sion, in the passover, in baptism, and other ritual constitutions, it is not hard to perceive: so it being God's design to enforce the performance of that excellent duty, by appropriating a time thereto; we may conceive that he therefore especially selected that day, as most apt to mind them, to whom this law was given, of the history of the creation; the reflecting upon and celebrating which was the main duty intended.

1

Seeing therefore the observation of the sabbath is expressed to have a peculiar respect to the children of Israel, as a sign of the covenant made with them, when he led them out of Egypt; seeing in its own nature it differeth from the rest of the ten Laws, the obligation thereto being not, discernibly to natural light, grounded in the reason of the thing, we can nowise be assured that an universal and perpetual obligation thereto was intended, or that its obligation did extend further than to the Jews, to whom it was as a formal law delivered, and upon special considerations severely inculcated; to whose humour, condition, and circumstances, it might also perhaps Just. Dial. be particularly suited: Justin Martyr was of opinion cum Tryph. p. 235, &c. that this law, as many others, was given to the Jews

διὰ τὴν ἀνομίαν, καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, for their iniquity, and hardness of heart, by way of concession and indulgence; for, because they by their natural disposition were apt to forget their Maker; to neglect the state of their soul, being wholly intent on worldly affairs; to exact intolerable pains from their brethren, who served them; to use cruelly the poor beasts employed in tilling their ground, or bearing their burdens; therefore God (considering this incorrigible temper of theirs) did indulge six days to them for the pro

secution of those affairs to which they were so devoted, contenting himself to exact from them no more than this part of time for his own service, for the benefit of servants and ease of beasts: if he had required more of them, they could, it seems, or would hardly have endured it; the command would perhaps not only have been disobeyed itself, but the dislike thereof might have rendered them averse from all religion and service of God; as it happeneth, when commands very rigorous, and exceeding men's strength, are enjoined: for we see the prophets complain of them, that they could hardly be induced to go thus far, or to afford God this so moderate share of time; but were impatient even for this one day in seven to abstain from their secular business, to relax themselves, or their servants, or their cattle, from their daily labours: they impeach them for polluting, profaning, hiding their eyes Isa. lviii. from (that is, wholly overlooking, neglecting, and Ezek. xx. disregarding) the sabbath; for doing their own 13, 21. xxii. pleasure, and exacting their own labours upon it; for not delighting therein, or not willingly observing it: Hear this, saith the prophet Amos, O ye that Amos viii. swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? This being the disposition of that people, not bearing a greater strictness, they not being able to preserve within their hearts a perpetual remembrance of God's works and favours; not to moderate their pursuits of temporal good things; not to bear a due regard and tenderness toward their brethren and their fellow-creatures; (the performing which things in a constant uninterrupted tenor, the

3,

26. xxiii.38.

4,5.

Zaßßarin said holy father and blessed martyr supposeth to be Voda-the sabbatism which Christians are bound to ob

ἡμᾶς ὁ καινὸς

τὰς ἐθέλει. p. 229.

serve;) therefore God, considering their infirmity and incapacity to comply with higher injunctions, did use (as in the cases of divorce, revenge, and the like) an indulgence toward them, permitting them Isa.lviii.13. on the other days to do their pleasure, as the prophet speaks, reserving only this day for a punctual and solemn performance of the duties specified: thus discourses that good ancient in his Dialogue with the Jew. However, that this law (as to its circumstantial parts) was not intended to oblige generally and perpetually, we have a most forcible ground to suppose; St. Paul himself, his express discharging Christians from the observation thereof; yea, his earnest reprehension of some persons for rigorously insisting thereon, deeming themselves, and urging it upon others, as a necessary duty to observe it; his conjoining it with other ceremonial observances, whose nature was merely symbolical, and whose design was to continue no longer, than till the real substance of that which they represented came into Coloss. ii. full force and practice; Let no man, saith he to the Colossians, judge you for meat, or drink, or upon caßßár account of a festival day, or new moon, or sabbath: Fou are both which things are the shadow of future things; but read; both the body is of Christ; (that is, they did only prefigure and presignify; the real substance intended and represented by them is somewhat in the law and doctrine of Christ; which coming immediately to appear and to oblige, that shadow vanisheth, and ceaseth to have any regard due thereto :) again more sharply to the Galatians, whom some Judaizing dogmatists had reduced, or were reducing to the prac

16. 17.

and σαββά

equivalent.

&c.

tice of legal rites, under conceit of needful obligation to them; How, saith he, do ye return again to Gal. iv. 10. those weak and beggarly elements, to which back again you are pleased to be enslaved? Ye observe days, and months, and years: which words, that they relate generally to the Jewish festivals, the context doth plainly enough shew, and there is good reason to think that they chiefly respect the sabbath we treat on, for which probably these men had the greatest respect and zeal: again in the 14th to the Rom. xiv. Romans, the same great patron and champion of" Christian liberty not obscurely declareth his mind, that Christians of strength in judgment did regard no day above another, but esteemed all days (he excepteth none) alike, as to any special obligation, grounded upon divine law and right; in subordination to which doctrine we may add, that this appears with great evidence to have been the common opinion of the wisest and most orthodox Christians in Inter omnia the primitive church, the most constant and strict adherence to catholic tradition, (who from the apo-sabbato stles' instruction best understood the purport and li-situm est fimits of the liberty purchased by Christ,) that this servandum law, as it was not known or practised before Moses, Aug. Ep. so it ceased to oblige after Christ; being one of the vid shadows which the evangelical light dispelled, one Patres. of the burdens which this law of liberty did take

off us.

Now although upon these accounts we cannot press the strict observation of this law in all its parts, according to its literal and direct intention, yet we may learn much of our duty, much of God's will from it all God's laws, spiritually and wisely understood, did tend to the promoting of piety and

decem præ

cepta solum ibi quod de

po

gurate ob

præcipitur.

119.

Vid. Cit.

virtue; and, abstracting from the special circumstances of that people, to whom they were consigned, may, (so far as our case is like theirs, and wherein a common reason doth appear,) pass for fit patterns for us to imitate, suggesting proper means of exercising, nourishing, increasing those qualities in us; and so from this law we may learn these duties :

1. That we should frequently call to mind and consider the great and glorious works of God, performed for the general good of his creatures, and specially for mankind: the creation of the world; the redemption of mankind; the nativity, passion, resurrection, and exaltation of our Lord and Saviour, and the like, no less now considerable to us, both in respect of glory due to God and of benefit accruing to us, than was the creation formerly to the Jews.

2. That we are bound to restrain ourselves in the prosecution of worldly business; not distracting our minds with care, not exhausting our bodies with toil about them; but allowing our mind convenient and seasonable freedom, affording our souls sufficient leisure with vigour and alacrity to enjoy its nobler entertainments, and to pursue its higher interests.

3. That we are obliged to use the same indulgence toward those whom divine Providence hath disposed to be under our power, care, or governance: to allow our children, our subjects, our servants, a competent measure of rest and refreshment from their ordinary labours, sufficient time and leisure undistractedly to serve God, and quietly to mind their spiritual welfare: we must so charitably tender their good, as to permit and procure that their life may be easy and comfortable here; and that also they may have means to obtain for themselves a happy