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

And a present sign between God and them it was upon a double account. (1.) On the part of the people; Their assembling on that Day for the Celebration of the Worship of God, and the avowing him alone therein to be their God, was a sign, or an evident express Acknowledgement that they were the people of the ⟨p. 249⟩Lord. And this doth not in the least impeach its Original Morality; seeing there is no Moral Duty, but in its Exercise or actual Performance may be so made a sign. (2.) On the part of God, namely, that it was he who sanctified them. For by this Observance, they had a visible pledge that God had separated them unto, and for himself; and therefore had given them his Word and Ordinances, as the outward means of their further sanctification to be peculiarly attended unto on that Day. And on these Grounds it is, that God is elsewhere said to give them his Sabbaths, to reveal them unto them, as their peculiar Privilege and Advantage. And their Privilege it was. For although in comparison of the substance and Glory of things to be brought in by Christ, with the Liberty and Spirituality of Gospel Worship, all their Ordinances and Institutions were a yoke of Bondage, yet considering their Use, with their End and Tendency, compared with the Rest of the World at that time, they were an unspeakable Privilege, Psal. 147. v. 19, 20. However therefore the Sabbath was originally given before unto all mankind; yet God now by the Addition of his Institutions to be observed on that Day whereby he sanctified the people, made an enclosure of it, so far unto them alone. Lastly, Here is added a peculiar sanction under the Penalty of Death. He that transgresseth it shall surely be put to Death, v. 14. God sometimes threateneth cutting off and extermination unto Persons, concerning whom yet the people ⟨p. 250⟩had no warranty to proceed Capitally against them; only he took it upon himself, as the Supreme Legislator and Rector of that people, to destroy them and cut them off, as they speak, by the hand of Heaven. But where ever this expression is used, he shall surely be put to death, [Greek or Hebrew], dying he shall dye, there the people, or the Judges among them are not only warranted, but commanded to proceed Judicially against such an Offender.

And a present sign between God and them it was upon a double account. (1.) On the part of the people; Their assembling on that Day for the Celebration of the Worship of God, and the avowing him alone therein to be their God, was a sign, or an evident express Acknowledgement that they were the people of the