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
transgression was not a crime of so little importance that it can make any man beleeve that God would have exempted it from all kind of censure in the Gentiles when he checked their other sinnes seeing he blamed it so extreamely in the Iewes and made the reproofes of that sinne to sound so a loud in their eares 13 The instance before urged that God found not fault with the Polygamie of the Gentiles although it was against the institution of God in the beginning and also against the Law of nature as is said but not granted is found to be false For in the eighteenth Chapter of Leviticus where God speaketh to the Iewes forbids all unlawfull and impure cohabitations amongst many others in the 18. Verse he forbids them to take a Wife and her Sister or to her Sister that is to take another Wife with the first to vexe the first by conjunction with the other in the first wives life time For this is the signification of the Hebrew Phrase as wee may see by diverse examples Genesis 26. verse 31. Exodus 25. verse 20. Exodus 26. verse 3. 27. Moreover GOD addeth in the same Chapter of Leviticus ver 24. 27 30. that in this filthy crime as in all others that are there named the nations had defiled themselves for which the land had vomited them out CHAPTER Fourth REASON 4. 1. The Patriarkes from the Creation till the Law knew not the observation of a Seventh day in the weeke 2. The publike service of God began in the time of Enos and was in all likenesse of truth solemnized every day of the weeke 3. From Noah till the Law the families of the Patriarkes served God privately and kept not the Seventh day 4. Confirmation of this truth by Scriptures and by the consent of Ancient and Moderne Divines 5. Answer to the first reply the Patriarkes fasted and their fasts are not written 6. Answer to the second reply The Patriarkes are not reproved for Polygamie no more than for the inobservation of the Sabbath 7. Answer to the third reply taken from a pretended paritie of reason betweene the making of one man and one woman to be one flesh and Gods rest on the Seventh day 8. Answer to the fourth reply that no mention is made of the Sabbath day in the booke of Iudges and some others written after the Law was given in Horeb. 9. Conclusion of the foresaid Reasons taken from the Gentiles and the Patriarkes 1 IF the keeping of one Seventh day of rest had beene a morall Commandement and if GOD had given it to Adam to bee sanctified by him and his posterity at least the Patriarkes and holy Fathers amongst whom remained the exercise of true Religion had knowne that day and hallowed it by the ordinary duties of godlinesse as they knew and observed in the whole course of their life all other morall Commandements Wee finde in their lives written by Moses many proofes and examples of the Religious worship which they yeelded to Iehovah alone as to the only true only perfect only Almighty and all sufficient God walking in sincerity and integrity before his face Genesis 5. ver 22. Genesis 6. ver 9. Genes 17. ver 1. Of their hatred against Idols which were to them things so abominable that they buryed them under the ground as not only unworthy but also ougly to be seene and infectious to be touched Gen. 35. v. 2. 4. Of their religious care to hallow the Name of GOD by calling upon his holy Name Genesis 12. ver 8. by vowing vowes to his Divine Majesty Gen. 28. ver 8. by taking holily and religiously in their mouthes his glorious and fearefull Name in the necessary oathes that they made before him Gen. 21. ver 24. 31. Gen. 31. ver 35. Of the awfull observance and obedience wherewith they honoured Fathers Mothers Masters and all superiors Gen. 9. ver 23. Gen. 27. ver 13 14. Gen. 28. ver 5. Gen. 42. ver 6. Gen. 47. ver 12. Of the abomination and detestation that was in their inward parts against murther Genesis 49. ver 5 6. whoredome adultery incest Gen. 34. ver 31. Gen. 38. ver 24. Gen. 39. ver 10. Gen. 49. ver 4. Theft Gen. 31. ver 32. 37. Gen. 44. ver 8. 9. Leasings and false witnesse Genesis 20. ver 12. Gen. 42. ver 11. and consequently lust which is the fruitfull mother of all those vices Gen. 14. ver 22. 23. Gen. 39. ver 9. 10. But wee find no where that they kept holy a Seventh day for Gods outward service according to the fourth Commandement of the Law given afterwards in Mount Sina This only doe we find that they practised that service builded Altars offered sacrifices to the Lord indifferently in all dayes and at all houres as they had occasion Neither is it any where noted in holy Scripture that they had any set day farre lesse a Seventh day prefixed unto them for their exercises which were never particularly tyed to a Seventh day with preference to other dayes of the weeke Yea considering that the consecration of a certaine day for Gods service whatsoever it be is not properly necessary but when many may troope together and make up a body of a Church to solemnize that service publikely with great assemblies of people it may be justly questioned if when the Patriarkes were alone when they were with their little families might with them serve God every day easily and with great assiduity being as they were disposed to all exercises of godlinesse and not being incombred with the many and great affaires which ensnare those that give themselves too much to worldly businesses whether at all they kept any ordinary day more prrticularly then other dayes if they served not God alike every day without distinction of dayes unknowne at that time and more particularly if they erected not Altars and offered sacrifices on them as God gave them some particular occasions they not having a constant rule given unto them for the time and place of these devotions 2 When it is said in the fourth of Genesis verse 26. that in the time of Enos men began to call upon the Name of the Lord although this passage may suffer diverse interpretations yet it is likely and it is the most current interpretation that it betokeneth that Enos and the remnant of the faithfull associated with him being growen to a competent multitude withdrew themselves from the wicked and worldy brood of Cain and began to institute among themselves a more solemne service then had beene in former times and for the celebration of that service ordained of free choice set times and places For which cause the Scripture saith that they began to call upon the Name of the Lord to wit publikely and in a numerous assemblie which had not beene practised before If this be the true sence of these words yet it shall not follow by any necessary argument or reason that they established
many recent and orthodoxe Divines deny it directly Amongst those that affirme it the most learned and renowned dare not avouch it but as a thing uncertaine and probable only And amongst those that most confidently stand unto it Some are constrained to call in question if the Patriarkes kept it after the manner which was afterwards prescribed to the Iewes to wit with a strict obligation of an exact cessation from all workes as from kindling of fire c. Exod. 35. ver 3. All these thought it a thing unsutable to the condition of the Patriarkes that they should have been loaden with so many scruples and difficulties Neverthelesse it is most probable that if God had charged them with the keeping of the Sabbath day he would also have tyed them to this intermission of workes in consideration whereof it was called the Sabbath it represented and called to remembrance GODs resting from all his workes and was a type of the spirituall eternall and glorious rest of the faithfull in the kingdome of heaven which was the principall end of the institution thereof I might stuffe the paper with the testimonies of all the foresaid Authors if I had not resolved to dispute by arguments taken out of holy Scripture and from reason and not by authorities of men 6 Divers Replies are made against this argument to impaire the strēgth debace the worth therof when I say it is not written that the Patriarchs observed the Sabbath and therefore they kept it not And first they suppose that they celebrated divers fasts whereof no mention is made in the Booke of holy Scripture which is indeed a meere supposition if fasting be taken properly for daies of abstinence from all kind of meat through devotion and for religious ends For where is that written If it be not written as it is not why may I not mistrust gain-say and deny it and pray the authors of this reply to defend their cause not with forcelesse and deniable suppositions but with powerfull and undeniable reasons from Scripture or from Nature Now supposing their supposition to be as true as I suppose it to be false doe they not know that fasting is not a part of Gods service that God hath not beene earnest about it that by the Law of Moses which exacted so many kindes of serviceable devotions he commanded no ordinary and stinted fast saving a yeerely one for a typicall reason on the feast of atonement Levit. 16. verse 29. 30. 31. and Levit. 23. vers 27. 29 that he prescribed not any before the Law and hath not injoyned any to Christians under the Gospell Therefore God having left the indiction and observation of such fasts free as the Patriarchs should thinke fit although now and then they had humbled themselves before God with extraordinary fasting It is no marvell that no mention is made thereof in the History of their religious exercises because it was not one of them but at the most a certaine helpe unto them or an accidentall dependancy on them The same must be said of all other doings of the Patriarches which either did not belong to Gods service or were not of great importance For it was not needfull that the Scripture should tell us all things done by them in their imployments about the affaires of this present life This cannot be said of the observation of the Sabbath day For seeing it is pretended to be morall that God from the beginning of the world ordained it to Adam and to all his progeny that it hath alwaies been necessary for his service undoubtedly it had beene mentioned in the History of the Patriarchs if they had practised it But seeing it is not so much as once named this perpetuall silence theweth in all likelihood that they never practised it that therefore all that is pretended to the contrary is untrue This as I have said the most part of the ancient and many of our modern Divine confirme by their consent 7 Secondly some doe make another reply saying that albeit the Patriarches had not kept the Sabbath day nothing can be thence concluded saving an oblivion and negligence of that day which should not call in question the first institution and observation therof no more then Polygamie which is the having at once of moe wives then one practised in their time not onely by Infidels but by them also can justifie that the holy Law of marriage betweene two persons onely was not established from the beginning To this I answer that there is no even match betweene these two For the Scripture teacheth us cleerely in the History of the creation that in the beginning God formed but one man and one woman which he took from man and established marriage between them two onely that they might be twaine in one flesh and no more and that Adam had a perfect and cleere knowledge of this truth Genes 2. vers 22 23 24. Likewise in other places of the Ancient Testament Malac. 2. vers 15. and of the New Testament Matth. 19. vers 4 5. Mark 10. vers 7 8. Ephes. 5. vers 31. the unseparable union of two persons in wedlocke is confirmed by the institution of marriage in the beginning Moreover this institution is grounded on justice and honesty knowne of Pagans which had no light given them by instruction from the Word of God All the holy Fathers that were before the flood observed it faithfully The first that violated it was Lamech a man of the posterity of wicked Cain of whom it is recorded as a thing extraordinary and new that he tooke unto him two wives Genes 4. vers 19. Wherefore if after the flood some practised polygamie no man can thence make a sound inference that by Gods institution it was so from the beginning seeing the contrary is evident and undeniable And that abuse of marriage by plurality of wives among the Patriarches must be imputed to some other reasons What if among the Israelites many stumbled at the same stone Who will inferre thence that God had not forewarned them to take heed to their waies forebidding them to multiply their wives by an expresse Law which may be seene Levit. 18. vers 18. and Deut. 17. vers 17 But seeing wee can no where finde that before the Law was given by Moses the Patriarches kept the seventh day of rest we have good reason to make a question if that day was instituted from the beginning of the world For the institution thereof appeareth not cleerely in the Historie of the creation it is not in any part of the Bible referred to that first time neither is it grounded on any naturall or morall righteousnesse as shall be seene largely hereafter This is a sufficient answer to a third reply which some would faine take from purity of reason Saying that as in the beginning God made but one man and one woman and matched them together to be one body and to beget a lawfull and holy posterity Mal. 2. vers
there was some ceremonie added to the moralitie of the Commandement concerning this day and injoyned to the Iewes in that time of infancie and that it obligeth us no more than other ceremonies annexed at that time to moralities Whereof speech shall be againe made hereafter Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of Iames durst not worke on that day to imbalme Christs body but delayes to doe it and to buy the spices necessary thereto till it was past though they might have done it in a short space resting on that day according to the Commandement Mark 16. vers 1. Luk. 23. ver 56. and thinking themselves bound to the precise observation of the said Commandement because they knew not that it was abolished by our Lord Iesus Christ. 9 So it is evident that the observation of the Sabbath was to the Iewes most precise and exact Neither was it lawfull unto them to doe any outward and corporall workes saving those that were necessary for the outward and ceremoniall service which GOD required on that day as to the Levites and Priests to kill and dresse the beasts for the Sacrifices and to burne the fat upon the Altar Numb 28. vers 9. Matth. 12. vers 5. to particular men to circumcise their children Iohn 7. vers 22 23. to walke a certaine space from home to the place of Gods service where there was an holy convocation ordained of God on the Sabbath day Levit. 23. vers 3. which may be gathered out of the second booke of the Kings Chap. 4. vers 23. Where the husband of the Shunamite asked her wherefore she would goe to the Prophets seeing it was neither new Moone nor Sabbath which sheweth that it was lawfull to goe on the Sabbath day to the places where Gods Prophets abode to teach the people Or the Priests to minister to the Lord in things belonging to his service And this distance of way was by tradition limited and stinted to two thousand common steps as may be gathered out of the twelfth verse of the first chapter of the Acts where the distance betweene the mount of Olives and the towne of Ierusalem which was of so many steps is called A Sabbath dayes journey which tradition and ordinance concerning a Sabbath dayes journey which is not formally prescribed in the Law some are of opinion that it had its originall from the injunction given to the Israelites in the second Chapter of Numbers and the second verse to pitch under their standards about the Tabernacle of assignation over against it or a little farre off from it And in the third Chapter of Ioshua verse 3 and 4. which doe explicate this distance to goe after the Arke of the Covenant keeping betweene them and it the space of two thousand cubites by measure which journey by consequent they were of necessity to make every Sabbath day during their abode in the wildernesse to come to the Tabernacle of assignation where the Arke was and to assist there to the holy convocation which by Gods command was solemnized on that day Levit. 23. vers 3. which afterward the Doctors of the Iewes tooke and established for a rule of the journey which a man might make on the Sabbath day for Gods service and for holy and religious ends There be some who say that they extended this licence of two thousand cubits to walke for recreation and pastime But this hath no ground in the Law as I conceive Moreover they were also permitted on the Sabbath day to doe workes of charity mercifulnesse and compassion necessary to themselves or to their neighbours yea and to their beasts also As to flie and to fight to save their lives and to defend themselves in time of warre As Eliah threatned by Iezebel fled for his life and went forty dayes and forty nights unto Horeb wherein there were many Sabbaths 1 Kings 19. v. 3 8. As the Iewes decreed to defend themselves on the Sabbath day if their enemies came to make battell with them on that day 1 Maccab. 2. v. 41. having learned wisdome by the example of their brethren who being assaulted on the Sabbath chused most unadvisedly to dye rather than to make resistance for their lives v. 36 37 38. As according to the opinion of some it was on the Sabbath day that the Israelites fought against Ierico Ios. 6. verse 15 16 20 21. and against the Syrians 1 King 20. verse 29. but this is not evident enough As also to care dresse cure heale sicke folkes which Christ taught the Iewes to be lawfull and did often himselfe as we see in diverse places of the Gospell As to lay hold on a poore beast and lift it out of the pit that it was fallen into on the Sabbath day Mat. 12. ver 11 12. lead it to watering give it foode and doe unto it all other necessary things Luk. 13. ver 15. 11 An important and urgent necessity which could not be foreseene prevented hindred and admitted no delay made lawfull unto them on the Sabbath day actions which otherwise had beene unlawful As although they were forbidden to prepare meat to eat it on the Sabbath day yet if a man could not get meat to prepare or was deprived of all possible meanes to prepare the meat he had nor find meat made ready on the Sabbath day and that he were in danger to starve I esteeme that rather than he should suffer incommodity in his health or danger in his life God was well pleased that hee should prepare some on the Sabbath for his sustentation For upon this ground Iesus Christ maintained against the Pharisees the action of his Disciples who being an hungred in following him plucked eares of corne and did eat rubbing them in their hands Mat. 12. verse 1. Luk. 6. verse 1. likewise although they were forbidden to kindle the fire on the Sabbath day yet if they had beene pinched with some urgent necessity I doubt not but to kindle the fire had beene acceptable to God I esteeme that the like judgement is to be made of all other actions of the like nature although otherwise forbidden on the Sabbath day 21 These reasons taken from Gods service when externall and corporall actions pertained unto it from charity and compassion or from some great and urgent necessity being excepted it was not lawfull to doe any workes of common and ordinary labour nay not the least during either the time of Gods service in his house either afore or after it publikely or privately in the whole space of 4. and twenty houres betweene the two evenings as is evident by the prohibitions so expresse so particular so frequent made concerning that matter Philo in the second booke of the life of Moses saith that it was not lawfull to the Iewes to plucke on the Sabbath day a bough a fruit a leafe of a tree And all the Rabbins of the Iewes which writ of the observation of the Sabbath goe farre beyond whatsoever is exact and precise in the
where it is said that Iesus Christ entred into the house of one of the chiefe Pharisees on the Sabbath day to eat bread that is to take his refection For it is not said that this Pharisee had caused the repast to be made ready on the same Sabbath day which he had never done seeing the Pharisees found sault with the simple action of Christs Disciples who on the Sabbath day going thorow the corne fields plucked some eares of corne and did rub them in their hands to eat them Luke 6. vers 1. 6 Which is againe a most manifest argument that in those dayes the Iewes prepared not any meat on the Sabbath day and also that it was not permitted by the Law For if it had beene permitted the accusation of the Pharisees against Christs Disciples had wanted all ground and colour of reason when they said unto them Why do ye that which is not lawfull to do on the Sabbath dayes Luk. 6. vers 1. And it had not beene needfull that Christ should have alleaged to defend them that the hunger wherewith they were pinched and their present need of sustenance excused their action even as a like cause excused the action of David and of those that were with him when being an hungred they tooke and ate the Shew-bread which was not lawfull to eate but for the Priests onely as also that God will have mercy and not Sacrifice Matth. 12. vers 3 4 5. For he might have answered in one word that the action of his Disciples to prepare meat was not at all forbidden by the Law and that there was no semblance of reason to blame it whereas by his answer he supposeth that indeed it was forbidden ordinarily as well as to eat of the Shew-bread to all others but Priests and he maintaineth not his Disciples to be excusable but by their present necessity which made lawfull that which otherwise had beene unlawfull unto them For if that whereby hee defended them had beene lawfull otherwise than in case of necessity what need had hee to excuse them upon their present necessitie S. Austin in the fourth chapter of the sixth booke against the Manichees saith that the Iewes on their Sabbath gather not any kinde of fruit in the field that they mince and cooke no meat at home 7 Also S. Ignace Martyr in his Epistle to the Magnesians teaching how the Sabbath is to be observed and that by opposition to the fashions of the Iewes amongst other things saith that it ought not to be kept by eating meats prepared and kept the day before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth that the Iewes prepared not their meat on the Sabbath day but the day before which for this cause they have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Preparation Mar. 15. 42. because on it they prepared all that was needfull for the Sabbath following As also the same name for the same reason is given to the day that went immediately before the first day of the unleavened bread of the Passeover This abstinence from making ready all kinde of meat on the Sabbath day was undoubtedly the cause that moved some Pagans to beleeve and say that the Iewes fasted on that day as we see in the one and thirtieth Booke of the History of Iustin and in the life of Augustus Caesar written by Suetonius chap. 76. 8 The inference which is made from equality or rather odsof reason that sith the Law permitted the Iews to lead their cattell to the water on the Sabbath day as is cleare by the testimony of S. Luk. 13. 15. it permitted them also to prepare their own meat is of no value For there is not a like necessity of the last as of the first A man must every day water his beast that it may be fed entertained but it is not necessary that a man prepare meat every day for himselfe for he may in the day before prepare meat enough for the day following The inference that can be lawfully and in equall tearmes made of the foresaid permission concerning a mans beast is that farre more should a man be licensed to eat and drinke on the Sabbath day if he be an hungred or a thirst and give meat and drink to another that is very hungry or dry yea to make meat ready too in an urgent and present necessity of hunger and thirst in case there were not any already prepared to be found which I would not deny but the Law did permit But it followeth not hereof that it was permitted to make an ordinary preparation of meat on the Sabbath day as on other dayes and to deferre the preparation thereof which might have beene wisely done the day before till the Sabbath day which is the point in question and which I have clearely shewed before to be expresly forbidden by the Law Exod. 16. 23. Which ordained not for the time onely of the abode of the people in the wildernesse but also for all their generations in time to come that all workes necessary for the Sabbath should be prepared before it came 9 Wherein may be considered a type and a mysterie God giving to understand thereby that during the time of this life we ought to prepare good workes to the end we may injoy the profit and utility issuing of them and eat their fruit as the Scripture speaketh in the eternall Sabbath of the life to come and not to differre from day to day till that great Sabbath come the preparing of our lampes and filling them with abundance of oyle left we knocke and cry in vaine Lord Lord open unto us Matth. 25. 1. c. Mat. 7. vers 22 23. 10 As for the prohibition to kindle fire on the Sabbath day Exod 35. vers 3. it is cleare that it speaketh not onely what the Israelites were to do in the wildernesse but also in Canaan The words are plaine Ye shall kindle no fire thorowout or in any of your habitations upon the Sabbath day which words thorowout or in any of your habitations ought to be referred rather to the land of Canaan than to the wildernesse because it was in Canaan that they were to have their habitations and seats as is implied by the word in the originall whereas in the wildernesse they sojourned onely in tabernacles And it is very unreasonable to imagine that because immediately after mention is made of the building of the Tabernacle of God this prohibition to kindle fire on the Sabbath day had respect onely unto it as if God had forbidden onely to kindle fire for preparing and fitting their tooles and imploying them on that day about that work For although the speech of the building of the Tabernacle followeth immediately after the prohibition to kindle fire yet it followeth not that there is any connexion betweene these things and that they are relative one to another Nay they seeme rather to be dis-joyned and severed in the text it selfe For after