Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 77

Besides, to grant this, is to run into a grievous error; for this doth not only make the law of nature the first of prophets, contrary to Genesis 3:10 compared with John 1:1 but it seems to make the will of G.o.d, made known by revelation, a needless thing.

For if the law of nature, as such, can predict, or foretell G.o.d's secrets, and that before he reveals them, and this law of nature is universal in every individual man in the world, what need is there of particular prophets, or of their holy writings? And indeed here the Quakers and others split themselves. For if the law of nature can of itself reveal unto me one thing pertaining to inst.i.tuted wors.h.i.+p, for that we are treating of now, and the exact time which G.o.d has not yet sanctified and set apart for the performance thereof, why may it not reveal unto me more, and so still more; and at last all that is requisite for me to know, both as to my salvation, and how G.o.d is to be wors.h.i.+ped in the church on earth.

Third, If it be of the law of nature, then all men by nature are convinced of the necessity of keeping it, and that though they never read or heard of the revealed will of G.o.d about it; but this we find not in the world.

For though it is true that the law of nature is common to all, and that all men are to this day under the power and command thereof; yet we find not that they are by nature under the conviction of the necessity of keeping of a seventh day sabbath. Yea, the Gentiles, though we read not that they ever despised the law of nature, yet never had, as such, a reverence of a seventh day sabbath, but rather the contrary.

Fourth, If therefore the seventh day sabbath is not of the law of nature, then it should seem not to be obligatory to all. For inst.i.tuted wors.h.i.+p, and the necessary circ.u.mstances thereunto belonging, is obligatory but to some. The tree that Adam was forbid to eat of, we read not but that his children might have eat the fruit thereof: and circ.u.mcision, the pa.s.sover, and other parts of inst.i.tuted wors.h.i.+p was enjoined but to some.

Fifth, I doubt the seventh day sabbath is not of the law of nature, and so not moral; because though we read that the law of nature, and that before Moses, was charged upon the world, yet I find not till then, that the profanation of a seventh day sabbath was charged upon the world: and indeed to me this very thing makes a great scruple in the case.

A law, as I said, we read of, and that from Adam to Moses (Rom 5:13,14). The transgressions also of that law, we read of them, and that particularly, as in Genesis 4:8, 6:5, 9:21, 22, 12:13, 13:13, 18:12-15, 19:5; (Eze 16:49,50[6]); Genesis 31:30, 35:2, 40:15, 44:8-10; Deuteronomy 8:19, 20, 12:2; Psalm 106:35-37 and Romans the first and second chapters.

But in all the scriptures we do not read, that the breach of a seventh day sabbath was charged upon men as men all that time.

Whence I gather, that either a seventh day sabbath was not discerned by the light of nature, and so not by that law imposed; or else, that men by the help and a.s.sistance of that, for we speak of men as men,[7] in old time kept it better, than in after ages did the church of G.o.d with better a.s.sistance by far. For they are there yet found fault with as breakers of the sabbath (Eze 20:13).

It follows therefore, that if the law of nature doth not of itself reveal to us, as men, that the seventh day is the holy sabbath of G.o.d. That that day, as to the sanction of it, is not moral, but rather arbitrary, to wit, imposed by the will of G.o.d upon his people, until the time he thought fit to change it for another day.

And if so, it is hence to be concluded, that though by the light of nature men might see that time must be allowed and set apart for the performance of that wors.h.i.+p that G.o.d would set up in his house, yet, as such, it could not see what time the Lord would to that end choose. Nature therefore saw that, by a positive precept, or a word revealing it, and by no other means.

Nor doth this at all take away a whit of that sanction which G.o.d once put upon the seventh day sabbath; unless any will say, and by sufficient argument prove, that an ordinance for divine wors.h.i.+p receiveth greater sanction from the law of nature than from a divine precept: or standeth stronger when it is established by a law humane, for such is the law of nature, than when imposed by revelation of G.o.d.

But the text will put this controversy to an end. The sanction of the seventh day sabbath, even as it was the rest of G.o.d, was not till after the law of nature was completed; G.o.d rested the seventh day and sanctified it (Gen 2:3). Sanctified it; that is, set it apart to the end there mentioned, to wit, to rest thereon.

Other grounds of this question I might produce, but at present I will stop here, and conclude, That if a seventh day sabbath was an essential necessary to the inst.i.tuted wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, then itself also as to its sanction for that work, was not founded but by a positive precept; consequently not known of man at first, but by revelation of G.o.d.

QUESTION II.

Whether the seventh day sabbath, as to man's keeping of it holy, was ever made known to, or imposed by, a positive precept upon him until the time of Moses? which from Adam was about two thousand years.

Something must also be here premised, in order to my propounding of my grounds for this question; and that is, That the seventh day was sanctified so soon as it had being in the world, unto the rest of G.o.d, as it is Genesis 2:2, 3 and he did rest, from all his works which he had made therein. But the question is, Whether when G.o.d did thus sanctify this day to his own rest, he did also by the s.p.a.ce of time above-mentioned, impose it as an holy sabbath of rest upon men; to the end they might solemnize wors.h.i.+p to him in special manner thereon? And I question this,

First, Because we read not that it was. And reading, I mean, of the divine testimony, is ordained of G.o.d, for us to find out the mind of G.o.d, both as to faith and our performance of acceptable service to him.

In reading also, we are to have regard to two things.

I. To see if we can find a precept: or,

II. A countenanced practice for what we do. For both these ways we are to search, that we may find out what is that good, that acceptable will of G.o.d.

For the first of these we have Genesis 2:16, 17 and for the second, Genesis 8:20, 21 [as to public wors.h.i.+p but not on a stated day].

Now as to the imposing of a seventh day sabbath upon men from Adam to Moses, of that we find nothing in holy writ either from precept or example. True, we find that solemn wors.h.i.+p was performed by the saints that then lived: for both Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, sacrificed unto G.o.d (Gen 4:4, 8:20,21, 12:7, 13:4, 35:1), but we read not that the seventh day was the time prefixed of G.o.d for their so wors.h.i.+pping, or that they took any notice of it.

Some say, that Adam in eating the forbidden fruit, brake also the seventh day sabbath, because he fell on that day;[8] but we read not that the breach of a sabbath was charged upon him. That which we read is this; 'Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?' (Gen 3:11). Some say also that Cain killed Abel on a sabbath day;[9] but we read not that, in his charge, G.o.d laid any such thing at his door. This was it of which he stood guilty before G.o.d; namely, That his brother's blood cried unto G.o.d against him from the ground (Gen 4:10).

I therefore take little notice of what a man saith, though he flourisheth his matter with many brave words, if he bring not with him, 'Thus saith the Lord.' For that, and that only, ought to be my ground of faith as to how my G.o.d would be wors.h.i.+ped by me. For in the matters material to the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, it is safest that thus I be guided in my judgment: for here only I perceive 'the footsteps of the flock' (Cant 1:8; Eze 3:11). They say further, that for G.o.d to sanctify a thing, is to set it apart. This being true; then it follows, that the seventh day sabbath was sanctified, that is, set apart for Adam in paradise; and so, that it was ordained a sabbath of rest to the saints from the beginning.

But I answer, as I hinted before, that G.o.d did sanctify it to his own rest. 'The LORD [also] hath set apart him that is G.o.dly for himself.' But again, it is one thing for G.o.d to sanctify this or that thing to an use, and another thing to command that that thing be forthwith in being to us. As for instance: the land of Canaan was set apart many years for the children of Israel before they possessed that land. Christ Jesus was long sanctified; that is, set apart to be our redeemer before he sent him into the world (Deut 32:8; John 10:36).

If then, by G.o.d's sanctifying of the seventh day for a sabbath, you understand it for a sabbath for man, (but the text saith not so) yet it might be so set apart for man, long before it should be, as such, made known unto him. And that the seventh day sabbath was not as yet made known to men.

Second, Consider secondly, Moses himself seems to have the knowledge of it at first, not by tradition, but by revelation; as it is Exodus 16:23, 'This is that [saith he] which the Lord hath said, [namely to me; for we read not, as yet, that he said it to any body else]. To morrow is the sabbath of the holy rest unto the Lord.'

Also holy Nehemiah suggesteth this, when he saith of Israel to G.o.d, Thou 'madest known unto them thy holy sabbath [by the hand of Moses thy servant]' (Neh 9:14). The first of these texts shews us, that tidings of a seventh day sabbath for men, came first to Moses from heaven: and the second, that it was to Israel before unknown.

But how could be either the one or the other, if the seventh day sabbath was taught to men by the light of nature, which is the moral law? Or if from the beginning it was given to men by a positive precept for to be kept.

This therefore strengtheneth my doubt about the affirmative of the first question, and also prepareth an argument for what I plead as to this we have now under consideration.

Third, This yet seems to me more scrupulous, because that the punishment due to the breach of the seventh day sabbath was hid from men to the time of Moses; as is clear, for that it is said of the breaker of the sabbath, 'They put him in ward, because it was not [as yet] declared what should be done to him' (Num 15:32-36).

But methinks, had this seventh day sabbath been imposed upon men from the beginning, the penalty or punishment due to the breach thereof had certainly been known before now.

When Adam was forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the penalty was then, if he disobeyed, annexed to the prohibition. So also it was as to circ.u.mcision, the pa.s.sover, and other ordinances for wors.h.i.+p. How then can it be thought, that the seventh day sabbath should be imposed upon men from the beginning; and that the punishment for the breach thereof, should be hid with G.o.d for the s.p.a.ce of two thousand years! (Gen 2:16,17, 17:13,14; Exo 12:43-48) and the same chapter (v 19).

Fourth, G.o.d's giving of the seventh day sabbath was with respect to stated and stinted wors.h.i.+p in his church; the which, until the time of Moses, was not set up among his people. Things till then were adding or growing: now a sacrifice, then circ.u.mcision, then again long after that the pa.s.sover, &c.

But when Israel was come into the wilderness, there to receive as G.o.d's congregation, a stated, stinted, limited way of wors.h.i.+p, then he appoints them a time, and times, to perform this wors.h.i.+p in; but as I said afore, before that it was not so, as the whole five books of Moses plainly shew: wherefore the seventh day sabbath, as such a limited day cannot be moral, or of the law of nature, nor imposed till then.

And methinks Christ Jesus and his apostles do plainly enough declare this very thing. For that when they repeat unto the people, or expound before them the moral law, they quite exclude the seventh day sabbath. Yea, Paul makes that law to us complete without it.

We will first touch upon what Christ doth in this case.

As in his sermon upon the mount (Matt 5-7). In all that large and heavenly discourse upon this law, you have not one syllable about the seventh day sabbath.

So when the young man came running, and kneeling, and asking what good thing he should do to inherit eternal life, Christ bids him keep the commandments; but when the young man asked which; Christ quite leaves out the seventh day, and puts him upon the other. As in Matthew 19:16-19. As in Mark 10:17-20. As in Luke 18:18-20.

You will say, he left out the first, and second, and third likewise.

To which I say, that was because the young man by his question did presuppose that he had been a doer of them: for he professed in his supplication, that he was a lover of that which is naturally good, which is G.o.d, in that his pet.i.tion was so universal for every thing which he had commanded.

Paul also when he makes mention of the moral law, quite leaves out of that the very name of the seventh day sabbath, and professeth, that to us Christians the law of nature is complete without it.

As in Romans 3:7-19. As in Romans 13:7-10. As in 1 Timothy 1:8-11.

'He that loveth another, saith he, hath fulfiled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.'

I make not an argument of this, but take an occasion to mention it as I go. But certainly, had the seventh day sabbath been moral, or of the law of nature, as some would fain persuade themselves, it would not so slenderly have been pa.s.sed over in all these repet.i.tions of this law, but would by Christ or his apostles have been pressed upon the people, when so fair an opportunity as at these times offered itself unto them. But they knew what they did, and wherefore they were so silent as to the mention of a seventh day sabbath when they so well talked of the law as moral.

Fifth, Moses and the prophet Ezekiel both, do fully confirm what has been insinuated by us; to wit, that the seventh day, as a sabbath, was not imposed upon men until Israel was brought into the wilderness.

1. Moses saith to Israel, 'Remember that thou wast a servant int he land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy G.o.d brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: THEREFORE the Lord thy G.o.d commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.' Yea, he tells us, that the covenant which G.o.d made with them in h.o.r.eb, that written in stones, was not made with their forefathers, to wit, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but with them (Deut 5:1-15).

2. Ezekiel also is punctual as to this: I caused them, saith G.o.d by that prophet, 'to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them' (Eze 20:10-12; Exo 20:8, 31:13, 35:2).

What can be more plain? And these to be sure, are two notable witnesses of G.o.d, who, as you see, do jointly concur in this; to wit, That it was not from paradise, nor from the fathers, but from the wilderness, and from Sinai, that men received the seventh day sabbath to keep it holy.

True, it was G.o.d's sabbath before: for on the first seventh day we read, that G.o.d rested thereon, and sanctified it. Hence he calls it in the first place, MY sabbath. I gave them my sabbath: But it seems it was not given to the church till he had brought them into the wilderness.

But I say, if it had been moral, it had been natural to man; and by the light of nature men would have understood it, even both before it was, and otherwise. But of this you see we read nothing, either by positive law, or countenanced example, or any other way, but rather the flat contrary; to wit, that Moses had the knowledge of it first from heaven, not by tradition. That Israel had it, not of, or from their fathers, but in the wilderness, from him, to wit, Moses, after he had brought them out of the land of Egypt. And that that whole law in which this seventh day sabbath is placed, was given for the bounding and better ordering of them in their church state for their time, till the Messias should come and put, by a better ministration, this out of his church, as we shall further shew anon.