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

(3.) This Law was yet proposed to that Church and People in the Manner and Form of a Covenant, and not only materially, as a Law or Rule. This it had from the Promises and Threatenings which it was attended withal. There was adjoined unto it, Do this, and live; and the man that doth these things shall live in them; as also, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them. Not that it was hereby absolutely constituted a Covenant, which eventually and finally they were to live or dye by, (for as we showed before, there was a Relief provided against that condition in the Promise,) but God gave the Old Covenant an especial Revival, though with respect unto other Ends than were originally intended in it. Hence this Covenant Form given unto it, rendered the Obedience of that people ⟨p. 230⟩in a great measure servile, for it gendered unto bondage.

(3.) This Law was yet proposed to that Church and People in the Manner and Form of a Covenant, and not only materially, as a Law or Rule. This it had from the Promises and Threatnings which it was attended withall. There was adjoyned unto it, Do this, and live; and the man that doth these things shall live in them; as also, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them. Not that it was hereby absolutely constituted a Covenant, which eventually and finally they were to live or dye by, (for as we shewed before, there was a Relief provided against that condition in the Promise,) but God gave the Old Covenant an especial Revival, though with respect unto other Ends than were originally intended in it. Hence this Covenant Form given unto it, rendred the Obedience of that people ⟨p. 230⟩in a great measure servile, for it gendred unto bondage.

(4.) The Law being attended with various Explanations, and many Ordinances of Judgement, deduced from the Principles of Moral Right and Equity contained in it, was made the Rule of the Polity and Government of that people, as an Holy Nation under the Rule of God himself who was their King. For their Polity for the kind of it, was a Theocracy, over which God in an especial manner presided as their Governor and King. And hence he affirms, that when they would choose another King over them after the manner of the Nations, that they rejected him from reigning over them; though they resolved to adhere to his Laws, and the manner of Government prescribed to them. And this was peculiar to that people. Hence the Sabbath amongst them came to have an absolute necessity accompanying it of an outward carnal Observance, the neglect whereof, or acting any thing against the Law of it, was to be punished with Death.