expect Christs presence by his spirits influence in sanctifying his people in their holy exercises on that day Herevpon it grew a perpetuall Ordinance not first constituted by Apostolicke authority but seconded and followed by them in their practize as Acts. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 vpon which place Master Perkins iudiciously obserueth that Paul commanded nothing as an ordinance to bee obserued by the Church but what hee had from Christ But to make collection for the poore euery Lords day or first day of the weeke as a consequent or concomitant fruite of other Sabbath-duties as Preaching Prayer Sacraments was sayth he a constitution Apostolicke and so of diuine authority and therefore no meere humane institution And wee say that the ground and cause hereof was Christs Resurrection So as it is a grosse Solecime in Diuinity to admit an Institution to be Apostolicke yet to denie it to be of diuine authority Thus the first day of the weeke the Lords day grew to be the day of holy assemblies for Christians from that first day of the weeke wherein Christ rose againe and appeared to his Disciples as wee haue touched And from this spring did the auncient Fathers deriue the sanctification of this day as by so many continued streames of succession Saint Augustine sayth Dies Dominicus c. The Lords day was not to the Iewes Aug Ianuario Epis. 119. c 13. but to Christians declared by Christs Resurrection and from that began to bee kept holy And elsewhere Proepenitur dies Dominicus Sabbato c. The Lords day is preferred before the Sabbath by the fayth of the Resurrection Aug. Ca sulano Presbytero Ep. 86. not by the fashion of refection or licentiousnes of drunken mirth And againe Domini Resurrectio c. The Lords resurrection hath promised us an eternall day and consecrated to vs the Lords day And Ambros Dominica nobis c. De verbis Apost ser 15 To vs the Lords day is so honourable and sacred because in it the Sauiour as the sun arising dispelling infernall darknesse hath shined forth in the light of his resurrection And for this cause Ambros ser 61 this day of the men of the world is called Sunday because Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse arising did enlighten it But what neede we seeke a cloud of witnesses of men when we haue diuine Sarrs in Scriptures though shining in a darke place till the day did dawne which may giue vs sufficient light to direct vs to this day For first it is apparent that the seauenth day which was commanded the Israelites of the old Testament to celebrate for the Sabbath was giuen them in memoriall of their deliuerance from the Egyptian bondage as we noted before out of Deu. 5 15 And thus it was ceremoniall and subiect to be changed into another day to wit the Lords day which should succeede in memoriall of our Redemption and deliuerance from our spirituall bondage whereof that corporall was a type which Redemption and deliuerance was finished in Christs Resurrection and therefore who should haue power but Christ the Lord of the Sabbath to change the Sabbath into the Lords day Againe another remarkeable place we finde in Leu. 23.10 c. where the sheafe of the first fruits was to bee waued by the Priest before the Lord the day after the Sabbath This sheafe of the fruits was a pregnant type of Christs rising againe 2 Cor 15 20. Leui 23.11 the first fruits from the dead This sheafe was to bee waued the next day after the Sabbath and not else This was fulfilled in Christs resurrection whâ—ch was the day after the Sabbath and because this Sabbath was chiefely ment of the Passeouer which was a high Sabbath to be sure it was a double Sabbath the Sabbath of the Passeouer concurring together wherein Christ rested in the graue The very next morning was Christ the first fruites waued before the Lord when in the Earthquake hee rose from the dead the first fruites of them that sleepe This was the sheafe of the first fruites which was accepted for vs Rom 4 25 Rom 11.19 for he rose againe for our iustification And if the first fruites be holy the lumpe is also holy And the meate offring of this day was twice as much as vpon any other day euen two tenth deales whereas the rest had but one which is a matter worthy of heedefull obseruation This typed and signifyed some thing extraordinary as touching this dayes oblation And the offering was made by fire vnto the Lord for a sauour of Rest as the Hebrew hath it This prefigured the Rest of this day of the sheafe of first fruites of Christs resurrection And this rest had relation not onely to Christ who now had finished the worke of Redemption but also to all the Redeemed For from this very day of the sheafe of first fruites they were Leuit. 23.15.16 to reckon 7 Sabbaths or weekes compleate which inclusiuely containeth 50 dayes and so the seauenth first day of the weeke next after the Sabbath they must offer a new meate offering vnto the Lord. This was the feast of Pentecost which being fully come Act. 2. the Holy Ghost came downe visibly vpon the Church so fulfilling that typicall prophesie * Leuit. 23.17 or Propheticall type And this meate offring of loaues and the like being called also a first fruites vnto the Lord signifyed and prefigured that First fruits of the Church of the new Testament offered consecrated and sanctified vnto God that very day wherein the Holy Ghost descended For behold two waue loaues moulded vp of so many graines the one of the Iewes the other of the Gentiles both one offering being a collection of all the Nations vnder Heauen euen the Catholike Church representatiue were the first fruites vnto God and vnto the Lambe sanctified in Christ the first fruites These are those waue-loaues Isychius Praesbyt Hirrosol in Leuit 23 Planius ergo Legislator suam demonstran volens mentem ab altero die Sabbati numerari praecipit 50 dies Dominicum Diem proculdubio volens intelligi Hic enim est altera Dies Sabbati that are holy to the Lord for Christ eur High Priest Leuit. 23.20 and this offering became a sauour of rest v. 18. as wee shewed v. 13. noting still the rest of this day So as this selfe same day is solemnely proclaimed to bee an holy Conuocation Therein no seruile worke is to bee done this to stand as a statute vnrepealable Hereupon Isychius saith Therefore the Law-giuer willing more plainely to expresse his minde commanded them to reckon from the next day of the Sabbath 50 dayes thereby willing without doubt the Lords day to be vnderstood For this is that next day after the Sabbath For which cause sayth he the Holy Ghost came not downe in any other day of the weeke but in that day of the Resurrection wherein the sheafe of first-fruits was waued before the Lord. Thus we see
seauen was meerely Ceremoniall I would aske them how the memoriall of the Commandement could bee kept without a speciall time or day vnlesse they will say that the morality being perpetuall is not tyed to any one day But seeing the Morall Law cannot be kept by the Church in this world without time for as the Preacher saith Eccle 3.1 There is a time for euery purpose vnder the Sunne and this time of keeping the fourth Commandement is limited by God to the 7th day how can this day be separated from the Sabbath as being an inseparable circumstance of the substance of that Commandement Yea so inseparable by diuine appoyntment as Gods wisedome did best know the Sabbath cannot be solemnely kept vnlesse it be one of the seauen I say not one fixed day of seauen to last for euer from the Creation to the end of the world without alteration for so it was ceremoniall in the old Testament but the proportion of a seauenth part of our time decreed by Gods owne institution and perpetually annexed to the morality And the Lord who limited a seauenth day for rest and to bee kept holy hath noe where left it arbitrary to man to allow what day or proportion of time liketh him for that purpose beyond the number of seauen For as God hath reserued a tenth of our goods though we owe him all that we haue as sacred to himselfe and by meanes whereof hee sanctifies all the 9 parts to our vse so also a seauenth of our time though the whole time of our life is to be spent to his honour for the sanctification of our whole life And both these serue ioyntly for the more commodious compleate and solemne administration of his worship and seruice which also redounledeth not onely to our temporall but spirituall and eternall good Nor is it now in mans power to alter the Lords day into any other seauenth day of the weeke sith it is Christs owne Ordinance and therefore vndispensable Inuij Praelect in Gene 2.2 The learned Iunius on Gen. 2.2 concerning the Sabbath thus speaketh Haec lex c. This Law of the Sabbath is naturall hauing a ceremoniall designation of one day affixed vnto it This seauenth day added of God is not naturall but positiue A seauenth day is naturall and remaineth but the seauenth from the creation appoynted of God is positiue instead whereof the Lords day succeedeth in the christian Church called the first day of the weeke and the Lords day Reu. 1.10 celebrated Acts. 20.7 1 Cor 16.2 Causa mutationis c. The cause of this mutation is Christs resurrection and the benefit of restoring the Church in Christ the commemoration of which benefit succeeded the memory of the creation not by humane tradition but by Christs owne obseruation and institution who both on the day of his Resurrection Et octauo quoque die and on euery eight day vntill his ascension into Heauen appeared to his Disciples and came into their assembly And the same was done by the constant obseruation of the Apostles and Disciples and of the Church of Christ to which by the institution and example of Christ the Apostles deliuered the obseruation of the Lords day which is well set forth by Cyril lib. 12. in Iohan. cap. 58. by Augustine ad Casulanum Ep. 86. et ad Ianuarium Ep. 119. cap. 13. And therefore Chrysostome in his fift sermon of the Resurrection writteth that of old in the Primitiue Church this day was called by three names The Lords day The day of bread and the day of light The Lords day because in it being a solemne memoriall of Christs resurrection they attended to his word and worship the day of bread because in it the Sacrament of the Lords supper was administred and the day of light because on it was obserued the administration of Baptisme For the ancients called Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the day of Baptisme diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of lights and the Baptized were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New illuminates Wherefore sith the Lords day by Christs Act example and institution by the most constant obseruation of the Apostles and the auncient Church and by the testimony of Scripture hath bene obserued and put in the place of the Iewes Sabbath ineptè faciunt c. They doe absurdly who affirme that the obseruation of the Lords day continues in the Church by Traditiō and not by authority of the holy Scripture that by these helpes they may si Deo placet support the Traditions of men So he Thirdly where they say that the generality onely of keeping a Sabbath was Morall this generality or morality must either now bee quite lost or else doth necessarily import some speciall day for christians wherein solemly to keepe this morality vnlesse we be bound euery moment or day of our life to keepe it as well as for the Iewes of old by Gods owne limitation But fourthly they say that the vacation and abstinence from seruile labour or the ordinary workes of a manes worldly calling is not any part of the morality of the fourth Commandement but a meere ceremony and so abrogated This is a strange Paradox For then the whole obseruation of the sabbath as touching the reast of it was a Ceremony and where is then the morality of it stands not the morality of it in corporall rest and spirituall exercise Or else tell us wherein Nay certainely that cannot bee a meere ceremony which lasteth for euer But vacation and rest from bodily labour lasteth for euer euen in Heauen in the keeping of the eternall Sabboth as the. Apostle saith Heb 4.9.10 And Reuel 14.13 And in heauen there is noe pleace for meere ceremonies Therefore vacation from labour on the Sabboth is no meere ceremony but one speciall part of the moralitie commanded in the Sabbath So that to rest from labour is of the very essence of the Sabbath which is therefore called Sabbath or rest because one cheife part of the obseruation of it stands in rest Ob. But they obiect That the Commandement of the Sabbath is not morall because it bindes not to all times and to euery day as well as one in the weeke Answ Though the externall solemne rest of it binds but for one day in the weeke yet the due Sanctification of it is such as it reatheth to the Sanctification of the whole time of our life yea to the Sanctifying of our persons acsions affections c. by the right vse of the meanes as the Word and Prayer For as wee sayd before as God by reseruing and consecrating the tenth of our goods thereby sanctifies all the 9 partes vnto vs So by setting apart and hallowing the seauenth of our time to his seruice he extendeth sanctification to euery day of our life that therein wee might bee holy Againe affirmatiue precepts ceasse not to be morall because they bind not ad semper to all times it sufficeth they binde
extreames and therefore to bee auoyded How then As the christians did in Iustin Martyrs dayes of old who sayth Die solis c. On the Sunday or Lords day Iustin Martyr Apol. 2. are the christians assemblies of Citizens and Countrmen where the writings of the Apostles and Prophets are first reade then when the Reader hath done the Master of the assembly the chiefe Minister vseth words of exortation his inuiting them to the imitation of things honest The richer sorte who are willing do contribute to the reliefe of the poorer euery man according to his mind and meanes and the Collecta or collections are deposited with the chiefe Minister he therewith succoureth the Orphans and poore c. This is that day wherein God created the world and Christ rose againe from the dead So hee And Saint Chrisostom vpon the Apostles words 1 Cor. 16.1 Behold sayth he How fitly the Apostle rayseth his exhortation from the consideration of this day of the weeke as being the fittest day wherin to exhort vnto almes as if the Apostle had sayd Remember what things yee haue obtained this day vnutterable good things yea the very roote and spring of our life stands in it Not that it is a fit day onely for giuing of almes but that it hath a rest and is free from worldly affaires and the mind being vacant from molestations is the apter more inclinable to mercy and it brings with it a great efficacy in the vse of the celestiall Ordinances And Saint Augustine Omni Die Dominico c. Euery Lords day come to the Church and spend not the day in pleading and brabbles and idle chat but with silence hearken to the word of God and pray for the peace of the Church and for the pardon of your sinnes c. And Bernard sayth out of Esay 58.13 He calleth the Sabbath sayth hee not onely a delight but he addeth holy and gloryous to the Lord. Nor let the Sabbath slipt away with sloth but in thy Sabbath worke the workes of God And in the Synodal Epistle of the second synod of Matiscon wee haue these words Custodite Diem Dominicum c. Keepe the Lords day which hath a new brought you forth and hath freed you from all sinnes as being that day wherein Christ rose for our iustification Let none of you bee vacant to minister fewell for suites in Law let none plead causes let none draw vpon himselfe such a necessity as to compell the cattell to beare the yoake .. Be all of you taken vp with hymmes in praysing of God being content in minde and body Let euery one hasten to the next Church their humble himselfe on the Lords day with prayers and teares Let your eyes and hands be all that day open to God For that is a perpetual day of rest that is made knowne in the law the Prophets being insinuated vnto vs by the shadow of the seauenth day Iust it is therefore that wee doe vnanimously celebrate this day by which wee are made that which before wee were not Let vs performe to the Lord a free seruice c. Not that the Lord requires of vs that wee should celebrate the Lords day with bodily abstinence but hee requireth our obedience by which trampling all terrene actions vnder our feete hee may mercifully lift vs vp euen vnto Heauen If therefore any of you shall slight or contemne this our wholesome exhortation let him know that for the quality of his demerit hee shall bee punished of the Lord and henceforth implacably vnder the sacerdotall indignation If hee bee a Lawyer hee shall bee dismissed of his pleading without recouery if a Country-man or seruant hee shall bee sore beaten with clubs if a Clearke or so hee shall bee suspended six months from his Fraternity c. And in the Councell of Dingelfing On the Lords day let men bee vacant for diuine rest and abstayne from worldly and profane businesse Hee that this day shall doe any worke about the Cart or otherwise let his oxen bee confiscate If he shall proceed on obstinately let him be made a bondslaue And Charles the great in his constitutions forbiddeth markets to be kept any where on the Lords day nor any seruile workes to be done therein We might bee infinite in such like instances of pious constitutions for the solemne and sacred keeping of the Lords day but let these suffice by the way Onely one thing remaines to bee resolued whether the fourth Commandement reach vnto seruants as well as vnto Masters of Families some would restraine the Commandement onely to Masters excluding seruants thus farr that in case a Master command his seruant any servill worke on the Sabbath or Lords day the seruant therein obeying his Master is not answerable to God as a trangressour of Gods Commandement but his Master onely is in the transgression for so commanding This is a strange piece of Logicke A Master in commanding his seruant transgresseth Gods Commandement and yet the seruant obeying his Master therein transgresseth not Doth not the case hold a like in other relations as betweene Prince and subiect spirituall Pastours and People yes say they But how Thus God say they hath commanded all men to honour their Parents the Parents of their Country stands in the first ranke-True who denies it But what followes there vpon This say they The Sonne of God hath commanded all Christians to heare the Church and vnder forfeiture of communion of Saints but they that deny the Canons of the Church or Edict of the Prince heare not the one honour not the other therefore they that transgresse eyther of these Constitutions transgresse also consequently though not immediately the commandements of God yet neyther of both are transgressed by seruants if they worke by their Masters commission and not of their owne electon for neyther doth the one Law or the other neyther the Canons of the Church nor Edicts of Princes giue liberty and warrant to seruants to bee rebellious to their Masters touching poynt of seruice that day more then others To this purpose they argue that deny the keeping of the Lords day to haue any dependance vpon the morality of the fourth Commandement Here be prege reasons which would not lightly be passed ouer Therefore a little to examine the mettle of these mens reasons first we must remember that not only on the Lords day seruants obying their Masters in deoing seruile worke therein are guiltles for so they haue euation for it by denying the Lords day to bee of diuine institution and rest therein to be any morall duty but they deny also that the fourth Commandement did binde any Iewes but onely Masters of familyes and not those vnder them For say they the Commandement was giuen onely to masters and not to seruants standing in relation to their masters in case they should impusote any seruile labour vpon them It is true the Commandement was giuen principally and immediately to masters that not onely