Expository notes, with practical observations; towards the opening of the five first chapters of the first book of Moses called Genesis. Delivered by way of exposition in several lords-dayes exercises.: By Benjamin Needler, minister of the gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-Street, London.

Quest. 2. verse 3.

Whether God did from the first crea∣tion, appoint that the seventh day should be kept as an holy Sabbath? or whether this be spoken by way of Prolepsis, or An∣ticipation,

viz. because God rested from his work upon the seventh day, therefore he did afterwards, at the time of the giving of the Law ordaine, that every seventh day of the week should be kept holy, as a Sab∣bath of rest unto the Lord.

The Sabbath was appointed from the [Resp.] creation: 'tis true

It cannot be denied, but that it is an usu∣all thing in Scripture, to set down things in way of Prolepsis, or Anticipation, as they call it, to set down things aforehand, in the History, which happened many years af∣terward: but there is no such Prolepsis here, as if the meaning should be that he did this two thousand five hundred years after the creation. It is observable that throughout the whole Scripture, we shall not finde one Prolepsis, but that the History is evidently and apparently false, unlesse we do ac∣knowledge a Prolepsis and Anticipation to be in the History: the necessity of establish∣ing the truth of the History, only can esta∣blish the truth of a Prolepsis in the History: but in this place alledged, can any say that the story is apparently false, unlesse we i∣magine the Sabbath to be first sanctified on mount Sinai?

But Gods sanctifying the Sabbath may be [Object.]

expounded thus: God did actually purpose to sanctifie it after the giving of the Law.

If to sanctifie the seventh day, be only [Resp.] to purpose to sanctifie it, then the Sabbath was no more sanctified since the creation, then ab aeterno: for then God purposed it should be sanctified, &c.

For the further clearing of this truth, I shall give you the Arguments of some learned persons, why they conceive that the Sabbath was not instituted till the gi∣ving of the Law on mount Sinai.

Adam in innocency should not have [Arg. 1] needed a Sabbath; not his soul, for every day was a Sabbath to that; nor his body, because his body was not then subject to wearinesse, neither could it be appointed for the ease of servants, because then no such thing as servitude in the world.

The Sabbath was instituted, not for [Resp. 1] common rest, or rest from natural weari∣nesse principally; but for holy rest, that the soul might have more immediate com∣munion with God, Returne to thy rest, O my soule, saith the Psalmist: The rest of the soule is not a ceasing from all operation, for that cannot stand with the nature of a spirit; hence the soul is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an act, because it is still in action, a spirit can∣not

be, and not act; but when the soule centers on God, then it is said to rest.

Bodies rest in their proper places, and souls rest in the enjoying of their proper objects. Now Adam in innocency, thogh his body was not subject to wearinesse, might stand in need of such a rest as this is.

Adam was to serve God in a particular [ 2] calling, God took the man & put him into the garden of Eden, that he might dresse it, & keep * 1.1 it; now Luther professeth, It followes from hence, saith he, that if Adam had stood in his innocency, yet he should have kept the seventh day holy, viz. on that day he should have taught his children, what was the Word of God, & wherein his worship did consist, and wholly have sequestred himself to his service; on other days he should have dres∣sed and kept the garden; though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediately, in seeing God in the creatures, and meet∣ing with God in his labour, yet it was not unsuitable for that estate, to have one day in the week, for more immediate, and speci∣al converse with God; and though it was no paine to him to dresse the garden, yet this must needs take up his thoughts while he was about it.

The Saints and Angels in Heaven, have [Object.]

had no set Sabbath, and why man in in∣nocency?

The state of innocency on earth, should [Resp.] not have been in all things alike, to the state of glory in heaven, and particularly in this, there should have been marriage, dressing of the garden, day and night in Paradise; but no such thing in Heaven.

We do not read, that there was any o∣ther [Arg. 2] positive precept or law given to our first parents in the state of innocency, but only this, that they should not eat of the forbidden fruit. Now the command of God for the observation of the Sabbath, is a positive command, and that appears, be∣cause, although the worship of God do be∣long to the Law natural, viz. founded in the Law of nature yet the circumstance of time, when God in an especial manner is to be worshipped, that we should keep an holy rest unto the Lord every seventh day, this is a positive precept, and was never deter∣mined by the Law of nature.

That Adam had from the creation, at [Resp.] least that which amounted to a positive Law for the observance of the Sabbath, is plaine. It is said, God sanctified the seventh day: Now, though this word is vari∣ously taken in the Scripture, yet in this

place, the seventh day must be said to be sanctified one of these two wayes:

Either by infusion of holinesse, or san∣ctification [ 1] into it; now the circumstance of a seventh day, is not capable of sanctifi∣cation in this sense, only rational creatures, Angels and men may be said thus to be sanctified.

By separation of it from common use, and dedication of it to an holy use, as the [ 2] Temple and Tabernacle were, which had no inherent holinesse in them.

Now if the Sabbath were thus sanctifi∣ed, it must either be for the use of God, or man; either God must impose upon him∣self the observation of every seventh day to keep it holy, which is absurd; or else it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use: and if so, man had that which amounted to a positive Law for the obser∣vation of the Sabbath.

When Moses makes repetition of the [Arg. 3] Law of God, Deut. 5. 15. he laies downe this as a ground of the observation of the seventh day as a Sabbath, the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, therefore the Sab∣bath was not instituted from the creation.

This that is urged is placed by God by [Resp.] way of preface and motive as an argument

for the observation of all the Command∣ments, yet who will say that none of them were in force till the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt?

This was one reason why the Sabbath [Resp. 2] should be sanctified, but not the only rea∣son: therefore, Exod. 20. 6. the reason that is rendered there, why the seventh day is the Sabbath, is this, for in six dayes, the Lord made heaven and earth, &c.

The Jewes were to observe the Sabbath not only upon the ground of its first insti∣tution, but upon reasons, proper, and pe∣culiar to that Nation. It is likely their de∣liverance out of Egypt, was on the Sabbath day, and therefore urged by Moses, as a ground of their observation of it.

We finde not any expresse mention, [Arg. 4] that the Patriarchs before Moses time did sanctifie a Sabbath.

We may as well argue, it was not kept [Resp.] all the time of the Judges, and Samuel, be∣cause no expresse mention made in those Books of any such thing.

No doubt, but they observed it, be∣cause [Object.] it was published on mount Sinai.

The like may we say of the Patriarchs [Resp. 1] before the promulgation of the Law on mount Sinai, because it was sanctified from the Creation.

Abraham is commended for keeping Gods [ 2] Commandments, and the Sabbath is one of * 1.2 them.

We may as well argue, that the Patri∣archs [ 3] for two thousand five hundred yeares together, observed not any day at all for the worship and service of God; for there is in Scripture as much mention of a Sab∣bath, as any other day: yea,

It is plaine in the Scripture, that the Jewes did keep the Sabbath before the [ 4] Law was given: This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy * 1.3 Sabhath unto the Lord, &c.

I might adde, that it is not improbable, but the sacrifices of Cain and Abel were upon the Sabbath-day, the usual stated time for such services: If a time had not beene set apart even in Adams dayes, for Divine service, how improbable is it, that Cain and Abel should concurre at the same time, in bringing their offerings unto the Lord? and if not at the same time, how could Cain discerne that Abels offering was respected, and accepted of God, when his was * 1.4 not? and besides, it is said, In processe of time it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. In the processe of time, or at the end

of days, as it is in the margin of your Bibles, and as the original will bear it, viz. on the Sabbath-day; when there is an end of the dayes of the week, and they begin again.

I might adde, that it is not improbable, but that Noah and his family kept the Sab∣bath in the Ark; for it is said, that he stayed * 1.5 other seven dayes, and sent forth the Dove out of the Ark; and verse 12. He stayed other seven dayes, and sent forth the Dove: why did Noah this on the seventh day? It was likely that then Noah and his family were at prayer, and engaged in the worship and service of God, and at such times it is good to make experiments of Gods fatherly care of us, and providence over us.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 2. 5.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 26.5.
• * 1.3

  Exo 16.23
• * 1.4

  Gen. 4.3.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 8. 10, 12.