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

Besides the Law of Nature as to an Obligatory Indication of our Duty, is not, no not in the Extent insisted on, as comprising the Objective Documents that are in the Works and Order of the Creation, to be considered alone by it self in this matter, but in conjunction with the Covenant that it was the Rule of. For whatever was required of man by virtue of that Covenant, was part of the Moral Law of God, or belonged unto the Law of his Creation. From all which the Rest pleaded for to be Moral doth arise. And considering the Nature of this Duty, with the Divine Positive Direction whereby its first practice was regulated, and stood in need so to be, when God blessed the seventh Day and sanctified it; And it is marvellous, that the remaining Light of Nature about it, should put forth it self by so many Intimations, as it doth; and in so many Instances to express the first impressions that it had from God in this matter. For I think we have manifested that they are many, and those pleadable against any probability of contradiction. In a word, we may in all Ages find the generality of mankind, feeling, and as it were groping in the Dark, after a stated Sacred Rest to be observed unto God. And however, the most of men destitute of Divine Revelation, missed the Season, the Ends, and the Object of this Rest, yet they were plainly influenced unto all their stated Sacred or Religious Solemnities, both Feasts and Abstinences, by the ⟨p. 169⟩remainders of an innate Persuasion, that such a Rest was to be observed. Besides we know, that the present Indications of Nature as corrupt, are no just Rule and Measure of its Original Abilities, with respect unto living to God. And they do but woefully bewray their Ignorance and Impudence who begin to plead, that our Minds or Understandings, were no way impaired or worsted by the Fall; but that the Principles or Abilities in them in reference unto God and our selves, are the same as originally, and that unimpaired. Either such men design to overthrow the Gospel and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, or they know not what they say, nor whereof they do affirm. But hereof we shall treat elsewhere by Gods Assistance.

Besides the Law of Nature as to an Obligatory Indication of our Duty, is not, no not in the Extent insisted on, as comprizing the Objective Documents that are in the Works and Order of the Creation, to be considered alone by it self in this matter, but in conjunction with the Covenant that it was the Rule of. For whatever was required of man by vertue of that Covenant, was part of the Moral Law of God, or belonged unto the Law of his Creation. From all which the Rest pleaded for to be Moral doth arise. And considering the Nature of this Duty, with the Divine Positive Direction whereby its first practice was regulated, and stood in need so to be, when God blessed the seventh Day and sanctified it; And it is marvellous, that the remaining Light of Nature about it, should put forth it self by so many Intimations, as it doth; and in so many Instances to express the first impressions that it had from God in this matter. For I think we have manifested that they are many, and those pleadable against any probability of contradiction. In a word, we may in all Ages find the generality of mankind, feeling, and as it were groping in the Dark, after a stated Sacred Rest to be observed unto God. And however, the most of men destitute of Divine Revelation, missed the Season, the Ends, and the Object of this Rest, yet they were plainly influenced unto all their stated Sacred or Religious Solemnities, both Feasts and Abstinences, by the