The Gofpel of the Sabbaths. 447 They might not father Manna on that Day, Exod. 16. In this Life Chrift is offered, but in the Sabbath of Eternity no Manna, no means of Grace, no offers of Chrift then : None could have Manna upon the Sabbath, but they that had ftored it upupon the Week-day; fo none can have Chrift in Heaven, but they that have ftored him up in their Hearts on Earth. Thefe things Phew the Rigor of the Law as to Sabbath-refl ; but the Pbarifees being deeply poffeft with the Spirit of theLaw, did ftrain . it a Peg or two higher, that to do a miraculous Work of Mercy, or Works of Neceflity was unlawful. 2. They had alto a Sabbatical Tear. Every feventh Year was a Sab- batical Year, as every feventh day wasa Sabbatical Day, Exod. 2.3. Io4 Deut. 15. 9. This Sabbatical Year was celebrated by letting the Land rat from itsufual Culture and Husbandry, Levit. 2 4., 5. Some alledge apo- litical and philofophical Reafon for this, that the Land by refting one Year might be the more fruitful the other fix ; quod caret alterna requie dnrabile non efb. This was a fhadow of things to come, this lignifies fomething ofChrift and Gofpel-myftery, in which obferve four things. There was a four- fold Inftruaion in this Sabbatical Year. i. This Sabbatical Year told them plainly that both they and their Land were the Lords, Lev. 25.23. For the Land is mine. 2. This taught them to depend upon Providence, without . worldly. Care, and trufting to the Creature for Supply and -Support. For they mutt not now fow nor till the Land this Year : For the fixth Year was to bring forth the Fruit of three Years, fee Lev. 25.20,.. 21, 22. and Verf. 6. theSabbath of the Land¡bail be Meat for thee. The Land of its own accord that Year wás to produce Suftenance enough . both for Man and Beaft. It is not enough for us to depend on the ordinary Courfe of Means; God can over-rule them and over-work them, as he doth here. 3. The Lord hereby teacheth them and us that great Gofpel-Lefton andDuty ofMercy and Bounty to the Poor, Exod. 23. 10, r r.' The Land mutt rett, that the Poor may eat, and Dent. i 5. i, z, Creditors ma releafe their Debtors every feventh Year, Lev. 25. 5, 6. there is an Equity, a Chancery, a bountiful Condefcenfion to the Necelrties of the Poor,that Men exa¬ their own Right in all Things ; but rather remit and abate fomething thereof. Not but that Men may take: their Courfe, and ufe means to get it, efpecially when Perlons are able and wilful ; but in cafe of Poverty, there fhould be Mercy lhewed in filch, a Cafe. 4. This.:
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