Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

§. 2 First, It is agreed by all, that God alone is the Supreme, Original, and Absolute Cause of the Sabbath. When ever it began, when ever it ends, be it expired, or still in force, of what kind soever were its Institution, the Law of it was from God. It was from Heaven; and not of men; and the Will of God is the sole Rule and measure of our Observation of it, and Obedience to him therein. What may, or may not be done, in reference unto the Observation of a Day of holy Rest by any inferior Authority, comes not here under consideration. But whereas there are two sorts of Laws whereby God requires the Obedience of his Rational Creatures, which are commonly called Moral and Positive, it is greatly questioned and disputed, to whether of these sorts doth belong the Command of a Sabbatical Rest. Positive Laws are taken to be such, as have no Reason for them in themselves, nothing of the matter of them, is taken from the things themselves commanded, but do depend merely and solely on the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of God. Such were the Laws and Institutions of the Sacrifices of old; and such are those which concern the Sacraments and other things of ⟨p. 118⟩the like nature under the New Testament. Moral Laws are such as have the Reasons of them taken from the Nature of the things themselves required in them. For they are Good from their respect to the nature of God himself, and from that nature and order of all things, which he hath placed in the creation. So that this sort of Laws is but Declarative of the absolute goodness of what they do require; the other is Constitutive of it, as unto some certain Ends. Laws Positive, as they are occasionally given, so they are esteemed alterable at pleasure. Being fixed by mere Will and Prerogative, without respect to any thing that should make them necessary antecedent to their giving, they may by the same Authority at any time be taken away and abolished. Such I say are they in their own nature, and as to any firmitude that they have from their own subject matter. But with respect unto Gods Determination, Positive Divine Laws, may become eventually unalterable. And this Difference is there between Legal and Evangelical Institutions. The Laws of both are Positive only, equally proceeding from Sovereign Will and Pleasure, and in their own Natures equally alterable.

§. 2 First, It is agreed by all, that God alone is the Supream, Original, and Absolute Cause of the Sabbath. When ever it began, when ever it ends, be it expired, or still in force, of what kind soever were its Institution, the Law of it was from God. It was from Heaven; and not of men; and the Will of God is the sole Rule and measure of our Observation of it, and Obedience to him therein. What may, or may not be done, in reference unto the Observation of a Day of holy Rest by any inferior Authority, comes not here under consideration. But whereas there are two sorts of Laws whereby God requires the Obedience of his Rational Creatures, which are commonly called Moral and Positive, it is greatly questioned and disputed, to whether of these sorts doth belong the Command of a Sabbatical Rest. Positive Laws are taken to be such, as have no Reason for them in themselves, nothing of the matter of them, is taken from the things themselves commanded, but do depend meerly and solely on the Soveraign Will and Pleasure of God. Such were the Laws and Institutions of the Sacrifices of old; and such are those which concern the Sacraments and other things of