this above all the rest would have been scandalous to them because they held all Nations to be tyed to the Precepts given to Noah and abhorred them that observed them not more then they did for the Ceremonies given by the hand of Moses or even for circumcision it self though given to Abraham But now the Jewes Common wealth being destroyed and God having rejected them from being any more his people and that Doctrine of Christian Liberty being fully published Christians that understand their Liberty need no longer forbear the eating of it It being repealed upon the grounds forenoted XVI Second Rule of a Morall Law though Positive And so having dispatched this not unusefull digression to our main purpose We return to the prosecution of that and so for the yet better and more clear discerning of Morall Lawes though but Positive We propound this second Rule Every Law of God though but Positive which is Substantially-profitable for all men in all Ages to be obliged unto is Morall that is Vniversall and Perpetuall unlesse a clear and certain repeale of it can be shewed in Scripture The sense of this Rule is delivered by great Divines in those usuall sentences of ' Tale Praeceptum qualis Ratio Praecepti And Episc Winton opâ—sc p. 145. Ratio immutabilis facit Praeceptum immutabile But because those Expressions are liable to Exceptions and have been excepted against by divers Disputers in this Question We rather chuse to deliver our selves otherwise and as we have set our Rule down whereby we conceive the usuall Objections against those Sentences are sufficiently prevented or may be readily answered And this as we suppose will be cleare when we have a little explained the Termes of this Rule also and added a few grounds for the confirmation of it 1. Then by Profitable we understand that XVII Explained 1. What is meant by a Profitable Law All the Lawes of Nature are undoubtedly profitable And some may become so which are but Positive XVIII 2. How it becomes profitable 1. As a supply of Wisdome which being practised not only possibly or probably may but certainly and infallibly doth tend to the securing and advancing either 1. of the glory of God and the good of Soules which goe ever together or 2. the generall good of humane societie or 3. even a mans own personall good in regard of his body and outward condition According as the concernment of the Law looks at any one or more of these and the more of these it looks to the more profitable it is and the more certainly Morall and Perpetuall 2. It is to be considered how a Law that appeares not to be of absolute Necessity and so not properly Morall-Naturall in the specialty of it may come to be so profitable to any of the ends forementioned and that we conceive may be in a three-fold respect 1. As it may be a happy supply of Wisdome to men in limiting or bounding those things that even necessarily must be limited some way and which Mans wisdome specially as now corrupted is greatly if not altogether unsufficient to set the bounds of and wherein yet if there be not a wise determination there may be a very great prejudice to some or other of those important ends Herein now the wisedome of God being uncontrollable interposing it selfe by a Law both makes that Law and assures it to be undeniably profitable 2. XIX 2. As a remedy of Unwillingnesse As it may be a sufficient remedy of mens unwillingnesse to practise that which is so profitable Experience shewes that our want of Zeale to God and our own Soules good and want of Charity one to another or even of constant respect to our own true Naturall good betrayes us to sundry faults where we are left at liberty without any expresse Law of God The Lawes of Men even though Penall being not strong enough to hold us in in many things and not able to reach to many others And though it be true that God hath given a generall command to obey Superiors in lawfull things yet is that Command so agitated by Disputes of men of all sorts that in conclusion it is exceeding little practised any where unlesse it be in those things which a mans own mind consents to be every way profitable for himselfe which very rarely happens Therefore the unquestionable Authority of GOD giving out a Law in any particular not only silences all Disputes but awes all Consciences far more strongly and immediately then the best Law of Man can doe even of those that are unwilling if they be not altogether hardned or asleep and so secures the Practice to the fullest advantage according to the nature of the Profitablenesse of the Law XX. 3. As securing liberty to the willing 3. As it may be a sufficient securing of a desirable Liberty or Priviledge to the willing to practise that which may be profitable in any of the respects fore-noted or to forbeare the contrary And in this also experience shewes abundantly That when things are left more at large many are interrupted and many altogether hindered from those things which they greatly desire to doe and which would be really profitable to be done and are oftentimes not only tempted but even forced in a sort to doe contrary to what were so profitable to be done if they had cleare liberty from sufficient Authority Therefore here againe the undeniable Soveraigne Authority of God the Lord of all comes graciously to authorize by that Law such to enjoy their desired freedome and to plead his pleasure for their liberty to so good purposes and withall gives them assurance that if they doe suffer any outward inconvenience from men or otherwise himselfe will recompense it to them againe at least unto their soules and so the Law is still most undoubtedly profitable XXI 3. What is meant by Substantially Profitable To difference it Thirdly Now by substantially-profitable we understand such a Law whose utility flowes not meerly from the absolute and almighty pleasure of GOD the Lawgiver though his Wisdome and Authority be the prime and principall cause of all profitablenesse of any Law and so of these as we discoursed but even now But it ariseth partly from the nature of the Practice or Forbearance and so from the matter of the Law in it selfe according to Reason and humane judgement And so by putting in this word we difference the Lawes we now speak of 1. From all the Ceremoniall Types and Documents forespoken of XXII 1. From Ceremoniall Types c. even that of not eating blood c. For we deny not but in as much as God appointed those for a time they were for the time in that consideration profitable unto those Typicall ends and so reductively to his Honour and Soules good But this was not in the nature of the Observances themselves or the substantiality of the matter of those Laws towards Gods honour but meerly in
the Determination of that Solemne Time be in it self sinfull as in some considerations it may be in mens Determinations as we shall see It would be sin not to present or proportion Duties according to the Determination made namely 1. During the whole Continuance 2. Upon every Revolution 3. At the particular Season of the Time Determined Only it must not be forgotten That X. Yet admits of a Reservation If any Authenticke Reservation or Dispensation were made together with the Determination of such solemne Time in any respect Or be sufficiently delivered afterwards by the Authority that makes that Determination namely and specially by God whose Authority is most sacred and undeniably absolutely supreame in every thing or even by any Superiour Such Reservation or Dispensation for any particular case to interrupt the Determination and solemnity in any respect may be and ought to be allowed without imputation of sinne or check of Conscience and yet for the residue the Determination to stand strong and firme Of which we shall see some considerable Instances hereafter And the like is to be yielded where a man 's own Vow hath determined any Time to himselfe If the Reservation were made together with the Determination But afterward he hath no power to put in a reservation at his own pleasure upon the change of his mind Only he may make use of any such as Gods command in some other consideration may necessitate him occasionally to give way unto As for instance A man may by Vow determine to himselfe such a Day wholly to be spent in Humiliation Prayer and Fasting From this now no meere change of his own mind afterward nor ordinary occasion of wordly businesse can dispense with him for any part of the whole Day Unlesse with such Vow he did reserve a liberty to admit such or such Interruptions But the Providence of God may interrupt him and he then without any present sinne may give way to some necessary occasions which admit not of a delay whether concerning others or himselfe Such namely as God not only allowes but even commands to interrupt any Time by Himselfe determined as Quenching of a Fire Resisting of an Enemy Affording necessary help to a sick person a travelling woman or the like And if there were any sinne it was in making the Vow too strictly without such Reservation But where God hath not appointed a Reservation in Times by Him determined there a mans own Vow making a Determination of Time to himselfe will tye him fast so far as he made no Reservation together with the Determination it selfe even though it should prove some kind of outward inconvenience or prejudice to himselfe to observe it so strictly For as an Oath to man because God is called for a witnesse in it will bind him fast that makes it though it be to his own hindrance outwardly in some degree unlesse the matter of the Oath appeare when it should be performed to be against some Commandement of God So a Vow to God much more will bind any man though he cannot keep it after without some inconvenience to himselfe unlesse we say it crosse any other Command of God in regard of some other necessary duty or the like XI The profitablenesse of such a Determination for Religion And now we are to proceed to consider according to the method of the former Chapter what Profitablenesse or Necessity generally there is or may be in any Determinations of Time solemnly for Religion and Solemne Worship and that both Conjoyned and Solitary Worship with reference also both to the kindes of Determinations in regard of the Respects of Time themselves and of the manner of them likewise according to Rules of Religious Reason and Experience and the Law of Nature and Scripture Here first All the causes of a profitable and necessary Determination forenoted agree clearly and undeniably to commend a Determination of solemne Time for Religion and even call for it as necessary 1. It is without doubt a most important and necessary businesse XII 1. Religion and Gods worship is a most important and necessary businesse and most worthy to have Time determined for it to tender Worship to God solemnly and accordingly to promote the Soules good It is the most important and most necessary businesse of oll other Gods Worship is the primary and chiefest end of Mans Creation Being and comming into the World and continuing in it And the Soules good is the secondary and next principall end of Mans life and abiding in the World His worldly businesses and even the good of his Body come but in the third place to be matters of necessity or importance If therefore for any thing it is or can be profitable and necessary to have Time determined it is for Religion certainly and for worshipping of God in the first place that He may have glory from us and our Soules blessing from Him And this Profit and Necessity for our Soules is now since the Fall exceedingly increased because thereby we fell from all our happinesse in regard of our Soules And so if any pretence could be alleadged that it was not necessary for Adam in innocencie to have any determinate Time for Solemn Worship to which Question we shall give some occasionall touches as we goe along it not now deserving a long dispute However we to be sure who are in a lost condition by Nature stand in need of Time to be determined for our Soules to seek againe from God by solemne waiting upon Him assured Reconciliation and recovery of our lost felicity in Him 2. By what we have in the Chapter concerning Solemn Worship XIII 2. It is impossible to worship God solemnly and doe any other businesse the while discoursed It appears sufficiently that it is impossible to attend it and other businesses of the World together at the same Time Not only because divers Worldly businesses in the nature of them take up the whole of Time or the whole of a man for the Time while they are doing and so leave not room for so much as Ejaculatory Worship or any thing toward God or the Soules good for some instants But also for that it is the proper nature of Solemn Worship even though Solitary to take up the whole man and so the whole Time whiles that Worship is presenting and it is so much profanesse as a man unlesse in cases by God allowed interrupts for the least moment of Time his Solemn Worship or affords any of that Time to any thing but God and his Soule That therefore there may be some fit Time for Solemn Worship N. B. and other fit Time for Worldly businesse it is clearly profitable to have some Determination of Time for Religion and in a degree necessary It is Heavenly-mindednesse and a gilding of our Earthly imployments to intermingle Ejaculatory Worship with them But it is Earthly-mindednesse and adulterating our Solemn Devotions if we willingly meddle with any Worldly
they are hereby yet more affected by a more Generall Example recommending the Worship of God but also because by the Solemne Ordinances of Prayer the Word and the Sacraments Administred and Dispensed and used in Publike multitudes are at once taught and minded of and provoked to the Duties they owe to God and Man better then their own solitary thoughts and endeavours or only their Families helping them could ordinarily have attained unto And this so much the rather because of the gifts which God to this purpose hath endued His Ministers with who by His appointment are set apart mainly for the Publike VVorship exceeding those which others have usually or ordinarily Yet by the advantage of Publike VVorship every particular Person present both enjoyes the benefit of the Ministers gifts of Prayer and specially of his knowledge and wisedome in interpreting the Scriptures and rightly dividing them for the edification and consolation of every one and so may reape in one houre the strength of that which hath been growing divers yeeres and feed upon that which hath been gathering divers dayes More we shall not need to adde concerning this at this time Because every conscience both feeles the gaine and encrease of spirituall good and comfort by the publike Ordinances as also by their earnest desire and seeking after them proclaime it sufficiently to others As also because to this generally our adversaries are frequent enough in affording their Testimonies And therefore also we will here spare the paines to quote any of them Hereafter we shall have occasion to make use of some of them Now we shut up this Chapter with summing up for a conclusion That both Solitary and Conjoyned VVorship in Families and Churches are Solemne and Necessary Duties required of all men so farre as hath beene said and so Morall-Naturall And now what time is required for all this we shall consider in the Chapters that follow CHAP. VII Generall Considerations about Time and its Profitablenesse in Reference to Morall Actions of Importance THe Necessity and Morality of Solemne VVorship having been in the former Chapter discoursed of I. Scope of the ensuing discourses about Time We are now to take in hand the consideration of the Time which may be or is to be allotted to it both generally and for the performance of the severall kinds of Worship Noted Driving it to this scope to shew by the Profitablenesse that may be in a wise determination of Time for Religion and Gods Solemne Worship That the determination of one day in seven for a Sabbath which we find in the fourth Commandement is a Law substantially profitable for all men in all ages to be bound unto Which then upon the grounds formerly laid of the Morality of such a Law though but Positive unlesse God be found to have clearly repealed it if we can vindicate from the supposed repeale which some contend for as we believe we shall we shall have demonstratively proved the perpetuity of that fourth Commandement in that Consideration and gained the Principall Fort striven for in this Cause And then the residue will be easie to be dispatched and made ours To this end we suppose it convenient to discourse first II. Why we first handle it generally with respect to Civill Actions concerning Time in generall as it may referre to humane Actions even Civill and that for two Causes 1. That hereby if it be possible we may gaine upon mens prejudices and take them of while we make it appeare that we wrest not things about Time to our purpose beyond the Nature of them but that whether we ever meddled with Religion or not Yet the considerations we shall note are reall and certaine even in ordinary businesses and civill affaires And so bringing our Cause before the barre of Reason and Nature to which our adversaries have appealed from the words of the Scripture we may take from them all evasions and wayes of shifting 2. That hereby the whole matter may be more cleare and distinct for every one to conceive and beare away when it is first set down generally with an Application to Civill Actions and afterward particularly shewed to agree to matters of Religion and Gods Solemne VVorship III. Why we use so many distinctions and divisions And apply them a second Time Melim est doctos onorare notis quam rudes fraudare discendis Leo Magnus Phil. 3.1 To write the same things to me indeed it is not grievous But for you it is safe And if in the former part we shall seeme to some somewhat too curious in spinning out distinctions and divisions we crave a respite of such censure untill we have added our Application wherein it will appeare that not one of all those divisions how nice so ever it seems but hath some Profitable not to say Necessary Vse toward the clearing and giving light to this most important controversie On the contrary if we be charged by others to tautologize in our Application of things to Religion in the following part We wish such to consider that many of the Notions being New and not of ordinary observation it may be more excusable to say some things a 2d time over which pregnant wits might have sufficiently understood and remembred by once mentioning them then by a single mention of any thing of importance to endanger the loosing of any ordinary readers apprehension or memory in a discourse of such length and weight as this is These things thus premised we fall to our worke to scanne the Nature of Time in reference to Humane and Morall Actions IV. Time an adjunct yet may be substantially profitable Time generally considered is a naturall adjunct and circumstance accompanying Humane Actions of what kind soever But yet such a circumstance as hath according as it may be ordered a reall as I may say a substantiall influence into the businesses for which such Action is performed and so may be substantially Profitable unto the maine businesse even according to naturall reason and in a constant course supposing the businesse not to be effected by one single and momentaneous Action V. This consideration hath been hurtfully neglected And Place unfitly paralelled with Time in Religion Which reallity of the effect of Time toward Morall Actions being not observed or not regarded by disputers in this Cause hath bred much confusion and occasioned manifold mistakes as appeares even by that one most common Assertion of all the adversaries That Time and Place are equall circumstances in Religion Which how false it is and how prejudiciall not to our Cause only but to Religion it selfe If we doe not anon demonstrate beyond the possibility of any reasonable deniall we shall despaire of ever prevailing in the Cause we have undertaken But on the contrary if we shall make manifest as we are confident by God helpe we shall That the one namely Time is of exceeding importance in Religion even without respect to any particular institution
in an instant or imperceptible Time or solemne Worship which cannot but take up some more remarkable Continuance In either sence and in both none can chuse but acknowledge that it were sin never throughout a mans whole life to waite upon God but once even though that once should be continued as long as ever any man in the world did wait upon God even fourty dayes and fourty nights as Moses did miraculously upon Mount Horeb once and a second time Therefore this Conclusion is also infallible That some determinate solemne Time above once for Frequencie is Morall-Naturall VIII Of both jointâ—y Again the same Argument will also serve to prove a joint Determination of somewhat both for Continuance and Frequencie together even by the Law of Nature thus If there may be sinne against the Law of Nature in waiting upon God too little while at once though one do wait upon Him often and in waiting upon Him too seldome though one do wait upon Him a good while together for once then a determinate solemne Time is Morall-Naturall both for some Continuance and some Frequencie together But there may be sinne against the Law of Nature in waiting upon God too little while at once though one doe wait upon Him often and in waiting upon Him too seldome though one doe wait upon Him a good while together for once Ergo. The Consequence stands good upon the former proofes so also doth the Antecedent for what heart can deny but the Continuance of halfe a minute were too little at once constantly for Gods worship though a man did reiterate it for Frequencie every Day and even divers times every Day And again who can but acknowledge that to worship God solemnly but once or twice in a mans life were too seldome how long soever he continued at it when he did worship Him The Conclusion then is beyond gainsaying That a Determinate Solemne Time is Morall-Naturall both for Continuance above a quarter of a Minute and for Frequencie above once or twice in a mans life time IX An Objection prevented two wayes If any now wonder why we have troubled our selves or our Readers with so many words about so plain a matter as this seems to be which also all that handle these Disputes seem to grant abundantly We desire such to receive satisfaction from a two-fold Answer which we offer in this behalfe X. Answ 1. First that throughout this whole Discourse we chuse rather to prove what we assert than to be beholding to our Adversaries for granting it as well to satisfie the consciences of all Readers as for that we know not whether our Adversaries in this question of the Sabbath will be alwayes so liberall as to grant all that now in their books they sometimes doe Which we are in more suspition of because we find as we shall put them in mind often in the ensuing Discourse that they doe ever now and then retract their grants of divers things which if they would steadily have held to they would have been forced to have come unto us in the maine as we hope to give them to understand ere we hâ—ve done 2. But withall we cannot chuse but professe XI Answ 2. that in particular we have not as yet been able to observe in their writings any such constant and clear confession of these things we have now taken paines to prove as we conceive necessary to be expresly set downe for a right foundation of understanding of these disputes For though all of them usually affirme in sense if not in expresse termes That one Day in seven for frequencie is very agreeable to the Law of Nature and that lesse then one in seven it may not be and that Christians must not give God lesse then the Jewes did and such like speeches which we shall note hereafter in their due place And some of them offer also now and then to say That a Day which when we speak of we mean for Continuance a Day together is of the Law of Nature which is more then we yet have said Yet soon after like men that have trod upon a Quagmire or a Serpent they step back again and as having granted more then they can well afford us or then indeed will well stand with their cause they fall off again to meere generals and uncertainties under the notions of a sufficient and convenient Time and such like doubtfull phrases which without some particularizing come in effect to nothing more then a more then a meere indeterminate Time as we have noted in the former Chapter and never so much as grant explicitely and clearly any distinct Determination at all by the Law of Nature either for the Continuance so much as a Minute at once or for the Frequencie once in a Yeere which hath made us apprehend it necessary to set down somewhat at least of our own by way of ground-work and lay our foundation as low as may be and so try what we can further build upon it in due season While withall we doubt not but we may rise divers steps higher both for the Continuance of Time for Worship and for the Frequencie then those we have discoursed of hitherto As namely That all men will confesse that 1. for the Continuance single the Law of Nature doth determine every man to somewhat more then a quarter of an houre then halfe an houre even to a whole houre at least as to a necessary proportion to be given to God at one time or other during a mans life and that it were sin even against the Law of Nature if a man should never in all his life give God a whole houre at once And 2. for the Frequencie single that the Law of Nature doth determine every man to somewhat more then twice in his life even more then twice in seven yeeres more then twice in every yeere of his life every quarter of a yeere every moneth even once at least every day as a necessary proportion to be given to God in a Revolution And that it were sin even against the Law of Nature to worship God seldomer then so in some manner Also 3. Putting both these Respects together and the Law of Nature doth still determine every man to at least an houre together We say not every Day but at least every Moneth as a necessary proportion to be given to God and that lesse at once every moneth or seldomer so much as an houre were sin even against the Law of Nature And this we are perswaded even very corrupted Nature will not find in their hearts to deny nor can they upon the former Principles of Gods being the Lord of all our Time and our Happinesse And further also then so we might perhaps goe but we are not willing to particularize too far by way of guesse because nothing certain can be concluded on uncertainties Therefore we will rather make triall whether the Law or Light of Nature will help us any
Duties of worship But under the New Testament there is no such thing there is no Duty of Religion no particular Duty of worship that Morally and Theologically must necessarily be performed on the Lords-day and on no other Day Neither is there any particular Duty of worship Prayer only excepted which can never be wholly excluded when we have to doe with Religious Times or Duties of worship necessary to the observation of the Lords-day absolutely or infallibly So that in a Theologicall or Morall sense it is not proper nor true to say that either the continuance of a whole Day or the revolution of that whole Day once in seven Dayes or the particular Day the Lords-Day is a necessary circumstance to any particular act of worship But only to worship to Religion in general in the manner forenoted as commanded by God for the chiefe Time according to the Law of nature and Scripture and for the particular Day according to both Old and New Testament And in such a sense being Morally and Theologically necessary this Time in all the respects of it call it a circumstance or adjunct or what you will cannot be avoyded but it will have the nature of a part of worship according to any right description of it XIII Obj. 2. Answered But he still goes on striving rather to explaine then to deliver himself from his former Argument by instances As courser fare or meaner apparell in time of mourning hath no more holinesse in it then any other but only is subservient to worship and holinesse And as a Day of Fasting is no more holy then another but serves to holinesse c. Lastly as the houres of the morning and evening sacrifices every Day were not more holy then other houres of the Day but as circumstances only to be observed So for so he would inferre as we conceive the Dayes of the New Testament are but circumstances of worship not any parts of worship To this we answer First the difference between the things compared Sol. 1 at least as he seemes to understand them is very great as much as the Divine institution and the want thereof For he confesses that one Day in seven is morall and commanded by God in the fourth Commandement But as he seemes to take the other things we have no command for them Otherwise when God ever did as of old command the abstinence from some kind of meates from some kind of apparell and commanded sackcloth c. Those observations were a part of the legall worship And when God ordained an annuall Fast that very Day in its observation was a part of worship as well as the Sabbath But when men voluntarily set apart Dayes to Fasting and Prayer the particular Dayes are no parts of worship but only meanes subservient to the worship of God because they have no Divine command concerning those particular Dayes So when men appoint Holy-dayes as they are called they are no parts of worship but only circumstances subservient to it But if God have appointed any Time as even according to this Author He hath one Day in seven by the fourth Commandement that Time must needs be a part of worship as well as a necessary circumstance to Holinesse and Religion And this his third instance doth help to manifest For though the precise point or minute of Time was not commanded for the Morning or Evening sacrifice yet the Time was within a latitude It might not be before such an houre nor after such an houre as the Jewish Authors expressely name the bounds understood by them So that we may also well say that the observation of them within that latitude not sooner nor later was a part of Worship part of the Jewes speciall homage part of the immediate honour they owed to God and whereunto they were infallibly bound by Religion and conscience of Gods command namely to observe such seasons of Time strictly in such revolutions And to have performed the same services sacrifices which neglect of those speciall respects of Time had made them guilty of violation of Gods worship Also from hence they had intimations at least of promises of blessing and acceptation speciall even with relation to the very Times observed besides the particular services presented on them And the services then presented according to those times were more acceptable than others presented at their own voluntary times Therefore Elijah waits for the Time of the offering the evening-sacrifice 1 King 18. Even when he was to present his extraordinary sacrifice and worship And David mentioning acceptation saith not barely as a sacrifice but as an evening-sacrifice Psal 141. There came a speciall blessing to the three Kings distressed for water at the Time of the offering the meat-offering 1 King 3. And even in Daniels Day of solemne Humiliation and Fasting the Angel comes to him with a gracious and comfortable message at the Time of the evening sacrifice Dan. 9. All these intimations shew that there was a peculiar respect had to those Times those Houres both by men and even by God himself They were then specially acceptable and parts of worship The chiefe Time then the Sabbath much more Sol. 2 2. Let it be considered whether by this kind of arguing this Author do not make all Dayes under the Gospel equall and so in the issue contradict himself For if Times and Dayes now be not parts of worship but only necessary circumstances of worship in his sense then the LORDS Dayes are no holier no better then other Dayes on which any worship is performed For they are also necessary circumstances of that worship performed on them But to say and hold that one Day in seven is morall by the fourth Commandement is to say that all Dayes are not equall and if now this be not a contradiction let the Readers judge XIV Obj. 3. Answered He hath only one thing more to object That in the New Testament no such promises are made to the observation of our Day as were to the seventh Day of old but only to the exercises of piety and publique worship And hence he would it seemes infer that it is no part of worship Sol. 1 But to this we answer 1. We find no expresse promises made to the seventh Day in the beginning when it was as he holds given to Adam Yet no doubt were implyed in Gods blessing and sanctifying the Day and so it may be now Sol. 2 The promises were not made to speake properly to the seventh Day but to the Sabbath or rather to the observation in duties of piety and Religion which is the imployment of the Sabbath And if one Day in seven be required now as he holds the promises do in like manner belong to it What command of God or Ordinance of Religion is there Sol. 3 which is not attended in the very nature of the thing with promises As godlinesse in generall hath all the promises So every duty of godlinesse hath its share This Day then being commanded being Gods ordinance a duty of godlinesse in its observation is not without promises It was lesse needfull to make new promises to this Day in particular Sol. 4 since they are made already Gen. 2. Exod. 20. Esa 58. as we have seen unto Gods Day His Sabbath the Day of His appointment for the sufficient chiefe Time of His Worship Look therefore as the duties of the Day a holy rest fall on our Day by vertue of the fourth Commandement So by the same equity and analogie the Blessings annexed to that Day fall on our Day on the right observers of it And so all his Objections are satisfied And our Conclusion good The chiefe Time and the particular Day for it is a Part of VVorship not a meere Circumstance We will now close this Chapter XV. The testimonies and confessions of the adverse party Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. p. 378. with some Testimonies and Confessions 1. The judicious Hooker holding one Day of seven to be morall and of perpetuall obligation by the fourth Commandement as we shall heare hereafter thus delivers his Judgement concerning the nature of this Time It cannot 〈◊〉 denied but the very Law of Nature it selfe requires the sanctifâ—â—ation of Times For which cause it hath pleased God heretofore 〈◊〉 exact some part of Time by way of perpetuall Homage Where by Homage he meanes a piece of part of service which we owe to God the Lord of time and us by the fourth Commandement 2. Heare our Adversaries G. Irons p. 88. Chalenging a tribute of our Time p. 70. G.D. p. 21. There ought to be a certaine part of our Time given to God p. 59. B. of E. p. 121. That God should have a Tribute of our Time for Publike VVorship was never by any man denyed to be Morall and Naturall By Tribute he meanes we suppose a Part of VVorship as Tribute paid to Kings is a Part of the Homage and Honour due to them 3. Another thus The Heathens had their Feasts and set Dayes consecrated to the worship of their gods That is as we thinke he cannot but mean Not only they did worship their gods on those Dayes but did observe those Dayes as a part of worship in honour of their gods 4. This followes also upon that of the learned Bishop The Religious observation of holy times is reduced to the fourth Commandement as a speciall to a generall But say we The Religious observation of holy times by the fourth Commandement is a part of worship 5. For this was preached at Court and not long since printed by Command D. Turners Sermon at Whitehall March 10. 1635. p. 19. Statut. 1 Carol. The Religious observation of the Lords-day who doubts but it is a part of Gods immediate worship 6. Finally The King and State have proclaimed as much Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of Him according to His holy will And that the holy keeping of the Lords-day is a principall part of the true service of God We have what we have argued for And with this we rest and end our first Part. FINIS
think it is considerable that our Prosperity hath begun to wither and our miseries to grow upon us ever since But enough of that at this time 8. A chiefe part of Nehemiahs Reformation c. Nehem. 13.15 c. 8. Lastly Nehemiah that Good man and Good Governour makes this businesse of the Sabbath 1. A speciall Part of his Reformation as our present Reformers have Blessed of the Lord be they for it reproving threatning and setting watch against the Profanation of it by the Heathens 2. Worth contending for even with the Nobles as well as the common people 3. As a matter for which he expected to be Remembred of God Nehem. 13.15.22 And now we entreat thee Christian Reader sadly to consider whether the Sabbath which hath all these Elogies be not worth our best endevours to vindicate the observation of it as a principall part of our Religion But now it may peradventure seem strange 2. Why any mor Bookes of this subject why after so long silence in the Sabbaticall controversies and after so many books of this subject intended for the satisfaction of conscientious Christians we should now again revive that contestation and trouble the world with not only a new but a larger discourse of that kind We shall therefore briefly give an account of our aimes and intentions herein And our first answer is that this work was undertaken as soon as any many years ago and well nigh finished when nothing was written for but all against the Sabbath Secondly here thou shalt expect a larger undertaking and find we hope a farther performance than in any in all the tractates written for the Sabbath For they commonly deale but with our single Adversary but we with all And we being spectators of their combates perhaps might see better than themselves where their weaknes lay What satisfaction they have given to themselves or others we do not well know but for our selves we must with all modesty and due respect to the Authors professe our selves unsatisfied by either party Thirdly here thou shalt find fuller grounds laid for the clearing of this so much perplexed controversie than the brevity of others would well permit to say no more Lastly the professed non-satisfaction from those discourses by some not only opposites but friends also to the Cause In so much as not only the Adversaries to the Sabbath have been confident of their Cause as impossible to be disproved but also some well-willers to it have rather wished it might than hoped it could be strongly and convincingly maintained And if we may be so bold as to give our Reason which we more largely shew in the following parts of this Discourse we suppose that this is one of the chiefe because they grant their Adversary That the Saturday Sabbath was literally enjoyned in the 4. Commandement which we think whosoever grants he hath lost not only the Cause but the Commandement too Or if some do deny it yet they do not sufficiently confute it to ours or others satisfaction 3. Why this part without the rest But then a further Quaere may be why if we will needs be writing now this part comes forth alone without its fellowes For that be pleased to consider our Reasons 1. That we might not give the world some cause to nauseate at or surfet upon too great a volume on the sudden having been so long accustomed to lesser meales and lighter meats of Pamphlets Neither mens minds nor their leisure nor perhaps their purses many of them will permit to adventure upon larger Discourses 2. This part being the foundation of all the rest if it be strong will do much alone to prepare mens minds to admit of the following parts If it shall any way prove weak discovered to us by the censures of many Readers both friends and foes we shall endevour to strengthen it before we proceed to lay on the waight of the rest of the building 3. This though first in order was last in time in regard of the frame and composure as being a work of Time and many sad thoughts in a path little or not at all trodden by any Authors gone before us and so necessitating a review of the following parts for which as yet we have no leisure yet unwilling we are that this which we hope is able to subsist of it self should stay for the rest To adde but one thing more The world as it was not in former times so nor is it yet we feare well able to beare the following more practicall parts till they be throughly perswaded of the truth of this It is very well known that the Profanation of the Sabbaths amongst the Jewes was one of their chiefest desolating sins and they never began to be serious in observation of it till they had smarted seventy yeares in the Babylonian captivity And till the spirits of men be well broken the strict and but due observation of the Sabbath will be thought an intollerable burden Successe in the entertainment of other truths not long since thought impossible to be effected upon these fearful breaches now among us makes us conceive that this Doctrine of the Sabbath will be also ere long more easily digested And this part is on purpose premised as a preparatory to those more practicall parts If any man should further be inquisitive to know why we do so much assert and confirme our own Positions in this former part with so little Refutation of so much as hath been said by the other party Our answer is that most of these Assertions at least some are new and perhaps unexpected to our Adversaries and therefore nothing could be said by them against them But principally because the objections do fall upon the other parts more properly and methodically and there shall be considered to the full For a conclusion of all by way of Preface we have but one word or two more to say and that by way of earnest entreaty 1. That thou wilt do thy self this right and us this favour as to lay aside all prejudice in the disquisition of that truth which we all professe to seek so to suspend thy censure of any parcell of this part till thou hast seriously not only read but weighed it all in the ballance of a sound judgement 2. That thou wilt do the Truth that right as to yeeld to and practise what thou art convinced of Consider what we say and the Lord give thee and us understanding and grace in all things through Jesus Christ So pray Thine in Him DANIEL CAVVDREY HERBERT PALMER March 25. 1645. THE Christian Sabbath VINDICATED The first Part. CHAP. I. Of the Terme of a Morall Law and the Distinction of Laws into Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall THe Terme Morall I. Ambiguity of the word Morall being but a Scholasticall Expression and not properly signifying that which is usually understood by it by any side in this Question We would not by our good will have medled at
is in a manner acknowledged by one that yet makes exception to this Distinction Primr p. 5. It must saith he be the revealed will of GOD that matches Positive with Naturall Lawes and marks them with the silver stamp of Immutabilitie So we say it must be and so it is for XXII 2. His wil hath done so in severall Ages Secondly the same Will that was pleased to make Positive Laws universally and perpetually obligatory to the World of the same Age may no doubt make Lawes universall and perpetuall for both Ages of the World But God hath done the former as will appeare by these instances 1. For the old World even beginning with Adam and ending with Christ as Divines commonly make the period the Law of Sacrifices was an universall and perpetuall Law the practice whereof we find in the very beginning in Cain and Abel without doubt not without some Divine command to their Father and all succeeding Generations even of Heathens practised this 2. To Noah was a Law of this kind given for himselfe and all his Posteritie as cannot be denied Gen. 9. To abstaine from eating blood though afterward it was more specially renewed and applied to the Jews and the Gentiles lost it as they did other things even of the Law of Nature as we touched before 3. In the new World beginning with Christ At least for this Age. and continuing till the day of Judgement the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper are unquestionably Positive Lawes yet universall as soon as the Gospel comes to any and perpetuall and so may be termed Morall from the time they were given to the worlds end 4. Nay we have a Record of a Law Morall-Positive given to Adam even before his fall reaching to all his Posterity to the worlds end viz. The not eating of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge For that it bound all men appeares by too wofull experience all Mankind being sinners for breaking of it in and with Adam Therefore since God hath done thus from the beginning to give Positive Lawes and yet make them Morall Universall and Perpetuall we can see no reason but that there may be some other such for both Ages of the World Only we must looke that we pitch our mark aright upon those that are indeed so To which therefore we say further Thirdly that not only there may be XXIII 3 There are such still in force Confessed by the Adversaries themselves XXIV 1. in Sense C. D. p. 8. but that there are some other such Positive Lawes delivered in Scripture that from the time they were first given bind all Posterities in the Generations succeeding even in all Ages and this by the confession of the Adversaries themselves 1. in sense and 2. in plain words 1. In sense To which purpose let those words of one of them be considered That however all the Precepts of the Morall Law he meanes it of the Decalogue belong to the Law of Nature as being agreeable to Reason which is the rule of humane actions and are in that respect of perpetuall observation yet all of them are not of the same ranke nor belong in the same degree and manner to the Law of Nature Something 's there are which we by the instinct of Nature presently see to be good or bad c. Others there are that require more consideration of Circumstances and use of Discourse to apprehend and judge of them And lastly there are some to the knowledge whereof Humane Reason stands in need of Divine instruction And these two latter sorts specially the last though they in some sort belong to the Law of Nature and were haply at our first Creation written in the Tables of mans Heart in more plain characters and more easie to be read then now since the fall they are may in respect of the other be termed Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in regard of Discipline informing Nature He speaks here of the last sort of Laws under the Title of Lawes of Nature which is more then we will say But afterwards qualifying the speech and calling them Morall not in regard of Nature dictating but in respect of Discipline informing Nature he saith the very same that we doe For Morale Disciplinae and Morale Positivum are one and the same Divine Instruction or Revelation contra-distinguished to Nature and Divine Imposition is altogether the same in point of Lawes Tract of Sab. pag. 3. To which purpose see another of their own Mr. Brerewood by name who being dead was forced first to speak against the Morality of the fourth Commandement yet this Distinction he acknowledgeth and applies to the fourth Commandement Morall is that which belongs to Manners 1. by the instinct of Nature as belonging to the inward Law written in our hearts Or 2. by Instruction of Discipline as being of the outward Law appointed by GOD as that of observing the seventh Day so that it may be termed Naturall which is more then we yet say as being not of the Institution of Nature but of the Discipline of Nature c. XXV 2. In expresse words Bp. of E. p. 27. Namely 1. Against Polygamie Proved Positive yet Morall Secondly in the very words the learned Bishop speaking of Lawes Positively Morall saith Some are common and generall to all Mankinde as the Law of Polygamie and Wedlock within some degrees mentioned Lev. 20. And that the Law against Polygamie published by Adam or by GOD himselfe to Adam at the first beginning For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Gen. 2. was indeed but Positive may be sufficiently concluded by that that many even of the holiest men after Abraham were Polygamists Of whom it were a wild sentence to say they lived continually in a breach of a Law of Nature Can it be supposed that those holy men who had the light of Divine revelation often should generally have wanted light about a Law of Nature or much lesse that they could have lived in a Practice against any light they had Divines also generally acknowledging the Negative part of the Lawes of Nature to binde ad semper and to be perpetually indispensable It was then a Positive Law yet Morall and therefore though ignorantly yet they sinned in breaking of it as appeares by what Malachy writes Mal. 2. And our Saviour specially argues from the institution of Mariage in the beginning Mat. 19. Again for the Lawes against incestuous mariages XXVI 2. Against incestuous Mariages proved Morall though Positive wherein we have at once many instances of Lawes Positively Morall That they were and are Morall appeares by Gods counting the Transgressions such Abominations when he speaks of them and saying that for them the Land of Canaan did spue out her Inhabitants though Gentiles And that they were yet but Positive appeares also by the speciall instance of Cain and Seth
be held up by any Christian State without reall and speciall inconveniences And whatsoever comes certainly under any of these Termes we esteem and reckon it repealed though not expresly named But whatsoever is without the limits of those Phrases and not particularly mentioned as abolished we account not repealed though possibly it may be expired for all that which therefore we adde 4. By a Lawes being Expired in the Nature of it wee meane when it was manifestly given and continued for some particular Reason which Reason is now manifestly ceased and so without any repealing of it it is of it selfe at an end in respect of Obligation though if it have no reall inconvenience in it now it may be freely continued still and if the reason of it should or could be revived so would the Law be in like sort And thus expired are sundry other of the Judiciall Lawes in the Old Testament and those forementioned in the New Testament III. Usually allowed And these Descriptions of a Law repealed or expired seem to be so sufficient as that it is the usuall practice of all conscientious Christians specially Divines that when they speak of any Law of the Old Testament as Ceremoniall or Judiciall and so no longer in force or any Precept of the New Testament not now binding us they presently propound either some expresse Text rejecting it now or at least some generall sentence including it among those that are now excluded because of some Typicall signification that it hath and the burdensomnesse and inconvenience of it if it should be still counted in force or at least the manifest ceasing of the reason for which they conceive it was at first given or after continued for a while and so that there is no reason now why it should be counted still a Law of God Which N. B. before we goe any further to adde any speciall Proofs of our Rule seems a tacite confession of it which we desire may be well noted in that none of them goes about absolutely or simply to plead exemption from any particular Law whether in the New or Old Testament but only so far forth as he goes about to prove it to come under the compasse either of such a Repeale or an Expiration But yet for all this we beleeve IV. Yet excepted against that this Rule doth already sound harshly in divers eares and particularly we are sure that our Ante-Sabbatarians will not let it passe without Exception for they proceed quite contrary as well in affirming B. of E. p. 171. That a Precept Evangelical is of necessary obligation which yet we cannot yield without the former Qualification nor yet do they themselves in other places As also specially in that they seem peremptory B. of E. p. 120. That no Precepts of the old Law meerly Positive are in force under the Gospel unlesse the same be ratified and confirmed by the Gospel where they suppose it is not enough to keep an old Law in force that it is not Repealed expresly but they require an expresse Ratification of it in the Gospel or New Testament otherwise they take it Without more adoe to be expired though not repealed which by their leaves we take to be an Errour and that upon these grounds following First from the Authority of the Lawgiver V. Proved by 4. Reasons 1. From the Lawgivers Authority which is the same under the Old Testament and under the New requiring the obedience of Christians now as well as of his People of old so that whatsoever Law is once delivered to the Church and accordingly recorded in the Law-book the holy Scriptures even of the Old Testament whosoever will claime exemption from it whether particular Person or Church must produce somewhat to prove that that Law is now under the Gospel repealed or at least expired more then bare saying that it is no longer in force It is so in the Statute-Law of our Kingdome and of all Kingdomes if a man can alleadge for himselfe in point of Right or Priviledge or the Kings Councell for the Kings Rights and Prerogatives any Statute that was once made it stands good for all purposes unlesse they who would gainsay it can alledge and prove that such a Statute is out of date by expiration or repeale So that the proof lyes originally upon the refuser of the Law and they that would maintain it and urge it need plead nothing more then the enacting of it once till the abrogation of it can be verified And if it be so in the Statutes of men and the Positive Lawes of Kingdomes much more in those of God whose Authority is unquestionably more absolute and whose Wisedome and Holinesse and Iustice and Goodnesse is infinitely beyond that of all Princes and States in the World This we take to be a point meriting exceeding much consideration though we find cause to doubt it is but little considered even by many Christians and Divines VI. 2. The Old Test is part of the Canon Secondly we confirm our Rule therefore and this first proof of it by a second or further illustration of it in this manner Because the old Testament is a part of the Rule of our Lives as well as the New and Canonicall Scripture not only by way of Story or Doctrine but by way of precept and command and binds us Christians as well though not so much as it did the Iewes Our Divines when they handle the Doctrine If any say our Divines when they maintain the Law still to be in force as a Rule mean the Morall Law only We say the same too only we argue that all that are written are Morall to us till we have proved the contrary of any particular of Christs delivering from the written Law viz. In the old Testament of which the only questition is professe continually that he hath delivered us 1. From the curse of the Law 2. From the Lawes being a Covenant of works unto us whereby we should be Iustifyed But not from the obedience of it or obligation to it as a Rule of our Practise and that so it still remains in force and shall do to the worlds end And the contrary is generally condemned in the Anabaptists and Antinomists whose proper opinion it is that they make voyd all the Lawes of the old Testament unlesse in expresse words renewed and repeated in the New Testament and whosoever will not joyne with them must be forced to acknowledge our Rule to be good whether the Laws be Morall Naturall or meerly Positive as our adversaries themselves have confessed of some and they cannot but confesse who hold the Lawes particularly against incestuous Marriages to be perpetuall which yet are not so much as named except having a mans Fathers Wife in all the New Testament the reason of which silence we shall give a touch of by and by Meane time we find a learned Bishop of chiefest note in our Church after this manner
regard of his Pleasure appointing them for that time And therefore the Apostle speaking of them generally and giving a reason of their change and abrogation saith It was for their weaknesse and unprofitablenesse Heb. 7 18. But the Lawes we speak of and of which our Rule proceeds are only such as may be found to have in themselves and the nature of the things if warrantably practised though not peremptorily commanded some substantiality and reality of Profitablenesse But much more being commanded by God himselfe for the Reasons expressed 2. This word Substantiall differences Lawes of this kind XXIII 2. From any annexed Circumstance viz. Morall-Positive in regard of their Substance from any Circumstance annexed to them even though it were at their first delivery and namely from the Particularity or Individuality of the Object of them as suppose the Law of Tithes to be of this kind the Particularity or Individuality of it in respect of Cattell Lev. 27. was the 10 th or last of 10. that passed under the Rod which in reference to the nature of the Law is plainly but a meer Circumstance and no wayes of the Substance of it nor conducing to that universall and perpetuall Vtility which flowes from the Matter and Substance which in that of Tithes was the paying God a tribute or rent of their estates multiplied by his blessing and was afterward by Him applied to the maintenance of his Ministers Num. 18. Unto which ends the Proportion viz. a tenth part was plainly profitable but the Order the tenth under the Rod not at all but meerly at Gods pleasure And therefore while that Particularity or Individuality being a meer Circumstance comes to be abolished or changed the Law it self in its substance may be perpetuall as being perpetually profitable XXIV 4. Vnlesse a cleare Repeal be shewed in Scripture 4. We adde in the last place Vnlesse a cleare and certaine Repeale of it can be shewed in Scripture This we put in 1. That we may eternally reserve to God the honour of his Soveraigntie in taking away as well as in making any such Positive Lawes at his pleasure and of his infinite Wisdome who may see cause for that which we see none for and so if he declare any Law repealed though we should otherwise have thought it substantially profitable yet we will not argue it perpetuall contrary to his expresse pleasure manifested unto us 2. But then we mention a cleare and certaine Repeale that such Lawes as we speak of may not be rejected upon slight and easie pretences or such generall intimations only which according to the manner of interpreting Scripture may well beare another sense and so may leave such Lawes so substantially profitable wholly untoucht In a word if the pretended Repeale be questionable upon grounds from other places of Scripture We conceive that the Substantiall-Profitablenesse of the Law in controversie being perpetuall for all men in all Ages as we say doth argue that such a Law is not included in the Repeale N. B. but remaining in its strength among the Perpetuals 3. We here make no mention of Expiration as we did in the former Rule because the Perpetuall Substantiall-Profitablenesse of the Law doth directly contradict the Expiration It must then be in force as Perpetuall unlesse as we said a cleare and certaine Repeale of it can be shewed in Scripture And so these things being thus explained we suppose a few words may suffice to confirme this Rule considering the Proofes formerly laid down to stablish the foregoing Rule XXV 2. The second Rule proved 1. by the former Rule For if every Law written be Perpetuall though Positive which is not after found repealed by God or expired in the nature of it and the substantialitie of the Profit of the Law evinces it not to be expired and withall distinguishes it from the Ceremoniall Types and Documents which are the maine if not the only subjects of a Repeale what can be pretended why we should conceive it to be repealed unlesse it be clearely and infallibly mentioned in Scripture to be no longer in force Let a man study to say what he will or can if it be to the purpose to shew any Law contended for by others to be Morall not to be Perpetuall It must argue it some way inconvenient and prejudiciall as a reall and unnecessary burden to us now And this then will discharge it out of the rank of the Lawes we argue for which we all substantially-profitable for all men in all ages for inconvenient and prejudiciall are contradictory to substantially-profitable If therefore any who excepts against a Law as not perpetuall can prove it really inconvenient and prejudiciall to be observed we dispute not for it in this Rule but relinquish it as out of out intention But on the contrary if we can prove any Law so substantially-profitable as we have discoursed then all allegations of its Inconvenience and Prejudice will be frivolous and vain and the Law will be found perpetuall as the Profit of it is Only we must a little carefully observe XXVI And cautioned That if the substantiall-profitablenesse of any Law argued thereby to be perpetuall doe concerne Religion that is Gods honour and the good of Soules A worldly inconvenience or some outward difficulty attending the observation of it will not be sufficient to discharge it from being of perpetuall obligation For as much as God and our Soules are undoubtedly to be preferred before any worldly convenience or inconvenience And likewise by reason of our present corruption there is scarce any Law of God even of these that are Morall-Naturall but the observation of it is often if not perpetually attended with some outward difficulty and worldly inconvenience which is one main reason that makes self-denyall namely in carnall and worldly respects to be the first lesson of Christianitie and Godlinesse 2. In like sort If the profit of the Law concerne the generall good of Humane societie even in worldly respects then a mans particular worldly inconvenience or difficulty or burden in the observation of it is not sufficient to discharge that Law neither from being of perpetuall obligation For as much as a private and personall convenience or benefit must give place to a generall or publike and one or a few must be contented to suffer some inconvenience rather then put many or all to a like or greater prejudice 3. Withall that though God in his gracious indulgence hath allowed the intermission of some of his services and so dispensed with some of his Lawes that concerned himselfe in a particular case of Necessitie for the good of mens bodies and so allowed to doe such things in these cases as in a Direct and Naturall that is Physicall consideration are necessary for the Bodies safety and good or even for the preservation of the lives of Cattels and shewing them mercy Or saving from present and otherwise inevitable destruction of any of a mans goods
Yet The hazard or even certainty of Persecution though to the losse of all a mans substance or even of his life is no sufficient ablegation to discharge any profitable Law concerning God and the Soule so as the pretence of such inconvenience of Persecution to be undergone in or for the observation of that Law should argue that Law not to be in force now For as much as 1. even all the undeniably Perpetuall Lawes those that are most Morall-Naturall whether belonging to the first or second Table as the not worshipping other Gods or the not murthering an innocent or not committing Adultery Incest or Sodomy might be and would be made voyd upon this pretence That they were inconvenient Lawes and prejudiciall to mens lives in such and such cases 2. We find also that Daniel in that case of Testimony and hazard of Persecution to extremity would not forbeare his three times a day solemne Prayers and that upon his knees in his Chamber and his windows open toward Hierusalem though he knew his enemies might by that meanes surprise him and accuse him and cause him to be cast into the den of Lyons yet did he hold himselfe bound to the Law of Outward Worship daily and even in that open manner though the looking toward Hierusalem was but a Ceremony ordained by God upon Solomons prayer 1 King c. 8.9 3. Also the Maccabees did not think that Persecution did or could discharge even the Ceremoniall Law of not eating Swines flesh but for it endured all extremitie of Torments as the Story relates and for it they are ranked among the Worthies of the Old Testament who lived and dyed in Faith Heb. 11. Much lesse then can any such hazard or even the enduring of Persecution be counted such an inconvenience as should suffice to disprove a Law substantially-profitable for Gods honour specially and Soules good from being Morall and Perpetuall unlesse as we said at the first mentioning of the Rule God have clearely and certainly repealed it in his Word XXVII 2. By further Reasons Men continue profitable Lawes The further proofe whereof we thus briefly lay down 1. We find that among men nothing moves a wise and just and gracious King or State to take away any Law though not made by themselves but by their Ancestors and specially if made by themselves that they find still profitable for the honour of the Soveraigne and the reall good of the Subjects And that as the Imbecility of Humane wisedome to foresee all future conveniences or inconveniences makes all Humane Lawes mutable in themselves So only the emergent or seeming appearances of such inconveniences as were not when the Law was made makes them be taken away actually by such as are not Tyrannous nor unwise Therefore we cannot imagine unlesse we find it syllabically and undeniably exprest that God should doe otherwise then perpetuate those Lawes which according to that wisdome he hath from Reason and Scripture together vouchsafed unto us we cannot but judge substantially profitable for us and all men now as well as they were for his people of old We know he can never be deceived so as to mistake the profitablenesse of any Law neither can he ever faile in his love to his own honour or the good of his Church in any generation Though therefore we still grant that if it be infallibly certain that He hath repealed any Law We are deceived if we still think it substantially profitable and must conclude that by such Repeale he hath pronounced the contrary of it according to his unsearchable wisdome infinitely exceeding ours Yet still upon the same grounds of his infallible wisdome and never failing love to his own honour and his Churches good we cannot believe any such Repeale unlesse it be undoubtedly cleare and undeniable The rather because 2. XXVIII 2. Lawes not substantially-profitable yet clearly repealed We find such cleare and undeniable expressions in the New Testament of the Repeale of sundry Lawes of the Old Testament which had apparently no Substantiality of Profitablenesse according as we have described it but their service and profit depended meerly upon Gods particular appointment as Circumcision and the forbearing of Meats and the offering of Sacrifices for Sin and many such like which also had a reality of burden in them which God was yet pleased to impose upon them till Christ the promised Seed would come Yet I say God vouchsafed clearely to declare by his Apostles and in his Word in their Acts and Epistles that he hath repealed these as now no longer profitable and as burdensome Therefore we conceive that His not expresly naming nor undeniably including under any generall sentence of Repeale any such Law as our best and most serious consideration cannot but still esteem singularly profitable particularly for His honour and our own Soules good is a certain and undeniable intimation to us that He would have us esteeme them still in force and not repealed XXIX 3. The Objection of Christian Liberty prevented 3. We conceive that the most usuall Objection and Pretence of Christian Liberty under the Gospel purchased by the death of our blessed Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ is so contradicted by the Explication we have made of Substantially Profitable that we cannot imagine how it can any way serve to discharge or disprove our Rule For can that be properly called Christian Liberty to be loose from the Bond of those Lawes which to observe is undeniably singularly profitable for the advancement of Gods honour and the salvation of men or for a generall good to Humane Societies or the like What is Licentiousnesse if that be Christian Liberty Or is it imaginable that He who dyed properly to procure all good to his people and chiefly to their Soules should intend by his death to dissolve the obligation of any such Law which is substantially profitable for their spirituall good Were not this rather to bring prejudice to them and inconvenience then spirituall benefit And on the contrary it is certainly a happy Priviledge and a true Spirituall and Christian Liberty worthy to be sued for to God and Christ with all importunity if it were a matter liable to be prayed for to have the bonds of such profitable Lawes still tying us fast how willing soever the carnall heart of any would be to be rid of them And this is the cause as we conceive why St. James speaking of the Law generally which Christians are still bound unto calls it twise the Law of Liberty ch 1.25 2.12 And so a matter of thanksgiving rather that we are still partakers of the benefit of it then of complaint of it or quarrell or dispute against it or refractorinesse to obey it XXX 4. Some Laws profitable perpetuated for substance though some circumstance about it repealed 4. To all this we may add that we find God so carefull of the perpetuating of some Substantially Profitable Laws that even when he hath thought good to
party and only or principally because of the fourth Commandment which they are unwilling to honour with the title and dignity of a Morall Law without some qualification or distinction The others indeed they yeeld Morall but not this as knowing they loose their whole cause unlesse they refuse the fourth Commandment We therefore who have undertaken the speciall defence of the fourth Commandment must take speciall paines to maintain the whole Decalogue together and so that Law as one of the tenne to be Morall and Perpetuall by arguments which are common to all those Lawes together Concerning which we thus proceed First for the stating of the Question II. The question stated we premise this consideration That by any of those Lawes being in force we mean that it is in force in the Words of it according to their Litterall and Gramaticall sence and not in any mysticall or Spirituall meaning or forsaking the words to fly only to a generall equity as some speak For both all Lawyers say and reason it self shewes That a Law is no longer in force then the Words of it are in force at least those that contain the substance of it And therefore to forsake the Words and fly only to a Spirituall meaning or generall equity is in true construction As well may we say that the whole ceremoniall or Iudiciall Law is still in force as any command of the Decalogue whose words are not in force but only a Spirituall meaning or generall equity to flye from the Law and forsake it altogether and pronounce it Void For the Spirituall meaning or Generall equity are precedent to a particular Law and have no need of such a particular Law to confirme or hold them up For they would have been in force though that particular Law had never been we mean though those Words which now are said to be voyd had never been given for a Law and are no lesse strong when that particular Law is made voyd altogether So that that particular Law is altogether made voyd when the Words of it are rejected as no longer obligatory Therefore we say by a Law in force we understand the Words of each Commandment in their substance and according to the Literall and Gramaticall sence of them which that we may evince to be true of all the Tenne Commandements we thus argue III. 1. Argument From the Testament of the Church in all ages First we Alledge the Testimony of the Church of God many wayes notified 1. In the Vniversall usage of the Name of the Decalogue or Tenne Commandements derived from God himself first who so denominates then Exod. 34. Deut. 4. and Deut. 10. Taken up by all Churches at this Day and continued through all Ages of the Church unto this day 2. In putting all of them in the Words and syllables into their Catechismes to be taught in the very Words of them unto all Children and ignorants only indeed the Idolatrous Church of Rome hath left the 2d wholly out of their Catechismes as too grossely contradicting their abhominations of Image making and Image-worshipping 3. Accordingly Expounding all of them in all Catechisticall Sermons and Treatises Though in them we confesse they do diverse of them Forsake the Words of some Commandements and particularly of the fourth too much 4. But further the Reformed Churches in many places if not in all have all the Tenne Commandements at large written upon the Walls of their Churches that he that runs may read them and learn even from thence that they hold them all perpetuall 5. They appoint them to be all publikely repeated in the Church every Lords day 6. Our Church of England hath gone beyond all in this This was penned while the book of Common Prayes was in use in the Church and highly magnified by those who are Adversaries in this Cause against whom it still remains a convincing Argument requiring besides all the former things 1. A promise of the observation of them by the childe that is to be baptized viz. from the Sureties in the childes name 2. The Sureties that present the childe to Baptisme by a particular charge after it is baptized That they see it be taught as a chiefe necessary thing the Ten Commandements in the English tongue 3. After the solemn publike rehearsall of them severally and distinctly all the Congregation to say Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law 4. And finally at the close of all to say Lord have mercy upon us and write all these thy Lawes in our hearts we beseech thee In all which it cannot be avoyded but it must be acknowledged IV. Otherwise guilty of a double sin 1. That All generally agree in avouching our Rule That all the Decalogue is perpetuated to this day and every one of the ten Commandements in the very words of it concerne us all as well at this day as any people or persons in any former age since it was first given Or else they are very unwise in all this to say the least that can be But indeed more must be said For hence it will follow also 2. That if the whole Decalogue be not now in force and that there be not ten Commandements now perpetual but nine or eight only and so if the words of any one of the ten be not now at all in force no more then the Law of the Passeover or those of the other Jewish Festivals as some private men have been bold to speak this kind of language then is the Church universally in all Ages and at this day in all parts of the World undeniably and grievously guilty of a double sinne 1. In laying a fearfull stumbling block before all her children 1. In laying a stumbling block before children in the very name of the Decalogue or Ten Commandements there being not so many now to us And specially in teaching all ignorant persons the words of them all and most of all the words of the 4 th Commandement which are so many and so plaine for but six dayes work together and then a seventh dayes rest to be kept holy which while they heare and must learne and repeat the words constantly they cannot but think but the very words bind them and not a meere generall equity only or we know not what spirituall meaning far remote from the words For that they believe that should only have been taught them now if that only had been in force and they not to be troubled to learn a great many words which doe not at all concerne them there being no such thing to be looked to as the words pretend commanded by God and which are only apt to ensnare their consciences in needlesse superstition and scrupulositie Therefore we must needs confesse that though the Church of Rome be Idolatrous in making and worshipping of Images yet are they wiser in their generation and more true to their Principles in leaving out the second Commandement wholly
Text reads it And vindicated That Law which said and that the Article ὠwill agree to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is exprest in the verse before as well as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not named we answer This variation will neither prejudice our cause nor our Argument at all if it be rightly considered For of what Law speakes the Apostle It must needs be granted of the written Law Where say we either in the Book of Moses at large or particularly in the Decalogue and so in the two Tables of stone Not the former for then the forementioned Ceremonious Iew might again have come upon him with this That Law which sayth Thou shalt not kill sayth also Thou shalt not eat swines flesh so by eating swines flesh a man is a transgressor and breaker of the whole Law For this is as well found in the Law of Moses written by him as the other Therefore of necessity it must be meant of the Decalogue the Law of the Tenne Commandements considered as one Law together and so though the severall Commandements be so many distinct branches with reference to each other Yet are they joyned in one bulk and body together as one perpetuall Law as spoken altogether and written altogether and that in such a manner as no other Lawes were Neither will it be possible to satisfie the Apostles drift and make his argument good unlesse we thus interpret it And therefore we must needs take Liberty to account both Papists transgressours for breaking the 2d. Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me said also Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image And so our adversaries transgressours for breaking the fourth Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain said also Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctifie it c. Prim. p. 180. 181. Nor is this place eluded by the answers which one of our adversaries attempts or rather makes a shew to give it For he meddles not at all with the Force of the Apostles argumentation But insists principally upon the words of offending in one point having first denied the inobservation of the Sabbath to be under the New Testament a sinne because the Law so farre as it commands the Sabbath obligeth not any more Mean time he touches not at all in his answer the strength of the reason whereby the Apostle proves his sentence But contrary in the allegation of our argument he enervates both it and the Text it selfe particularly viz. The scope of it namely by altering the Apostles words and instead of instancing in two Commandements of the Decalogue as the Apostle doth vers 11. wherein we place the strength of our argumentation as we have said before he only generally saith and that in another Character then the Text is in as if it were our inference not the Apostles The same God which injoynes the one of these Points hath injoyned all the rest By which generall expression because a heedlesse reader may happen to be deceived we make bold to aske him what points be those the Apostle means Did not he himself say for us that he speaks of the Law of the Decalogue and if he would deny it the instances vers 11. will constraine him again to grant it whereupon we urge him thus further If Saint James speake of the Decalogue then of the words of the Decalogue as God said them or as the Law said them as they were spoken by God and written by him And if so then either he must deny the fourth Commandement to have been with the rest spoken by God and written by him or deny Saint Iames his argument that because one Commandement of the Decalogue binds now therefore another doth or deny his own denyall that the fourth Commandement in the very words of it is now in force let him take his choice And if now himself or any for him think to urge us by the same argument to the old Jewish seventh Day as commanded by the fourth Commandement which they do oft and continually we must as oft and continually deny that it was commanded in the Decalogue directly and as the substance of the fourth Commandement and of this we shall give good account in due time and place Mean time we let passe the residue of what he saith to this place of Saint Iames because it goes altogether upon that supposition And counting our selves to have made good our two first Testimonies of the Prophet and Apostle we come to a Third of an ancient Father Namely Irenaeus who thus speakes for us God 3. Irenaeus ◠4. c. 31. the better to prepare us to Eternall Life did by himselfe proclaime the Decalogue to all the people equally which therefore is to be of full force amongst us as having rather been enlarged then dissolved by our Saviours comming in the flesh Upon which words the Historians evasion is frigide and flash when thus he glosses Hist of Sab. Part 1. p. 66. Which words of Irenaeus if rightly considered must be referred to that part of the fourth Commandement which is indeed Morall or else the fourth Commandement must not be reckoned as a part or member of the Decalogue because it did receive no such enlargment as did the rest of the Commandements by our Saviours Preaching but a Dissolution rather by his practise But this Glosse corrupts the Text making an exception where the Father made none and besides it proceeds upon a misprision of the sence and scope of that Commandement supposing the seventh day Sabbath to be directly commanded in it and one in seven to be but Ceremoniall whereas the contrary we hope shall be manifested in both which if it be done this Commandement hath as well received enlargement as the rest By the substitution of the Lords-day in stead of the old Sabbath and the Religious observation of it But of this in time and place convenient 4. The adverse party themselves C. D. p. 8. Lastly One even of our Adversaries thus pleads our cause The Precepts of the Morall Law are summarily comprehended in the Decalogue which have this Prerogative peculiar to them that they were delivered not by Moses but by God himselfe and by him written in Tables of stone and preserved in the Ark to shew their degnity above others and to note out the Perpetuitie note that of observance which was due unto them This is an ingenuous confession if he would be constant to it But whether it be his misprision or his misdevotion to the fourth Commandement he afterward comes in with his Exceptions That this is to be understood of the Decalogue as far as it is Morall Though in so saying he doth either expresly contradict himselfe or speak non-sense in one of these Assertions But because this Exception lies chiefly against the fourth Commandement we will remit
perversae Phariseorum opinioni repugnans c. Second is yet more plaine This Law was altogether Necessary and is so still to keepe reprobates under and take away evill from Gods people and a little after Christ doth not contradict that Law it selfe then which nothing can be more just but the perverse opinion of the Pharisees The c Pareus pag. 121. Non sustulit Christus in judicijs Christianis talionem Third no lesse expresly Christ did not take away Retaliation in Christian judicatures The d Cartwright Part 1. Harm pag. 399. Iustissimum legem iniquissimam reddiderunt et mel Legis in absynthiam converterunt Fourth saith that Christ shewes that the Scribes and Pharisees had drawne the Magistrates duty to every private mans Power and so he saith They had made a just Law to be most unrighteous and afterward he wishes to consider the justice of the Law most accurately fitted to suppresse and keepe under violence And againe As by all mens consent he is to be punished with death that hath caused anothers death so it is for a hand or eye And if this Law were now put in execution before all men Men would be slower to maime or dismember others These Proofes are not bare assertions of the Authors XII 2. By reason but backed with Perpetuall Reasons To which we know not what besides mens contrary customes can be alledged to disprove them In conclusion whatsoever men talke of the Ceremonialls and Iudicialls included in vers 17. we would desire them but to remember that as we shewed Christ doth even now destroy the Law of divorce and then let them make sence of this if they can Till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or tittle of the Law shall not passe and yet I now destroy the Law of Divorce which is to put upon Christ a flat contradiction besides that which reflects upon ver 19. of which by and by Therefore we must conclude if Christ in this Sermon Expound no Ceremoniall or Iudiciall and one Judiciall he plainely destroys XIII The second proofe of the generall answer Then ver 17. He only speaks of the Morall Law Our 2d. Proofe of our generall answer is taken from vers 19. thus If our Saviour speake in the 17. and 18. verses of the Ceremoniall Lawes as well as of the Morall then the Disciples of Christ and the Church succeeding must needs run under his sentence in the 19 verse for breaking and teaching men to breake some part of the Law of which he spake For it is evident the Apostles St. Paul especially did breake that is Abrogate pull downe destroy the Ceremoniall Lawes presently after his Death If I build againe the Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have destroyed speaking of the Ceremonialls Gal. 2.18 and many more such places If it be said Christ came to fulfill the Ceremoniall Lawes in his owne Person and so came not to destroy them in his practise This indeed is most true but nothing to the purpose for he did come to destroy them by his Death and Doctrine by himselfe or by his Apostles who as we said did both break destroy and abrogate them and also teach men so to doe But take it of the Morall Law only and he did come not to destroy it as well as to fulfill it in his owne Practise that is to confirme it not only by his Personall obedience to it but also by his Doctrine as the vindication of it from the false glosses of the Pharisees doth clearly manifest Now let a reasonable man judge whether it is likely that Christ speaking before of the Morall Law or meerly Morall matters would so suddenly without any just cause digresse to speake of the Ceremoniall Lawes and that in such a frame of words as are as well false as true False in one sense and true in another Or that he would say I came not to destroy the Ceremonials and presently threaten those that should breake one of the least of those Commandements and teach men so whereas the Ceremonials were ere long to be Abolished and destroyed And then on the otherside commend and promise much to them that should keep them and teach men to keep them even those Commandements which were certainly and necessarily to vanish and passe away So that this 19 verse alone had our Saviour said no more had been sufficient to confirme the Morall Law whereof the Decalogue is the summe called often and in especiall manner the tenne Commandements to be in force to the worlds end saying Whosoever shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven contra For we would aske of what Commandements speaks our Saviour here Of Ceremoniall Or Morall Not of Ceremonialls for certaine for they were to be broken and to be preached downe and the threatning would rather fall upon them that should observe them and teach them to be observed as necessary Commandements still in force Therefore he speakes of Morall Lawes only the least whereof might not be broken or taught to be voyd till the worlds end This sentence therefore alone is sufficient to confute and falls heavy upon Antinomists who fear not for to teach that Christ came to destroy and hath destroyed the Decalogue or Morall Law as well and as much as the Ceremonials whereas he sayes expresly whosoever shall breake one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shal be called least that is none in the Kingdome of Heaven And let them who in part comply with them in affirming the fourth Commandement to be Ceremoniall and consequently abolished consider how they will avoyd the same censure of our Saviour Let us heare what they say Thus one would avoyd it Granting them XIV Excep 3. that Christ in those words had regard to the Decalogue only I answer that he speaks of dissolving and overthrowing of those Commandements Prim. p. 178. and condemnes all that dare to doe it But to abrogate the Sabbath Day injoyned by the fourth Commandement seeing it was a Figure and Type and that by fulfilling it in himselfe and in his faithfull servants the truth thereof figured by the outward Sabbath to free them from the necessitie of the observation thereof was not a dissolving of i◠c. But we reply 1. We say not Solut. Christ in these words had regard to the Decalogue only but to the Decalogue primarily and to all other substantiall precepts explicatorie of it whether in Moses or in the Prophets 2. If you grant what we have proved that Christ means it of the Decalogue only or chiefly we now adde If he speake of it at all you are one of those that dare to dissolve and overthrow one of the Commandements and teach men to breake them For what is to dissolve or overthrow a Law but to make all the words of the Commandement voyd Otherwise the Lawes of
readily improve this to a remarkable advantage And the unwilling will shift and make excuses as if still uncertain what they were determined unto and so discover their want of affection as the other their good affection to it But otherwise this manner of determination is in no wise sufficient for the whole or even for the chiefe Time for Learning toward either 1. the unwilling or 2. those that are in danger of Interruptions or 3. those that want Wisedome as was forenoted to share that Time equally between the varieties of businesse and so to secure sufficiently their maine businesse of Learning 6. XLV A particular determination may be taken away A determination for a particular action within the compasse of the bussnesse of Learning I may possibly for a while be profitable for that and afterward be so no more and so though it might have been of some use still in some respect yet withall it may now become a burden convenient to be taken away Notwithstanding which a conclusive determination for the chiefe Time for Learning may upon the grounds forenoted remain perpetually and undeniably a substantially-profitable determination and for this cause may be perpetuated when others are discharged of lesser consequence and whose primary immediate end now no longer recommends them so profitable as they were before 7. Finally XLVI A reservation is profitable when interruptions are foreseene to end these Considerations about the manner of Determinations and withall the whole about Time generally Where there is evidently to be foreseen some necessary Interruptions that will certainly or may in likelihood call off from the strict observation of the Time determined in any respect There it is profitable and even necessary to make it with sufficient reservations generall or particular for all such necessary Interruptions as refreshing the naturall spirits by eating or drinking or the like or dispatching any pressing sudden businesse and after those occasions satisfied that the strength of the Determination shall returne and stand in its proper force and validity for the residue of the Time determined Which will prevent its being really burdensome and all pretences that it is so when there is no cause to complaine And now how far all these Considerations of Time in Nature are appliable to Religion and the solemn Worship of God XLVII The conclusion though we cannot doubt but judicious eyes doe much discern already Yet for the satisfaction of all Readers we must distinctly and particularly set down in the ensuing Chapters And hope to doe it so clearly as to give satisfaction to the most if not to all which in matters of Controversie indeed seldome happens to the most rationall Discourse CHAP. VIII Considerations of Time in Relation to Religion and the Worship of God how farre it may be Profitable thereunto WEe come now to apply particularly unto the Worship of God what we have before laid downe in Generall concerning Time in relation to Morall Actions And this we doe by these steps following I. Time imployed in Religion is either Common or solemne 1. Time in reference to Religion and the Worship of God is considerable two wayes 1. As an attendant upon Duties of Worship which some call Common Time 2. As requiring Duties of Worship to attend it which is cald Solemne Time Common Time is that which attends actions This distinction is in part the same with that formerly layd downe of indeterminate and determinate Time For all indeterminate Time is Common Time and meerly an attendant upon Duties of Worship And all Solewne Time which requires Duties of Worship to attend it is determinate Time namely antecedently determined by God in Nature or in His Word or by some Superiour among men or by a mans owne resolution or vow But now in Religion some kind of determinate Time comes more properly under the notion of Common Time then of Solemne Time And so neither are indeterminate and common Time termes altogether reciprocall and convertible Nor yet determinate and solemne Time For some determinate Time such namely as is in any respect determined by the nature of any Dutie of Religion viz. of the Worship of God is as meerly an attendant upon the Dutie as any indeterminate Time being according to the description of indeterminate Time a meere circumstance and necessary to the Dutie not in any Theologicall Consideration but meerly Physicall and Naturall it being simply impossible in nature to performe those Duties without such concomitance attendance of Time As the Continuance of Time for the reading of a Chapter or of such a Liturgy or the like is plainly determined by the Nature of the Action and Physically necessary to the Action and so no more but common Time So that by common Time we understand both all indeterminate Time voluntarily and uncertainly applyed to Duties of Religion as also whatsoever Time the nature of any Dutie of Religion doth of it selfe determine in any respect And by solemne Time we understand only such determinate Time as is either by God or Man a Superiour or ones selfe Antecedently determined either for any one Dutie of Religion or Worship in speciall or generally for any Duties of Religion whatsoever 2. This being thus laid downe it followes II. This falls not properly under a Law That Time in the first Consideration of indeterminate and common Time cannot properly be said to fall under the Law of God or that any Commandement of His should at all medle with it As well because 1. It is no lesse then ridiculous to make a Law or even give a single command about that which whether we will or no will be sure to accompany our actions The Law in this takes order only for the action this or that Dutie to be performed and that carries Time such indeterminate and common Time along with it infallibly and unavoidably As also 2. for that the Command of God or even of Man being the efficient cause of the determination of solemne Time it is a formall contradiction to say That any Precept or Law Commands any Time altogether indeterminate For as soone as it medles with it it makes it determinate and solemne it determines it in one respect or other at least remissely and within a latitude As when we bid a man take Time to Pray or reade in the Scriptures or meditate of the Sermon he hath heard or learne a Catechisme or any such like thing though without any seeming determination of the Time in any respect It is yet certainly in true construction of the phrase an implicite determination of some Time at least of the Continuance and beginning both within some latitude or else such command of taking Time is altogether frivolous and idle In that as hath beene said it abundantly suffices to command the Dutie and then Time such indeterminate and common Time will be sure to attend it And this will appeare if the question be but put why one did bid take Time The
to the distances of Places But yet they may be truly said to observe the solemne Time upon that same Day some beginning a little before others and so successively one after another to the end of the 24 houres of that Day one or other would be still imployed in the solemnity of Worship according to the Dayes determination And so an amends as we may say would be made for not beginning all at an instant in that hereby the Holy Time N. B. should be observed actually and continued in actuall services full 24 houres and so no part of it wholly shrunke up by sleepe or other interruptions For still in one part or other of the World whole Countries would be in their waking Time and so in the solemnity of their devotions For demonstration of this suppose at such a Place the Day begins an houre before at another as it is really so every Day in point of light and so of midnight and noone and evening c. and this other Place sees Day an houre before another yet more Westward and so of the rest as betweene Dover and the West of Ireland they say there is an houres difference Now by that Time the first Place hath begun and gone on in solemn Worship an houre the next begins and joyns with them and so the next till it be gone round So that by the twelft houre halfe the World are in their solemne Worship Publike or Private And then the other halfe takes the turne in their order till the twentifourth houre There cannot then we say be a better way to exercise the Communion of Saints upon earth Nor is there upon earth imaginable a fuller resemblance of the great and solemne Assembly which is constantly kept in Heaven And let that be further noted in a Word that the forementioned respects of Time Continuance Frequency and Season are not in Heaven distinguishable For they in Heaven doe keepe a constant and everlasting solemne Sabbatisme as it is cald Heb. 4. whereas we poore snakes on earth are forced to waite the returnes of solemne Times The reason is they above have no other worke to doe but to serve and Worship God they are spirits without bodies we on earth have bodies to care for as well as soules we have other callings commanded us to attend on as well as on Gods solemne Worship But yet it is fit we should as neer as we can conforme to them above which we say is chiefely by this joint observance of the same particular Day and number and length all the World over for our chiefe solemne Times Whereunto may be added for a conclusion that otherwise every sover all dominion as there are many in Germany and Italy and other Countries not subordinate to one Prince or State with their neighbours but small principalities and free States might vary the particular Day were it but to shew their liberty and so such as had occasion to travell among them would be very often either forced to breake the number determined to all or else keepe within doores upon their owne solemne Day and so want the help of others and be in danger to be interrupted by others And so every where upon the borders of Countries this hazard might be All which is prevented and only so by having all in all Countries of the World the same particular Day and beginning of it as we have said And so we have at length dispatched the whole of what we judge considerable about the profit and necessity of solemne Time generally and of the chiefe Time for Religion in speciall Except by whom the determination of this chiefe Time is to be made which now followes in the next Chapter CHAP. X. The Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time of Worship for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also of the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God 1. The question explained HItherto in the former Chapters particularly about Time we have been laying foundations of fortifications where withall to defend the Perpetuity of the fourth Commandement for a seventh Day Sabbath and the Divine institution of the Lords Day the first day of the weeke for the particular day and to batter down the opposite Mounts of our adversaries both Sabbatarians and Antisabbatarians And as we have built upward we have planted some Peeces and discharged them against their workes in such fort as we are perswaded the judicious Reader already discernes them to shake and totter But now we are about to erect a Principall Tower which if we can firmely and strongly do All men will see that we have sufficiently secured our selves and our cause from any fear of future assaults from the Antisabbatarian party And as for the Jewish Sabbatarians we doubt not but we shall also quit our selves from them in the latter parts The matter we propound to be strengthned is the position exprest in the title of the Chapter That the Determination of the chiefe Solemne Time for all men necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time as also the particular day for it belongs not to men but to God To state this clearely we must needs repeate a little of our foregoing discourses and adde a few words more for full understanding of it 1. By the chiefe Solemne Time 1. What is meant by chiefe solemne Time we meane the Continuance and Frequency jointly that is so much at once so often and so often so much Time to be observed for Religion Gods honour and the soules good in Solemne Worship and that in a convenient large Proportion in the whole and a convenient large Continuance for the various kinds of worship publike domesticke and solitary and a convement space for serious performance of severall duties in each kind together with a convenient Frequency of Revolution of such continuance So as no other proportion of Time is or can be of Equall profit with this All other being lesse large for Continuance remarkably or remarkably lesse frequent and so cannot attaine to that substantiall profitablenesse to the generall of Religion that there is in the chiefe Solemne Time we speake of 2. By the Determination of this chiefe solemne Time 2. What by determination Necessary for all men we meane The appointing it so to all men by a law as that thenceforth all men that have this law given them and their posterity to the worlds end are bound in conscience to observe it and cause as much as lyes in them others also to observe it as necessary to Religion so as they sin that observe not the whole proportion or that observe it not according to the distribution of the Determination so much Continuance together in one day and no lesse and that dayes Frequency so often returning and no seldomer then is exprest in the Determination Only still admitting a reservation as we have oft touched before for necessary worldly occasions 3. What by
as Mahomet the veriest villaine one of them that ever lived in the world If they shall say that this day of Mahomets invention is to be abhorred indeed in token of detestation of his impiety but some other day might be yeelded to We reply 1. That still then Christians must suffer for that nicety of a day 2. That it is scarcely imaginable that any Pagan Governour would allow any other day then what they observed themselves for the first would be double against their profit in that 1. they could not have their servants labour when they were at leisure to joyne with them and over look them and when they were absent they would feare their work would be done but untowardly 2. Besides that whosoever observe a day doth it in some reference to their own Religion and so would rather tye them to that then let them have another specially 3. When they might be able to tell them out of our adversaries suppositions that their Religion their Scriptures did not determine them to any particular day but left it to their Governours to determine And so still they must observe a day invented by wicked men 3. However what day soever they took up a sober conscience would we think shrinke to throw away the Lords day at a Pagans command Let this we say be considered We on the other side being perswaded that God hath not only determined us to one day in seven by the fourth Commandement but to the Lords day for the particular day by those designations of His word as also that in this day this only the number was exactly preserved of one Day a Sabbath six Dayes worke even at the very Time of the change of the Day as we shewed in the former Chapter and that by this meanes God may have the same Day all the World over des other Arguments of which in their due Place We we say upon this perswasion can answer the question readily that we must hold to this particular Day the first Day of the weeke the Lords day and no other whoever commands or forbids offers or threatens For that Gods will must stand and be obeyed before mens against mens and He must be trusted to maintaine us our soules at least which is enough and the most we can be assured of in a hundred other cases in maintaining His Ordinances and appointments XX. 3. They know of no such authoritie We have yet one Argument more to urge against this Authority of Infidell and Pagan-governours for the sufficient Time for Religion and the particular Dayes for it If Pagan-governours have this Authority put into their hands by God Then it is reasonable they should know that this Authority is committed to them But Pagan-governours so farre as we remember in any story never knew of any such Authority committed to them Ergo It is not probable that any such Authority is put over to them The consequence of this Argument may be confirmed by the necessity of a determination to be made proved and confessed to be Morall Naturall And that it cannot be imagined such Princes should take this upon them and exercise this Authority unlesse they have some knowledge or perswasion that this Authority belongs to them The Antecedent may also be fairely argued from the silence of all bookes in this point For though we know that Pagan Princes and states did appoint some dayes extraordinarily yet we find not that they did so ordinarily nor ever thought they might doe so But what was done in this kind was from Oracles or pretences of Oracles of their gods by their priests or otherwise And the greatest flatterers of Pagan Princes never did that we remember ascribe this Authority to them as given them by their gods It were wonderfull then that we Christians should find out this Authority given by God to Pagan Princes of which as we said before there is not the least word nor intimation nor shadow of any such thing in Scripture and the Law of Nature also is sufficiently cleare against it We conclude then here the Authority is not and yet upon divers suppositions of our Adversaries touched already and to be toucht hereafter here it must be or no where among men for those that live in Pagan Countries For to come to the other sort of men That is the Church of God Of which we say as before XXI 2. Not to the Church for all mankind God hath not given to it the Authority of determining the chiefe solemne Time necessary and ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time unto all mankind Mankind in referrence to the Church is againe distinguishable into Pagans and Members of the Church Of the latter fort we shall dispute more at large of the former a few words may suffice which yet added to the former discourses will carry the Cause clearly and undeniably That it being Morall Naturall to all men to have and observe a sufficient Time determined for Religion This determination doth not nor cannot belong to men but to God himselfe Thus we reason concerning Pagans If the Church universall hath no Authority but ever her owne Members Then the Authority of determining the necessary and sufficient Time for Religion unto all men belongs not to the Church But the Church universall hath no Authority but over her owne Members Ergo The Authority of determining this Time unto all men belongs not to the Church The Consequence of this Argument cannot be denied Unlesse any would offer to say that all mankind are Members of the Church universall which is most absurd The Antecedent is easily proved As well 1. The Apostle denies any such Authority to be in the Church of Iudging those that are without 1 Cor. 5. And if they cannot judge them then not determine any thing to them For this and that Authority goe together in things determinable by the Church Though the Church may judge in things wherein it may not determine in the sence we now take determination that is the Church may censure which is the judging there meant offenders against Gods Law as the incestuous Person spoken of But it may not determine that to be incest which God hath not made so nor determine any to be lawfull or dispence with it when God hath forbidden it however presumptuous the Church of Rome hath been in both It is lesse then to determine and make Lawes then to judge and censure offenders The Church therefore having no power of censure of those without those that are not her Members can have no power to determine any thing unto them They who are out of the Church are already in as bad a condition as the Churches censure can make them that can but deliver them to Satan and Satan undeniably hath them already The Churches Authority is apparantly but the Authority of a mother now a mother as a mother hath no Authority over children not her owne 2. As also because it is and would be extremly
tenants to attend him such dayes in a yeare from such an houre to such an houre till he dismisse them this Time as a part of their homage to him their Landlord and as an immediate Honour to His Divine Majesty being so presented and accordingly it is certainly specially acceptable to Him Therefore it is most properly a part of worship and far beyond the nature of a meere adjunct or circumstance in that the description of a part of worship formerly given fully agrees to it 3. If Gods Ceremonially positive command can make a thing any thing Num. 19.2 c. Heb. 9.13 a part of worship as a bunch of Hysope a thread of Scarlet or Purple wooll dust of the Tabernacle the Ashes of a Red Heifer and the like as no man can deny but it was of old of which yet no Morall or Rationall cause can be given but only the Soveraigne will of God requiring such things as a part of His worship much more must it be acknowledged that a morall command of God whether naturall or positive for which a cleare and morall reason may be alledged that such a command is to Gods speciall Honour as also to our great good must needs make the obedience to and observation of any thing so commanded a part of His worship without controll unlesse any will say that a morall command hath lesse force in it then a ceremoniall 2. For the Minor 1. That the necessary sufficient chiefe Time for Religion is morall even morall naturall namely that the law and light of nature commands there should be such a Time observed A Frequent Time of convenient Continuance necessary and sufficient for the chiefe Time that is we all must observe no lesse so often and no seldomer so much But so much so oft is necessary Again we neede observe no more so often nor no oftener so much for the chiefe Time But so much so oft is sufficient All this we have proved at large Chap. 9. And this cannot but be within the compasse of one of the Commandements of the first Table which comprise among them all that concernes Religion as our adversaries confesse often and we have also proved Chap. 10. The observation then of this Time is certainly the obedience to and observation of a morall Commandement of the first Table 2. We have also proved Chap. 10. that this chiefe Time can be determined by none but by God himself and if that be so then unquestionably the words of the fourth Commandement containe that determination of God for the chiefe Time and one Day of seven is it and is morall in that Commandement And so the observation of it is both the observation of the chiefe Time for Religion and the obedience to and observation of the morality of the fourth Commandement And thus both our Propositions being confirmed the conclusion followes assuredly That the observation of this chiefe Time is properly a part of worship of Gods immediate and essentiall worship A third Argument proceeds concerning the particular Day for the chiefe Time that it also is a part of Worship X. Arg. 3. It is commanded by God for His worship Ergo. as our assertion holds forth Whatsoever is certainly commanded by God for his Worship is a part of his Worship But the particular Day for the chiefe Time is certainly commanded by God for his Worship Ergo. The particular Day for the chiefe Time is also a part of Divine Worship The Major cannot be denyed it being the command of God that makes any thing and every thing a part of Worship nothing is so without His command in nature or Scripture how important or necessary it else seeme to be And nothing but is so upon His command how flight soever it seeme to be as we shewed before of a bunch of Hyssop c. The Minor we had also proved in the tenth Chapter by divers arguments and in the ninth Chapter there was this which we think it not amisse breefly to repeate That the number or Frequency of Dayes being once commanded by God as namely a seventh Day in the fourth Commandement If the particular Day come to be changed or to cease and be out of date the immediate next Day doth by vertue of that Commandement of the number of one in seven infallibly and presently come in Place of it as heire at the Common Law and as the successour of a successive Kingdome immediately upon the death of the former King unlesse any new one should be expressely set up by the same authority that commanded the number of one Day in seven So that God having commanded the number of one Day in seven for the chiefe Time to Religion in a constant revolution which is to leave six Dayes still together for worke and a seventh Day to be a Sabbath Immediately upon the change of the particular Day for the chiefe Time which of old was the last of the seven Immediately we say upon the ceasing of that and its growing out of date the very next Day which is the first Day of the next weeke comes in the stead of it even in the silence of God as being already commanded by the fourth Commandement which determined the number and so remaines as commanded by God and is therefore a part of His Worship now as well as that former particular Day was which none denyes XI The objections answered Except Prim. p. 2. Now these Arguments a man may think were cleare enough to carry this cause Yet some thing is pretended against them at least against our assertion Let us therefore now consider it Thus one excepts The Time under the Old Testament made a part of Gods service not of the morall but of the Ceremoniall and Typicall service established then in the infancy of the Church which was not to continue but â—ring the Time To this we answer 1. That though this be true of the other Festivalls yet we deny it of the weekely Sabbath one Day of seven For as much as it cannot be denyed but it was then and we have proved and shall do yet further in that next part that it is still the chiefe Time determined by God for all men and so morally commanded to all men from Adam to the worlds end and as such it was as we have now argued and so is still a part of Gods worship of his morall worship and in no respect ceremoniall 2. As for the particular Day which then was commanded for that chiefe Time though we grant it was not Morall that is perpetuall but only Temporary for that world from Adam to Christ as also we deny not but God to the Jewes annexed some Ceremoniality to it which use made it more a part of worship for that Time viz. of the typicall worship Yet forasmuch as that which generally and properly made it a part of worship was not this or that particular use but the expresse command of God In like sort though the particular Day