SECT. 6, 7.] OF THE LORD’S DAY. 441
them relief. Weare therefore, in this matter, to have no considera- tion of the present course of the world, nor of the weariness of pro- fessors in the ways of strict obedience. The sacred truth and will of God in all his commands is singly and sincerely to be inquired after.
6. And yet I will not deny but that there have been and are mis- takes in this matter leaning towards the other extreme. Directions have been given, and that not by a few, for the observation of a day of holy rest, which, either for the matter of them or the manner pre- scribed, have had no sufficient warrant or foundation in the Scrip- ture. For whereas some have made no distinction between the Sabbath as moral and as Mosaical, unless it be merely in the change
of the day, they have endeavoured to introduce the whole practice ' required on the latter into the Lord’s day. But we have already showed that there were sundry additions made unto the command, as to the manner of its observance, in its accommodation unto the Mosaical pedagogy, besides that the whole required a frame of spirit suited thereunto. Others, again, have collected whatever they could think of that is good, pious, and useful in the practice of religion, and prescribed it all, in a multitude of instances, as necessary to the sanctification of this day; so that a man can scarcely in six days read over all the duties that are proposed to be observed on the seventh. And it hath been also no small mistake, that men have laboured more to multiply directions about external duties, giving them out as it were by number or tale, than to direct the mind or inward man in and unto a due performance of the whole duty of the sancti- fication of the day, according to the spirit and genius of gospel obe- dience. And, lastly, it cannot be denied but that some, it may be measuring others by themselves and their own abilities, have been apt to tie them up unto such long, tiresome duties, and rigid absti- nences from refreshments, as have clogged their minds, and turned the whole service of the day into a wearisome bodily exercise, that profiteth little.
7 It is not in my design to insist upon any thing that is in con- troversy amongst persons learned and sober; nor will I now extend this discourse unto a particular consideration of the especial duties required in the sanctification or services of this day, But whereas all sorts of men who wish well to the furtherance and promotion of piety and religion in the world, on what reasons or foundations so- ever they judge that this day ought to be observed a holy rest to the Lord, do agree that there is a great and sinful neglect of the due observation of it,—as may be seen in the writings of some of the prin- cipal of those who cannot grant unto it an immediate divine insti- tution,—I shall give such rules and general directions about it as a
449 PRACTICAL OBSERVANCE [EXERC. VI.
due application whereof will give sufficient guidanée in the whole of our duty herein.
8. It may seem to some necessary that something should be pre- mised concerning the measure or continuance of the day to be set apart unto a holy rest unto the Lord; but it being a matter of ~ controversy, and to me, on the reasons to be mentioned afterwards, of no great importance, I shall not insist upon the examination of it, but only give my judgment in a word concerning it, Some con- tend that it is a natural day, consisting of twenty-four hours, beginning with the evening of the preceding day, and ending with the same of its own. And accordingly so was the church of Israel directed, Lev. xxiii, 32, “From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath;” although that doth not seem to be a general direc- tion for the observation of the weekly Sabbath, but to regard only — that particular extraordinary Sabbath which was then instituted, namely, the day of atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month, verse 27. However, suppose it to belong also unto the weekly Sabbath, it is evidently an addition unto the command, particularly suited unto the Mosaical pedagogy, that the day might comprise the sacrifice of the preceding evening in the services of it; from an obedience whereunto we are freed by the gospel. Neither can I subscribe unto this opinion; and that because,—(1.) In the description and limitation of the first original seven days, it is said of each of the six that it was constituted of an evening and a morn- ing, but of the day of rest there is no such description; it is only called “the seventh day,’ without any assignation of the preceding evening unto it. (2.) A day of rest, according to rules of natural equity, ought to be proportioned unto a day of work or labour, which God hath granted unto us for our own use. Now, this is to be reckoned from morning to evening: Ps. civ. 20-23, “Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep” (from whose yelling the night hath its name in the Hebrew tongue.) “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.” The day of labour is from the re- moval of darkness and the night, by the light of the sun, until the return of them again; which, allowing for the alterations of the day in the several seasons of the year, seems to be the just measure of our day of rest. (3.) Our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his resur- rection gave beginning and being to the especial day of holy rest under the gospel, rose not until “ the morning of the first day of the week,” when the beamings of the light of the sun began to dispel the darkness of the night, or “when it dawned toward day,” as it is vari-