Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II.…

As for example, though we are not to imitate God in his miraculous works (as in the burning of Sodom and such like) yet there may be that justice and wisdom of God shining therein which we ought to imitate, for we ought to see before we censure and condemn, as God did in proceeding against Sodom: So 'tis in this extraordinary work of making the Word, wherein although we are not to go about to make another world within that time as God did, yet therein the labour and rest of God was seen, which is imitable of man; which labour and rest as they are moral duties, so they are confirmed by a moral example, and therefore most seemly and comely for man to imitate from such an example: And whereas he affirms that this ⟨p. 18⟩example was not moral, because it was not it self imitable, being grounded only upon Gods free will: The reason is weak; for to labour in ones Calling is without controversy a moral duty (as idleness is a moral sin) yet if one would ask why man is to labour here, and not rather to lead a contemplative life in the vision and fruition of God immediately? I suppose no reason can be given, but the good pleasure of God, who in his deep wisdom saw it most meet for man to spend some proportionable time in labour for himself, and some in rest for God, whereunto he gave man such an eminent example from the beginning of the world. Master Primrose cannot deny but that a convenient time for labour and rest in general, is moral:¹ But (saith he) if God had not declared his will by a Commandment particularly to labour six days and rest the seventh, the Jews would not have thought themselves bound to this observation from Gods example only; which shows that there is no morality in it to bind the conscience for ever. But it may be as well doubted whether acts of bounty and mercy (to which he thinks we are bound merely from Gods example) in respect of the particular application of these acts, to enemies of God and of our selves as well as to friends, be of binding virtue merely by Gods example, unless we had a commandment thereunto: for in moral precepts, as the thing is commanded because it is good, so 'tis not morally good ^*unless it be commanded:

As for example, though wee are not to imitate God in his miraculous works (as in the burning of Sodome and such like) yet there may bee that justice and wisedome of God shining therein which wee ought to imitate, for wee ought to see before we censure and condemne, as God did in proceeding against Sodome: So 'tis in this extraordinary worke of making the Word, wherein although we are not to goe about to make another world within that time as God did, yet therein the labour and rest of God was seene, which is imitable of man; which labour and rest as they are morall duties, so they are confirmed by a morall example, and therefore most seemly and comely for man to imitate from such an example: And whereas hee affirmes that this