Properties and Attributes of the most high God 66 c. This truth acknowledged by all sorts of men the Primitive Christians 69. the Jews 71. the Heathen 72. Our not comprehending the difficulties of it no reason against it 73. Some considerations added to lead us thro' 'em ib. 4. Proposition This One God is to be Worshipped For First consider'd as essentially his nature and perfections justly challenge the deepest veneration 75. Then Secondly considered personally the Scriptures require him to be Worshipped 76. 5. Proposition This God only is to be Worshipped This shewn First from Scripture 78. Secondly from Reason 79. Thirdly from Antiquity 81. What the Papists say in opposition to this considered with respect to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Invocation of Saints and Images 84. 1. As to the Eucharist That the Papists pay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it ib. and thereby put the greatest affront upon Scripture 91. upon the analogy of Faith 94. upon Antiquity 97. upon Reason 106. and upon Sense 108. The declaration of their Church in this matter and the impossibility of an innovation considered 110. 2. As to Invocation of Saints This injurious to the peculiar honour of God 115. and of Jesus Christ the only Mediator 116. and has not the same grounds and reasons as our praying to each other here below For First the Saints and Angels are at a distance 117. And then Secondly 't is the prerogative of Jesus Christ only to be our Mediator in Heaven 118. as the Primitive Christians thought 119. The Origine of Invocation c. 122. 3. As to Images 123. They who use them are of three sorts First such as say they use them only as memorials to quicken their devotions which has no kindly influence on Religion 124. Secondly such as say they give only inferiour worship to 'em which yet is either vain or sinful 125. Thirdly such as profess to give the same worship to the Image as to the Prototype in kind thô not in degree i.e. relative or respective worship only ib. the vanity of this distinction shewn 126. and that 't is Idolatry 128. contrary to the Second Commandment 132. and unknown to the Primitive Church 135. SECT III. Concerning the True Worshippers of God THE whole reduced to Three Inquiries 142. I. Enquiry Who they are that are obliged to Worship ib. And they are in general all rational Beings as Angels 142. and Men whether secular 143 or more especially Ecclesiastical and consecrated to the performance of Religious Offices 145. the necessity of these shewn ib. such have been in all ages 147. before the floud ib. between that and the Law 150. that the First-born then were Priests 151. such also there were from the giving the Law till Christ 154. as appears from the Priests and Levites ib. from the Schools of the Prophets 155. from their studies there 156 from their Ordination by imposition of hands 157 from the place where they exercised their function 159. such lastly there were under the Gospel ib. II. Enquiry How men are to Worship God 163. This shown in several Propositions 1. Prop. We are to Worship him with all our Soul and heart and strength ib. and 2. Prop. Outwardly with our Bodies 165. 3. Prop. All the modes of external Worship must be decent orderly and to edification ib. 4. Prop. Different deductions from this general rule are no just grounds for distinct Churches to differ among each other and so violate the Vnity of the Vniversal 166. 5. Prop. Yet in the same Church 't is very expedient and desirable That there should be the same external mode of Religion 167 but yet 6. Prop. If contests arise in the same Church about external modes a ready way to compose them is to appeal to Primitive Order and give the preference to those that come nighest to it 169. And 7. Prop. If it cannot be known what the Primitive Order therein was the next step to Peace is to make prudent condescensions on each side before Authority has made any determinations 171. Then 8. Prop. If condescensions cannot be had and yet a determination is necessary all both weak and strong are obliged to acquiesce in such a determination 173. which is neither against nor inconsistent with the perfection of Scripture as a rule 174. nor prejudicial to our Christian Liberty 175. nor yet induces any necessity of violating the Law about scandal 176. III. Enquiry What ends we are to propose in the acts of Religious Worship ib. This shewn in three particulars First and chiefly The Glory of God 177. Secondly The Salvation of our Souls 178. Thirdly The good of the Community 179. The tendency of Religious Worship to all these shewn under each SECT IV. Concerning Assistance relating to Divine Worship THE Introduction from the general and acknowledged depravation of our Natures whereby we want Light to direct and Strength to enable us in the Worshipping God a-right and Merits to render our Services acceptable 185. Against all these God has provided sufficient helps and remedies in that 1. We have the holy Scriptures to direct us 186 2. The Holy Spirit to communicate strength 186 3. The Merits of our Saviour to procure acceptance 186 All which are treated more largely of And 1. Of the holy Scriptures to direct us which that we have grounds to depend on shewn in several Propositions as First The Worshipping God is absolutely necessary to Salvation 187. Secondly Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did by Oral Tradition reveal all things necessary to this purpose ib. Thirdly What they spoke was evidenced to be the real mind of God by inward characters of Divinity and external miraculous operations ib. Fourthly This word of God thus evidenced was faithfully committed to writing 192. Fifthly This Writing is digested into 24 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New 193. Sixthly These Books have been transmitted to us without corruption 194. Two opinions inconsistent with what has been said considered 1. That the Church of Rome as being infallible is to be our guide in matters of Religion 206. 2. That every one ought to rely upon the conduct of his own reason ib. As to the First Proved that the Pope is not infallible 207. nor a Council ib. nor the body of the People 210. nor all these together ib. nor are the reasons they urge here sufficient such as first The peremptory necessity of such a Guide 211. nor secondly their having all reasonable evidence that the Church of Rome is such a Guide 216. For they have not first The evidence of Scripture ib. shewn as to the chief places they urge 221. nor secondly Vniversal Tradition 228. nor yet thirdly the motives of credibility 232. shewn particularly as to Antiquity Diuturnity Amplitude ib. uninterrupted Succession of Bishops 235. Agreement in doctrine with the Primitive Church 236. Vnion among themselves 237. holiness of doctrine 239. efficacy of it 240. holiness of life 242. Lastly the
there can be no difficulty in discerning when they are exceeded and by consequence when a true Miracle is produced 4. The Word of God with its Internal Characters together with a perfect relation of the miraculous External effects whereby it was evidenced are faithfully committed to Writing Supernal direction was given not only about the matter but the manner S. Paul stiles the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saies that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of Divine Inspiration The Men imployed about this Work were perfectly acquainted with all circumstances Their information was so exact That had they been lest to the conduct of their own private Spirits they could not have been mistaken thro' ignorance in setting down matters of fact Neither have they made any misrepresentation out of design If Moses had been instigated by private regards to compose the Pentateuch he would not have recorded the infamy of his own family If any fraud had been used in the Penning the New Testament no doubt many enemies as well as friends who were Spectators of the Miracles and Auditors of the Doctrin living to see the relation in Writing would have discovered it Yet we never read of any attempt of this nature but on the contrary Porphyry Celsus and Julian in their cavils against Christian Religion suppose the matter of fact That such Doctrin was Preached and such Miracles done 5. This Writing in the Old Testament is digested into four and twenty Books In the New into twenty seven five Historical one and twenty Epistolical one Prophetical For this number we have the most clear Tradition Ezra having consigned the Canon of the Old Testament S. John of the New both of them persons inspired by the Spirit of God and of great Authority amongst Men The Tradition came in so full a stream from their hands that in every age it has born down all the opposition which has been made against it This Tradition we have just reason to embrace altho' we reject others because it adds nothing to the doctrin of the Bible as the Pipe adds nothing to the Water which is conveyed by it It is virtually contained in the Scripture It owes much of its universality to the intrinsick excellency of the Sacred Oracles which upon the first consulting commend themselves to the good opinion of every intelligent Reader It is of greater latitude than any other Tradition which is not formally contained in the Scripture As for others the Romanists are able to produce only the testimony of their party but for this we have not only the Testimony of all which adhere to the Community of Rome but that vast body of Christians which appertain to the Greek Protestant and all the Oriental Churches It must be acknowledged That there was for a time some hesitancy in some persons about some part of the New Testament The Christians concerned being dispersed and kept by persecution from holding correspondencies one with another could not possibly have an information equally early about those Books which were last written Upon this account when they first arrived at their hands they made some demur as the Apostles did at Christ when they believed him to be a Phantasin but upon a deliberate view consulting with those who had a more perfect intelligence they corrected the errour of their apprehension Insomuch That there is no instance which can be produced of any Church or Council which in any Decree or Canon has disallowed their Authority 6. These Books of the Old and New Testament have been transmitted to us without corruption We have the attestation of all sorts of men in every age for their passage thro' it Councils have made them the foundation of their Theological divisions The Fathers appeal to them in their Concertations as the most equal Arbitrators Divines before their Homilies prefix a Text taken out of them The Hereticks in every age have drawn from them whatsoever they conceive may favour their Sentiments Porphyrie's cavils at the Old Testament Hierocles comparing the Life of Christ in the New with the Life of Apollonius Julian's spending his Winter-nights in the refutation of it the Jews calling of it a volume of iniquity argue That they were extant and passed by them in those ages in which they lived Shimei's cursing and throwing stones at David at Bahurim make it evident that he went that way As these Books of the Old and New Testament have passed thro' every age down to us So in their passage they have escaped depravation What is spoken concerning the Essential Word may be applied to the Written Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption If the Old Testament in any point material to Religion has been depraved it must be by the common fate which all humane Writings are exposed unto or else out of design by the Jews or by some unadvised neglect in those who copied it out Not the first way It is notorious what a signal discrimination Divine Providence has made betwixt the Scripture and other Writings in point of conservation When the book of the Law was given forth every Master of a family was obliged to have a Copy of it in his house The Prince was bound as is conceived to Write it out with his own hand Every Sabbath it was read in the Synagogues in the audience of the people Peculiar Persons were appointed to prevent any mutation in Words or Letters The Massorites who began in Ezra's time did reckon up all the Verses in every Verse the Words in every Word the Letters and have punctually expressed how many times every Word is used and which is the middle Verse Word and Letter in every Book It does not appear That the like care has been used by Divine Providence for the securing any other Book from depravation The event has been answerable to the care The Writings of the Penmen of the Scripture which they composed by the aid and conduct of their own Spirits have been corrupted and at last are utterly perished as Solomon's natural History But what they composed by the help of the Divine Spirit is preserved in its purity In all Copies of the best account there is a miraculous harmony in all material points The burning of the Book of the Law by Antiochus is very reconcileable with the vigilancy of Providence which has been asserted Tho' he was permitted to destroy some Copies yet his rage was not suffered to reach to all After this The Israelites in Maspha are said to lay open the book of the Law 1 Macc. 3.47 This fire made the Jews more warm in the defence of the Scripture against injurious attempts It is observed That from this time they began to be more Critical about the Text. That which was designed for the ruine of it was by the propitious influence of Heaven improved into a security The burning the sacred Oracles like the burning the Sibyll's books did make the Copies which remained have the greater value set
upon them From that time the Jews divided the Prophets into Sections Elia. Tisbi vo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and began to read them in their Synagogues As the Books of the Old Testament have not been corrupted by that fate which other Writings are exposed unto So neither designedly by the Jews If they had been guilty in this respect it must be either before or after the coming of the Messias If before this crime would not have been concealed in the New Testament The Apostle who has noted That the Oracles of God are committed to them would undoubtedly have recorded their unfaithfulness in the discharge of their trust in case any such thing had been If it be said That the Apostles have sufficiently discovered their thoughts touching this matter in that they have waved the Hebrew Text in their citations out of the Old Testament and made use of the Greek Version I answer That the Hebrew Text is never waved if the words be not directly followed yet the sence which is the Soul of the Text always is If the Shell be wanting yet we have the Kernel The Pen-men of the New Testament represent the sence of the Old in such words as seem meet to the Spirit of God Those words being of great Authority were put into the Margin of the Greek Version as a good illustration of it Disser in Appen ad Crit. Sacr. Capelli p. 489. and in process of time were inserted by the Transcribers into the Text it self Several insertions of this nature are visible to those who diligently peruse that Version If the corruption pretended was made after the Age in which our blessed Lord and the Apostles lived it is very strange That the Fathers should take no notice of it They speak of the depravation of the Greek Text but never of the Hebrew It is unaccountable why the Corrupters should suffer those Texts to continue in the Bible unaltered which are most pertinent for the refutation of their error We desire no greater advantage against the Jews in our concertations with them than what the Bible as it is now pointed will give unto us None are able to nominate the Text where this fraud has been committed If any such deceit has been used no doubt but those Jews which were converted to the Christian Faith would have disclosed it As the Books of the Old Testament have not been corrupted out of design So neither by any neglect of those which copied them out He who considers their accuracy about Transcribing the Law will not be inclinable to charge them with this crime They were careful that the Ink which they used might have no corrosive ingredients in it The Parchment which they wrote upon was made of the skin of a clean beast and prepared after the most exquisite manner The Columns were measured and a computation made how many lines were to be drawn in every Column These lines were accurately drawn out and the distance betwixt every word and letter limited Tho' many of them did remember the Law by heart yet they did not write a word till they looked upon it in the Authentick Copy All this being duly pondered doth evidence That the Books of the Old Testament are not depraved Neither are the Books of the New In order to the preventing corruption Divine Providence has signally appeared in waving the methods of Art which requires That those things which are homogeneous be put together and in dispersing the fundamental points throughout the whole Volume By this disposition all attempts to deprave it are easily detected If we have several pieces of money it is not difficult to know by comparing of them together whether any of them have been clipt If the Truth should be rased out in one place yet it will be preserved in another It is the pleasure of the Divine Wisdom to divide the important Articles of our belief as Jacob did his flock that in case Esau smite the one the other might escape The divine care is equally conspicuous in ordering That Versions should be made into several Languages and communicated to the World Every Nation is in a capacity to hear the Spirit of God speaking in their own tongue All these people living at a great distance one from another could never combine together to corrupt this sacred Canon If any such attempt had been in any one Nation the Copies preserved in others would presently have discovered the fraud The Premises being seriously considered it will be evident That it is our duty to entertain the Bible both Old and New Testament as the Word of God and depend upon it for our primary conduct in Divine Worship Tradition doth put it into our hand as a complete Directory in the concerns of Religion The Testimony of the Church doth prepare and quicken our minds to look into it and begets a Moral certainty that it is the Word of God There is no reason to question that which has been asserted with so much unanimity in all Ages We may as well doubt of that which we perceive with our senses as that which has been the sence of the best and wisest of Men at all times When we are thus prepared and seriously consult the matter of the sacred Oracles ponder the internal characters of Divinity and the external Seals of the Verity of them we find our Moral Certainty presently translated into a Divine Faith When we receive a letter from a friend we believe it comes from him because it is so asserted by the bearer but when we look upon the hand and seal and find that both are his we are prefently exalted to a higher degree of assurance The inward characters are God's Hand and the Miracles his Seal Those who assert We believe the things contained in the Scripture to be True because God who is True has revealed them and that we believe God has revealed them because it is so affirmed by the Church in all Ages make the foundation of Faith weaker than the superstructure For the Revelation of God is more sure than the Universal Tradition of Men. Those who assert That this Proposition The Bible is the Word of God is capable of no other evidence must ground their perswasion either upon the want of Power or Will in God to impress such Characters upon it as are sufficient to evidence the divine Original of it We cannot reasonably affirm the first For if by the impressions of reason upon a discourse it may be known to be the composition of a Man of excellent Learning why may not such words of Wisdom be spoken by God as need nothing to attest their Original but their innate evidence If God may be known by his Works there is just cause to believe that he may be so by his Words He can imprint peculiar Characters upon the one as well as upon the other The second cannot be asserted For when he gave forth his Word he willed that it should be received as his
adversaries were as peremptory in this as the other charge Tertullian reckons the report that the Christians were Crucis religiosi amongst those scandals which were raised by malice in order to the eclipsing their reputation As for the Relicks of Saints we find no mention of any religious respect which was paid to them Those who have the greatest zeal for them are usually mounted upon tradition but finding it not able to carry them thro' the first Centuries in this particular they think good to alight and content themselves with some instances in Scripture which are nothing to the purpose as the hemm of Christ's garment the shadow of S. Peter the Handkerchiefs and Aprons that touched the body of S. Paul Because the Woman diseased with an issue of blood was healed by touching the first the sick were brought into the streets that they might be overshadowed by the second many were delivered from evil spirits by the third They have a mind to perswade us without any good reason that these particulars with all Relicks of an equivalent Nature challenge religious veneration No doubt Peter himself was every way as valuable as his shadow and yet when Cornelius made an attempt to worship him he prevented him by an express prohibition The Fathers in the ages next to the Apostles were not such good husbands as to make such an advantagious improvement of these instances but on the contrary we find them charging the Heathens with Superstition of a like nature as the worshipping the Monuments of the Dead and we never read that the Heathens did retort upon them their guilt in the same kind which no doubt they would have done in case there had been any such practice among them Celsus Lucian c. were not so dull as to overlook so signal an advantage They which use to charge them with too much would have paid them their own in case there had been the least appearance of reason for it As the most early Writers next to the Apostles never mention the Worshipping any else but God so all the words which import Divine Worship are by them exclusively applied to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Justin Martyr Apel. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Theophilus Antiochenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Tatianus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. Cont. Cels Servire by Irenaeus Huic servire soli oportet discipulos Christi Colere adorare by Tertullian Apol. c. 17. Inst l. 1. c. 20. Quod colimus unus Deus est Praescribitur ne quem alium adorem Venerari by Lactantius veneratio nulla alia nisi unius Dei tenenda est Hitherto I have asserted the verity of this Proposition God only is to be Worshipped In the next place I will consider the opposition that has been made against it by the Church of Rome and those who adhere to Her Maldonate makes no scruple to pronounce n Mat. 5. v. 34. that it is a wicked error to maintain that religious Honour is to be tendered to none but God The Inquisitors have blotted out such Words and Sentences out of Books as cast a favourable aspect upon this Doctrine In a Sentence cited out of Gregory Nyssen by Antonius in his mellifluous Sermons in these words eam verò folummodò naturam quae increata est colere venerari didicimus they condemn the word Index Exp. solummodò to an expunction The Index to Athanasius's Works Printed at Basil has been treated with the same respect These words adorari solius Dei est are not permitted to remain in it The Gloss in the Margin of the Bible upon 1 Sam. 7.3 Prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only has not escaped their severity Their decree concerning it runs in these terms deleantur illa verba serviendum Deo soli They have done with these Testimonies as Caesar Borgia used to do with men namely contrive the death of those who did impede the accomplishment of his designs This practice doth evidently declare that they are conscious that their Worship cannot stand without this Principle be taken out of the way The sence of it is opposed by them in many particulars as the Worship of the Sacrament the Invocation of Saints the Adoration of Images c. 1. The Worship of the Sacrament The Church of Rome hath given too much occasion to believe that the Accidents of the Bread and Wine are to be honoured with supreme Veneration The Council of Trent in plain words asserts that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is granted to signifie supreme honours is to be given to the Sacrament It does not say to a part only of it but useth the Word in general which must necessarily imply the whole and extend to all which is appointed to be received Now it is evident that the Accidents are a part of the Sacrament which is to be received They constitute the outward and visible sign L. 4. Saâ—r Bellarmine represents them as the principal ratio Sacramenti magis convenit speciebus ut continent Corpus quà m corpori Christi ut est sub speciebus The following words of the Council confirm this Interpretation nec enim minùs adorandum c. neither is it the Sacrament to be less adored because it hath been instituted by Christ the Lord that it may be taken for him the same God we believe to be present in it whom the eternal Father bringing into the World saith Let all the Angels adore him c. Here the Sacrament is represented as that in which our blessed Lord is present and contained under and by consequence as distinct from it That which contains any thing is always diverse from that which is contained in it Now what is there left for the Word Sacrament to import but the outward Elements the signifying part under which it is supposed that the Sacred Body of our blessed Lord is latent His Presence in the Sacrament is alledged as the reason of the Adoration given to it Tho' this is not sufficient to justifie the practice for then every thing in which God is present would be an adorable object as the Sun and Moon and whole Creation yet it leads us into the meaning of the Word Sacrament as it lies in the Council and assures us that it imports some thing besides our blessed Saviour which can be nothing but the outward Elements whereby he is represented A command to give civil honour to the Throne of a Prince because the Prince himself sits in it evidently implies that the Throne and the Prince are distinct one from the other To expound the Decree by the Canon in which there is mention only of Worshipping Christ in the Sacrament is very preposterous They aim at two distinct things The first obligeth us to Worship the Sacrament the second to Worship Christ who is present in the Sacrament These two are as different as to Worship the Palace in
about V. It cannot in reason be less than one whole Day every Week which will be evident if we consider 1. The Object of our Worship Were we to live the days of Methusalem he might challenge every moment of our time as a just debt and if all be due reason will not allow That so considerable a portion as a Week should pass without a solemn dedication of a Seventh part of it to his service Let us suppose one man to owe unto anothers as much or more than his whole estate is worth the rule of equity will not allow him to offer less than the Seventh part in order to the compounding his debt and the just satisfaction of his Creditor 2. The Nature of Worship In it the Glory of God the eternal happiness of the Soul the temporal felicity of the Community are highly interested The difficulty in the right discharge of it is equal to the importance The Prince of this World makes it his work to hinder it The natural tempers of Men furnish him with a signal advantage to compass his design There is an inbred Love in us to sensible objects which are apt to ingenerate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athenagoras speaks Leg. 〈◊〉 Christianis p. 30. This is the reason why the Second Commandment which relates to Worship is fortified with so many inducements to obedience One taken from the power of God to punish offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another from his will to exert his power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Third from the execution of his Will upon the off-spring of those which offend visiting the iniquity c. A Fourth from his kindness to the obedient shewing mercy c. Had it not been difficult to confine our selves within the bounds of this Precept the fence which is set about it would not have been so strong If the Worship of God be a matter of such difficulty and of the greatest importance then it requires a very large proportion of our time to be spent in the performance of it and if so was it left to our own disposal we could not in justice allot less than the Seventh part 3. The pattern of the triumphant Church In Heaven a perpetual Sabbath is celebrated The glorified Spirits are constantly imployed in worshipping him who liveth for ever and ever Rev. 4.10 This heavenly example the Church Militant must makes as near an approach unto as the circumstances of this present life will permit she being obliged to endeavour That the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven Matt. 6. v. 10. Those who are most exercised with the incumbrances of this world have nothing to plead in their own behalf why they may not come up so nigh to this celestial pattern as to devote One Day of every Week to the concerns of Religion 4. The practice of the Militant Church not only under the Law but before From the beginning of the Creation the Time for Solemn Worship was no less than One whole Day every Week as is evident from the testimony of the Author to the Hebrews altho' the works were finished from the foundation of the world For he spake in a certain place of the Seventh Day on this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his works Heb. 4.3 4. Here is an evident remembrance of a day of rest not only to God but to Men. For the design of the Apostle is to prove out of the 95. Psal That there remains a rest to the people of God under the Gospel In order to this purpose he shews it is not the rest of the Seventh from the Creation which the Psalmist had his eye upon If the Seventh here mentioned had not been a rest to the people of God but only to God himself there would have been no necessity of such care to distinguish it from that other rest which is concluded still to remain to the people of God 2. That time is expressed when this rest commenced from the foundation of the world The works then finished are represented as the ground upon which the Sabbath was instituted It cannot with reason be imagined That the foundation should be laid at the beginning and the superstruction not built upon it as some think till above Two Thousand years after This Assertion receives a great deal of strength from the early division of Time into Weeks Noah had his eye upon the Hebdomadal Cycle Gen. 8.10 12. A Week is represented as a period familiarly known in Jacob's time Gen. 29.27 God himself did point out this division by his own example distinguishing the Six Days by peculiar Works the Seventh by rest A universal consent prevailed amongst all the Eastern Nations about this particular The testimony of Joannes Philoponus is known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is agreed amongst all Nations That there are Seven Days which by a constant revolution constitute all time Georgius Syncellus in his Chronology which begins with Adam and ends at Dioclesian asserts That the Patriarchs divided their time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the division into Months and Years is of later date Josephus against Appion says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There is no City whether Greek or Barbarian to whom was unknown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the division of Time into Weeks was from the beginning and a week consisted of seven days and one of those were a Sabbath or a day of rest the Sabbath must needs be from the beginning There is no record which makes mention of a week that doth not suppose the Sabbath to be a part of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Greeks is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrows which Theophilus Antiochenus says E. z. ad Autol. p. 91. All Men had knowledge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sacred Oracles sometimes is put for a week the denomination of the whole being taken from the principal part Lev. 23.15 In the book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is expressed That for many weeks the Seventh Day was celebrated as a day of rest The Chaldee Paraphrast upon the Title of Psalm 92. useth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song which the first Man sang on the Sabbath-day and upon the first verse of the Canticles the first Song Adam spake at the time when his sin was pardoned and the day of the Sabbath came and protected him Cain and Abel are said to bring their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end of days by which we must understand theh period of a year or a month or some other term there being no division of time so early as that into Weeeks and nothing here can be so well understood by the end of Days as the end of a Week which was the Sabbath Indeed it is objected That if the Sabbath was so early as hath been
these shadows the old weekly Sabbath is here reckoned Let no man judge you in respect of Sabbath-days which are shadows c. That by the Sabbath-days here we are to understand the Jewish Saturdays will appear from the several words of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can import no less than the early Feasts and Solemnities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their monthly and therefore there is nothing left for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie but their weekly Sabbaths It is believed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Talmud which if true Isaaci Casaub ep 24. Carolo Labbaeo p. 23. communicates a great deal of strength to our assertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the lesser Sections or parts into which the Talmudical Treatises are divided The first division is into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordines The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Books or Treatises The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sections or Chapters From hence the Doctors which did expound Justin in Nov. de Hebr. 146. and give the meaning of them are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief and most eminent of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Second Seder of the Mishna there are several Treatises one is intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sections The words of the Text are exactly agreeable to these titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a feast day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of the year which was always in novo lunio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that when the Apostle says let no man judge you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. his meaning must be give no occasion to any to condemn you for the observation of what is contained in any Section of the Treatise or Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the Treatise or Codex called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresly treats of the Jewish day and enjoyns the celebration of it Therefore in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Jewish weekly Sabbath must be included That which lies against this conjecture is That the Mishna was not so early as S. Paul's Epistles and therefore he could not have any respect to the Sections in it To which I reply that Maimonides tells us That the Head of the Sanhedrim had a private Copy of the Traditions as they were delivered from the mouth of those who were Doctors in Israel long before the times of Rabbi Jehuda the compiler of the Mishna and the Author of Halicoth Olam That the Disciples for memory sake wrote the Oral Law in Characters The Book written by them they might not divulge and therefore called it the Book of Secrets S. Paul being trained up at the feet of Gamaliel and in the deepest mysteries of their Religion no doubt had the perusal of it and might very well have an eye upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sections of it in the words which are under debate That which Rabbi Jehuda did was to joyn together what lay scattered in private hands and to make a publication of it in one entire Volume There is no just cause of fear lest from this Text the Sabbath of the Fourth Command should receive any prejudice Clear evidence has been already produced for the Morality of it Whereas the Sabbath here is represented to be of a figurative nature The Fourth Command enjoyns only a Religious observation of One in Seven every week If the Apostle had condemned this he had condemned himself and the whole Christian Church which did devote the First of the Week which is One Day in Seven to the Honour and Worship of the Supreme Being And now I have done with the Eighth Proposition The Proportion One in Seven set out by the Fourth Command was determined to the Jewish day by another Precept which was to continue no longer than the Jewish Oeconomy IX When the last of the Week had a period put unto it The First was substituted in the room of it This Substitution is favoured by the Law Prophets our Blessed Lord the Holy Apostles the Testimony of the following Ages 1. The Law The Hebdomadal observation of the Lord's day assures us That the Primitive Christians had their Eye upon the Law in the keeping of it This Weekly observation which universally prevailed could proceed from nothing but a sence of some rule which they were all acquainted with They might have celebrated it once a Fortnight or once a Month or once a Year as Easter is had they been left to their own conduct Their general agreement in a weekly observation doth evidently argue a respect which they had to the proportion of time set out by the Law under the Old Testament And if they had their Eye upon it they could not but discern what is literally contained in it and act in a conformity to it The old Sabbath being abrogated the Letter of the Fourth Precept declares That the First of the Week must come into the place of it For in it is required one day perpetually for Divine Worship Six for Secular concernments and that the Six days come all together Six days shalt thou labour not one or two and then rest but upon Six days together according to the example of God himself who in the space of six days without any interruption did create the World These two things being granted which the very words of the Command will extort from us the determination of One in Seven to a particular Day must necessarily fall upon the First of the Week For if upon any other as the Second Third Fourth or Fifth following the abolition of the old day then the six days for Secular imployment could not come together If the determination was deferred till the second week following the abrogation then a whole week was past without any Sabbath contrary to the plain sence of the Precept which requires One Day every Week to be perpetually observed as a Sabbath 2. The Prophets They represent the First of the Week either expresly under the notion of a Sabbath or else in such terms as are equivalent Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Ps 110.3 Here is a particular day in the time of the Messias stiled the day of power which the Holy Ghost prophesyeth of The whole Psalm has an evident aspect upon our Blessed Lord. This is manifest from the New Testament and the records of the ancient Jews who generally account it Just Mart. Dial. cum Tryp p. 309.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eusebius They are the same which the Rabbins call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sahbatharii Lastly The First of the Week is represented as a day instituted by Christ in the place of the Jewish Sabbath For this we have the plain words of Athanasius Hom. de Semente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath translated the day of the Sabbath to the Lord's day In the Homily of the Place and Time of Prayer Sunday is Three times called the Sabbath and it is plainly asserted That there is both the Example and Commandment of God for the celebration of this day That this Example and Commandment the godly Christians began to follow immediately after the Ascension of our Lord Christ That we are bound to keep the same day not only for that it is God's express Commandment but also to declare our selves to be loving children in following the example of our gracious Lord and Father And now if we look back and consider what has been represented from the Law Prophets our Blessed Lord the Holy Apostles the Christians which lived in the following Ages we may find just reason to believe That when the Old Sabbath was abrogated the First of the Week was substituted in the room of it FINIS BOOKS Printed at the Theatre in Oxford and Sold by Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in S. Paul's Church-yard 1. INstitutiones Grammaticae Anglo-Saxonicae Maeso-Gothicae Auctore G. Hickesio Ecclesiae Anglicanae Presbytero Quarto 2. Chr. Wasii Senarius sive de Legibus Licentia veterum Poëtarum Quarto 3. Misnae Pars Ordinis primi Zeraim Titul septem Latinè verrit Commentario illustravit Guiliel Guisius Accedit Mosis Maimonidis Praefatio in Misnam Edv. Pocockio Interprete Quar. 4. A Reply to two Discourses lately printed at Oxford concerning the Adoration of our B. Saviour in the Holy Eucharist Quar. 5. Some Reflections upon a Treatise call'd Pietas Romana Parisiensis lately printed at Oxford To which are added I. A vindication of Protestant Charity in Answer to some Passages in Mr. E. M's Remarks on a late Conference II. A Defence of the Oxford Reply to two Discourses there printed A.D. 1687. quar 6. Animadversions on the Eight Theses laid down and the Inferences deduced from them in a Discourse Entitled Church-Government Part V. lately printed at Oxford Quar. 7. Reflections on the Historical part of Church-Government Part V. Quar. 8. An Answer to some Considerations on the Spirit of Martin Luther and the Original of the Reformation lately printed at Ox. quar 9. Of the Unity of the Church a Discourse written 1430 years since in the time of Decius the Persecuting Emperor By Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and Martin Most useful for allaying the present Heats and reconciling the Differences among us 10. The Judgment and Decree of the University of Oxford past in their Convocation July 21.1683 against certain pernicious Books and damnable Doctrines destructive to the Sacred Persons of Princes their State and Government and of all Humane Society rendred into English and published by Command Fol. 11. Diadascaloeophus or the Deaf and Dumb Man's Tutor To which is added A Discourse of the Nature and Number of double Consonants Both which Tracts being the first for what the Author knows that have been published upon either of the Subjects By G. Dalgarno Oct. 12. The Depth and Mystery of the Roman Mass laid open and explained for the use of reformed and unreformed Christians By Dan. Brevint D. D. Twelves There are lately Printed for Walter Kettilby these following Books Dr. Burnet's Theory of the Earth the two last Books concerning the Conflagration of the World and the new Heavens and the new Earth Fol. Answer to Mr. Warren's Exceptions against the first Part. Consideration of Mr. Warren's Defence Relation of the Proceedings at Charter-House upon occasion of K. James II. his presenting a Papist to be admitted into that Hospital in virtue of his Letters Dispensatory Fol. Telluris Theoria Sacra Libri duo posteriores de Conflagratione Mundi de futuro rerum statu Quarto Archaeologiae Philosophicae Sive Doctrina antiqua de Rerum Originibus Libri Duo Bishop Overal's Convocation Book 1606. concerning the Government of God's Catholick Church and the Kingdoms of the whole World Quarto Mr. Nicholl's Answer to an Heretical Book call'd The Naked Gospel Quarto Turner de Lapsu Angelorum Hominum Mr. Lamb's Dialogues about the Lord's Supper Octavo Mr. Raymond's Pattern of pure and undefiled Religion Octavo Exposition on the Church Catechism Oct. Animadversions on Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian in Three Letters Octavo Mr. Dodwell's Two Letters of Advice about Susception of Holy Orders c. Mr. Milbourn's Mysteries in Religion Vindicated Or Filiation Deity and Satisfaction of our Saviour asserted against Socinians and others with occasional Reflections on several late Pamphlets Octavo Bishop of Rath and Well's Reflections on a French Testament printed at Bourdeaux Quar. Dr. Sharp's now A. B. of York Sermon before the Queen April 11. 1690. on Gal. 15.13 Fast Sermon before the House of Commons May 21. 1690. on Deut. 5.21 Farewel Sermon at S. Giles's June 28. 1691. on Phil. 4.8 Sermon before the House of Lords November 5. 1691. on Rom. 10.2 Sermon before the King and Queen on Christmas-day 1691. on Heb. 19.26 Sermon on Easter-day 1692. on Ph. 3.10 Sermon of the Things that make for Peace before the Lord Mayor Aug. 23. 1674. on Rom. 14.19 Sermon before the L. Mayor Jan. 1675. on 1 Tim. 4.8 both new Printed Archbishop of York's Thanksgiving Sermon before the King and Queen Novem. 12. 1693. Dr. Grove's now L. Bishop of Chichester Sermon before the King and Q. June 1. 1690. Dr. Pelling's Sermon before the King and Queen Dec. 8. 1689. Vindication of those that have taken the Oaths Quarto Dr. Hooper's Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690. Kelsey Concio de Aeterno Christi Sacerdotio Sermon of Christ crucified Aug. 23. 1691. Dr. Hickman's Thanksgiving Sermon before the House of Commons Octob. 19. 1690. Sermon before the Queen Oct. 26. 1690. Mr. Lamb's Sermon before the King and Queen Jan. 19. 1689. Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690. Dr. Worthington of Christian Love Octavo Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man Twelves Fourth Edition Mr. Jeffery's Religion the Perfection of Man Octav. Dr. Scot's Sermon before the Q. May 22. 1692. Mr. Marriot's Sermon before the L. Mayor on Easter-day 1689. Sermon of Union at the Election of the L. Mayor Mich. 1689. Mr. Stainforth's Serm. Jan. 30. 1688. at York Dr. Lynford's before the Lord Mayor Feb. 24. 1688. Mr. Young's Sermon of Union May 20. 1688. The Protestant and Popish Way of interpreting Scripture in Answer to Pax vobis Dr. Resbury's before the Lord Mayor Oct. 21. 1688. Amiraldus of Divine Dreams Discourse of the Nature of Man both in his Natural and Political Capacity both as he is a Rational Creature and member of a Civil Society with an Examination of some of Mr. Hobbs's opinions relating hereunto both by J. Lowde Rector of Vttrington in Yorkshire sometime Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge True Conduct of Persons of Quality Translated out of French The Interest of England considered in an Essay upon Wool our Woolen Manufactures and the Improvement of Trade with some Remarks upon the Conceptions of Sir Josiah Child Mr. Young's Sermon concerning the Wisdom of Fearing God Preached at Salisbury Sunday July 30. being the time of the Assizes Printed at the request of the Lawyers A Sermon Preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Court of Aldermen at Guild-Hall Chapel on Sunday Aug. 20. 1693. By Jonas Warly M. A. Vicar of Witham in Essex A Sermon Preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Livery-men of the City of London in the Parish Church of S. Lawrence-Jewry on the Feast of S. Michael 1693. at the Election of the Lord Mayor for the year ensuing by William Strengfellow M. A. Lecturer of S. Dunstan's East FINIS