(1.) It is inserted, among other commandments that are moral, which were proclaimed by the voice of God from mount Sinai, whereas the ceremonial and judicial laws were not; though they were given by divine inspiration. These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount, out of the midst of the fire of the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more, Deut. v. 22. viz. at that time.
Moreover, they were written on two tables, with the finger of God, which none of the other laws were; and were laid up in the ark before the Lord, Exod. xxxi. 18. all which denotes the dignity and perpetuity of these laws, above all others that were ceremonial, judicial, or merely positive.
(2.) The Sabbath was enjoined to be observed not only by the Israelites, who were in covenant with God, together with their servants, who were made proselytes to their religion, and were obliged to observe the ceremonial and other positive laws; but it was also to be observed by the stranger within their gates, namely, the Heathen, who dwelt among them, who were not in covenant with God, and did not observe the ceremonial law; these were obliged to obey the Sabbath, it being, in many respects, a branch of the moral law.
(3.) If the observation of the Sabbath had been a duty of the ceremonial, and, in no respects, of the moral law, it would have been wholly abolished at the death of Christ; but, though then the day was altered, yet there was still a Sabbath observed, after his resurrection, even when the ceremonial law was no longer in force.
(4.) The weekly Sabbath is distinguished from all the ceremonial festivals; which are also called sabbaths, in that God lays a special claim to it, as his own day; and therefore it is called, in this Commandment, The sabbath of the Lord thy God; and it is styled, his holy day; Isa. lviii. 13. by way of eminence, to distinguish it from other days, which he has appointed to be, in other respects, devoted to his service; and when changed, it is called The Lord’s day, Rev. i. 10. which is a peculiar honour put upon it. For these reasons we conclude, that the Sabbath has in it something moral, and is not a part of the ceremonial law.
Obj. 1. It is objected, that the Sabbath is included, by the apostle, among the ceremonial laws, which were designed to be abrogated, under the gospel-dispensation; and therefore he says, in Col. ii. 16, 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an 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.
Answ. To this it may be replied, that by the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, we are to understand the Jewish festivals; such as the new moons, the passover, pentecost, the feast of tabernacles, &c. which are often called sabbaths: wherein holy convocations were held. So that when the apostle says, Let no man judge you, in respect of this matter, he means, let none have occasion to reprove you for your observing of those days, which were merely ceremonial, the design whereof was to typify the gospel-rest. Now, that the apostle does not mean the weekly Sabbath, is plain; for hereby he would contradict his own practice, and that of the churches in his day, who observed it; whereas, the other sabbaths were abolished, together with the ceremonial law.
Moreover, it is evident, that he intends no more than the ceremonial sabbaths, or Jewish festivals; because he adds, Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, as well as in respect of an holy day, &c. by which he does not mean, let no man have reason to judge or condemn you for gluttony or drunkenness, but for your abstaining from several sorts of meat, forbid by the ceremonial law; by which he means that the distinction of meats is removed under the gospel-dispensation. And consequently the ceremonial sabbaths, or holy days, are taken away; which are intended by the sabbath day in that place, and not the weekly Sabbath; and therefore our translation rightly renders it, the sabbath days, not the Sabbath day. Or if it ought to be rendered the sabbath day, or the weekly Sabbath, because it is distinguished from the holy days before mentioned; then it may be farther replied to it, that he means the seventh-day Sabbath, which was abolished, together with the ceremonial law, in opposition to the Lord’s day; and how far this was a sign or shadow of good things to come, will be considered in what will be replied to the next objection.
Obj. 2. It is farther objected, by those who pretend that the Sabbath is a branch of the ceremonial law, that it is said, in Exod. xxxi. 16, 17. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever, &c.
Answ. To this it may be replied; that whenever the weekly Sabbath has an idea annexed to it, agreeably to that of the ceremonial law; as when it is said to be a sign between God and Israel, as in this scripture, we are to understand nothing hereby, but that there was a ceremonial accommodation annexed to it, as an ordinance for their faith, in particular, signifying the gospel-rest; which signification was not annexed to it from the beginning; but when it was given to Israel. From the beginning, it was not a type; but when God gave the ceremonial law, it was made a type. Even as the rainbow, which proceeds from natural causes, and was, doubtless, set in the heavens before Noah’s time; yet it was not ordained to be a sign of the covenant between God and him, till God ordered it to be so, in his time. Thus God ordained the Sabbath to be a type or sign to Israel, when he gave them the ceremonial law, though it was not so before. And at Christ’s resurrection it ceased to be an ordinance, for their faith in the gospel-rest, or to be observed, when another day was substituted in the room of it, to wit, the first day of the week.