Verses especially do shew that it is the Heavenly Rest with the Beginnings of it by Faith and Holiness whicâ— is meant in the 4th of Heb. Let us labour therefore to enter into thâ— Rest v. 11 which is the Use that since many through Unbelieâ— fall short of that everlasting Rest let us study hard and wiâ— Earnestness and Diligence endeavour to obtain it for which eâ— the Word of God is quick and powerful v. 12 to stir us up â— strive to enter into God's Rest which Labour is commended â— all and especially to the Hebrews to whom that Epistle is directeâ— to bring them to believe in Christ Jesus the Son of God v. 13 1â— whose being God-man the Author of that Epistle doth clearâ— assert and the only Mediator by Faith in whom alone we câ— obtain that everlasting Rest Obj. But one of the principal Objections is raised from Aâ— 20. 7. And upon the First day of the week when the Disciples caâ— together to break Bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart the morrow and continued his speech until midnight Ans The first day of the week they guess was Sunday which I shall not controvert provided they will admit which I think they will not deny that it was Paul's manner to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath Acts 17. 2 and provided they tell us what part of Sunday this was for it seems to me and I think to these Objectors also to be the Evening after the Seventh day which Evening was the beginning of Sunday as the Evening was the beginning of every other day of the week Gen. 1. 5 8 13 19 23 31. And that it was in the Evening after the Sabbath I think probable from his being ready to depart on the morrow i. e. on Sunday and from his speaking till midnight and till break of day v. 7 11. And they guess the breaking of Bread there was the Lord's Supper which they guess the Disciples did there once come together to do upon the First day of the week and therefore they guess did upon the First day of every week then and ever after and Paul's preaching to them then they guess was because the Seventh day was changed to the First day but when where or by whom they shew us not but generally acknowledge to be no where found in the Scriptures only we must take their word for it which without a word from the Lord I cannot satisfie my self to do In answer to which Objection the Reader may take notice that the Greek word here preached is the same Greek word which is rendered reasoned Acts 17. 2 where Paul as his manner was his constant manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days i. e. seventh-Seventh-day Sabbaths he preached to â—hem out of the Scriptures and is the same Greek word which is â—endered reasoned Acts 18. 4 where Paul reasoned i. e. preached in the Synagogue every Sabbath And he that without â—rejudice considers those two places will see somewhat how far â—his goes in answer to the Objection Now if we do admit that once for 't is but once Paul with the Disciples came together upon the First day of the week to break Bread â—nd if we should admit that breaking of Bread was giving and â—eceiving the Lord's Supper I say it is but once that is but one â—nstance but one Fact which was never yet understood to make New or repeal an Old Law and it would be a very dangerous â—octrine to affirm that one Fact done by the Apostles â—nd those Disciples who were at Troas and that upon a special occasion should have the force of a Law to repeal or alter one of the Ten Commands to all the World in all after Ages And this once was upon occasion of Paul's being to depart on the morrow i. e. on Sunday This was but once that Paul preached upon the First day buâ— his constant Custom was to preach on the Sabbath days Acts â—7 2 and that upon every Sabbath day Acts 18. 4. The other is pretended to be but once And not one word of instituting the First day or repealing the Seventh day And if we may humbly take a liberty of offering our weâ— sence upon this place as others do upon this and all the rest oâ— the Scriptures I further answer that it is likely to me that Pâ— abiding seven days at Troas which some think was Troy or the Country thereabout Acts 20. 6. kept as his manner was Act 17. 2. 18. 4. the Sabbath there as his Custom was and in thâ— Evening when the First day began as every other day of thâ— week did begin in the Evening Gen. 1. 5 8 13 19 23 31 the Disciples came together to break Bread And that it was thuâ— I think I have the Opinion of a whole Synod Lucius Ecclesiasâ—cal History V. Cent. 313 D. 315. a b c d e Basileae 162 Synodus Toletana Which breaking of Bread might be to receive the Lord 's Suppeâ— together or it might be only for common eating or supping togâ—ther for neither is positively or particularly expressed And may be it was common Eating because in the same Book of thâ— Acts viz. Acts 27. 35 the same Greek word is used for Paâ— breaking Bread which was common Eating in the Ship wiâ— the Centurion Souldiers and Seamen who were Heathenâ— whatever the other Prisoners with Paul were which the Serâ— of the History there shews was common Eating and I take â— be so understood by Expositors And in this very Chapter vâ— Acts 20. 11 when Paul had broken Bread and eaten he departâ— which may be the same breaking Bread mentioned v. 7 but the same Greek word and probably was common Eating Aâ— the same Greek word for breaking Bread is used Mat. 14. 1â— where Christ fed a Multitude with five Loaves and two Fishâ— which was before the Institution of the Supper And the saâ— Greek word is also used Mat. 15. 36 at another miraculous feeâ—ing of a Multitude and Mark 8. 6 19 which could not be â— Supper being before the Institution thereof So that compâ—ring Acts 20 7 with Acts 20. 11 and Acts 27. 35 and Mat. 15. 36 and Mark 8. 6 19 it seems it might be common Eating but suppose it were the Lord's Supper 't is likely Paul having kept the Sabbath with them as his manner was and intending to be gone the next morning i. e. on Sunday morning they met to have the Lord's Supper together and after Supper that Paul preached to them and talked long till break of day and then departed which seems to be Sunday morning But why the coming together of the Disciples v. 7 might not be as Friends commonly do when a Minister or any other special Acquaintance intends to take a Journey in the morning to supp with him over-night I see no substantial Reason which is a Sence obvious to common Understandings as it seems without Violence Whereas the haling of this Text to make a new
because it is his Holy-day And if it be His day then it is the Lord's day and that which He calls his day and says is his day is certainly his day and we ought to believe and acknowledge it to be his day In which plain Arguments I think there is some strength though weakly expressed 4. Another Argument I take from Mat. 12. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day And the like Mark 2. 28 The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath And the like in Luke 6. 5 Christ saith to the Pharisees That the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath Which places also farther prove Christ's Deity That the Sabbath there in Matthew Mark and Luke spoken of is the Seventh day Sabbath I think is agreed by all Expositors and appears in those Chapters to be the Sabbath which the Israelites then observed which was then and is still the Seventh day of the week And we find in Mat. 12. 5 that the Exception was taken by the Pharisees as if Christ's Disciples by plucking Ears of Corn and eating them had done that which was not lawful to be done on the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 1 2. And surely they did not object against Christ as breaking Sunday i. e. the First day And so it must needs be the Seventh-day Sabbath that this Debate between the Lord and the Pharisees was about And the same may be said of Mark 2. 24 28 and of Luke 6. 2 3 5 in which Scriptures it was the Jewish Sabbath that was in question And that the Son of Man who is there said to be Lord of the Sabbath day is Christ I think also certain for that our Saviour useth this term of Son of Man about sixty times in the Gospel and always of himself and I think never with reference to any other man And Christ is called the Son of Man by John Rev. 1. 13 but three Verses from Rev. 1. 10. from whence this main Objection is taken And Rev. 14. 14 Christ is again called the Son of Man so that the Son of Man in Matthew Mark Luke and John who writ the Revelation is the Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath day As for those who would interpret the Son of Man in those places of Matthew Mark and Luke to be ordinary Men and so give ordinary men a Lordship over a Moral Law as no such thing is written so I take that Interpretation to be wholly unscriptural and exploded by all sound Expositors and would give Men a Lordship over the Moral Laws which would be a very loose Interpretation And I take it to be plain that by the Son of Man in Matthew Mark Luke and John is meant the Lord Jesus Christ Then supposing the Sabbath mentioned by Matthew Mark and Luke to be the Seventh-day weekly Sabbath and the Son of Man mentioned by Matthew Mark Luke and John to be the Lord Jesus Christ which day then if the Scriptures may be Judge is the true Lord's day Whence I may thus reason That day whereof Christ the Son of Man is Lord is the Lord's day but the Seventh-day Sabbath is that day whereof Christ the Son of Man is Lord therefore the seventh-day Sabbath is the Lord's day And if the Scriptures may and must resolve the Case and the seventh day be the Lord's day sure then there is an end of this Objection I know some put a very wrong Gloss as I think upon these three plain Texts of Mat. 12. 8 Mark 2. 28 Luke 6. 5 and pretend that the Son of Man's being Lord of the Sabbath imports that Christ the Son of Man hath power to change the Sabbath by which Gloss they do acknowledge that the Son of Man there is Christ and that by the Sabbath in those Texts is meant the Seventh-day Sabbath and that Christ is Lord of the Seventh-day Sabbath which also farther proves Christ to be Jehovah which no Christian man can deny but that there was any Thought of changing it there is not a tittle written And if Christ's words had had that meaning and the Jews to whom he spake had so understood him they would surely have taken greater Offence at such Doctrine whereof there is not a word in those Texts where the Case was this in short The Jews by misunderstanding the true meaning of the Fourth Command thought Christ broke that Law by working miraculous Cures on the Seventh-day and that his Disciples broke it by plucking and rubbing Ears of Corn for their necessary Food upon the Sabbath day This Mistake of the Jews Christ who gave the Sabbath and who was and is Lord of it and so best understood the true scope and meaning of the Law which he himself gave reproves and rectifies by a clear Exposition of that Law When the Pharisees Mat. 12. 1 2 and Mark 2. 23 24 25 took exception against Christ's Disciples for plucking Ears of Corn c. as doing that upon the Sabbath which was not lawful Christ referrs them to what they read about David's eating Shew-bread which was only lawful for Priests but in case of necessity was lawful for David to do v. 4. And Christ for farther answer referrs them to the Case of the Priests in the Temple who upon the Sabbath day did divers acts of much servile Labour as offering Sacrifices and many other things which in their sence would have been a Profanation of the Sabbath yet being Labour appointed by the LORD and about his then instituted Worship the Priests in doing of it were blameless v 5. And Christ farther tells them that if they had known what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6. 6 they would not have condemned the Guiltless And when in the Case of the man with a withered Hand they asked Christ Whether it were lawful to heal on the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 10 and Mark 3. 1 2 5 Christ answers What man having a Sheep fallen into a pit on the sabbath day will not lay hold of it and lift it out Ver. 11. This they themselves would do and they also knew that the Life or Good of a Man was to be preferred before the Life or Good of a Beast and so Christ appeals to them as condemning themselves in a Case which they allowed that it was lawful to do well on the sabbath day v. 12 and cures the withered Hand v. 14. see also his curing and defending the Cure of the Woman who had an Infirmity eighteen years on the Sabbath Luke 13 10 to 17 where all his Adversaries were ashamed of their false Glosses upon the Law of the Sabbath v. 17. We have also Christ curing and defending that Cure of the man who had a Dropsy by the case of an Ass or Ox fallen into a Pit on the Sabbath day Luke 14. 1 2 5 and of a man who had an Infirmity thirty eight years on the Sabbath John 5. 5 to 9 and v. 16 at which
Olivet but a Sabbath days Journey from Jerusalem and from the two Angels prophesie That that same Jesus should so come in like manner as they saw him go into Heaven and that this was when Christ and his Apostles were assembled and come together and Christ preached to them and promised to them the Holy Spirit Acts 1. 4 5 6 11 12. it is somewhat probable to me that his Ascension might be and that his Coming may be upon the seventh-Seventh-day Sabbath though some from the number of Forty days wherein he was seen by the Apostles Acts 1. 3 make some doubt thereof But by no Account I can make can I assign the Ascension on the First day nor can I see why that is so expresly said that Mount Olivet where Christ ascended and whence the Disciples returned to Jerusalem was but a Sabbath-days Journey Acts 1. 12. but because it was the Sabbath day And yet in this also I may not be positive because it is not positively written when it was otherwise than as above that Christ and his Disciples were then assembled and Christ preached and that Mountain was but a Sabbath days Journey from Jerusalem Acts 1. 12 which was as great a length of way by the Law of Exod. 16. 29 and Josh 3. 4 as was commonly thought by the Hebrews they might travel upon a Sabbath day which is held by divers to be about two miles for which I know no certain Scripture Some say Mount Olivet was but about a mile from Jerusalem but be the Sabbath-days Journey more or less 't is recorded here to be but a Sabbath-days Journey from Jerusalem and if this was the Sabbath day it may be thus expressed to answer an Objection As if our Lord by this Walk and his Disciples by accompanying him and by their return to Jerusalem had after his death broken the Sabbath for we find the Jews during his life watching him and his Disciples for some Pretence to charge him and them with breaking the Sabbath as we find Mat. 12. 1 2. Mark 2. 24. Luke 6. 2. And so might also be at the same wrangling and objecting work upon his Ascension But however that were for the main point which is the Sabbath does dot depend thereon it is undeniably certain that after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into Heaven Acts 1. 9 and after the giving the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 1 2 3 4 Barnabas and Paul who were sent forth by the Holy Spirit Acts 13. 4 and their Company went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets which were then read every Sabbath day Acts 13. 27. upon the desire of the Rulers of the Synagogue of the Jews Paul stands up and preaches Christ at large Acts 13. 13 to 41. and when the Jews were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them not the next morning upon the First day of the week but the next Sabbath This Authority in Acts 13. 14 42 44 is full where both the Jews and Gentiles hear the Word upon the Sabbath day which no man can deny and is granted by all to be the Seventh-day Sabbath Acts 13. 42. And the next Sabbath day came together almost the whole City to hear the Word of God Acts 13. 44. So that Barnabas and Paul and his Company and the Jews and Gentiles at Antioch observed the Seventh-day Sabbath after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and Paul preached Forgiveness of Sin and Justification of all Believers by Christ to the Jews and upon the particular request of the Gentiles to the Gentiles also not upon the First day of the week which had been more grateful to the Gentiles who generally dedicated the First day to the adoration of the Sun whence we still corruptly call it Sunday whereof more afterwards if that had been grateful to the Apostles but upon the seventh-day Sabbath whereupon the Jews contradict and blaspheme Acts 13. 45 but many Gentiles believed Acts 13. 47 48. so that here were also many converted to Christ upon the seventh-day Sabbath and this in a time after the Holy Spirit was promised to come and promised to guide the Apostles into all Truth John 16. 7 13 and after that Promise performed in the actual giving of the Holy Spirit Acts 2. 4 which taught them all things 1 John 2. 27 by which Holy Spirit Barnabas and Saul were sent forth and which Holy Spirit as I humbly think plainly led them to this Work and into this Truth and this affirmed by the Holy Spirit in the Word of Truth as the Word is called John 17. 17. and this after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension and all this as it seems to me a plain Matter of Fact affirmed by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures with which Holy Spirit the Apostles were now filled Acts 2. 4. 4. 31. 6. 3 5. 7. 55. 8. 17. 10. 44. 11. 15. 13. 52 and which sent them forth Acts 13. 2 4 9. Which Testimony of the Holy Spirit and the Writer or Writers of this Book of the Acts that the Seventh day was still the Sabbath day by whose Inspiration this Book as the other Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 16 whereunto give heed 1 Pet. 1. 19 was undeniably written I insist upon as that which no man ought to deny And for any to pretend that Barnabas and Paul did herein Judaize and only humour the Jews for a season I take it to be a meer groundless Surmize to say no worse of it without any word from the Scriptures for such Conceit But this is not all the same Holy Spirit doth further witness that Paul did not only keep the seventh-day Sabbath once or twice or now and then after Christ's death but continually for at Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Jews Paul as his Manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them Acts 17. 2 3. or preached to them being the same Greek word with that much as I think distorted place Acts 20. 7 where the same word is rendered preached to them It was Paul's constant Use Manner and Custom to preach Christ upon the seventh-day Sabbath And this also is a Matter of Fact which no Christian man can deny and 't is remarkable that we have the same certain Evidence that it was the Custom of Paul Acts 17. 2. and this also after Christ's Resurrection and Ascension as before that we have of Christ's keeping the Sabbath Luke 4. 16 there being in those two Scriptures the like Greek Phrase for both and he that denies Paul in his measure his continual keeping of the Sabbath after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and after his being declared the Son of God with Power and after the solemn giving of the Holy Spirit and the whole Work of Man's Redemption by Christ absolutely finished must deny this express Scripture which is hard for any Christian
deliberately to do and may with like reason deny almost any thing for which we have full Authority from the Word That a very contrary Custom was afterwards introduced into many Churches I think we may say is evident a Custom of observing another day viz. the First day instead of the Seventh day which has been as it is maintained with great Authority and doth prove a Plant impossible for Man to pluck up without a full Testimony of the Word and Holy Spirit especially being supported as it is by such mighty men dead and alive as have written for it who are opposed only by a few weak persons 'T is plain that Paul preached in the Synagogue every Sabbath i. e. every seventh-day Sabbath for all Writers agree that the Sabbath which the Jews observed was the seventh day and that he perswaded Jews and Gentiles So that we have here Scripture-Instances of Ministers and of Believers in Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension and after the pouring out the Holy Spirit by deliberate choice keeping the seventh-day Sabbath in the Synagogue or Church where they came together for their publick Worship and the Ministers there preaching Christ to Jews and Gentiles And who can considerately think that the Holy Spirit misnamed the Sabbath and calls the Seventh day the Sabbath if it were changed to the First day And if I had offered no more than those few Lines in answer to the Tenth Question in my weak Judgment this were sufficient to answer all that I know is written for the First day and I have read much about it and this consisting of Matters of Fact has no need of being argued search the Scriptures as the Bereans did Acts 17. 11 and see if these things be so or no. Q. 11. Whether the Holy Spirit calls the Seventh day the Sabbath and no other day of the week both in the Old and in the New Testament throughout Answ I answer affirmatively as appears in the Answer to the former Questions and in particular That the Seventh day has the name of the Sabbath and was kept as the Sabbath after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit appears in the Answer to the Tenth Question And the Advocates for the First day do not pretend that the First day is any where in the Scriptures called the Sabbath as Mr. Baxter a very learned Writer for the First day doth acknowledge in Print Nor has any man yet shewn any Word or Command from God to observe it Nor are there two weekly days set apart by God for holy Worship and so I think this Eleventh Question needs no farther Labour Objections which are made in this Case although they seem to me to arise mostly from Conjectures at the meaning of some Expressions in the Word which seem Objections and Answers to others to have no such sence now come to be considered it being reasonable that the Evidence of the other side be heard also that the Reader may make a right Judgment thereon Object 1. The first Objection which I consider is that raised from the Resurrection of Christ which Resurrection some think convenient should be celebrated by a particular weekly day and the rather as one says because it is possible the Seventh day was changed Others more frankly say it was changed but they are not sure whether by Christ during his Life or by him after his Resurrection or whether by his Apostles or any of them after his Ascension or when or where or by whom any of these Uncertainties they do not yet resolve us and I think we are sure and some of the other side do acknowledge that no such Change is recorded in the Scriptures But however they suppose it for the Honour of Christ that one day in a week be set apart to commemorate his Resurrection Answ They do suppose this Our Law and all Mankind do admit that there is as much reason for those things that have no Existence i. e. which are not as there is for those things which do not appear If once Suppositions be allowed instead of Evidence and Proof any man of Parts and Credit may introduce great Absurdities When it can be truly said that the Lord has no where in his Word enjoyn'd the observation of the First day that they can shew or after the strictest search that we can find What Colour has any man to observe it And when it can be truly said that the Lord has no where in his Word repealed the Fourth Command nor altered the Seventh day or any way blotted it out of his Law by which Law we are to walk and by which we are to be judged that they can shew or we can find how can we presume to alter it Or if the Lord had any where in his Word transferred Power to any Man or Men to invent a new way of honouring Christ and to set apart a new day to commemorate his Resurrection this were something but where is there any such Power recorded in the Scriptures to be given to any Man or Men whatsoever And if there be no such new Command given by Christ to keep the First day and no such Authority given by him to any persons whatsoever to alter the Seventh day who then shall set Bounds to such as once undertake of their own Heads without any Commission from Christ to vary from and to add to the Commands of Christ However specious and plausible the Pretences be can any think it is for the Honour of Christ or the Resurrection that Men of their own minds should take the liberty and boldness to add to or to alter any of his Commands Why may not others command us to kneel to the consecrated Bread and pretend as many do that it is for the Honour of Christ And why may not one as well maintain the yearly Observation of Christmas in memory of his Birth and of Good-Friday in memory of his Passion and of Easter in memory of his Resurrection and of Whitsuntide in memory of his Ascension and of Altars and Adoration towards the East and that standing and not kneeling in expectation of his second Coming which some pretend to guess may be from the East as well as a new weekly Sabbath All which Conceits and many other such-like do pretend to be for the Honour of Christ and are ancient Traditions and seem to intend and mean very well When any persons whatsoever shall with pretended good Intentions assume an Authority of their own heads to add to the Word of God or any way to alter it in a tittle in comes therewith not only the common Tides of Christmas c. as they call them but the whole Romish Kalendar of Saints and all their Mass and Monkery which have specious Pretences and cannot be resisted if the Churches corrupted or the purest Churches be once admitted to have such a Power for if the Church or any part thereof may invent and
To which Objection from John 8. 56 some Answer may be from John 9. 4 5 where Christ says to his Disciples I must work the Works of him that sent me whilest it is day the night cometh when no man can work Where day referrs to the time of Christ's Life and publick Ministry and shews the day of Christ Abraham rejoyced to see John 8. 56 to be the time of Christ's preaching the Gospel which was in part whilst Christ's Life in this World lasted and so John 9. 4 is explained John 9. 5 As long as I am in the World Their Father Abraham joyfully believed the Promise of the Messiah and so by Faith foresaw Christ's Coming and was glad The Jews gloried much in this that they had Abraham to their Father Abraham their Father by Faith foresaw Christ's Coming into the World his preaching the Gospel his dying upon the Cross Abraham saw this by Faith in the Promise which was made to him That in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Gen. 12. 3 22. 18 Abraham saw this in the Type of Isaac's being offered Heb. 11. 17 18 19. This Abraham saw by the Light of Divine Revelation he saw Christ's coming in the Flesh his dying for Sinners typified by the Ram sacrificed instead of Isaac and typified by other Offerings and Sacrifices and he saw by Faith upon the coming of Christ the publication of the Gospel of Christ to the whole World by which means all the Nations of the Earth both Jews and Gentiles are become blessed in his Seed and Abraham was glad with the joy of Faith which gives the Soul a clear view of a certain promised Blessing and Good at a distance as if it were present Heb. 11. 1 13 and so I think John 8. 56 evidently referrs to those Gospel Times which Abraham by Faith in the Promise saw afar off But that day which Christ says Abraham saw being mentioned as a day in general some would fain hook in as one day in every week and so by a narrow understanding of what Abraham saw by Faith would restrain it only to a particular day of the week by their Conjecture Obj. Some guess that Psal 118. 22 24 This is the day the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it is the Resurrection day And so they say of the day Psal 2. 7 and Acts 13. 33 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and to that of Psal 118. 24 they joyn Rom. 1. 4 where Christ is said to be declared the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the Dead Ans Now that the Stone which the Builders rejected Psal 118. 22 is meant of Christ is agreed as also that Christ is the Son of God Psal 2. 4 and that he is declared to be the Son of God with Power by his rising from the Dead Rom. 1. 4. But the day mentioned Psal 118. 24 I take as before to be the time of preaching and promulgating the Gospel of Christ and the Resurrection of Christ did plainly declare him to be God the true Messiah and Saviour of all that believe in him But to graft upon these places any thing of an institution of a weekly new Sabbath or of repealing the Seventh day I take to be a meer Conjecture and has no Foundation but in mens Fancies Others guess the day mentioned Psal 118. 24 to be the Incarnation day either of which Conceits if I could but find somewhere written in the Scriptures I hope I should believe but finding none of these there written to me they do but seem to prove the Shifts and Windlaces some are driven to use to patch up such Conceits And some of the Ancients are said to understand by Psal 2. 7 and Acts 13. 33 the eternal Generation of the Son of God Which some referr to the Resurrection others to the Incarnation of our Saviour The Gospel-day before mentioned is a day of glad Tydings for the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled in Christ Acts 13. 32 33 the glad Tydings of our Deliverance from Sin and Hell by the satisfaction made to the Justice of God by the Merits and perfect Obedience of Christ Obj. Some object from Heb. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Ans Where the rest spoken of v. 1 I take to be the everlasting Rest in Heaven and the day spoken of v. 7 to be the same day spoken of Heb. 3. 13 15 compared with Heb. 4. 2 the day of preaching of the Gospel to which it concerns us much that we hearken lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin and do not hear the Voice and Call of Christ that so by believing we may enter into everlasting Rest v. 3. of which everlasting Rest the Seventh day on which God rested from all his Works was a Type v. 4 into which everlasting Rest the Hebrews who did not believe in Christ should not enter v. 5 6 who by his own Mouth and the preaching of his Apostles and Ministers did first preach the Gospel to the Jews and warned them to day to hear his voice and not to harden their Hearts which Jews understood the rest formerly promised to referr to a Rest in the Land of Canaan and overlooked that everlasting Rest which was typified by God's giving that Country of Canaan and by the weekly Sabbath Which everlasting Rest Joshua who led them into Canaan did not give them but there remaineth a Sabbatism v. 9 an everlasting Rest to the People of God which those who did believe in Christ upon the preaching of the Gospel in the day and time of preaching of it called another day v. 8. should enter into v. 5 6. Which everlasting Rest it concerned the Jews then and concerns all the World to labour to enter into lest any of us should come short of it v. 1 7 8 9 10 11. Which Sence of that place seems to me not hard to â—e apprehended by a plain understanding without any farther quarrelling about it But for any word there to lay aside the Seventh day which is a Type of Heaven and of everlasting Rest there until we come to Heaven which is the Antitype thereof or for any word there for instituting the First day of the week as a weekly Sabbath after the Resurrection of Christ and in remembrance thereof to be observed by the Churches of Christ in all after Ages I find not The great Sabbatism or Rest then and before promised to the People of God is yet to come This Sabbatism or Rest is all the state of the Churches Deliverance and eternal Felicity by Christ incarnate and glorified which in the First-fruits is all the Grace which he giveth his on Earth but in the proper full performance is the state of Glory that great glorious final anâ— everlasting Life Love Peace Light and Rest in Heaven Anâ— the 9th and 11th
that as well as other Holy days Tho' I remember in one of the English Chronicles I met with an Act of the Common-Council of London in favour of the First day as I take it about their Markets which was some time before this but when I do not remember That the Seventh day of the week has held the name of the Sabbath from the beginning of the World to this day I take to be evident though 't is also true that some late Writers within Eighty years or thereabout have endeavoured to apply the name of the Sabbath to the First day which as is acknowledged by others is no where given to it in the Scriptures The ancient Liturgies do prove this and the Mass book now in use still retains the Name of the Sabbath for the Seventh day Our own Records in England do also prove this those of the House of Lords the highest Court of England Elsing fol. 94 95 and their Journals to this day whereof I have seen many and every one that will may see that all things enter'd in the Journals of that House as done upon the Seventh day are enter'd as done Die Sabbati upon the Sabbath day i. e. upon the Seventh-day Sabbath And the like Orders for the House of Commons are weekly printed Sabbati for the Seventh day The Rules and Records of the Kings Bench Common Pleas and the Latin Records in the King's Court of Exchequer and in Chancery and those also in the Chequer-Chamber do call the Seventh day the Sabbath whereof I have now some in my Hand This all Lawyers and Attorneys know and all others who will ask the Question may know and there is no other Latin Word in the Courts of Westminster nor any Latin Process from any of them for the Seventh day but die Sabbati the Sabbath day and Sabbati upon the Sabbath but when the Courts began to sit upon the Sabbath I do not remember to have found but guess it might be after Edward the Third who died about Three hundred and fourteen years since So that this Question is not yet so fully settled but that some did long observe the Seventh day Sabbath and that day has the name of the Sabbath to this day and I remember nothing by the Parliament of England in favour of the First day till the time of Edward the Sixth about One hundred and forty years since whereof before All which put together seems a very strong Tradition for the Seventh-day Sabbath The Grecians and their Churches solemnize Saturday Festivals Brerewood's Enquiries f. 128 and eat therein Flesh forbidding as unlawful to fast any Saturday in the year except Easter Eve Villam en voyage l. 2. c. 2. alii The Grecians are under the Patriarch of Constantinople under whose Jurisdiction in Asia are the Christians of Natolia excepting Armenia the Less and Celicia of Circassia of Mengrelia and of Russia In Europe are the Christians of Greece Macedon Spirus Thrace Bulgaria Rascia Servia Bosnia Walachia Moldavia Podolia and Moscovia and all the Islands of the Aegean Seas and others about Greece as far as Corsu besides a good part of the large Dominion of Polonia and those parts of Dalmatia and of Croatia that are subject to the Turkish Dominion And the Melchites or Syrians celebrate Divine Service as solemnly on the Sabbath as on the Dominical day Brerewood's Enq. f. 131 132. And these Assyrians are esteemed for their number the greatest Sect of Christians in the East So that a vast number of Christians in the World have not yet fully received this Alteration The Georgians who are also very numerous together with the Mengrelians and Circassians are Christians of the Greek Communion and their Religion the same in Substance and Ceremonies with that of the Grecians The Muscovites and Russians also repute it unlawful to fast on Saturdays and have not any material Difference in Religion from the Grecians The Maronites in the Mountain Libanus in Aleppo Damascus Tripoli of Syria and in Cyprus fast not on the Dominical day â—or on the Sabbath Th. a Jes l. 7. par 2 c. 6. The Habissines or Midland Aethiopians reverence the Sabbath Saturday keeping it solemnly equally with the Dominical day Brerewood's Enquiries 128 131 132 155 c. Purchase writes of the Habissines as subject to Peter and Paul and especially to Christ as observing the Saturday Sabbath Purch Pilgrims part 2 fol. 1176 1177. So that there are a multitude of Christians in the World besides those in England who still keep the Seventh-day Sabbath Sandis Travels fol. 173 the Author travelling in the Eastern parts speaks of the Aethiopians a Christian Fmpire still celebrating Saturday as he calls it as well as the Sunday they have it seems divers Errors amongst them and also many ancient Truths and this is taken notice of in other Histories I shall easily acknowledge this Collection out of the Councils Centuries and Histories to be very broken being made but out of a few Books and that at several times and in several places as that Condition which the Lord saw best for me would give me leave and that they are hastily and weakly put together my Time and Strength having been for divers years much taken up in Studies and Business referring to my own Profession and what with Weaknesses Winters Persecutions and Age I could do little But it seems to me these Instances of the Seventh day still observed in so many parts of the Christian World not only for many hundred years but even down along to this Century though they are but as Scrapps of History may be sufficient to shew that Tradition is for the Seventh-day Sabbath And if the Collections before cited be right then there is not one line in that Author's Note on Rev. 1. 10 before cited that is not mistaken And this may also suffice to satisfie the Consciencious that this is not a new Doctrine which so many Christians have held and still hold and practice to this day I should not have thought it meet to have written at all upon this Question but that I see the more Able take it not in hand by this Essay therefore I have endeavoured to provoke some other better furnished to clear this up if need be to greater satisfaction which I have only a little looked into and such may find as I think much more than I have who also by many Removes under this late Persecution have lost as I think divers Authorities which I had collected for my share in which Persecution I have great cause to bless God as giving me leisure to look into this and other matters I have also passed by some Expressions in the Histories in favour of the First day which are written by the Favourers of the Romish Opinion which are very common in the Writings of the Monks and other Romish Prelates And now I leave all with the Son of Man the LORD of the Sabbath But what I have gathered out of a
the Jews took exception v. 10 where the cured man carried his Bed on the Sabbath day v. 9. See also John 7. 22 23 where Christ defends his curing on the Sabbath and John 9. 14 16 Christ curing the Blind man By which frequent Counsels and Examples Christ did prove and demonstrate that the Law for observing the Sabbath did no way prohibit doing good on the Sabbath day when Necessity or Mercy to Man or Beast did require it as those who need may read in all the four Evangelists at large And thus Christ as Lord of the Sabbath who gave it and who perfectly understood the scope and meaning of his own Law gives a clear and sound Interpretation and Exposition of that Law But as to changing the Sabbath day there is not the least tittle in those cited places or any where else that I can yet find in the Scripture So that supposing the Scriptures are able to make the Man of God perfect and to make one wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 17. which is true past doubt I think they are sufficient to resolve this Doubt Which is that Sabbath day the Lord would have us to keep holy And upon the whole matter I take it to be evident that by the Testimony of Christ in Gen. 2. 4 and in the Moral Law and by like express Testimony of the Prophets of old and of Matthew Mark and Luke three of the Evangelists the Lord's day mentioned by John the fourth Evangelist is the Seventh-day Sabbath and that only is pecuâ—iarly the Lord's day and so called Rev. 1. 10. And Tradition all the considerable Pretences to subvert this plain Law of Christ in the Fourth Command and to apply the Lord's day to the First day of the week as far as I can gather is meer Conjecture Invention and pretended human Tradition into which he that travelleth but a little may easily discover how â—hose who go that wandering way do lose themselves in endless Mazes meeting with little else but Darkness Contradictions â—nd Uncertainties As for settlement and satisfaction to the Mind and Conscience it comes in no other way that I find â—ut from the LORD and his Word and Holy Spirit And â— my observation there is no one thing has so much held up â—is Conceit that the first day of the week may be the day of â—est to be observed under the Gospel as the stealing away â—e Name of the LORD's day from the Seventh-day â—bbath to which only the Scriptures do apply it and giving â—at Name to the First day to which the Scripture being Judge does not belong And hence it is that when we appeal to the â—riptures those of the other side finding the plain Institution â—ommand and Word of God against them fly presently to Traâ—tion by which Tradition if God give me Strength and Leiâ—re they may hereafter find a little to beat them out of that â—old and that Tradition is not full for them in this Case as â— think they over-confidently pretend but directly also â—ainst them Obj. Another Objection against the Seventh-day Sabbath is â—m Rom. 14. 5 6. One man esteemeth one day above another anoâ—r esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his â—n mind He that regardeth the day regardeth it to the Lord â—d he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it And from Gal. 9. 10 11. After ye have known God or ratheâ— are known of God how turn you again to the weak and beggarly Elâ—ments whereunto again ye desire to be in bondage Ye observe dâ—yâ— and months and times and years I am afriad of you lest I hâ—â—â— bestowed on you Labour in vain And from Col. 2. 8 11 12 14 16 where Christ is said â—o blot out the hand-writing of Ordinances and to take it out of thâ— way nailing it to his Cross v. 14. Let no man therefore judge â—â— in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an Holy-day or of the new Mâ—â— or of Sabbaths v. 16 which are a shadow of things to come but tâ—â— body is of Christ And from these Scriptures some few of the Advocates for the First day count the weekly Seventh-day Sabbatâ— to be abrogated Ans 1. But others of them who are more wary think thesâ— places only applicable to the Ceremonial Sabbaths for that iâ— they should reach all Sabbaths they would reach also the Firâ— day if that were a Sabbath and cashier that also and make eâ—ry day alike Ans 2. Rom. 14. 5 6 Gal. 4. 10 name only days not Sâ—baths and Col. 2. 16 does name Sabbaths or weeks as it mâ— be rendered and I think ought so to be as before not the weeâ—ly Seventh-day Sabbath and so all the weight of this Objectioâ— depends on their conjecture of the meaning of the word Sabbathâ— in Col. 2. 16 which word Sabbaths in the plural number I finâ— no where in the New Testament applied to the weekly Seventh day Sabbath which is there expressed by the Sabbath in the sâ—gular number only Ans 3. The Seventh day weekly Sabbath was never in quâ—stion that I find in any of those Epistles or any where else iâ— the Scriptures to be abrogated or altered and if there be â— Question there found about altering it how can such a sence â— imposed And if it were ever in question shew us where for could never yet find it And for any now to imagin the Apostâ— advisedly threw down part of the Moral Law not questionâ— seems an hard Construction The Jews made many Doubts about Circumcision and tâ— Ceremonial Laws whereof we find somewhat in the Acts aâ— more in the Epistles but whether the Ten Commands weâ— still in force after the death of Christ there was I think no doubt Ans 4. Rom. 14. 5 6 and Gal. 4. 10 may fairly be applied to other days than Sabbath days and Col. 2. 16 to other Sabbaths or Weeks and not at all to the weekly Sabbath and this I take to be the true and a good and full Answer to the whole Objection Some of the converted Jews and it may be of the believing Gentiles also might make Conscience to keep the Jewish Ceremonial Feast-days and Fast-days others knew that Christ had abrogated them And he that soberly considers Rom. 14. 1 5 6 and Rom. 15. 7 will find one main drift of the Apoâ—tle there to be to prevent the Pastors from debarring such as â—ade doubt about Days from the Communion of the Church which it seems some did or would have done whom the Apoâ—tle directs should be received And the Weak there mentioned â—eem to be those who made Conscience of uninstituted Days â—nd some of the Galatians Gal. 4. 10 thought the Ceremonial â—aws still obligatory and so might by Days understand and obâ—erve New Moons as Holy and Festival Days and by Weeks the â—east of Tabernacles Num. 29 and by Months the first and seâ—enth Months when they had Feasts and Fasts and
for Times â—e Times of First-fruits c. and for Years the Years of Jubiâ—e the seventh and the fiftieth years And some of the Colossiâ—s Col. 2. 16 might be corrupted with the same Conceits about â—oly Days and New Moons and Sabbaths which Sabbaths I think ought here to be render'd Weeks as the same Greek â—ord is render'd John 20. 19 Luke 24. 1. Mark 16. 2 Mat. 28. 1. â—y Expositors and by our Translation of all the four Evangelists â—d so also 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and Acts 20. 2. And if this in Col. â— 16 be Weeks then there is also an end of that Doubt and â— it be meant Sabbaths yet then by the whole Context there â—here the Apostle speaketh of the Hand-writing of Ordinances â—hich Christ hath blotted out and taken out of the way naiâ—g it to the Cross Col. 2. 14. It must plainly referr to the yearâ— Levitical Festivals which being part of the Ceremonial Law â—nd no part of the Moral Law were all abolish'd by Christ â—nd this I humbly offer as plain and that which I think may â—ve others satisfaction Some think Gal. 4. 10 spoken against Astrologers who observe times forbidden Deut. 18. 10 12 14 Mic. 5. 12 Jâ—â— 27. 9 2 Kings 23 5. but I rather think the Apostle speaks of and means Weeks or Days imposed by the Ceremonial Law and not at all such days as are commanded by the Moral Law whereof then there was no manner of doubt That Magistrates or private Christians may set apart a day of Thanksgiving for some eminent Mercy or of Fasting and Humiliation under some extraordinary Case is not controverted though such as are yearly or monthly or weekly soon degenerate into Form Custom and Coldness And I take this to be past doubt that neither private Christians nor Magistrates noâ— Churches no nor the greatest Councils ever could since the time of Christ and his Apostles have any power to make a constant common weekly day holy so that it should be a Sin against God to labour thereon Nor have any now a liberty to keep Jewish Holy-days But if those places in Romans Galatians and Colossians do referâ— to Ceremonial days as days of Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12 and other Days and Weeks before mentioned which some of the converted Jews having been educated in the observation oâ— them might be still fond of and contend for then they have no such rueful Consequences as some few would draw froâ— them And what if I should add Why may not the observation oâ— Days blamed in those Scriptures be amongst others the observation of the First day for worshipping the Sun which was lonâ— before observed by the Heathens And if the First day haâ— been then observed by the Churches of Christ which I thinâ— was not or the Apostle's sence in those Epistles had been â—â— level all days he had by those general words certainly as it seemâ— levelled the First day with the rest but as I think that was nâ— the Apostle's sence so I think also that the First day was not at aâ— then observed by Christians nor by any that bore that Namâ— for about One hundred years after and that was one Sunday in year in favour of Easter and when a few were corrupted iâ— that matter for some Corruptions crept in very early and Antâ—christ began to work in the times of the Apostles 2 Thess 2. â— the generality of Christians observed the Seventh-day Sabbaâ— whereof more hereafter But if Sunday were then observed bâ— any Christians any man may well affirm by such an Interpretation as some would make that those Scriptures do absolutely lay it aside and if Sunday were then laid aside it is wholly and for ever laid aside Ans 5. Or it may be those places may referr to some other Heathenish Holy-days and Bacchinals as well as to Sundays and to the Jewish Ceremonial Festivals which some then as now in compliance with those under whom or with whom they lived might observe and think themselves obliged so to do or to have a Liberty to observe without damage to that Liberty which Christ had purchased for them Col. 2. 14 but this is somewhat uncertain Ans 6. And that these Scriptures quoted out of Paul's Epistles were never meant by him to abolish the weekly Seventh-day Sabbath appears plainly from Paul's constantly keeping that day as his manner was Acts 17. 2 and every Sabbath Acts 18. 4 whereof before for no man can charitably think that Paul in â—his Epistles forbids all observation of any days whatsoever and so â—he weekly Seventh day Sabbath and yet that his own Practice â—hould be recorded by the Holy Spirit to be constantly as is mentioned Acts 17. 2 18. 4. Ans 7. And besides Who can possibly understand the many Expressions in his Epistles in such a sence wherein he commends â—e whole Law where he undoubtedly means the Moral Law â—s holy just and good a part whereof was the Seventh-day Sabâ—ath whereof also before Ans 8. The last Answer I offer to this Objection is taken â—om Mat. 24. 20 21 22 30 and the rest of that Chapter Pray â—at your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day with â—hich you may compare Mark 13. 18 19 20 26 and the rest â—â— that Chapter First The soonest time that Flight could referr unto was the â—estruction of Jerusalem which was about Thirty eight years â—ter the Death of Christ which whether it were before or after â—â—ul's writing these Epistles which I think not much material do not certainly know But if the time of Flight there mentioned referred to the Season of any Desolations then and still yet to come then this Scripture in Matthew is the stronger for the Seventh-day Sabbath though I think it fully strong enough by referring to Thirty eight years after Christ's Death although divers Expressions in those Chapters of Matthew 24 and Mark 13 in my weak Opinion may and do referr to some other great Periods of Time and I think most certainly to Christ's second Coming Mat. 24. 29 30 Mark 13. 26 which answers the Question of the Disciples Mat. 24. 2 3. and it may be to some other times of great Trials which would come upon the Churches whereof one may not be far off but of that I have no certainty All which sences of longer Times will carry the Observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath till the Times there mentioned come which are not yet come But however that be I think it is agreed that Prophesied Flight was partly fulfilled upon the Romans besieging and taking Jerusalem about Thirty eight years after the Death of Christ and so the Sabbath by the Lord Jesus Christ in that express Text Mat. 24. 20 was not to be abrogated by his Death or Resurrection nor Thirty eight years after which I think is as much as to say Not at all as long as the World should last And whenever the Desolation Christ prophesied in that Chapter should
little difficulty in this Question if the Scriptures as they ought be the Rule to judge it by As to the time when the Sabbath doth begin Sabbath when it begins I conceive it not to be at Midnight nor to end at Midnight after when we generally sleep according to the reckoning of this Kingdom nor at Noon as some other Countries reckon nor in the Morning when we usually rise as upon other days and so to end at Night when we usually go to Bed as upon other days as others reckon but upon the Evening before and so to the Evening after as the Lord reckons the Days to begin and end Gen. 1. 5 8 13 19 23 31. and Gen. 2. 1 2 3 and I do no where find that first Distribution of Days altered or distributed by Him wherein Mr. Shepherd in the latter end of his learned Book for the First day having done very well I referr the Reader who makes any doubt thereof to him for farther satisfaction in that if need be As for the manner of keeping holy the Sabbath day there is in Principle no great variety of Opinion or Practice amongst the Protestants but what an ordinary Understanding who is willing to live by Rule may with a little help resolve although I have known some over-strict and many overloose therein And it seems in short to lye in a lively spiritual Converse with the Father Son and Holy Spirit in private Duties and publick Ordinances where they may be had and in a Holy Rest all that day saving only nightly and dayly emergent Cases of Necessity and Mercy for Men and Beasts Sick and Well which generally are well stated by the Ministry of the Gospel For that which I enquire is Whether the Law of the Fourth Command as to the Seventh-day Sabbath be repealed or altered by any Word of God Which Enquiry may be allowed to one that is no Minister and indeed to every Christian whoin in Practice it equally concerns with me As to the publick Worship of that day I think it Eabbath Worship worthy some farther Enquiry Whether that Worship should not be twice as much as the Evening or the Morning Worship ordinarily is and Whether all that Publick Worship of the Sabbath should not be performed at one Publick Meeting Which Evening and Morning-Worship in their proper Seasons is not to be intermitted upon the Sabbath day and for this see Num. 28. 3 4 8 9. And I cannot upon the sudden recollect from the Old or New Testament any light of two distinct publick meetings of the Churches one before Noon and the other in the Afternoon as Standing-Duties of the Sabbath day and as distinct from the Evening and Morning-Worship but this I submit to farther Enquiry We have one Psalm for the Sabbath day Psal 92 and but one expresly appointed for that day that I find although the rest of the Psalms may be used on that day as the rest of the Scriptures And as to the time of that one Publick Meeting and Worship of the Churches upon the Sabbath I think it would be enquired whether the Direction we have about it be not towards Noon which seems to be the time of feeding and resting spiritual Flocks Solomon's Song ch 1. v. 7. Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud Psal 55. 17. And Daniel kneeled upon his Knees three times a day and prayed and gave Thanks before his God as he did afore-time Dan. 6. 10 13. which as I take it were the three stated times of Worship among the Jews but what certain Rule the Jews had from God as to their daily precise times of Evening and Morning Worship I know not but only Evening and Morning Exod. 29. 39 41 42 43 45. Num. 28. 4 8. When the Holy Spirit was given to the Disciples it was the third hour of the day which was our Nine of the Clock Acts 2. 3 4 15. And Peter's Vision was about the sixth hour Acts 10. 9 which was about our Noon And Peter and John went into the Temple at the ninth hour the hour of Prayer Acts 3. 1 for the Hebrews accounted the twelve hours of the day thus our six of the Clock in the Morning was their first our ninth their third hour of the day our twelve of the Clock at Noon their sixth hour our three of the Clock in the Afternoon their ninth hour our six of the Clock at Evening their twelfth hour as Scholars know so that their sixth hour was Noon and Peter's Vision was about Noon And Cornelius was praying about the ninth hour Acts 10. 30. But whether that of David or Daniel or Cornelius or this of Peter and John were upon the Sabbath being not directly written that I know I cannot tell And although we have so much of our LORD 's constant keeping of the Sabbath as his manner was and of Paul's keeping the Sabbath as his manner was yet I do not remember any Instance of their publick congregating or preaching above once upon that day But this also I submit entirely to the Word and to farther Enquiry But if that be the Mind of Christ which he has directed in his Word I think there is much to be said for it as accommodated to the ordinary Cases of Mankind both spiritual and worldly and I am credibly informed that in some parts of England Christians do meet but once upon the Sabbath day As for Tradition I mean so far as I can weakly Tradition gather from my small Stock of Books about the Seventh-day Sabbath when the observation thereof ended and about the First day when the observation thereof began amongst any Christians hoping the World may hereafter have a more exact account thereof if need be from some one or other who has better Abilities a better Library and more Youth Strength and Leisure whom the Lord may raise up I shall offer such broken imperfect Collections as I can after so many Removes of my little Study by the Distresses of this Age. But this I premise that my own clearest satisfaction that the Seventh-day Sabbath is not altered came by the means of the Scriptures and the Writings of the most Consciencious and Learned for the First day and after all I am of this opinion That the Sabbath cannot be repealed or altered but by the same Power and Authority which first commanded it which was our LORD himself As for me it was as I remember some years after I was convinced of the Seventh day Sabbath before I had seen any Book that was written for it or before I had spoken with any person that was for the observation thereof and â— did and do find that the ablest Writers in my weak Opinion for the First day have with that soundness established the Ten Commands and their abiding Obligation to the end of the World and then by Conjectures have endeavoured to bring in â—he First day that the more I see the more I am
years together had walked contrary to the Commands of God yet the Commands are the same and oblige us now just as they did the Apostles and others in Christ's time and after his Death and the contrary Practise of all the World if it were so will not impeach any one of Christ's Commands nor make those Hereticks that observe them 3dly For the clearing up of this Matter of Fact I shall offer some broken Collections which I have made out of the Centuries for the observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath and against it for the First day which I think will answer these two last Objections The Ecclesiastical History printed at Basil 1560. Magdeburgenses cent 1. lib. 1. written by those of Maidenburg in Germany who were Protestants cent 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. fol. 44. they say It is only the Work of God to institute and to abolish a Sabbath which is true and sound Cent. 1. lib. 2. cap. 6. fol. 503 They acknowledge the Apostles and others mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles kept the Sabbath which is true also as before Cent. 4. fol. 410. Sozo lib. 7. cap. 19 shews That in many Cities and Villages amongst the Aegyptians they used to convene the Evening of the Sabbath upon which day that there were publick Assemblies Athanasius â—hews in Lib. de Interpretatione Psalmorum where he names these as the days of their Ecclesiastical Assemblies the Sabbath the Dominical day the Second of the Sabbath which I think was Monday Good-Friday Parasc-even and Quartam Sabbati which I think was Wednesday Good Friday could not be weekly but yearly So I guess this was in Lent but where this was I remember not Cent. 4. Concilii Eliberini Can. 23 constituted a Fast upon the Sabbath day so now the Festival of the Sabbath was by some turning into a Fast Cent. 5. fol. 436 Ambrose said When I come to Rome I fast upon the Sabbath when I am here I do not fast Cent. 5. fol. 477 they say The Ecclesiastical Assemblies at Rome were not upon the Sabbath as in the Churches of other Countries Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 19 Quemadmodum in aliarum terrarum Ecclesiis So that other Churches in other Countries except Rome did assemble on the Sabbath in the Fifth Century after Christ Which may pass for one Authority against the said Writer's Objections Cent. 5. fol. 647 Those who lived at Constantinople had various times of assembling and without doubt in other Neighbour-Churches yet it is certain there was one day of the whole week constituted in which the promiscuous Multitude once assembled to hear Sermons For so says Chrysostom c. Isychius Presbyter of the Church of Jerusalem in the second Book of Commentaries on the Ninth Chapter of Leviticus In some places of Syria and Egypt Men assembled in the Church upon the Sabbath day fol. 648. This was in the Fifth Century Cent. 5 fol. 685 't is said Those who fasted and those who dined upon the Sabbath lived in Concord and that it was frequent in the same Church to have some dining and some fasting upon the Sabbath day In the Eastern Churches they never fast upon the Sabbath one Sabbath of the whole year excepted which is before the Passover the Western Churches by which I think they mean Rome and thereabout observed the contrary And they quote Augustine as speaking of this Diversity how they fasted at Rome on the Sabbath which if they should say were sinful then they should condemn the Roman Church and many places near to it and farther from it And if they should think it sinful not to fast upon the Sabbath then they should blame many Eastern Churches and the far greater part of the Christian World This as I take it is in Chrysostom's Letter to Jerome and in another Letter to Casulanus where he professedly writes of the Fast upon the Sabbath and plainly shews that fasting upon the Sabbath day was peculiar to Rome and a few Western Churches And if any ask why I transcribe Authorities to prove that for so many hundred years after Christ some Dined and some Fasted upon the Sabbath day 1. I answer to shew that all the Christians in the World did agree which was the Sabbath day and which the First day of the week and that they all agreed to call the Seventh day of the week the Sabbath day which some few now pretend to doubt 2. To shew whence the Alteration was from keeping the Sabbath day as a Festival and turning it into a Fast 3. To shew that this Practice by the Church of Rome and some Western Churches was not followed by the Eastern Churches nor by the far greater part of the Christian World for Five hundred years after Christ nor is it as I think by some Christian Churches to this day as I shall shew afterwards Now that publick Fasting-days as this was were kept holy to God as well as Festivals is known to all Christians who upon publick Fasting days where they have liberty do assemble for the Worship of God in Christ When Christians do agree upon a day to assemble for the Publick Worship of God in Christ there does appear no great difference whether they Feast or Fast upon that day only here seems to be the art of it The Popes of Rome were about to change the Sabbath and it seems devis'd amongst others this medium for one To turn the Sabbath into a Fast before Easter and this was under a specious pretence as for the Honour of Christ and in memory of his Passion as the First day was in memory of his Resurrection and therefore they first contended much about observing Easter upon the First day of the week which was to be a yearly Festival whereof more hereafter and the Sabbath before Easter because of our Lord's Body lying in the Grave to be kept as a yearly Fast and so by degrees every Sunday to be a Festival and kept as a weekly Sabbath and every Sabbath to be turn'd into a weekly Fast and by degrees to be totally laid aside and no more observ'd as the instituted Sabbath but for ever after to be kept only as a weekly Fast as it is amongst the Romanists and some others to this day This Legerdemain seems plain to such as are unbiass'd and have look'd a little into Church-History whereof more hereafter Magdeb. 6. Cent. in Synodo Matisconensi where were convenâ— some French Bishops c. I find by a Canon of that Synod a very great Complaint against the Christian People as contemning the Dominical day and as continually working on it â— upon private days for which they order Country-men to be beaten with Cudgels and if he were a Lawyer he must irrecoverably lose his Cause which was very hard for his pooâ— Client when his Cause was good Cent. 7. In the seventh Century we have two Bishops by thâ— name of Dominicus Fol. 322 387. fol. 160 they say The Sabbath was consecrated a Fast
observed Dominicam diem non colendam and this was An. 1555 in the sixteenth Century but they if it be true what is written of them by Popish Writers were otherwise Heretical as in their sence all Dissenters from them are And if they were Hereticks yet this will disprove part of the Assertion before mentioned but frequently the most Orthodox were by them called Hereticks as they are by them and others to this day In Lucius's Thirteenth Century f. 264 B and fol. 357 C D of introducing the Dominical day into Scotland we have before in the Story of the Abbot of Flay and the King's Council of Scotland An. Dom. 1203. Fol. 385 a Synod was held at Oxford An. 1223 by Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury where they determine That all Dominical days be kept with all veneration and a Fast upon the Sabbath c. So that how far some part of England then followed the Example of Scotland is worth further enquiry which is about Twenty one years after that of the Abbot of Flay And this is the sum of what I have collected out of those Books As for the Books quoted by Binius by the Magdeburgenses and by Lucius I had very few of them where those Passages probably would be found more at large which such as are furnished with or have the use of a better Study may collect if they please and give a more exact account thereof But these Writers as to Matters of Fact written by them I take to be of Credit although one of them viz. Binius were a profest Romanist and Canon of the Virgin Mary at Collen and writ permissu superiorunt But the Magdeburgenses and Lucius were Protestants and are generally allowed for ought I know as persons of Fidelity in their Collections So that as to the Matters of Fact which I have brokenly gathered from them some for and some against my Opinion I think there remains little doubt Inferences from what I have collected I leave to the impartial Reader Binius's 13th Century King John about Ann. Dom. 1208 and the Tenth year of his Reign upon occasion of a Popish imposing upon his Prerogative in a Case of Conge-de-lier was excommunicated by the Pope and his Kingdom interdicted which bred so great Troubles at home and abroad as at last forc'd him to lay down his Crown at the Feet of Pandulphus the Pope's Agent After he was humbled by that Excommunication and Interdiction this King An. 15. of his Reign by Writ removes the Market of the City of Exon from the Dominical or first day of the week on which it was formerly held to Monday Prinn's History of the Pope's Usurpations part 3 fol. 17. So that Exon kept Markets on Sunday above 1200 years after Christ And the Market of Launceston was from the first to the fifth day of the week And in the 2d and 3d of Henry III the next King succeeding King John K. Henry III removes another Market in Devon and Ten more in other Counties from the First day to other days of the week Which alteration of Markets which we find before in the Case of the Abbot of Flay King John would not then admit And 6 Hen. III Prinn's Jurisdiction of Courts fol. 153 there is the King's Writ Ballinis de Hastings to answer before the Justices for removing Markets from one day to another without the King's Licence unless it be from the Dominical day It seems some then held Markets on that day but might remove them to another day without the King's Licence And those who desire and need such Presidents may probably there find many more like these these coming to hand upon the perusal of a few Leaves of that voluminous Book In our Records we find by the Writs to summon Parliaments that they were of old appointed to meet upon Sundays Elsyng's Method of holding Parliaments fol. 91 92 in the time of Edw. I Edw. II and Edw. III which Edw. I. succeeded Henry III who succeeded King John But 5 Rich. II. who was deposed by his Popish rebellious Subjects and Clergy and who succeeded Edward III. the Parliament appointed to meet upon Sunday met that day and adjourned till Monday Prinn's Jurisdict of Courts fol. 4. From which time of 5 Rich. II. Prinn says no Parliaments have been summoned to meet on the Dominical days And Prinn thinks Modus tenendi Parliamentum was compiled after 5 Rich. II. for many ancient Parliaments of Edw. I Edw. II and Edw. III were summoned to meet on Sunday on which day the Modus c. says Parliaments ought not to be held but upon all other days that excepted So that it seems in Edward the Third's time Sunday was not much if at all observed by that King and the Civil Government of England See his Jurisd fol. 42 and his Register fol. 10 11 15. England which one lately in his Defence of the First day calls a barbarous and remote Corner of the World had the Gospel here preached in the First Century as Historians say and it was afterward generally entertained for some hundreds of years before they received the Change of the Passover to the Dominical day and by the best Collection I can make with my few Books about 1200 years or more before they received the observation of Sunday and yet had a weekly day of Rest which all the Records of old yet extant and down along to this day did then and do still call the Sabbath day And having once received the Gospel they did not so soon receive Alterations in Religion for the worse as other places nearer to Rome as appears by the Case of the Passover the change of which from the 14th day of the first Moon to the first day of the week was not here admitted as I take it till the Sixth or Seventh Century and then also but in part as appears in the Passage of Bishop Coleman which Alteration Scotland then refused And for the First day it seems to be introduced by the Popes and their Agents by degrees but not generally to obtain in England nor at all in Scotland till the beginning of the 13th Century and without any Law that I can recollect made by the King and Parliament till Edward the Sixth's time 5 6 Edw. VI cap. 3 which Act was made about 150. years since where Sunday and many Holy-days the Feast of All-saints and of Holy Innocents are established Festivals and jumbled all together it seems then esteemed much alike Which Act provides that it shall be lawful for Husband men Labourers Fishermen and all others in Harvest or any time of the year when Necessity shall require to labour ride fish or work any kind of Work at their free will and pleasure upon any of the said days So that the Civil Government of England did never that I find give Countenance to Sunday by any Act till about 150 years since and then allowed a Liberty so large as shews what Esteem they had of
great deal of Rubbish and before mentioned may be sufficient in my weak Opinion to prove to the satisfaction of the unprejudic'd that the Word of God fully and a strong Tradition are for the Seventh-day Sabbath and against the First day And if the Seventh day be the true Christian Sabbath and that day and that day only be commanded to be kept as it plainly seems to me by the Scriptures and very far by Tradition except that of Rome and its Followers then do we weekly and wilfully break the Fourth Command in a point wherein there seems no sound Reason can be assigned for God expresly commands to keep the Seventh day and we will keep not that which he commands but one of those upon which he has commanded us to labour What a learned Noble Gentleman means by his Inequality of days in his Cosmical Suspicions I know not See Isa 30. 19 26. Prov. 3. 1 2 16. Orek Jammim Nor what of Truth there may be in the Story of Fluvius Sabbaticus in Palestine which some say only flows another that it only rests upon the Seventh day but divers take notice of it Baronius An. Chr. 33 fol. 28 sect 12. Josephus 7. de bello 24. Plin. 31 Hist 2. c. but on these I build not And here I think it may be of some use to bestow a Sheet or two upon the case of Easter to shew how that came in and is held up As to the time of keeping the Passover the Lamb was to be taken up the tenth day of the first Moon or Month Nisan which Nisan they say answered to part of our March and part of April and was to be killed the fourteenth day of that Month Exod. 12. 1 6. The Month Nisan I take to be the first New Moon after the Vernal Aequinox which Vernal Aequinox is our Eleventh or Twelfth day of March and whether the Fourteenth day was not to be reckoned from the day of the Aequinox which Fourteenth day was alwaies in the Month Nisan I cannot tell Lucius Cent. 2. 117 D. But this I doubt and rather take the first viz. That the Month or Moon Nisan began after the Vernal Aequinox and that the Paschal Lamb was to be killed the Fourteenth day of that Moon Or what other Reckoning they had I cannot certainly resolve To this Feast of the Passover i. e. passing over the Houses of the Israelites when God slew the First born of the Aegyptians our Lord's Parents went up to Jerusalem every year Luke 2. 41. This Passover though it preserved the Memory of the great Deliverance the Israelites had out of Aegypt yet the Lamb then killed was eminently a Type of Christ This Passover was also observed by Christ Mat. 26. 1 17 18 19. Mark 14. 12. Luke 22. 7. John 13. 1. The day when Christ went with his Disciples to keep the Passover was probably the Evening before our Friday and that Evening i. e. the beginning of Friday he and his Disciples probably began to keep it and that night he was betray'd and taken and on Friday was crucified which Passover the Jews observed upon the next day after being the Sabbath day The Ancients say the Jews had a Custom when two Feasts viz. the Passover and the Sabbath came so near together as to be next one another that by Rabbinical Tradition they observed both upon one day viz. upon the Sabbath day 'T is said thereupon that the Jews by that Rule then kept the Passover upon the Seventh-day Sabbath which began in the Evening which they should have observed upon Friday the Sixth day of the week And that Christ kept it upon the Evening of the Sixth day which was the right day which was the Evening after our Thursday Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 54. John 19. 14. See Lucius Cent. 1 lib. 1. fol. 259 E Whether the Apostles kept it after the Death of Christ I cannot yet resolve although in Acts 18. 21 the Feast which the Apostle says he was to keep at Jerusalem seems to be the Passover though that be not named and if it were I think Paul took occasion to be there at that publick great Concourse of People to preach Christ to that Multitude And so in 1 Cor. 5. 8 the Feast there spoken of might be the Passover though it be not named But that the Apostles were under no obligation to keep that Feast of the Passover after the Death of Christ is to me past doubt because the Passover and Lamb then slain were a Type of Christ and prefigured him who is our Paschal Lamb who being himself slain and sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7 at his Death the Passover the Type and Figure wholly ceased and was abolished by his Death the true Antitype and so the Apostles and all others were by his Death delivered from that as Lucius Cent. 1. well as other Ceremonies which are all nailed to his Cross and the keeping the Feast with Unleaveneds the Apostle v. 8 expounds of their sincerity of Life who believed in Christ Lucius Cent. 1. lib. 2. 36. H However there were some particularly those at Rome in conformity to the Jews Passover though in crossness to the day the Jews kept the Passover on or it may be out of a good Intention in memory of the Resurrection or for what other reason I cannot tell who it seems by the Histories did about the Second and Third Centuries observe one yearly Festival in commemoration of the Resurrection which Resurrection falling out to be the First day of the week they would have others yearly observe upon the First day which the Eastern Churches generally opposed those there who kept it keeping it the fourteenth day of the first Month the day Christ kept it upon whatever day of the week it fell out to be But what Law from Christ either they or any others had or have to make any such Observation now upon either of those days or upon any other day I am wholly to seek 'T is true the Jews observed the Passover as appears Acts 12. 4 where the Passover is rendered Easter And that some yearly Feast was kept by divers Christians in lieu of the Passover is very likely Lucius 1 Cent. lib. 2. fol. 387. C D where John and Philip the Evangelist and other Apostles are said to keep that yearly Feast the fourteenth day of the first Moon and that some cast it rejecisse upon the Dominical day Cent. 2 fol. 7. C D where a Question being moved Who first preached the Gospel in Britain 't is said It does not sufficiently appear but certainly this is not unlikely to Truth That that Church i. e. in Britain was planted in the beginning by the Grecian or Oriental Teachers and not by the Romans or Western Teachers and that the Grecians transferred their Riâ—es and Ceremonies to them and he so thinks first because Petrus Cluniacensis Abbas writing to St. Bernard affirms The Scots according to the manner of
Nor in the Eleventh Century only fol. 215 E one Humbert contended strongly That Christ eat the Passover the Fourteenth day of the Moon and not the Thirteenth Cent. 12. Fol. 660 We have Pope Paschal the Second Fol. 677 Pope Paschal the Third Antipope Cent. 13. Nor is there any thing considerable that I find of this Question in the Thirteenth Century He who will take the pains may find much more of this about Easter in Binius and in Magâ—eburgenses and in Eâ—sebius which I had also collected but upon further thoughts I think this sufficient The Difference that still remains about the time of observing Easter between Rome and those who with Rome observe the new stile and those Nations who observe the old stile shews that in this also one of them is an Error and I think they are both out as before Upon the whole of this matter it seems to Rome made the Alterations me the first Endeavour of Rome was to introduce without any Command from God the yearly observation of the Passover upon the First day of the week in the Spring which was about the Second and Third Centuries and then the weekly observing the First day instead of the Seventh all the year long and by degrees they introduced other yearly and weekly Feasts and Fasts the weekly Fasts are Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays 〈◊〉 Saturday is their Lady Maries day the yearly Fasts are Leâ— and the Eves of Saints days Their weekly Feast is the First day their yearly Festivals are the Passover Pentecost Christmas and a multitude of Saints-days So a great part of the year is now all in Feasts and Fasts and the rest of the Fourth Command Six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do is in effect much lain aside also as well as the Seventh day for Rest such Confusion has Rome brought into the World for which I see no other total Cure but by laying all Additions aside and returning singly to the Law and Word of God And as I say to that about the First day the same I say to this of the Passover that neither one nor the other is commanded in the Word 't is I think evident they both come from Rome I know a little that whosoever varies from Peace and Truth other mens common Sentiments in matters of Religion in any one point he presently falls under Prejudice And because there have been many Errors and Heresies therefore the plainest Truths however confirmed by Christ and this Word become suspected plain Christians for fear of displeasing others are frighted from looking into the Scriptures and searching there whether things are so or no and so for Peace sake go on in ways of Sin because it is the common Road and Track of others whom they esteem and whose Kindness they endanger if they be not made Masters of their Faith and Practice which Peace is a great thing and carefully to be maintained but still so far as is consistent with Truth and Holiness and no further for otherwise the Reformed Churches had never put for nor obtained that great degree of Reformation which we have if they must for Peace sake have sate down contented without those Alterations wherein they now generally differ from the Church of Rome and we must contentedly have sate down under all Administrations as they are used in that Church without looking further if Peace had been a Rule abstracted from Truth and Holiness but in regard the Lord has made it the Duty of every Man and Woman to obey GOD rather than Man Acts 4. 19 and whatever others whether they be more or less say or do to the contrary that we must follow them so far and so far only as they are followers of Christ and no further 1 Cor. 11. 1. Eph. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 13. And seeing that all our Thoughts Words and Actions should now be governed and shall at last be judged by Christ as our Judge and by his Law and Word as the Rule it behoves us not to reject any Light which he graciously offers to set us right in any part of his Will And as God of old reserved the more open giving restoring and divulging of his Law upon Mount Sinai and therein this Fourth Command to the time of his delivering his People Israel out of literal Aegypt whether he have not also reserved the calling the Western Churches and those of the Eastern Churches of Christ which have in any sort sucked in the like or any other Corrupt Alterations to the time of delivering his People out of spiritual Aegypt or thereabout I cannot tell but that he will some time or other restore the Knowledge and Practice of his Will in this I do the more expect because of his Promises by his Holy Spirit to teach us all things John 14. 26. And for that reason as I ought not to prescribe so I am indeed no Judge which time is fittest but do plead his Cause in my day as I think my Duty is and hold my self and all others bound to the observance of his Commands although I acknowledge great Imperfections in our Obedience to every one of the Commands which nothing can expiate but the perfect Righteousness of Christ I remember some had a desire to keep up Circumcision not fully understanding that God had abolish'd that Ceremony while Paul was clear in the Doctrine of laying it aside and it often comes to pass that God puts a Thought into our Mind that like a Sun-beam makes a Truth visible in a moment which before we could not discern The Holy Spirit divides to every man severally 1 Cor. 12. 11 as he will and distributes the Treasures of Evangelical Knowledge sometimes upon the meanest of Earthen Vessels and maketh use of one man in one and of another in another Case that none may Glory and all may see their Need of Him and of one another and may all be willing to receive all his Will As Christ is Lord of his Grace so he is Lord of his time when to dispence it and of persons to use whom he will about it Acts 17. 26. Quest 12. If the Seventh-day Sabbath were prophaned by the Church before the Coming of Christ and reformed And whether it be prophesied by any of the Prophets who should change the Sabbath in the Times of the Gospel Q. 1. If the Sabbath day were prophaned before Christ's Coming and reformed Ans The Restauration of the Jewish State after a long discontinuance of it was brought about and their Temple rebuilt by Nehemiah Governour under the King of Persia Nehem. chap. 1 to the 7th Chapter and when he had drawn Israels Princes Priests and People into an Oath to observe God's Commands and not to buy Wares on the Sabbath day Neh. 9. 38. 10. 28 29 31 he saw some who trod Wine-presses laded Asses brought in Sheaves Wine Grapes Figgs and Burthens into the City on the Sabbath day and the men