4í)m.4. The do5írine oftbefabbatb and, Lords clay, This appears in that there canno natural reafon be given; whyone day more than another, or why a feventh rather thana fixth, or eighth, fhould neceffarily be con- Iccrated to God , all days being in themfelves alike, and none in themfelves more excellent than others, thole things which are natural, and (imply or purely moral,, arecvidént to all by the lightof Nature, or may by neceffaryconfequence be dedu- ced from fome principle which is evident, fuchLaws concern things good or evil in themfelves ; and therefore do immutably bind all perfons in all places alike : but the limitation of a fpeeial day is not , it is neither a principle evident in it fell, nor can by necelfary confequence bederived from any fuch principle, and therefore can- not be referred to any natural law or diftate of reafon: Therefore not only the Schoolmen generally (nerttine contradicentc) with the Cafnills and Canonil}s, but the molt modern Divines, fome few excepted, do generally agree in this as well as in the former conclufion ; and though fome make the obfcrvation of the Lords day under the Gofpelto be unchangable, and fo in forte fort moral, as the fabbath was under the law ; yet this they ground not uponany natural law, but upon pofitive :divine Law : and,thofe that kern to makeit a dilateof nature, mean nothingelfe, Dear. 5. IS; but that there is a congruity in reafon, and that this time being fixt by Chrift is unal- &a4. re: teráble by any humane power. The reafon given by tome, why a-msmenro is prefixed .before the fourth Commandement, and none elfe, is becaufe that Nàture clothnot ditate anyparticular day, and therefore men need to be put in tninde of the day ap- pointed by God. k'ileucius trail. 27. cap. r.n. 4. Ex.Thom. t. 2: q. loo. a7 2. 2e q. t zz. 4. 4. ad. 3. Bonavent, Richard. ( aliis in 3. Sent. Difg. 37. and beforethem s. C ryfofl. faith,' that the Sabbath is a precept not made known to us by our Con. fcìences, as the other precepts are, and that God therefore gives reafons of this, as becaufe he re 1 ed the feventhday, and becaufe they were fervents in Egypt, d-c. whereas in thofe that are purely moral, as, Thou(halt do no Marcher, &c. hegives the Precept barely without any reafon at all, and that becaufe our confciences had taught us this before, and becaufe he fpeaks to thofe that knew reafon fufficient. Tono. 6,P. 542. Edit. Savol, 3. leisprobable that the feventh day was appointed by pofitive divine law, from thebeginning, as the day for publick worfhip to praife God for the creation of the world, d-c. and fo did oblige all mankind ; though asa Sabbath or dayof fymbolical ref[, it was afterward particularlygiven to the Jews by Mofes. For it is theopinion not only offoue Jewifh Doé ors; but oflearned men amongQur falves, that in the 4" Commandment, the fanitifying of the feventh day, and the refs then commanded,. are feveral diftinEt things, and that the firft refer to the creation of the world,. as the caufe ; the other to the Egyptian bondage out ofwhich they were delivered, and that. therefore the one belonged to all men,. the other oncly to the Jews, for which ;caufe the Sabbath is faid to be a fignbetween God and them, Exod. 3 r. r 3. ofwhich .opinion feem to be Irçnarte lib. 4. cap. 30r andErnfeb. hill. t. cap. 4. And thus that ofGeneJïs 2. of Gods bleffing and fantlifying thefeventhdAy, may be ,expounded clearly and litterally without any forced interpretation, that God did then :fantifie and appoint the day to be kept holy by a joyful remembrance of the .creation, and by other holy duties folemnly to beperformed to him as Creator ofall, .tphiI.de mend that being the birthday of thé world, t which God the Lord of all would have ob. oy:ficio.ana ferved ; as Princes, who appoint the birth-day of their Ions to be kept by their from himRe- fpbje tsc etnald.prax. For though I know diverte learnedme *, both ancient and modern do otherwife Abatenfir expound the words, either of Gods fanciifying the day in himfelf, by a reft or Parerixr, .ceffttion from thrift: emanations of his power and goodneffc, or by deftinating the Lorinnr,paxlxi .day to be obferved afterwards ,, or that the words arefpoken by anticipation, Bxreen.Varab 'viz. that M f s writing that hiftory after'the Sabbath was given, faith that Gods gee: . g MxJcu!xr, .retling on the feventh day, was the caufe whyafterwards, viz, when the Law was Galatinxr;gfyc: given, hefanftified that day; yet the other cxpofition feems to be more clear and trerewp,d, _genuine; that the fanitification by holy 'denies .Was commended then, and that the BpWhite. ref} from all labourswas one ofthe 'ceremonies given afterwards to the Jews. And Dr owe, dnd orheRrr, fo this thole words ofMores, 27eìtrer. 5, r z, feem to rélate: when after the Com- mandment offan tifying the Sabbath day, headdes, As the Lord thy God bath com- manded thee, to wit, long before-from thebeginningofthe wortd,and in E:zczd, 20 r o: 8
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=