of bread in the Lords supper with reservation of Christian liberty Lastly the l Ex institutione Apostolicâ servatâ tamen liberta te Christianâ Gret Whether the Church can now alter it to any other day I submit my judgement to the Church herein Doct. Holland Apol. Apostles commended this observation unto the first Christians as their Pastors and part of their Ecclesiasticall Order and Discipline and therefore it binds only the children of the Church and that by Ecclesiasticall authority and the Church may if occasion so require change and alter the same as seemes good unto her neither doe the arguments to the contrary conclude CHAP. XX. The Affirmative Arguments are breifly answer'd LOoking vpon this multitude of allegations and considering the strange confidence of their Authors I remember the words of Melchior Canus that having collected the arguments which the Protestants bring against the Apocrypha many of his friends advised him neither to set downe all neither to presse those that he did set downe home to the point leâ—st he should not be able to make a cleare and a full answer and so not only endanger his credit but also corrupt his judgment I know that very many men conceive through custome and prejudice that Catalogue of reasons 〈◊〉 irrefragable but m Consilium amicorum quidem sed timentium ubi non est timor Existimâ—runt enim imperiti argumenta esse maiora quà m uâ— Ã nobis refelli possunt Can. lib. 20. cap. â—â— loc as my Author unjustly in his cause faith his friends feared where there is no cause of feare so I doe truely find it to be in this dispute and shall soone be able to blunt the edge of that sword which we haue thus whetted To the first plaine it is that the fourth commandement is misalleadged for neither a seventh nor one of seven but that particular seventh which was given unto the Iewes is there spoken of And how the Lords day can in any propriety of language be called the seventh I confesse such is my dulnesse that I cannot apprehend for if we speake thereof according to the order of nature as they succeeded one another from the Creation it is the first day of the weeke and so the * 1. Cor. 16.2 Scripture cals it If we relinquish the order of nature it s not the seventh but the eight in number of daies and so n Tertul. de Idolol Cyril in Io. lib. 12. c. 58. many of the ancients stile it If we still confine our selues to the compasse of a weeke and withall dissolue the reference which one day hath to another in regard of the Creation we may make it any other number what we please Lastly this argument supposeth the question viz. That God hath commanded the Church of Christ under the Gospel one of seven and this in particular to be kept Sabbath whereas all outward observations which were commanded in generall are left to the wisedome of the Church when we once descend to particulars To the second It is most true that all particulars are included under their generals but this doth not inferre that he who commandeth a generall duty doth thereby also prescribe the manner and circumstances of particular actions contained and commanded vnder that generall For example it is a generall precept at least to such as it appertaines for the unletter'd I thinke it binds not to reade and search the Scriptures But I hope the * Acts. 8.32 Eunuch when he did this in his chariot was not bound at that time to read that particular passage in the Prophet concerning the person of Christ The Apostles were commanded in generall to ordaine Pastors and Ministers were they therefore commanded to choose Timothy in particular We are bid to giue almes of that which we doe possesse but our particular distribution to his or that man at this or that time is in our owne discretion Honour the King is a generall precept but this binds us not to receive such or such a particular man for our King but he being by the grace of God our anointed Soveraigne the precept which before was generall becomes now a particular tye and binds us to honour him So here the fourth precept commands to sanctifie some set time for publique worship doth it therefore command the first day of the weeke to be that time To keepe some time is one things this generall is under divine precept to keepe this or that time is another thing this particular is left unto the wisdome of the Church And thus o Exemplum sit in geniculatione quae sit dum solennes habentur precationes quâ—ritur sitne humana traditio quam repudiare vel negligere cuivis liceat Dic fic esse humanam ut simul sit divina Dei est quatenus pars est decoris illius cuius cura observatio nobis per Apostolum commendatur hominum autem quatenùs specialiter designat quod in genere fuit indicatum magis quà m expositum Cal. Inst lib. 4. c. to par 30. M. Calvin doth affirme that one and the same thing may both be a divine precept and a humane constitution in different respects He gives instance in kneeling at the Communion and at publique prayers in the congregation The question is whether they are humane Traditions thou must answer saith he that it is both humane and divine it 's a divine ordinance being comprehended under that decency commanded by the Apostle in generall and it is a humane constitution in regard of the particular designation of this or that gesture Indeed when the particular is once appointed either for days or gesture or any other outward observation the generall precepts binds us to those particulars If therefore this argument can hold for the manner of observing the Lords day-Sabbath which is prescribed by our Sabbatharians well sure I am it concluds nothing for the institutioÌ„ thereof To the third it is true that one and the same Scripture is many times twice fulfilled but this proposition holds only when that Scripture speaks either of Christ and his Church or of things which were transient Types of things to come And lastly they are such Scriptures as the holy Ghost hath already discovered vnto us for we haue no warrant to follow our Phaâ—â—es herein If therefore the letter of the fourth commandement be a prophecie of Christ and his Church or the Iewes Sabbaths were Types of the Lords day or the holy Ghost hath in any place reuealed unto us that what was spoken of the one was intended by him of the other we subscribe to this argument but till this be made appeare it serves to no purpose To the fourth this therefore comes timely in to second his predecessour but hath not that strength which might be wished For we vtterly deny that ever the Lords day was prefigured much lesse precepted in the old Testament Those Rabinicall collections shall passe for dreames The authority of the
like we also affirme of the example of God the Sonne at the worlds redemption resting from all his labours for though it be not a Law instituting yet it is sufficient ground and warrant why it was at first instituted and hath ever since been observed To the eight all arguments of this kind from the lesse to the greater are but probable and must be understood of great and lesse in the same kind For that which is lesse in one respect may be greater in another it 's so in this particular For the creation of the world is a greater work of power 〈…〉 then the redemption and the redemption is a greater work of goodnes then the creation Besides in reasons of this kind we must alwaies adde si caeterasint paria for any disparity in any circumstance of time place person overthroweth all conclusions built upon comparisons Now suppose that the argument speak of the same kind of great and lesse which yet it doth not nothing can be concluded because the circumstances of time and persons are not equall For the Iewish Sabbath was given in the child-hood and nonage of the Church to a people of dull eares stiffe necks heavy hearts to such the appointing of a determinate time was necessary but the children of the light men of ripe eares that have their eares bored their hearts illuminated need no such childish rudiments as the observation of daies And this a Sicùt praeceptum de sacrificiis habuit aliquam causam moralem non simplicitèr sèdsecunduÌ„ congruentiam llorum quibus ilex dabatur qui ad Idololatriam proni erant sic praeceptum de observatione Sabbathi habuit aliquam causam moralem ex conditione eorum quibus lex dabatur qui propter avaritiam iis inditam c. Aqu. in 3. sent dist 37. art 5. in corp Aquinas long since observed The words of Athanasius alleadged in the Homily of the Sower c. are a meere allusion or illustration shewing only the conveniencie which was never doubted not the necessity of this observation which is the point in question To the ninth I briefly answer that he whose conscience is not over-awed by the lawes of the Church states in outward observations in things lawfull and in different established upon good grounds Christian considerations is neither good subject nor good Christian It is true indeed that the conscience is the Throne of God yet I think no man will so restrain him to that Throne as to say he cannot put another thereinto That b Lex aliqua potest condâ— cui sit necessariò etià m 〈◊〉 mortali parendum quaeque vi suâ quamvis non nisi dependentèr à lege divinâ aeternâ obliget sub mortali Greg. Val. de lege hum Vbi pater iubet quod centra dominum non sit sic audiendus est quomodo Deus Aug. in Ps 70. our superiors especially those that derive their power immediatly from God himselfe may if cause so require lay their authority immediatly upon the conscience binding it to sinne in cause either of neglect disobedience or contempt is to all sober mindes a Maxime in Divinity To the tenth the mysticall signification of any ceremony or observation whatsoever is either of divine imposing as in the sacraments and all such ceremonies as are parts branches of Gods worship or of humane invention as building of Churches East and west bowing towards the Altar usingthe surplice the Crosse after baptisme upon infants or otherwise as the Primitive Christians used Such as those are no parts of Gods worship neither is the conscience bound thereunto but in obedience only to authority To the eleventh the observation of the Lords day is not only metaphysically and speculatively mutable but also Morally and practically as well in our times as in the Primitive Church For amongst the first Christians for some hundred yeares we cannot find any regular and constant practice thereof Supposing therefore the decrees of Councells the practice of the Christian world the edicts of Emperors the statutes of the Land it is unchangeable in sensu composito all things standing as they doe but supposing c Neque Christus neque Apostolus celebrationem primi diei lege aliquâ praeccperunt sed propter praesentem commtaitatem ita sanxeâ—â—nâ— Ã qua quidem sanctione recedere possumus si evidens Ecclesiae utilitas posâ—ulaverit Bald. de Sabbath cap. 20. that the Church and state should find sufficient cause to repeal all such constitutions it may and ought to be changed in sensu diviso as well as any other observation whose ground is only decency and order when it comes to be abused to superstition To the twelfth if we consider all daies which the Church hath set apart for publique worship absolutely as being so set apart I hope it will not be thought blasphemy to affirme that the Lords day and all other holy-daies are equall So I am sure d Omnes diâ—s aeaquales esse Hier. in Gal. 4 S. Hierome affirmed of old and our learned Bishop e Down tables Downham of late but in some respecttive and accidentall considerations one day may be said to be greater and better then another And this may be either from the ground or reason of its observation so it is said by the * Ioh. 19.31 Evangelist that the Sabbath was a high day because the feast of the passover fell upon that day by translation which was the manner of the Iewes when any of their feasts fell out to be the day before the Sabbath and in this respect we may call the Lords day the Queen of daies because it is kept in memory of Christs resurrection which is farre to be preferred before any festivall celebration in memory and for imitation of any Saint whatsoever Or from the solemnity of the publique worship according to the custome of the Church Or lastly from the intention of the Church appointing as when she intends only halfe or some part of the day to be kept holy forbiding all manner of works upon some daies but allowing them upon others as Markets and Faires In this latter respect also no Holy-day is equall with the Lords day especially in the Church of England however it be in forraine parts notwithstanding if we look to the outward solemnity of Gods worship some holy-dayes may be greater then it To the thirteenth that one day should have more holinesse in it then another as it is this day or that day by divine institution under the Gospell is a proposition Atheologicall and part of the Egyptian and Iudaicall superstition which the Apostle condemneth in the Epistle to the Galathians and against which S. Hierom reasons irrefragably For then this holinesse faith a Aut haberent sanctitatem ex lapsu syderum aut Dei beneficio aut hominum inssituto hee must be derived either from the motion and influence of the heavens or from the impression of Gods holinesse made upon it
SEVEN QVESTIONS OF THE SABBATH BRIEFLY DISPVTED after the manner of the SCHOOLES Wherein such cases and scruples as are incident to this subject are cleared and resolved By GILBERT IRONSIDE B. D. HEB. 4.9.10.11 There remaineth therefore a Rest to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his ovvne works as God did from his Let us study therefore to enter into that Rest c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iust Mart. dial cum Try OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Famous Vniversity and are to be sold by EDWARD FORREST Anno Salutis M.DC.XXXVII TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM by Divine providence LORD ARCH-BISHOP OF CANTERBVRY His Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane CHANCELLOUR of the University of OXFORD and one of his MAIESTIES Most Honourable Privy Councell HIM that is weake in the Faith receive you Rom. 14.1 but not unto doubtfull disputations saith the Apostle It may please your GRACE to remember that the Church of Rome was at this time like the Moone when shee is orient illustrious for her faith spoken of through the whole world Rom. 1.8 shining in all Christian piety and made gloriously red with the blood of her Martyrs Yet was there a duskie mist raised about her which did much obscure her glory For though she erred not in fundamentalls as did the Church of Corinth in the article of the resurrection nor with the Church of Galatia mixed the Law with the Gospell as if Christian religion were an extract of both as the Socinians at this day yet in things of lesse consequence God permitted the envious man to sow the seeds of contention in this goodly field Gen. 16.12 till as so many Ishmaels every mans hand was against every man The things in question were if any can be such in the time of the Gospell of which no sober man doubts of an indifferent nature as meats and daies the parties contending were the strong and the weake in faith the manner of the contention amounted unto a Schisme whilst the strong rejected the weake with scorne and contempt and the weake fell to their common ward of judging and condemning the strong It was therefore high time for the Apostle to put to his hand he is a master-builder and knowes that a house divided cannot stand of all things therefore hee laboured to procure amongst them a setled peace since as a Inveniat vos diabolus munitos concordiâ armatos quia pax vestra bellum est illi Tert ad Martyres Tertullian saith the Churches peace is to Satan the old enemy thereof a continuall warre Now the way which the Apostle takes in the worke is such as never failes of its effect the way of knowledge and the way of love a mutuall receiving of one another into a good opinion and a moderate discussing of the points in controversy This latter will doe little good without the former for till we can be content to receiue one another as brethren wee shall never satisfie one another as Divines Till this Victory will be sought not Truth and as b Se nec resâ—â—dere nec tacere potuisse Aug. Retract 1. cap 49. St Augustine notes of Gaudentius the Donatist in his time though he knewe not how to answere yet he knew not how to hold his peace It is well observed that there is Discordia personarum as well as opinionum Schisme is commonly more in the man then in his tenents in the heart of the Schismatique then in the discord of his judgement That men should not dissent in opinions is not to bee expected the Angells doe thus differ Discordia fieri potest uâ— vel â—â—llum sit peccatum vel saltem veniale quandò quis probabiliter existimêt non esse bonum quod alter 〈◊〉 Greg. Valen. as the Schoolemen teach This therefore is no sinne unlesse we become undecently pertinacious nay when the heart it selfe is growne Schismaticall the sinne is the lesse while we proceed not to definitive sentences against our opposites But how difficult and almost unpossible a thing it is to be thus temperate the continually interrupted peace of the Church in all ages hath made too-too apparent especially in the weaklings here spoken of whose religion hath much more of zeale then of knowledge For that the Church should consist of none but of strong is an Vtopian fancie of the perfectists whose Church is a Moone without spots a family in which are no children a firmament in which are no starres but of the first magnitude The true Church of Christ ever was and will be a mixt congregation in this like Nebuchadnezars Image which had mixed feet of clay and Iron There remaineth therefore the Apostles other remedy which is not only to receive them into our hearts but to support them also with our hands whilst with the one eye we looke upon their persons with the other upon their opinions bringing these into publique light for commonly they lurke in corners and the touchstone of disputations a Tertullian Suspecta esse debuit quae vult occludi that doctrine justly deserves to be suspected which desires to be concealed But herein also the Apostle directs us by a distinction for some disputations are perplext and perplexing others not so but serve to cleare the Vnderstanding settle the Conscience The former sort have ever been the bane of the Church a worme bred in religion and eating out the very bowels thereof To represse these kinds of disputes to confine turbulent searching witts hath ever been the wisdome of the Church Such wranglings the Apostle doth even abhorre as fitter for the Schooles of Heathens 2 Tim 2.23 then of Christians being how profound soever they seeme foolish and unlearned good only to beget new janglings filling the Church with disputing not edifying Such therefore were ever dangerous ending alwaies in greater hazard saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sid Pel. ad Theo. Scholasticum Ep. 93. Isidore the Pelusiote neither are they more dangerous then endlesse for difficulties assoyle not doubts as the same b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Alipium Epist 97. Father gives the reason Questions of this kind are raised either about fundamentals wherein our faith stands as the Temple upon her pillars and miserable is that Church whose foundations are shaken things of this kinde ought to be be-beleeved not disputed and herein we should gladly give the hand to them of Rome were the decisions of the Tridentine Fathers the decisions of the Catholique Church or consonant thereunto Or about the secret things of Gods counsell the Quòd sit whereof is indeed revealed the Quomodò sit not so in which viam quietativam intellectus as Pennottus calls it like the North-west passage long since promised no man as yet hath ever found The latter kind of disputes concerne either the publique peace of the Church or the outward
hath imposed are without all question most proper and most fit to be retained But God himselfe hath imposed the Name Sabbath upon all daies of his solemne and publique worship and such is the Christian mans feast day The Assumption appears For not only the seventh day in the fourth Commandement but all the new Moones and other festivals of the Iewes are commonly called Sabbaths Therefore c. Secondly those names are commonly best which are most ancient Inquire saith b Iob. 8.8 Iob of the former ages and prepare thy selfe to the search of their Fathers But the name Sabbath is more ancient then any other being the name that was first given to daies of this nature Therefore c. Thirdly that name is alwaies best which doth most acquaint us with the nature of the thing In this the excellent Wisdome which God gave unto Adam appeared that he gave names to all the creatures answerable to their natures But the name Sabbath given to the daies of publique worship is such for they are daies of rest unto us and they were instituted in remembrance of Gods rest at the Creation and of Christs rest in the Resurrection and are pledges of our future rest in glory What name therefore can better agree unto them then Sabbath which is as much as Rest Fourthly that name is doubtlesse best which best directs us to the duties of the day For if c 1. Cor. 1â— 26 all things must be done for edifying such names are best to be imposed and used as are most accommodated unto edifying But the name Sabbath best leads us unto the duties of this day both outward and inward Outward Resting from all Corporall and worldly employments Inward resting from the spirituall slavery of sin and Satan Adde thereunto that it doth not only best direct us unto the duties of the day but it doth also help to confirme our faith and hope in the promises of God concerning the life to come and our d Math. 8.11 sitting down to rest with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in Gods kingdome Therefore c. Fiftly we must not affect to be singular in anything not so much as in words and Phrases Loquendum cum vulgo saith the proverbe But not only the vulgar but all men whaâ—soever speak religiously and reverently of the Sabbath day Therefore c. CHAP. XII The reasons against the name of Sabbath are briefly alleadged FOr the Negative opinion stand these reasons First he speaks best of things whose language is most conformable to the holy Ghost in the Scripture But the holy Ghost doth every where in the new Testament which alone speaks of the Christian mans Holy-day as having being and existency call it the Lords day no where the Sabbath day The name of the Lords day is therefore best and fittest to be used Secondly we should retaine those names which the Primitive Church in the purest times the first three hundered yeares chiefly used unlesse through any corruption or abuse they are scandalous But the name of the Lords day hath been chiefly used in the Primitive Church and in the purest times neither is it since through any abuse become scandalous Ergo c. Thirdly we of the reformed Churches should not forsake the Roman Church but where necessity doth inforce us For then we are guilty of that Schisme which is made in the Christian world Neither should we vary from our selves so much as were it possible in sounds and Syllables for then we may be justly noted for singularity and affectation But both the Romane Church and all reformed Churches use to stile it the Lords day not the Sabbath Ergo c. Fourthly we that are Christians should beware how we gratify the Iewes in their superstitious obstinacy against Christ and his Gospell in the least things least we partake with them in their hardnesse of heart the ancient Christians fasted Saturday especially for this reason because the Iewes fasted on Sattâ—rday But in using the name Sabbath we gratify the Iewes in their obstinacy against Christ and his Gospell For they abhorre the name of the Lords day as the greatest Blasphemy Therefore c. Fiftly it is one of the chiefest points of a Christian mans wisdome so to speak as not to put a stumbling block before his weaker Brethren He that doth otherwise a Rom. 14.15 walketh not charitably saith the Apostle But the name Sabbath may be and is become a snare to many weak ones especially in reading of the Scriptures For where ever they find the name Sabbath they presently conceive it to be spoken of and to agree to the Lords day and many times by this means fall into flat Iudaisme as appears by their quoting of the old Testament in the Questions in hand Therefore c. Sixtly that name which doth lesse edify is lesse proper This I thinke will easily be agreed on by all parties But the name Sabbath doth lesse edify For it leads us only to an outward cessation from bodily labour which of it selfe and precisely considered was indeed a duty of the Iewish Sabbath but is not so of the Christian Festivall as hereafter shall appeare On the contrary the name Lords day doth best open and explain the whole nature and duty of the day as the remembrance of Christs resurrection the acknowledgment of his Lordship over the Church and all other Creatures in the world Ergo c. CHAP. XIII Wherein is briefly shewed what is to be thought of this Question IT is a frequent rule in c Cùm de re constat propter quam ver ba dicuntur de verbis non debere contendi si quis id facit imperitiâ docendum esse simalitiâ deserendum Aug. cont Acad. lib. 3. cap. 13. lib. 2. cap. 11. S. Austine that wise men should not strive about words unlesse when there is some reall difference in the things But I doubt whether this question be only a fight about words For as the d Non illos viros â—os fuisse arbitror qui rebus nescirent nomina imponere seâ— mihi videntur haec vocabula elegisse ad occultandum tardioribus ad significandum vigilantioribus scientiam suam Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 10. same father speaks of the Academicks so may we without breach of charity suspect of our Sabbatharians at this day They are not saith he such simple men as know not to give things their proper names but they purposely make choice of such words as may best serve both to hide from the simple and to intimate to the wiser sort of their disciples their opinions Else I see no reason at all why the name Sabbath should be so common and that of Lords day so seldome used I deny not but the name Sabbath is lawfull and may also be used by such as have their wits well exercised in Scriptures if without superstition fraud or scandall But yet notwithstanding the name Lords day is both more fit in it selfe serving
day of the week is longer or shorter then other but if the Lords day as the rest hath not twenty foure houres it must needs be shorter that which is next there unto either going before or comeing after must be longer then any other day Therefore c. Thirdly it is a good Rule which the Rabbins give that we should not take from that which is holy to adde to that which is prophane but on the contrary But if the day of Gods publique worship amongst us have not allowed it so many houres as other daies we take from that which is holy and adde to that which is prophane even our own secular imployments which were impious and sacrilegious Therefore c. Fourthly if the Iewes Sabbath were to consist of twenty foure houres then much more the Christians For we have both received more and greater benefits and we also have more and greater mysteries of Godlinesse to contemplate But the Iewish Sabbath was a whole naturall day Therefore c. Fiftly the Scripture seemes to be plaine to this purpose For the 92. Psalme was the Psalme of the Sabbath as appears by the title thereof and in the very begining thereof the Prophet sets downe the very time of its observation saying i Psal 92.1.2 it is a good thing to praise the Lord and to sing unto thy name O most High to declare thy loving kindnesse in the morning and thy truth in the night season meaning a whole naturall day Therefore c. Sixtly we must rest as God Rested begining to rest from the works of our callings when God began to rest from the worke of Creation For Gods rest is propounded in the Commandement to be our patterne but God began his rest at evening the sixt day immediatly after the making of the woman and so continued the day of his rest which was the seventh If therefore our Rest must be answerable to Gods Rest it must begin at evening and continue till evening Therefore c. Seventhly as Christ rested so must the Christian rest his actions were our instructions and we call the day of our Rest the Lords because it was dedicated unto him but Christ finished his course and began his Rest over night resting in the grave foure and twenty houres at the least Our Rest therefore being grounded upon Christs Rest cannot be lesse then a whole Naturall day Eightly as the Apostles to whom the observation of the day was immediatly prescribed by Christ himselfe kept the day in their own persons so doubtlesse must we their successors in all after ages But the Apostles Sabbath was a whole naturall day This appears by S. Pauls practice at Troas when he preached and administred the Sacrament and communed with the Disciples of holy things all duties of the Lords day k Acts 2â— 11 untill the morning Ergo c. Ninthly as our Saviour who instituted the day observed it in his own person so doubtlesse must the Church for ever But our Saviour appeared and his very apparition was the institution not only early in the morning but also l Iohn 20.19 late at night to his Disciples and even then preached unto them and gave them the holy Ghost with the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven therefore c. If any object that by night in that place is understood the evening or shutting in of the light only making it thereby a day artificiall the very circuÌ„stances of the Text are against him For first the doores of the house were shut saith the Text which is not usually done in the evening Secondly they feared a search would be made for them which is commonly done in the dead and depth of the night Thirdly m Profundâ jam nocte Aret. in locum Aretius a good Protestant Expositor saith expresly it was very late in the night Tenthly as the Primitive Church observed the day so must we But the Primitive Church kept a night as well as a day as plainly appears by their vigills and over-night assemblies not only in time of persecution but when the Emperours themselves were Christians Every man knowes and we read unto this day the Sermons of the ancient Fathers in their vigils which doubtlesse had never been but that they held themselves obliged to a twenty-foure-houres Sabbath at the least Therefore c. Lastly divers good authorities may be brought to this purpose not only of some private men as n Sicut Antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbatho dicente legislatore à vespere usque ad veâ—eram Aug. de tempore St Augustine and o Irenaeus contra Valent. l. 4. cap. 31. Irenaeus but whole p Observemus igitur Diem Dominicum sanctificemus eum à vespere diei Sabbathi usque ad vesperam Dominici diei sequestrati ab omni negotio Con. Agath cap. 47. Noctem ipsam quae nos insseratae lucd inâ—â—cessibili redidis spiritualibus excubijs exigamus Con. Matis c. 1. Councells have so determined this point nay the very Canon law the sink and dunghill of Popery CHAP. XV. The Arguments against the day naturall are proposed THe negative Tenent hath also its Reasons First our Resting day must be proportionable to our working day for they are relatives and all relatives have their mutuall Respects in all things in which they are Relatives Certaine therefore it is that God requires for himselfe such a day of Rest as he doth proportion unto us for our own imployments But our working daies are Artificiall not naturall Man goeth forth unto his labour till the evening q Psal 104.3 saith the Prophet * Ioh. 11.9 there are twelve houres of the day saith our Saviour * Ioh. 9.4 night cometh wherein no man worketh Therefore c. Ob. May not a man then work by night in his lawfull calling Resp Yes doubtlesse if he offend not against the rules of mercy to himselfe or others or if there intervene not some other irregularity in his working and upon this caution also he may lawfully spend the Lords night in holy exercises But our question is not what some men may doe but what all men must doe under paine of sinne Ob. But doth not then the rule hold that those who sit up late at night about their own workes on week daies should proportionably watch about holy things at night on the Lords day Resp This no way agreeth with the intention of the Lawgiver which in commanding the Sabbath had a twofold intention the one his own publique worship and the spirituall good of mankind the other the corporall refreshing and reviving the bodies of his servants and of all that belonges unto them I would now gladly know what refreshing the body of a man hath by the Sabbath if he must labour about holy things not only all day but most part of the night also But I think no sober minded man will say it is a sinne to goe to bed sooner upon this night then upon
questioned Are not we say they the faithfull Ministers of God men more spirituall then others who use not to mislead our people And are not our opposites men that seeke themselves that please the times having all the marks and characters of false Prophets Whereas the words of the Apostle exceed not the bounds of a modest and just defence But it will be farther objected that by this meanes we bring in the Papists Evangelicall counsels if any things were delivered by the Apostles in Scripture which are not precepts I answer that this is a meere calumniation For these Evangelicall counsels upon which the Romanists build their works of merit and supererrogation are they say Counsels of perfection by embracing of which they become higher in Gods favour and haue done more then is required at their hands for which they shall be more extraordinarily rewarded in Gods kingdome and by which they daily augment the Churches treasury Such counsels we utterly disclaime notwithstanding the Apostles haue advised many things of themselves in Scripture Inspired then the Apostles were as Pastors but these were not divine constitutions And hence it comes to passe the goverment which they erected for this appertained not to their Apostolicall but Pastorall charge was no setled or binding constitution Lastly directed also they were as private persons which belongs not to this place to enquire into * Ex traditionum vinculo quas à Christo acceptas Apostoli servandas reliquere Ecclesia eximere fideles non potest in aliis vero quae Apostoli constituerunt tanquam Ecclesiae pastores poterit summus Pontifex dispensare ibid. We must in the next place enquire of Apostolicall traditions These the Papists themselves the great admirers and advancers of them distinguish into two ranks For some h Alia divisio est Apostolicae traditionis nam alteras Apostoli à Christo domino acceperunt alteras spiritu sancto suggerente in Ecclesiae utilitatem tradiderunt Canus lib. 3. loc cap. 5. they say the Apostles immediatly received from Christ to be delivered to the Church forever to be kept As that Matrimony Confirmation Extreame Vnction are Sacraments of the Gospell These they delivered as Apostles from Christ and cannot be changed by any law or custome to the contrary no not by Papall authority it selfe Other Apostolicall traditions there are say they which they received not from Christ but were suggested unto them by the spirit for the profit of the Church and they instance in the fast of Lent and threefold immersion in Baptisme These they delivered as Pastors not Apostles and may be dispenced with as occasion shall require More plainly those Traditions which they received of Christ were saith Canus fidei dogmata articles of faith against which whosoever pertinaciously erreth is an Heretike but those other which they delivered by the motion of the spirit as Pastors only are not fixed but moveable in the Church According to this sense also I find the Fathers to speake of Traditions S. Cyprian relating what Pope Stephen had writen unto him against Rebaptization that nothing should be innovated in the Church but what was anciently a Tradition in this thing should be observed True saith i Vnde ista traditio uti une de dominicâ Evangelicâ authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis Epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt Deu◠testatur Cyp. Ep. ad Pomp. 74. S. Cyprian but whence comes this Tradition from Christ in the Gospell or from the Apostles in their Epistles If so then God himselfe saith the Father hath commanded by his servant * Ioshua 1. Ioshua to keep all such Traditions there we haue the first kind But in another place k Diligenter de traditione divinâ Apostolicâ traditione observandum est tenendum ut ad ordinationes ritè celebrandas Episcopus eligatur plebe praesente Cyp. ep 68. S. Cyprian writing to the Clergy and people of Spaine commending them for deposeing Basilides and Martialis from their Sees and placing in their roomes Sabinus and Felix saith that the choyce of Bishops and Ministers in the presence and with the approbation of the people was of divine and Apostolicall Tradition and observation Now who seeth not that here S. Cyprian speaks of those other Traditions deliuered and practised by the Apostles as the Churches Pastors which are no longer in force then the Church shall like For this choyce of Bishops and Ministers we are sure is neither delivered in the Gospell the Acts or the Epistles If I mistake not this also is that which the Professors at Leyden in their body of the Purer sort of Divinity as they call it hammer upon when they thus distinguish of Traditions Some say they there are whose cheife heads are contained in the Scriptures as the Apostles Creed Baptisme of Infants that Women should receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and here they adde that the Lords day be kept holy These they receive for divine but all other whatsoever they reject It were to be wished that they had expressed themselves in purer clearer tearmes their summa capita are so obscure as if purposely devised not to be understood For if they understand by the cheife heads of things the substance and matter of the thing delivered though in other words in Scripture as it should seeme to be their meaning by their instances in the Apostles Creed childrens Baptisme and Womens communicating they speak of things vnder precept and concurre with us in our distinction But if they understand by cheife heads whatsoever is named and mentioned in the writings of the Apostles as it seemes they also doe by instancing the Lords-daies observation then must they also receive Extreme Vnction the selling of possessions having all things common the Presbytery for Apostolicall traditions necessarily to be received for all these haue generall ground and footing in Scripture But to draw towards a conclusion in this poynt according to the doctrine of the Traditionaries themselves we affirme these things First that the observation of the Lords day is no divine Traditions delivered by Christ immediatly to his Apostles to be laid as a necessary duty upon his Church and the reason is because it s no where so delivered by them in the Acts or in the Epistles and because it is no Article of faith or practice necessary to salvation Neither haue they which haue gainesaid ever been reputed for Heretiques by the Church or any sober minded man Secondly we say notwithstanding that it is very probable for probability is our surest ground that the Apostles commended this day unto the Christians of those times in honour of Christs resurection and giue it the title of Lords day Thirdly that they never imposed it upon the Church as a necessary observation nay that themselves observed it not in those places where the Iewes had Synagogues and observed their Sabbath unlesse it were for breaking
Synod and Fathers produced in the argument are nothing to the purpose For in the first place S. Cyprian is wilfully mistaken he treats in the place cited of Baptisme for Infants at two or three dayes old this Fidus a Bishop to whom he wrot held very unfit if not unlawfull for diverse reasons amongst the rest because circumcision was not administred unto any untill the eight day To this p Quod in Iadaticâ circumcisione carnali octavus dies observabatur sacramentum est in umbrâ in imagine nam quia octavus dies iâ—est post SabbathuÌ„ primus futurus erat nos viâ—iâ—icaret quo dominus resargeret circumcisâ—nem spiritualem daret hic dies praecessit in imagine Cyp. ad Fidum S. Cyprian replyes that to the Iewes the eight day was to be that where on Christ should rise and spiritually circumcise us the legall circumcision was given upon that day as a Type and figure thereof In which words of S. Cyprian we haue two Types and two things Typified first the carnall Circumcision is made a Type of the spiritual secondly the day wherein one was administred is made a Type of that day wherein the other should be performed but what is either of these to thâ— keeping of the Sabbath S. Augustine ad Ianuarium is no better handled for he saith indeed that the Type of the eight day was not unknowne to the Fathers filled with the spirit of prophecy for David hath a * Psal 118. Psalme intituled for the eight day Infants also were circumcised on that day A figure it was then and well knowne unto the Fathers but of what This followes expressely in S. Augustine of Christs resurrection and of our quickning and circumcision by him The q Inchoante noctis initio idest vespere Sabbathi c. 13. Omnibus mandamus Christi anis abstinere ab omni peccato ab omni opere carnali etiam â propriis coniugibus Ibid. Synod called Foro-Iuliensis commands divers things concerning the Lords day viz. to begin with Saturday Evening prayer to abstaine from all works sinnes companing of Men with their Wives c. Their reason is because the choysest of Gods mercies were vouchsafed unto the Church on this day they adde also that this is the Sabbath of the Lords delight spoken of by the Prophet * Isai 58.13 Isaiah for r Diceret taÌ„tùm Sabbathum non delicatum Jbid. saith the Synod had he spoken in that place of the Iewes Sabbath he would haue called it barely a Sabbath without any such attributes of delightfull or mine When this interpretation of the Prophet shall be averred by the Opponents we will thinke of an answer to this authority The Synod of Matiscon is more ancient then the former and purposely held concerning the Lords day here amongst other things we have this passage This is the perpetuall day of rest which is knowne by the law and the Prophets and insinuated unto us by the shaddow of the seventh day But that Synod intends no more then the former viz. That upon the day of Christs resurrection we were admitted into everlasting rest appeares evidently by that which followes it is Å¿ Iustum est ut hanc diem celebremus per quam facti sumus quod non fuimus Con. Matis ubi supra but equall therefore that we should celebrate this day by which we are made that which we were not Not therefore the keeping of the day it selfe but the mercies of the day peace and liberty in Christ is that which the Synod affirmes to be intimated unto us in the Type and to be knowne by the law and the Prophets To the fift the day of which the Psalmist speaks is literally the day wherein David was setled in his Kingdome and the unction of Samuell took effect As if the prophet should have said God long since annointed me to be King over his people but this was a day on which he decreed to settle me actually in my Kingdome There is no question but that Psalme is mystically spiritually to be understood as well as litterally of Christ and his Throne as of David and his Scepter one was a figure of the other I deny not also but that Davids day was a figure of Christs day though it did not appeare that David was setled in his Kingdome the same day of the week that Christ rose out of his grave But understand the place how we please all that can be gathered thence are but these three things First that God had in his counsell determined a sett day to performe his promise unto David making him King of Israel Secondly that God had also decreed a sett period of time wherein Christ should be exalted and set upon the Throne of his glory in the Kingdome of the Church Thirdly that as the Iewes had cause to rejoyce in the dayes of David God having given them a man after his own heart so the Christians have much more reason to rejoyce in Christ their King and to embrace the mercies of his glorious resurrection If any man now say that either the ancient or moderne Arnobius mentioned in the argument collect from hence the institution of the Lords day I answere they find it there instituted no otherwise then the whole Church hath ever found it viz. Logically because they ground the observation of the day upon the mercy of the day not morally as being formally and positively instituted either in that or any other Scripture To the sixt we have here a well known fallacy the effect being attributed to that which is no way the true cause thereof As when the wolfe in the fable quarrelled with the Lamb for troubling the water when the Lamb stood all the while below the Woolfe in the river And when the heathen in the daies of t Mala quae civitas pertulit Christo imputant bonâ— verò non imputant Christo nostro sed fato suo Aug. de civit lib. 10. c. 1. S. Austine charged the Christian religion to be the cause of the scourge of the Goths and Vandalls and all other evills which then afflicted the world But to returne to our Opponents I will only demand whether God doth not blesse his ordinance unto his people upon Lecture daies as well as upon Lords daies If not why are they in vaine so much frequented if so then evident it is that Gods ordinance may blesse the day and make it happy unto his people But the day doth not blesse the ordinance unto us the words in the Commandement hath blessed and sanctified are Exegetically put the one expounding the other To the seventh the example of God the Father resting from his works of creation was that indeed upon which the institution of the Iewes Sabbath was grounded but not the institution it selfe For to this there was required a law to be given which was not untill the daies of Moses and the fall of Manna in the wildernesse The
For all these are commended to Christian Liberty in regard of determinating circumstances as where when in what manner how long how often And some of theÌ„ whether at all yet are things of greater importance and haue more probability of Divine precept then bodily cessation on the Lords day Ergo c. Sixtly that which is not so much as mentioned in the new Testament for a Christian duty is not commanded Christian people under the penalty of sinne This must needs be true of all such duties which Christ and the Gospell hath brought in imposed upon the Church as distinguished from the Iewish Synagogue But corporall rest such as our Sabbatharians require upon the Lords day is not so much as mentioned in the new Testament and yet the Lords day the observation thereof was brought in and imposed upon the Church as contra-distinguished from the Iewish Synagogue Ergo c. Seventhly Had this been an immediate Christian duty so essentiall as it 's now made doubtlesse the first Christians living under persecuting Emperours would haue made as great a conscience of this as of any thing else whatsoever Especially because it concern'd the Lord himselfe to whom the day is devoted and persecution maks men stick closest unto Christ and all Christian duties commanded by him But the Primitiue Christians did all manner of works upon the Lords day under the persecuting Emperours unlesse whilst they assembled themselves by stealth to break bread This appeares by Constantines edict against working upon this day wherein notwithstanding are excepted all labours of Husbandry whatsoever It is a true rule that the manners and customes of men are the Mothers of the Lawes of Kings and States A law prohibiting the doing of any thing is a strong presumption that the thing was done especially when the Law is exceptiue Plaine therefore it is by the Law of Constantine who was the first Christian Emperour that the Primitiue Christians made not cessation from works upon the Lords day a matter of conscience Ob. If any man say that Constantine did only reviue the duty which Persecution had almost defaced Sol. I answer that Constantine was not the reviuer but the first enactor of this observation in regard of bodily cessation if not why can it not be shew'd who preceded him herein But let it be that Constantine renewed the Discipline which was decayed it seemes then that the labours of Husbandry then what more toylesome were in use amongst Primitiue Christians upon this day because they are excepted by Constantine which renewed the Discipline of the Church in this behalfe or else Constantine insteed of a reviuer must needs be made a depraver and corrupter Ob. If any man say the nature of the times required this indulgence Sol. I answer that those were the most peacefull and happy times that ever the Church saw But suppose what malignity you please in the times sure I am that nothing can make a sinne to be no sinne or let the conscience loose from any necessary and essentiall duty though but positiuely commanded vnlesse as David did eate the Shew-bread which cannot be averr'd of those times of Constantine Lastly authorities also are not wanting e Cont. Manich lib. 2. Epiphanius against the Manichees saith that God regardeth not outward cessation from works more upon this then any other day because by his providence the Sunne riseth and setteth the Moone waxeth and waneth the Winds blow and Women bring forth as well on this as any other dayes And against Ebion the same f Idem cont Ebion Epiphanius saith that the Disciples plucking the Eares of Corne upon the Sabbath day shewed that the outward rest of the Sabbath was ended when Christ who is our great Sabbath was once come g Cogitans requiem in Deo tuo propter ipsam requiem omnia faciens abstine ab opere â—ervili omnis enim qui facit peccatum servus est peccaâ—i Aug. Ps 32. S. Augustine also upon the 32. Psalme which is mistaken by our Adversaries as speaking against all sorts of works serious and lusory faith We must seeke rest in the Lord our God abstaining from all servile works for he that committeth sinne is the servant of sinne Our servile works are our sinfull works from which to abstaine is all the rest required of us under the Gospell h Luther de bonis operibus Luther expressely faith that the outward rest spoken of in the Commandement is no longer under precept in the profession of Christianity Calvin thinks it strange that man should imagine that God is delighted with bodily cessation And to confesse my ignorance I know none either Protestant or Papist new or old our English Sabbatharians set aside which teach corporall rest to be of it selfe a duty of the day under positiue precept CHAP. XXIV The Question is briefly vnfolded in nine Propositions THE whole question may be easily clear'd in these following propositions First I conceiue it is out of all controversy that the outward rest from all manner of works as it is expressed in the letter of the fourth Commandement was of it selfe precisely considered and without relation to any thing else to the Iewes an especiall duty of religion and part of Gods worship For though it be true which i Calvin in Levit. 19. v. 13. M. Calvin hath observed upon these words of Moses You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary that God commanded them cessation from works with reference to the duties of the Sanctuary yet were it also of it selfe a Sabbath-dayes duty For that which is of its selfe and for its owne sake commanded may also be made a subordinate duty to help and further another duty So Prayer which is of it selfe a maine part of Gods worship is made a subordinate help to encrease our dependance upon God and to beget in our hearts an awfull reverence of his Majestie It 's so here for also if it had stood commanded only in relation to the worship of the Sanctuary why were they to begin it over night where as nothing was done in the Sanctuary till the next Morning If any man say that which was done ouer night was only by way of preparation He much deceived himselfe For the preparation is one thing the Sabbath another They had their preparation and their prepreparation which tooke up almost the whole day precedent both of their owne invention But they began not their Sabbath-rest till after Sun-set in the evening And howsoever they imposed many things upon themselues of their owne Traditions by way of Preparation yet the first use and true end thereof was to provide for themselues what to eate upon the Sabbath in which it was unlawfull for them to dresse any thing or so much as to kindle a fire Their over-nights rest had no relation at all to the Sanctuary but to their comming out of Egypt the memory whereof they were commanded to solemnize thereby As therefore unleavened