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

§. 7 It is the second Opinion, for the substance of it, which I shall endeavour to explain and confirm; and therein prove a Sacred Sabbatical Rest unto God, of one Day in seven, to be enjoined unto all that fear him, by a Law perpetual, and indispensable, upon the account of what is Moral therein. The Reason I say of the Obligation of the Law of the Sabbath is natural, and thence the Obligation it self universal; however the Declaration and and Determination of the Day it self, depend on arbitrary Revelation, and a Law merely positive. These things being explained and confirmed, the other Opinions proposed will fall under our consideration.

§. 7 It is the second Opinion, for the substance of it, which I shall indeavour to explain and confirm; and therein prove a Sacred Sabbatical Rest unto God, of one Day in seven, to be injoyned unto all that fear him, by a Law perpetual, and indispensible, upon the account of what is Moral therein. The Reason I say of the Obligation of the Law of the Sabbath is natural, and thence the Obligation it self universal; however the Declaration and and Determination of the Day it self, depend on arbitrary Revelation, and a Law meerly positive. These things being explained and confirmed, the other Opinions proposed will fall under our consideration.

To obtain a distinct Light into the Truth in this matter, we must consider both the true Notion of the Sacred Rest, as also of the Law of our Creation, whereby we affirm that fundamentally and virtually, it is required.

§. 8 The general Notion of the Sabbath is, a Portion of Time set apart by Divine Appointment, for the Observance and Performance of the solemn Worship of God. The Worship of God is that which we are made for, as to our station in this world, and is the means and condition of our Enjoyment of him in Glory, wherein consists the ultimate End, as unto us, of our Creation. This Worship therefore is required of us by the Law of our Creation, and it is upon the matter all that is required of us thereby, seeing we are obliged by it, to do all things to the Glory of God. And therefore is the solemn Expression of that Worship required of us in the same manner. For the End of it being our glorifying him as God, and the Nature of it consisting in the Profession of our universal subjection unto him, and dependence upon him, the solemn Expression of it, is as necessary as the Worship it self, which we are to perform. No man therefore ever doubted, but that by the Law of Nature we were bound to Worship God, and solemnly to express that Worship; for else wherefore were we brought forth in this world? These things are inseparable from our Natures, and where this Order is disturbed by sin, we fall into another, which the Properties of God on the supposition of transgressing our first natural Order, do render no less necessary unto his Glory, than the other, namely that of Punishment.