in his word, by a pofitive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in feven, for a fabbath, to be kept holy unto him k: Which, from the beginning of the world to the refurrection of Chrift, was the last day of the week; and, from the refurrection of Chrift, was changed into the first day of the week, which in fcripture is called the Lord's day m, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the chri ftian fabbath. VIII. This fabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs before-hand,do not only observe an holy Rest all the day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their wordly employments and recreations o; but also faftly in the apoftles doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. V1.kExod.20.8. Remember the fabbath day, to keep it holy.. 10. But the feven day is the fabbath of the ordthy God:in it thou fhalt not do any work, thou nor thyfon, nor thydaughter, thy man-fervant, nor thy maid-fervant, nor thy cat tle, nor thy ftranger whichis within thy gates v. 11. For in fix days the ord made heaven and earth, the fea, and all that in them is, and refled the feventh day; where. fore the Lord bleffed the fabbath day, and hallowed it. Ifa. 56. 2. bleffed is the man that doth this, and the Sonof manthat layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.. 4.For thus faith the Lord unto the eu nuchs that keep my fabbaths, and choose the things that pleafe me and take hold of my coventant, v. 6, 7. (See in letter i.) I Gen. 2. 2. And on the feventh day, God ended his work which he had made: and he refted on the feventh day rom all his work which he had made, v. 3. And God bleffed the feventh day, and fanctified it: because that in it he had refted trom all his work, which Godcrea are ted and made. 1 Cor. 16. 1. Now concerning the collection for the faints, as I havegiven order to the churches of Galatia,even fo do ye. v. 2. Upon the first dayof theweek, let every one of you lay by him in ftore, as God hath profpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. Acts 20. 7. And upon the firstdayof the week, when the difci ples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them,ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his fpeech until midnight, m Rev. 1 10. I was in the fpirit on the Lord'sday,and heard behind, me a great voice, as of a trumpet. n Exod, 20 8.10. (Sce letter k.) With Mat. 5. 17. Thinknotthat Í am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to detrey, but to fulfil, 7, 18. For verily I fay unto you,t ,till heaven and earth pafs, one jot or one tittle fhall in no wife pals from the law, till all be fiulfilled. VIII, o Exod.20 8.(See letterk.) Exod.16.23.Andhelaidunto them, This is that which the Lord hath faid, to morrow is the rest of the holy fabbath unto the Lord; bake, that which you will bake, to day and feethe that ye will feethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercifes of his worship, and in the duties of neceffity and merсу р. CHAP. XXII. Of lawful oaths and vows. A Lawful oath is a part of religious worship a, wherein, upon just occasion,the perfon fwearing, folemnly calleth God for you to be kept until the morning.v.25.And Mofes faid, Eatthat to day;for to day is afabbath unto the Lord to day ye fhall not find it in the field. v. 26. Six days ye fhall gather it, but on the feventh daywhich is the sabbath,in it there fhall be none. v. 29. See, for that the Lord hath given you the fabbath, therefore he giveth you on thefixth daythe bread of twodays: abide ye every man in his place, letno mangooutof hisplace on the the feventhday..30. So the people refted on thefeventhday Exod. 31.15.Six days maywork be done, but in the feventh is the fabbath of reft, holy to the Lord: whofoever doth any work in the fabbath-day, he fhall furelybe put to death, ".16, Wherefore the children of Ifrael fhall keep the fabbath, to observe thefabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. v. 17. It is a fign between me, & the children of Ifrael for ever: for in fix days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the feventh day he rested,& was refreshed, Ifa.58. 13.Ifthouturn awaythy foot from the fabbath,from doing thy pleafure on my holy day, and call the fabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord,honourable,and fhalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, not finding thineownpleafure,nor Speaking thineown words, Neh. 13. 15. In thofe days faw I in Judah fome treading wine-prefles on the fabbath,and bringingin fheaves,& Jading affes; as alfo wine, grapes, and figs,andall manner of burdens, whichthey brought into Jerufalem on the fabbath-day : and I teftified againft them in the day wherein they fold victuals, v. 16. There dwelt men of Tyre alfo therein, which brought fish,and all manner of ware, and fold on the fabbath, unto the children of Judah,and in Jerufalem.. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and faid unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and pr fane the fabbath-day? v. 18. Did not your Fathers thus,and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city?yet ye bring more wrath upon Ifrael, by profaning the fabbath. v. 19. And it came to pafs, that when the gates of Jeru falem began to be dark before the fabbath, I commanded that the gates fhould be shut, and charged that they thouldnot be opened till after the fabbath; and some of my fervants fet I atthe gates, thatthere fhould no burdenbe brought in on the fabbath-day, 7, 21, Then I teftified against them,and faid unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do fo again,I will lay hands on you. From that time forth, came they no more on the fabbath. v, 22, And I commanded the Levites,that they shouldcleanfe themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates,to fanctify the fabbath-day,Rememberme, O my God, concerning this allo, and fpare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. plla. 58. 13. (See in letter o.) Mat. 12, 1. to the 13: verle.) 1. 3 Deut.10.20. Thou shalt fear the God to witness what he afferteth or promifeth; and to judge him according to the truth or falfhood of what he (weareth b. II. The name of God only is that by which men ought to fwear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence c: Therefore, to swear vainly or rafhly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to fwear at all by any other thing, is finful, and to be abhorred d, Yet as, in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the word of God, under the new teftament, as well as under the old e; fo a lawful oath being impofed by lawful authority, in fuch matters, ought to be taken f. III, Who the Lord thy God; him fhalt thou ferve,and to him shalt thou cleave, and fwear by his name. : b Exod. 20. 7. Thou fhaltnottake the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold bim guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Lev. 19. 12. And ye fhall not fwear by my name falfly, neither fhalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 2 Cor. 1. 23. Moreover, I call God for a record upon my foul, that to fpare you Icamenotas yetunto Corinth. 2 Chron. 6. 22. If aman fin against his neighbour,and an oath he laid upon him, to make him fwear, and the oath come before thine altar in this houfe; v. 23. Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy fervants,by requiting the wicked, by recompencing his way upon his own head, and by juftifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteoufnels, II. c Deut.6.13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and fhalt fwear by his name. d Exod. 20.7. (See letter b.) Jer. 5. 7. How fhall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forfaken me,and iworn by them that are no gods: when I fed them to the full then they commited adultery,and affembled themselves bytroops in the harlots houses. Mat. 5. 34. But I fay unto you, fwear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne. v. 37. But let your com munication be, Yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. Jam. 5. 12. But above allthings,my brethren, fwear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; left ye fall into condemnation. e Heb. 6. 16. For men verily fwear by the greater and an oath for comfirmation is to theman end of all ftrife. 2 Cor. 23. (See in letter b) Ifa. 65. 16. That he who blefleth himself in the earth, fhall blefs himself in the God of truth; and he that fweareth in the earth, fhall fwear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. fi Kings 8. 31.If any man tre f pafs against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him, to caule him to fwear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house. Neh.13.25. And I contended with them, and curfed them, and fmote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them swear by God, faying, Ye fhall not give your daughters untotheirfons, nor take their daughters unto your fons, or for your felves. Ezra. 10. 5. Then arofe Ezra, and made the chief prielts, the Levites, and all Ifrael to fwear,that they should do according to this word: and they fware. III. g Exod. III. Whofoever taketh an oath, ought duly to confider the weightiness of fo folemn an act, and therein to avouch no thing but what he is fully perfwaded is the truth g: Neither may any man bind himself by oath to any thing but what is good and juft, and what he believeth fo to be, and what he is able and refolved to perform b. Yet it is a fin to refule an oath touching any thing that is good and just, being imposed by lawful authority i IV. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common fenfe III, g Exod.20.7.(See letter b.) Jer. 4. 2. And thou fhalt fwear, The Lord liveth,in truth,in judgment, and in righteou!nefs; and the nationsfhallblefsthemfelves in him, and in him fhall they glory. h Gen. 24.2 And Abraham faid unto his eldestservant of hishoufe, that ruledover all that he had, Put. I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh v. 3. And I will make thee fwear by the Lord,the Godof heaven and the Godof the earth, that thoufhalt not take a wife unto my fon, of the daughters of the Canaanites,amongst whom I dwell.v.5. And theservant saidunto him,Feradventure the woman will not be willingto followme unto this land: muft I needs bring thy fon again unto the land from whence thou camelt? v. 6. And Abraham faid unto him, Beware thou, that thou bring not my fonthitheragain.. 8. And if the woman will not be wil ling to followthee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only bringnotmyfon thitheragain...9. Andthe fervant put hishand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and fware to him concerning that matter, i Num.5.19.And the priestfhall charge her by an oath,and lay un to the woman,if no man have lien with thee, and if thou haft not gone afide to uncleannefs with another instead of thy hufband, be thou free from thisbitterwaterthat causeth the curse, v,21, Then the of prieft fhall charge the woman with an oath of curfing, and the priest fhall fay untothewoman, The Lord make thee a curfe and an oath among the people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to fwell.Neh.5.12. Then faid they, we will reftore them, & will require nothing of them; fo will we do as thou fayeft. Then I called the priests,and took an oath ofthem,that they fhould do according to this promife.Exod. 22. 7. If amanfhalldeliverunto his neighbour money or stuff to kee,and if it be ftolen out of the mans houfe; if the thief be found, let him pay double. 7. 8. If the thief be not found,then the master of the houfe fhallbe brought unto the judges,to fee whether he have put his hand unto hisneighbours goods..9 For all mannerof trefpafs, whetheritbe forox forafs, forfheep,for raiment, or for any manner of loft thing, which anotherchallengeth tobehis: the cause of both parties (hall come before the judges; and whom the judges fhall condemn,he shall pay double unto his neighbour., 10. If a man deliverunto hisneighbour an aís, or an ox,or afheep, or any beaft to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away,no man feeing it,, 1.Then fhall the oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his handunto his neighbours goods: and the owner of it fhall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. IV. k Jer. God to witness what he afferteth or promifeth; and to judge him according to the truth or falfhood of what he (weareth b. II. The name of God only is that by which men ought to fwear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence c: Therefore, to fwear vainly or rafhly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to fwear at all by any other thing, is finful, and to be abhorred d, Yet as, in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the word of God, under the new teftament, as well as under the old e; fo a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority, in fuch matters, ought to be taken f. III, Who the Lord thy God; him fhalt thou serve,and to him shalt thou cleave, and fwear by his name. : b Exod. 20. 7.Thou fhaltnottake the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Lev. 19. 12. And ye fhall not fwear by my name falfly, neither fhalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 2 Cor. 1. 23. Moreover, I call God for a record upon my foul, that to fpare you Icamenotas yetunto Corinth. 2 Chron. 6. 22. If aman fin against his neighbour,and an oath be laid upon him, to make him fwear, and the oath come before thine altar in this houfe; v. 23. Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy fervants,by requiting the wicked, by recompencing his way upon his own head, and by juftifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteoufnefs. II. c Deut.6.13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and fhalt fwear by his name. d Exod. 20.7. (See letter b.) Jer. 5. 7. How fhall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forfaken me,and fworn by them that are no gods: when I fed them to the full then they commited adultery,and affembled themselves bytroops in the harlots houfes. Mat. 5.34. But I fay unto you, fwear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is Gods throne. v. 37. But let your com munication be, Yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. Jam. 5. 12. But above allthings,my brethren, fwear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; left ye fall into condemnation. e Heb. 6. 16. For men verily fwear by the greater and an oath for comfirmation is to theman end of all ftrife. 2 Cor. 23. (See in letter b) Ifa. 65. 16. That he who blefleth himself in the earth, fhall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth, fhall fwear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. f1 Kings 8. 31.If any man tre fpafs against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him, to caufe him to fwear, and the oath come before thine altar in this houfe. Neh.13.25, And I contended with them, and curfed them, and fmote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them fwear by God, faying, Ye fhall not give your daughters untotheirfons, nor take their daughters unto your fons, or for your felves. Ezra. 10. 5. Then arofe Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Ifrael to fwear,that they fhould do according to this word: and they fware. III. g Exod. |