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A37046 The law unsealed: or, A practical exposition of the Ten Commandments With a resolution of several momentous questions and cases of conscience. By the learned, laborious, faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. James Durham, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.; Practical exposition of the X. Commandments. Durham, James, 1622-1658.; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Jenkyn, William, 1613-1685. 1676 (1676) Wing D2817; ESTC R215306 402,791 322

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first or last day of the Feast and therefore if the Lords meaning were that they should pray that their flight might not be on any of the Jewish Holy dayes to mention the weekly Sabbath only would not be sufficient for that end To say that it was for fear of scandal that they should pray not to be put to flye will not remove the former reasons besides at that time the Apostles and other Christians had given up with the Jews and stood not on scandal in such things in reference to them on whom as the Apostle saith 1 Th●s 2. 16. Wrath had come to the uttermost and who were not infirm but malitious and so in respect of offence to be dealt with as the Lord did with the Pharisees and therefore all things being considered it appeareth from our Lords words that a Sabbath among Christians was to be sanctified 40. years or thereabout after his death which proveth that the Scripture mentioneth a Sabbath to be sanctified under the New Testament We come unto the second way of making out the Morality of this Command to wit by shewing how the Scripture speaketh of the whole Decalogue and thus we reason 1. If all the Commandments of the Decalogue be Moral then must this be so also for it is one of them and if it were not moral and binding there would not now be Ten words as they are called by the Lord Deut. 10. 4. but Nine onely which at first blush will and cannot but seem strange and absurd to those who have from Gods Word drunk in that number But all these are moral and binding as is granted by all except the Papists who deny the second and therefore score it out of their Catechisms And that they must be all alike moral and binding may be made out these two waves 1. All of them in the Old Testament had alike Authority Priviledges and Prerogatives which neither the Judicial nor Ceremonial Law had as 1. To be distinctly pronounced by God himself without adding more Deut. 5. 22. 2. To be written by his own finger in Tables of stone Exod. 29. 18. 3. To be laid up and kept in the Ark Exod. 25. 16. And if these and other Prerogatives did put a difference and shew a difference to be put betwixt the other nine Commands and all Judicial or Ceremonial Laws Why not betwixt them and this also 2. In the New Test●ment they are all alike confirmed when the Law in general is spoken of none of them is excepted and therefore this Command is necessarily included For which we would look first to that place Matth. 5. 17. Where our Lord in a special manner intendeth to vindicate the Moral Law of this fourth and to pres● holiness in Moral Duties upon his Hearers even in another sort then the Pharisee● did Think not saith He That I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I 〈◊〉 not come to destroy but to fulfill Verily be that breaketh one of the least of these Commands and teacheth Men so shall be called least in the Kingdom of God c. Where by Law must necessarily be understood the Moral Law for he was thought to be ● transgressor of that and especially of this Command in it for that Sermon 〈◊〉 Natt●ew cometh in in order after his being challenged for breach of Sabbath John 5. 10. c. And his scope is to wipe off that imputation and how by shewing that He still presseth the Moral Law even beyond what the Pharisees did 2. It was the Moral Law especially which the Pharisees corrupted and whereof he undertaketh the Vindication and it is Holiness in Obedience to that which he presseth as necessary beyond what the Scribes and Pharisees did and indeed it was in that Law they failed mainly and not in the Ceremonial Law 3. The offence and mistake that Christ is to preoccupie and rectifie amongst his Hearers requireth this for many of them fancied that by the Messiah there should be a Relaxation from the duties of Holiness called for in the Moral Law and therefore saith he think not so now a Relaxation from some other Laws might have been thought of warrantably 4. It is such a Law whereof to teach the Abrogation at any time is sinful pernicious therefore it is certainly the Moral Law Secondly We reason thus when he speaketh of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by way of eminency meaning no doubt the Decalogue He speaketh alike of all its Commandments even of the least of them and so of this 4. Also that he came not to destroy it which yet the Lord never did of Ceremonials but rather fore-told the Abolition of them as he did of the seeking and worshipping of God in the Temple at Jerusalem c. Yea when he cleareth the Doctrine of the Sabbath from the Pharisees corrupting Traditions he doth never weaken its former Obligation nor insinuate its weakness but sheweth the true meaning thereof which from the beginning made it not only consistent with the works of piety and mercy but exceedingly helpful to both A second place Confirming the whole Decalogue or rather asserting its Authority is in the Epistle of James Jam. 2. 10. He that offendeth in one is guilty of all Why Because he is the same God and Law-giver and no Servant nor Angel who spake them all one as well as another of them And it being clear there that he speaketh of the Decalogue called the Royal Law there being no Law instanced in nor any other that can be of a like authority in these Laws instanced but onely it nor that could be pleaded for by James on such grounds in such a time and it being also clear That he giveth to all those Laws which the Lord spake at that time alike Authority otherwise his reasoning would not be good if any one Law or Command could be instanced to him of the Ten which the Lord spake and was abrogated and not binding it necessarily followeth that this fourth Command being one of the Ten must be of equal Authority with the rest It may be noted also That James here doth not as neither doth our Lord nor any of his Apostles when they cite the Law give New Authority to the Laws he citeth but supposeth them to have it already and maketh use of them as Confirmations of the thing he pressed which could not be if their Authority depended on or slowed from the present Citation of them Thirdly we reason further thus Either there is some Moral duty contained in this Command and laid on by it which is not in any of the former or there is but some Ceremonial thing in it reducible to one of them For the Perfection of this Law requireth that all things needful to the Worship of God should be summed in it and the scope thereof which is briefly to compend all requireth there should be nothing in it that 's needless superfluous or that might have bee● left out Now if the
seventh primarily it would have been more clearly expressed thus he hath given thee the first six therefore give thou him the seventh The second reason from Gods example inferreth the same he wrought six and rested the seventh do thou so likewise and so these that work six and rest a seventh as we now do follow Gods example as well as they that wrought six and rested the seventh did Arg. 5. If the positive part of the Command must be expounded by the negative contra then it concerneth one of seven and not the seventh But the first is true 1. To positive part commandeth a day without respect to its order therefore the negative doth so 2. The negative is to be resolved thus ye shall not work above six not thus ye shall not work above the first six as the event cleareth 3. If it be not the first six but six that is in the concession then it is not the seventh but a seventh that is in the inhibition but the first is clear Ergo c. Arg 6. If this Command for the substance of it concern us as being moral and bind us to the first day and the sanctifying of it equally as it obliged the Jews to the seventh then it s one day of seven and not the seventh which is intended primarily by it But it bindeth us to the first Ergo That its moral and bindeth us now is cleared Thus 1. it either bindeth to this day or to nothing therefore it primarily granteth six and not the first six for labour and by clear conseqnence intendeth primarily a seventh and not the seventh for a day of rest 2. If it be a sin against this Command to break the Lords day or Christian Sabbath and prophane it then it obligeth us to it and that directly for indirectly and by consequence the breach of the Sabbath is a sin against any or all of the three former commands 3. If the prophaning of the Sabbath be forbidden on this ground because it is the Lords as it is in this Command then prophaning of the Lords day is equally forbidden in it because its the Lords and is now appropriated to him according to his own will 4. The Testimony of mens Consciences and the constant challenges of all when tender as being guilty of breaking this Command when ever they prophane the Lords day do convincingly hold forth that this Command concerneth and are as so many witnesses of it and consequently prove that it is not the seventh day but a seventh day whether instituted or to be instituted by God which is the substance of it and primarily commanded in it for its never counted a breach of this Command to neglect to sanctifie the seventh day neither do the Consciences of well informed Christians challenge for that though they do most bitterly for the other as is said In sum suppose now the first day being instituted that the Command were to sanctifie the Sabbath we would understand it of the first day because it s already instituted and the same reasons will inforce it even so the seventh day came in then because it was formerly instituted beside the Sabbatisme signifieth not this or that day but what day soever shall be by God solemnly set or is set apart for holy rest and the Command will run for our observing the Lords day supposing its institution as well as it did for that although it more directly tye them yet it doth so but as a reason even as the preface prefixed to all the Commands and the promise affixed to the fifth concern them literally yet are binding in so far as they are moral as appeareth by the Apostles applying the last Ephes 6. 2. without relation to that particular Land or People but as applicable and common to any Land or People making conscience of obedience to Gods commands But here it may be objected 1. The Jews kept the Seventh day Answ 1. Not by vertue of this command but by its prior institution even as they were obliged to Sacrifices and Circumcision by the second command though they were not particularly named in it 2. So we are obliged to the keeping of the First day of the week by this fourth Commandement yet it followeth not therefore this is expresly commanded in it there being indeed no particular day primarily at least instituted in it 2. It may be objected But God rested the Seventh day Answ Gods rest is not principally proposed as the reason of that Seventh day but that he rested one day after six imployed in the works of Creation I'ts to inferr the number not the order otherwaies it would not concern us 2. The Seventh relateth not to the order of the dayes of the week one two three c but it 's called the Seventh with respect to the former Six of work Thus much for the quoties and quamdiu how often the Sabbath recurreth and what is the day It remaineth here to be inquired what is the beginning of the sanctification of this day which belongeth to the quando or wherefrom we are to reckon it seeing it 's granted by all to be a natural day Now it is questioned mainly whether its begininning is to be reckoned from evening about Sun setting or darkness to Sun setting the next day or if it be to be reckoned from morning that is as we fix it when the Sun beginneth to ascend towards us after midnight which is morning largely taken as its evening largely taken when the Sun beginneth to decline after mid-day In this debate then we take morning and evening largely as they divide the whole natural day so the morning is from twelve at night to twelve in the day and the evening from twelve in the day to twelve at night And it must be so here for 1. Moses Gen. 1. divideth the natural day in morning and evening which two put together make up the whole day and these six dayes made up each of them of morning and evening are natural dayes the whole week being divided in seven of them and that reckoning from Gods example is no doubt proposed for our Imitation in this Hence the morning watch was before day and the morning sacrifice about nine of the clock so the evening sacrifice was about three in the afternoon and the evening watch about nine at night 2. It is granted by all and is clear from this command that as we account the six working dayes of the week so must we account the seventh for one must begin where another endeth and if one of them begin at the evening or morning all the rest must do so likewise 3. We suppose the sanctifying of the ordinary Sabbath was from morning to evening I say of the ordinary Sabbath because for extraordinary Sabbaths as of the Passover Exod. 12. and of the Atonement Levit. 23. there were special reasons and though otherwayes they were to be sanctified as Sabbaths yet that they were to begin in the evening before
speak out something more then Temporary in this Duty of setting a Seventh day a part for God for we speak not yet of the particular day 3. Look to it in all times and states of the Church and ye will find it remarkably Characterized with a special Observation As 1. In innocency it 's instituted and set a part from others and blessed and Heb. 4. It is called the rest from the beginning of the World 2. Before the Law was given the Sanctification of i● was intimated as necessary 3. In the giving of the Law it is remembred a Command given to us for remembring it 4. After the Law it is urged by the Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah and kept by the Godly Psal 92. 5. In the time or after the time of the Captivity the breach of it is reproved Ezek. 20. And its Observation restored by Godly Nehemiah Hitherto there is no difficulty the pinch will lye in this If the Scriptures speak of it as belonging to the days of the Gospel In which for making of it out 1. We have these hints Acts 20 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Where Christians going abou● the Moral Duties of the Sabbath is especially observed to be upon one day peculiarly 2. That Title of the direct appropriating of a Day to the Lord Rev. 1. 1● Which places will fall in to be considered particularly when we come to the la●● question Besides these we may produce three places to prove a Sabbath as belonging to the New Testament though not the very Day used or observed for the Sabbath in the Old and this will be enough to make out the Assertion two of them are Prophesies the third of them is in the Gospel The first prophesie is it the 66. Chap. of Isaiah verse 23. The second is in Ezekiels Description of the Ne● Temple Chap. 43. 44 45 46 c. Where 1. It is clear that these places relate to the Dayes of the Gospel as none can deny but they do so eminently 2. It is clear that though they Prophesie of the Services of the Gospel under the names of Sacrifices c. proper to the Old Testament Administration and of the Sanctified and set a part time of the Gospel under the Name of Sabbath which the● was determined and whereto men were then bound by the fourth Command as they were to Sacrifices by the second yet these Prophesies infer not by vertue of the fourth Command the very same Day to be under the Gospel which was under the Law more then the same Services by vertue of the second which none wi●● deny to be in force notwithstanding of the change of Services and there is as little reason to deny the fourth to be still in force as to its substance notwithstanding o● the change of the particular day Yet Thirdly it is clear that from the mentioning of these services this will follow that there should be set and fixed Ordinances and a way of worship in the New Testament as well as in the Old and that there should be a solemn chief set-time for the Sabbath which men ought to sanctifie and that they should no more admit any other times not so set apart into a parity with it then they were to admit any service or Worship not allowed by God or that was contrary to the second Command for if any thing be clear in them this is clear that they speak first of services then of solemn times and Sabbaths and of the one after the other which must certainly infer that both external services and a solemn chief time for them do belong to the New Testament Hence it is that many Divines from that Prophesie of Ezekiel do draw conclusions for sundry things out of those places as 1. Concerning the necessity and continuance of a standing Ministry and though Ministers now be neither Priests nor Levites yet say they it followeth clearly that there will be a Ministry because such are spoken of there 2. Concerning the necessity of and a Warrant for Church-Discipline and separating not only doctrinally but disciplinarily the precious from the vile and debarring of those who are Morally unclean from the Ordinances because these things say they are Typified in the substance by the Porters being set to keep the Doors and by the charge given to the Priests 3. Anent the continuance of a Church and of the Ordinances of Word Sacraments c. And the Congregating of Christians to attend these though there shall be no material or Typical Temple because of the Mo●al things there being expressed and prophesied of under the names of the old Levitical services yet could not a warrant be inferr'd from them for these and that Jure Divine if the things were not Morally to bind which were so signi●●●d Hence I argue if the sanctifying of a Sabbath as a piece of worship to God be prophesied of to belong to the New Testament then are we bound to the sanctification of a Sabbath as a necessary duty but the continuance of sanctifying a Sabbath unto God is specially prophesied of and fore-told as a piece of worship under the New Testament Ergo c. The third place is Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter neither on the Sabbath-day where the Lord insinuateth that as travelling is troublesome to the Body in Winter so would it be to the minds of the Godly for he is now speaking to his Disciples alone to Travel on that day specially and solemnly set ●part for Gods worship now if there were no Sabbath to continue after Christs Ascension or if it were not to be sanctified there would be no occasion of this grief and trouble that they behoved to Travel on the Sabbath and durst not tarry ●●ll that day were by-past and so no cause to put up this Prayer which yet by our Lords Exhortation seemeth to infer that the Sabbath was to be as certain in its time as the Winter And doubtless this cannot be meaned of the Jewish-Sabbath For 1. That was to be abolished shortly 2. Travelling on the Jewish-Sabbath was to be no cause of grief unto them if indeed all dayes were alike neither would it be scrupled in such a case by the Apostles to whom he now speaketh 3. Besides if no Sabbath were to be it had been better and clearer to say Stand not and grieve not to Travel an● day but his words imply the just contrary that ●here was to be a solemn Sabbath 4. He mentioneth the Sabbath-day only and not the other Festivals of the Jews which were to be kept holy also and by this he distinguisheth the ordinary Sabbath from those other dayes and opposeth it to many as being now the only Holy-day on which they should eschew if possible to travel and would therefore pray to have it prevented for in the New Testament the Sabbath spoken of as the solemn time for worship is ever meaned of the weekly Sabbath and other Holy dayes are called the
main Witnesses The 1. whereof is the general practise of all Christians I say nothing of Heathens Apostles and generally all in the primitive times have ever thought that one day of seven is to be observed and have in less or more accordingly observed it 2. As the practise of all so the Judgment and opinion which is often more sound then mens practises of all doth confirm it Was there ever any Churches that did not in all their Catechisms and Canons take in this fourth Command with the rest do not all Writers who comment on the Decalogue comment on this Command and urge the sanctifying of the Lords day from it 3. Take mens Consciences for a third Witness and it will be found that for no sin do they more frequently and more sharply challenge then for Prophaning of the Lords day The Conscience directly making use of this Command and of the Memento and other reasons in it for aggravating of that sin when yet it will say nothing for the Seventh day but this first-first-day of seven it presseth most exactly neither will any reason alleaged against its morality quietit and the more tender that Christians be the more will they find a pressure of Conscience for obedience to this Command and the more easily will they be convinced of and sadly challenged for the least breach of this Command 4. Gods Dispensations of Blessings or Plagues especially in spiritual things bear witness to this Truth Doth not experience tell us that those who make most Conscience of keeping this Command are often yea ever the most thriving Christians as to universal holiness and tenderness and most near and intimate Communion with God and will not the unsutable sanctification of but one Sabbath or the interruption of their wonted seriousness therein giue them a sore backset and on the contrary doth it not appear that those who are gross and untender in this are often gross and untender in all manner of Conversation and are followed with spiritual plagues of hardness deadness and Hypocrisie at the best or else fall into gross outward acts of prophanity or into errours in judgment which are the bad and sad effects of prophaning this day on them who prejudg themselves of the blessing of it and if the blessing of this Law continue must not the Law it self be moral and perpetually binding the obedience whereof hath this blessing perpetually more or less annexed to it as the prophanation thereof hath usually Plagues at least spiritual There are some Objections that are moved against the morality of this Command I shall speak to three of them which are most insisted on 1. Obj. This Law is not mentioned as being renewed or confirmed in the New Testament Answ 1. It 's Authority dependeth not on the mentioning of it so in the New Testament the Law is Gods Word and hath its Authority as well as the New Testament 2. What i● some other clearly moral and binding Law had been omitted or not mentioned in the New Testament as there seemeth to be no palpable and express Command against Images though there be against will-worship sure it is enough that it is not repealed in it so it is here as is said 3. Sundry other positive Laws are binding which are not mentioned in the New Testament such as these For a man not to Marry his Sister or his Aunt c. 4. It will be found on the matter to be confirmed when we shall see what warrant there is for the Lords day which is one of seven and yet is clearly holden forth in the New Testament But this Command as also that relating to Idolatry are so little mentioned because the Jews after the Captivity were not so much in the defect of obedience to these Commands but were rather disposed to a superstitious excess which maketh Christ often rectifie that abuse of the fourth Command but never to annull it The third Command also anent Swearing might be said to be abrogated because it is not so positively asserted in the New Testament 2. Obj. The Apostle Rom 14. 5 6. Gal. 4. 10. and Col. 2. 16. seemeth to cast away difference of times especially of Sabbath days which could not be if this Command were moral Answ The Apostle cannot be understood simply to cast away the observation of all days as a bondage and so to make all times alike For 1. That would contradict his own practise and the practise of the other Apostles for it is clear that they differenced the first day of the week from other dayes and one day in special is called The Lords-day which other dayes of the week are not 2. It all times be alike simply and all making difference be there reproved then could there be no time set apart to be observed by men to the marring of that indifferency and if so then hath the Christian Church been still in a palpable gross sin for if the keeping of a day by vertue of Gods Command marr that indifferency much more will the keeping of a day by mans command and so there could never be a Sabbath 3. We must therefore understand these places not as casting all days and times simply but ceremonial and Jewish days or dayes invented by men because the scope of the places runneth that way viz. against the bringing in of ceremonial worship as necessary which while some weak ones not yet sufficiently informed did still practise as Rom. 14. the Apostle would not have them hastily condemned in days more then Meats yet is there still a difference betwixt Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of the Supper and other meats which this discourse of the Apostle taketh not away so is it in dayes And in these Epistles to the G●latians and Colossians he speaketh of dayes and not as would seem of the weekly Sabbath which is ordinarily called a day as taking in all the extraordinary Feasts of the Jews which is the more probable because the ceremonial Law was pressed on them as still necessary by false Teachers or he speaketh of mere Jewish dayes and so of the seventh day which they kept for it is of such observation of dayes as was sinful and brake them off from Grace and the Gospel as other ceremonies did that he speaketh of but that cannot be said of all dayes or of keeping one day of seven Therefore this cannot be meaned there 3. Obj. The fourth Command precisely commandeth the seventh day from the Creation to be kept but that is not moral therefore neither is the Command so Answ This Objection goeth upon that mistake as if the very seventh-day were still commanded in it as the main substance of it which our next discourse on the true scope and meaning of the Command will clear so that if a seventh-day and not that seventh-day be commanded as the main substance of that Command that Objection falleth 2. There is a difference to be put betwixt the mandatory part of the Command and what is further
Temple was built tyed them to the Ark and sometimes to one place and sometimes to another as it was removed and placed till it was brought to Jerusalem but after the Temple was built and chosen for the place it astricted men to that yea when the Temple is destroyed and Christ come it a stricteth men to no place by another but it obligeth men to worship God every where in spirit and truth It 's true this is a Ceremonial precept and will not hold in all things especially as to its oblition yet while it stood by a positive Authority or Precept it sheweth that God may command a particular as one day of seven and yet not instantly so determine but that one and the same command may inforce to diverse dayes at diverse times upon supposition of Gods manifesting his mind even as by one command men were astricted successively to diverse places 2. See it instanced in the second Command wherein God requireth such a worship as he himself should prescribe which is the moral affirmative part of it and dischargeth all worship by Images that is the moral negative part thereof by vertue whereof Believers were then tyed to offer Sacrifices to Circumcise to keep the Passover c. but now Believers are tyed to Baptize to celebrate the Lords Supper c. yet by vertue of one and the same command so here that command which requires the Seventh day from the Jews may require the First day from us Christians for the Sabbath because these particulars are not expresly directly and immediately called for by these commands but indirectly and by consequence yet this second command tyed the Jews to abstain from blood and to circumcise before the ceremonial Law was added to them because these commands were formerly revealed to them but it tyed them to these accidentally to say so and by consequence only even so we say of the fourth command as to the Seventh day it being instituted before consider for this Exod. 16. 26. where six dayes for gathering of Manna a seventh for rest are spoken of A third Instance is in Tithes which was the Lords requiring apart of their Means or Substance as this was apart of their time he there required the tenth part of their increase as here he doth the seventh part of their time yet God in proportioning their estates did not particularly limit to any exact and precise order but as to this proportion of their estates whatever they were so we say here had not the day been determined other wayes then by this command it would not have implyed any particular definite day of the Seven 3. We premit that though the seventh day be called moral as is expressed in the Command or understood yet it is but moral positive and so alterable at the will of the Law-giver and therefore the question would not be much different if acknowledging the seventh day to be commanded to the Jews as well as one of seven we yet asserted the seventh to be discharged and one of seven to be still retained for so one of seven would be binding now and not the seventh 4. Yet lest we should seem to admit somewhat changeable in the very Command it self precisely considered we would put difference betwixt the commanding part of the Law and its explicatory part the command may be moral and indefinite although some things in reasons and motives were not so as in the preface which inforceth all the commands in the promise annexed to the fifth there was something peculiar to that people yet cannot we cast off all because of that suppose there had no more been in this fourth Command but remember in the day of rest to keep it holy that would not have inferred the seventh day though we think the Jews because of its former sanctification would have been obliged to keep that day by vertue of this Command And suppose that in the explications or reasons there may be something added peculiar to that people which cannot be a seventh day but at the most if any thing the seventh day yet that which is in the commanding part will still stand moral to wit that the day of rest should be remembred and if it can be made out that it was determined to the Jews to sanctifie the seventh day though it were in the reasons added and to us afterward to sanctifie the first day they will be both found to be a seventh day and a day of rest and therefore to be remembred and to be sanctified this would resolve into the same thing on the matter yet we conceive it safest to assert that in this Command God hath set apart a seventh day to himself which is to be sanctified by us by our application of it to holy uses but doth not by it expresly directly and primarily bind to the seventh day but secondarily and by consequence to wit as it was other wayes before declared by him and so it bindeth now that same way to the sanctifying of the first day of the week as being now revealed by God just as in the former instances or examples we touched upon That a seventh day whatever it be which is chosen of God and not the seventh day in order is to be sanctifyed by vertue of this Command as injoyning that as the substance and matter of it may be made out by these Arguments Arg. 1. That which is the substance of this Command is moral and bindeth perpetually as we have formerly proved for if its substance be not moral then it sel● is not so either but that a seventh day should be sanctified hath been maintained in the Church by the Apostles in their retaining the first day of the week while the seventh hath been laid by and never used therefore it was not the seventh but a● seventh day which was primarily commanded in this Command so that no particular day is instituted here more then any positive service is prescribed in the second Command yet the observation of what was prescribed or should be prescribed was included Even so it is here in reference to that day and as we may inferr that the second Command injoyned not such and such Ordinances primarily because they are abolished and that such as were negative or prohibited a● not making of Images are moral because they are continued and Images are to be rejected just so may we conclude that a seventh day here was primarily commanded and is moral because it is continued and that the seventh was not so commanded because it is rejected and laid aside This Argument especially made out in the designation of the Lords day will prove this for if that seventh day was the substance of this Command then either it is to be continued as moral which were against the current of the New Testament wherein as Christ hath set forth different Ordinances so a different chief solemn time for worship or we must say that this fourth Command belongeth not to
worship they its beginning must be in the morning for if the latter or following evening belong to this natural day before sleeping time come on then the even before cannot belong to it for it cannot have both but by this Command a whole waking day or an artificial day is to be sanctified together and the even after it before waking time end as well as the morning Therefore it must begin in the morning and no● on the evening before Further if by vertue of the concession of six working dayes we may not wor● the evening after then the day beginneth in the morning for the week day following must begin as the Sabbath did but the former is true Ergo c. Thes● things will make out the minor 1. It can hardly be thought consistent with thi● Command to work immediately when it groweth dark before folks rest 2. I● said Luke 23. verse 56. and 24. verse 1. of the Women that stayed from the grave till the first day of the week that they rested according to the commandment on the Sabbath day and early in the morning came to the Sepulchre 3. Because Christ accounteth a whole natural day that which lasteth till men cannot work 4. Gods working dayes to say so were such he made not any thing in the evening before the First day 5. The ordinary phrase To morrow is the holy Sabbath Exod. 16. 23 c. sheweth that the day present will last till to morrow come and to morrow is ever by an intervening night So if on the forbidden day men may not work till to morrow then that evening belongeth to it by this Command and if on the sixth day the seventh be not come till to morrow that is after the night intervene then it doth not begin at even but so it is in these places and phrases Yet again its clear that in all the examples of ordinary Sabbaths keeping and sanctifying in Scripture they began in the morning For instance it is said Exod. 16. 27. Some of the people went out to gather on the seventh day no doubt in the morning for they knew well there was none of it to be found any day after the Suns waxing hot they might have dressed of it the night before and not been quarrelled with they being forbidden gathering on the Sabbath the proofs of the former Argument give light to this also There are yet two Arguments to be added which do especially belong to us Christians for clearing the beginning of our Lords day to be in the morning the first is taken from Christs Resurrection thus That day and that time of the day ought to be our Sabbath and the beginning of it when the Lord began to rest after finishing the work of Redemption and arose but that was the First day in the week in the morning Ergo c. This bindeth us strongly who take that day on which he arose to be our Christian Sabbath The second is taken from the History of Christs Passion and Resurrection together wherein these things to this purpose are observable 1. That he was laid in the Grave on Frydays night being the preparation to the great Sabbath which followed 2. That the Woman who rested and came not to the Grave till Sunday morning to use our known names are said to rest according to the Commandment as if coming sooner had not been resting according to it 3. That his lying in the Grave must be accounted to be some time before the Fryday ended other wayes he could not have been three dayes in the Grave and therefore a part of Frydays night is reckoned to the First day then the whole Sabbath or Saturday is the second and lastly a part of the night to wit from twelve a clock at night belonging to the First day or Sunday standeth for the third and so he arose that morning while it was yet dark at which time or thereabouts the Women came to the Grave as soon as they could for the Sabbath and therefore their Sabbath seventh-day ended then and the First day Sabbath began We now come to the third general question concerning the change to wit the change of the seventh day into the First day of the week where first we shall sum up what is moral in this Command and then secondly by some Propositions clear the change and its consistency with this Command To the first then this Command doth morally and perpetually oblige to these 1. That there be a solemn time set apart and observed for Worship 2. That this should be one day of seven 3. That it should be such a day the very day which God commandeth the Sabbath of his appointment whatever day it should be 4. That it be a whole natural day of twenty four hours yet having an Artificial day together undivided 5. That six and no more but six working dayes intervent and that these be together in a week and therefore 6. That the Sabbath be a bounding day dividing one working week from another if then six working dayes must be in one week and go together this will follow also that the Sabbath must be the first or last day of the seven As for the Propositions clearing the change and consistency of it with this command the first shall be this The Sabbath may be changed from the last or seventh day to the first day of the week without any derogation to this command or inconsistency with it for all that is moral in it to wit a day and one day of seven and a bounding seventh day leaving six for work together remain untouched by the change beside the seventh day not having its institution from this Command expresly and directly but only accidentally the particular day whether the Jews seventh day or the Christians first day of the week being supposed by the fourth Commandment as instituted or to be instituted elsewhere as is said and its first institution Gen. 2. being onely a positive and temporary Law may be therefore changed and yet the fourth Commandment keep intire we need not insist in further prosecution of this Proposition much being spoken to it on the matter already 2. Propos Not only may the seventh be altered from what it was under the Law to another seventh day under the Gospel but it is meet and convenient from good reasons even in the Command that it should be so For 1. If these two ages before Christ and after him be looked on as diverse Worlds and if the Redemption by Christ at his coming be accounted the making of the one as Gods Creation was of the other then its meet that when the World is renued by Redemption the Sabbath day should be changed for memory of that as well as it was instituted at first for the memory of the former there being the same reason for both But they are looked on as two distinct worlds and called so in the plural number Heb. 11. 2. and this last World distinguished from the
former Hebr. 2. 5. and the redeeming of the one is looked upon as the making of the other therefore from that day forth the day of rest is to be such as may relate to both now the day being changed to the first it remembreth us of Gods rest at the Creation by distinguishing six dayes from the seventh and it remembreth us of the new Creation by putting Christs Resurrection in the room of the former Arg. 2. If the new World be a work as much for the glory of God and as comfortable to men when it s begun and closed or finished by the work of Redemption as the making of the old World was then the day of rest of the new World is to be made to relate to that much more if the Redemption of the World be more for the glory of God and for the comfort of men then by the ground on which the seventh day was at first instituted it s also again to be changed to wit the memory of Gods great work but both the former are true Ergo or thus if the ground that made the seventh to be chosen for the Sabbath in the old World be changed in the new and tha● ground agree better to another then to it then it is to be changed But the ground whereupon the old seventh day was preferred is now changed there are grounds to prefer another day to it for the same ends therefore it is meet the day be changed also Or thus f the perfecting of the work of Redemption and the rest of the Mediator after it be as much to be remembred as the work of Creation and Gods resting after it then the day is to be changed but so it is Ergo. Arg. 3. If by Christ in the new World all the Levitical services be changed and the Ceremonial Worship of that day then it is meet that the day also should be changed 1. For shewing the expiration of that Worship and Law it being hard to keep that day and to distinguish it from the Jewish former Worship 2. To keep Christians more Judaizing and to abstract them even from former services of the Sabbath now abolished just as now no particular family hath the Priesthood as Levi had it before nor no particular Nation hath the Church confined in it as that of the Jews had though these were not typical properly yea it would be such a day as would point out the evanishing of former Ceremonies which the inbringing of the first day abundantly doth Arg. 4. If the Worship and Ordinances of the new Gospel-world be eminently to hold their Institution of Christ the Mediator and to be made some way relative to his Redemption past then it is meet for that end that the Sabbath-day be changed so as it may be dependant on him as all other worship is that is moral-positive or positive-moral and that cannot be done well if the former day be kept unchanged at least not so well as when it is changed but the former is true all Gospel-worship holdeth of him Sacraments Prayer Praise Ministry c. now Sacraments as they seal are not ceremonial for the Tree of Life was instituted to be a seal of the Covenant of works in the state of Innocency before the fall while there were no typical Institutions of a Saviour to come and so Sacraments as they are Seals may be continued as perpetual pieces of worship without hazard of typifying a Saviour to come therefore he instituted new ones and that with relation to his work of Redemption considered as past Hence also his Prayer or Pattern is called the Lords Prayer and his Sacrament of the Supper is called the Lords Supper because instituted by him and relating to him in this sence it is peculiarly said Hebr. 2. 5. That God put in subjection to him the World to come different from what was before and he is put as the Son in the New Testament in the place of Moses who was the Law-giver and faithful Servant in the Old Heb. 3. upon this ground we think that day is called Hebr. 1. 10. the Lords day to bring it in a dependance on Jesus Christ and to make it respect what is past of the work of Redemption Arg. 5. If the day of solemn publick worship be a piece of Gods worship capable of bearing a relation to Christ to come and falling out under the Mediators Kingdom properly then when he cometh in the new World it is meet it should be changed 1. To shew he is come 2. To shew he is absolute over the house and worship of God 3. Some way to preach his Grace and Redemption in the very change of it But it is a piece of Worship and Tribute of our time as is said before and a piece of worship capable of his Institution and Remembrance therefore called the Lords day which could not be were not a day of worship capable of that and it falleth under the power of Christ who Matth. 12. Even as the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and why is that power pleaded in that particular of the day so often if it were not to shew that there is reason by his coming to look on the Sabbath as under him even as all other worship was which stood by Gods positive Command even as this did Arg. 6. If by this Command the day of rest from Gods most solemn work be to be our day of rest then after Christs coming not so before not the seventh but the first day is to be observed but by the command the former is true Again if that day be to be kept in reference to any solemn work of God which was the first day after his perfecting it then the First day is to be kept but by the command the former is true because our resting day is to be kept in reference to the work of Redemption and therefore must be on the First day which was the day after its closing and perfecting as to Christs suffering and labour though not as to its application even as the seventh was of Gods resting from the work of Creation though not from his works of Providence Arg. 7. If the seventh day which the Jews kept had any peculiar tye or motive unto them which by Christ is now taken away then it was meet that at Christs coming that day should be changed We would understand here that there might be somewhat peculiar or typical in their seventh day and yet nothing so in the fourth Command which commandeth one of seven but not the seventh And though we could not particularly pitch upon what is typical or peculiar in it yet may we conceive that something there is as in Tythes Offerings c. though the particular thing which is typified be hardly instructed As 1. If its beginning was on the evening to them as some think the reason of it was peculiar to wit their coming out of Egypt at evening Exod. 12. And in so far
never read that they kept it but another day 2. The Apostles and primitive Christians kept and esteemed the first day for their solemn day beyond and above all dayes yea and it onely as the Christian Sabbath For 1. on that day they used to meet ordinarily and that not occasionally but purposely and determinately as John 20. verse 19. and 26. which is clearly the first day 2. They are purposely together and not for fear for fear scattereth but while they are together they do for fear shut the doors being very probably led from the news of the Resurrection to be together and so gain verse 26. they meet and Christ with them And though it may possibly be that on other dayes they met yet doubtless this holdeth forth something peculiar to this day and some Lesson to be taken from it That 1. Christs coming to them is especially trysted on that day and that while they are together 2. That when they met at any other time ere he came to them its never said they were or came together the second third or fourth day of the week but on the first and wherefore doth the Holy Ghost record that day or their meeting on that day when he omitteth the naming of other dayes but that that day in its Exercises may be especially taken notice of and though other dayes had been much alike in Exercises to them yet the recording of this day so often and omitting the other intimateth a difference sure they are not alike in this so much for the 20. of John which is the first place of Scripture we make use of The second is Acts 2. 1 2. Here they are said to be all with one accord in one place when Pentecost came where its clear 1. That Pentecost was on the first day of the week for it was the fiftieth day after the Feast of unleavened bread Now according to the Jews account their Passover day was on the Sabbath called John 19. 31. an high Sabbath in which Christ lay all the day in the grave as appeareth for that day is called their preparation for the Feast wherein Christ suffered which is our Friday reckon now what will be the fiftieth day after or Pentecost and it will be found to be the first day of the week And it s not only observable for their meeting but for Gods sending the Spirit on them as a special blessing of that day and his countenancing of their worshipping him on it according to his promise 2. It is clear that they did meet together on this day 3. That this meeting together was not a daily or ordinary meeting together for John 21. we see they went to Fishing and no question sometimes they went asunder for verse 1. It s marked as a thing not ordinary to every day that on that day they were altogether in one place 4. It was not a meeting in reference to the Pentecost feast For 1. They onely are together distinct from the People 2. It s not in the Temple but in some other House fit for their meeting together at publick Worship it must be therefore because that day was the time of their solemn meeting even their Christian Sabbath The third place is Acts 20. 7. And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them c. where it is clear 1. That this meeting was for publick Worship as the breaking of Bread and Preaching intimateth 2. That there is some observableness in this Circumstance that it was on the first day of the week and that that day is mentioned rather then any of the former six dayes in which he had been there at Troas though its more then probable they had meetings and preaching on them also but this is the onely and great difference that their meetings on these dayes were occasional and it may be but partial to speak so but the solemn chief fixt meeting of all was usually and ordinarily on the first day 3. This coming together on that day for these ends is spoken of as a thing that was not new nor occasional but as their customary constant known Practise they came together purposely to break and to wait on other Ordinances 4. It s clear that by special applying of these Exercises to that day and by mentioning of the day for that end that that day was their most solemn day and that the old seventh day was not so at least necessarily imployed by them 5. Neither is it like That Paul who was ready to depart would have stayed for the first day of the week if there had not been some solemn worship in that or that he would have passed the old seventh-day Sabbath especially to marring of his other occasions had they been equal if more sanctification had been required in it then in the first day of the week or that he would have so much insisted in religious publick worship on that day if the former seventh had been imployed in that service but here the Church being constituted of believing Gentiles there is no mention of the old Sabbath but as of another common day of the week Yea 6. Pauls spending this whole day in that service and continuing his Sermon till midnight yet accounting it still one day in solemn meeting doth confirm this day to be more then an ordinary day or then other dayes of the week as being specially dedicated to these Services and Exercises and totally spent in them 7. It s said that the Disciples came together they were not sent for that day but they came together being called and accustomed so to do on that day and as being put to these duties by the day as the proper Exercises in which it is to be spent Hence we may argue If the Apostles and primitive Christians did observe the First day of the week as their prime and chief time for solemn publick Worship and did pass over the old seventh day then is the day changed from the seventh to the First day of the week but the first is cleared by the former Instances Ergo c And if these meetings on that First day were not such as used to be formerly on the seventh day I desire to know a reason 1. Why their meetings on that day should be particularly recorded rather then their meetings on any other day and then 2. Why the one is so oft mentioned and the other never to wit that they met the second third day c. of the week Or 3. If their meeting on this First day now after Christs Ascension be not like his going to the Synagogue on the seventh day Sabbath and doing such and such things on the Sabbath that day being most frequently mentioned before whereas now there is deep silence of that day and the first day is recorded in its room neither can the Scriptures speaking of the one and silence in the other be for no purpose or for any other
Christianity and introducing at least having a native tendency to introduce old Paganism and Barbarity Thirdly This Command is broken by corrupting of Gods worship as when the Word is mis-interpreted and mis-applyed Prayers are used in a strange Tongue the Word is mixed with Errours and the Church both left without Discipline and abused in civil things which tendeth to the corrupting of Gods Service unqualified-men put into the Ministry and kept in it when Sacraments are rested on and worshipped even as the Brazen Serpent was abused and the Temple though appointed by God at first for good ends was afterward rested on and Idolized Again this Command is practically broken four wayes First by gross prophanity and neglect of the practise of known duties of worship this way are guilty all prophane Contemners of Sacraments Word Discipline c. All Neglecters of them when they may have them and all these that set not themselves to go rightly about them in secret in Families or in Publick and where many opportunities of Gospel Ordinances are this sin is the more frequent and so all Atheists that contemne Religion and these that would only serve God with a good heart and intention as they pretend without any outward worship are condemned here and also those who for fear or advantage give not testimony to the Truth and Ordinances of Christ when such a testimony is called for 2. Men sin against this Command when they practise will-worship and superstition in serving God by duties he never required whether 1. It be Will-worship in respect of the Service it self as when that is gone about as duty which is not in it self lawful as when such and such Pilgrimages and Penances are appointed by men to be done as Service to God Or 2. When worship or Service under the Gospel is astricted to such a place as if it were Holier to pray in one place then in another and that therefore God did hear Prayer there more willingly and easily then in another place Or 3. In respect of bodily posture as if there were more Religion in one posture then in another as in receiving the Lords-Supper kneeling or Praying in such and such a posture except in so far as it is decent and otherwise rightly regulate by rules of Prudence and Natures light 4. When it is without a Divine Warrant tyed to such a time only as Christmass commonly caled Yool Easter Pasc●e c. which is an Observing of times that God hath not appointed 5. When it is tyed to such an occasion or accident as to Pray when the Clock striketh or when one Neeseth which Plinius marked of Ti●erius who was no Religious man yet could not abide one who lifted not his Hat when he Neesed and said not God bless and he observeth it among these things he can give no reason for the Prayer is good but the timing of it so and astricting it to that thing is superstitious so your Lightwakes and Di●iges as ye call them are upon this account to be condemned either as superstitious or as prophane or at the best as the reliques and causes or occasions of both For 1. Once in times of Popish darkness they were so used or rather abused 2. Why are your Visits stinted to such a time more then another It profiteth not the defunct and it hurteth the person you come unto a multitude not being sit for comforting or instructing and yet it cannot be called a meer civil visit being trysted with such an occasion but certainly it suiteth not nor is it a Christian carriage toward the Dead and after the Burial of the Dead to spend time together in such a way as is commonly used Beside it is superstitious when a thing without reason is astricted to such a time or occasion as giving and receiving of gifts on new-years-New-years-day too too common amongst Christians though a Heathenish custome which day as Gratian observes was dedicated to their Devil-god Janus He asserts like wise that such Christians as in his time did observe it were Excommunicated and Alchuinus with others write that the whole Catholick Church appointed once a solemne publick Fast to be kept on a New-years-Day to bewail those Heathenish Interludes Sports and lewd Idolatrous practises that had been used on it 6. When some weight is laid on the number of words or set repetitions of Prayers Ave Maria's or Pater Nosters or on the reading so many Chapters or saying so many Prayers 7. When any take a word of Scripture at the opening of the Bible or by a thought suggested as more befitting their condition because of that without weighing the Word it self and lay more weight upon that word then upon another that hath the same authority and suitableness to their case which is to make a Weerd or Fortune-book of the Book of God for which end he never appointed it Thus also men are guilty when they account Sacraments more valid or lay more weight on them because dispensed by some Ministers then when dispensed by others though having the same warrant or because of the difference of persons that partake therein with them However some of these things may be in themselves good yet they are abused by some one circumstance as in unwarrantable timing them or in laying that weigh on them which is not warranted in the Word which 1. Altereth the way that God has laid down 2. Bringeth us to prefer one circumstance to another without any warrant 3 Maketh a necessity where God has left us free and so bringeth us into Bondage 3. We may go wrong in practising lawful duties many wayes as to the manner of performing them when they are not so done as is required As 1. When we do not propose to our selves the right end we should have before us 2. When they are not done from a right inward Principle 3. When they are done in Hypocrisie and Formality and rested on all which may go along with men in all Duties and Ordinances and generally all our shert-comings in the right manner of commanded duties striketh against this Command Fourthly We may also consider the breach of this Command by taking a view of what is opposite to every thing required and so want of Reverence in Worship want of Zeal against errour of false worship not streatching our selves in all lawful endeavours to entertain and maintain the true worship of God are here forbidden so likewise the putting in and keeping in unworthy Ministers the traducing holding out and putting out of Faithful Men the with-drawing and Sequestring their maintenance from them the diminishing of it or straitning them in it Horrid sins though little thought of and lightly looked on by Men drawing no less deep before God then obstructing the free course of the Gospel breaking up the treaty of peace betwixt God and Sinners carryed on by Faithful Ministers as the Ambassadors of Jesus Christ and saying on the matter that he shall not see of the fruit of the travel
cannot but take in Family-worship yet it is also clear that he meaneth not simply of inability to rule but mainly of defectiveness in the improving the ability which God hath given for Ruling therefore it is not said here He that cannot Rule his House though that be in part truth but he that doth not Rule and it is tanked with excessive drinking striking pride and other grosse ills it having that same effect that they had to wit to declare incapacity for such Offices Hence this is not to be the Rule of tryal if he can Rule his own house well as having gifts fitting him for it but supposing him to have these it 's to be inquired if he doth actually Rule it well which is the evidence of the right improving of his gifts therefore here Ruling in the mans own house and ruling in the Church or House of God are looked on as two degrees of one thing of the same nature because both taken in not only gifts fitting for the discharge of the duty of this respective ruling it but conscience and faithfulness in the improving of them We shall not here to this purpose insist on the frequent mention that is made in the Scripture of Churches being in Families But shall proceed to add to what we have said Six or Seven Reasons or grounds that will further prove and clear the thing The first is drawn from nature which teacheth not only that the true God should be alone served and worshipped but that according to the Stations God hath put 〈◊〉 in they should improve them with their gifts parts for a higher end then their own behooff or advantage to wit his glory And that as they have a peculiar fellowship given them by him as his gift so he should have answerable and peculiar acknowledgement from them and therefore seeing the appointment of Families is Gods Ordinance and that it s he that giveth to some Children and Servants which are with-held from others there ought in all reason a Tribute to be given to him resulting from that Society and the Family hence it was that before the Law the Patriarchs had their worship specially in their Families yea Heathens beside their publick idolatrous worship and idolatrous Temples had their peculiar Penates or Houshold-Gods on whom for their particular families delivery from enemies and protection they depended 2. A second is drawn from the nature of Christian Communion amongst Believers which as it requireth the performing of Christian duties according as we are in providence called to them so it requireth the making use of that tye of Family-interest or relation super-added to the former for furtherance and entertaining of that Communion because there is a special access ministred by such a relation to the attaining of that end Hence it is we conceive as is said that some Christian Families are called Churches because so many Christians casten together lived in a Christian discharge of all Family-Ordinances so to speak 3. The Lord by his Covenant doth especially though not alway derive mercies to Families taking them in together and making promises to them and conferring priviledges on them So Abrahams whole Family was taken in Covenant Genes 17. And in the New Testament whole Families were at once Baptized which certainly calleth them to a peculiar way of being answerable to such priviledges and ingagements And is not this one special and very proper way of being answerable to them that they worship God together and joyn in blessing him for such mercies and in prayer to him for grace to carry suitably to them 4. The mutual interest that usually is in the condition of members of the same Family calleth for joynt-seeking of God and worshipping of him as they are jointly concerned in the same dangers the same sins often the same stroaks the same duties the same mercies for what is so to one is ordinarily some way so to all therefore ought they to joyn in confessing of sins acknowledging mercies deprecating dangers and stroaks and discharging of duties 5. Private worship is profitable to all the ends of a family It s an acknowledging of God and honouring of him it helpeth the Master to keep his authority and maketh every one in their Family to walk the more respectively towards the rest and it keepeth from many out-breakings when they are to meet so often together to seek and worship God hence in experience we often see that these families where religious worship is are generally more civil at least then other families where it is not and that the children and servants of such families readily profit most are most countenanced by Gods blessing and are in greatest capacity to get good of the publick Ordinances 6. The Lord loveth to have a distinction betwixt these that serve him and these that serve him not Now as to a family relation what difference is there betwixt a professing Christian family where the joynt worship of God is not and a heathenish family Heathens live and eat and work together and when no more is seen they look very like the one to the other Even as in a Nation where no publick worship is though private Persons privately seek God yet there seemeth to be no publick national difference betwixt that Nation and a heathen Nation so in the former case a family difference will hardly be found if any should inquire of what sort of families these are Add that it will be hard to say that a man should take care of the outward Estate of his Family and neglect the spiritual and keep Communion with his Family in temporal things and none in spiritual duties yea doubtless he should be much more in these as being both more necessary and more excellent Having first shewed that this fourth Command holdeth forth a family worship and having secondly confirmed it more largely from other Scriptures and grounds of reason it followeth now according to the method proposed that we shew in the third place how particularly the Scripture describeth wherein it doth consist whereby it will further appear to be of God The Scripture describeth it four wayes 1. In general it is called in Abraham and Joshuas Case keeping the way of Lord serving the Lord very comprehensive expressions taking in much and here its sanctifying of the Sabbath that is performing of the duties which are to be discharged for the right sanctifying of that day we conceive it to be in short to do these things in a joynt family-way which a Servant of God may and ought to do alone that is to pray read sing Psalms c. or to do in a Domestick way what Christians in providence cast together may do as to pray read further one anothers edification by repeating of Sermons spiritual conference instruction exhortation admonition c. for they have their tye of Christianity and this of a Family-relation beside which doth not abrogate the former nor derogate from it but doth further corroborate and
was added as aspecial solemnity of these solemn times and therefore the example or instance of these will not be concludent here to the prejudice of what we assert but rather to the contrary seeing there is a particular excepting of them from the ordinary rule and the particular intimation of their beginning in the evening will rather confirm our assertion that the ordinary Sabbaths did begin in the morning 4. It s not questioned if on the evening before people should be preparing for the Sabbath following we said that this is included in the word remember but if we speak of the Sabbath to begin at the evening before then it will be comprehended as a part of the very day and so it will conclude the work or observation of the day to close at the next evening We conceive especially to us Christians the day is to begin in the morning as is said and to continue till the next morning for which we reason thus Arg. 1. As other dayes begin or as dayes began at the first so must this but days ordinarily begin in the morning Ergo c. If the first six of Moses's reckoning begin so then this beginneth so also but they do begin so which may be cleared from Gen. 1. where the evening and the morning make the first day after the Creation 1. If there the morning and the evening do fully divide the natural day then the morning must go before the evening every morning being for its own evening But they do divide the natural day all being comprehended under six dayes Ergo c. the consequence is clear to natural sense for the fore-noon which is the morning must be before the afternoon which is the evening the ascending of the Sun is sure before its declining and seeing the morning natural to speak so of the natural day is from the twelfth hour at night this must be the beginning of the day Again the question then being onely whether to reckon the evening or the morning first it would seem necessary to reckon the morning first for if the evening be first that evening must either be 1. the evening of a day preceeding morning seeing every evening supposeth a morning to go before it in proper speech and I suppose the History of the Creation Genes 1. is not set down in metaphorical terms or 2. it must be an evening without a morning and that in proper speech here used is absurd and seems also to be as impossible in nature to wit that there should be a consequent and posterior evening or afternoon without a preceeding morning or forenoon as that there should be an effect without a cause or 3. it must be the evening following its own morning and so that morning must be lost proceeding the first evening recorded Gen. 1. The evening and the morning were the first day which to affirm would not onely be absurd but would also manifestly fasten the loss of a dayes time on the Scriptures calculation and it seemeth hard in all speech and Scripture-phrase to put evening before its own morning seeing there must be both morning and evening in each day neither doth the Scriptute speak any way of evening but when its drawing towards night which still supposeth the morning of that same day to be passed or else we must divide the day in the middle of the Artificial day and make the natural day begin at twelve of the noon day which will be as much against the Scripture phrase that reckoneth still the whole Artificial day as belonging to one natutal day the Artificial day and night being the two parts of one whole natural day All the force of the opposite reason is this the evening is first named Ergo it is first Answ Moses his scope is not to shew what part of one day is before another but to divide one day from another and to shew what goeth to make a whole day to wit an evening and a morning not a morning alone but an evening added to the morning which preceeded that made the first second third day c. as one would reckon thus there is a whole day because there is both evening and morning In this account its most suitable to begin with the evening because it presupposeth the morning and being added to it cannot but be a day whereas it is not so proper to say morning with the evening as evening now added to its morning compleateth the first day and evening now being past as the morning before God did put a period by and with the evening to the First day it being the evening that compleateth the day and divideth it from the following day and not the morning as one would say the afternoon with the forenoon maketh a compleat day and the afternoon or evening is first named because 1. the day is not compleat without it seeing it compleateth it 2. because the day cannot be extended beyond it now the first day is closed because the evening of it is come Arg. 2. What time of the day God began his rest we must begin ours but he began his in the morning of the seventh day the Artificial night having intervened betwixt that and the sixth which is clear for 1. Gods resting this day is more then his resting in the other nights of the six dayes it being granted by all that he made nothing in the night 2. There had not otherwise been any intermission betwixt his labour and his rest which is yet supposed by distinguishing the dayes Again if by vertue of the command of a day to be sanctified we should begin the night or the evening before then these two or three absurdities would follow 1. Then we would confound the preparation by the word remember and the day together 2. Then we Christians might also by vertue of the concession of six dayes for work begin to work the night before Monday as the Jews on this supposition might have begun their work the night before Sunday 3. Then we were almost no sooner to begin the sanctifying of the day then to break it off for rest and when its sanctification is closed as soon to fall to our ordidinary callings Arg. 3. If by this Command a whole natural day is to be employed for duties of Worship as another day is employed in our ordinary Callings then is it to begin in the morning the antecedent will not be denyed the consequent is thus made good if men account all the labour of their working time from one nights rest to another to belong to one day then must they begin in the morning or else they must account what they work after the first evening to belong to another day but that way of reckoning was never heard of the twelth hour belonging to that same day with the first hour Again if by this Command a whole artificial day together that is our waking and working time betwixt two nights be to be employed for Gods
at least it would be peculiar to them And by Christs rising in the morning is changed 2. It 's pressed peculiarly on the account of Gods redeeming them from Egypt they had that to think on that sometime they were where they got not liberty to rest any day therefore should they ease their Servants as it is Deut. 5. 14. 15. This holdeth especially if it was on the seventh day that their freedom from Egypt began Exod. 12. which was after that made the first day of their year that is the morrow after they did eat the Passover as it s made probable by some 3. It was peculiarly discovered to them by Gods raining Manna from Heaven six dayes and by his with holding it from them the seventh 4 It was peculiarly accompanied with special Ceremonial services beyond other dayes 5 God 's manner of dealing with them before Christ was to press duties by temporal and external advantages expresly and more implicitly by spiritual mercies therefore it was most agreeable to that way and time to press the seventh day on them which minded them of the benefit of Creation but it 's otherwise with the Church under the Gospel Hence their Sacraments had respect externally to their deliverance from Egypt and temporal things whereas ours have respect purely to what is spiritual 6 The Apostle Col. 2. 16. taketh in their Sabbaths with their other dayes and though he take not in all dayes alike yet it can hardly be denyed but their seventh-day Sabbath cometh in there where all the Jewish times are put together Therefore it would seem there is a type not in the Command but in that day though not properly yet accidentally in respect of its worship end application c. complexly taken and that therefore this seventh day Sabbath is expired at least if not repealed seeing that dayes and times kept by the Jews are enumerate with their other Services which were antiquated even as when the Apostle condemneth difference about meat or drink his meaning is not to condemn what difference is made in the Lords Supper in the New Testament but what is from the Old so may the same be said of dayes It s their old difference he cryeth down Propos 3. As its meet that the day of Worship under the Gospel should ●e another then what was under the Law and should therefore be changed so it s meet that the change should be into the First day of the week and to no other day For 1. No other day has been honoured with so many Gospel priviledges as 1. With Christs Resurrection Matth. 28. It was the First day of his victory and rest 2. With Christs appearing twice at least on it to his Disciples singling it out from other dayes or his appearing is for no purpose particularly recorded by the Evangelist John to have been on that day if there were not something remarkable in it beside what is in another day 3. The Spirits giving at Pentecost Acts 2. will be found to be on the First day of the week now no other day can claim so many priviledges and so many wayes relate to Christ 2. If the ground upon which the seventh day under the Law was preferred during that World do in this renewing of the World agree onely to the first day of the week then is the first day to succeed but these grounds proportionally agree onely to the first day under the Gospel which agreed to the seventh under the Law Ergo. That which made the seventh day preferrable was 1. That God had ended all his works on the sixth and rested the seventh It was the first day after the Creation so the first day of the Week is that day on which Christ rose having perfected the work of Redemption and obtained victory over death under whose power some way for a time his body was before that and was thereby manifestly declared to be the Son of God to wit by his Resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. 2. The force of the example will hold here God made the World in six dayes and rested the seventh therefore rest ye with him so Christ having for a time suffered fully overcame the first day and began his estate of exaltation therefore rest with him and rejoyce that day it being the beginning of this new joy full World 3. No other day can be substituted in place of the old seventh day reserving intire the morality of this Command therefore it must be this that is put in the place of that for this Command requireth 1. one day of every seven allowing six of every seven to work and that together Now if the day had gone beyond the Sabbath ensuing it had not been one day of seven if it had been the second third or fourth day then the six working dayes had not gone together But now the first being appointed for God next to the seventh God hath his part or tribute called for and then came six working dayes together unto us of that same week and so still they run God hath One and we have Six of the same week If it be here objected that this way the new World is begun with a Sabbath whereas the Sabbath closed and ended the old World Answ 1. Thus God hath no loss of what he required for this way no week wanteth its Sabbath 2. It s most suitable that the old World should end in a Sabbath and the new begin in a Sabbath that so the worship of the new which most distinctly discovereth the change might the more immediately and convincingly preach the change which could not so well have been done i● working dayes of both had met together or a working day of the one and the Sabbath of the other 3. Though the old Sabbath was the seventh in order from the Creation yet it was the first day after mans Creation God beginning as it were and entring him with that even so when men are brought into this new World or change God will begin it with gladness and joy to them Propos 4. The day of solemn publick worship required to be observed by this Command was really changed from the seventh or last day to the first day of the week according to the former grounds That it was really changed may be made out by these 1. That the Apostles and primitive Christians after Christs Resurrection and Ascension had their solemn day for meeting to worship God yet neither did they by themselves together in practise keep the seventh nor by command appointed it to be kept nor gave it the title of the Lords-day It s true that often they kept it in a sort with the Jews as they did Pentecost for the opportunity of the multitude coming together on these dayes or to bury it with honour as they did practise for a time several of the Jewish Rites antiquated for their gaining and till they were fully informed of their abolition but in constituted Churches of the Gentiles we
purpose And as the practise of the Church holdeth out the change of the day so doth the Title given Rev. 1. 10 to the first day of the week to wit the Lords day confirm the same whence we argue If the Title which by the Lord and his people was given to the seventh-day Sabbath under the Old Testament and under which and by which he claimeth a seventh-day in this Command If I say that Title in the New Testament be not given unto the seventh but unto the First day of the week then is the day changed from the seventh day to the First and the First falleth now under this command as the seventh formerly did but the former is true the First is styled as the seventh was and as this Command styleth and claimeth the day to the Lord to be observed for him therefore now is the Sabbath changed from the seventh day to the First day of the Week The Titles whereby the Sabbath is distinguished from other dayes and peculiarly claimed and marked by God as his and that in this same Command must certainly evidence that day which he hath set apart and doth claim as he applyeth them And therefore if these Titles be given and applyed to the first day now it must needs shew a succeeding of that day unto the former seventh for during the Observation of the seventh day these Titles were not nay could not be applyed to the First no day being then the Lords but the seventh Now we find that the seventh-day Sabbath is in the Old Testament styled by the Lord under these Titles and so claimed by him 1. It s called here the Sabbath of the Lord or to the Lord that 's the Lords as contra distinguished from the six dayes he hath given unto us a day that he hath right to and not we therefore called the Lords Sabbath 2. Isaiah 58. 3. It s claimed by the Lord as his my holy day which is so called 1. to distinguish it from other days 2. To stamp it with the Lords mark in respect of its use for it is not to be applyed to our use but to his own it being his in a special manner But in the New Testament after Christs resurrection the seventh day is not so styled and claimed but the first day of the week is Rev. 1 10. I was saith John in the Spirit on the Lords day In which place these things are clear 1. That after Christs Ascension there was a peculiar day belonging to the Lord beside and beyond other days 2. That it was not the old Sabbath for 1. Johns scope being particularly to clear the time of the Vision by the Circumstance of the day the particular day as distinct from other dayes to call the Sabbath then used amongst the Jews the Lords day had more obscured it then cleared it yea 2. In that it s called the Lord according to the phrase of the New Testament it supposeth some relation to Christ the Mediator as being derived from him which cannot be said of the seventh day Sabbath 3. That it was not any indefinite day of the Lord For 1. there is great odds betwixt the Lords day and the day of the Lord the former looketh to a constant special right and peculiar interest that God hath in that day beside other dayes even as when the seventh day was called his Day before the Temple his Temple the prescribed Service his Service and the Sacrament of the Supper his Supper c. 2. That day would be still dark to the Church if it were indefinite contrary to Johns scope 4. That it is and must be such a day as was commonly set apart by Christians to God as his and that with respect to Christ the Mediator and such a day as was known to them And by the former practises it is clear that this day is the first day of the week being the Lord Christs day who now having conquered death and gotten the victory He doth therefore claim this day as a tribute to him This being clear that no other day can claim this title and that the First day hath good ground to claim it we may put it out of question that it is the First day or no day or if it were not the First that to no purpose were the designation of that day inserted seeing to no other day hath it been applyed nor can it be applyed This truth has been uncontroverted in all Antiquity and almost by all Writers till of late Gomarus beginneth to question it as Rivet cleareth on this Command against him Now supposing it as unquestionable that this is the very First day we are to inquire if the title applyed to this day be the same with that in the Command and which usually was given to the old seventh-day Sabbath or that then Lords day And it is clear 1. That this title claimeth this day to God as his Day it being possessively exprest as when we say the Lords Throne the Lords Altar the Lords Sabbath c. 2. It contra-distinguisheth that day from other dayes as if they were not so the Lords but ours like that in the Command Six dayes shalt thou labour c. but the seventh is the Lords so it s the Lords in a peculiar way we having lesser right to imploy that day for our own use then any other day and this claim of the First day to the Lords inferreth a condescension or dispensation whereby the last day becometh ours for had there been two dayes belonging to him one day could not have been peculiarly called his in which respect 1 Cor. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Supper is distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own Supper even so the Lords day is distinguished from other dayes 3. It layeth on a necessity of using it for the Lord and not for our selves because it s his and will infer the same moral duties and ends which the Command obligeth to 4. It will infer an appointment of Christs whereby he appropriateth that day to his service and claimeth it to himself why because he calleth it his even as in the fourth Command there is no express institution of the seventh day yet because the sev nth was called the Lords and in his former way and dispensations intimated as a day to be kept for him therefore it 's understood and taken for granted by the Jews to be instituted seeing he calleth it his so may we conclude here that there is an institution and appointment of the First day to be the Lords because it s claimed by him as his although no such plain express institution be of it as of other Ordinances it being clear that the institution of dayes is left more generally to be gathered From all which we may gather the couclusion to wit that the First day of the week is stiled by the same peculiar Titles claimed by the Lord expresly as his right and due and upon as valid grounds
they wrote or we must say it s done to put a preference on that day and to shew that its especially to be taken notice of as the most solemn day for Gods worship by Christians which is the thing to be confirmed for the day that 's claimed as the Lords kept for him and singularly marked to be priviledged beyond other days must be his day but this First day is such Ergo c. Propos 5. This change of the day whereby the seventh is laid aside and the first substituted in its room is of divine authority and institution and not by any meer humane or Ecclesiastick Constitution I conceive there is indeed no mids here betwixt a Divine Institution which hath Gods warrant and authority stamped on it and for Conscience sake is to be observed as being obligatory thereof and that immediately and humane or Ecclesiastick Constitutions which may reach the external man but in the matters of worship cannot bind the Conscience or impose them as necessary Now that this change is not by the last but by the first we prove these ways 1. Thus if it be not humane or Ecclesiastick then it must be Divine but it is not humane or Ecclesiastick ergo its Divine That it is not humane will appear 1 If it reach the Conscience and that immediately then it 's not humane but Divine but it doth so 2. If no man or Church on Earth have power to alter Gods day now nay nor simply or at all then it s not humane or Ecclesiastick but first none can change it as we might clear from great absurdities that would follow 2. If any Church have this power let them shew it the Old Church had it not neither the new as is cleared in the first question 2. We proceed to evince this change to be by Divine Institution these four wayes 1. From reasons flowing from Scripture or Consequences drawn from it 1. Thus where by genuine and native Consequences drawn from Scripture any thing is so imposed as it cannot without sin be altered or neglected there is a Divine Institution but in the change of the seventh day Sabbath to the First such Consequences may be drawn from Scripture as will upon supposition of the change a strict it to the First day so as that cannot be altered or neglected without sin Ergo it s of Divine Institution The question can be only of the minor which is made out from what is said in the third Proposition thus If these very grounds which plead the conveniency of the change simply do plead the conveniency of that change to the First day then by clear and unforced Consequence the first day is chosen and cannot without sin be passed by altered or neglected except we say these reasons have no weight but these very grounds will be found to plead for and to be applicable to the First day of the week alonely and therefore beside all other dayes in the new World it may be called the day which God specially made as it is the day of Christs rest from the work of Redemption answerable to Gods rest after the Creation c. and therefore as being most conducible to that end the First day cannot be without sin past by neglected or altered 2. Thus if the very day of Christs rest in the new World be to be rested on and sanctified as the Sabbath then the First day is to be rested on and sanctified but by Analogy from the works of Creation we may see that the First day of rest after the finishing of the work of Redemption is to be sanctified Ergo c. and Psalm 118. is very considerable to this purpose wherein there is 1. a Prophecy of Christ 2. O● a day which God hath singularly made for us to joy in 3. That day is the day wherein the rejected stone is made the head of the Corner which day is clear from Rom. 2. 4 to be the Resurrection day yea suppose that day there doth signifie the time of the Gospel wherein we should joy yet even that way the first day is by proportion that day eminently wherein Christs Victory was manifested and so the day wherein Christians ought especially to rejoyce The second way we may reason for the change to be by Divine Institution is from this Command If supposing still a change by the morality of this Command the seventh can be changed into no day but the first day of the week then is the change into the first day of Divine Institution for so that must necessarily be which is by vertue of a Command but by this Command no other day can be admitted for each week is divided in six working dayes and these together to us and one of rest and that to God now by changing it to the first God getteth one and we six and that together but if the day were the second third fourth c. it would not be so for the six working dayes would be interrupted which is contrary to that morality of the Command whereby our dayes are distinguished from his that ours for one week being fully by we may with the greater freedom give God his The third way we take to prove the change of the day to be by Divine Institution is this If by the practise of the Apostles who were guided and inspired by the Spirit in things belonging to their Office infallibly this day was observed as different from other dayes then there is a Divine Institution of and warrant for this day but by the practise of the Apostles this day is celebrated as different from and preferred to other dayes or as Divine therefore it s of Divine Institution If the Divine practise and example of the Apostles in things moral and common to all do not either suppose a Divine antecedent institution or infer a subsequent then their practise and example which in these things is infallible and unerring will have no more force then the example of others which were absurd their examples being especially pressed on us and if in any thing their example be Divine it must be in this so particularly and so well circumstantiated and where their meeting is not recorded to have been on any other second third c. day certainly their practise must be not onely more then nothing but very significant and indeed in positive worship the Lord hath been pleased to be more sparing to say so and to leave us more to gather from Examples then in negatives as in the positive part of swearing admitting of Church members in government baptism and admission to the Supper yet none can say that there is no Scripture Institution in these where there may be such grounds or examples 4. The Divine Institution of the change may be argued from the title thus if that which is called the Lords be his by Divine Institution and separation from other things not so called then this first day must be his by Divine Institution and
separation from other dayes but all that is called the Lords is his after this manner Ergo Let the minor be confirmed these three wayes 1. By looking to what is called the Lords generally in the Old Testament as his House his Altar his Priests his Tithes c. are they not still his because by him separate for distinct uses in his worship 2. By looking more particularly how the seventh day was called his day or the Sabbath his is not this the reason because it was appointed by him for his worship beside other dayes And can any reason agree better to this 3. By looking how any thing is called the Lords in the New Testament there is no other or better phrase or designation to try by then that 1 Cor. 11. 20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as this first day called the Lords day is opposed to our dayes or common days and that is called the Lords Supper because instituted by him for such and such spiritual ends and uses And therefore there can be no better ground gotten for shewing why this is called the Lords day beside others then by comparing it with other Scriptures and if in other things that phrase import a Divine institution why not in this I do not mean that this is an institution or that it will prove that there must be a clear and express institution shewn but I mean this that it will inferr there is one and that it is Divine seeing God is to choose and not we We might here again produce the four Witnesses already attested for the morality of this fourth Command to wit 1. the general practise of primitive Christians 2. their general opinion and judgement 3. mens Consciences 4. the dispensations of God which will also all clearly depone in this about the change of the day Propos 6. Although we know not the peremptory and precise time when this day was instituted and the very first day sanctified nor whether it was immediately by Christ or mediately from him by the Apostles instituted which is of no great concernment to the main of its institution yet we think it most probable that our Lord did from the very day of his Resurrection either himself institute it while as Acts 1. v. 3 he taught them what concerned the Kingdom of God or did inspire his Apostles to observe it from that time forth Because 1. If it was not then instituted the Church had for some time wanted a Sabbath the seventh-day Sabbath being expired by the Resurrection 2. The reason moving the change and preferring the first day before others as in a nearer capacity of sanctification for that end was from that time forth 3. The Apostles practise of meeting and Christs keeping with them hath been from the first change even on the first two first dayes of the week John 20. verse 19. 26. 4. All the practises and other grounds whereby the change is evidenced suppose still the institution to preceed which maketh it appear to be very ancient And so we resume and close these six propositions 1. The day may be changed from the last to the first 2. It s meet it should be so and there is good reason for it 3. It can onely be to one first 4. It s so changed actually 5. It s change is not by Humane but by Divine institution 6. It s institution seemeth to be from the rise of the Gospel Church and the very day of Christs Resurrection Hence we infer 1. good warrant even Gods warrant for imploying the seventh-seventh-day to our selves seeing God seeketh but one day in seven and now has chosen and claimeth the first 2. Gods warrant for sanctifying the first day Sabbath or the Lords day as his institution 3. That the Lords day is to be sanctified by us Christians and that by vertue of this Command as the seventh-day was by the Jews on its grounds We come now to speak of the sanctification of this day which is the main thing and for which all the rest is intended we shall first consider the precept and then 2. the reasons whereby it is inforced The precept is sanctify it or keep it holy sanctifying of it is twice mentioned in this Command 1. In the end it s said God hallowed or sanctified it that is by separation destination and appointment for holy uses and as a part of worship so he sanctified the Temple Altar c. not by infusing any holiness in them but by appointing them for holy uses Thus onely God can sanctifie a day or any other thing so as to make it a part of worship and no man or power on Earth whatsomever can do that 1. In the precept it self we are commanded to sanctifie it that is by the application of it unto the uses wherefore he hath set it apart thus we sanctify what he hath sanctified when we use it and imploy it according to his appointment And so we are to consider the sanctifying of this day in these duties called for from us on it This sanctification is two wayes set down 3. In its cessation and rest separating it from other uses and so keeping it from the common uses to which other dayes may and use to be applied 1. In its special application to and imployment in holy uses For clearness we shall consider this sanctification 1. In respect of its rest what we are to abstain from 2. Comparatively with that strictness called for from the Jews 3. Eminently what is required more as to holiness this day then on other dayes wherein also the Lords people should be holy and wherein this goeth beyond these 4. Positively in what duties it should be taken up 5. Complexly in respect of what is called for to the right sanctifying of that day before it come on in the time of it and after it is past and that in publick and private and by all relations Master Servant c. and throughout the whole man thoughts words and deeds and throughout the whole day 6 Oppositively or negatively what are the breaches of this Command and the aggravations of these sins which break it First then we consider it in its rest which is required and because there are extreams some giving it too little as the Jews did before the captivity some too much even to being superstitious as the Jews after the Captivity and the Scribes and Pharisees particularly in Christs time did streaching this rest too far We must therefore consider it more narrowly and particularly for quieting of our Consciences for the Jews are by the Prophets Ezek. 20. Jerem. 17. and by Christ Matth. 12. reproved for both extreams respectively We do then in this matter assert first That there is a rest required here which is extensive to a mans words thoughts and actions whereby many things lawful on other dayes become unlawful on this day Yet 2. we assert That by this rest all sort of actions are not
condemned but only such as are in consistent with the end and scope of this Command as by other Scriptures and the practise of Christ and the Saints is clear we conceive therefore these to be permitted 1. All duties of Piety as was sacrificing under the Old Testament or preaching hearing or going about the Sacraments under the New Testament In which sense Matth. 12 our Lord saith the Priests prophaned the Sabbath and were blameless not that formally they prophaned the Sabbath or did indeed break that Command but materially they wrought in killing beasts c. which had been unlawful had it not been in the exercises of piety 2. All things that have a tendency as necessary helps and means to the performance of the former works of piety are lawful as going to the Congregation to hear the Law calling the Assembly for worship by Trumpets or Bells or by a Voice journeying going or riding to Church c. because the duties of the Sabbath cannot well be done without some of these not at all without others of them If it should be asked here What that which is called a Sabbaths day journey Acts 1. 12. was among the Jews and whence it came and what way may it be stinted or limited among Christians Answ It was to them 2000. Cubits which according to the different measuring of that distance of ground consisting of these 2000 Cubits by a lesser or longer Cubit is reckoned to be more or less by learned Men but all agree says Goodwin in his Moses and Aaron in this that these 2000. Cubits was a Sabbath days journey It arose to be reckoned so from these grounds 1. From their expounding Exod. 16. 29. Let none go out of his place thus Let none go without the bounds of the City which with its Suburbs was 2000. Cubits or a mile about 2. That the Tabernacle of the Congregation was so far from the Tents of these who pitched about it in the Wilderness Numb 2. as they supposed and that the Priests kept that distance from the people in entering with the Ark into Iordan Jos 3. 4. whence they gathered that a man might still go to the Ark or place of worship as it was then in these cases at a distance from them and no further on the Sabbath day But we say whatever superstitiously or on custome they took up for that is but their Tradition we cannot stint a Sabbath dayes journey to so many miles fewer or more but it must be as the man is in providence cast to reside further from or nearer to the place where the Ordinances are dispensed for one may go many miles and not prophane the Sabbath if he cannot have the publick Ordinances nearer whereas another may break the Sabbath by going but to his Neighbours door yea by walking in his own house or to his door if either it be done idly or with respect to another civil or worldly end which agreeth not to that day it is not here remoteness or nearness but what sweyeth us and what is our end that we are to try by 3. All works of mercy are lawful on that day as laying beside us something to the poor 1 Corinth 16. verse 1. sending or dealing something to those who are in want Isai 58. verse 7. visiting others to comfort strengthen or otherwayes to edifie them christianly though idle and carnal visits albeit alace too rife are not permitted 4. Good Works as Christ saith Matth. 12. 12. It s lawful to do good or well on the Sabbath such are giving of Physick when it is necessary bringing of Physitians saving a mans life and taking pains for it c. Luke 13. these good Works may be classed either with Works of mercy before or with Works of necessity that follow both being good Works as they are Works of mercy or of necessity 5 Works of necessity such as feeding Beasts leading them to the water pulling them out of Ditches when they are fallen into them on that day and much more preparing honestly sober allowance for the susteining of the body as the Disciples pluckt the ears of Corn Matth. 12. and the Jews Exod. 16. 23. dressed the Manna on the Sabbath though they were not to gather it yet on the sixth day to bake and seethe a part and to keep a part till the morrow but not till the day following and therefore they behoved to dress it also yea Jesus Christ went himself to a Feast on the Sabbath Luke 14. that he might take that opportunity by his spiritual discourse to edifie the Company as he did notably which he would not have done had it been unlawful to dress any meat on the Sabbath yet his carriage was such at that Feast most remarkably that it would be followed as a pattern by such as may be invited by others to eat with them and shall be disposed to go on the Sabbath And if this were the design of the inviters and invited mens eating together on that day would not readily prejudice the sanctification of it as very often it doth Such is flying on the Lords day from a destroying enemy and in other warranted cases Matth. 24. defending our selves against unjust violence c 6. Works of comliness tending to honest or decent walking as putting on of clothes honestly making the house clean from any uncleanness that may fall in it throughout the Sabbath c. By all which Believers have allowance 1. for piety 2. for charity 3. for what is needful for their beasts 4. what is needful and convenient or comely for themselves and more is not necessary In these the Lord hath not streightned them neither hath he pinched and pinned them up to absolute necessity but hath left them to walk by Christian prudence yet so as they may not exceed for the Disciples possibly might have endured that hunger and not pluckt the ears of Corn or beasts may live a day without water and not be much the worse or some sort of Victuals may be provided to be set beside men on the Sabbath needing no dressing or preparing yea a man may live on little or nothing for one day but the Lord hath thought good not to streighten them so as to make his day and worship a weariness and burden unto them seeing he hath made the Sabbath for man to be refreshing to him and not man for the Sabbath nor will he have their Consciences to be fettered with inextricable scruples He leaveth it to men on other days how much to eat and drink by a Christian prudence yet alloweth them not to exceed even on these so here there is some latitude left to conscientious reason to walk by for some may do something at one time and not at another yea one man may take more pains in upholding his body then is called for from another who is stronger so that its impossible to set particular rules which will agree to all but men would look 1. to their end 2.
least equal to us 3. Excess in these in their superfluity and costliness as is said above and beyond our state and station 4. Wantonness and lightness in them which is especially in nakedness as to such and such parts of the body which in modesty are to be hid for women having cloaths for a cover ought to make use of them for that end and it is more then probable that that walking with stretched out necks there reproved relateth to women their making more of their necks and their breasts bare then should be or is decent they affected to discover and raise their gorgets when God commendeth modesty and Nature is best pleased in its own unaffected freedom yet they stretched them out It is both a wonderful and sad thing that women should need to be reproved for such things which are in themselves 1. So gross that let the most innocent be inquired whence these more then ordinary discoveries do proceed and they must at least grant that the first practisers of such a fashion could have no other design in it then the more thereby to please and allure mens carnal eyes and regards And 2. so impudent for if to be all naked be shameful and exceeding ready to provoke lust must not nakedness in part more or less be and do the same So that this will be found a glorying in their shame for nakedness hitherto was always looked upon as a reproach We read of old of such as were grave that they covered themselves with a va●l And 1 Cor. 11. married womens going abroad uncovered is looked on as unnatural What would such say if they lived in our times we are pe●●waded the gravest amongst women are most averse from this evil and the lightest are most prone and given to it And seeing all women should be grave it must import a disclaiming of that qualification where this lightness is delighted in If therefore there be any shame if there be any conscience we will exspect to prevail with some who are touched with the sense of gravity that they may be good examples to the rest and once indeavour effectually to bring gravity and modest shamefastness in fashion again There is in cloaths a base effeminateness amongst men which some way emasculateth or unmanneth them who delight in those things which women dote ●pon as dressing of hair powdrings washings when exceeded in rings jewels c. which are spoken of and reproved in the daughters of Zion Isa 3. and so must be much more unsutable to men Also interchanging of apparel is condemned men putting on womens and women mens cloaths which is unsutable to that distinction of Sexes which the Lord hath made and is condemned in the Word as a confusion an absurd unnatural thing and an inlet to much wickedness Whereof the Dutch Annotators as several Fathers did long before them on 1 Cor. 11. v. 14. make mens nourishing and wearing of long hair to be some degree it being given to women not only for an ornament and covering but also in part for distinction of the Female Sex from the Male And here having touched a little on this vain dressing of the heir now almost in alse many various modes as there are fashions of apparel especially incident to women it will not be impertinent to subjoyn a strange story which learned pious and grave Mr. Bolton in his four last things pag. 40. repeats from his Author the famous Hercules Saxonia professor of Physick in Padua The plica saith he is a most loathsom and horrible disease in the hair unheard of in former times as Morbus Gallicus and Sudor Anglicus bread by modern luxury and excess it seizeth specially upon women and by reason of a viscuou● venomus humour glueth together as it were the hairs of the head with a prodigious ugly implication and intanglement somtimes taking the form of a great snake somtimes of many little serpents full of nastiness vermin and noisom smell And that which is most to be admired and never eye saw before these being pricked with a needle they yield bloody drops And at the first spreading of this dreadful disease in Poland all that did cut off this horrible and snakie hair lost their eyes or the humour falling down upon others parts of the body tortured them extreamly It began first not many years ago in Poland it is now entred into many parts of Germany And methinks sayes Mr. Bolton our monstrous fashionists both male and female the one for nourishing their horrid bushes of vainity the other for their most unnatural and cursed cutting their hair should every hour fear and tremble left they bring it on their own heads and amongst us in this Kingdom It is also worthy the noticing that Tertullian hath to this purpose in his Book de cuitu ●ul chap. 7. where having expostulated with Christian women for their various vain dressings of the hair he bespeaks them thus Drive away thus bondage of busking from a free head in vain do you labour to appear thus dressed in vain do ye make use of the most expert frizlers of hair God commands you to be covered and vailed I wish that I must miserable man may be priviledged to lift up my head if it were but amongst the feet of the people of God in that blessed day of Christians exalting gladness then will I see if ye will arise out of your Graves with that varnish and paint of white and red and with such a head dress and if the Angels will carry you up so adorned and painted to meet Christ in the clouds And again cap. 13. These delights and toyes says he must be sheken off with the softness and loosness whereof the vertue and valour of faith may be weakned moreover I know not if these hands that are accustomed to be surrounded with rings and bracelets or such other ornaments will indure to be benummed and stupified with the hardness of a chain I know not if the legg after the use of such fine ●●sesgarters will suffer it self to be streightned and pinched into fetters or a pair of stocks I am afraid that the neck accustomed to chains of Pearls and Emeralds will hardly admit of the two-handed Sword Therefore O blessed woman saith he let us meditate and dwell on the thoughts of hardship and we shall not feel it let us relinquish and abandon these delicacies and frolicks and we shall not desire them let us stand ready armed to incounter all violent assaults having nothing which we will be afraid to forego and part with These these are the stayes and ropes of the Anchor of ou● Hope Let your eyes be painted with shamefastness and quietness of spirit fastning in your ears the Word of God and tying about your necks the yoke of Christ subject your head to your Husbands and so shall you be abundantly adorned and comly Let your hands be exercised with wool let your feet keep at home and be fixed in the
themselves but as taking burden on them for all under them and within their Families to endeavour the sanctifying of the Lords day with them and by them as well as by themselves whereby the extent of this Command is clearly and earnestly holden forth in more express terms then in any other of all the Commands though this be implyed in them also 8. The observation of it is pressed and encouraged unto by a special blessing which He hath annexed to the time set a part by himself He blessed it that is He made and still maketh it useful and refreshing as a special blessing to his people who keep his Ordinances seeking Him therein this day has a double portion and increase beside any other day for his peoples Repose Edification Comfort finding of His Presence c. And to say now that this Solemn time were not moral were to rob the Church of a great blessing seeing this day set a part by God for his Service hath the blessing beyond any other day commanded on it and in the experience of his People often hath it been found to be so 9. It is specially and singularly ushered in with a Memento or Remember which is not expressed in any other Command and Shall we think that where God saith Remember there is nothing to be taken notice of or shall we think that it saith not Remember now as well as then and if so Who can warrantably forget that which he biddeth remember which is not to keep the Seventh day but the Sabbath holy unto the Lord And may not all these Characters put together in one Command so many not being to be found in all the other Commands if put together May not all these I say convince us that it is the Lords purpose to have this Command standing obligatory in its substance to the end of the world Which is so pressed that if there be little help from Natures light to determine the day or to press its observation it may be strongly born in by the more clear and weighty reasons And so we come to the fourth way proposed for making out the morality of this Command which is by adducing some Arguments drawn from Scripture The first whereof is If the Law bind under the New Testament not only in respect of its matter as its natural nor only as it is repeated in the New Testament but also by vertue of the Authority enacting it then this Law of the fourth Command though not explicitly determined by nature and though it were not mentioned particularly in the New Testament must be binding also for it hath that same Authority But the first is true and is acknowledged generally by Divines excepting a few and is clear by Christ and his Apostles their citing of it as supposing it to be binding Therefore the last must be true also 2. Arg. If this Command be founded on moral grounds then it self must be moral But the grounds on which it is founded are moral Ergo c. 1. It is moral that God should have a solemn and chief set-time 2. That he himself and none other should determine that time seeing no other could do it and bless it 3. These reasons in the Command it self dividing time into six parts of it to us and a seventh part to God and Gods resting after six days working with his making only seven dayes in the week and employing six of them to work c. these reasons I say are all moral and binding now as before 3. Arg. If all moral duties be contained in the ten Commands then this Command must needs be moral But the first is true Ergo c. This Command containeth a moral duty which is in none of the preceeding Commands to wit the stinting and determining of the solemn and chief time to be set a part for Gods worship to be one day of seven It is true Time is commanded to be allowed to Gods worship in those other Commands wherein the duties of worship themselves are commanded for worship cannot be performed more then any other duty without some time but that the chief time should be so much and so often is onely determined in this Command from which it appeareth 1. That an indefinit time of worship or for it is not the morality of this Command because this followeth necessarily as being supposed needful for the performance of every positive duty contained in the other Commands its morality therefore must be The determining of that definit time 2. We may hence see a reason why there is no new Command for this in the New Testament because this standeth in the Law neither are Thou shalt not Swear Kill c mentioned as new Commands more then this so that had they not been mentioned in the New Testament as some are not yet had they still obliged It is just so as to this and the reason why they are mentioned may be supposed to be because the main fault about them was defect and short coming but in this it was excess which our Lord also regulateth by holding forth the right observance of it and clearing what was wrong and so is supposed to confirm what he repealeth not 4. Arg. If it be not free for men to carve out Gods solemn chief time of worship at their pleasure then is this Command moral for that liberty is restrained by this Command and no other But it is not free for them to choose what time they please or to carve it out This seemeth to be only questionable which is therefore thus confirmed If it ●e fr●e to men to carve out what solemn and chief time is to be given to and set apart for Gods worship then either it is free to them to choose no time at all or it is free for them to choose a longer or a shorter then this But neither of these can be said not the first as is clear not the second because it will not so quadrate with the end for if the time be shorter it incroacheth on Gods due if it be longer it incroacheth on Gods concession of six dayes to work in If it be shorter it incroacheth on Gods due as is said and our souls good if longer it incroacheth on our temporal calling and Can any restrain man when God giveth him liberty Again If it be free to men so to cut and carve at pleasure on the solemn and chief time for Gods worship it s either free for all men together to agree on a day even one and the same or its free for each Country or each man to choose what day they please but neither of these are either possible or practicable to edification therefore must the day he determined to them and if so then sure by this Command And so it s still binding and cannot in that respect be altered without sin which was the thing to be proved 5. Arg. That there is a morality in a seventh day we may argue from four famous and