſiſted of his Hea: He was that propheſied Starr, as being heavenout of Jacob, as to his humane geneEmmanuel, by whom this merciful in
The Sea, and all that in them is.
Here we find Heaven, Earth, and Sea, and all the Creatures in them mentioned which words include both Men and Angels alſo. But we find not any mention of Hell, or its inhabitants, which yet (doubtleſſe) was orJude, as Reſerved in everlaſt
They that imagine Hell to be implied in the word Earth, may change their opinion, when they conſider, that Hell, and its fire, are ſaid to be everlaſting; but the Earth is a : but it muſt be burnt up, and alſo, paſſe away, as both St. Matthew and St. Peter tell us; but ſo ſhall not Hell, which is everlaſting.
That, Hell was ordained at the beginning
Gehenna, or Hell) That it is ordained of old; (ab heri) as it is in the Original, and is ſo acknowledged by our Tranſlators in the Margin, (tha
What (yeſterday) this Prophet meant, we are told by the Expoſitor, (probably and ingeniouſly at leaſt, if not ſolidly;) the firſt day of the world; becauſe, that day was the firſt that ever could be called yeſterday. And, That as God on that day made Heaven for his Elect, ſo he made Hell for the Reprobate: and the Goſpel teacheth us, That the everlaſting fire was prepared for the Devil and his Angels. For, when the Angels fell, they became Devils, and their fall was ve
If now it be enquired, Why no mention is made of Hell in all the hiſtory of the CreatiIſai. 28. 21.) call, Alienum opus Dei; that is, the extorted, forTertullian ſaith, Tert. de Reſur. p. 44Deus eſt Optimus de ſuo; Juſtus de noſtro: niſi homo deliquiſſet, Optimum ſolummodo Deum nôſſet. And aIbid. Cont. Marc. l. 2. p. 178Bonitas Dei eſt ſecundum naturam; Severitas ſecundum cauſam. Juſt ſo Clemens ſaith, c
Deus eſt bonus per ſe
propter nos. And this even Philo the Jew perPhilo. Quod Deus immutab. p. 309.Boni
Their meaning is, That the Acts of Mercy, Grace, and Goodneſs flow from God naturally, of himſelf, and of his own meer motion; but his Acts of Severity, and Juſtice, are not executed, but only, upon external provocation by ſin. We often read, that God was gre
for their ſins; as Pſal. 78. 40. & 95. 10. which is but an expreſſion of unwillingneſs to puniſh. Auſt
ſaith in one place (if that Book be his) Aug. de Spiritu, & An. c 6. To. 3.Plus cruc
God is more greived in puniſhing, then the patient is in ſuffering. The Heathens ſaid the like, both of their Princes, and of their Idol-gods, as not puniſhing, but with greif; and not at all, without external provocation. Even Ne
himſelf, when he was to ſubſcribe a Warrant for Execution, ſaid, Quam vellem neſcire literas; as Suet. in Ne
10.Suetonius writeth. AnoAuguſtus;
Ovid. de Pont. Sed pger ad poenas Princeps, ad praemia velox • Qui que dolet quoties Cogitur eſſe ferox.
And of the Heathen-Gods another ſaith; Horat. Od. 3.
Neque—Per noſt um patin • ur ſcelus • acunda Jovem ponere fulm •• n • . •
The Jewiſh Talm
ſaith, That God at cerJeruſalem: Which Orig. in Lu. Hom. 38.Origen cals, The tears of God. And, before the Deluge, the Scripture telleth us, That (either for the ſiit g
In the I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dyeth. And Chriſt It is not the will of
your heavenly Father, that one of theſe little ones ſhould periſh.
But the Heathen-gods have a character of cruelty faſtened on them, by ſome other of their own Idolaters (for indeed, they were but Devils, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith): One thus Daemonia Pſal. 69. 5Tacit. Hiſt. l. 1.Appro
And another before him;
Faelix Roma quidem— Luc4.. lib. •• Silibertatis Superis tam cura fuiſſet Quàm vind cta placet— •
By which we ſee that confeſſed, which Moſes ſaid of the falſe and the true God: Their Rock
is not as our Rock, our enemies themſelves being judges.
It is right worthy of our ſerious conſideraNine. As 1. The Memento, or, Remember. 2. The Ceremonial Type of the Seventh-day Sabbath (of both theſe we have taken notice before): But 3. Here is another ſpecial property, farre grea[For in ſix dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, &c.] which is a ſtrong argu
The Heathens (it ſeems) thought all ſuch motives to be needleſs in Laws. One of them ſaith, Sence. Epiſt. 94.Lex-jubeat, non diſputet. And, Nihil mihi videtur frigidius, nihil ineptius, quàm lex cum prologo. He would have LawPrologue, and an Epilogue alſo; by which he not only commandeth, but diſputeth his Leiges into obedience, as being moſt expedient and profiCreator of Heaven and Earth.
In the firſt of theſe Laws, (which a man would imagine to be the greateſt) God uſeth only this motive, [I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt.] This was to move them, by way of gratitude, to adhere only to him, their Deliverer, and not to acknowledge any other God.
But the motive uſed in this fourth ComEgypt, and wonders at the Red Sea; for the Iſraelites were numerous enough to have fought the Egyptians, and to ſubdue them; they wanted
Egyptians, or ſupplied by a forrain power; we well know,
was not invincible, ha
Now the motive uſed in this Sabbath Law, is proper only to the Almighty, and abſolutemake heaven and earth, which is generally confeſſed by Heathens, Jews, and Chriſtians. Plato called God, Plut. in Symp. c. 1.Philo the Jew he is called, : And by Dyoniſ. Areop.
N
Paul,
The Almighty Father and Maker of the World.
Among the wiſe Sentences of old Pythagoras, this is recorded for one, If any man come and boaſt that he is God, let him create another World, and we will believe him. And in the holy Scripture, This making of Heaven and Earth is often mentioned as a peculiar charaIn the beginning
God created the Heaven, and the Earth: And, Happy is the man, whoſe hope is in the Lord his God, which made Heaven and Earth. So it is in the New Teſtament, Acts 14. 15. and 17. 24. And by this the true God is differenced from falſe Gods; as, The gods that have not made Heaven and Earth ſhall periſh. And, All the
gods of the Nations are Idols, but the Lord made the Heavens. And this character of God is put into the very front of our Creed. Firſt, As a ſtrong motive to incline us to believe, and truſt in him. Secondly, To inform the
My help
cometh from the Lord, which made Heaven and Earth.
This great motive here uſed, to incline us to ſanctifie the Sabbath, doth evidently ſhew, that this Sabbath-Law is of greater concernment to us, than the firſt Law is. The reaſon whereLord God that made Heaven and Earth.
For we have proved before: Firſt, That the Sabbath day, mentioned in the Moral part of this Commandement, doth ſignifie God the Son, becauſe in him only the Godhead can be truly ſaid to Reſt, and not otherwiſe. Secondly, We have proved, That the Jewiſh Seventh day Sabbath was appointed only, to be for a type, figure, and memorial, or commemoration of that true and grand Sabbath (which is Chriſt). From theſe premiſes we here inferre, That the making of Heaven and Earth is mentioned in
Sabbath day, is the great Day-ſpring from on high; and is really, He that made heaven and earth. So that if we will acknow
No learned or prudent Chriſtian (I ſupSon of God was the Creator of Heaven and Earth; or, if any do, the Scriptures and primitive Church will gain
The Fathers expound theſe words, Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created, to ſignifie God the Father in God the Son. And Joh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word; that is, the Word or Son was in the Godhead, even that Word, by which all things were made. For the Word Principium, (Tertullian obſerveth, doth not ſignify onely, Ordinativum, (i. e.) a Beginning, in reſpect of the order of time; but Poteſtativum, (i. e.) a Primacy in power, and authority. For, from this word, Archontes, and by others Demarchi, (i. e.) Powers, Princes, and Rulers of People. One of the ſayings of Pittacus the Philoſopher, was, (i. e.) MagiArchangelus, in St. Paul; Archiepiſcopus, in Chryſoſtome
Epiphanius; and Archipresbyter and Archidiaconus, in St. Hieron. Epiſt. 4.Jerom.
As to the appellation, Word; The Pſalmiſt ſaith, By the Word of the Lord the heavens
were made: juſt ſo the Evangeliſt tells us, All things were made by him. That this Word was God the Son, every one knowes. The Pſalmiſt ſaith again, verſ. 9. Let all the Earth—and all the inhabitants of the world ſtand in awe of of him, for he ſpake the Word and it was done. The Word by which the world was made, and of which Moſes thus wrote, God ſaid, Let there be light—and, Let there be a firmament, is not to be thought a tranſient or vocall word, as Auſtin ſaith, De Civ. lib. 11. c. 8.Non ſonabili verbo, ſed intelligibili. And by ſuch a word, as, In Ioh. Tract. 37.Manebat, non ſonando tranſibat, (i. e.) The world was made by that internall and ſubſtantiall Word, which did not paſſe away from God, (as our words do from us) but by his Word permanent, of which St. John ſaith, The Word was with God—and, The Word
was God.
Pſal. 104. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wiſdom haſt thou made them all. Who this Wiſdom, and Beginning, and Word is, by which all things were made, the Goſpell hath taught us, that it is Chriſt, who is not onely the Beginning, and the Word, (as it is ſaid) but is alſo called, The Wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 1. 24. And, All things were made by him, Joh. 1. 3. and, All things by him were created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, Col. 1. 16.
The Jews, in diſparagement of Chriſt, Carpenter, and the ſon of a
Carpenter; ſo did Celſus in Cont. Celſ. lib. 6.Origen, and Theod. hist. lib. 3. cap. 23.Julian the impious and apoſtate Emperour. Juſtin Martyr doth indeed affirm, that Chriſt on earth was literally a Carpenter, and did make ploughs and yokes; (Iuſtin. Dial. cum Tryph. Ambr. Ser. 10.Ambroſe, and St. Auſtin, tell us, That he was alſo that Carpenter that built HeavenAug. de Temp. Ser. 3making heaven and earth.
And reſted the ſeventh day.
Touching this Reſt of God, what it was, and why it is fixed on the ſeventh day, we have ſaid much before; and ſomething more muſt be added, which will be more fit to be diſ
The Expoſition continued. That all the Divine Perſons concurred, in Creating, Reſting, Bleſſing, and Sanctifying. How the Son of God, or Second Perſon, is the Reſt and Sabbath of the ſame Son of God. How he resteth in himſelf. Of the divers conſiderations of God the Son, in reſpect of Godhead and Manhood; and his ſeverall Appellations reſpectfully. Why the ſeventh day was preferred above the former ſix. That the Ceremoniall Sabbath was for the memoriall of the Reſting, and not of the Working of God.
And Reſted the ſeventh day.
THe more literall and exact reading of theſe words, is, [And reſted on the ſeventh day] for thus St. Jerom renders them, Requievit die ſeptimo; and the Clementine-Edition, [In die ſeptimo.] For, it was not the day that was conſidered by the Godhead, but ſomething that was performed on that day, that occaſioned this Reſt; which if it had been ſo done on any other of the former ſix daies, certainly, it would have been ſaid of that day, as it is of this, that God reſted on it. What that thing was, we have ſhewed before at large, namely, that it was in conſideration of the Meſſiah, or Chriſt.
The Lord, who is here ſaid to have made heaven and earth, and to bleſſe and ſanctifie the Sabbath day; whether it be meant of the Perſon of the Father onely, or of the Perſon of the Son, or of the Perſon of the Holy SpiLord, and the Creator, and the Sanctifier. Of the Father, no man doubtJob ſaith, By
his Spirit he hath garniſhed the heavens; and the Pſalmiſt alſo, Thou ſendeſt forth thy Spirit
and they are created; and the Church, at the opening of Councils, uſed to ſing that Hymn in St. Ambroſe, which beginneth, Inter Hymnos Ambroſ. To. 5.Veni Creator Spiritus.
For when our Vulgar Catechiſms aſcribe Creation to the Father, and Redemption to the Son, and Sanctification to the holy Ghoſt, we are not ſo to underſtand them, as if theſe actions were of each ſeverall perſon; or, as if the Father had no intereſt in our RedemptiFather created, but it was in and by the Son, and both, by the holy Ghoſt. So, the Son Redeemed, but it was from the Father, and by the Spirit. So, the holy Ghoſt Sanctifieth, but he doth it from the Father and the Son. So alſo in this place, the Reſt of God is not to be accounted, the Reſt of one ſingle Perſon onely, but of the whole Godhead, and of every one of the Three moſt
If it be now granted, that the Son of God is this Lord, and Creator, that made heaven and ea
and He, that is here ſaid to Reſt; and alſo He, that is the onely Reſt and SabReſt it ſelf is here ſaid to Reſt, and the Sabbath it ſelf to reſt in the Sabbath, and the Son of God muſt be the Sabbath of the ſame Son of God: Which, at our firſt hearing, may ſeem to be a violent Expoſition; which yet is not ſo, as will preſently appear.
The Reader may eaſily apprehend, that alOne, yet he is often reOne and the ſame God; for ſo this Son of God (who is the onely God) is ſet forth in ScripImmorta
and yet mortall; as the M
and yet made; that he was from Eternity, and yet born in time; the Father of all men, and yet the Son of man; the Creator of his Mother, and yet her Son. All theſe ſpeeches are true of this Son of God, conſidered in his ſeverall and reſpective capaci
One (in Plutarch) ſaid openly to a King ſitting in judicature, Provoco à Philippo ad Phil
So Nazianzen repreſenteth the ſame perſon, both as a Judge, and as one arraigned, Naz. E
79.Te accuſo apud te, juſtum
judicem. So doth St. Ambroſe to one, as if he were both Client and Counſellor, Ambr. Ser. 64.Stulto conſiliario uſus es teipſo. Upon theſe words, Pſal. 140. 1. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evill man, St. Auſtin ſaith, Aug. Hom 29. & de Temp. Ser. 233.à te,
God doth deliver a man from himſelf. And upon thoſe words, Deliver us from evill, he ſaith, Deus te liberat, à teipſo malo. We have a Proverb, that a man is his own neighbour.
Alter tu; and, Ille ego; and, Ego ille; as if a man were another, and not himſelf. Juſt ſo, the forenamed Father ſpeaketh of God, Aug. in Joh. Tract. 27.Domine, repellis nos à te, da nobis alterum te. So we may often obſerve Pfrom God, as conſidered onely in his Court of Juſtice, to the ſame God, as ſitting in his Temple of mercy, which is onely Chriſt.
In like manner, the great Apoſtle ſpeaketh of God and of Chriſt ſeverally, as of two, 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and this is uſuall in Scriptwo fold conſideration of his Perſon.
Firſt, If we look on him, and conſider him onely in his pure Divinity; then (according to the Scriptures) we call him, The mighty
God, the everlaſting Father. The Creator, by whom all creatures were made. God the Word, God the Son. And the eternall Son of the eternall Father. And, the Lord JEHOVA. Of
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.
Secondly, When we conſider him together with his aſſumed Human Nature, then we call him Meſſiah, Chriſt, God's Annointed, Emmanuel, The Word made fle
and, The Son of man. Which appellations cannot appertain to this Second
The Premiſes being acknowledg'd and granted, theſe Myſteries will be diſcover'd: 1. How God the Son is both the Creator of all creatures, and alſo the Reſt or Sabbath of the God head. 2. How the Son of God may be truly ſaid to Reſt in himſelf. 3. How the Reſt it ſelf is ſaid to Reſt in it ſelf, and the Sabbath in the Sabbath. All which the Reader will underſtand, by conſidering theſe few Aphoriſms following, which are deducible from thoſe two Conſiderations of the Perſon of Je
1. The Son of God, conſidered onely in his pure Divinity, is the Lord, and the Creator, who is here ſaid to Reſt.
2. The Son of God, conſidered in reſpect onely of his Godhead, cannot be truly called the Reſt or Sabbath of God and Men.] The rea
The Son of God, conſidered onely as incarnate; or, as the Son of man; or, as Chriſt; cannot be called the Creator of the world. The reaſon is, becauſe the Creation was perSon of man.
4. The Son of God is (and may be truly called) the Reſt or Sabbath of the ſame Son of God. This Propoſition is thus to be underEmmanuel, and not otherwiſe: So that he is not to be called the Sabbath or Reſt, either of himſelf, or of us men, as he is onely the Son of the Father, but as he is alſo the Son of his mother; for in this conſideration onely, he is ſtyled in his Types, the Reſt of the Godhead, and the Reſting place, the Habitation, the Temple, the Delight, and the well-beloved Son, in whom God is well pleaſed, or (as Beza moſt judiciouſly rendreth thoſe words) in whom the Godhead doth acquieſs, (as is before noHeb. 4. 9. that there remaineth a Reſt (to the people of God. The ſum and concluſion is:
The Son of God is the Creator even of the Son of man, and of all the world.
The Son of man is the Reſt or Sabbath of the Son of God, and of all holy men.
Reſted the Seventh day.
In the whole Hiſtory of the Creation, we find mention but of ſeven daies, and no more; for all ſuccethe Reſt of God, and therefore preferred before the firſt day, wherein Heaven was made; and alſo before the ſixth day, wherein Man was created. And this without any injury or ſlur to any of the for
When the noble Generall, The miſtocles, was twitted and repined at, by ſome ſucceeApologue; Once, ſaid he, the working-day contended with the Holy-day for preSed e
Had it not been for the Holy-day, Working-daies had not been at all. His meaning was, that without his wiſdom and policy, (whom they accounted but as an idle Holy-day) they had all been defeated, captivated, and utterly loſt. So is it here. The ſeventh-day is therefore preferred before all other the former daies, becauſe it repreſented the great Creator of all daies, and
Paraſceues againſt the day of wrath. Whereas this myſtewe ſhall be ſaved from wrath. Wherefore, as all the elder ſons of Jeſſe paſſed before the Prophet, and not one of them was choſen to the honour of Unction, that it might be reſerved for the youngeſt, even David; ſo, not one of the elGod's Reſting, but that preferment is deſervedly reDavid, yet not the literal or typical David, but Chriſt the Son of David, who is very often in Scripture exDavid, as Jer. 30. 9. Ezek. 34. 23. Hoſ. 3. 5. In a word, he that underſtands in what particular thing the Reſt of God con
Wherefore the Lord bleſſed, &c.
That which our Engliſh readeth, [Wherefore] St. Jerom and the Latines generally read, [Therefore] idcircò: From which word we obſerve, that the Judaicall or CeremoniReſt of God, and to move us all to conſider, in what this Reſt conſiſteth, which doth far more concern us and our happineſſe, than all the world without it; becauſe otherwiſe, neither the world, nor any creatures therein, nor the perWhat is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul?
[Wherefore] or [Therefore] relateth to the Reſt of God, and not to his creating of the world, we are expreſly taught by Moſes, who tells us, That God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it; becauſe that in it he had reſted from all his works. So that the Reſting, and not of the Working of God. Concerning the bleſſing and ſanctifying whereof, we are next to enquire.
The Expoſition concluded. The meaning of bleſſing and hallowing the Sabbath day. The difference of hallowing God's Name, and hallowing of Creatures; and of the differences of Holineſs. When the Seventh day was firſt hallowed; and how it was diſ-hallowed. Something of Sacrilege. How the Prophets ſpake truly of things to come, as if they had been paſt. Of the Prophetical figure called Anticipation, with Rules and Examples thereof applied to this Sabbath.
The Lord bleſſed the Sabbath day (or Seventh day.)
THe Leiturgie of the Church of England readeth (the Seventh day); but the Orithe Sabbath day. Both are read indifferently; as Gen. 2. 3. hath the Seventh day, and ſo have ſome of the other languages in this Commandement, as appeareth in the late incomparable and renowned work of our new Great Bible. Indeed, both are one in this place; For the Sabbath Ceremonial is but the Seventh day; and the Seventh day only is that Sabbath which is here meant, it being but a Sabbath Typical.
Bleſſed the Sabbath day.
To bleſſe (Benedicere) is, to ſpeak ſome good of it; as in the Leiturgie of St Baſil this Prayer is found, Baſil. n. 2Domine, loquere bonum in cor Regis, pro Eccleſia tua. When God bleſſeth, he conferreth ſome favour, or ſpecial priviledge; as here, on the Sabbath day, ſuch as it was capable of, and in order to that purin Children, Lands, Cattel, Basket and Store, mentiDeut. 28. and as Iſaac bleſſed his Sons, with the dew of Heaven, and fatneſſe of the Earth. But the Sabbath being uncapable of ſuch benedictions, the bleſſing of it muſt conMyſterious Reſt. 2. He appointed that day only, and not any of the other ſix, to be for a memorial to his people of the grand bleſſing of their Reſt in Chriſt. 3. He ordained it for a corporal reſt, both for Men and Cattel. 4. He gave moſt ſtrict comParaſceue, as a proviſion for the Sabbath. 7. He appointed this holy day to be weekly, that is, two and fifty times in the year, whereas other Feſtivals (except new-Moons)
And hallowed it.
Hallowed is holied, or ſanctified; The meaning is, that God deſigned it to be an holy or hallowed day.
To be an hallowed, or ſanctified day, is, to be divided, ſeparated, or diſtinguiſhed from other common dayes, by way of preferment, honour, and preheminence, and to be ſet apart ſo, as, that work which might lawfully have been done on that day, before it was hallowed, might not be done on it, after the hallowing thereof.
We read of hallowed, or holy oyl, holy veſſels, holy veſtments, and holy places, which might not be uſed or applied to any other ſer
But yet (during the vigour and continuhallowing) the Sabbath day was not altogether and abſolutely quitted from all manner of working; We know the Prieſts did then work hard, and Souldiers marched, and other works were lawfully done; the reaſon was, becauſe this Sabbatical Hallowing was but meerly figurative and ceremonial, and therefore diſpenſable in caſe of preſſing neceſſiTo love the Lord our God with all our heart, and our neighbour as our ſelf. This Law hath been in force ever ſince the Creation was finiſhed, and ſo ſhall continue until the end of the World; but the hallowing of the Seventh day, was neither from the beginning, nor was it to laſt to the end of the World, being but Ceremonial and Temporary; and therefore ought to give place to the Law Moral.
We find Hallowing, or Holineſs, applied di
Firſt, There is an Holineſs Eſſential, which is only in God, who is the Fountain of all inHallowed be thy Name.
Secondly, There is an Holineſſe Moral, or
Qualities, derived from God, the Fountain thereof; ſuch is in holy Men, as Piety, Righteouſneſs, Juſtice, Truth, Sincerity,
This is that which Divines call Inherent Holineſs.
Thirdly, There is an Holineſſe by Dedication, or Aſſignment, as of Places, Veſſels, Veſtments, Men, and other Creatures, and of Times, as this Hallowed Sabbath day is; Hence we ſay, holy Temple, holy Church holy Day, holy E
for the Bread and Wine, to be uſed therein, are of themſelves but Elements; but after Dedication, or Conſecration of them, or Hallowing (which our fore-fathers called Howſeling) them to that Myſterious uſe, we Fox in Hen. 8.Sacraments, Divines call this Holineſſe, Relative.
It is but a ſrivolous cavil, or excuſe, of Sacrilegers, who make no ſcruple of abuſing or demoliſhing hallowed places, as Churches and Chappels, or robbing them of their veſſels, goods, lands, and Revenues, which were coninherent in them, as, no pie
no faith, or hope, &c. I wiſh ſuch to conſider alſo, what inherent holineſſe the Jewiſh Sabbath had; or Achan's Wedge of
gold; or Ananias his money, except only the dedication, or deſtiſtoning, burning, and by ſudden death; and all this by the Sentence of God himſelf, although the hallowing (in the caſe of Ananias) was not by God, but voSunday, which was not hallow—Ex ore tuo, ſerve nequam, &c.
But then, the Sabbath-day having been thus hallowed, or ſanctified by God, How comes it to be unhallowed, and laid common with other dayes? Would God revoke that which himPeter in a like caſe, What God hath cleanſed call not thou
common.
To this our Anſwer is. Firſt, Man might not preſume to alter or null any of Gods OrDivine warrant: But the diſſolution of this Sabbath-day was done by the grand Warrant of the Son of God, and by him then, when he was the Great Son of Man. Secondly, We ſay, That God never unhalTypes were, Sacrifices, Circumciſion, Paſſover, Tabernacle, and this Sabbath; all which, and many ſuch, were but Ceremoten Commandements, which are Sanctions Moral: Theſe God never yet revoked, nor never will: But the other ſort, which
viz. untill the manifeſtation of the Son of God in the fleſh. Which being accompliſhed, thoſe temporary Ordi
Hallowed.
The principal Queſtion in this hallowing, which hath moſt perplexed the minds of maTime, when God did actually hallow, or ſet apart the Seventh day, whether on the firſt Seventh day of the World, or, whether not before the dayes of Moſes, and the Egyptian delive
To this we anſwer confidently and reſoluteMoſes: Our Reaſons for this Aſſer
Firſt, If the weekly Seventh day had been hallowed at the beginning, as a Law, it muſt have been, either written in Mans heart, as all Moral Lawes of God were ever ſince Man was made; or elſe it muſt have been openly declared
Law poſitive. But the Seventh-day SabLaw poſitive; for if ſo, then certainly we ſhould have found ſome mention, or footſteps of it in the Hiſtory of the Patriarks, which lived before Moſes: But we Adam, nor any of his poſterity, did ever ſo Sabbatize untill the dayes of Moſes. This is the Doctrine of the Fathers generally, and of the Church Primitive.
Secondly, The Preface before the ten Moral Laws, which containeth the date or time of their Promulgation by writing, to me ſeemeth to be annexed to them, on purpoſe, to prove this Aſſertion concerning the fiI am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, Thou ſha
By which it may apEgypt. Juſt ſo the Prophets date their Propheſies at the beginThe viſion of Iſaiah in the dayes of Uzziah, &c. And, To Jeremiah the
word of the Lord came in the dayes of Joſiah. And, In the firſt year of Jehoiakim's captivity, the word of the Lord came expreſly to Ezekiel
the Prieſt. The like we find in Daniel, Amos, Micha, Zephani, Haggi, Zechari. And in the Goſpel alſo. In the dayes of Herod.—And, Caeſar Auguſtus. And Tiberius
Caeſar.
Decalogue of the Law Moral, which we are well aſſured was in force from the creation of the firſt Man? If not for this reaſon only, bnew, and was not writEgypt: And, That new thing was, this Ceremonial Precept of hallowing the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath.
If it be here urged, That M
expreſly writeth in the hiſtory of the firſt Seventh day, That God bleſſed he Seventh da
Therefore if it were hal
To this we ſay (although it hath been moſt ſolidly anſwered before by a right worthy and learned Writer Moſes doth not write, that God hallowed it
and on that very firſt Seventh day, nor doth he there ſhew when it was hallowed; but only why God did chuſe thMoſes may well juſtifie this ExpoGod bleſſed and ſancti
Egypt, he choſe and preferred
If it be further preſſed, that even in this fourth Commandment, the words of Bleſſing and Hal
are delivered in a Tenſe, which ſignifieth the
as Benedix
and Sanctificavit: that is, He hath bleſſed and ſanctified: Which words do indeed relate to a former hallowing thereof, before the giving of the Law. And if ſo, Why may they not point to the hallowing on the firſt ſeventh day?
To this we anſwer, and grant, that the HalHe bleſſeth and halloweth, in the preſenttenſe. But this Paſt, or former
referreth us onely to that time, when the Sabbath day was firſt actually and declaratively hallowed, or ſet apart; and was no further off, than the time of the falling of Manna: So we read, Exod. 16. This is that which the Lord hath ſaid, To morrow
is the reſt of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. And, verſ. 29. See, the Lord hath given you the Sabbath—So the people reſted on the ſeventh day. This is the firſt ſeventh-day-Sab
But let it be ſuppoſed and granted, that the ſeventh-day-Sabbath was bleſſed and halGen. 2. 3. yet that Hallowing will no
(The ſeventh day was
hallowed in the dai
If Moſes had ſaid, that God hallowed the ſeventh day, not onely in Adam's time, but alſo before the Creation, and from Eternity, he had ſaid noWas, Is, and, To come, are but as one moment. All things and times were preſent to him from everlaſting. So that in conſideration of this Decree, we ſay, that the ſeventh day was halMoſes, and alſo beAdam. Juſt as we may alſo truly affirm, that the world was in Beeing beBeeing is to be underſtood onely of the Idea in the Divine M
and ſo is this early hal
[The ſeventh
day was not hallowed till the daies of Moſes] this is to be underſtood in reſpect of the actuall performance and execution of the aforeſaid Decree, and of the patefaction, maPraeſcitum, but not Praeſtitum; The Pre-ſcience of God was before man's Cogniſance. God's hallowing by his Decree was from E
even in the time of Moſes, and not before.
It muſt needs be granted, that the world, and all its creatures, had ſome kind of Beeing before their actuall creation, becauſe the ScripKnown unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world;
The Lord knoweth who are his, ſurely he knew He hath choſen us in him (in Chriſt) before the foundation of the world; every one knows, E
was before Creation. We read alſo of the Purpoſe of God, and of grace which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus before the
world began. Theſe truths cannot otherwiſe be underſtood, but onely in conſideration of the Beeing of Creatures in the Idea, or Divine Mind, before their exiſtence in Nature. Tertullian ſaith, Tert. Adverſ. Prax. p. 38Ante omnia De
The Schoolmen have alſo taught us theſe Maxims, Non entis n
And, Non ens non intelligitur. And, In D
ThereKnowledge of God, nor his Election, nor his Giving grace, can be ſaid of, Non entities, and meer nothings; it will follow, that theſe known and choſen objects and ſ
had a beeing, beKnower and Chooſer, and that is God.
If it be enquired, why Moſes mentioneth this Hallowing ſo early, ſeeing it was not deMoſes.
Juſt ſo, the latter Prophets ſpake of the Birth, Paſſi
and D
of our Rantici
as St. Auguſtine calls it, withAug. lib. locut. in Nu. To. 3.
Tertullian ſaith, Scriptura, Quae futura ſu
After him, Euſebius obſerveth, Euſeb-Demonſt. l. 4. c.
Prophetica conſuetudo eſt, Quod futurum eſt, quaſi prae
St.
Raſil ſaith, Baſ. in
1.
35.Prophetae ennarrant futura, quaſi praeterita. And Nazianzen, d In Scriptura ſepè
The ſame is obſerCyril, Chryſoſtom, Ambroſe, and very often by St. Auſtin.
The great Apoſtle hath alſo taught us, that
4. 17.God calleth thoſe things which be not as though they were. (Apud
With God thoſe things are preſent which to us are to come. And, Habet electos ſuos quos creaturus eſt,—quos habet apud ſemetipſum, non in natur
God hath his Elect, which yet are not born; he hath them in himIſaiah ſaith of Chriſt, Unto us a ch
yet He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions,
he was bruiſed for our iniquities. He was oppreſſed, afflicted—brought as a lamb to the ſlaughter, &c. Juſt ſo the Pſalmiſt ſpake long before, They pierced my hands and
my feet. They caſt lots upon my veſture. They gave me gall and vinegar. All theſe, and maAuſtin ſaith, Aug. cont. Max. lib. 3.
To. 6.Pradeſtinatione
Theſe things were actually deHerod and Rilate are ſaid to have done, wh
So we read, He predeſt
The Lamb ſlain from the foundation of the world. All Futures are ſpoken as if they had been paſt, becauſe to the All-ſeeing Godhead, they were as evident and preſent, as if they had been performed: and this, in reſpect of the Div
and Eternall Decre
Upon the ſame ground, Moſes might truly aſſert the Hallowing of the ſeventh day at the beginning of the world, although it was not ſo declaMoſes. Thus much may ſerve for Expoſition of the Cere
The Reaſons why God conferred honours on the ſeventh day, and why he alſo la
1. That the Sabbath day was not made known till Motime, nor at all mentioned by Danor the Sabbath-Law by Chriſt. 2. That God commanded ſome works on that day. 3. That no Mana fell on it. 4. That Chriſt lay dead on that whole day. 5. That God called it but a ſigne, and that it was nothing elſe. 6. That it is ſaid to be made
7. That it is imp
THe Jews greatly erred in miſunderſtand
Memento to King Philip, who every morning call'd Aelian. l.
c. 15.
When Princes confer honours or eſtates upon their ſubjects, they uſually Onerate their Patents with ſome reſervations of fealty, homage or ſervice, for an acknowledgment of their minoration, and ſubjSheep, and Neat, and Goats, as ſacrifices, to repreſent the grand Sacrifice and myſtery of the death of Chriſt. Then, by the brazen image
of a Serpent, lifted up upon a pole, he repreCircumciſion, was to be performed on that part of man's body, which is called uncomely, and pudendum. Indeed, the Temple was a ſplendid and glorious type; but even this, and the other, were ſleighted, when they had ſerved their due time. All this was to inTemplum Domini, God ſuffebrazen Serpent, with ofHezekiah brake it in pieces.
The like policy was uſed by the Divine Wiſdom in the New Teſtament, by chooſing contemptible men to adminiſter the Goſpell, as Fiſhermen, Ideots, unlearned and ignorant, Act. 4. 13. Fooliſh things, weak things, the baſe, deſpiſed, and the (Nothings of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 27, 28, And ſuch as were eſteemed the filth, and the off-ſcouring of all things, 1 Cor. 4. 13. And alſo, the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, 1 Cor. 1. 21. The Apopoor, naked, hungry, to be ſtoned, ſcourged, impriſoned, crucified, beheaded, ſlain with the ſw
The reaſon of theſe diſpenſations may thus appear: When the Lyſtrians eſteemed too highly of Paul, as We have this treaſure in earthen veſſells, that
the excellency of power may be of God, and not of us. Juſt ſo, that the people of God might be induced to conſider, and look after a far more high and noble Sabbath, it pleaſed the wiſe Godhead to incumber the ſeventh-day-Sabbath with ſuch diſparagements as theſe following.
1. The Sabbath-day was never made known or mentioned, untill 24 hundred years after the Creation, although other Ceremonialls had been enacted long before, as Sacrifices, and Circumciſion, and the Paſſeover alſo ſome time before it. It ſeems, that in all that long time, there appeared no neceſſity or uſe of a ſeventh-day-Sabbath. St. Auguſtine furAug. in Pſal. 37.Non invenimus Davidem aliquando recordatum Sabbati ſecundum obſervationem Ju
(or whoſoever with him was the Pſalmographer) never mentioned the Jewiſh Sabbath, although in the Title of that Pſalm, the Sabbath day was mentioned, in, or before, Auſtin's time, as appeareth in St. Jerom. But ſurely, Auſtin knew that Title to be added by ſome other, and not by David. We have alſo obſerved be
2. After this Sabbath-Law was ſet up, God laid a neceſſity on his people by command, of breaking and prophaning it, in Marching, Sacrificing, and Circumciſing; as alſo by huMidwifry, milking, feeding, and helping their cattle. And, by the precept of loving their neighMaccabean
Ioſ. Ant. l. 12. c. 12.P
on a Sabbath day; and their Temple alſo afterwards by l. 14 c. 8.Pompey the Roman, whereby the Jews beRome. After this, when the Jews rebelled againſt the Romans, de Bel. l. 1. p. 808.Agrippa exhorting them to ſubmit, told them withall, That they keeping their cuſtom of ſo Sabbatizing, muſt needs be eaſily vanquiſhed. Whereas the true myſte
3 No Manna, in all the forty years, ever fel
This ſurely was intended as an abaſement, a ſlur, or diſgrace thereof. We know that Manna repreſented Chriſt, as himſelf ſaid, Joh. 6. 35. 51. No Manna on the Sabbath day, that is, no Meſſiah to them, that will not apprehend him in his Type, but content themſelves in the meer Day ſhadow. St. A
judiciouſly ſaith, Aug. de Diverſ. Tract. 13. To. 9.Non credentibus, Manna ſola; ſed credentibus, idem qui nunc Chriſtus. (i. e.) By believing Iſraelites, the Manna was not received alone, (as by unbe
God the Word, (as Incarnate) and alſo the Word of God, (as delivered in holy Writ); So Orig. in Ex. hom. 7.Origen and Aug. de Temp. Ser. 91.Auſtin affirm. Now, although this Manna of the Word did fall in the Jewiſh SyMoſes were read unto them, as St. James ſaid; yet, to unbelieving Jews, this vermes generare, it bred worms, and ſtanck, as the fore-named Fathers obGen. 9. 6. yet ſo, he brought Scripture in his mouth, as Satan did Hoſius, Pigghius, Eccius, and others, to utter blaſphemies againſt the holy Scriptures; they called them, A noſe of wax, a leaden rule, a dead Letter, a dumb
Doctor, an occaſion of contention, a ſphinx or Riddle, and like Aeſop's Fables. Every chaLuther alſo (as Surius ſaith) called the Bible, Librum Haereticorum; and Hoſius called it, Verbum diaboli. (i. e.) The book of hereticks, and, The word of the devill. For ſo, before all theſe, St. Jerom, without any blaſphemy, ſaid, Hier. in Gal. 1. 5. To. 6.Interpretatione perverſâ, de Evangelio Chriſti, hominis fiat Evangelium, aut, quod pejus eſt, diaboli. (i. e.) By falſe Expoſitions, the Goſ
Some of the Fathers much pleaſed themWiſd. 16. 20. or from Philo the Jew, That the Manna had a ſeverall taſte, agreeing with every man's appetite; as, of bread, or fleſh of beaſts, or of fouls, or of fiſh. Thus Orig. in Mat. Tract. 35.Origen writeth, and
406.
as from Philo, and Aug. Epiſt. 118.Auſtin often, and Proſper, in one of his Poems, thus:
Nam quis tantarum evolvat miracula re rum, Mannae imbrem, & cunctos in coeli pane ſa pores?
And we in our daies have perceived ſome Sabbatarian innovators, miſapplying the
Montague obſerved, Act. & Mon. c. 7. ſ. 27.The filling up the meaſure of their fathers;
God's Annoynted. How near ſome Sabbatarians have approached to that ſin, I take not upon me to judge, but leave it at their own conſcience, where they will ſurely find it one day.
4. Chriſt the Saviour lay dead in his grave on the whole Jewiſh Sabbath day. This ſurely was intended as a diſparagement of that Sab: For Chriſt was the life and ſpirit, both of the Sabbath-day, and of his people; ſo that without the apprehenſion of him; the Sabbath-Law was but a dead letter, and no better then a morticine, or dead carcaſe; which if the people under the Law had but touched, it made legally unclean. His lying dead might moreover have taught them, that he inſpired not, or breathed any vitall graces, into ſuch vain and empty Sabbatizers.
Chriſt, we know, is often called Life, as, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And, H
The Apoſtle ſaith,
Chriſt is our life; and, Chriſt l
All this is ſaid in reſpect of the union of Chriſt and his ſervants, who apprehend him by faith & love. But to thoſe Jewiſh and faithleſs SabUmbras, (i.
Shadows. When Tremelius (a learVivat Chriſtus, pereat Barabbas. So we profeſſe of the ſhadowie Jewiſh Sabbath, Let it die and vaniſh, whilſt the true Sabbath, Chriſt our Lord, ſhall continue for ever.
7. Another diſcountenance of the ſeventhSign, Exod. 31. 17. Ezek. 20. 12. and the Apoſtle afterwards call'd it but a Shadow, Col, 2. 17. And morecould not away with (or endure) their Sabbaths, Iſa. 1. 13. And Chriſt, in the New Teſtament, in his own perſon, diſſolved it by cures, clay-tem
Exod. 31. 16. Jer. 27. 22. Ezek. 20. 20. & 44. 24. and promiſed great favours & bleſſings to his people that kept it unpolluted.
Theſe paſſages at firſt ſight appearing ſo contrary, might juſtly ſeem Riddles to us; but that we aſſuredly know, that there is included in this Commandement, a twofold Sabbath, the one Ceremonial, and but temporary; the other Moral, and eternal.
The Cerem
conſiſted only in the Ty
The Moral, Spiritual, and Myſterious SabSabbath, of whom the Seventh-day Sabbath was but a ſign, or ſhadow, and was to vaniſh in its due time, whereas the Moral Sabbath was to continue everlaſtingly.
This twofold Sabbath to me ſeemeth to be ſignified by the words of God, in the place before cited,
31. 16. Where the word Sabbath is doubled without any other cauſe The Children of Iſrael ſhall keep the Sabbath, to obſerve the Sabbath throughout their generations. Here is
Firſt, the Ceremonial, to be kept weekly, that by it they might be Second, even their Meſſiah ▪
throughout their generations.
Of this Moral and everlaſting Sabbath, I take the words following to be meant (alIſrael ſhall keep the Sabbath—for a perpe
Theſe words, for ever, and perpe
do indeed ſomePerpetuita
or
as Deut. 15. 17. He ſhall be thy ſervant for ever. So again of Samuel's MiSam. 1. 2. called for ever: Which Je
more fitly renders, J
that is, continually, or perpetually; for the word Perpetual, doth ſignifie any time, though but ſhort, ſo it be without diſcontinuance, or inPerpetuum dicimus, integrum, non interruptum: As in Plau
Perpetua nox, ſigniDecem perpet
But ſometimes alſo, theſe words ſignifie ſempiternity, and ab
The Covenant which is there ſaid to be perpetual, and for ever, ſignifieth Chriſt, and
Jerm
is called a new Covenant, of which that Prophet thus wriThis ſhall be the Covenant—I will put
my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. That this Law is meant of Chriſt, I have ſhewed before: : Chriſt ſaith, This is my blood of the new Teſtament, Matth. 26. 28. Or, as St. Luke reads it, This is the new Teſtament in my blood, Luke 22. 20. Teſtament and Covenant ſignifie the ſame thing, but only, that a Covenant is a Promiſe Conditional: And a Teſtament there, is the ſame Promiſe, or Covenant, given and bequeathed. So Hebr. 13. 20. The blood of Chriſt is called, The blood of the everlaſting Covenant (Beza renders, Aeter
Eternal Covenant: So theſe words, Teſtament, and Covenant, both to our own, and alſo to forrain Tranſlators, ſeem all one; ſo Chriſt muſt be this everlaſting covenanted Sabbath.
But then, if this everlaſting Sabbath be reſign, as the TyExod. 31. 17. It is a ſign for ever?
To this we anſwer: That this Sabbath is no otherwiſe called a ſign, than Chriſt himſelf is ſo called, Luke 2. 34. This Child is ſet—for a ſign that ſhall be ſpoken againſt. And, Then ſhall appear the ſign of the Son of Man in heaven. This ſign ſignifieth the very Perſon of Chriſt, as both Origen and Chryſoſtome ex
In a like caſe, when queſtion was made by D
how D
being a great ſinner, could be ſtyled, A man after Gods own heart? St. Auſtin anſwered; De 8. Quaest. Dulc. To. 3.De Chriſto intellige, & nullus nodus eſt. So we ſay, if we underDay-Sabbath was taken away, that ſo the true ſubſtantial Sabbath might the better take place in mens minds: Juſt as Typical Sacrifices were rejected by God, that ſo the grand Sacrifice of Chriſt might be by faith apprehended; of which the Apoſtle expreſly thus writeth, He taketh away the firſt, that he may eſtabliſh the ſecond.
This is alſo to be obſerved for a ſign of the depreciating, or undervaluing of this Typical, or Day-Sabbath, that Chriſt ſaid, The Sabbath
was made for Man, and not Man for the Sabbath. This he meant (no doubt) of the CMen was made for the Sabbath; becauſe the true Sabbath is God the Son, by whom, and for whoſe glory, all Men, and the World it ſelf were made: And he was before all Creatures, and not made at all, nor created, but begotten from E
But yet, this Son of God may truly be ſaid
the Son of God, but as he is alſo, the Son of Man. He was made Man for us, and by that he became the Myſtical Sabbath. For the Son of God conſidered in his pure DiviThe Son of Man came not to be miniſtred
unto, but to miniſter.
7. Finally, The moſt notorious ſlurre of all, was, That this Seventh day, which God apGeographie may eaſily apprehend; for when in one part of the Earth it is Mi
in another part it is Mid-night, and when Day begins in one part, Night begins in another; ſo that the Jews themſelves, in their remote diſperſions, cannot poſſibly Sabbatize at the ſame time. By this it may clearly appear, that the ſeventh-day Sabbath was only a national Conſtitution, duGo ye into
all the world and preach. And not only to the Jews, but, Go and teach all Nations.
Theſe and ſuch like incumbrances, impoſſiThe adverſaries did mock at her Sabbaths: And the Manichee
Aug. Cont. Fa
18 c. 5.Catc
the fetters of Saturn. Logicians uſe to ſay, Uno abſur do dato, mille ſequuntur: The miſ-underſtanding of this one Sabbath Law, led the Jews into ſtrange and ridiculous Superſtitions, and alſo to the ruine of their Perſons, and City, and Temple. A Jew, in a boyſterous Sea, refuſed to tug at the ſtern, becauſe it was his Sabbath day, and ſo he periſhed. Another would not be drawn out of a loathſome draught upon the ſame reaſon, but rather miſerably periſhed, as our own Hi
The Jews could not be ignorant, that God himſelf did work on every Sabbath-day, and that he did alſo occaſionally command others ſo to do, as the Preiſts, and ſometimes the SoulThat Man ſhould work when God worketh, and reſt when God reſted. But God worketh alwayes, ſo cannot Man: If they had ſaid, that Man ſhould reſt in that thing, which God reſted in,
By theſe Reaſons a pious and judicious Reader will clearly perceive, that theſe ſlurrs were put upon the Day Sabbath by our Wiſe God, on purpoſe, and deſign, to withdraw his people from the ſhadow to the ſubſtance, and from the Ceremonial to the Moral, and ſub: for juſt ſuch a deſign God had in his Diſpenſation, even of the Moral Law, which was firſt written in Man's heart: Then afterwards, when it was to our lapſed and depraved nature impoſſible, yet it was again impoſed on us, and engraven in ſtone: And this he did, that thereby he might direct us, both to perform ſo much of it as we can, and alſo to ſeek help and mercy of him, for what we cannot do.
There had been no need of writing this Law in Tables of ſtone, which was written defore in Man's heart, but only, becauſe, as St. Auſtin ſaith, Aug. in Pſal. 57.Tu fugitivus eras cordis tui; i.
Man was a run-away from his own heart and principles; for we find, that Man now perpeJuvenal Sat. 13.
—Se judice, nemo nocens abſolvitur.
The reaſon why God did impoſe this Law on Man, then, when it was impoſſible, is ſingularly rendred by the Apoſtle, thus; The Scripture
hath concluded all under ſin, that the Promiſe
by faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. Now, although the impoſſiliterall impoſſibilities on purpoſe to be (as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith) Our Schoolmaſter, to bring us unto Chriſt; or indeed, to Ibid. v: 24.Amen.