Reformed Covenanter blog posts on the Sabbath

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:

 
This week's post for the Lord's Day comes from Richard Greenham on Adam's need for a Sabbath:

... Our first father then had a Sabbath to be put in mind of the Creator, and that without distraction he might the better be put in mind of the glorious kingdom to come, that more freely he might give himself to meditation, and that he might the better glorify God in six days. As the heretics then deny the necessity of the word, prayer and Sacraments: so we look for a new heaven, and a new earth, and then we hope and acknowledge, that we shall keep a continual Sabbath. But in the meantime, seeing the Sabbath which we now have, was before sin, we, since sin came into the world, have much more need of it, because that which was needful to continue Adam in innocence, is also as needful to recover us, and to continue us in our recovery. The Lord then having sanctified this day, it is not our day, but the Lord his own day. ...

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But in the meantime, seeing the Sabbath which we now have, was before sin, we, since sin came into the world, have much more need of it, because that which was needful to continue Adam in innocence, is also as needful to recover us, and to continue us in our recovery.
Well said, Mr. Greenham.

We need the Lord's Day. We should not only enjoy it as it comes, but even yearn for it, and long for the relief that we find in it. God has indeed designed it for our benefit.

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. - Psalm 84:2 KJV
 
This week's post for the Lord's Day comes from Jonathan Edwards on Sabbath-profanation as a way to hell:

A way of sabbath-breaking and of profaning God’s worship is a sure way to hell. Is not this a common thing amongst us? Are there not many amongst us, especially young people, that have no regard to holy time, but in their talk and actions do trample God’s sabbath underfoot and make no difference between holy time and other time? I think this may be taken for a rule, that those moral evils that were capital according to the law of Moses, that at all times, they are mortal damning sins: for God, by ordering that they should be punished with death, signified that they led to destruction and eternal death. But the profaning the sabbath was so to be capitally punished.

[In] Exodus 31:14, we are told that he that defiles the sabbath shall surely be put to death; that soul shall be cut off from the congregation. They were to be stoned with stones, which sort of death seems to be appointed more especially to represent God’s wrath poured upon the head of the sinner. And how many are there that not only profane the sabbath, but profane God’s public worship on the sabbath by an irreverent, indecent, rude behaviour. All such as make this a practice are going to hell. I need to offer [no] other places to prove it, but the third commandment: “That God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” [Exodus 20:7–8].

For the reference, see:

 
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