A treatise of the Sabbath and the Lords-day Distinguished into foure parts. Wherein is declared both the nature, originall, and observation, as well of the one under the Old, as of the other under the New Testament. Written in French by David Primerose Batchelour in Divinitie in the Vniversity of Oxford, and minister of the Gospell in the Protestant Church of Roven. Englished out of his French manuscript by his father G.P. D.D.

CHAPTER Third.

Answer to the second Reason.

1. Second reason for the morality of the Sabbath, that before the Law was given, the people of Israel went not out to gather Manna in the wildernesse, on the seventh day of the weeke.

2. First answer, Of this argument the morality of the Sabbath can∣not be inferred, no more than of many ceremonies which were religiously observed long before the Law was given.

3. Second answer, In the wildernesse God commanded the observa∣tion of the Sabbath, and of sundry other ceremonies before the Law was given, and then onely beganne the keeping of the Sabbath.

4. Therefore in vaine are urged the words of Exodus, Chap. 16. vers. 29, 30. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath, &c. which have relation onely to the command newly made.

5. Third answer, If the institution of the Sabbath had beene more ancient, and if it had beene kept by the Patriarches, their chil∣dren had knowne it, and practised it in Egypt.

6. Nullity of the reply made to this answer, that they had forgotten it, first, because God did never rebuke them for the inobservation of the Sabbath in the land of Egypt.

7. Secondly, because many godly men which were in Egypt, had not forgotten it, and yet before the commandement concerning it was given in the wildernesse, made never mention of it, nay, knew it not, as is proved by the Text.

8. And by other places of the old Testament.

9. Second reply, that besides the generall reason which moved God to give the Sabbath to all men, he appropriated it to the people of Israel for some other reasons besides.

10. First answer to this reply, it cannot be proved, that GOD gave it to all men, nay, it is absolutely appropriated to the Iewes.

11. Second answer, There is not one of the reasons why God gave the Sabbath to the Iewes, adapted to other nations, although they were capable of many of them.

12. Nor also to the Patriarches, who had no notice of the Sabbath.

13. If in the Scripture any thing be adapted to the Iewes, which was common to other men, it is knowne to have beene com∣mon either by the nature thereof, or by the testimony of Scrip∣ture: But it is not so of the Sabbath.

1 THe second argument alledged for the morality of the Sab∣bath, is, that before the Law was given by Moses, it was observed; which is proved by the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, where it is said, that on the seventh day the Israelites * 1.1 went not out to gather Manna, but rested every man in his place on that day, because it was the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, which the Lord himselfe had ordained: Whence they would conclude, that it was already an ancient ordinance knowne of the Israelites to be such, that for this cause they went not out on the seventh day to seek Manna, that for the same cause God powred it not downe on that day, lest it should be an occasion unto them of violating the Sabbath. For all this was done before the Law was given, the giving where∣of is described afterwards in the same Booke of Exodus, Chap. 20.

2 To this I answer first, that although it could be most cleerely shewed that the Sabbath was observed from the beginning before the Law, which notwithstanding cannot be proved, that availeth nothing for the morality of the Sabbath. We see that from the be∣ginning, and in all times before the Law, the firstlings of the slocke, and the first fruits of the ground were offered to God. Genes. 4. ver. 3. 4. distinction was made between beasts cleane and uncleane. Genes. 7. vers. 2. tythes were paid. Genes. 14. 20. Genes. 28. vers. 2. Circumcision was given to Abraham foure hundred and thirty yeeres before the Law: Yet no man will conclude thence, that such things were morall: All things observed before the Law were not necessarily morall; many things may be found in them which were figures and ceremonies, and others which did belong onely to some order and rules concerning Gods service, and of that nature should have beene the Sabbath day, if it could appeare that it was kept before the Law.

3 But secondly, my opinion is, that this cannot be proved, and the testimony brought out of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus for the proofe thereof is extreemly weake. It is true; we find there that the Israelites kept the Sabbath, but no conclusion can be inferred from thence, that it was kept in all times before the Law, nay, it is rather most likely, that then began the first observation of the Sabbath, be∣cause afore that time, in the whole life of the Patriarches, and in the whole conversation of the Israelites in Egypt, there is no mention found of such a day; neither should the time wherin we see the Isra∣elites kept the Sabbath, be reckoned as a time which went before the Law, but as the proper time of the giving thereof, and the ordi∣nance then made to keepe the Sabbath, as one of the first legall Or∣dinances. The ordinances of the Law of Moses were not all given at once, but by succession of time, and sundry resumptions, as may be seene in his Bookes. As soone as the Israelites went out of Egypt, and about that very instant, God instituted the Passeover unto them, and a few daies after he ordained the Sabbath day. Quickely after followed the other ordinances, as appeareth by the Chapters immediately following this sixteenth Chapter. God then being about to give solemnely his Law a few daies after in mount Sina, as it is apparent by the conference of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, vers. 1. with the ninteenth, vers. 1. 11. of which Law the injunction of the Sabbath was to be a good share, it pleased him to give them before hand a particular commandement concerning the Sabbath, by occasion of the Manna, which by and by he was to powre downe upon them from the cloudes six daies every morning, but not on the seventh day, and that to ratifie, by this his cessation on the seventh day, the Commandement that he was to give them in his Law a few daies after, for the Sabbath of the seventh day, and to prepare them afore hand to the carefull and religious observati∣on thereof. Therefore it was necessary that he should warne them to gather on the sixth day bread for two daies, and not to goe out on the seventh day, but to rest in their tents, because there should be none found in the field. The injunction and warning which he gave them is cleerely set downe in the fifth verse, although abridged into few words. For GOD said to Moses, On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily, to wit, because there shall be none found on

the seventh day, and my will is, that they rest on that day. This is suppressed in the Text, but certainly GOD expressed it to Moses amply, and Moses to the people, who obeying that advertisement, gathered twice as much bread on the sixth day.

4 Therefore, it is to no purpose that they inforce these words in the verses 23. 26, 29, 30. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sab∣bath unto the LORD: On the seventh day is the Sabbath: See that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath; so the people rested on the seventh day, as if they denoted, that the Sabbath was an an∣cient custome, that it was practised in all times from the beginning, and that the Israelites conformably to the ancient custome rested then. For they had no regard but to the ordinance that was newly made, and which God had notified to Moses in the fifth verse of the same Chapter, when he spoke unto him of the Manna: This is cleere by these words in the 23. verse; This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, and in the 29. verse, See that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath: which cannot be referred to any other thing, then to that which God had said and ordained to Moses a little before in the fifth vers. For if it be not referred thither, When was it that the Lord said and ordained to the Israelites, that the seventh day should be their rest? Where shall wee find before this time the word and the ordinance thereof? Must we reascend to the first daies of Adam, and have our recourse to the sanctification of the seventh day mentioned in Ge∣nesis, Chap. 2. which, as we have shewed, was not for Adam, nor for his time, but was the same whereof God did beginne to speake in this sixteenth Chapter, because it began then, and not sooner, but is occasionally rehearsed in the second Chapter of Genesis.

5 And verily if it had beene an ancient ordinance practised by the Patriarkes, how is it come to passe, that the Israelites their children knew it not? If they knew it, why did they not practise it of themselves? If they practised it, what need was there of injoyning and laying it upon them so expresly, and with so great care, as GOD did by the occasion of the Manna?

6 Some doe reply, that the long captivity of Egypt where they were tyrannized, as well in their consciences, as in their bodyes, might have beene the cause that they lost all remembrance thereof and kept it not: and therefore it was necessary, that it should be

renewed unto them: But this is a supposition, not only without any shew of truth. For if the Israelites had forgotten or neglected in Egypt the observation of the Sabbath, whereunto God had tied them, how is it, that God who charged and upbraided them now and then with the crimes and sinnes committed by them in Aegypt, did not object unto them the inobservation of the Sabbath? In the twentieth Chapter of Ezekiel, ver. 7, 8. God saith, that he spake to the Israelites in Aegypt, and gave them commandements. But of what? to cast away the abomination of their eyes, and not defile themselves with the filthy Gods of Egypt. And he blameth them for rebellion against him in this, and for refusing to hearken unto him, without making the least mention, that he had injoyned them to keepe the Sabbath day, as also he imputeth not unto them the in∣observation thereof, although in the same Chapter ver. 12. he spea∣keth of that day, but as given unto them after he had delivered them out of the land of Egypt, neither doth he cast in their teeth the carelesse regard that they had of it, saving since the time that they were in the wildernesse, ver. 13.

7 Secondly, supposing that some of the Israelites had put the or∣dinance of the Sabbath out of minde, this fault could not be com∣mon to all, not forsooth, to Moses, Aaron, Caleb, Ioshuah, and to other persons eminent in godlinesse, and authority. If these had it in memory, how did they not put the people in minde of it, to make them keepe it as soone as they were in the wildernesse in a full liberty to serve GOD without hinderance? But so far were they from remembring it, that it is noted ver. 22. that all the rulers of the congregation, who should have had best knowledge of the di∣vine and ancient ordinances, when they saw the people gather and prepare on the sixth day Manna for that day, and for the seventh following, according to the expresse command which Moses had given them, were astonished at it, as at a strange and extraor∣dinary thing, whereby they were moved to come to Moses, and acquaint him with it, who upon that occasion informed them of Gods ordinance concerning the day of Sabbath, not as of an anci∣ent, but as of a new thing, which was unknowne before unto them, and which he had a fresh learned himselfe verse 23. So in the 29. verse, he said to the Israelites, See that the Lord hath given You the Sabbath, speaking of it, as of an ordinance particular to them.

8 It is also mentioned elsewhere in the same respect, as an obser∣vation which God had injoyned them particularly, and as a prero∣gative proper unto them, whereby GOD had separated them from all other nations, and consecrated them to himselfe, as he had done by the rest of the ceremonies of the Law of Moses. This the Levites made a religious confession of in Nehemiah. 9. Chapter verse 13, 19. Thou camest downe upon Mount Sinai, and spa∣kest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgements, true Lawes, good statutes and commandements, and madest knowne unto them thy Sabbath, &c. This the Lord said to them by Ezekiel in the twentieth Chapter ver. 10, 11, 12. I caused them to goe forth out of the land of Aegypt, and brought them into the wildernesse, and I gave them my statutes, &c. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them. Which sheweth evidently, that the Sabbath was never given but for the Iewes, who also have acknowledged by those places, and taught in their bookes, that the Gentiles were not bound to keepe the Sabbath.

9 They reply, that the Sabbath is thus appropriated to the Israe∣lites in the places which we have cited, because besides the generall reason, which was the cause of the institution and ordinance ther∣of to all, and for all, since the beginning of the world, to wit, to bee a memoriall of the Creation, and of the rest of God, God re∣newed it againe to the Iewes for other reasons particular to them, as to be a token for remembrance of their deliverance and rest which God had given them from the bondage of Aegypt, and of the mi∣racle done in the Manna.

10 This reply which they bring cannot bee of any weight, seeing it cannot be found that any one man hath kept the Sabbath day, nor that GOD hath at any time commanded it to the Israelites for any reason whatsoever, nor that the people of Israel had kept and observed it at any time before their abode in the wildernesse: Nay it is said, that God gave it to them in the wildernesse, and the Sabbath is often appropriated to them absolutely, even in its sub∣stance, without mention of any circumstances, or particular reasons, as we proved in the places before cited out of the ninth Chapter of Nehemiah, and the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus verse 29. in the last of which places God establisheth not the Sabbath for a memo∣riall

of the miracle of the Manna, but saith, that he had ordained to the Iewes the Sabbath to be kept by them, and for that cause rained not Manna on that day upon them.

11 Moreover seeing there is not any of the reasons that moved GOD to institute the Sabbath, found to be adapted to any other, but to them, it is unreasonable to extend the Sabbath it selfe to others then to them. For although to be a memoriall of the creation, as also to be a signe of sanctification, are reasons capable of themselves to be common to others, as well as to them, yet God applyeth them never to others, but to them only. To them only he said, Uerily my Sabbaths yee shall keepe; for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations, that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you, Exod. 31. ver. 13. And verse 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever: for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed; which sheweth cleerely, that God took not occasion of his rest on the seventh day from all his workes, to institute that day for a day of rest, but for the Israelites sake only, to wit, that it might bee a signe of their consecration to God to be his people, of their sanctification, and of their spirituall and eter∣nall rest, which were benefits peculiar unto them, and not common to other nations. For it is against reason to say that God would ordaine a signe of these benefits to other nations, which he had ex∣cluded from the covenant of grace, and consequently from sancti∣fication, and from eternall life.

12 It is no more reasonable to say, that it was a signe to the Pa∣triarches and faithfull which were before the Law, seeing that is not mentioned in the Scripture, where it is said expresly, that it was a signe belonging to the generations of the Israelites, that is, to the ages of the continuance of the Law, under which the Israelites did live, and not to them that had lived before, or were to live after. And as when God said to Abraham, that he established his covenant, to wit, Circumcision, with him and his seed after him, in their ge∣nerations, Genes. 17. vers. 7, 8, 9, 10. wee inferre from thence very well, that before the daies of Abraham Circumcision was not used. In like manner, from the institution of the Sabbath to be kept by the Israelites in their generations, we conclude soundly, that before that time it was not observed. Nay with as good rea∣son

may it be thought, that circumcision was used before the dayes of Abraham, and that GOD did onely revive it after some particular fashion, although no mention be made thereof before Abraham, as many doe surmise the Sabbath day to have beene kept from the beginning, and that God did only renew it to the Iewes, although that be not written.

13 I acknowledge, that in some places of Scripture some things may be found appropriated to the Israelites particularly, which ap∣pertained and did still pertaine to others as well as to them, and that by reason of some particular forme whereby GOD gave them more excellently unto them then unto others, and of certaine circumstances wherewith hee accompanied them, to make them more commendable unto them, and move them to keepe them more carefully, and that ordinances obligatory to all men were given them, clothed with certaine ceremonies belonging to them onely: But these are things which carry with them their owne evidence, or which the Scripture teacheth otherwhere to have beene common to others. But as for the seventh day of Sabbath, it appeareth not, neither by the nature thereof, nor by any declaration of Scripture, that it did belong to others then to the Iewes. And therefore from this that we finde it never appropriated to any people but to them, we conclude most rationally, that it was never ordained to any peo∣ple, saving unto them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 16. vers. 22, 13, 29, 30