First, when God delivered the two tables of stone into the hands of Moses, he gave him a particular account about the Sabbath how it was a sign, as is to be seen Exod. 31, beginning at verse 12 to the end of the chapter, yea, it was a covenanted sign to that people, as is to be seen, verse 17. Ezek. 20, 12, 20.
Secondly, Moses testifieth to Israel that it was commanded to be kept upon the account of that deliverance out of Egypt, as is to be seen Deut. 5, comparing the 12, 13 and 14 verses with the 15th verse. So that as their deliverance was from a temporal bondage, so the sign of it was a temporal rest; and the sign was for a covenant between God and them, of his safe protecting them from the oppression of their enemies, in that inheritance which he gave them while they kept his laws.
Thirdly, Christ testifieth that the priests profaned the Sabbath in the temple and yet were blameless, Mat. 12, 5, compared with Numb. 28, 9, 10, so that we may well conclude those sacrifices by which they profaned the Sabbath, though they were but signs in themselves, yet the Sabbath which was of less value was to give place that the greater might not be omitted.
Fourthly; The man that bore a burden on the Sabbath day, to wit, his bed, John 5, 10, profaned it in so doing, and was as blameless as the priests; for that sign under the law was not the Sabbath, any more than that circumcision commanded to Abraham was the circumcision, and therefore, saith the apostle, That is not circumcision that is outward in the flesh, Rom. 4, 12. Thus we see he calls it the sign of circumcision, though the scriptures did no where call it a sign, but called it circumcision; but the 7th day Sabbath God declared to be a sign, yea, a covenanted sign with his people, as circumcision was, as is to be seen, by comparing these places of scripture together, Exod. 31, 13, 16, 17. Gen. 17, 10, 13 and 14.
Fifthly, Seeing that God testifieth that the weekly 7th day Sabbath is a sign, and gave no such plain demonstration of any other of the Sabbaths under the law, we have good and better reason to judge that Paul’s words, Col. 2, 16, 17 (Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ) comprehends the 7th day Sabbath in a special manner, seeing it agrees with God’s testimony to Israel, that it was a sign to them, and a sign is not the substance; for a shadow is but the sign of the substance.
And lastly, Seeing that God testifieth to Israel that the 7th day Sabbath was a sign, so it was no more the Sabbath than the seven stars which John saw in the right hand of Christ were the angels of the seven churches, nor no more the Sabbath than the seven golden candlesticks were the seven churches, nor no more the Sabbath than those fat kine that Pharaoh saw were the seven plentiful years; which sort of creature (we afterwards read) they made an image of and worshipped; nor no more the Sabbath than the sign of circumcision was the circumcision; nor no more the Sabbath (under the first covenant) than the wine that Christ gave his disciples to drink was the blood of the New Testament or covenant; nor no more the Sabbath (under the first testament) than the bread that Christ gave to his disciples was his body under the second or new covenant.
Thus we see that signs (in the Scripture) bear the complete name of the substance or thing they signify; so the 7th day Sabbath was a sign under the first covenant, and so continued till the establishment of the second, and then both the covenant and signs under it ceased; for they were signs of instruction to the church, that they might impose their faith on the things they signified, which were to be fulfilled by Christ, who was the substance of them all; and so at his coming they were all nailed to his cross, and so ceased. Eph. 2, 15, 16. Col. 2, 14. And so likewise the signs that are now in being (under the new covenant) are to continue till Christ’s coming in his manhood, I Cor. 11, 26, and then they will cease also.
“ADVERTISEMENT.”
John Rogers, Sr.
Whereas there is a printed law in her Majesty’s Colony of Connecticut, entitled only “Heriticks,” in the preface to it they say “To prevent the danger persons are in of being poisoned in their judgments and principles by hereticks,” etc.