either to grant the use of anticipation in the holy Scripture or else to run upon a tenet wherein they are not like to have any seconds I will instance onely in two particulars both Englishmen and both exceeding zealous in the present cause The first is Doctour Bound who first of all did set a foot these Sabbatarian speculations in the Church of England 2. Edit p. 10. wherewith the Church is still disquieted He determines thus I deny saith he but that the Scripture speaketh often of things as though they had been so before because they were so then when the things were written As when it is said of Abraham that hee remooved unto a Mountaine Eastward of Bethel whereas it was not called Bethel till above a hundred yeares after The like may be said of another place in the Booke of Iudges called Bochin c. yet in this place of Genesis it is not so And why not so in this as well as those Because saith he Moses entreateth there of the sanctification of the Sabbath not onely because it was so then when hee wrote that Booke but specially because it was so even from the Creation Which by his leave is not so much a reason of his opinion Medullâ— Thâ—ol l. 2 c. 15. â— 9. as a plain begging of the question The second Doctor Ames the first I take it that sowed Bounds doctrine of the Sabbath in the Netherlands Who saith expresly first and in generall termes hujusmodi prolepseos exemplum nullum in tota scriptura dari posse that no example of the like anticipation can be found in Scripture the contrary whereof is already proved After more warily and in particular de hujusmodi institutione Proleptica that no such institution is set down in Scripture by way of a Prolepsis or Anticipation either in that Book or in any other And herein as before I said he is not like to find any seconds We find it in the sixteenth of Exodus that thus Moses said This is the thing which the Lord commandeth Vers. 32. Fill an Omer of it of the Mannah to be kept for your generations that they may see the bread wherwith I have fed you in the Wildernesse when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt It followeth in the text that as the Lord commanded Moses Vers. 34. so Aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept Here is an ordinance of Gods an institution of the Lords and this related in the same manner by anticipation as the former was Lyra upon the place affirmes expresly that it is spoken there per anticipationem and so doth Vatablus too in his Annotations on that Scripture But to make sure worke of it I must send Doctor Ames to schoole to Calvin who tels us on this text of Moses non contexuit Moses historiam suo ordine sed narrarem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interposita melius confirmat c. Indeed it could not well be otherwise interpreted For how could Aaron lay up a pot of Mannah to be kept before the testimony when as yet there was neither Arke nor Tabernacle and so no testimony before which to keep it To bring this businesse to an end Moses hath told us in the place before remembred that the children of Israel did eat Mannah forty yeares Vers. 35. which is not otherwise true in that place and time in which he tells it but by the helpe and figure of anticipation And this Saint Austin noted in his questions upon Exodus Qu. 62. significat scriptura per Prolepsin i. e. hoc loco commemorando quod etiam postea factum est And lastly where Amesius sets it downe for certain that no man ever thought of an anticipation in this place of Moses Vers supra qui praejudicio aliquo de observatione diei Dominicae non prius fuit prius anticipatus who was not first possessed with some manifest prejudice against the sanctifying of the Lords day this cannot possibly be said against Tostatus who had no enemy to encounter nor no opinion to oppose and so no prejudice We coÌ„clude then that for this passage of the Scripture we find not any thing unto the contrary but that it was set down in that place and time by a plain and meer anticipation and doth relate unto the time wherein Moses wrote And therefore no sufficient warrant to fetch the institution of the Sabbath from the first beginnings One onely thing I have to adde and that 's the reason which moved Moses to make this mention of the Sabbath even in the first beginning of the Booke of God and so long time before the institution of the same Which doubtlesse was the better to excite the Iewes to observe that day from which they seemed at first to be much averse and therefore were not onely to be minded of it by a Memento in the front of the Commandement but by an intimation of the equity and reason of it even in the entrance of Gods Book derived from Gods first resting on that day after all his works Theodoret hath so resolved it in his Questions on the Book of Genesis Qu 21. Maxime autem Iudaeis ista scribens necessario posuit hoc sanctisific avit eumâ— ut majore cultu prosequantur Sabbatum Hoc enim in legibus sanciendis inquit sex diebus creavit Deus c. 5 I say an intimation of the equitie and reason of it for that 's as much as can be gathered from that place though some have laboured what they could to make the sanctifying of the seventh day therein mentioned a precept given by God to our Father Adam touching the sanctifying of that day to his publicke worship Of this I shall not now say much because the practice will disprove it Onely I cannot but report the minde and judgement of Pererius a learned Iesuite Who amongst other reasons that he hath alleaged to prove the observation of the Sabbath not to have took beginning in the first infancy of the World makes this for one that generally the Fathers have agreed on this Deum non aliud imposuisse Adamo praeceptum omnino positâ—â—â—um nisi illud de non edendo fructu arboris scientiae c. that God imposed no other Law on Adam then that of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of knowledge Of which since he hath instanced in none particularly I will make bold to lay before you some two or three that so out of the mouthes of two or three witnesses the truth hereof may be established And first we have Tertullian Adv. Iudaeos who resolves it thus Namque in principio mundi ipsi Adae Evae legem dedit c. In the beginning of the World the Lord commanded Adam and Eue that they should not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the Garden Which Law saith he had been sufficient for their justification had it been observed For in
thereof not by the workmanship of the Stuffe but the glosse and colour In which it is most strange to see how suddainly men were induced not onely to give way unto it but without more adoe to abett the same till in the end and that in very little time it grew the most bewitching Errour the most popular Deceit that ever had beene set on foot in the Church of England And verily I perswade my selfe that many an honest and well-meaning man both of the Clergie and the Laitie either because of the appearance of the thing it selfe or out of some opinion of those men who first endevoured to promote it became exceedingly affected towards the same as taking it to be a Doctrine sent downe from Heaven for encrease of Pietie So easily did they beleeve it and grew at last so strongly possessed therewith that in the end they would not willingly be perswaded to conceive otherwise thereof than at first they did or thinke they swallowed downe the Hooke when they tooke the Bait. An Hooke indeed which had so fastned them to those men who love to fish in troubled waters that by this artifice there was no small hope conceived amongst them to fortifie their side and make good that cause which till this trimme Deceit was thought of was almost growne desperate Once I am sure that by this meanes the Brethren who before endeavoured to bring all Christian Kings and Princes under the yoke of their Presbyteries made little doubt to bring them under the command of their Sabbath Doctrines And though they failed of that applauded paritie which they so much aimed at in the advancing of their Elderships yet hoped they without more adoe to bring all higher Powers what ever into an equall ranke with the common people in the observance of their Iewish Sabbatarian rigours So Doctor Bound declares himselfe p. 171. The Magistrate saith hee and Governour in authoritie how high soever cannot take any priviledge to himselfe whereby he might be occupied about worldly businesse when other men should rest from labour It seemes they hoped to see the greatest Kings and Princes make suit unto their Consistorie for a Dispensation as often as the great Affaires of State or what cause soever induced them otherwise to spend that Day or any part or parcell of it than by the new Sabbath Doctrine had beene permitted For the endeering of the which as formerly to endeere their Elderships they spared no place or Text of Scripture where the word Elder did occurre and without going to the Heralds had framed a Pedigree thereof from â—ethro from Noahs Arke and from Adam finally so did these men proceed in their new Devices publishing out of holy Writ both the antiquitie and authoritie of their Sabbath day No passage of Gods Booke unransacked where there was mention of a Sabbath whether the legall Sabbath charged the Iewes or the spirituall Sabbath of the Soule from siâ—ne which was not fitted and applyed to the present purpose though if examined as it ought with no better reason than Paveant illi non paveam ego was by an ignorant Priest alledged from Scripture to prove that his Parishioners ought to pave the Chancell Yet upon confidence of these proofes they did alreadie begin to sing Victoria especially by reason of the entertainment which the said Doctrines found with the common people For thus the Doctor boasts himselfe in his second Edition anno 606. as before was said Many godly learned both in their Preachings Writings and Disputations did concurre with him in that argument and that the lives of many Christians in many places of the Kingdome were framed according to his Doctrine p. 61. Particularly in the Epistle to the Reader that within few yeeres three severall profitable Treatises successively were written by three godly learned Preachers Greenehams was one whose ever were the other two that in the mouth of two or three witnesses the doctrine of the Sabbath might bee established Egregiam verò laudem spolia ampla 8 But whatsoever cause hee had thus to boast himselfe in the successe of his new doctrines the Church I am sure had little cause to rejoyce thereat For what did follow hereupon but such monstrous paradoxes and those delivered in the pulpit as would make every good man tremble at the hearing of them First as my Author tells mee it was preached at a market towne in Oxfordshire that to doe any servile worke or businesse on the Lords day was as great a sinne as to kill a man or commit adultery Secondly preached in Somerset-shire tâ—at to throw a bowle on the Lords day was as great a sinne as to kill a man Thirdly in Norfolke that to make a feast or dresse a wedding dinner on the Lords day was as great a sinne as for a Father to take a knife and cut his childes throate Fourthly in Suffolke that to ring more bells then one on the Lords day was as great a sinne as to commit murder I adde what once I heard my selfe at Sergeanâ—â— Inne in Fleet-streete about five yeeres since that temporall death was at this day to be inflicted by the Law of God on the Sabbath-breaker on him that on the Lords day did the works of his daily calling with a grave application unto my masters of the Law that if they did their ordinary workes on the Sabbath day in taking fees and giving Counsell they should consider what they did deserve by the Law of God And certainely these and the like conclusions cannot but â—ollow most directly on the former principles For that the fourth Commandement bee plainely morall obliging us as straitely as it did the Iewes and that the Lords day bee to bee observed according to the prescript of that Commandment it must needs bee that every willfull breach thereof is of no lower nature then Idolatrie or blaspheming of the Name of GOD or any other deadly sinne against the first table and therefore questionlesse as great as murder or adultery or any sin against the second But to goe forwards where I left my Author whome before I spake of being present when the Suffolke Minister was convented for his so lewd and impious doctrine was the occasion that those Sabbatarian errours and impieties were first brought to light and to the knowledge of the state On which discovery as hee tells us this good ensued that the said bookes of the Sabbath were called in and forbidden to bee printed and made common Archbishop Whitguift by his letters and visitations did the one Annâ— 1599. and Sir Iohn Popham Lord Chiefe Iustice did the other Annâ— 1600 at Burie in Suffolke Good remedies indeed had they beene soone inough applied yet not so good as those which formerly were applied to Thacker and his fellow in the aforesaid towne of Burie for publishing the bookes of Brâ—wnâ— against the service of the Church Nor was this all the fruite of so bad a doctrine For by inculcating to the people these new
of the Sabbath have resolved accordingly Quod dies ille solennis unus debeat esse in septimana hoc positivi juris est that 's Amesius doctrine And Ryvet also saith the same Lege de Sabbato posâ—tivâ—â— non naturalem agnosciâ—us The places were both cited in the formeâ— Section and both doe make the Sabbath a meere positive Law But what need more be said in so cleere a case oâ— what needs further Witnesses be produced to give in evidence when wee have conâ—â—tentem 〈◊〉 For Doctour Bound who first amongst us here endevoured to advance the Lords day into the place of the Iewish Sabbath and fained a pedigree of the Sabbath even from Adams infancie hath herein said enough to betray his cause and those that since have either built upon his foundation or beautified their undertakings with his collections Indeed saith he this law was given in the beginning not so much by the light of nature as the rest of the nine Commandements were but by expresse words when God sanctified it For though this be in the law of nature that some dayes should be separated to Gods worship as appeares by the practice of the Gentiles yet that it should be every seventh day 2. Edâ—â— p 11. 16. the Lord himselfe set down in expresse words which otherwise by the light of nature they could never have found So that by his confession there is no Sabbath to be found in the law of nature no more then by the testimony of the Fathers in any positive law or divine appointment untill the Decalogue was given by Moses 8 Nay Doctor Bound goeth further yet and robs â—is friends followers of a speciall argument For where Danaeus askes this questioÌ„ Why one of seven rather then one of eight or nine and therunto makes answer that the number of seven doth signifie perfection and perpetuitie First saith the Doctor Ib. p. 69. I doe not see that proved that there is any such mysticall signification rather than of any other And though that were granted yet doe I not find that to be any cause at all in Scripture why the seventh day should be commanded to be kept holy rather then the sixth or eighth And in the former page The speciall reason why the seventh day should be rather kept than any other is not the excellencie or perfection of that number or that there is any mystery in it or that God delighteth more in it than in any other though I confesse saith hee that much is said that way both in divine and humane Writers Much hath been said therein indeed so much 〈◊〉 we may wonder at the strange niceties of some men and the unprofitable pains they have tooke amongst them in searching out the mysteries of this number the better to advance as they conceive In Gen. 2. the reputation of the Sabbath Aug. Steuchius hath affirmed in generall that this day and number is most naturall and most agreeable to divine imployments and therefore in omni aetate inter omnes gentes habitus venerabilis sacer accounted in all times and Nations as most venerable and so have many others said since him But he that lead the way unto him and to all the rest is Philo the Iew who being a great follower of Platos tooke up his way of trading in the mysteries of severall numbers wherein he was so intricate and perplexed that numero Platonis obscurius did grow at last into a Proverbe This Philo therefore Platonizing Tuâ— ad Attic. l. 7. Epl. 13. first tells us of this number of seven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he perswades himselfe De mundi â—pificio there is not any man able sufficiently to extoll it as being farre above all the powers of Rhetoricke and that the Pythagoreans from them first Plato learnt those trifles did usually resemble it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to Iove himselfe Then that Hippocrates doth divide the life of man into seven ages each age contayning seven full yeares to which the changes of mans constitution are all framed and fitted as also that the Beare or Arcturus as they use to call it and the constellation called the Pleiades consist of seven starres severally neither more nor lesse Hee shewes us also De legis Allâ—g l. 1 how much nature is delighted in this number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as viz. that there are seven Planets and that the Moone quartereth every seventh day that Infants borne in the seventh moneth are usually like enough to live that there are seven severall motions of the body seven intrailes so many outward members seven holes or out-lets in the same seven sorts of excrements as also that the seventh is the criticall day in most kindes of maladies And to which purpose this and much more of the same condition every where scattered in his Writings but to devise some naturall reason for the Sabbath For so he manifests himselfe in another place Ap. Euseb. Praepar l. â— c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now why God chose the seventh day and established it by law for the day of rest you need not aske at all of me since both Physicians and Philosophers have so oft declared of what great power and vertue that number is as in all other things so specially on the nature and state of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus saith he you have the reason of the seventh day Sabbath Indeed Philosophers and Physicians and other learned men of great name and credit have spoken much in honour of the number of seven and severally impute great power unto it in the workes of nature and severall changes of mans body Whereof â—ee Câ—nsorinus de die natali cap. 12. Varro in Gellius lib. 3. c. 10. Hippocrates Solon and Hermippus Beritus in the sixt Booke of Clemens of Alexandria besides divers others Nay it grew up so high in the opinion of some men that they derived it at the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ab insita majâ—state So Philo tels us Macrobius also saith the same De legis Allâ—gor Apud veteres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocitatur quod graeco nomine testabatur venerationem debitam numero Thus he in Somnio Scipionis 9 But other men as good as they find no such mystery in this number but that the rest may keepe pace with it if not goe before it and some of those which so much magnifie the seventh have found as weighty mysteries in many of the others also In which I shall the rather enlarge my selfe that seeing the exceeding great both contradiction and â—ontention that is between them in these needlâ—â—e curiosities we may the better finde the slightnesse of those arguments which seeme to place a great moralitiâ— in this number of seven as if it were by nature the most proper number for the service of God And first whereas the learned men before mentioned affixe a speciall power unto it
when the Church was setled how ever he might keep this holy and honour it for the use which was made therof yet he kept other days so used as holy but never any like a sabbath 7 Proceed wee next unto Saint Paul in his particular of whom the Scripture tells us more then of all the rest and wee shall finde that hee no sooner was converted Actâ—â— 2â— but that forth-with hee preached in the Synagogues that Iesus was the Christ. If in the Synagogues most likely that it was on the Iewish sabbath the Synagogues being destinate especially to the â—abbaâ—h dayes So after he was called to the publick Miâ—istâ—rie he came to Antiochia and went into the Synagogue on the sabâ—ath day and there preached the Word What was the issue of his sermon That the Text inâ—â—rmes us 〈…〉 And when the Iâ—wes were gone out of the 〈◊〉 the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached againe the next sabbath Vers◠〈◊〉 Saint Paul assented thereunto and the next sabbath day as the Text tells us came almost the whole Citie together to heare the Word of God Vers. 44. It seemes the Lords day was not growne as yet into any credit especially not into the repute of the Iewish sabbath for if it had Saint Paul might easily have told these Gentiles that is such Gentiles as had been converted to the Iewish Church that the next day would be a more convenient time and indeed opus diei in die suo the doctrine of the resurrection on the day thereof This hapned in the forty sixt yeare of Christs Nativity some twelue yeares after his Passion and Resurrection and often after this did the Apostle shew himselfe in the Iewish Synagogues on the sabbath dayes which I shall speake of here together that so wee may go on unto the rest of this discourse with lesse interruption And first it was upon the Sabbath that he did preach to the Philippians and baptized Lydia with her houshold Acts 16. Amongst the Thessalonians he reasoned three sabbath dayes together out of the Scriptures Acts 17. At Corinth every sabbaâ—h day with the Iewes and Greeks Acts 18. besides those many texts of Scripture when it is said of him that he went into the Synagogues and therefore probably that it was upon the Sabbath as before wee said Not that Saint Paul was so affected to the Sabbath as to preferre that day before any other but that he found the people at those times assembled and so might preach the Word with the greater profit In Acts 13. 14. Saint Chrysostome for the Ancients hath resolved it so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Father hath it So Calvin for the moderne Writers makes this the speciall cause of Saint Pauls resort unto the places of assembly on the Sabbath day quod profectum aliquem sperabat In Acts 16. 13. because in such concourse of people he hoped the Word of God would find the better entertainment Any thing rather to be thought then that S. Paul who had withstood so stoutly those false Apostles who would have circumcision and the law observed when there was nothing publickly determined of it would after the decision of so great a Councel wherein the Law of Moses was for ever abrogated either himselfe observe the sabbath for the sabbâ—ths sake or by his owne example teach the Gentiles how to Iudaize which he so blamed in S. Peter The sabbath with the legall ceremonies did receive their doome as they related to the Gentiles in that great Councell holden in Hierusalem which though it was not untill after he had preached at Antiochia on the sabbath day yet was it certainly before he had done the like either at Philippos Thessalonica or at Corinth 8 For the occasion of that Councell it was briefly this Amongst those which had joyned themselves with the Apostles there was one Cerinthus a fâ—llow of a turbulent and unquiet spirit and a most eager enemy of all those counsels whereof himselfe was not the Author This man had first begun a faction against S. Peter for going to Cornelius and preaching life eternall unto the Gentiles and finding ill successe in tâ—at goes downe to Antiochia and there begins another against Saint Paul This Epiphanius tells us of him Lib. l. baet 28. n. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like Philaster doth affirme De haeres iâ— Cerinâ—ha Seditionem sub Apostolis commovisse that he had raised a faction against the Apostles which was not to be crushed but by an Apostolicall and generall Councell This man and those that came downe with him were so inamoured on the ceremonies and rites of Moses that though they entertained the Gospel yet they were loath to leave the Law and therefore did resolve it seemes to make a mixture out of both Hence taught they that except all men were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Act 15. â— Where note that though they spake onely of circumcision â—et they intended all the lawâ—â— sabbaths and other legall ordinances of what sort soever Docuit Cerinthus observationem legis Mosaisae necessariam esse circumcsâ—â—nem Sabbata observanda as Philaster hath it The like â—aith Calvin on the place Sola quidem circumcisio hic nominatur sed ex contextu facile patet â—os detota lege movisse controversiam The like Loriâ—us also amongst the Iesuites Nomine circumcisionis reliqua lex totâ—intelligitur Indeed the Text affirmes as much where it is said in termes expresse Acts 15. 5. that they did hold it needfull to circumcise the people and to command them to keepe the Law of Moses whereof the Sabbath was a part For the decision of this point and the appeasing of those controversies which did thence arise it pleased the Church directed by the holy Ghost to determine thus that such amongst the Gentiles as were converted to the â—aith should not at all be burdened with the laws of Moses but onely should observe some necessary things viz. that they abstaine from thingâ— offered unto idols Vers. 29. and from bloud and that which is strangled and from fâ—râ—ication And here it is to be observed that the decree or Canon of this Councell did onely reach unto the Gentiles as is apparant out of the proeme to the Decretall which is directed to the brethren which are of the Gentiles and from the 21 Chapter of the Acts where it is said that as concerning the Gentiles which beleeve we have written and determined that they observe no such thing as the law of Moses So that for all that was determined in this Councell those of the Iews which had embraced the faith of Christ were not prohibited as yet to observe the Sabbath and other parts of Moses law as before they did in which regard S. Paul caused Timothie to be circumcised Act. â—6 3. because he would not scandalize and offend the Iewes The
Millaine he did not fast the Sabbath Nay which is more Saint Augustine tels us that many times in Africa one and the selfe Church Epiâ—t 85. at least the severall Churches in the self-â—ame Prouince had some that dined upon the Sabbath and some that fasted And in this difference it stood a long time together till in the end the Romane Church obtained the cause and Saturday became a fast almost through all the parts of the Western world I say the Westerne world and of that alone The Easterne Churches being so farre from altering their ancient custome that in the â—ixt Councell of Constantinople Anno 692 they did admonish those of Rome to forbeare fasting on that day upon pain of censures Which I have noted here in its proper place that we might know the better how the matter stood betweene the Lords Day and the Sabbath how hard a thing it was for one to get the mastery of the other both dayes being in themselues indifferent for sacred uses and holding by no other tenure then by the courtesie of the Church 4 Much of this kinde was that great conflict between the East and Westerne Churches about keeping Easter and much like conduced as it was maintained unto the honour of the Lords Day or neglect thereof The Passâ—over of the Iewes was changed in the Apostles times to the Feast of Easter the anniversary memoriall of our Saviours resurrection and not changed onely in their times but by their authoritie Certain it is that they observed it for Polycarpus kept it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both with Saint Iohn and with the rest of the Apostles as Irenaeus tels us in Eusebius History The like Polycrates affirmes of Saint Philip also Lib. 5. c. 26 whereof see Euseb. l. 5. c. 14. Nor was the difference which arose in the times succeeding about the Festivall it selfe but for the time wherein it was to be observed The Easterne Churches following the custome of Hierusalem kept it directly at the same time the Iewes did their Passeover and at Hierusalem they so kept it the Bishops there for fifteene severall iuccessions being of the Circuâ—cision the better to content the Iewes their brethren and to winne upon them But in the Churches of the West they did not celebrate this Feast decima quarta luna upoÌ„ what day soever it was as the others did but on some Sunday following after partly in honour of the day and partly â—o expresse some difference between Iewes and Christians A thing of great importance in the present case For the Christians of the East reflected not upon the Sunday in the Annuall returne of so great a Feast but kept it on the fourteenth day of the moneth be it what it will it may be very strongly gathered that they regarded not the Lords Day so highly which was the weekly memory of the resurrection as to preferre that day before any other in their publick meetings And thereupon Baronius pleads it very well that certainly Saint Iohn was not the Authour of the contrary practice as some gave it out Nam quaenam potuâ—t esse ratio Annal An. 159. c. For what saith he might be the reason why in the Revelation he should make mention of the Lords Day as a day of note and of good credit in the Church had it not got that name in reference to the resurrection And if it were thought fit by the Apostles to celebrate the weekly memory thereof upon the Sunday then to what purpose should they keepe the Anniversary on another day And so farre questionlesse we may joyne issue with the Cardinal that either Sunday is not meant in the Revelation or else Saint Iohn was not the Authour of keeping Easter with the Iewes on what day soever Rather we may conceive that Saint Iohn gave way unto the current of the times which in those places as is said were much intent upon the customes of the Iewes most of the Christians of those parts being Iewes originally 5 For the composing of this difference and bringing of the Church to an uniformity the Popes of Rome bestirred themselues â—o did many others also And first Pope Pius publisheth a declaration Com. Tom 1. Pasâ—ha domini die dominica annuis solennitatibus celebrandum esse that Easter was to be solemnized on the Lords day onely In Chronic. And â—here although I take the words of the letter directory yet I relie rather upon Eusâ—bius for the authority of the fact then on the Decretall it selfe which is neither the substance probable and the date starke false not to be tâ—usted there being no such Consuls it is Crabbes owne note as are there set downe But the Authoritie of Pope Pius did not reach so farre as th Asian Churches and therefore it produced an effect accordingly This was 159. and seven yeares after Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna a Reverend and an holy man made away to Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb hist l 14. c. 13. then to conferre with Anicetus then the Roman Prelate about this businesse And though one could not wooe the other to desert the cause yet they communicated together and so parted Friends But when that Blastus afterwards had made it necessary which before was arbitrary and taught it to be utterly unlawfull to hold this Feast at any other time then the Iewish Passâ—over becomming so the Authour of the Quartâ— decimani as they used to call them then did both Eleuthâ—rius publish a Decree that it was onely to be kept upon the Sunday and Irenaeus though otherwise a peaceable man write a Discourse entituled De schismate contra Blastum now not extant A little before this time this hapned Anno 1â—0 the controversie had tooke place in Laodicea L. 4. c. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius hath it which mooved Melito Bishop of Sardis a man of speciall eminence to write two Books de Paschate and one de die Dominico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to what side he took it is hard to say Were those discourses extant as they both are lost wee might no doubt finde much that would conduce to our present businesse Two yeares before the cloâ—e of this second century Euâ—eb l 5. c. 23 24. Pope Victor presuming probably on his name sends abroad his Mandatâ— touching the keeping of this Feast on the Lords Day onely against the which when as Polycratâ—s other Asian Prelates had set out their Manifests he presently without more ado declares them all for excommâ—â—icate But when this rather hindred then advanced the cause the Asian Bishops caring little for those Brut a sublumina and Irenaeus who held the same side with him having perswaded him to milder courses he went anotherway to work by practising with the Prelates of severall Churches to end the matter in particular Councels Of these was one held at Osroâ—na another by Bachyllus Bishop of Corinth a third in Gaâ—l by Irenaeus a fourth in
fitting every legall festivall with some that were observed in the Christian Church laying this ground that ours succeeded in the place of theirs 〈…〉 qu. 103 Art 3. ad 4â— Sabbatum mutatur in diem dâ—minicum similiter alijs solennitatibus veteris legis novae solennitates succedunt as his words there are Vpon which ground of his the doctrines now remembed were no question raised and howsoever other men might thinke all dayes alike in themselves considered yet those of Rome will have some holier than the rest even by a naturall and inherent holinesse 4 And in this state things stood both for the doctrine and the practise untill such time as men began to looke into the errours and abuses in the Church of Rome with a more serious eye then before they did the Canonists being no lesse nice in the point of practise then were the Schoolemen and the rest exhorbitant in the point of doctrine Whose niceties especially in matter of restraint In Exod. 12. we have most fully represented to us by â—ostatus one that had runne through all the parts of learning at that time on foote and was as well studied in the Canon as in the Schooles He then determineth of it thus â—tinerando pro negotijs pâ—ccatum esse mortale c. Qâ— 25. Hee that doth travaile on the holy dayes for in that generall name the Lords day and the other festivalls are comprehended about worldly businesse commits mortall sinne as also if he Trade or Traffick in the place wherein he liveth But this hath two exceptions or reservations First if the businesse by him done bee but small and light quae quictem Sabbati non impediunt such as are no great hinderance to the Sabbaths rest and secondly nisi hoc sit in causa pia unlesse it were on some devouâ— and pious purpose To reade unto or teach a man to deale in actions of the Law Qu. 26. or determine suites or to cast accounts si quis doceret ut lucretur if it be done for hire or for present gaine become servile workes and are forbidden Otherwise if one doe it gratis Qu. 27. If a Musitian waite upon a Gentleman to recreate his minde with Musicke and that they are agreed on a certaine wages or that hee be hired onely for a present turnâ— he sinnes in case hee play or sing unto him on the holy dayes but not if his reward be doubtfull Qu. 28. and depends onely upon the bounty of the parties who enjoy his musicke A Cook that on the holy dayes is hired to make a feast or to dâ—esse a dinner doth commit mortall sinne sed non pro toto mense aut anno but not if he be hired by the moneth or by the yeare Meat may be dressed upon the Lords day Qu. 29. or the other holy dayes but to wash dishes on those dayes was esteemed unlawfull et differi in diem alteram and was to bee defâ—rred till another day Qu 32. Lawyers that doe their clients businesse for their wonted fee were not to draw their bills or frame their answers or peruse their evidences on the holy dayes Secus si causam agerent pro miserabilibus personis c. But it was otherwise if they dealt for poore indigent people such as did sue in forma pauperis as we call it or in the causes of a Church or hospitall in which the Popes had pleased to grant a dispensation A man that travailed on the holy dayes Qu. 34. to any speciall shrine or Saint did commit no sinne Si autem in redeundo peccatum est mortale but if he did the like in his comming backe Qu. 35. he then sinned mortally In any place where formerly it had beene the custome neither to draw water nor to sweepe the house but to have those things ready on the day before the custome was to bee observed where no such custome is there they may bee done Actions of a long continuance if they were delightfull or if one played three or foure houres together on a Musicall instrument were not unlawfull on the holy dayes yet possibly they might be sinfull ut si quis hoc ageret ex lascivia as if one played onely out of wantonnesse Qu 36. or otherwise were so intent upon his musicke that he went not to Masse â—rtificers which worke on the holy dayes for their owne profit onely are in mortall sinne unlesse the worke be very small quia modicum non facit solennitatâ—m dissolui because a little thing dishonours not the Festival De minimis non curat lex as our saying is Contrary Butchers Vintners Bakers Coster-mongers sinned not in selling their commodities because more profit doth redound to the Common wealth which cannot be without such commodities than to them that â—ell yet this extended not to Drapers Shoomakers or the like because there is not such a present necessity for cloathes as meate Yet where the custome was that Butchers did not sell on the holy dayes but specially not upon the Lords day that commendable custome was to be observed though in those places also it was permitted to the Butcher that on those dayes at some convenient times thereof hee might make ready what was to be sold on the morrow after as kill and skinne his bestiall which were fit for sale in case he could not doe it with so much convenience non ita congrue at another time Qu. 3â— To write out or transcribe a booke though for a mans owne private use was esteemed unlawfull except it were exceeding small because this put no difference betweene the holy dayes and the other yet was it not unlawfull neither in case the Argument were spirituall nor for a preacher to write out his sermons or for a Student to provide his lecture for the day following Windmils were suffered to be used on the holy dayes Qâ— 3â— not Watermils because the first required lesse labour and attendance than the other did This is the reason in Tostatus though I can see no reason in it the passage of the water being once let runne being of more certainty and continuance then the changeable blowing of the winde But to proceed Ferry-men were not to transport port such men in their boates or wherries as did begin their journey on an holy day Qu. 39. unlesse they went to Mâ—sse or on such occasions but such as had begunne their journey and now were in pursuite thereof might be ferried over quia forte carebunt victu because they may perhaps want victuals if they doe not passe To repaire Churches on the Lords day and the other holy dayes Qu. 41. was accounted lawfull in case the workemen did it gratis and that the Church were poore not able to hire workemen on the other dayes not if the Church were rich and in case to doe it Qu 42 So also to build bridges repaire the walls of Townes and Castles or other publicke edifices
upon the Sunday as being contrary to the Statute then by the same reason may hee bee endited for any fayre or market kept on any of the other holy dayes in that Statute mentioned 11 Nor staied it here For in the 1465 which was the fourth yeere of King Edward the fourth 4. Edw. 4. c. 7. it pleased the King in Parliament to enact as followeth Our Soveraigne Lord the King c. hath ordained and established that no Cordwainer or Cobler within the Citty of London or within thrée miles of any part of the said Citty c. doe upon any Sunday in the yéere or on the feasts of the Ascension or Nativity of our Lord or on the feast of Corpâ—s Christi sell or command to be sold any shooes huâ—eans i.e bootes or Galoches or upon the Sunday or any other of the said Feasts shall set or put upon the feete or leggs of any person any shooes huseans or Galoches upon paine of forfeiture and losse of 20 shillings as often as any person shall doe contrary to this ordinance Where note that this restraint was onely for the Citty of London and the parts about it which shewes that it was counted lawfull in all places else And therefore there must bee some particular motive why this restraint was layd on those of London onely either their insolencies or some notorious neglect of Gods publike service the Gentle craft had otherwise beene ungently handled that they of all the tradesmen in that populous ciâ—ty should bee so restrained Note also that in this very Act there is a reservation or indulgence for the inhabitants of S. Martins le Grand to doe as formerly they were accustomed 14 15 of H. 8. cap. 9. the said Act or Statute notwithstanding Which very clause did after move King Henry the eight to repeale this statute that so all others of that trade might bee free as they or as the very words of the statuâ—e are that to the honour of allmighty God all the Kings subiects might be hereafter at their liberty as well as the inhabitants of S. Martins le Grand Now where it seemeth by the proeme of the Statute 17 of this King Edward 4. c. 3. that many in that time did spend their holy dayes in dice quoites tennis bowling and the like unlawfull games forbiddeâ— as is there affirmed by the Lawes of the Realme which said unlawfull games are thereupon prohibited under a certaine penaltie in the Statute mentioned It is most manifest that the prohibition was not in reference to the time Sundayes or any other holy dayes but only to the Games themselves which were unlawfull at all times For publicke actions in the times of these two last Princes the greatest were the battailles of Towton and Barnet one on Palms Sunday and the other on Eaâ—â—er day the grâ—atest fields that ever were fought in England And in this Staâ—e things stood till King Henry the eight 12 Now for the doctrine and the practise of these times before King Henry the eight and the reformation wee cannot take a better view then in Iohn de Burgo Chancellour of the University of Cambridge about the latter end of King Henry the sixt Pupilla Oculips 10. â— 11. D. First doctrinally hee determineth as before was said that the Lords day was instituted by the authoritâ— of the Church and that it is no otherwise to bee observed then by the Canons of the Church wee are bound to keepe it Then for the name of Sabbath that the Lords day 〈…〉 quaelibet dies statuta ad divinaâ— culturam and every day appointed for Gods publicke service may bee so entituled because in them wee are to rest from all servile works such as are arts mechanicke husbandry Law-daies and going to marketts with other things quae ab Ecclesia determinantur which are determined by the Church Id. pars 9. cap. 7. H. Lastly that on those dayes insistendum est orationibus c. Wee must bee busied at our prayers the publicke service of the Church in hymnes and in spirituall songs and in hearing Seâ—mons Next practically for such things as were then allowed of he doth sort them thus First generally Non tâ—men prohibentur his diebus facere quae pertinent ad providentiam necessariorum c. We are not those dayes restrained from doing such things as conduce to the providing of necessaries either for our selves or for our neighbours as in preserving of our persons or of our substance or in avoiding any losse that might happen to us Particularly next si iacentibus c. Id. ib. Iâ— In case our Corne and hay in the fields abroad be in danger of a tempest wee may bring it in yea though it be upon the Sabbath Butchers and victualers if they make ready on the holy dayes what they must sell the morrow after either in open market or in their shops in case they cannot dresse it on the day before or being dressed they cannot keep it non peccant mortaliter they fall not by so doing Id. ib. L. into mortall sinne vectores mercium c. Carriers of wares or men or victualls unto distant places in case they cannot doe it upon other daies without inconvenience are to bee excused Barbers and Chirurgions Smithes or Farriers Id. ib. M. if on the holy dayes they doe the works of their dayly labour especially propter necessitatem â—orum quibus serviunt for the necessities of those who want their helpe are excusable also but not in case they doe it chiefely for desire of gaine Id. ib. N. Messengers Posts and Travellers that travaille if some speciall occasion bee on the holy dayes whether they doe it for reward or not non audeo condemnare are not at all to bee condemned As neither Millers which doe grinde either with water-mils or wind-mils and so can doe their worke without much labour but they may keepe the custome of the place in the which they live not being otherwise commanded by their Ordinaryes secus si tractu iumentorum multuram faciâ—nt Id. ib. O. but if it be an horse-mill then the case is altered So buying and selling on those dayes in some present exigent as the providing necessary victualls for the day was not held unlawfull dum tamen exercentes ea non subtrahunt se divinis officiis in case they did not thereby keepe themselves from Gods publicke service Id. ib. Q. Lastly for recreations for dancing on those dayes hee determines thus that they which dance on any of the holy dayes either to stirre themselves or others unto carnall lusts commit mortall sinne and so they doe saith hee in case they doe it any day But it is otherwise if they dance upon honest causes and no naughty purpose and that the persons be not by law restrained Choreas ducentes maximè in diebus festis caâ—sa incitandi se vel aliâ—s ad peccatuâ— mortale peccant mortaliter similiter si in
profestis diebus hoe fiat secus si hoc fiat ex causa honesta intentione non corrupta à persona cui talia non sunt prohibita With which determination I conclude this Chapter CHAP. VIII The story of the Lords-day from the reformation of Religion in this Kingdome till this present time 1 The doctrine of the Sabbath and the Lords day delivered by three severall Martyrs conformably to the iudgement of the Protestants before remembred 2 The Lords day and the other holy dayes confessed by all this Kingdome in the Court of Parliament to have no other ground then the authority of the Church 3 The meaning and occasion of that clause in the Common prayer booke Lord have mercy upon us c. repeated at the end of the fourth Commandment 4 That by the Queenes Injâ—nctions and the first Parliament of her reigne the Lords day was not meant for a Sabbath day 5 The doctrine in the Homilies deliâ—ered about the Lords day and the Sabbath 6 The summe and substance of that Homily and that it makes not any thing for a Lords day Sabbath 7 The first originall of the New Sabbath Speculations in this Church of England by whom and for what cause invented 8 Strange and most monstrous Paradoxes preached on occasion of the former doctrines and of the other effects thereof 9 What care was taken of the Lords day in King Iames his reigne the spâ—eading of the doctrines and of the Articles of Ireland 10 The Iewish Sabbath set on foote and of King Iames his declaration abouâ— lawfull sports on the Lords day 11 What tracts were writte and published in that Princes time in opposition to the doctrines before remembred 12 In what estate the Lords day and the other holy dayes have stood in Scotland since the reformation of Religion in that Kingdome 13 Statutes about the Lords day made by our present Soveraigne and the misconstruing of the same His Majesty reviveth and enlargeth the declaration of King Iames. 14 An exhortation to obedience unto his Majesties most Christian purpose concludes this History 1 THVS are wee safely come to these present times the times of reformation wherein what ever had beene taught or done in the former dayes was publickely brought unto the test and if not well approved of layed aside either as unprofitable or plainely hurtfull So dealt the Reformatours of the Church of England as with other things with that which wee have now in hand the Lords day and the other holy dayes keeping the dayes as many of them as were thought convenient for the advancement of true godlinesse and increase of piety but paring off those superstitious conceits and matters of opinion which had beene enterteined about them But first before wee come to this wee will by way of preparation lay downe the iudgements of some men in the present point men of good quality in their times and such as were content to bee made a sacrifice in the Common cause Of these I shall take notice of three particularly according to to the severall times in the which they lived And first wee will beginne with Master Fryth who suffered in the yeere 1533 who in his declaration of Baptisme thus declares himselfe P. 96. Our forefathers saith hee which were in the beginning of the Church did abrogate the Sabbath to the intent that men might have an ensample of Christian liberty c. Howbeit because it was necessary that a day should be reserved in which the people should come together to heare the word of God they ordayned insteed of the Sabbath which was Saturday the next day following which is Sunday And although they might have kept the Saturday with the Iew as a thing indifferent yet they did much better Some three yeeres after him anno 1536 being the 28 of Henry the eight suffered Master Tyndall who in his answer to Sir Thomas More hath resolved it thus Pag. 287. As for the Sabbath we be Lords over the Sabbath and may yet change it into Munday or into any other day as wee see neede or may make every tenth day holy day onely If we see cause why Neither was there any cause to change it from the Saturday but to put a difference betweene us and the Iewes neither need wee any holy day at all if the people might bee taught without it Last of all Bishop Hooper sometimes Bishop of Gloucester who suffered in Queene Maries reigne doth in a treatise by him written on the ten Commandements and printed in the yeere 1550 goe the selfe same way Pag 103. Wee may not thinke saith hee that God gave any more holinesse to the Sabbath then to the other dayes For if yee consider Friday Saturday or Sunday in as much as they be dayes and the worke of God the one is no more â—oly then the other but that day is alwayes most holy in the which we most apply and give our selves unto holy works To that end did hee sanctify the Sabbath day not that wee should give our selves to illenesse or such Ethnicall pastime as is now used amongst Ethnicall people but being free that day from the travailles of this world wee might consider the works and benefits of God with thankesgiving heare the word of God honour him and feare him then to learne who and where bee the poore of Christ that want our helpe Thus they and they amongst them have resolved on these foure conclusions First â—hat one day is no more holy then another the Sunday then the Saturday or the Friday further than they are set apart for holy uses Secondly that the Lords day hath no institution from divine authority but was ordained by our fore fathers in the beginning of the Church that so the people might have a Day to come together and heare Gods Word thirdly that still the Church hath power to change the day from Sunday unto Monday or what day shee will And lastly that one day in seven is not the Morall part of the fourth Commandement for M. Tyndall faith expressely that by the Church of God each tenth day onely may be kept holy if wee see cause why So that the mervaile is the greater that any man should now affirme as some men have done that they are willing to lay downe both their Lives and Livings in maintenance of those contrary Opinions which in these latter dayes have been taken up 2 Now that which was affirmed by them in their particulars was not long afterwards made good by the generall Bodie of this Church and State the King the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and all the Commons met in Parliament 5. 6. Edw. 6. cap. 3. anno the fift and sixt of King Edward the sixt where to the honour of Almighty God it was thus enacted For as much as men bee not at all times so mindfull to laud and praise God so readie to resort to heare Gods Holy Word and to come to the holy Communion