A53694:450
Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…
Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred rest wherein the original of the Sabbath from the foundation of the world, the morality of the Fourth commandment with the change of the Seventh day are enquired into : together with an assertion of the divine institution of the Lord's Day, and practical directions for its due observation / by John Owen.
London: printed by R.W. for Nath. Ponder, 1671
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
(1) Hence we may in all our duties look on God as a Father. By the Spirit of his Son, we may in them all cry Abba Father. For through Christ we have an access in one Spirit unto tho Father, Ephes. 2. 18. To God as a Father; as one that will not always chide; that doth not watch our steps for our hurt, but remembereth that we are but dust. One who tieth us not up to rigid exactness in outward things, whilst we act in an holy spirit of filial obedience as his sons or children. And there is great difference between the duties of servants and children; neither hath a Father the same measure of them. The consideration hereof, regulated by the general Rules of the Scripture, will resolve a thousand of such scruples ⟨p. 429⟩as the Jews of old while servants were perplexed withal.
(1) Hence we may in all our duties look on God as a Father. By the Spirit of his Son, we may in them all cry Abba Father. For through Christ we have an access in one Spirit unto tho Father, Ephes. 2. 18. To God as a Father; as one that will not alwayes chide; that doth not watch our steps for our hurt, but remembreth that we are but dust. One who tyeth us not up to rigid exactness in outward things, whilest we act in an holy spirit of filial obedience as his sons or children. And there is great difference between the duties of servants and children; neither hath a Father the same measure of them. The consideration hereof, regulated by the general Rules of the Scripture, will resolve a thousand of such scruples ⟨p. 429⟩as the Jews of old while servants were perplexed withall.
2) Hence we come to know that he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. Therefore he more minds the inward frame of our hearts wherewith we serve him, than the mere performance of outward duties, which are alone so far accepted with him, as they are expressions and demonstrations thereof. If then, in the observation of this Day, our hearts are single and sincere in our aims at his Glory with delight, it is of more price with him than the most rigid observation of outward duties, by number and measure.