(3.) The sanction of the law by death increased their bondage; for as this in itself was a terror unto them in their services, so it was expressive and a representation of the original curse of the whole law, Gal. iii. 18. And hereby were they greatly awed and terrified, although some of them, by especial grace, were enabled to delight themselves in God and his ordinances.
And in these things was administered “a spirit of bondage unto fear,” which by the apostle is opposed to “the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father,” Rom. viii. 15; which where it is, there is liberty. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,”
SECT. 9.] OF THE LORD’S DAY. 445
2 Cor. iii. 17, and there only. And therefore, although they boasted» that they were the children of Abraham, and on that reason free and
never in bondage, yet our Saviour lets them know, that whatever
they pretended, they were not free until the Son should make them
so. And from these things arose those innumerable anxious scru-
pulosities which were upon them in the observation of this day, ac-
companied with the severe nature of those additions in its observation
which were made unto the law of it, as appropriated unto them for
a season.
Now, all these things we are freed from under the gospel; for,—
(1.) We are not now brought to receive the law from mount Sinai, but are come unto mount Sion. So the apostle at large, Heb. xii. 18-24, “ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched” (that is, which naturally might be so by men’s hands, though morally the touching of it was forbidden), “ and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more; for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake;” which it seems were the words he used, where it is on this occasion said of him, “ And Moses spake,” but nothing is added of what he said, Exod. xix. 19. Which things are insisted on by him, to show the grounds of that bondage which the people were in under the law. Whereunto he adds, “ But ye are come unto mount Sion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ;’—“ Jerusalem which is above, which is free, which is the mother of us all,” Gal. iv. 26. That is, we receive the law of our obedience from Jesus Christ, who speaks from heaven, to be observed with a spirit of liberty.
(2.) The old covenant is now absolutely abolished, nor is the re- membrance of it any way revived, Heb. vill. 13. It hath no influ- ence into or upon the minds of believers. They are taken into a covenant full of grace, joy, and peace: for “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” John i. 17.
(3.) In this covenant they receive the Spirit of Christ, or adop- tion, to serve God without legal fear, Luke i. 74; Rom. viii. 15; Gal. iv. 6. And there is not any thing more insisted on in the gospel, as the principal privilege thereof. Itis, indeed, nothing to have liberty in the word and rule, unless we have it in the spirit and principle, And hereby are we delivered from that anxious solicitude about par- ticular instances in outward duties, which was a great part of the yoke of the people of old; for,—
446 PRACTICAL OBSERVANCE [EXERC. VI.
[1.] Hence we may in all our duties look on God as a father. By the Spirit of his Son, we may in them all cry, “Abba, Father;” for “through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father,” Eph. ij. 18,—to God as a father; as one that “will not always chide,” that doth not watch our steps for our hurt, but “remembereth that we are dust;” one who tieth us not up to rigid exactness in out- ward things, whilst we act in a holy spirit of filial obedience, as his sons or children. And there is a great difference between the duties of servants and children, neither hath a father the same measure of them. The consideration hereof, regulated by the general rules of the Scripture, will resolve a thousand of such scruples as the Jews of old, while servants, were perplexed withal.
[2.] Hence we come to know that he will be worshipped “in spirit and in truth.” Therefore he more minds the inward frame of our hearts, wherewith we serve him, than the mere performance of out- ward duties; which are only so far accepted with him as they are expressions and demonstrations thereof. If, then, in the observation of this day, our hearts are single and sincere in our aims at his glory with delight, it is of more price with him than the most rigid obser- vation of outward duties by number and measure.
[3.] Therefore, the minds of believers are no more influenced unto this duty by the curse of the law and the terror thereof, as repre- sented in the threatened penalty of death. The authority and love of Jesus Christ are the principal causes of our obedience. Hence. our main duty lieth in an endeavour to get spiritual joy and de- light in the services of this day, which are the especial effects of spiritual liberty. So the prophet requires that we should “ call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lorp, honourable;” as also, on the other side, that we should “not do our own ways, nor find our own pleasure, nor speak our own words,” Isa. lviii. 13. And these cautions seem to regard the Sabbath absolutely, and not as Judaical. But I much question whether they have not, in the interpretation of some, been extended beyond their original intention ; for the true meaning of them is no more but this, that we should so delight ourselves in the Lord on his holy day, as that, being expressly forbidden our usual labour, we should not need, for want of satisfac- tion in our duties, to turn aside unto our own pleasures and vain ways, which are only our own, to spend our time and pass over the Sabbath,—a thing complained of by many; whence sin and Satan have been more served on this day than on all the days of the week | beside. But I no way think that here is a restraint laid on us from such words, ways, and works, as neither hinder the performance of any religious duties belonging to the due celebration of the worship of God on this day, nor are apt in thernselves to unframe our spirits,