An exposition of the morall lavv, or Ten Commandements of almightie God set dovvne by vvay of exercitations, wherein is contained an explanation of diverse questions and positions for the right understanding thereof, together with an explication of these scriptures which depend upon, or belong unto every one of the commandements, all which are cleared out of the originall languages, the customes of the Iewes, and the distinctions of the schoolemen / by Iohn Weemse ...

EXERCITAT. III. Of the Morall, Judiciall, and Ceremoniall part of the Sabbath day. Commandement IV.

Nehem. 9.14. And madest knowne unto them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes and lawes by the hand of Moses thy servant.

SOme of Moses lawes are both morall, judiciall and ceremoniall. Example, to give a double portion to the eldest, there is something naturall in this law, to give a double portion to the eldest, because he was his fathers strength and first begotten: there was something judiciall in this law, he must have a double portion; be∣cause hee was to maintaine the prerogative of the first borne in Israel: and there was something ceremoniall in this law, as he got a double portion; because hee was a type of Christ, Who was the first borne amongst many. Rom. 8.29.

The judiciall part of the law ceaseth now, because the commonwealth of Israel standeth not now. The ceremoniall part of the law is taken away, because the eldest now is not a type of Christ the first borne: but the morall part of the law remaineth, that the eldest should have a double portion, because hee is his fathers strength.

So in the law of the Sabbath there is something mo∣rale positivum, the morall positive part of the law; and secondly, something positivum divinum, the divine po∣sitive part of the law, and both those remaine still.

Thirdly, there are somethings judiciall in this law, and somethings ceremoniall, and those two are abro∣gated.

The morall positive part of this law, and the divine positive part doe remaine: the School-men say well, Cultus est à natura, modus à lege, & virtus à gratia. Cultus est à natura, nature it selfe teacheth us that there must be a time given to the service of God, and this is morale positivum, the morall positive part of the law, Remem∣ber that thou keepe the rest. But to keepe the seventh day, Modus est à lege, this was the divine positive part: but the spirit of God teacheth us to sanctifie the Sabbath, and this is à gratia, from his grace.

This is the morall positive part of the law, to have a time for the worship of God; therefore all people have appointed a certaine time for his worship, the Mahu∣metans keepe the sixt day of the weeke; the Iewes the seventh; the Christians the first day; and the Indians the fourth day.

The divine positive part of the law is to keepe it within seven dayes, this is the limitation of God him∣selfe, for nature would not teach us to keepe one of seven, more then one of eight.

How can this law bind us more than any other of Moses judiciall lawes; [Quest.] seeing it is not the morall posi∣tive part of the law?

This divine positive part bindeth all men, [Answ.] because it was given to Adam before his fall, and hee represented all mankinde; therefore this divine positive law hath a greater force to binde us, then other of Moses posi∣tive lawes which did binde onely the Iewes in Iudea.

It may be said that ceremonies are changable: [Ob.] but this keeping of the Sabbath is a ceremony; there∣fore &c.

Ceremonies of order appointed by the Church may [Answ.]

be changed, but this cannot be changed; for although it be not the naturall part of the law, yet it hath the pro∣perties of the naturall part; for that which is the morall and divine naturall part of the law, cannot be revoked without a staine of the Lords holinesse, as that adulte∣rie should be no sinne; but this circumscription of the day might be altered to the fourth or fifth day without any staine of Gods holinesse; yet because it is the di∣vine positive part which God himselfe hath set downe, and gave to Adam before his fall, therefore it cannot be altered or changed.

The judiciall part of this law is the ease of man and beast. So in the seventh yeare the land was to rest for the ease of man and beast. Levit. 25.6. for the stranger and for thy servant &c. The Lord had a speciall respect to his people as he was their governour, law-giver, and captaine, Iudg. 8.23. And they were Feudarij his fewers who in a speciall manner held their land of him, and in this respect especially, hee gave them their judiciall lawes.

The ceremoniall part of this law consisted in the manner how they kept their sabbath, they had a double sacrifice for it, they might kindle no fire on it, Exod. 35.3. They might dresse no meat that day, they were li∣mited to a Sabbath dayes journey, their Sabbath began in the evening and ended in the evening, and it was a type to them of all the benefits which they were to receive in Christ to come.

They might kindle no fire this day, this was a cere∣moniall part of their service; and it seemeth but to have continued as long as they were in the wildernesse. When Christ went to eate bread in the house of one of the chiefe Pharisees upon the Sabbath day, Luc. 14.1. is it probable that there was no fire that day to dresse the meat? Their Sabbath was a day of joy unto

them, and they laid aside their sackcloth that day, and they had a feast that day, which was a part of their ce∣remoniall worship, Iudith. 10.3.

Whether are wee as strictly bound to keepe the Sabbath, as the Iewes were under the law? [Quest.]

Wee are not so strictly bound to the letter, [Answ.] as they were in the wildernesse; for wee may kindle fire upon the Sabbath, and dresse meate, providing that it be done soberly, and without any hinderance to the di∣vine worship; if we consider afterwards againe, how the Sabbath to them was a feast, wee have not such a liber∣ty as that: for it was a part of their pedagogie under the law. When they made a feast that day, it was a re∣membrance to them of the benefits which they were to get in Christ to come, and therefore that occasion ceas∣ing, we are not bound to it; wee may fast upon the Sab∣bath, and humble our selves when occasion serveth: but wee are more bound to the morall rest than they were; the Lord saith, Ioel 2.19. Rent your hearts and not your garments: the morall part of this law bindeth us more then it did binde the Iewes, in respect of the greater measure of knowledge which wee have now; but the literall part of the law did binde the Iewes, but it doth not binde us; for they were to rent their cloathes as well as their hearts in the day of humiliation.

They might go no further that day than a Sabbath dayes journey; they measured their iourney two wayes; the first was their common measure, and that was called Cibhrath haaretz, diaeta terrae, Gen. 35.16. that is, as much ground as a man might goe from morning to breakfast, or from breakfast to dinner; the Seventy translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, as much ground as a horse will runne in a carrear or a spurt: so farre was it betwixt Bethlehem and Rama. The second measure of their iourney, was the measure for the Sabbath,

which was as farre distant as betwixt the uttermost tent and the tabernacle, which was two thousand cubits, Iosh. 3.4. And this they called Tehhum Sabbath, terminus Sabbathi; and so they call it mil miliare, that is, an Italian mile: The Syriack hath it, almost seaven furlongs: but when they came to Canaan, they might goe as farre upon the Sabbath as the space betwixt their houses and their Synagogues, every mans house was not so nere the Synagogue as mount Olivet was to Ierusalem; thus much ground of two thousand cubits kept still the name of a Sabbath dayes journie, although they might go further upon the Sabbath then two thousand cubits. Some doe hold that a Sabbath dayes journey after that they came to Canaan was as much ground, as they might goe after the evening sacrifice was ended, but this would be a very uncertaine measure of ground; for then it might be longer or shorter, according to the length or shortnesse of the day.

This was a part of the ceremoniall Sabbath to begin at the evening, and end at the evening, Nehem. 13.19. And it came to passe, that when the gates of Ierusalem began to be darke, before the Sabbath, I commanded the gates to be shut.

Lastly, their Sabbath was a pledge to them of all the benefits which they were to receive in Christ to come; in the allegoricall signification, their Sabbath signified to them Christ resting in the grave; in the tropologicall signification, it signified to them their rest from their servile works, and works of the flesh: and in the ana∣gogicall signification, it signified to them their eter∣nall rest.

[Quest.] But is not our Sabbath a type to us of our eternall rest?

[Answ.] It is an arbitrary type, but not a destinate, type for all types are ceased now to us; wee may say, as wee rest

this day for our labours; so we shall rest one day in the heavens from our sinnes, but this is onely an arbitrarie type. So the head and the body are but arbitrarie types of Christ and his Church: so the seaven golden candle∣sticks. Revelat. 1.13. are but arbitrarie types to the sea∣ven Churches in Asia, and comparisons are borrowed from those.

How shall wee discerne those things which are for∣bidden by a morall law, [Quest.] from these things which are forbidden by a ceremoniall law?

That which is forbidden by a ceremoniall law is for∣bidden at one time, and not at another. Example, [Ans.] to kindle fire upon the Sabbath is a ceremoniall law, be∣cause it was forbidden to them only upon the Sabbath; they might kindle fire at the Pascha and the Pentecost. So abstinence from leaven, was but a ceremoniall law, because it was forbidden only at the Pascha, and not at the rest of the feasts; but to buy and sell is forbidden in all their three feasts: therefore it is a morall precept, they might buy nothing upon the day of the Passover, therefore they bought all necessaries the day before. Ioh. 13.27. So that which is forbidden to some persons and not to all is a ceremoniall thing. Example, no Na∣zaret might drinke wine, and the Priest might not drinke wine when he entred into the Congregation, but other persons might drinke wine, therefore it is but a ceremoniall law. So for the place, no man might carry a vessell through the temple. Mark. 11.16. but out of that place, any man might carry a vessell, therefore it was but a ceremoniall law.

The conclusion of this is, this law of the Sabbath hath something morall, judiciall, and something ceremoniall, therefore wee must study to distinguish those three, that wee may know what part of the commandement bind∣eth us perpetually in this precept.

Notes

• That the first borne should have a double portion was both mo∣rall, judiciall, and cere∣moniall.
• Posi ivum

  • Morale.
  • Divinum.
• What is morale positi∣vum in the Sabbath.
• What divinum positi∣vum.
• All people have apoint∣ed a certaine time for the worship of God.
• This divine positive law bindeth us strictly, because it was given to Adam before his fall.
• Ceremonies of order may be changed by the Church.
• The morall divine na∣turall part of the law cannot bee revoked without a staine of Gods holinesse.
• The judiciall part of the Sabbath is the ease of man and beast.
• The ceremoniall part of this law of the Sab∣bath.
• Not to kindle fire on the Sabbath was a cere∣moniall law.
• The Iewes Sabbath was a day of joy to them.
• The Sabbath a part of the Iewes pedagogie.
• The Sabbath was a type to the Iewes of all the benefits which they were to receive in Christ.
• Wee are more bound to the morall rest of the Sabbath than the Iewes were.
• What a Sabbath dayes journey was.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 diaeta terrae.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Terminus Sabbaths.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 miliare.
• How farre the Iewes might goe upon the Sabbath in Canaan.
• This was ceremoniall in the Sabbath to begin at the evening.
• What the Sabbath signi∣fied allegorically, tropo∣logically and anagogi∣cally.
• Typus

  • Destinatus.
  • Arbitrarius.
• To know what things are forbidden by a cere∣moniall, and what by a morall law.