Anf. When we call the Sabbath, or fourth commandment, moral, we mean that it is one of God's moral precepts, or a part of the moral law, i. e the perpetual and unalterable rule given us by God, for regulating our life and manners: Alfo, by calling it moral, we diftinguish it from the ceremonial law, which was binding for a time only, and abrogated by Chrift s coming. The fourth commandment, enjoining the observation of the Sabbath, is not ceremonial, but moral; that is, it is not temporary, but of standing and perpetual obligation, and which binds all men, in all ages to the end of the world. But, that we may have a more diftinct apprehension of the morality of the Sabbath, we muft diftinguish betwixt things that are naturally moral, and things pofitively moral. Moral natural is, when the thing required is fo founded upon, and authorized by, the law of nature and right reafon, that it is fit and neceffary to be done, though there had been no exprefs command for it; fuch as worshipping God, obeying parents, abftaining from murder, &c. Moral pofitive is fomething enjoined us, which, though it be agreeable to the law of nature, yet carries not fuch a natural evidence in it, as to oblige us, without a divine revelation and express command; but, being once revealed and commanded, it is perpetually binding as well as that which is moral natural. Now, the fourth command is commonly called moral pofitive, though indeed there are feveral things in it, which are of natural equity, and authorised by the law of nature and found reason; such as, 1. That there be a due part of our time ftated and confecrated for the folemn worship and fervice of God, and particularly in public affemblies. 2. That this ftated time or day fhould be univerfal, and the fame through all, that one man's business interfere not with another's devotions. 3. That this day fhould recur in a due frequency, that it neither be fo rare as to hinder our fouls good, or indifpofe us for the duties of it; nor fo frequent, as to deprive us of opportunity for our neceffary fecular employments. 4. That 4. That the holy duties of this day be not marred or interrupted by worldly employments or diverfions; in regard they tend naturally to draw off the mind from God and divine objects. These four things, included in the fourth commandment, I reckon to be of natural equity or moral natural. There are other things in it, which are of pofitive inftitutior, i. e binding only by a pofitive law, and exprefs revelation. Of the fe again there is fomething, 1. That is pofitive moral i. e. of perpetual and unalterable obligation; vz. that the forefaid ftated time. for God's folemn worship should be the feventh part of our time, or one day in feven. This, by God's law, is become perpetually moral and unalterable; but, if God had not revealed it to us, the law or light of nature could not have determined us to it, nor rendered any folid reason why the feventh rather than the fifth, fixth, or eight part of our time, fhould have been fo confecrated to God: But the Author of nature, who beft knows what proportion of time fuits beft both to mens bodies and fpirits, and how oft it fhould recur, fo as to anfwer beft the exigencies both of our prefent and future life, hath wifely determined it to be a feventh part, or one day in feven: And can any man fay but it is a moft rational and fair determination? Had he dealt with us ftrictly, he might have taken the fix days, and left us but one: But fince he hath taken but one, and allowed us fix, we ought to acknowledge that the 'Lord hath dealt graciously and liberally with us. Nay, had it been referred to ourselves, could we have given lefs time than this to God, from whom we have all our time, nay, our very being, and all the good things we enjoy? But, 2dly, There is in the fourth commandment fomething that is pofitive ceremonial, or mutable, viz. The obfervation of the last day of the feven for the Sabbath. This indeed was enjoined at firft, though not directly and principally, as anywife effential to the command for the Sabbath; but only in a fecondary way, as a circumstance of the command, which was to be altered when God pleafed. It belonged not to the fubftance fubftance of this command, or the great defign of the law, in what end of the week the Sabbath fhould be, whether the first or last of the feven days fhould be confecrate for it; fince the fcope of the fourth command is only, to bind us to confecrate the seventh part of our time, or one day in feven, to the Lord: This is the morality of the command, and what is of facred and perpetual obligation in it. For, obferve how the command runs, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy-Six days fhalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the feventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord." He faith not, "Remember the feventh day" to keep it holy, but, "Remember the Sabbath day," or " holy reft," whatever day it shall be appoined on. Take the fix days for your labour, and let God have a feventh every week for his folemn worthip; this is the design of the law: For when it is faid, "The feventh is the Sabbath of the Lord," it is not precifely meant of the feventh in the order, but the feventh in number; not the feventh day after the creation, but the day following the fix days allowed men to labour; that day is the Lord's, whatever day in the week it fall on. And though it be told in the end, that "God refted the seventh day," which indeed feems to be the feventh from the creation; yet it is faid, "He bleffed the Sabbath day," not the feventh day. So that it is plain, that, both in the beginning and end of the command, the Lord puts a remarkable difference betwixt the Sabbath or day of holy reft, and the seventh day of the week, the day of his own reft; implying, that the fcope of the command is to bind us to fanctify one day in feven, whatever feventh the Lord pleafes to chufe, whether it be the first or laft day of the week: and that the ob fervation of the feventh day from the creation, is to be diftinguished from the ftanding law of the Sabbath. For "Remember the Sabbath day to k ep it holy," is the fourth command, and would have bound us, though it had ftopt there, and faid no more. Though yet I grant, that the observation of the feventh or laft day of the week for the Sabbath, is fo enjoined by the fourth command, that none could have altered it from that day to another, but he that is Lord of the Sabbath. Thus Thus you fee in what fenfe the fourth command is moral, and of unalterable obligation; and how it perpetually binds all Chriftians as well as Jews, to fanctify one day in feven for a week'y Sabbath unto the Lord. And now the day being changed by divine authority, from the lift to the fir day of the week, (of which afterwards) the substance, scope, or morality of the fourth command is nowife infringed; and it fti!l retains its authority and obligatory force as much as ever, binding Chriftians to fanctify the first day of the week, as much as it did the Jews to fanctify the last: Even as a law, commanding the keeping of an anniverfary day for the foverign's birth, doth equally apply itfelf to the birth-day of each fucceeding prince. IV. How may the morality of the Sabbath, or the perpetual obligation of the fourth command, be demonftrated against thefe who deny it ? Arf. There are many reafons which prove that the fourth command is moral, binding us by a facred and perpetual law, to keep holy one day in feven, to the end of the world; fuch as, I If the law for the Sabbath was given to man, and binding upon him in a state of innocency, before there was any ceremony or type of Chrift infitated; (for then man did not need a Redeemer, nor any rate or type relative to him) then confequently this command was not ceremonial, nor abolifted by Chrift's coming, but is of moral and perpetual obligation: But the former is true; and therefore the latter. The confe quence of the firit propofition is certain, for the reaions mentioned; and alfo from this, that the Sabbath was appointed to Adam upon a moral ground, which obl ges all his posterity; viz. That he might have freeden and opportunity for the folenin worthip of God, with cut any diverson from worldly things. For Adan, in his beft cftate, being but a finite creature, could not be intenfely taken up with ipiritual and temperal things both at once; his crainary employment of dreffing the garden, would in fome measure have diverted his mine, that he could not wholly give himself to devotion, and the folemn worbip of his Maker: Where fore, fore God faw it fit he fhould have a day fet apart, wherein he might have an uninterrupted freedom for it. Now, if Adam needed a Sabbath, for the grounds above mentioned; much more do we need one, who are not only finite creatures, but corrupt alfo; and have fo little grace and ftrength for fpiritual employment, and fo many corruptions, tentations and allurements to draw our hearts from God through the week, which he had not. Philip Limbroch and other Anti- fabbatarians, have no way to answer this argument, but by denying fuch an early inftitution of the Sabbath, and afferting, that it was not appointed till Mofes, his time, when the ceremonies were inftituted. But the contrary is evident from several texts. 1. From Gen. ii. 3. where we are told, before man's fall, or any word of it, that "God bleffed the feventh day, and fanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work." Now, the fcripture notion of fanctifying any thing, is to feparate and fet it apart from common to facred ufes and purposes. And fo it is plain from this text, that God from the beginning of the world, did fanctify and set apart one day in feven to be obferved by all mankind, as a day of facred reft, a day folemnly confecrated to his worship and fervice: And to lay a tie on us to obferve it, we have God's example, of refting this day from all his work, fet before our eyes. And feeing God from the beginning of the world had a church in it, who wou'd certainly join together in performing public worship and service to him; they behoved to have fet times for it, and confequently a Sabbath: And what day fo fit for that purpofe, as the day which God hath fanctified for facred reft? That this was the ancient practice, may be inferred from Gen. iv. 3. 4. where we read of Cain and Abel, their bringing offerings to the Lord, which was an inftance of public worship. And, ver. 3 It is faid, In process of time, they brought offerings, &c. Now, thele words, In procefs of time, may be as well rendered from the Hebrew, At the end of days and fo it is in the margin of bibles. Now, by the end of days, must be meant the pe VOL. IV. riod |