Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
This week's post comes from John Wallis; it focuses on the Sabbath before Sinai and its place in the Decalogue:
I agree also, that the Law of the Sabbath is one of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments delivered to Israel on Mount Sinai. Ex. 20. But I am willing to think it was a Law before. Not only because we find it observed, Exod. 16. (before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, Ex. 20.) but especially because of that in Gen. 2. 3. God blessed the Seventh day and Sanctified it, because in it he rested from all his Work. And those who are most averse to the Morality (as it is wont to be called) or the Perpetuity of the Sabbath, or Day of Holy Rest, and are yet very zealous for the Holiness of Places, would be very fond of it if they could find so clear a Testimony, and so ancient, for the holiness of Place, as here is for that of Time.
I agree also that the Law of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments, though then given peculiarly to Israel, is Obligatory to Us also. For though some Clauses therein do peculiarly respect them; as that who brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage, and that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, (which I think is there said with a particular respect to the land of Canaan, which God gave to Israel, not to us; yet the Body of that Law and the preceptive part of it, I take to be Obligatory to others also, and to Us in particular; the Decalogue being Declarative of what was (I think) a Law before (however neglected or forgotten,) and is by Christ and his Apostles frequently cited as such, even to Gentiles as well as Jews.
For the reference, see:
I agree also, that the Law of the Sabbath is one of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments delivered to Israel on Mount Sinai. Ex. 20. But I am willing to think it was a Law before. Not only because we find it observed, Exod. 16. (before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, Ex. 20.) but especially because of that in Gen. 2. 3. God blessed the Seventh day and Sanctified it, because in it he rested from all his Work. And those who are most averse to the Morality (as it is wont to be called) or the Perpetuity of the Sabbath, or Day of Holy Rest, and are yet very zealous for the Holiness of Places, would be very fond of it if they could find so clear a Testimony, and so ancient, for the holiness of Place, as here is for that of Time.
I agree also that the Law of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments, though then given peculiarly to Israel, is Obligatory to Us also. For though some Clauses therein do peculiarly respect them; as that who brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage, and that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, (which I think is there said with a particular respect to the land of Canaan, which God gave to Israel, not to us; yet the Body of that Law and the preceptive part of it, I take to be Obligatory to others also, and to Us in particular; the Decalogue being Declarative of what was (I think) a Law before (however neglected or forgotten,) and is by Christ and his Apostles frequently cited as such, even to Gentiles as well as Jews.
For the reference, see:
John Wallis on the Sabbath before Sinai and its place in the Decalogue
I agree also, that the Law of the Sabbath is one of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments delivered to Israel on Mount Sinai. Ex. 20. But I am willing to think it was a Law before. Not only because we …
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