A37049:767
A37049:767
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A Second place, Confirming the whole Decalogue (or rather Asserting it's Authority,) is in the Epistle of James, Jam. 2.10. He that Offendeth in One, is Guilty of, All: Why! Because He is the same God, and Law-giver (And no Servant nor Angel) who spake them All, one as well as another of them: And it being clear there, that he speaketh of the Decalogue, called the Royal Law; (there being no Law instanced in; nor any other, that can be of a like Authority, in these Laws instanced, but only it; nor that could be pleaded for, by James, on such Grounds, on such a time,) and it being also clear, That he giveth to all those Laws, which the Lord spake at that time, alike Authority; (other-wise, his reasoning would not be good, if any one Law or Command, could be instanced to him, of the Ten, which the Lord spake, and was abrogated, and not binding) it necessarily followeth, that this 4th. Command, being one of the Ten, must be of equal authority with t he rest.
It may be noted also, That James here doth not, (as neither doth our Lord, nor any of his Apostles, when they cite the Law) give New Authority to the Laws he citeth; but supposeth them to have it already; and maketh use of them, as Confirmations of the thing he pressed; which could not be, if their Authority depended on, or flowed from, the present Citation of them
Thirdly, we reason further thus; Either there is some Moral Duty, contained in this Command, and laid on by it; which is not in any of the former; or there is but some Ceremonial thing in it, reducible to one of them: For, the Perfection of this Law requireth, that all things needful to the Worship of God, should be summed in it and the Scope thereof, which is, Briefly to compend all requireth there should be nothing in it, that's needless, superfluous, or that might have been left out.
Thirdly, we reason further thus; Either there is some Moral Duty, contained in this Command, and laid on by it; which is not in any of the former; or there is but some Ceremonial thing in it, reducable to one of them: For, the Perfection of this Law requireth, that all things needful to the Worship of God, should be summed in it and the Scope thereof, which is, Briefly to compend all requireth there should be nothing in it, that's needless, superfluous, or that might have been left out.
Now if the matter be Moral; not contained in any former Command, then is the Command it self Moral; seeing a Moral Substance, and Matter Denominateth the Command so: Yea, it must be Moral, other-wise some-thing Morally necessary to Gods Service, (such as the Determination of its chief time) should be omitted. It may be assumed, yet further: It must be Moral, (be it what it will) to eschew a Tautology in ⟨p. 198⟩this short Compend of Duties; and that, of Moral Duties too.
Again, If it be not Moral, but contain some Ceremonial thing reducible to one of the three former Commands: Then 1. It might have been put amongst other Ceremonials. 2. Other Ceremonials might have been put in with it: Or, 3. A Reason given, Why all are not Reducible to some Moral Command. 4. If the matter of this be Reducible to another Command. then can it not be accounted a Distinct Command; neither ought it here to have been given as such, but sub-joined to some other; as the Servants and Beasts resting, is sub-joined to this. 5. It would be shown to what Command it's Reducible as to the Substance of it, if it be Ceremonial: 6. A Reason would be given, Why amongst Ten, One, and Only One, is set down, so far different from all the rest. And if all these Absurdities, follow the Denial of it's Substance to be Moral; then, for eschewing of them, we must conclude it to be Moral: and so the Fourth Command is Moral.
Again, If it be not Moral, but contain some Ceremonial thing reducible to one of the three former Commands: Then 1. It might have been put amongst other Ceremonials. 2. Other Ceremonials might have been put in with it: Or, 3. A Reason given, Why all are not Reducible to some Moral Command. 4. If the matter of this be Reducible to another Command. then can it not be accounted a Distinct Command; neither ought it here to have been given as such, but sub-joyned to some other; as the Servants and Beasts resting, is sub-joyned to this. 5. It would be shewn to what Command it's Reducible as to the Substance of it, if it be Ceremonial: 6. A Reason would be given, Why amongst Ten, One, and Only One, is set down, so far different from all the rest. And if all these Absurdities, follow the Denyal of it's Substance to be Moral; then, for eschewing of them, we must conclude it to be Moral: and so the Fourth Command is Moral.
Fourthly, we reason thus; If it be not Moral, it must either be Judicial, or Ceremonial, for the Matter and Substance of it; but it is not Judicial: that is, it belongeth not to External Policy, and Civil Society, principally and especially, in that one Nation, because no such Duties are Comprehended, at least Primarily, in any Command of the First Table; but in the Second, which teacheth Duties to others, as this First, doth •o God: Neither is it Ceremonial; For, All Ceremonies, that are Typical, have their Rise since the Fall, and relate some way to Christ to-Come. But this of sanctifying One Day of Seven, had it's Rise in the State of Innocency, and was enjoined to Adam in Paradise, before he fell, and therefore cannot be called Ceremonial Properly, more than the Command of a Man's leaving Father and Mother, and cleaving to his Wife, so that they too should be one Flesh, which the Apostle Ephes. 5. maketh use of. Besides, if it were Ceremonial in the Substance, then were it Typical and Significant of some-thing to come, which is hard to show: Then also had it not been Lawful to have retained it; for Ceremonials now in their use are not only Dead, but Deadly: But this Morality, in Substance the same with the Command which we plead for, was retained ⟨p. 199⟩by the Apostles, and Primitive Church; (to say no more) There-fore it is not Ceremonial: And so this Law must needs be Moral.
Fourthly, we reason thus; If it be not Moral, it must either be Judicial, or Ceremonial, for the Matter and Substance of it; but it is not Judicial: that is, it belongeth not to External Policy, and Civil Society, principally and especially, in that one Nation, because no such Duties are Comprehended, at least Primarily, in any Command of the First Table; but in the Second, which teacheth Duties to others, as this First, doth •o God: Neither is it Ceremonial; For, All Ceremonies, that are Typical, have their Rise since the Fall, and relate some way to Christ to-Come. But this of sanctifying One Day of Seven, had it's Rise in the State of Innocency, and was enjoyned to Adam in Paradise, before he fell, and therefore cannot be called Ceremonial Properly, more than the Command of a Man's leaving Father and Mother, and cleaving to his Wife, so that they too should be one Flesh, which the Apostle
To say, That the Command is partly Moral, partly Ceremonial; if we respect it's Substance, will not hold: For, 1. There is no such other Law. 2. That were to make Confusion, betwixt Ceremonials, and Morals; which it seemeth, the Lord himself hath aimed and resolved to keep clearly Distinct. 3. What ever be Ceremonial; That which was allowed, and enjoined to Adam in Paradise; and wherein we may agree with Him, under the Gospel, cannot be Ceremonial: For, neither of these States are Capable, of Proper Ceremonies; but both agree on a Seventh Day. Therefore, it is not Ceremonial.
To say, That the Command is partly Moral, partly Ceremonial; if we respect it's Substance, will not hold: For, 1. There is no such other Law. 2. That were to make Confusion, betwixt Ceremonials, and Morals; which it seemeth, the Lord himself hath aimed and resolved to keep clearly Distinct. 3. What ever be Ceremonial; That which was allowed, and injoyned to Adam in Paradise; and wherein we may agree with Him, under the Gospel, cannot be Ceremonial: For, neither of these States are Capable, of Proper Ceremonies; but both agree on a Seventh Day. Therefore, it is not Ceremonial.
The Third way, we make out the Morality of this Command, is, By particular considering of it self; and here we argue thus.
If it be not only put into the Decalogue, with the other Moral Commands; but more singularly explicated, and pressed even in it than they; then it is certainly Moral; that is, perpetually Obligatory with the rest. But so it is put and set down in the Decalogue; and pressed even more than the rest of the Commands, as on other Accounts, so possibly in this; because it's Ground is Positive, and Men need the more Words about it: Just as in the Second Command; Ergo, &c. Now, that it is thus put, and pressed; appeareth these several ways.
If it be not only put into the Decalogue, with the other Moral Commands; but more singularly explicated, and pressed even in it than they; then it is certainly Moral; that is, perpetually Obligatory with the rest. But so it is put and set down in the Decalogue; and pressed even more than the rest of the Commands, as on other Accounts, so possibly in this; because it's Ground is Positive, and Men need the more Words about it: Just as in the Second Command; Ergo, &c. Now, that it is thus put, and pressed; apeareth these several wayes.
1. It shareth of all Common Privileges, with the rest of the Command, set down in the Decalogue, that were all spoken, yea, Written by the Lord immediately, and l •id up in the Ark.
1. It shareth of all Common Priviledges, with the rest of the Command, set down in the Decalogue, that were all spoken, yea, Written by the Lord immediatly, and l •id up in the Ark.
2. It is proposed, and set down in it's Form, both Positively; Remember the Sabbath, to keep it Holy, (and Negatively) in it thou shalt do no manner of Work, &c. Where-as all the other Commands, are but one of these ways set down.
2. It is proposed, and set down in it's Form, both Positively; Remember the Sabbath, to keep it Holy, (and Negatively) in it thou shalt do no manner of Work, &c. Where-as all the other Commands, are but one of these wayes set down.
3. It hath the Particularity in it, that all the rest have; to wit, To be in the Singular Number; Thou shalt, &c. To show, That it speaketh to every one in particular: Yea though all the ⟨p. 200⟩Commands, concern all Ranks, yet only here, are Son, Daughter, Man-Servant, Maid Servant, and Stranger, expressly mentioned, as comprehended in it.
3. It hath the Particularity in it, that all the rest have; to wit, To be in the Singular Number; Thou shalt, &c. To shew, That it speaketh to every one in particular: Yea though all the ⟨p. 200⟩Commands, concern all Ranks, yet only here, are Son, Daughter, Man-Servant, Maid Servant, and Stranger, expresly mentioned, as comprehended in it.
4. There is a special Equity, holden out here in the Proportioning of this time: There are Six Days given us, to Labour on; and therefore it is all the Reason in the World, that the Lord have the Seventh: And if this Concession of God's, of Six Days to work on, be Moral (For all the time is God's; and we cannot, for our use, take any part of it, but by His grant; and there is no other Grant: But this dividing and proportioning of Time, betwixt him and us; in which Division too, he hath given us by far, the large •t Share; to wit, Six parts of Seven:) Then must the setting a part of a Seventh Day, be Moral also: And so the Command it self, wherein both are comprehended, viz. The Sixth given to us, and the Seventh reserved for him; they must needs stand and fall together: For they Mutually put each other; Thou shalt labour Six Days, and Rest on the Seventh; Thou shalt Rest on the Sabbath Day, and Labour Six.
4. There is a special Equity, holden out here in the Proportioning of this time: There are Six Dayes given us, to Labour on; and therefore it is all the Reason in the World, that the Lord have the Seventh: And if this Concession of God's, of Six Dayes to work on, be Moral (For all the time is God's; and we cannot, for our use, take any part of it, but by His grant; and there is no other Grant: But this dividing and proportioning of Time, betwixt him and us; in which Division too, he hath given us by far, the large •t Share; to wit, Six parts of Seven:) Then must the setting a part of a Seventh Day, be Moral also: And so the Command it self, wherein both are comprehended, viz. The Sixt given to us, and the Seventh reserved for him; they must needs stand and fall together: For they Mutually put each other; Thou shalt labour Six Dayes, and Rest on the Seventh; Thou shalt Rest on the Sabbath Day, and Labour Six.
5. This Day is claimed by the Lord, as a thing wherein he hath a special Propriety: It's the Lords Day; •or though he did give Six, yet he reserved a Seventh. And can, or dare, any say, That he discharged that, or dispensed it away from Himself, to any other? If not, it must be His still; and cannot without Sacrilege, be other ways applied.
5. This Day is claimed by the Lord, as a thing wherein he hath a special Propriety: It's the Lords Day; •or though he did give Six, yet he reserved a Seventh. And can, or dare, any say, That he discharged that, or dispensed it away from Himself, to any other? If not, it must be His still; and cannot without Sacriledge, be other wayes applyed.
Obedience to this Command, is pressed by an exceeding Weighty Reason, drawn from God's own Example; which maketh it clearly Relative, to it's First Institution, Gen. 2. Where it is said, That He Rested after Six Days Work, the Seventh Day; viz. the whole Seventh Day, and so should we▪ which is the more effectual, for proving the Morality of this Command: Because 1. It's a Reason that took place, even in Innocency, and so respecteth no Type or Ceremony. 2. It is Universal, belonging to all Men, who are God's Creatures: And therefore, since the Reason is perpetual, so must the Command be like-wise.
Obedience to this Command, is pressed by an exceeding Weighty Reason, drawen from God's own Example; which maketh it clearly Relative, to it's First Institution, Gen. 2. Where it is said, That He Rested after Six Dayes Work, the Seventh Day; viz. the whole Seventh Day, and so should we▪ which is the more effectual, for proving the Morality of this Command: Because 1. It's a Reason that took place, even in Innocency, and so respecteth no Type or Ceremony. 2. It is Universal, belonging to all Men, who are God's Creatures: And therefore, since the Reason is perpetual, so must the Command be like-wise.
7. This Command alone, and beside all others, is expressly pressed in the observation of it, not only on Masters and Rulers for themselves, but as taking burden on them, for all under ⟨p. 201⟩them, and within their Families to endeavour the sanctifying of the Lord's day with them, and by them as well as by themselves; whereby the extent of this Command is clearly and earnestly holden forth in more express terms, than in any other of all the Commands; though this be implied in them also.
7. This Command alone, and beside all others, is expresly pressed in the observation of it, not only on Masters and Rulers for themseves, but as taking burden on them, for all under ⟨p. 201⟩them, and within their Families to endeavour the sanctifying of the Lord's day with them, and by them as well as by themselves; whereby the extent of this Command is clearly and earnestly holden forth in more express terms, than in any other of all the Commands; though this be implyed in them also.