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method of obferving the Jewish Sabbath? Christ hath told us, that his "yoke is eafy, and his burden is light;" and all his experienced difciples will fet their feal to the truth of it.

For my part, I do not fee how a man can own the morality and unalterable obligation of the fourth command, and not grant that we are as ftrictly tied to moral duties on the Sabbath as the Jews, and confequently to the fame holy reft, and diligence in the service of God upon it; fince the change made by Chrift's coming is only in circumftantial or ceremonial things, viz. the day of the week, and the nature of the fervice or facrifice requifite upon it.

Object." But, befides the nature of the fervice and worship, there were feveral peculiar things required of the Jews upon the Sabbath, not binding upon us: Particularly, concerning the not dreffing of meat, going out of the place, kindling of fire, bearing of burdens, the nature of the punishment of Sabbath breaking, double facrifices," &c.

Anf. 1. If any of the forefaid things were typical or ceremonial, then indeed it is abrogated by Christ's com ing, and not binding upon us : But this will nowife alter the cafe with refpect to abstaining from carnal recreations on the Sabbath, which can never be reckoned typical or ceremonial; it being what is perpetually moral, and neceffary to the fuitable fanctification of this holy day, in all ages of the world.

2. Let the forefaid inftances be narrowly confidered, and it will be found that there is no fuch peculiar thing therein as is commonly imagined.

I. As to dreffing of meat on the Sabbath, the only place whence the prohibition of it is inferred is Exod. xvi. 23. concerning the preparing of manna. There are feveral interpreters, who think, that the dreffing of it on the Sabbath is not here forbid; but that they are there ordered to lay up a part of it undreffed for the Sabbath. But granting, as the most part of interpreters do, that the dreffing of the manna is there difcharged, this will not infer a difcharge of dreffing any kind of meat on the Sabbath: fince there were fome

fome things peculiar to the manna, beyond other meat: For,

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I. There, was a particular promife made concerning it, that was not made concerning other kinds of food, viz. That it fhould not spoil nor corrupt: For, in that hot country, dressed meat could not easily be preserved good and wholesome over night.

2. There was much more fervile work requifite in preparing manna than other kinds of food; it behoved to be "grinded in mills, beat in mortars, and baken in pans," Num. xi. 8. Now, fo much fervile labour a bout preparing of food was not fit upon the Sabbath, fince it did not tend to the reft or refreshing of the body, but rather to the toiling of it; and likewife it took up many hands, and would have hindered them from fanctifying of the day. So that there is no peculiarity in this prohibition; for, were we in their cafe, and had manna to feed on, it were not lawful for us to prepare it on the Sabbath, more than for the Jews: But it is certain that they did drefs other meat on the Sabbath, that required not fuch fervile labour. Only we are taught by this prohibition, as well as the Jews, to be careful to prepare that meat, which requires much toil and pains, before the Sabbath come; and fo to order matters about our bodily provifions the day before, that fervants may be as little hindered from fanctifying the Sabbath, and the work of the day as little interrupted as poffible.

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..II. As to the fecond inftance, the prohibition of "going out of their places on the Sabbath," Exod. xvi, 29. it is plain from the context, that it is to be meant of going out to feek manna, it being an unneceffary fervile work, and therefore, unlawful on the Sabbath-day. For though the Jews were restrained from going through the ftrects or fields on the Sabbath, for worldly business, recreation or putting off the time; yet not from all walking or travelling, when either the works of piety or neceffity did require; for a "Sabbath-day's journey' was allowed, Acts i. 12. The Pharifees indeed ftinted it to two thousand cubits, (which some make one mile, others two, according to the different cubits in ufe VOL. IV. among

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among them) in regard this was to be the distance of the utmost part of the camp of Ifrael in the wilderness, from the tabernacle to which they were bound to repair for worship on the Sabbath day. But this was no good warrant for ftinting the Sabbath day's journey to fuch a precife fpace; fince it must be either more or lefs, according to the distance of peoples dwellings from the public ordinances, to attend which a perfon may go many miles, and not profane the Sabbath. The Shunammitifh woman, as appears from 2 Kings iv. 23. used to travel on the Sabbath to the prophet Elisha, to attend public worship, and wait on his teaching.

III. As to the prohibition of " kindling fire," Exod. XXXV. 3. If we confider the place and context, we will find that it is only kindling of fire for fervile work, particularly for the work of rearing up the tabernacle, that they were then about, which is there forbidden: This is the mind of Vatablus, Junius and Termellius, and the best commentators on the place. For God is here giving directions for making the tabernacle; and, to prevent their thinking that the nature of the work, or hafte required in doing it, would justify their working at it on the Sabbath, he first discharges all working on that day, verse 2. and then more particularly, v. 3. he forbids the work of kindling fire, as that of fmiths, founders, or any others, for preparing materials for thetabernacle. And fo he will have that work, though. for a facred use, give place to that which was more immediately facred and neceffary, viz. the prefent fanctification of the Sabbath. This doth not prohibit kindling of fire for the works of neceflity or mercy, which prefently tend to the better fanctifying of the Sabbath; fince this, for the fervile work of the tabernacle, would have hindered the prefent fanctification of it; whereas kindling of fire for warming our bodies, preparing meat, or for fhewing light, do not hinder, but tend to promote the fanctifying of the Sabbath. Yet we fhould take care that we do not extend our liberty~ this way too far, fo as to make folemn feasts on the Sabbath, which require much fervile work, and hinder the duties of the Sabbath: For though we be not

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forbidden

forbidden on the Lord's day to kindle a fire för dreffing meat, yet we must beware we make not fuch a flame as fhall kindle the fire of God's wrath against us on that day.

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IV. As to the bearing of burdens on the Sabbath, Christ hath given no more liberty to us this way, than to the Jews, for though he commanded the impotent man on the Sabbath, John v. 10. to take up his bed and walk," yet this was no carrying of a burden for any fecular défign, but a mean required for glorifying of God, and publishing the miracle.

V. As to their punishing of Sabbath-breaking with death, Numbers xv. this belonged to the judicial law, which was peculiar to the Jewith common wealth, and doth not bind other nations, except fo much of it as is of univerfal moral equity; for the peculiar circumstances of nations require peculiar ftatutes and punishments for some particular crimes. But, in the next place, there appears to have been fome specialty in that Sabbath-breaker's cafe; for we do not find that SabIf bath breaking was always fo punished afterwards. we read verfes 30. and 31. we fee God threatening death to all fuch as fin prefumptuously, and with an high hand: And in the very next verfe, the Sabbathbreaker is brought in guilty; which makes it probable, that his crime was attended with the aggravation of prefumptuous finning.

VI. As to the double facrifices required on this Sabbath," two lambs in the morning, and two in the evening," Num. xxviii. 9. 10. I grant they were a heavy burden, in regard of the great expence and bodily toil the Jews were put to thereby, from which Chrift hath happily freed us. But, excepting what was typi cal and ceremonial in their worship and facrifices, there is nothing here peculiar to them; for, otherwife we are ftill as much bound to double facrifices on the Sabbath as the Jews: We are bound to double our devotion, our prayers, our praises, &c. this day, beyond other days. Yea, as I fhewed before, we are more called to it than the Jews; which alfo is confirmed from Ezek. xlvi. 4. 5. where, instead of the four lambs required

on the Sabbath in Mofes's time, we fee that in Ezekiel's temple-fervice, which points at gofpel times, the Sabbath offerings were to be "fix lambs and a ram;" intimating not only the continuance, but the advancement of the Sabbath fanctification in the days of the Meffiah, and that Chriftians fhould exceed the Jews in zeal and diligence in keeping of the Sabbath, and should multiply duties, and offer up a greater plenty of spiritual facrifices, and be more active and intense about the works of the Sabbath, than they were: And good reafon for it, fince we have both the creation and redemp tion to commemorate this day, and a more excellent worship to perform upon it.

But I proceed to examine the rest of J. S's. arguments for Sabbath-days recreations.

Obje. It." Our Saviour faith, that the Sabbath is made for man, and not man for the Sabbath," Mark ii. 27.

Anf. This word makes not for his purpose; for Christ adduceth it in defence of his difciples plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath," for fatisfying their hunger, which was a work of neceffity; and not in defence of carnal diverfions and recreations.

But, that we may take up the true meaning of the place, we must confider, that, if by Sabbath be underflood the true fanctification of the day by fincere worshipping and ferving of God, then certainly man was made for it: But if Sabbath be taken, according to the Pharifces fenfe here, for the mere external reft of the day (as Chrift certainly understands it in this place) then indeed the Sabbath was made for man; this external reft being but a mean for the true fanctification of the Sabbath, end defigned for the fpecial good of man, partly that his body might have fome repole from labour, and chiefly that he might have a folemn oppor tunity to worthip God, and hold communion with him. Now (lays our Saviour) it were unreasonable to think that a law, intended for a privilege and benefit to man, thould be improven to his huit and ruin. The great defign of the Sabbath, peads for " works of necetlity and mercy" For how can God be ferved,

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