SECT. 16.] AND SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 259
remainders of them were only a kind of priest that attended unto sacrificing, lib. xvii. ; and he says that one Cheremon, who went along with Ailius Gallus, the governor of Egypt, undertaking still to prac- tise their arts, was ridiculous unto all for his ignorance and arro- gance.
I have diverted unto the consideration of these sorts of men, as finding some of them in this space of time, before the giving of the law, looked on as those who had more acquaintance and intimacy with the deities in common veneration than ordinary, and were thereon esteemed as priests and sacred. But it is plain that they were such as the devil excited, acted, and after a sort inspired, to draw off the minds of men from the knowledge and fear of the only true God and his worship. Wherefore, notwithstanding their pre- tence of interposing between men and a divine power, which Satan made use of, to discover things hidden, and to effect marvellous operations, as also that at length they became public sacrificers, yet are they to be utterly excluded from all consideration in those pre- libations and prefigurations of the priesthood of Christ which de- rived themselves from divine institution through the catholic tradi- tion of mankind.
AN ADVERTISEMENT UNTO THE READER.
Having made this entrance into what I had designed concerning the prefigu- rations of the priesthood of Christ in the church and in the world, I find the full discussion of all things thereunto belonging will require larger discourses than either my present indisposition as unto health will allow me to engage into, or the printer’s haste admit of a stay for. Wherefore, having despatched the whole doctrinal part of the sacerdotal office of Christ, which was my principal design in these Exercitations, I do crave the reader’s pardon to transmit the remainder of our historical observations unto the publication of another part of our Exposi- tion of the Epistle, if God shall be pleased to afford that occasion and oppor- tunity.
¢
EXERCITATIONS
CONCERNING
ee NAME, ORIGINAL, NATURE, USE, AND CONTINUANCE a | OF A DAY OF SACRED REST:
\
WHEREIN
L OF THE SABBATH FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THE Y OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, WITH THE CHANGE OF THE SEVENTH DAY, ARE INQUIRED INTO ;
TOGETHER WITH
as AN ASSERTION OF THE DIVINE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S DAY, AND ‘all PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR ITS DUE OBSERVATION.
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BY JOHN OWEN, D.D.
Search the Scriptures.—JouN v. 39.
Aid ducQnuias nad edQnwias.—2 CoR. vi. 8. ;
7. +
ore
TO THE READER,
CHRISTIAN READER, THERE are two great concerns of that religion whose name thou bearest,—the
' profession of its truth, and the practice or exercise of its power. And these are
mutually assistant unto each other. Without the profession of faith in its truth, no man can express its power in obedience; and without obedience profession is little worth. Whatever, therefore, doth contribute help and assistance unto us in either of these, according to the mind of God, is to be highly prized and valued. Especially it is so in such a season as this, wherein the former of them is greatly questioned, and the latter greatly neglected, if not despised. But if there be any thing which doth equally confirm and strengthen them both, it is certainly of great necessity in and unto religion, and will be so esteemed by them who place their principal concerns in these things. Now, such is the solemn observation of a sacred weekly day of rest unto God; for amongst all the outward means of con- yeying to the present generation that religion which was at first taught and de- livered unto men by Jesus Christ and his apostles, there hath been none more effectual than the catholic, uninterrupted observation of such a day for the cele- bration of the religious worship appointed in the gospel. And many material parts of it were unquestionably preserved by the successively-continued agreement of Christians in this practice. So far, then, the profession of our Christian reli- gion in the world at this day doth depend upon it. How much it tends to the
exercise and expression of the power of religion cannot but be evident unto all,
unless they be such as hate it,—who are not a few. With others it will quickly appear unto a sober and unprejudicated consideration; for no small part hereof doth consist in the constant payment of that homage of spiritual worship which we owe unto God in Jesus Christ. And the duties designed thereunto are the means which he hath appointed for the communication of grace and spiritual strength unto the due performance of the remainder of our obedience. In these things consist the services of this day; and the end of its observation is their due performance, unto the glory of God and the advantage of our own souls. Where- as, therefore, Christian religion may be considered two ways ;—first, as it is pub- licly and solemnly professed in the world, whereon the glory of God and the honour of Jesus Christ do greatly depend; and, secondly, as it prevails and rules in the minds and lives of private men,—neither of them can be maintained with- out a due observance of a stated day of sacred rest. Take this away, neglect and confusion will quickly cast out all regard unto solemn worship. Neither did it ever thrive or flourish in the world from the foundation of it, nor will do so unto its end, without a due religious attendance unto such a day. Any man may easily foresee the disorder and profaneness which would ensue upon the taking away of that whereby our solemn assemblies are guided and preserved. Wherefore, by God’s own appointment, it had its beginning and will have its end with his public