Logan
Puritan Board Graduate
I started reading Chris' recent republication of Bownd's work on "The True Doctrine of the Sabbath" and thought I would open it up here for the possibility of a PB "bookclub" if anyone is interested. Maybe I'm actually behind and y'all have finished it already, but if not, maybe this can be an excuse to start.
This week my wife and I read pg 36--56 (the start of the actual work, after all the introductions, which by the way were fascinating, Chris, I'm sure that was exciting to research).
My general thoughts were that I really enjoy Bownd's style of writing. He seems to be writing for a popular audience vs academics but that doesn't mean that he skimps on his arguments. One effect of this is that he seems to want to spell out every single conclusion: his argument seems perfectly clear from the evidence he gives, but to make sure there is no confusion, he spells out the implications clearly and completely, just in case you missed it.
Details. He brings up the antiquity of the Sabbath, that it was told on Mount Sinai to remember. Remembering means from here on forward, but it also means remember it from of old. He argues that it is not just likely, it could hardly be otherwise that God taught Adam about the Sabbath in the garden, and Adam taught his posterity. Some of the evidence he gives is that the Israelites were familiar with it already, and that they had been observing it (in chapter 16 of Exodus) when they were told not to gather manna on the seventh day. The word "remember" in the Hebrew seems to imply calling to mind something that was already known. This seems to support the case that this was no new command, but like all the rest were well known up until that time, so was this one. This is important and I've never seen it discussed so clearly or fully before.
He also brings up the point that this is something that there is something of the light of nature to guide us by, because even the heathen will ordinarily have a day set aside for worship of God, which is different from the other days. I recall my own experience growing up in a family that did not keep the sabbath, and being convinced that there was something wrong with working on it, even though I'd never been under any sort of teaching regarding that.
Edit: for reference, here is a rough schedule:
6/14 pp 36--56
6/21 pp 57--76
6/28 pp 77--100
7/5 pp 101--126
7/12 pp 127--150
7/19 pp 151--174
7/26 pp 175--199
8/2 pp 200--224
8/9 pp 225--250
8/16 pp 251--274
8/23 pp 275--299
8/30 pp 300--324
9/6 pp 325--348
9/13 pp349--374
9/20 pp 375--399
9/27 pp 400--424
10/4 pp 425--446
This week my wife and I read pg 36--56 (the start of the actual work, after all the introductions, which by the way were fascinating, Chris, I'm sure that was exciting to research).
My general thoughts were that I really enjoy Bownd's style of writing. He seems to be writing for a popular audience vs academics but that doesn't mean that he skimps on his arguments. One effect of this is that he seems to want to spell out every single conclusion: his argument seems perfectly clear from the evidence he gives, but to make sure there is no confusion, he spells out the implications clearly and completely, just in case you missed it.
Details. He brings up the antiquity of the Sabbath, that it was told on Mount Sinai to remember. Remembering means from here on forward, but it also means remember it from of old. He argues that it is not just likely, it could hardly be otherwise that God taught Adam about the Sabbath in the garden, and Adam taught his posterity. Some of the evidence he gives is that the Israelites were familiar with it already, and that they had been observing it (in chapter 16 of Exodus) when they were told not to gather manna on the seventh day. The word "remember" in the Hebrew seems to imply calling to mind something that was already known. This seems to support the case that this was no new command, but like all the rest were well known up until that time, so was this one. This is important and I've never seen it discussed so clearly or fully before.
He also brings up the point that this is something that there is something of the light of nature to guide us by, because even the heathen will ordinarily have a day set aside for worship of God, which is different from the other days. I recall my own experience growing up in a family that did not keep the sabbath, and being convinced that there was something wrong with working on it, even though I'd never been under any sort of teaching regarding that.
Edit: for reference, here is a rough schedule:
6/14 pp 36--56
6/21 pp 57--76
6/28 pp 77--100
7/5 pp 101--126
7/12 pp 127--150
7/19 pp 151--174
7/26 pp 175--199
8/2 pp 200--224
8/9 pp 225--250
8/16 pp 251--274
8/23 pp 275--299
8/30 pp 300--324
9/6 pp 325--348
9/13 pp349--374
9/20 pp 375--399
9/27 pp 400--424
10/4 pp 425--446
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