A53694:237
Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…
Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred rest wherein the original of the Sabbath from the foundation of the world, the morality of the Fourth commandment with the change of the Seventh day are enquired into : together with an assertion of the divine institution of the Lord's Day, and practical directions for its due observation / by John Owen.
London: printed by R.W. for Nath. Ponder, 1671
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.
§. 28 And (1.) It is required that it be congruous unto the Law of Nature, and all the other known principles of it. Unto us it may be enjoined by Law Positive, or otherwise made necessary for us to observe. But it must in it self or materially, hold a good correspondency with all the known Instances of the Law of our Creation, and this manifested with satisfying Evidence, before its Assignation thereunto. It is of Natural Right that we should obey God in all his Commands; but this doth not cause every command of God to belong to the Law of Nature. It is, as was said, ⟨p. 161⟩moreover required thereunto, that it be in it self, and the subject matter of it, congruous unto the Principles of that Law; whereof there is nothing in things merely arbitrary and positive, setting aside that general notion, that God is to be obeyed in all his Laws; which belongs not to this Question. Now when this Congruity unto the Law of Nature or Right Reason in the matter of any Law or Command is discovered and made evident, it will greatly direct the mind in its Enquiry after its whole Nature, and manifest what is superadded unto it by Positive Command. And this will not be denied unto the Sabbath, its Command and Observation. Let the Ends of it before laid down be considered, and let them be compared with any other Guidances or Directions which we have by Natural Light concerning our living to God, and there will not only an Harmony appear amongst them, but also that they contribute Help and Assistance to one another towards the same Ultimate End.
§. 28 And (1.) It is required that it be congruous unto the Law of Nature, and all the other known principles of it. Unto us it may be enjoyned by Law Positive, or otherwise made necessary for us to observe. But it must in it self or materially, hold a good correspondency with all the known Instances of the Law of our Creation, and this manifested with satisfying Evidence, before its Assignation thereunto. It is of Natural Right that we should obey God in all his Commands; but this doth not cause every command of God to belong to the Law of Nature. It is, as was said, ⟨p. 161⟩moreover required thereunto, that it be in it self, and the subject matter of it, congruous unto the Principles of that Law; whereof there is nothing in things meerly arbitrary and positive, setting aside that general notion, that God is to be obeyed in all his Laws; which belongs not to this Question. Now when this Congruity unto the Law of Nature or Right Reason in the matter of any Law or Command is discovered and made evident, it will greatly direct the mind in its Enquiry after its whole Nature, and manifest what is superadded unto it by Positive Command. And this will not be denyed unto the Sabbath, its Command and Observation. Let the Ends of it before laid down be considered, and let them be compared with any other Guidances or Directions which we have by Natural Light concerning our living to God, and there will not only an Harmony appear amongst them, but also that they contribute Help and Assistance to one another towards the same Ultimate End.