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

§. 34 We have seen the least part of the inconveniences that attend this persuasion, and its practise; nor do I intend to mention all of them which readily offer themselves to consideration. One or two more may yet be touched on. For those by whom it is owned, do not only affirm that the Law of the seventh day Sabbath is absolutely and universally in force, but also that the Sanction of it, in its penalty against Transgressors, is yet continued. This was, as is known, the Death of the offender by stoning. So did God himself determine the Application of the Curse of the Law, unto the breach of this Command, in the instance of the man that gathered wood on that day, and was stoned by His direction, Numb. 45. 35. Now the consideration of this penalty, as expressive of the Curse of the Law, influenced the minds of the Jews into that bondage frame wherein they observed the Sabbath. And this always put them upon many anxious arguings how they might satisfy the Law in keeping the Day, so as not to incur the penalty of its Transgression. Hence are the Questions among the Jews, no less endless than those about their Genealogies of old, about what ⟨p. 409⟩work may be done, and what not, how far they might journey on that day, which when they had with some indifferent consent reduced unto 2000 Cubits, which they called a Sabbath-days journey, yet where to begin their measure, from what part of the City where a man dwelt, from his own House, or the Synagogue, or the Walls, or Suburbs of it, they are not agreed. And the dread hereof was such amongst them of old, from the rigorous Justice wherewith such Laws with such penalties were imposed on them, that until they had by common consent in the beginning of the Rule of the Hasmoneans, agreed to defend themselves from their Enemies on that Day, they sate still in a neglect of the Law of Nature, requiring all men to look to their preservation against open violence, and suffered themselves to be slain, to their satiety who chose to assault them thereon. And certainly, it is the greatest madness in the world, for a people to engage in War, that do not think it at least lawful at all times to defend themselves. And yet they lost their City afterwards by some influence from this Superstition.

§. 34 We have seen the least part of the inconveniences that attend this perswasion, and its practise; nor do I intend to mention all of them which readily offer themselves to consideration. One or two more may yet be touched on. For those by whom it is owned, do not only affirm that the Law of the seventh day Sabbath is absolutely and universally in force, but also that the Sanction of it, in its penalty against Transgressors, is yet continued. This was, as is known, the Death of the offender by stoning. So did God himself determine the Application of the Curse of the Law, unto the breach of this Command, in the instance of the man that gathered wood on that day, and was stoned by His direction, Numb. 45. 35. Now the consideration of this penalty, as expressive of the Curse of the Law, influenced the minds of the Jews into that bondage frame wherein they observed the Sabbath. And this alwayes put them upon many anxious arguings how they might satisfie the Law in keeping the Day, so as not to incurr the penalty of its Transgression. Hence are the Questions among the Jews, no less endless than those about their Genealogies of old, about what