15. And as Malachy gathereth thence a perpetuall rule even so from Gods resting on the seventh day wee ought to gather a perpetuall rule of the sanctification of that day For as it is manifest by that which hath been said there is a great disparity betweene these two cosidering that in the first which is the union of two persons in wedlocke there is a foundation of naturall honesty and righteousnesse whereof the practise and confirmation hath beene alwaies since the beginning of the world both in the old and new Testament But in the second which concerneth Gods rest on the seventh day and his hallowing of that day rather than of any other there is no naturall righteousnesse and therefore no necessity obliging all men from the beginning to the end of the World As also no hallowing no practising of it is to be seene in the old Testament before the Law was given by Moses and farre lesse is any confirmation of it to be found in the new Testament 8 The fourth and last reply is that after the Law given by Moses no mention is made in the Booke of Iudges nor in some other historicall Bookes of the old Testament of the observation of the Sabbath and yet from this no inference can be made that the Sabbath was not observed in those daies in like manner none should inferre that it was not kept in the daies of the Patriarches because forsooth there is no record in their history that they hallowed it This reply is so cleane from the matter that no reckoning is to be made of it Verily the first conlusion were too bad because the institution of the Sabbath was made in a most expresse manner before the daies specified in the foresaid Bookes to continue thorow all the ages of the Common-wealth of Israel And no doubt is to be made but that it was kept in all those daies although there was no occasion offered to relate so much in the foresaid Bookes It sufficeth that it is often mentioned in other Bookes which shew the continuall practice thereof under the Law and the Israelites are in them grievously censured as guilty of a most hainous crime when they observed it not But the second conclusion is most reasonable For if the Sabbath had beene observed about two thousand yeeres by the Patriarches before the Law was given and if it was in all that time a part of Gods service is it not a thing uncoth and farre from all likelihood that no notice is given us neither in the story of those times nor in any other part of Scripture that the Sabbath was then commanded and religiously observed Namely seeing the Church was at that time in a particular estate and was ruled by an oeconomy farre different from the government under the Law of which estate and oeconomy there was a just cause why the whole service should be notified unto us and namely this part thereof which is pretended to be so necessary 9 Now this is worthy to be marked putting the case that assuredly neither the Gentiles nor the Patriarches have observed a seventh day of Sabbath before the Law was given by Moses to the Iewes that the two reasons before alledged are of great force to justifie that the keeping of that day is neither of the Law of nature nor of divine institution by a positive Law given to Adam and to his posterity from the beginning of the World But although it could be shewed that either the Patriarches or the Gentiles observed that day from the beginning no more can be gathered of these premises with a reasonable inference saving that God had instituted and commanded the seventh day before the Law was given by Moses But it should be a most unreasonable conclusion to gather from thence that the keeping holy of the seventh day is a point of the naturall and morall Law which as I have said hath in it a naturall unchangeable and universall justice whereas positive Lawes are of things indifferent which have no justice but in the will of the Law-giver and stand or fall at his pleasure CHAPTER fifth REASON 5. 1 If God had commanded the seventh day from the beginning or if the observation thereof were a morall duty God had enjoyned all Adams posterity to keepe it 2 This was impossible by reason of the divers situation of the earth 3 As also because of the impossibility that is in the most part of men to keepe such a commandement 4 Therefore God gave it to the Iewes onely and hath not bound the Catholike Church to any regular and set day 1 IF the observation of one day in every weeke or of a seventh day were a thing morall and if particularly God had ordained to Adam the observation of the last day of seven which hee rested on and which afterwards hee prescribed to the Isaelites by the Law undoubtedly hee had thereby intended to binde all Adams posterity to the observation of one day of seven yea to the last day of seven which he had prescribed to their first Father at least till he himselfe had changed it into another day of seven as is pretended he did by our Lord Iesus Christ. And indeed the common tenet of those which hold the morality of the Sabbath day is that the keeping not onely of a seventh day but also of the last of seven obliged all men till the comming of Christ. 2 But this was is and ever shall be impossible For Adams posterity after it was multiplied extended it selfe abroad very largely thorow all the quarters of the earth the diverse situation whereof in regard of the course of the Sunne diversifieth the daies extremely the Sunne rising according to the diversity of places with much difference sooner or later It is night in some parts when it is day in others Yea there are some Regions where the Sunne goeth not under the Horizon for the space of a whole month others where it setteth not in the space of two three foure five sixe moneths together which all make but one continuall day And thereafter they have as many moneths of night the Sunne never comming nigh them in all that time Considering this great and well knowne variety I aske how it was possible to all men thus dispersed under so many and divers elevations to keepe this seventh day wherein God rested from all his works And how those to whom many moneths make but one day and as many but one night yea to whom the whole yeere is but one day and one night could keepe distinctly and regularly but one day of seven Was it necessary that these men after the revolution of six of their daies and of as many nights which came to many not onely moneths but also yeeres should observe the seventh following that is whole moneths whole halfe yeeres or a whole yeere for one Sabbath only Or these only have they beene freed from the observation of a fixed day for Gods service and left to their owne
libertie to take such order about that matter as they should thinke good Who seeth not in this a manifest absurditie Doth it not remaine alwaies Is not the situation of the earth which is the same that it was from the beginning as great an impediment under the new Testament to the universall keeping of a seventh day in all places and namely of that particular seventh wherein Christ rose from death unto life which is the first of the seven daies of the weeke as it was under the old Testament to an universall observation of a particular seventh in those times to wit of the last of the weeke 4 Whatsoever is morall is universall obligeth equally all men and may be kept of all Likewise all commandements which Gods purpose is to give to all men are such that they may be kept of all How then is a thing called morall the keeping whereof the order of nature hath made impossible to many men such as is the regular keeping of a set day And how is it said that the Commandement enjoyning the keeping of a particular seventh day whether the last or the first of seven was on Gods part an universall commandement obliging all men seeing it is farre more impossible to a great number of men to keepe it because they dwell in more remote climats then we doe 5 Therefore it is more conformable to reason to say that the Commandement which under the Old Testament ordained the keeping of a Seventh day obliged the people of Israel only which was the onely people of GOD was shut up within the narrow bounds of a little corner of the earth and might with great facility keepe that day even as all the rest of the politike and ecclesiasticall regiment established by Moses pertained to them onely And that under the new Testament in whose times the Church hath beene spread abroad thorow all the earth God hath not given any particular Ordinance concerning the keeping of any day whatsoever but hath left to the discretion of the Church to appoint the times of Gods service according to the circumstances of places and of fit occasions CHAPTER Sixth REASON 6. 1. The Observation of the Seventh day of the weeke is no where commanded in the New Testament and therefore it is not morall 2. Iesus Christ prescribing to his Disciples the celebration of the Sacrament of his body and bloud appointed not a particular and set day for that holy exercise 3. Neither did he by himselfe or by his Apostles appoint a particular time for the other exercises of Religion 4. Whence it followeth that the keeping of a Seventh day for Gods service cannot be a morall point 1 THe whole tenor of the Gospell confirmeth our assertion It is most certaine that if it were a morall duty to keepe a Seventh day all Christians should be obliged unto it under the New Testament as the Iewes were under the Old Testament Now if Christians were bound unto it under the New Testament we should finde some expresse Ordinance concerning it in the writings of the Evangelists and of the Apostles For if all the morall points which the Law commandeth are ratified in many places of their bookes and all the faithfull are often commanded to keepe them as the worshipping of one true God the shunning and detestation of Idols and of all services of mans invention the sanctification of the Name of God the honour dew to Fathers to Mothers and to all superiors the refraining from murder from whoredome from adultery from theft from false witnesse from all lusting after evill things and such like Also in them are often commanded and recommended the holy meetings for the hearing of the word of God the administration of the Sacraments the publike prayers and generally the appointing of times for that use because it is a morall thing that GOD bee served publikely whereunto fixed and stinted times are necessary But as for the ruling and stinting of those times God hath left it as he hath done the appointing of places to the Church For hee would not prescribe unto us any particular place nor time for his service as hee did under the Old Testament because he giveth greater liberty to the Church under the New Testament then he did under the Old Testament to whose bondage pertained this restraint of a certaine day and place of Gods service by expresse commandement as also because the greatnesse and dilatation of the Church of the New Testament which is Catholike could not suffer such a particular determination nay made it so impossible that of absolute necessity it dependeth on the discretion and commodities of the Church 2 When IESUS CHRIST made his last Supper with his Disciples and commanded it should be celebrated to the worlds end as hee determined the use and practise thereof with certaine elements of Bread and Wine he might if hee had thought fit allot unto it a certaine time such as was of old the time of Passeover But hee was pleased to say onely this in generall tearmes This doe yee as oft as yee doe it in remembrance of me Likewise Saint Paul As often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall shew the LORDS death till hee come both limiting the elements as the necessary matter of this Sacrament But neither of them prescribeth a particular time for the solemnizing thereof which being an accidentall circumstance he left the direction thereof to the Church to the which Church in things concerning times places and other circumstances of like nature God hath given no other commandement saving this generall one Let all things be done decently and in good order 3 Now there is no other ordinance of Christ or of his Apostles concerning particular times for all other duties of the Christian Religion then for the time of the LORDS Supper For seeing they were pleased to say of the Holy Supper As often as you doe this it is an easie matter to conclude thence that they intended not to ordaine any thing over and besides belonging to the other exercises but to say only as often as you shall come together to heare the word to pray publikely c. Leaving the determination of the fittest times for all such things to the Church and therefore there is not to bee found in the whole Gospell any thing injoined to that purpose Also there is the same reason for all other exercises and for the Lords Supper concerning the determination of a set tiâ—â— For if our Lord Iesus Christ had thought expedient to appoint a set time for the hearing of the Word there had beene as good cause to prescribe one also for the Communion of his Body and of his Blood I know that some passages of the new Testament are produced which are pretended by those of the contrary opinion to injoine expresly a set day of the weeke for the exercises of Religion but I shall shew hereafter God willing that they are deceived in their
pretence 4 Of this I inferre that seeing in the Gospell there is no expresse command touching the keeping of a seventh day of rest it cannot be a morall point For since all other morall points are so often and so expresly injoined therein what likelihood is there that God would have omitted this without making an evident injunction thereof Nay seeing under the old Testament God was so carefull to recommend the keeping of his Sabbaths as may be seene every where in the Bookes of the Prophets is it credible that if he had intended under the new Testament to tie us to the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath he would have shewne as great care to recommend it unto us as he did theirs to the Iewes seeing it is pretended that on Gods behalfe we are as straitly bound to the observation of the Sabbath as they were CHAPTER seventh REASON 7. 1 Manifest reasons out of the three first Evangelists against the morality of the Sabbath What is meant by the Sabbath second first 2 Exposition of Christs answer to the Pharisees who blamed his Disciples for plucking the cares of corne and rubbing them to eate on the Sabbath day 3 First argument out of this answer The Sabbath is declared to be of the same nature that the Shew bread and Sacrifices were of and mercy is preferred unto it Therefore it is not morall 4 Second argument Christ affirmeth that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Therefore it is not morall 5 A reply to this argument refuted 6 Third argument Christ addeth that the Sonne of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Therefore the Sonne of man being taken for Christ as he is Christ and Mediator it is not morall 7 Fourth argument Christ did handie-works without necessity and commanded servile workes to be done on the Sabbath day without necessity Therefore it is not morall 8 Christ as the Sonne of man was not Lord of the morall Law but only of the ceremoniall Therefore the Sabbath is not morall 9 If the Sonne of man who is Lord of the Sabbath be taken in its vulgar signification for every man the Sabbath cannot be morall 10 Hence it followeth that the Sabbath was onely a positive Law given to the Iewes and not to Christians 1 I Adde that not onely there is nothing expresly set downe in the Gospel confirming the morality of a Sabbath day but much otherwise that it furnisheth strong arguments to overthrow it As among others those namely which are to be found in S. Matthew Ghap. 12. vers 1 c. in S. Marke Chap. 2. vers 23. c. in S. Luke Chap. 6. vers 1 c. where is related a thing that came to passe on the Sabbath day which S. Matthew and S. Marke call simply the Sabbath and S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabbath second first or second principall which the interpretors take diversly Some understand it of two holy daies the one following the other immediately and more particularly of the second day after the first of the feast of unleavended bread For that feast was kept seven daies which all were Sabbaths although the first and the last only were solemne Sabbaths of holy convocation Others take it for the seventh and last day of the said feast of unleavened bread which was a very solemne day and equall in holinesse to the first day of the said feast whence it was called Second First that is to say another first or the first called backe againe and renued A third sort expound it of the second solemne feast of the yeere called the feast of weekes or of first fruits and by S. Luke the Sabbath Second First that is second in order after the first and as it were another first in dignity For all the feast daies were Sabbaths It may be also that this Sabbath Second First fell out on an ordinary Sabbath of the weeke Wherein there is a great apparence of truth seeing the Pharisees blamed Christs Disciples for plucking the eares of corne and rubbing them in their hands to eat on that day which they could not have done with any colour saving on an ordinary and weekely day of Sabbath wherein God had forebidden all kinde of worke and namely the making ready of meat For in all other solemne Sabbaths of yeerely feasts he had expresly permitted this particular worke of making ready whatsoever was necessary to every one to eate as may be seene Exod. 12. vers 16. But although this Sabbath Second first be understood of another day then of an ordinary Sabbath it imports not much and no exception can be taken against it to impaire the strength of the arguments which are gathered out of the foresaid places For whatsoever Christ said in defence of that which his Disciples did and the Pharisees blamed in this Sabbath second first is manifestly generall and pertaineth to all Sabbaths kept in times past among the Iewes whether ordinary or extraordinary Thus then the three Evangelists doe record that Iesus went on the Sabbath day thorow the corne fields and his Disciples plucked the eares of corne and did eat rubbing them in their hands Whereof being reproved by the Pharisees as profaners of the Sabbath whereon God forebad to doe any worke Iesus Christ to cleare them and refute the Pharisees alledgeth the example of David and of those that were with him Which when they were an hungry did take and eate the Shew-bread which was not lawfull to eate but to the Priests alone and were not blamed for this because the necessity of hunger was a sufficient excuse unto them Whence his intent was to inferre that his Disciples also in that which they did then were to be excused of breaking of the Sabbath by the same necessity of hunger which they were pinched with and which gave them liberty to doe that which otherwise was not lawfull to doe on the Sabbath day Moreover Iesus Christ addeth If yee had knowne what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice yee would not have condemned the guiltlesse Of which argument this is the force that if God preferred the works of mercy and of love to the Sacrifices which in all the outward service of the Law were the most holy and would have the Sacrifices to give place to those workes by identity of reason his meaning was also that the keeping of the Sabbath or abstaining from outward works on that day should give place to that mercy and love which man oweth to himselfe or to his neighbours and would not have allowed that a man should consent to die for want of meat to be hunger-starved or to bring harme to himselfe by some other evill rather then to breake the Sabbath by making meat ready or doing some other necessary worke which was otherwise forbidden on the Sabbath day Hee confirmeth this saying The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath the meaning of which words is
Covenants of promise made with the Iewes saith with an affirmative interrogation Who doth not honour the sacred and holy day that returneth every weeke But besides that it may be hee spoke hyperbolically and led away with a Iewish affection towards the ceremonies of his owne Nation he designes at the most some reverend opinion which the observation of that day solemnized with so great devotion amongst the Iewes had purchased amongst forraine Nations which seeing that Iewish discipline and devotion were in a manner forced to admire it And not that they also kept it commonly as being or holding that they were naturally obliged thereunto It is manifest that wee must give this interpretation to these words of Philo by other places where in the same yea in stronger termes hee saith the like of the fast observed solemnely by the Iewes on a certaine day of the yeere Who saith hee doth not worship with admiration the feast which returneth yeerely in the sacred month And in generall speaking of all the statutes observed by the Iewes and of all the Lawes given by Moses hee saith that men of all other Nations almost had them in some veneration This Moses had foretold in the Booke of Deuteronomy Chap. 4. vers 6. where speaking to the people of the Statutes and Iudgements which hee had taught them even as the LORD his God commanded him hee saith Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your understanding in the sight of all Nations which shall heare all these Statutes and shall say Surely this great Nation alone is awise and understanding people Thus Philo sheweth cleerely enough that the Gentiles knew nothing of the Sabbath day no more then of the other ordinances of Moses but by the relation of the Iewes Hee attributeth nothing to the Sabbath but hee affirmeth the same of all other ordinances of the Law and therefore no man can build upon his words a more universall obligation for the Sabbath then for all the rest of the Iewish ceremonies For who will say that the fast and other ceremonies which he speakes of in the same discourse obliged by a naturall or positive Law other Nations or that they were ordinarily practised among them Likewise when he saith in his Booke of the workemanship of the World that the Sabbath day is a feast not of one people only but of all Nations hee uttereth onely his opinion concerning the dignity and merit of that day and not what was in effect practised amongst other Nations as hee explaineth his owne words adding This day is worthy to be called a feast of all Natitions although no Nation in the world the Iewes excepted hath ever solemnized it with a common and ordinary observation And indeed this learned man writing in his Booke upon the Decalogue that the fourth Commandement ordaineth the seventh day and an holy and pious observation thereof hee appropriates that saying to the Iewes adding that every seventh day is holy to the Iewes and faith onely of other Nations that some of them observed a seventh day every moneth beginning to reckon the daies by the new Moone If perhaps some amongst these people reverenced and observed the seventh day of the weeke in some sort that came not from a naturall instinct inforcing them thereunto nor from any knowledge derived unto them by the Traditions and Instructions of their Fathers but from imitations of the Iewes from whose practice and fashions in their religious devotions and amongst the rest in the observation and celebration of the Sabbath questionlesse many particularities were introduced amongst the Gentiles in the celebration of their feasts and solemnities As some among them taking example from the Iewes circumcised their children 3 This is the meaning of Iosephus in his second Booke against Appion when hee saith that other Nations had zeale and emulation for the piety and religion of the Iewes and forthwith alledgeth the custome of the seventh day as which was come to them all Of which passage those that alledged it cannot take an argument for the moralitie and perpetuitie of the Sabbath day more then for the other ceremonies of the Iewes admitted and allowed of all which the same people and Nations imitated and whereof Iosephus speaketh in the same place For hee mentioneth with the seventh day the fasts lights prohibition of certaine meats which hee saith also to have beene observed by them not for any reason and naturall obligation that they saw in these things or in the Sabbath more than in the rest but through a facility and inclination of mans spirit to imitate the outward fashions of devotion which are practised by others 9 These passages of Philo of Iosephus and others gathered out of other authors Iewes Pagans Christians which make mention of a common knowledge of the seventh day of Sabbath among the Gentiles and also of some kinde of observation thereof amongst some of them are of no use For all these authors have written long yea some thousand yeeres and more after the establishment of the Iewish government and religion At which time the Ordinance that God had given to the Iewes about the Sabbath might have beene knowne of all Nations and imitated of those who thought fit so to doe Were not the ten Tribes transported out of their native soile and dispersed among the Medes Perses and other Nations Had not the Iewes beene captives in Babylon threescore and ten yeeres and sent home by Cyrus afore any man amongst the Gentiles set his hand to a penne to write Histories Were not the Iewes spred over the whole Roman Empire before CHRIST came into the World What wonder then if their rites and ceremonies were knowne every where yea and followed by those of the Gentiles that became Proselytes such as was the Ethiopian Evnuch in his owne Countrey Acts 8. vers 27. The Roman Centurion Cornelius in Cesaria Acts 10. verse 2. Another Centurion in Capernaum Luke 7. verse 4 5. and more during the Empire of the Romans and may be before it also What if whole Nations had imbraced all the Iewish ceremonies or a part of them or the Sabbath onely and a thousand Writers should give testimony thereunto can wee out of that cloud of Heathen Iewish or Christian witnesses make a necessary inference that the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath is a point of the naturall and morall law or that it had sway as soone as the world began Which is the maine point in this question to be thorowly sifted out and cleerely proved As for the passages of a few heathenish Poets Linus Homere Hesiode which speake of the seventh day as of a holy day that all things were made in exceptions may be taken against them because either they are not to be found in those authors upon whom they are fathered and therefore they are justly suspected to be a Cuckoes egges or are mis-taken and wrested into a contrary meaning which is most cleere in the passage of
had their full performance he taking occasion of the historicall narration which he was writing of the first Manna which God sent to his people relateth also the Ordinance that God gave to put a pot full of it in the Tabernacle before the Arke and the execution of the said Ordinance which neverthelesse must be referred to a long time after 6 So in the first Booke of Samuel and in the 17. chapter after the narration made of Davids combat against Goliah of his victory of that Giant and of the defeat of the Philistins it is added in the Text verse 54. And David tooke the head of the Philistine and brought it to Ierusalem but hee put his armour into his Tent which notwithstanding was not done but after that David being anointed King tooke the whole towne of Ierusalem from the Iebusites with the strong hold of Sion and dwelled in it calling it the City of David 2 Sam. 5. vers 7. 9. And therefore our French translation in the foresaid place 1 Sam. 17. addeth the word depuis that is since saying And David since brought the head of the Philistine to Ierusalem and put his armes in his Tabernacle to shew that David did not this as soone as he had overthrowne the Philistine although it be related in the Text jointly and at once with his combat and victory as if both had happened together because when that history was a writing the transportation of the head and armes of Goliah to Ierusalem and to the fort of Sion was done And therefore it is related by occasion as it were with one breath in consequence of the victory gotten over him Other examples might be found to this purpose if it were needfull 7 To keepe this course in discoursing and writing is no wise unfitting nor misbecomming If any writing under the New Testament the History of the first Creation of the world and relating the forming of light on the first day should adde by occasion And it is also on the first day that the true light of the world hath shined by his resurrection from the dead and for that cause wee observe that day Or if re-hearzing that God brought forth bread out of the earth to strengthen mans heart and Wine to make it glad he should adde joyntly upon this occasion And it is in this bread and in this Wine which nourish the body that Iesus Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of the nourishment of the soule by him who should finde any thing blame-worthy in such discourses Wherfore then Moses might he not most fitly by occasion of that hee had written of the Seventh day and of Gods rest in it in the History of the Creation touch also in the same discourse the edict made about the sanctification of that day seeing that edict had a great sway when he wrote the History of the Creation and Gods rest on the Seventh day was the cause and reason thereof although it was not so ancient as the first Seventh day 8 Against this answer the instance hath no force which they urge from the conjunction and whereby the third verse is joyned with the second that is the blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day with the finishing of the workes of God and of his rest on that day as being done at the same time and expressed in words of the same tence and moode Nor what they say further that in these two verses as most cleerely appeareth the whole discourse is of the same Seventh day and as in the second verse is understood the first Seventh day wherein God after he had finished his workes rested likewise in the third verse it is understood so when it is said that he blessed and sanctified the Seventh day which is also expressed by the demonstrative Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that it was the same Seventh day that otherwise the reason which is added and taken from the rest of God should be worthlesse because God did not rest from the worke of Creation on that day which he ordained to the Iewes to be their Sabbath day but on that day wherein hee finished first all his workes 9 For I answer to this that the conjunction and may well enough joyne things distant in time and farre removed one from another that also they may be expressed by words of the same tence and moode specially if they have any connexion and dependancy one upon another as in this place The blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day although done long after Gods rest on the Seventh day dependeth upon that rest as upon the cause and reason which was an occasion to God to make it In the Texts before mentioned of Exodus 16. Chapter the 32. and 33. verses and of the 17. Chapter of the first booke of Samuel in the 54. verse which expresse manifestly things done many yeares after these which are rehearsed before but depending on them are joyned to the verses immediately going before by the conjunction and which is diverse time reiterated and the words whereby these diverse things are expressed are set downe in the same tence and moode It imports not that in these examples the thing subsequent joyned straight with the precedent was not a great deale so farre remote in time from it because both hapned within the space of the age of one man as should be in the Text of Genesis before cited the sanctification of the Seventh day from Gods rest on the Seventh day if this being past on the first Seventh day after the Creation that came not to passe till the dayes of Moses which should be an intervall of more than two thousand yeeres For when two things separated and distant in time are to bee coupled together in a discourse if so bee the one hang upon the other those that are remote by many thousand of yeares may be joyned together as well as those of twenty or forty yeeres distance Neither doe I see wherefore it is not as allowable and convenient to rehearse at once a thing come to passe two thousand yeeres and more after another that it relyeth on notwithstanding there be a great intervall of time betweene as to recite one chanced twenty or forty yeares after another whereunto it hath some relation In the one and in the other there is the same reason and the same liberty 10 Wherefore the blessing of the Seventh day made in the dayes of Moses might bee fitly coupled with the Rest of God after the Creation which was the foundation thereof notwithstanding any whatsoever distance of time betweene them As indeed it is so joyned in the fourth Commandement Exodus Chapter 20. verse 11. where GOD speaking to the Israelites saith In sixe dayes the LORD made heaven and earth and rested the Seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it In which place cannot be understood a blessing and hallowing done at the same time that God rested first on the Seventh day but
Christ is not come to abolish the Law whereof the Sabbath is a part 2. Answer sometimes by the Law and the Prophets are understood the morall precepts only 3. Sometimes the ceremoniall only 4. In Christs words both are to be understood but principally the ceremoniall 5. This is proved by the 18. verse 6. Frivolous instance from Christs words Heaven and earth shall not passe c. 7. The same is proved by the scope of Iesus-Christ in the foresaid words 8. Falsity of a second instance that the Lawes expounded in the rest of the Chapter are all morall 9. Although it were true it followeth not that Christs words in the 17. verse should bee understood of the morall Law 10. Christs words rightly understood favour not the morality of the Sabbath 11. Third instance from the 19. verse 12. First Answer Christ in that verse speaketh of an annihilating of the Commandements and not of the abrogating of some of them 13. Second Answer by retorsion 14. Third Answer Christ speaketh of the whole Law of Moses and not of the Decalogue only 15. Fourth instance from Saint Iames words Chapter 2. verse ten 16. Uanity of this instance 1 AS little to this purpose are the words of Christ in the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew verse 17. I am not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them From which words they make this conclusion that seeing the Commandement of the Sabbath day is a Commandement of the Law confirmed from time to time by the Prophets IESUS CHRIST hath not abolished it And therefore the obligation to keep the Sabbath day lieth upon us still and shall dure to the worlds end 2 To this allegation of Christs words I returne this answer that indeed sometimes to wit when a morall matter is in hand the Scripture by the Law and the Prophets understandeth only the precepts of the Law and of the Prophets pertaining to this morality As when in the twelfth verse of the seventh Chapter of Saint Matthew Christ saith All things whatsoever yee would that men should doe to you doe yee even so to them For this is the Law and the Prophets 3 But sometimes also when the speech is of the fulfilling of things foretold or figured of old by the Law and the Prophets are to be understood only the prophesies and the typike ceremonies of the ancient Testament as in S. Matthew 11. Chap. v. 13. S. Luke 24. verse 27. Acts 24. ver 26. Acts 26. verse 22. 4 To apply this to the passage objected out of the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew I say that in it by the Law and the Prophets are to be understood not only the precepts concerning the morall duties of this life but also the ceremonies of the Law as may be clearely seene by these words of our Saviour that are generall I am not come to destroy the Law nor the Prophets but to fulfill them Now the ceremonies are a part of the Law of Moses are called in the Scripture by the Name of the Law and make a part of the Sermons of the Prophets as well as the moralities The conjunction of the Law and of the Prophets in a generall matter such as this is sheweth that by the Law we must understand all that is contained in the bookes of Moses as by the Prophets all things contained in their bookes Now of the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets the ceremonies make a notable portion 5 I adde to this that the predictions types and promises are here as much nay much more to be understood then morall duties as may be seene evidently by these words of our LORD in the 18. verse following Uerily I say unto you Till heaven and earth passe one Iot nor one title one point or one pricke of a letter shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled It is certaine that these words Iota Title or pricke are not to be in this sentence taken properly because letters and titles or pricks of letters are not capable of accomplishment but by them Christ understandeth the least things propounded in the Law Having properly regard to all the things whether great or small figured by the ceremonies of the Law and foretold and promised by Moses and the Prophets whereof he confirmed by these words the future accomplishment Neither can these words of the 18. verse be so fitly applyed to the morall Commandements as to the ceremonies promises and prophesies This sense The heaven and earth shall passe rather then whatsoever hath beene figured promised and foretold by the Law and the Prophets shall not be effected and fulfilled being manifestly more sutable to the foresaid words then this The heaven and the earth shall rather passe then the morall Commandements shall not be kept and executed 6 The instance made upon these words Till heaven and earth passe c. is vaine when they conclude that there Iesus Christ speaketh of things of the Law that were to continue in their being and oblige all men to observe and keepe them till the worlds end which is not true of the ceremonies which soone after expired by his death For Iesus Christ doth in no wise say that whatsoever is contained in the Law was to continue stable in force and vigour and to be kept till heaven and earth passe But his meaning in this kind of speech is the same that I have touched to wit that heaven and earth shall passe more easily and rather than the Law shall fall short of a full accomplishment and the truth thereof shall faile to be ratified and exhibited in all the things contained therein the impossibility of this being denoted by a comparison with that we have this explication in the 16. Chapter of S. Luke vers 17. where Christs intention is thus expressed It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile where also the Evangelist sheweth of what points of the Law Iesus Christ did purposely speake to wit of the types and prophesies For in the sixteenth verse immediatly preceeding he had said The Law and the Prophets untill Iohn where we must understand the Verbe prophefied which S. Matthew addeth in the eleventh Chapter and 13. verse saying For all the Prophets and the Law prophefied untill Iohn that is the ancient prophesies and figures as having respect to Iesus Christ finished in the time of Iohn Baptist not in him but in Iesus Christ who lived in the same time and whom Iohn seeing comming unto him shewed with his finger saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world Ioh. 1. vers 29. After then that Christ had said the Law and Prophets prophesied untill Iohn S. Luke addeth these words following as spoken by Christ to that purpose And it is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile where by one title are to be understood all the ceremonies figures and productions