Wherefore God erecting his Church, and renewing the knowledge of himself, and mans duty towards him in the Posterity of Abraham, he gave unto them afresh, in the first place, the Precepts of the Law and Covenant of Nature, for the Guide and Rule of their Obedience. And that this might now be permanent, he reduced the substance of the whole Law unto ten Words or Commands, writing them in Tables of Stone, which he appointed to be sacredly kept amongst them. The Law thus declared and written by him, was the same, I say, materially, and for the substance of it, with the Law of our Creation, or the Original Rule of our Covenant Obedience unto God. Yet in it as thus transcribed, there was an Innovation both in its Form and Principle of Obligation. For as to its form or directive power, it was now made external and objective unto the mind of man, which before was principally internal and subjective. And the immediate Obligation unto its Observation among that people, was now from the promulgation of it on Mount Sinai, and the delivery of it unto them thereon. Hence it was prefaced with Motives peculiar to their state and condition, and its Observation continually pressed on them afterwards, with Arguments taken from their peculiar Relation unto God; with his Love and Benefits unto them. This gave it a new Respect, because there was nothing originally ⟨p. 227⟩in it, nor belonging unto it, but what was equally common unto all mankind. Now this Alteration in the Law and Covenant of Creation as applied unto the Church of the Israelites, did also affect the Law of the Sabbath which was a part of it. It was now no more to them a mere Moral Command only, equally regarding all mankind, but had a Temporary Respect given unto it, which was afterwards to be abolished and taken away. So was it with the whole Law, and so was it with the Sabbath in particular. To take up therefore the Observation of it, as appointed in the Decalogue, not as a material Transcript of the Law of Nature merely, but as under its Renovation to the Church of Israel, is a groundless and unwarrantable going over into a part of abolished Judaism. For,
Wherefore God erecting his Church, and renewing the knowledge of himself, and mans duty towards him in the Posterity of Abraham, he gave unto them afresh, in the first place, the Precepts of the Law and Covenant of Nature, for the Guide and Rule of their Obedience. And that this might now be permanent, he reduced the substance of the whole Law unto ten Words or Commands, writing them in Tables of Stone, which he appointed to be sacredly kept amongst them. The Law thus declared and written by him, was the same, I say, materially, and for the substance of it, with the Law of our Creation, or the Original Rule of our Covenant Obedience unto God. Yet in it as thus transcribed, there was an Innovation both in its Form and Principle of Obligation. For as to its form or directive power, it was now made external and objective unto the mind of man, which before was principally internal and subjective. And the immediate Obligation unto its Observation among that people, was now from the promulgation of it on Mount Sinai, and the delivery of it unto them thereon. Hence it was prefaced with Motives peculiar to their state and condition, and its Observation continually pressed on them afterwards, with Arguments taken from their peculiar Relation unto God; with his Love and Benefits unto them. This gave it a new Respect, because there was nothing originally ⟨p. 227⟩in it, nor belonging unto it, but what was equally common unto all mankind. Now this Alteration in the Law and Covenant of Creation as applyed unto the Church of the Israelites, did also affect the Law of the Sabbath which was a part of it. It was now no more to them a meer Moral Command only, equally regarding all mankind, but had a Temporary Respect given unto it, which was afterwards to be abolished and taken away. So was it with the whole Law, and so was it with the Sabbath in particular. To take up therefore the Observation of it, as appointed in the Decalogue, not as a material Transcript of the Law of Nature meerly, but as under its Renovation to the Church of Israel, is a groundless and unwarrantable going over into a part of abolished Judaisme. For,
