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

This is the first express mention of the Sabbath unto, and amongst that people. And it sufficiently declares that this was not the absolute Original of a Sabbatical Rest. It is only an Appropriation and Application of the Old Command unto them. For the words are not preceptive but directive. They do not Institute ⟨p. 238⟩any thing anew; but direct in the Practice of what was before. Hence it is affirmed, v. 29. that God gave them the Sabbath; namely, in this new Confirmation of it, and Accommodation of it to their present Condition. For this new Confirmation of it, by withholding of Manna on that day, belonged merely and solely unto them, and was the especial limitation of the seventh Day precisely, wherein we are not concerned who do live on the the true Bread that came down from Heaven. In those words therefore, to morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, there is a certain limitation of the Day, a Direction for its Sanctification, as confirmed by the New sign of withholding Manna, all which belonged to them peculiarly. For this was the first Time that, as a People, they observed the Sabbath, which in Egypt they could not do. And into this Institution and the Authority of it, must they resolve their Practice who adhere unto the Observation of the seventh Day precisely. For that day is no otherwise confirmed in the Decalogue, but as it had Relation hereunto.

This is the first express mention of the Sabbath unto, and amongst that people. And it sufficiently declares that this was not the absolute Original of a Sabbatical Rest. It is only an Appropriation and Application of the Old Command unto them. For the words are not preceptive but directive. They do not Institute ⟨p. 238⟩any thing anew; but direct in the Practice of what was before. Hence it is affirmed, v. 29. that God gave them the Sabbath; namely, in this new Confirmation of it, and Accommodation of it to their present Condition. For this new Confirmation of it, by withholding of Manna on that day, belonged meerly and solely unto them, and was the especial limitation of the seventh Day precisely, wherein we are not concerned who do live on the the true Bread that came down from Heaven. In those words therefore, to morrow is the Rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, there is a certain limitation of the Day, a Direction for its Sanctification, as confirmed by the New sign of withholding Manna, all which belonged to them peculiarly. For this was the first Time that, as a People, they observed the Sabbath, which in Aegypt they could not do. And into this Institution and the Authority of it, must they resolve their Practice who adhere unto the Observation of the seventh Day precisely. For that day is no otherwise confirmed in the Decalogue, but as it had Relation hereunto.