which could not be without kindling of fires But I cannot conceive that any Mosaicall ceremony once instituted could be abolished till they were altogether nailed to the crosse especially having reference to any benefit which the faithfull receive from Christ as hath this of the Sabbath Now though the Iews rest were so strict and exact yet we may justly wonder at the penalty inflicted on the transgressors death since God passed over greater things with lesse censures as fornication and theft which are contrary to the Law and light of nature it selfe i Nisi eximium aliquid singulare fuisset in Sabbatho videri posset aequa atrocius iubere hominem interfici tantùm quoniam ligna deciderat Calv. in Exod. Calvin therefore saith rightly that unlesse there were some excellent and singular thing in the Sabbath more then is expressed in the letter it might seeme to savour of cruelty to put a man to death for gathering a few sticks and kindling a fire with sticks already gathered But saith he what was this great and excellent thing in the Sabbath Doubtlesse not the litterall rest for then the punishment should continue still the same and the precise observation of this rest ought to remaine It is therefore the mystery that is so excellent and highly esteemed of the Lord viz. that the faithfull should sanctify unto him an k Sabbathum commendatum est priori populo in otio corporali temporaliter ut sigura esset sanctificationis in requiem spiritus sancti Aug. ad Ian. ep 119. entire rest from all even the least servile works of sinne and Sathan leaving no one lust unmortified to raigne in them into which absolute liberty Christ will also at last bring us This is the meere reason why God doth by his Prophets so punctually stand upon the observation of the Sabbath because in the violation of the litterall rest they did in effect spurne at this spirituall rest which was the substance of that shadow If any man aske whether then under the Gospell no bodily rest be at all commanded we shall I trust in due time give him satisfaction herein when we come to those questions which concerne the Lords day The next thing in the letter of the commandement are the persons there named thy sonne thy daughter thy man servant thy maid servant cattell and stranger although l Damasc lib. 4. sidei vnbodox cap. 24. Damascen avoucheth it for Ceremoniall making children Servants Strangers a Type of our sinfull and naturall affections and the Oxe and the Asse figures of the flesh or sensuality Yet I rather consent with those amongst whom also are some of our adversaries in this question who affirme this passage to be partly Memorative looking back to their seruitude in Egypt partly Iudiciall teaching that mercilesse people that God expected that their servants nay their beasts should then at that time have rest and refreshing We have in the next place the prescribed time the seventh day even that day which God himselfe rested on which how and in what respects it was mysticall and figurative let others speak m Magdeb. Cent. 12. Petrus Alphonsus a Iew baptized in the Christian faith 1106 being then 40 yeares of age and having for witnesse of his baptisme Alphonsus that pious King of Aragon from whom he received the name of Alphonsus in honour of his worth and learning This Alphonsus I say presently upon his baptisme and being a Christian had many and great contestations with the Iewes from whom he revolted Amongst other things was questioned the law of the Sabbath which he affirmed to be Ceremoniall even in this very part thereof which concerned the time For said he as God the Father ended all his works in six daies and rested the seventh at the worlds Creation so the sonne finished his course also upon the same day and rested with it is finished on the seventh at the worlds redemption His conclusion therefore is that since that is accomplished of which the observation of the Sabbath was a signe it is altogether needlesse that any such observation should be longer continued And indeed it may well be thought to be more then casuall that Christ should pronounce his Consummatum est upon the Crosse much about the same time as we may probably conjecture in which God the Father made the woman last of all his creatures n Ipso die Sabbathi requievit in sepuichro postquà m sexto are consummavit omnia opera sua Aug in Gen. ad lit lib. 4. c. 11. St Augustine teacheth the same almost in the same words and o Omnes solennitates veteris legis fuerunt institutae in coÌ„memorationem alicujus beneficij divini vel iam exhibiti vel figurati ideo observantia Sabbathi in quâ commemoratur beneficium creationis figurabatur quies corporis Christi in sepulchro fuit potissima Durand lib. 3. dist 37. q. 10. ad quartum Durand also upon the third of the sentences and many others Lastly Gods example is proposed but upon this the Apostle hath a plaine comment when he saith he that entred into rest hath ceased from his own works as God did from his which being a reason of that which immediatly goeth before there remaineth a rest unto Gods people must needs make Gods resting from his works a Proto-type of our resting in Christ which is indeed the rest of God as St Chrysostome expounds it This day therefore of which the Commandement speaketh as of the day of rest is observed to have no evening annexed unto it as the others had when it is said the evening and the morning were the first day because Gods rest which we have in Christs is permanent to last for ever This p Ego vero non dubito quin Deus sex diebus condiderit mundum ac septimo quieverit ut documentum ederet summae operum suorum perfection is it a ut dum se typum proponit ad imitationem significat se ad veram fâ—licitatis metam suoâ— vocare Calv. in Exod. Mr Calvin puts to be out of question the meaning of the letter God saith he made all the world in six daies and rested the seventh to shew us the perfection of his works And therefore he proposed himselfe in the Commandement to be imitated by the Iewes in the Mosaicall law to teach them that he calls all them that believe in him to compleat perfect and everlasting happinesse even that spoken of Esai 66.23 CHAP. IX The Arguments for the affirmative examined THe first which is commonly famed for invincible and unanswerable is as weak as any of the rest All the Commandements of the Decalogue are Morall but still with that distinction and difference of Morality spoken of in the former Chap. All are Morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so is that of the Sabbath Morall it is for substance not circumstance Morall in regard of the purpose and intention of the Law-giver that some
shall be broken fulfilled both in the paschall a Numb 9.12 Lamb and b Ioh. 19.36 Christ our passover Out of Egypt have I called my Sonne first verified of c Hos 11.1 Israel his adopted Sonne then of d Math. 2.15 Christ his naturall Sonne A voyce was heard in Ramah understood first of the captivity of the Iewes foretold by the e Jer. 31.15 Prophet then f Math. 2.18 of the number of the Innocents by the cruelty of Herod As it is in these and divers other places of this kind so it is in the letter of the fourth Commandement where either we have two literall sences one for the Iewes Sabbath an other for the Christians or at least one literall sence twice fulfilled once under Moses and once under Christ Now whatsoever is commanded the Church in the Scripture under any literall Sence is of divine institution But the Lords day is commanded in the fourth precept though not in the first yet in the second literall sence Therefore c. Fourthly that which was foretold and typified in the old Testament is of divine institution in the new for where the ceremony is commanded the Iew the substance is commanded the Christian for example where unleavened bread is commanded them there sincerity and truth is commanded us But the Lords day was thus typified and foretold in the Testament This the Rabbins themselues have observed in sundry passages First in the words of God saying let there be light therefore the Messiah should rise the first day of the week Secondly from the fall of Adam on the sixt day therefore the Messiah should suffer that day rest in the grave the seventh and rise the next Thirdly from the words of Boaz to Ruth g Ruth 3.13 sleep untill the morning therefore the Messiah should sleep in the grave all night and rise in the morning Fourthly from the cloud covering the people first on this day from Aaron and his sonnes executing their Priesthood first on this day from the Princes of the congregation who made their offerings towards the erecting of the Tabernacle on this day From the fire also which first came down from heaven and consumed the Sacrifices upon this day And if any man be so prophane hearted as not to be convinced by these grave collections of the Iewish Rabbins he shall find the same averred by the Fathers and Synods in the Church of Christ Both h Hic dies octavus i. e. SabbathuÌ„ primus praecessit in imagine quae imago cessavit superventente post-modâ—â— veritate Cyp. ad Fid. Ep 59. Saint Cyprian and i Sanctos patrer plenos spirita octavae dieâ— sacramentum non latebat quo figuraâ—atur resurrectio nam pro octavâ— Psalmus inscribitur octava lic circumciâ—e bantur â—â—â—â—nteâ— Aug. ad Lan. Fo. 119. Saint Austin make the Administration of the Circumcision on this day a Type and Figure of its future observation The Synod called Foro-Iuliensis affirmes that Isaiah prophesied of this day An other Synod held at Matiscon said expresly that this day which was intimated unto us by the shadow of the Iewes seventh-day is made known unto us both by the Law and Prophets what can be more evident Fiftly that day which the Lord himselfe hath made must needs be a day of the Lords own instituting for to make and to ordaine and appoint are in this case termes equivalent But the Lords day is a day of the Lords own making and appointing k â—pse est dâ—e◠〈◊〉 perpetâ—â—â— ipse nobis per septimae dici umbram insinuatus noscitur in lege Prophetis Câ—nâ— â—â—â—atis c. â— Syn For. c. 13. so saith the Prophet David l Psal 118. This is the day which the Lord hath made And therefore m Exultemus Laetemur in eo qui à lumine vero nostras tenebras fugaturus illuxit nos ergo constituamus diâ—m dominicam in frequentationibus usque ad cornua altaris Arnob. in locum Arnobius upon this place saith let us also make our Lords day a great day since God himselfe hath so made it A learned Prelate also of our Church hath a Sermon extant upon that text much to the same purpose Therefore c. Sixtly that day which the Lord ever doth and will blesse unto his Church and people which religiously observe it is doubtlesse a day of his own ordaining and appointing therefore sanctified and blessed are put together in the Commandement But God hath and continually doth and ever will blesse this day with groth of grace and all spirituall blessings in Christ to all such as Religiously observe it Therefore c. Seventhly that which the example of God the Creator resting from all his works was to the Iewes in regard of their Sabbath that also the example of God the Redeemer is and must be to us that are Christians in regard of ours But the example of God the Father resting from his works was a sufficient institution of the Iewes Sabbath for therefore they rested because God rested it should therefore be a sufficient Institution unto us under the Gospell to rest on the Lords day because in it Christ rested Eightly If a day of holy rest were instituted by God the Father in memory of the worlds Creation which was the lesse much more was there a day of holy rest instituted by God the Sonne in remembrance of the worlds redemption which was the greater The consequent is authorized by n Athan Hom. de â—â—â—en Athanasius in his Homily of the Sower But a day of holy rest was ordained by God the Father in memory of the Worlds creation as is undenyable Therefore c. Ninthly Certaine it is that nothing but divine authority can bind and overcome the Conscience in regard of any outward observations in their own natures indifferent for the Conscience is a Throne in which God only sits and commands But the conscience is bound and over-awed to the observation of the Lords day as all men confesse and feel by experience unlesse they bely their consciences Therefore c. Tenthly That day which the Church observeth in regard of some mysticall signification therein contained is a part of Gods worship and must therefore be under precept unlesse we will worship God after our own fancies But the Church observes the Lords day in regard of some mysticall doctrine therein contained the Lords resurrection our own future glorification therefore it must be under precept Eleventhly Whatsoever is not under divine precept is mutable and may utterly be abolished in the Church of God by the authority of the Governors thereof but the Lords day cannot by any humane authority whatsoever be changed and abolished Therefore c. Twelfthly If the observation of the Lords day be not of divine but only Ecclesiasticall constitution then are all festivalls or holy-daies of the yeare of equall dignity and honour with it But it were little lesse then blasphemy to affirme
of the law giving men sixe for one for God ever was and ever will be alike liberall to all men in all ages in this kind The second drawn from Gods interest in the seventh day The Seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord and what sons of Adam are exempted from giving God his owne The third is Gods example proposed for our imitation for all men are bound by the very light of nature to be followers of God as deare children The fourth is the promise which is made therein For it will be as blessed a day or a day as full of blessing unto us if we sanctify it as ever it was to the Iews God being not lesse good nor his grace lesse powerfull nor his promise lesse sure The fift is the ease refreshing of our servants and beasts to whom Christians must not be lesse mercifull then the Iews Lastly the Sabbath taught them that they were the Lords people and no man will say but that we also are so by as many and by more strong tyes and relations then were ever any Ergo c. Sixtly the law Ceremoniall and Iudiciall were given only to the Iewes and such as were circumcised but the fourth commandement was directed not only to those within the covenant but also to strangers and aliens The strangers within thy gates And upon this ground a Neh. 13.16 Nehemiah reproved the Tyrian Merchants which were strangers therefore c. Seventhly from the words of Christ in the Gospell b Mat. 24.20 pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day Those words were spoken to the disciples foreshewing that if their flight should happen to befall them on the Sabbath their affliction would thereby be increased But if the fourth commandement be not Morall what addition of sorrow had it been if their flight had befallen them that day Christians and such were the disciples need not trouble themselves about a law Ceremoniall Thus then That commandement the breaking whereof might justly grieve a Christian forced thereunto by flight is doubtlesse morall but the fourth commandement is such therefore c. Eightly that commandement against which humane corruptions doe especially arise and band themselves both in the Godly and the wicked must needs be morall but our corruptions doe chiefly fight against the Sabbath as the Godly feele by experience in themselves and experience doth also make evident in the wicked of the world therefore c. Ninthly that cannot be a truth of God which overthrowes all religion le ts in Atheisme Epicureisme and all prophanesse no good tree can bring forth such evill fruit But that doctrine which denieth the morality of the Sabbath overthroweth all religion le ts in Epicureisme and Prophanesse as appeares in those Churches wherein it is taught in forraine parts Ergo. Tenthly that wich the Church of England teacheth in her Homilies ought to be held for truth by all the obedient children of that Church but the morality of the Sabbath is that which the Church of England teacheth in her Homily of the time and place of prayer as will appeare to every one that will read the same Therefore all the obedient children of the Church of England ought to acknowledge it to be true Eleventhly if you make the fourth commandement Ceremoniall you make the Church of England guilty of Iudaisme For that Church which readeth to her children a Ceremoniall Law and commands them to kneele whilst it is read in acknowledgment of their subjection thereunto and at the end to pray Lord have mercy vpon us and incline our hearts to keep this law cannot but be a Iewish Church But the Church of England thus teacheth her children Ergo. Twelfthly unlesse the fourth commandement be morall there will be but nine commandements in the Decalogue which is contrary not only to the received opinion of all men but to the calculation of the whole Catholique Church in all ages and is no meane Sacriledge to affirme Ergo. Thirteenthly that which is taught by men which are most spirituall and alone discerne the things of God must needs be true and so on the contrary But the Morality of the Sabbath is taught by men that are most spirituall the contrary by men that are carnall therefore c. Lastly we have the authority of all our English writers almost ever since the reformation unto this time neither was it hitherto ever contradicted for at least these threescore and ten yeares unlesse by Papists Anabaptists or Familists Ergo. CHAP. VII In which are set downe the arguments for the negative THe negative tenent hath also its arguments which in the next place must be produced and First it is alleadged That commandement over which Christ was absolute Lord as he was the sonne of man is not morall for a morall precept is part of Gods eternall law over which the sonne of man can have no power being made under the law But Christ as the sonne of man was Lord of the Sabbath as himselfe upon two sundry occasions hath twice told us Math. 12. Mark 2. To these Texts these exceptions have been made 1 Excep 1. That this phrase doth no more import the Sabbath to be a ceremony then the same used by the Apostle doth conclude the dead and the living to be a ceremony for he rose againe that he might be the Lord of the dead and of the living But this is to play with the ambiguity of the word it 's one thing to be Lord of the Church to guide governe perfect quicken raise glorify her for this is the meaning of the Apostle upon which that in the Ephesians may seeme as a comment Eph. 1.20.21.22 And another thing to be Lord of the Law or constitution to moderate dispence order alter abolish for in what other construction can any one be said to be Lord of a law 2 Except 2. It is said that Christ did not intend by these words of his any such Lordship because he did not then abrogate the Sabbath Nor is this to the purpose for never any man yet dreamed that Christ did in those words abolish the Sabbath for both it and the rest of the legall ordinances were in force till they were nailed with him to the Crosse 3 Except 3. It is excepted that our Saviour in those words doth only dispence with his Disciples in that particular case and challenge to himselfe the power and prerogative of expounding the Law against the Pharisees who pretended only to the Chayre and to give interpretations of the Law But to satisfy this also and to cleare the Text we affirme 1 That Christ doth not there or in any other place ever dispence with the law in himselfe or any other for he took upon him the form of a servant and came not to break the Law but to fulfill it 2 That in those words Christ doth not intend to expound the law only for this he had done before by the example of David and by the
hath imposed are without all question most proper and most fit to be retained But God himselfe hath imposed the Name Sabbath upon all daies of his solemne and publique worship and such is the Christian mans feast day The Assumption appears For not only the seventh day in the fourth Commandement but all the new Moones and other festivals of the Iewes are commonly called Sabbaths Therefore c. Secondly those names are commonly best which are most ancient Inquire saith b Iob. 8.8 Iob of the former ages and prepare thy selfe to the search of their Fathers But the name Sabbath is more ancient then any other being the name that was first given to daies of this nature Therefore c. Thirdly that name is alwaies best which doth most acquaint us with the nature of the thing In this the excellent Wisdome which God gave unto Adam appeared that he gave names to all the creatures answerable to their natures But the name Sabbath given to the daies of publique worship is such for they are daies of rest unto us and they were instituted in remembrance of Gods rest at the Creation and of Christs rest in the Resurrection and are pledges of our future rest in glory What name therefore can better agree unto them then Sabbath which is as much as Rest Fourthly that name is doubtlesse best which best directs us to the duties of the day For if c 1. Cor. 1â— 26 all things must be done for edifying such names are best to be imposed and used as are most accommodated unto edifying But the name Sabbath best leads us unto the duties of this day both outward and inward Outward Resting from all Corporall and worldly employments Inward resting from the spirituall slavery of sin and Satan Adde thereunto that it doth not only best direct us unto the duties of the day but it doth also help to confirme our faith and hope in the promises of God concerning the life to come and our d Math. 8.11 sitting down to rest with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in Gods kingdome Therefore c. Fiftly we must not affect to be singular in anything not so much as in words and Phrases Loquendum cum vulgo saith the proverbe But not only the vulgar but all men whaâ—soever speak religiously and reverently of the Sabbath day Therefore c. CHAP. XII The reasons against the name of Sabbath are briefly alleadged FOr the Negative opinion stand these reasons First he speaks best of things whose language is most conformable to the holy Ghost in the Scripture But the holy Ghost doth every where in the new Testament which alone speaks of the Christian mans Holy-day as having being and existency call it the Lords day no where the Sabbath day The name of the Lords day is therefore best and fittest to be used Secondly we should retaine those names which the Primitive Church in the purest times the first three hundered yeares chiefly used unlesse through any corruption or abuse they are scandalous But the name of the Lords day hath been chiefly used in the Primitive Church and in the purest times neither is it since through any abuse become scandalous Ergo c. Thirdly we of the reformed Churches should not forsake the Roman Church but where necessity doth inforce us For then we are guilty of that Schisme which is made in the Christian world Neither should we vary from our selves so much as were it possible in sounds and Syllables for then we may be justly noted for singularity and affectation But both the Romane Church and all reformed Churches use to stile it the Lords day not the Sabbath Ergo c. Fourthly we that are Christians should beware how we gratify the Iewes in their superstitious obstinacy against Christ and his Gospell in the least things least we partake with them in their hardnesse of heart the ancient Christians fasted Saturday especially for this reason because the Iewes fasted on Sattâ—rday But in using the name Sabbath we gratify the Iewes in their obstinacy against Christ and his Gospell For they abhorre the name of the Lords day as the greatest Blasphemy Therefore c. Fiftly it is one of the chiefest points of a Christian mans wisdome so to speak as not to put a stumbling block before his weaker Brethren He that doth otherwise a Rom. 14.15 walketh not charitably saith the Apostle But the name Sabbath may be and is become a snare to many weak ones especially in reading of the Scriptures For where ever they find the name Sabbath they presently conceive it to be spoken of and to agree to the Lords day and many times by this means fall into flat Iudaisme as appears by their quoting of the old Testament in the Questions in hand Therefore c. Sixtly that name which doth lesse edify is lesse proper This I thinke will easily be agreed on by all parties But the name Sabbath doth lesse edify For it leads us only to an outward cessation from bodily labour which of it selfe and precisely considered was indeed a duty of the Iewish Sabbath but is not so of the Christian Festivall as hereafter shall appeare On the contrary the name Lords day doth best open and explain the whole nature and duty of the day as the remembrance of Christs resurrection the acknowledgment of his Lordship over the Church and all other Creatures in the world Ergo c. CHAP. XIII Wherein is briefly shewed what is to be thought of this Question IT is a frequent rule in c Cùm de re constat propter quam ver ba dicuntur de verbis non debere contendi si quis id facit imperitiâ docendum esse simalitiâ deserendum Aug. cont Acad. lib. 3. cap. 13. lib. 2. cap. 11. S. Austine that wise men should not strive about words unlesse when there is some reall difference in the things But I doubt whether this question be only a fight about words For as the d Non illos viros â—os fuisse arbitror qui rebus nescirent nomina imponere seâ— mihi videntur haec vocabula elegisse ad occultandum tardioribus ad significandum vigilantioribus scientiam suam Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 10. same father speaks of the Academicks so may we without breach of charity suspect of our Sabbatharians at this day They are not saith he such simple men as know not to give things their proper names but they purposely make choice of such words as may best serve both to hide from the simple and to intimate to the wiser sort of their disciples their opinions Else I see no reason at all why the name Sabbath should be so common and that of Lords day so seldome used I deny not but the name Sabbath is lawfull and may also be used by such as have their wits well exercised in Scriptures if without superstition fraud or scandall But yet notwithstanding the name Lords day is both more fit in it selfe serving
day of the week is longer or shorter then other but if the Lords day as the rest hath not twenty foure houres it must needs be shorter that which is next there unto either going before or comeing after must be longer then any other day Therefore c. Thirdly it is a good Rule which the Rabbins give that we should not take from that which is holy to adde to that which is prophane but on the contrary But if the day of Gods publique worship amongst us have not allowed it so many houres as other daies we take from that which is holy and adde to that which is prophane even our own secular imployments which were impious and sacrilegious Therefore c. Fourthly if the Iewes Sabbath were to consist of twenty foure houres then much more the Christians For we have both received more and greater benefits and we also have more and greater mysteries of Godlinesse to contemplate But the Iewish Sabbath was a whole naturall day Therefore c. Fiftly the Scripture seemes to be plaine to this purpose For the 92. Psalme was the Psalme of the Sabbath as appears by the title thereof and in the very begining thereof the Prophet sets downe the very time of its observation saying i Psal 92.1.2 it is a good thing to praise the Lord and to sing unto thy name O most High to declare thy loving kindnesse in the morning and thy truth in the night season meaning a whole naturall day Therefore c. Sixtly we must rest as God Rested begining to rest from the works of our callings when God began to rest from the worke of Creation For Gods rest is propounded in the Commandement to be our patterne but God began his rest at evening the sixt day immediatly after the making of the woman and so continued the day of his rest which was the seventh If therefore our Rest must be answerable to Gods Rest it must begin at evening and continue till evening Therefore c. Seventhly as Christ rested so must the Christian rest his actions were our instructions and we call the day of our Rest the Lords because it was dedicated unto him but Christ finished his course and began his Rest over night resting in the grave foure and twenty houres at the least Our Rest therefore being grounded upon Christs Rest cannot be lesse then a whole Naturall day Eightly as the Apostles to whom the observation of the day was immediatly prescribed by Christ himselfe kept the day in their own persons so doubtlesse must we their successors in all after ages But the Apostles Sabbath was a whole naturall day This appears by S. Pauls practice at Troas when he preached and administred the Sacrament and communed with the Disciples of holy things all duties of the Lords day k Acts 2â— 11 untill the morning Ergo c. Ninthly as our Saviour who instituted the day observed it in his own person so doubtlesse must the Church for ever But our Saviour appeared and his very apparition was the institution not only early in the morning but also l Iohn 20.19 late at night to his Disciples and even then preached unto them and gave them the holy Ghost with the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven therefore c. If any object that by night in that place is understood the evening or shutting in of the light only making it thereby a day artificiall the very circuÌ„stances of the Text are against him For first the doores of the house were shut saith the Text which is not usually done in the evening Secondly they feared a search would be made for them which is commonly done in the dead and depth of the night Thirdly m Profundâ jam nocte Aret. in locum Aretius a good Protestant Expositor saith expresly it was very late in the night Tenthly as the Primitive Church observed the day so must we But the Primitive Church kept a night as well as a day as plainly appears by their vigills and over-night assemblies not only in time of persecution but when the Emperours themselves were Christians Every man knowes and we read unto this day the Sermons of the ancient Fathers in their vigils which doubtlesse had never been but that they held themselves obliged to a twenty-foure-houres Sabbath at the least Therefore c. Lastly divers good authorities may be brought to this purpose not only of some private men as n Sicut Antiquis praeceptum est de Sabbatho dicente legislatore à vespere usque ad veâ—eram Aug. de tempore St Augustine and o Irenaeus contra Valent. l. 4. cap. 31. Irenaeus but whole p Observemus igitur Diem Dominicum sanctificemus eum à vespere diei Sabbathi usque ad vesperam Dominici diei sequestrati ab omni negotio Con. Agath cap. 47. Noctem ipsam quae nos insseratae lucd inâ—â—cessibili redidis spiritualibus excubijs exigamus Con. Matis c. 1. Councells have so determined this point nay the very Canon law the sink and dunghill of Popery CHAP. XV. The Arguments against the day naturall are proposed THe negative Tenent hath also its Reasons First our Resting day must be proportionable to our working day for they are relatives and all relatives have their mutuall Respects in all things in which they are Relatives Certaine therefore it is that God requires for himselfe such a day of Rest as he doth proportion unto us for our own imployments But our working daies are Artificiall not naturall Man goeth forth unto his labour till the evening q Psal 104.3 saith the Prophet * Ioh. 11.9 there are twelve houres of the day saith our Saviour * Ioh. 9.4 night cometh wherein no man worketh Therefore c. Ob. May not a man then work by night in his lawfull calling Resp Yes doubtlesse if he offend not against the rules of mercy to himselfe or others or if there intervene not some other irregularity in his working and upon this caution also he may lawfully spend the Lords night in holy exercises But our question is not what some men may doe but what all men must doe under paine of sinne Ob. But doth not then the rule hold that those who sit up late at night about their own workes on week daies should proportionably watch about holy things at night on the Lords day Resp This no way agreeth with the intention of the Lawgiver which in commanding the Sabbath had a twofold intention the one his own publique worship and the spirituall good of mankind the other the corporall refreshing and reviving the bodies of his servants and of all that belonges unto them I would now gladly know what refreshing the body of a man hath by the Sabbath if he must labour about holy things not only all day but most part of the night also But I think no sober minded man will say it is a sinne to goe to bed sooner upon this night then upon
others or if any doe few I presume will believe him therein Secondly if the Christian Holyday were to consist of a certaine determinate number of houres either the new Testament which alone speaks of this day or the Church of Christ who alone observes it would have directed us where to begin those houres and where to end them For the Iewes were expresly so directed but neither the new Testament nor the Church of Christ hath given any such directions If any say we need no such new information in this point having already the same which the Iewes had in the fourth Commandement we shall I hope give him satisfaction in the answere to the first Argument of the precedent chapter which it doth concerne Thirdly if a Lords night be to be sanctifyed as well as the day this night and all the parts thereof must differ from other nights by some speciall appropriation to the Lord as the day differs from other daies But how can this be unlesse we rest not at all that night in our beds or serve God by dreames and visions Which to affirme were notoriously absurd Ob. If any man demand how did the Iewes then keep their Sabbath from evening to evening Sol. I answere that the reason is not the same for the very corporall rest of the Iewes was simply and of it selfe a Sabbath daies duty so that it was as unlawfull for them not to Rest in their beds that night as to work about their callings that day which I think no man will affirme of Christians under the Gospell Fourthly there is no morall law in nature nor positive law in Scripture but is in it selfe possible to all men in all parts of the world in regard of the thing commanded But a naturall day-day-Sabbath as it is made to consist of a day and a night is absolutely impossible for some men in some parts of the world in regard of the thing commanded in some parts there being nothing but day and in other places nothing but night for a long space together This is so apparent as needs no proofe Therefore c. Ob. It is objected that the Iewes also by this rule might have been as we say perplext had they at any time travailed towards either of the Poles Vnto which I answere Sol. First that the Iewes were in a manner confined unto the land of Canaan except in cases of necessity for the blessing and promise was annexed thereunto being therefore stiled the Lords Land Commerce indeed they had with other nations which proved their ruin but for any voyages they made or Colonies they deduced we read none Solomon it is true sent a navy unto Ophyr which is Peru as most conceive or as Iosephus some place in the East Indies Iehosaphat attempted the like but his ships were broken at Ezion Geber 1. Kings 22 48. For though Solomons navy found prosperous successe intending therein the glory of Gods house yet Iehosaphat having no such warrantable grounds failed in his expectation Some think that the Iewes travelled and tâ—â—ded into that part of the Indies which at this day we call New-England for there they finde a harbour which the natives call Nahum-Keik the harbour of him that comforts or of him that repents It 's usuall in this language to have contrary significations But let it be granted that they meet with some Hebrew words in that tongue what nation is there in whose language you may not make the like observation Say also that the Iewes travailed into the East and west Indies for Gold and Spices I think it easy to shew that those parts of the world in which are either continuall day or night were not known untill after Christ and the destruction of Hierusalem In a word had the Iewes at any time travailed into such places where they could not have kept their Sabbath from evening to evening it had been sinne unto them For when a man shall by any voluntary action of his own cast himselfe into an utter impossibility of fulfilling any positive precept of the law of God it becomes evill unto him though otherwise it be both lawfull and commendable The case therefore is not the same with the Iewes and us in this point they being precisely bound both to places and houses from both which Christ hath set us free The objection is of no weight Fiftly to make the night part of the Lords day to be observed by the Church of Christ is contrary to the ground of the institution thereof which is the Resurrection of Christ For Christ rose not in the night but early in the morning and being risen his Resurrection hath no night But how can the night remember us of that which hath no night If we keep the night before we solemnize not Christs resurrection for he was not as yet risen if the night after we seeme to be enemies of his resurrection as if the Sunne of righteousnesse were set the second time whereas r Rom. 6 9. Christ being risen dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him If any man say he keepeth not the night as a part of the Lords day the memoriall of Christ Resurrection but as a part of his Sabbath in the fourth Commandement He seemeth expresly to forsake Christ and to cleave to Moses and being weary of being a Christian defires to turne Iew. Sixtly A night Sabbath is contrary to the end of the Institution under the Gospell which was Gods publique worship in the congregation for other use thereof we find not in holy Scripture If any man object collections to be made for the poore private prayers and christian exercises c. we shall God willing speak thereof also in its place But night assemblies for the publique worship except in time of persecution are contrary to the Apostles Rule * 1. Cor. 14.40 let all things be done decently and in order Experience in former ages hath made it manifest what abuses were practised under such pretences Ob. If any man say that the publique was appointed for the day and the private for the night Sol. First there is no such rule in Scripture Secondly the Church hath no such custome Thirdly private night-conventicles are as little nay farre lesse to be trusted then publique meetings in the night Lastly the practice of the primitive Church was utterly without any set number of houres and there was much variety in their observation sometime they began their publique worship on Saturday after supper as in Syria and Aegypt Some-time they began their Lords day about the s Tempus publici conventûs fuit Anteluâ—anum Con. Antis cap. 11. dawning the time as they conceived of Christs Resurrection others also began upon satturday noon and held on untill Sunday morning At this day our Sabbatharians are devided in this point some affirming from evening to evening others from morning to morning others from midnight to midnight so that their position of a twenty-foure houres Sabbath
c Lex nova in exterioribus illa solum praecipere debuit vel prohibere per quae in gratiam intrâ—ducimur vel quae pertinenâ— ad rectum usum gratiae ex necessitate Aquin 1.2 q. 108. art 2. Gospell commands only such observations which are either meanes of Grace as the word and Sacraments or wherein the use and excercise of grace doth consist as the duties of love towards God and man But that the first day of the weeke should be observed Sabbath nothing concernes the kingdome of God within us because it s neither a meanes of grace nor exercise of grace Ob. If any man say the keeping of the Lords day Sabbath is both these first a meanes of grace by reason of the word and Sacraments then administred and an exercise of grace for then we returne prayses and send vp our prayers to the throne of grace and manifest our loue both to Christ and our brethren Sol. I answere that he wholy mistakes for the question is not whether the duties done upon the day be either meanes or exercises of grace for this is of it selfe manifest but whether the keeping of this day Sabbath more then an other be such The day is one thing the duties are an other these belong to the kingdome of God preserving and encreasing them in us that is but a circumstance of time and of it selfe nothing in this respect All things of this nature as time place manner are not precisely and of themselues considered of the essence or necessity of grace and therefore are not commanded in the Gospell but left to the wisdome and descretion of the Church Fiftly that day which cannot be kept universally through the whole world was never commanded the whole Church of Christ by an Evangelicall Law for the law of the Gospell is given to all nations But the first day of the weeke which is the Lords day observed in memory of the Lords resurrection cannot be thus universally kept considering the diversity of Meridians and the unequall rising and setting of the Sunne in diverse Climates in the world Some of our adversaries foresaw this objection but could never avoyd it only they tell us that it was so with the Iewes in regard of their Sabbath and therefore d Practice of piety affirme that they were not bound to keepe their Sabbath upon that precise and just distinction of time called the seventh day from the Creation For the Sunne stood still in Iosuah's time it went back ten degrees fiue houres in Hezekia's time besides the variation of the Climates throughout the world Vpon this they inferre two things 1. that God by his prerogatiue might dispence with men in these cases 2. that the Commandement meaneth not the determinate seventh from the Creation but indefinitely a seventh But what absurdities doe hence follow First they seem to affirme that the standing still and the going back of the Sunne made an alteration in the day as it was the seventh from the creation Indeed they made it longer and to consist of a greater number of houres for the present but what is this to the number of seven One and the selfe same day may be longer in Summer shorter in Winter yet keeps its ranke amongst the other daies of the week for place and number Secondly they affirme that the Iewes were not bound to any determinate day not to this seventh but a seventh Expresly contrary to the words of Moses * Exod. 20.10 the seventh is the Sabbath Thirdly there is the same reason in all the forenamed particulars between the Iewes Sabbath and the Christians If therefore their day were indefinitely a seventh ours must also be indefinitely a first and by this meanes they say and unsay with one and the same breath the first day is our Sabbath by divine institution and yet not the first but a first which is to yeeld the question Sixtly there is the same reason of keeping a determinate set Sabbath under the Gospell that there is of preaching praying and administring the Sacraments Ordaining of Ministers doing works of mercy at set-times For I think no man is so farre infatuated with this paradox as either to preferre the Sabbath before these or to sever the day from the duties which are the main end of the daies observation But all these are commanded in generall not prescribed in particular when or where or how so all things be done decently and in order We no where read how often in a year we must receive the Sacrament of the Lords supper how often we should hear a Sermon or when to give or how much either publikely or privatly If therefore there be no set times appointed for the maine duties of religion under the Gospell there is no set time appointed to be kept Sabbath Therefore c. Seventhly That which is expresly against Christian liberty was never commanded by Christ or his Apostles but to have the conscience burthened with any outward observations putting Religion in them as being parts and branches of Gods worship is directly against Christian liberty for how is he free that is thus bound to times and daies We have then only exchanged not shaken off the Iewish bondage If any man say that this was both the argument and error of the Patrobrusians of old and Anabaptists of late he is much mistaken for they pretend not to Christian liberty when the conscience is not burthened immediatly from God but to unchristian licence and confusion to be exempted from the lawes of men and decent order of the Church Eightly There is no duty I think essentiall in religion ordained by Christ or his Apostles of which we find not either exhortations in respect of performance or reprehensions in regard of their neglect either in the Gospell the Acts or the Epistles But the keeping of the first day of the week Sabbath is no where pressed or exhorted unto the neglect thereof no where reproved or forbidden in all the new Testament Ergo. Ob. If any man say it is frequently mentioned with approbation Resp I answer that so are divers things besides which are no divine institutions binding the Church of Christ as extream unction the Presbytery womens vayles widdowes these are mentioned with honour but so is not the manner of observing the Lords day which is now cried up nor any divine institution thereof Whereupon these things will necessarily follow That either the Apostles never held this observation to be a divine precept or that having given it for such to the primitive Christians in the Churches planted by them they never failed in the observation thereof which is not imaginable considering what grosse abuses and prophanations were found amongst them or lastly that the Apostles knowing the Lords day which they had injoyned theÌ„ as a divine precept to haue been neglected winked connived thereat though so ready even with the rod to reforme all other disorders which also cannot be well conceived Ninthly Had the
questioned Are not we say they the faithfull Ministers of God men more spirituall then others who use not to mislead our people And are not our opposites men that seeke themselves that please the times having all the marks and characters of false Prophets Whereas the words of the Apostle exceed not the bounds of a modest and just defence But it will be farther objected that by this meanes we bring in the Papists Evangelicall counsels if any things were delivered by the Apostles in Scripture which are not precepts I answer that this is a meere calumniation For these Evangelicall counsels upon which the Romanists build their works of merit and supererrogation are they say Counsels of perfection by embracing of which they become higher in Gods favour and haue done more then is required at their hands for which they shall be more extraordinarily rewarded in Gods kingdome and by which they daily augment the Churches treasury Such counsels we utterly disclaime notwithstanding the Apostles haue advised many things of themselves in Scripture Inspired then the Apostles were as Pastors but these were not divine constitutions And hence it comes to passe the goverment which they erected for this appertained not to their Apostolicall but Pastorall charge was no setled or binding constitution Lastly directed also they were as private persons which belongs not to this place to enquire into * Ex traditionum vinculo quas à Christo acceptas Apostoli servandas reliquere Ecclesia eximere fideles non potest in aliis vero quae Apostoli constituerunt tanquam Ecclesiae pastores poterit summus Pontifex dispensare ibid. We must in the next place enquire of Apostolicall traditions These the Papists themselves the great admirers and advancers of them distinguish into two ranks For some h Alia divisio est Apostolicae traditionis nam alteras Apostoli à Christo domino acceperunt alteras spiritu sancto suggerente in Ecclesiae utilitatem tradiderunt Canus lib. 3. loc cap. 5. they say the Apostles immediatly received from Christ to be delivered to the Church forever to be kept As that Matrimony Confirmation Extreame Vnction are Sacraments of the Gospell These they delivered as Apostles from Christ and cannot be changed by any law or custome to the contrary no not by Papall authority it selfe Other Apostolicall traditions there are say they which they received not from Christ but were suggested unto them by the spirit for the profit of the Church and they instance in the fast of Lent and threefold immersion in Baptisme These they delivered as Pastors not Apostles and may be dispenced with as occasion shall require More plainly those Traditions which they received of Christ were saith Canus fidei dogmata articles of faith against which whosoever pertinaciously erreth is an Heretike but those other which they delivered by the motion of the spirit as Pastors only are not fixed but moveable in the Church According to this sense also I find the Fathers to speake of Traditions S. Cyprian relating what Pope Stephen had writen unto him against Rebaptization that nothing should be innovated in the Church but what was anciently a Tradition in this thing should be observed True saith i Vnde ista traditio uti une de dominicâ Evangelicâ authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis Epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt Deu◠testatur Cyp. Ep. ad Pomp. 74. S. Cyprian but whence comes this Tradition from Christ in the Gospell or from the Apostles in their Epistles If so then God himselfe saith the Father hath commanded by his servant * Ioshua 1. Ioshua to keep all such Traditions there we haue the first kind But in another place k Diligenter de traditione divinâ Apostolicâ traditione observandum est tenendum ut ad ordinationes ritè celebrandas Episcopus eligatur plebe praesente Cyp. ep 68. S. Cyprian writing to the Clergy and people of Spaine commending them for deposeing Basilides and Martialis from their Sees and placing in their roomes Sabinus and Felix saith that the choyce of Bishops and Ministers in the presence and with the approbation of the people was of divine and Apostolicall Tradition and observation Now who seeth not that here S. Cyprian speaks of those other Traditions deliuered and practised by the Apostles as the Churches Pastors which are no longer in force then the Church shall like For this choyce of Bishops and Ministers we are sure is neither delivered in the Gospell the Acts or the Epistles If I mistake not this also is that which the Professors at Leyden in their body of the Purer sort of Divinity as they call it hammer upon when they thus distinguish of Traditions Some say they there are whose cheife heads are contained in the Scriptures as the Apostles Creed Baptisme of Infants that Women should receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and here they adde that the Lords day be kept holy These they receive for divine but all other whatsoever they reject It were to be wished that they had expressed themselves in purer clearer tearmes their summa capita are so obscure as if purposely devised not to be understood For if they understand by the cheife heads of things the substance and matter of the thing delivered though in other words in Scripture as it should seeme to be their meaning by their instances in the Apostles Creed childrens Baptisme and Womens communicating they speak of things vnder precept and concurre with us in our distinction But if they understand by cheife heads whatsoever is named and mentioned in the writings of the Apostles as it seemes they also doe by instancing the Lords-daies observation then must they also receive Extreme Vnction the selling of possessions having all things common the Presbytery for Apostolicall traditions necessarily to be received for all these haue generall ground and footing in Scripture But to draw towards a conclusion in this poynt according to the doctrine of the Traditionaries themselves we affirme these things First that the observation of the Lords day is no divine Traditions delivered by Christ immediatly to his Apostles to be laid as a necessary duty upon his Church and the reason is because it s no where so delivered by them in the Acts or in the Epistles and because it is no Article of faith or practice necessary to salvation Neither haue they which haue gainesaid ever been reputed for Heretiques by the Church or any sober minded man Secondly we say notwithstanding that it is very probable for probability is our surest ground that the Apostles commended this day unto the Christians of those times in honour of Christs resurection and giue it the title of Lords day Thirdly that they never imposed it upon the Church as a necessary observation nay that themselves observed it not in those places where the Iewes had Synagogues and observed their Sabbath unlesse it were for breaking
to understand the text Papists indeed gladly extend it farther but cannot To the three and twentieth that it descended from the Apostles by tradition may with more ease be denied then ever the contrary can be proved But we must remember to distinguish of Apostolicall inspirations and traditions according to the doctrine of the Traditionaries themselves before delivered that it descended from them as Pastors not Apostles as a thing of their owne instituting not of the Lords commanding S. Augustines definition we acknowledge and desire no other Iudge For first it is cleare that d Quo tempore Christiani se à Iudaeis seiunxerunt diem dominicam feâ—iari caeperunt non est memoriae proditum Magd. Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 6. no man can shew when the Iewes and Christians severed their assemblies Secondly many particular Churches varied one from another in this poynt as it hath been said Thirdly the Lords day was never observed as a Sabbath with cessation from works till Constantines edicts commanded it which were afterwards enlarged or restrained by Ecclesiasticall constitutions That the Primitive Church in the time of persecution observed the Lords day as a Sabbath hath no ground at all in Scripture and is not consonant unto reason because certaine it is that they kept the Iewish Sabbath till the Synagogue was buried Neither is it likely that they kept two daies together or if they did is it probable that neither the Iewes should quarrell at this observation nor the Heathens who derided the Iewes for mispending the seventh part of their lives in idlenesse note it in the Christians over whom they held watchfull eyes Or is it likely that the Primitive Fathers who wrote Apologies for the Church either to the Emperour or against the Gentiles in which they expressed the whole carriage of the Church should never so much as mention this daies observation as taken up and kept as the Iewish Sabbath by divine institution If we consider Sabbath duties named in the argument certaine it is that they preached no more nor so much on that day as they did upon others for this they alwaies did on the Iewes Sabbath because of the concourse of people S. Peters sermon upon the day of Pentecost which was the Lords day was accidentall occasioned by those that mocked at them and their gifts of tongues S. Pauls sermon at Troas hath beene already examined and as for their collections on the Lords day I wonder from whence it should be so generally conceived that they were then either commanded or made S. Paul bids theÌ„ indeed provide a benevolence for the poore Saints at Hierusalem against his comming and that they might be in readinesse he wils every man the * 1 Cor. 16.2 first day of the weeke to lay apart by himselfe not to collect in the assembly So that this being a particular occasion was particularly ordered by the Apostle as their wise Pastor not as a ruled case to bind the Church for ever Nay farther we may affirme that collections are no essentiall duties of the Lords day neither are they so esteemed and used in most congregations living as we doe in a setled estate wherein the law hath provided for the poore in another kind The Sacrament of the supper was indeed constantly administred every Lords day but the reason was no way Sabbatharian for the Sacrament being the badg of Christianity could not be received in the Iewish Synagogue wherein they performed other duties Besides they much mistake which judge of their Communions by ours as if they only received upoÌ„ resting daies with sermons before and collections after they only met together in some private Chamber to break bread without any more adoe And this they did upon the Lords day as most sutable to that service wherein Christ was to be remembred Lastly admitte all the argument requires we have only the ancient practice of the Church but this makes no divine institution by the confession of them that most advance the Churches power e Non ideò aliquid est iuris divini quiâ— olim illud Ecclesâ—a usurpaverit Greg. Val. de Euch. q. 7 the Papists themselves To the foure and twentieth That the Apostles should be guilty themselves and make the Church guilty of so damnable a presumption as this argument speaketh of were indeed a blasphemous consequence but the best is this terrible inference hath no acquaintance at all with the antecedent the reputed Father thereof For what was the presumption of Ieroboam and Antiochus figures of that which shall be practised by Antichrist But the changing of those times which God appointed to be observed by his Church commanding others to be kept in their places and that out of impious and blasphemous intentions to subvert true Religion and to set up Idolatry in the roome thereof Did the Apostles so God forbid But the Iewish Sabbath being expired and having breathed out its last gaspe that the publike worship of God might be upheld with decency and order they commanded the observation of the Lords day unto the Primitive Christians which hath no likenesse at all with those things here spoken of To the five and twentieth It is true that the practise of holy men in Scripture not seconded by precept bindeth not the conscience only their example sheweth us the lawfulnesse and expediency of the things practised upon like occasions with like circumstances and this is our warrant for observing the Lords day But for despising the Saturday-sabbath we have more then the naked practice of the Apostles For in all their Epistles they proclaime all Leviticall ordinances and such was that Sabbath to be ceased under the Gospell Christ who was the substance being come To the six and twentieth Whether Pentecost fell on the Lords day is questioned by some and denied by many their reason is because the fifty daies were to begin the morrow after the Passover Levi. 23.16 But plaine it is that our Saviour did eate the Passover upon Thursday-night and so Saturday the Iewes Sabbath must be the first and last from the fifty daies To avoyde this objection f In Ex. c. 39. Rupertus reads the text Thou shalt account from the next day after the Sabbath understanding it of the Sabbath properly so called or weekely Saturday-sabbath and so our Lords day being the next following is made the first and the last of the fifty But this is a plaine mistake of the text For the first day of unleavened bread being commanded to be a Sabbath is that Sabbath there spoken of from whence they were to begin their account Secondly therefore others interpret those words Thou shalt number fifty dayes from the first day of unleavened bread for not only the first but the last also of those dayes was a Sabbath exclusively shutting out the first day after from the beginning of the number of the fifty and by this meanes they bring it also to be the Lords day But whether doth this hold for
pleased to give a copy thereof in writing to his people and in them to his whole Church for ever The Morall law therefore of which we speak in this place in its proper and restrained sence is not every rule of right reason but only that which is naturally engraven upon the conscience So that the Schooles have well distinguished the rules of right reason into three kinds First there be some so common and obvious as that man retaining humane reason cannot erre in them as that God is to be loved good to be embraced evill to be avoided and such like practicall principles ex terminis evidentia and all conclusions necessarily and immediatly flowing from the same And so Morall saith b Non omnia decalogi praecepta sunt de lege naturae strictè acceptà lib. 3. sent dist 37. q. 1. art 2. con 1. Duo praecepta negativa primae tabulae sunt de lege naturae propriè â—b con 2. Gab. Biel extends it selfe but only to two Commandements of the decalogue Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine For it being a naturall principle nay c Quod Deus fit est primum principium complexorum Bradvv de causâ Dei lib. 1. cap. 12. the first and ground of all the rest that there is a God those practicall conclusions are known of themselves without farther teaching Lawes thus Morall are utterly undispensable even by God himselfe who cannot deny himselfe Secondly some of these rules and directions of manners are not so obvious and manifest of themselves yet such as every vulgar and mean capacity may easily find out even by the light of nature as that parents are to be honoured that God is publikely to be worshipped with d Secundae tabulae praecepta sunt de lege naturae non strictè sed largè accepta Biel ib. con 3. the precepts of the second table These are not so plaine and evident as the two former and therefore men doe the more easily erre in them as we see by the practice both of heathens and of the ignorant Christians These may in particular cases be dispensed with e Non rapiebant alienum quia Deus erat superior verus Dominus omnium bonorum Aegypti totius univer sitatis ita poterit transferre Dominium infilios Israel Biel. ib. Dub. 4. by changing the nature of the things about which they are conversant as hath already been shewed Thirdly some of the rules of right reason directing mens actions are yet more dark and obscure then the former and therefore are known only to wise men or by revelation Such are all good positive lawes superadded to those of the decalogue either by God or man and may be stiled Responsa prudentum the answers of the wise In this last and largest construction of Morall all the Holy rites prescribed by Moses being appendices to the fourth commandement and all the Iudicials appendices to the severall precepts of the first and second table may be termed Morall The question therefore is not of this kind of Morality but of the two former only viz. Whether the law of the Sabbath be either a principle in nature known and evident of it selfe or at least such as every man that hath the use of pure naturall reason may without revelation easily find out For that it is under positive precept in the fourth Commandement was never doubted We must in the next place understand how we speak of the fourth commandement in this question whether of the whole and every part thereof or of one or more parts and clauses And first there are that say that according to the law of God and rules of right reason there ought not to be in the time of the Gospell any distinction of daies as being directly contrary to Christian liberty So our Anabaptists Perfestists Libertines On the other side there are that affirme every letter and Syllable therein to be Morall as the lews and such Christians as in this particular doe Iudaize expresly as the Familists and others together with our rigid Sabbatharians who although they stand not for that very day of which the commandement speaketh the seventh from the creation as the others yet keep the Lords day as being a seventh intended also in the commandement and to be observed in all things according to the sound of the letter by all men in all ages which is no better then implicit Iudaisme And herein they stand for ought I know alone unlesse they will claime kindred of the ancient Hereticks the Ebionites There are others in the third place that affirme the fourth commandement to be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall And this is the most generall voice of Divines ancient and moderne Protestants Papists Lutherans Calvinists except those before named But this their agreement is not without great disagreement some affirming in one sence some in another some of more some of fewer branches of the commandement Many in the Popish Schoole with some Protestants especially Lutherans put morality in two clauses the first is Remember thou keep holy the resting day where a day is commanded say g Morale est sanctificare unum è septem Baldvv c. de Sab. casu 2. Manet hoc morale esse nimirum aliquod tempus vel diem aliquem singulis septimanis ad exercitia divina peragenda tribuendum Conradus Dietericus dom 17. post Trin. Morale est quod sacra requies die septimo non determinatè hoc vel illo sed uno è septem piè observanda est Thum. in expl d ee they in generall They second is the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God wherein say they the former generality is restrained and determined to be one of seven But k Evanescant nugae pseudoprophetarum qui Iudaic â opinione populum superioribus saeculis imbuerunt nihil aliud asserentes nisi abrogatum esse quod caeremoniale erat in hoc mandato id vocant su â linguâ septimae diei taxationem remanere vero quod morale est nempe unius diei observationem in hebdomade Calv. instit lib. 2. c. 8. Calvin and all those that insist in his steps flye from this as from false doctrine and Iudaisme I meane this latter assertion for they joyne with them in the former and acknowledge a morality for a set day but say they the determination to one in seven or five or ten c. is wholy arbitrary and in the power of the Church to prescribe And herein Calvin hath the voices of many both Papists and Lutherans One thing more must be added that when Divines put morality in the first clause Remember thou keep holy the resting day those words may undergoe a twofold consideration for they may be taken Either formally as they lye in the commandement and thus considered they are not Morall because they speak of that particular Sabbath given unto the Iewes even the
Neque circumcisio ita ipsos ab aliu distinguebat ut Sabbathum Theod. in Ez. 20. Ioh. 7.22 Theodoret also saith that many other nations communicated with the Iewes in circumcision and we know it to be true at this day in Turkes and Mahumetanes But the Iewes alone even unto this day observed a Sabbath as the only proper seale of Gods covenant Lastly our Saviour is observed to have joyned the Sabbath with circumcision as being both of like nature and use The second Character of ceremonies is that they served to mind the people of their naturall uncleannesse This we see in all their washings cleansings purisyings sacrifices therefore called also expiations The same like wise did their feasts and new Moones represent unto them some more some lesse And this also did the rest of the Sabbath For as circumcision remembred them of the superfluity of malitiousnesse to be done away by the circumcision of the spirit so did the rest of the Sabbath mind them of their pronenesse to follow their sinfull lusts walking in their own waies and of their aversnesse from suffering God to dwell and raigne amongst them This also appears out of that which hath already been said for being a signe and representation of their covenant with the Lord it not only remembred them of a Vt scilicèt ludaei seirent non aliter vitam suam posse Deo prohari nisi rationem consilia sensus omnes carnis exuerent Calv. in Exod. what he required of them but also of their own crooked dispositions thereunto It appears also by the Prophets expostulation with his people to this purpose for seeking their owne wills doing their own works and speaking their own words for by these things cannot be understood ordinary works thoughts words at other times lawfull as is commonly expounded to the entangling of weak consciences For first though the commandement forbad them ordinary works and their very sitting still was a Sabbaths duty as we shall shew hereafter yet to speak common words in ordinary communication or to think of any ordinary things as occasion required was never forbidden If any man say that the other negative precepts take in also the heart and the tongue and therefore that this also in the Sabbath must be so extended I answere that all other negative precepts are of things simply and in their own natures evill To kill with the tongue by slandering and railing so to murder in the heart by malice envy hatred evill wishes are things in their own nature simply evill and therefore no marvaile if in this case negative commandements thus enlarge themselves it is not so here Secondly this interpretation crosseth the maine scope of the Prophet which is to discover the deep hypocrisy of their hearts not any outward visible prophanation of the Sabbath As if the Prophet should have said the Lord hath sent me to cry aloud against your deep dissembling with him in two principall points the one of fasting the other b Esaias hypocritas objurgat quod in externo tantum cessandi ritu insistâ—rent Cal. ibid. Instis lib. 20. of resting before him In both these you are so outwardly formall for they did outwardly fast and Sabbathize most precisely as that you think God doth you much wrong not to accept both your persons and c Arguunt dominum quòd bona opera non respiciat Hier in locum performances d Sinon prophanes Sabbathum sequendo volantatem id est libitum passionum tuarum à vitij suti ab opere otium agas Cornel. à Lapid in locum You seek me daily and will know my waies even as a nation that did right and had not forsaken the statutes of their God and aske of methe ordinances of justice they will draw neere unto God saying wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not But saith the Prophet I am sent to tell you you neither fast nor rest aright you should fast unto sinne and rest unto holinesse fast unto mortification rest unto sanctification not following in either regard your own corrupt immoderate desires Fast and rest in this manner then see whether your light all manner of felicity break not forth as the morning and thou mount not up on the high places of the earth Thus it is generally understood by all ancient and moderne Expositors and therefore is quitted by Amesius as being nothing to that purpose for which it is commonly avouched and by e Greenham Catech. Mr Greenham not to belong to the Christians at this day but in proportion The third character of Ceremonies is that they represented unto them that inward and spirituall worship which God requires of them that fear him So unleavened bread signified sincerity truth and the like This also is plaine in the Sabbath representing unto them the inward repose which we ought to have in the Lord denying of our selves crucisying our carnall wills and affections suffering the Lord wholy to governe our hearts by his holy spirit Lastly the Sabbath was a visible Sermon of the glad tidings of the Gospell of that rest which Christ should bring us of reconciliation with God of peace of conscience through the powerfull operation of a true and lively faith For this last the f Heb. 4. Apostles testimony is so evident as whosoever gainesaieth it fighteth against the light it selfe we which have believed doe enter into rest What restâ— even g Interpretatur Apostolus Sabbathum cum dicit remanet igitur Sabbatisinus pobulo Dei Aug. contra Adam c. 16. that which is shadowed in the Sabbath instituted and grounded upon Gods resting from his works from the foundation and what rest was thus shadowed but that which Christ and his Gospell brings them By all which I think it is manifest that the Sabbath was not only a Type or figure as the brazen Serpent as many of their Iudges Priests Kings Prophets also were for this is that which is replyed but properly and truly a Leviticall shadow and ceremony abolished in Christ the true Sabbath indeed as h Epiph contra heresi lib. 1. Tom. 2. cap. 30. Epiphanius stiles him To proceed therefore if the rest commanded in the Sabbath were thus a figure of our spirituall rest in Christ then doubtlesse also that proportion of rest which is the strictnesse of Sabbathizing according to the sound of the letter shadowed unto them that proportion of holy and spirituall rest which God requires of his redeemed ones and unto which Christ will at last bring them by degrees The Iewes we know were forbidden all kinds of servile works even the kindling of fires and that upon paine of death I confesse some are of opinion that this was but a temporary injunction during Israels abode in the wildernesse Their reason is because our Saviour dined saith the Text with a chiefe Pharisee upon the Sabbath and it is probable so great a man entertained so great a personage with a great feast
concludeth not To the fift briefly both propositions are faulty The first that whatsoever is backt with a Morall reason is a Morall Law for what think you of the Law of the first fâ—uits No man I think but will say it was Ceremoniall yet the reason given of it is morall n Prov. 3.6 Honour the Lord with thy substance So the reason of the fift commandement is it Morall or Ceremoniall If Ceremoniall then how standeth it writen in the tables of stone If Morall then that which is Morall may be the reason of a law Ceremoniall and so the proposition is not true ex gr o Deut. 26. â— Thou shalt not kill the damme with the young that thy daies may belong in the land c. The second proposition is also faulty for let the reasons of the Commandemen be well scand and they will come farre short of that Morality which is pretended Aske naturall reason at best refin'd what proportions were fit to be observed between God and man would it answere we must have sixe for one and not rather on the contrary or any other what principle of naturall reason can guide us to the number of six herein God you say hath interest in the seventh but this is the question let this interest be discovered by naturall light we will grant the Morality All men are as much bound to follow Gods example in resting as the Iewes but First we deny that this example of God is or may be known by the light of Nature Secondly that it is there proposed to all men in their generations being given particularly to the Iews only For the commandement speaketh not of the seventh but of that seventh from the creation wherein the Church followes not Gods example keeping the first of these seaven For unlesse we rest that very seventh in which God rested we no more resemble his rest then a man that hath a ladder resembles Iacob that had a vision of a ladder But God hath promised a blessing unto our rest as well as unto theirs for the Lord even blessed the seventh day to the right observers thereof But the text is strained for though God hath promised alway to blesse his own ordinances in the publique worship yet for any blessednesse to be communicated to the day or affixed to one more then to another we read not That servants and beasts should now rest and be refreshed is confessed to be Morall but that they should have rest upon such and such a day just so many houres from all manner of imployment was partly Ceremoniall partly judiciall as hath bin said Which also farther appears because it is added o Levit. 26.5 as a reason of the seven yeares rest which I think no man will say was Morall neither doe I see why the one should not hold as well as the other Lastly true it is that the Sabbath was a token unto them that they were the Lords people and that we under the Gospell are also the Lords people is most true But was not Circumcision also a badge unto them that they were the Lords people must Circumcision therefore be Morall and perpetuali God forbid We see therefore the vanity of this argument likewise To the sixt first if by strangers we understand all that are aliens from the commonwealth of Israell plaine it is that the Sabbath was no more given unto them then Circumcision for it was a signe of Gods covenant and God never covenanted with the Heathen Moses was the Law-giver of the Iewes neither doth any law bind the Gentiles because Moses gave it but because only it is written on their hearts If by stranger we understand bondslave or sojourner not yet made Proselyte the commandement indeed speaks of him but not to him of him for his ease and restraint not to him for his observation such were not obliged unlesse first adopted as appears in the law of the Passover If any say why then did Nehemiah threaten the Merchants of Tyre for breaking the Sabbath day I answere he did it not because he thought them bound to keep the Sabbath but because a Ne quid occâ—rreret Israelitis ante oculos contrarium c. Cal. in Deut. 5.15 they occasioned the breaking of it amongst the Iews and offended against the present goverment of the state For if Nehemiah conceived those Tyrians to be under the Sabbath why did he shut the gates to keep them out he should rather have compelled them to come in and constrained them to keep the Sabbath being now under his power and jurisdiction To the seventh how superstitious the people of the Iews were in their observation of the Sabbath even in case of life and death notwithstanding they had the example of divers of Gods Saints their predecessors to the contrary as of b Elias fugit à facie Iezabel die Sabbathi Anton. tit 9. Elias and Iudas Machabeus and how their superstition continued not only when the City was destroyed by Titus and Vespasian but long after as appears by the history of the Iew in Rome that would not be taken up out of a Iakes because it was his Sabbath what advantages the enemies of that nation took from their superstition in this kind is evident of it selfe Our Saviour therefore in the Scripture glanceth at their superstitious and d Quod malum luxuriae hoc nomine significatum est quia haec erat nunc est pessima Iudaeorum consuetudo Aug. de Cons Evangelist c. 75. lib. 2. luxurious observation of the Sabbath foreshewing that it should be no small promoter of their lamentable destruction e Orate ut fuga vestra fit expedita nullis impedita remoris vel tempestatis vel religionis Marl. in locum so the best and ancientest Expositors c Sabbatha sancta câ—lo de stercore surgere nolo Laziard in hist universali But you will say what was this to the Disciples that they should pray against it I answere that the Christians also observed the Sabbath among the Iewes f Dicet aliâ—uis Iudaei sciebant licere in Sabbatho fugere ut vitam morti â—riperent Respondeo Iudaeos plerosque hoc ignorâsse vel putâsse fugere quidem fas esse hostibus insequentibus aliter esse â—efas Bar. in locum till the Gospell was sufficiently preached and the Synagogue was honourably buried Some therefore that were weak amongst theÌ„ might be entangled in that superstition Others that were stronger might be hindred and prejudiced in their safety by those that were contrary minded and all were bid to pray against the judgement of God which hanged over the head of the bloody City and whatsoever might in any degree further and increase the same though themselves were not engaged therein To the eight the riseing of mans corruption against any law gives no true estimate of the Morality thereof It is generally the effect of lawes of restraint to beget an appetite in men to the thing forbidden
earnest when he condemned the Orthodoxe of those times for Carnalists and that guided thereunto by the very heresy that he had sucked from Montanus as appears by a treatise of his written to this purpose Our new prophesies saith he are refused not that Montanus and his two Prophetesses Priscilla and Maximilla preached any new Deity or denied Christ or overthrew any rule of faith and hope but that they plainly teach that men should fast more and marry lesse And in the words immediatly going before he describes his adversaries by stuft puddings or sausages d Ptlagii nomen non sine lande altquâ posui quia vita eius à multis praedicatur Aug. retract 11. c. 33. Mark 13.22 Pelagius also the professed enemy of Gods grace whose heresy overthroweth the very Basis of Christs kingdome was not only in outward shew and formality but indeed a man of a well governed life and blamelesse carriage S. Augustine that damned his doctrine extolled his conversation nay it is the generall marke of false Prophets to come in the rough garments of austerity sheeps cloathing innocent outsides else it were impossible they should deceive so many nay almost the very elect This therefore must needs be a most deceitfull ballance to weigh any mans doctrine in To draw therefore to a conclusion e August ad Hier ep 11. S. Augustine unto S. Hierome saith I confesse vnto your brotherhood that I have learned to give such reverence and honour to the books of Canonicall Scripture only that I most firmely believe none of the pen men thereof to have erred in the least things so that when I meet with ought in their writings which seemes contrary unto truth I presently think that either the book was false printed or that the Translators were mistaken or that I my selfe understood it not aright But all other authors I so read as that though they excell in learning and holinesse yet I think nothing true because they so thought it but because they make it appear to be true by those Canonicall Authors or probable reasons at the least f Doct. Twist praef con Armi◠A learned man also of these times hath spoken so home in this point that nothing more need be added thereunto If at any time saith he the Lights of the Church think not the same things but dissent one from another in divers points and those of moment in religion what is to be done But to try all things and to hold that which is good But how may we doe this shall our labour be to search which Side was more docible and desirous to learne had more humble minds did more tremble at Gods word were more obsequious to the guidance of his spirit were more ready to renounce themselves and their own wisdomes worshipped God with greater fear and reverence were more frequent and earnest in their daily prayers fasted oftner to keep the body in subjection were more exercised in the reading of the word and meditating therein Who sees not this kind of touchstone of Ecclesiasticall doctrine to be neither commanded of God nor approved of men nor to be attempted with any hope of good successe God forbid that as often as we dissent one from another we should presently object to the adverse part that they neither fear God nor serve him nor doe his will For neither are we able to dive into mens hearts and the better we our selves are the more conscious of our sins more ready to amplify our own misdeeds more mild and mercifull in censuring of others Leaving therefore this kind of search which after many obscure and slippery Meanders gives but a doubtfull issue and scarce ever brings us to the truth what remaines but to bring the dictates of the greatest Divines to the Law and to the Testimony If they indure not this tryall those other are but popular and gawdy shewes wherewith simple people are deluded Let this be the tryall It were easy to answere the weightiest arguments against which nothing can be said with an answere ad hominem as they call it against whom whatsoever he be some exception or other may be taken But though the persons of the Teachers may not be weighed in this ballance yet their doctrines may Because therefore the adverse part doth so highly advance theirs of the Morality of the Sabbath for pious and religious as if without it holinesse it selfe could not subsist in the world and so farre depresse the contrary as if it were the only floodgate to let in Atheisme It will not be amisse briefly comparing each with other to see which doth most advance Gods glory most edify his Church give most life to religion and bring most comfort to a Christian mans conscience Suppose therefore one should tell us in effect this The fourth commandement is wholely and meerely Morall only indeed there be some Appendices thereof which concerned the Iewes viz. the day spoken of in the commandement the seventh from the creation whereas not that Seventh but a Seventh which the Lord should choose is Naturall and Morall and the strictnesse of the Rest which was injoyned them in kindling of a fire This indeed is in a sort permitted Christians under the Gospell Yet men may doe well to forbeare even this and to dresse their meat over night all the rest of the Law binds us strictly nay more then ever it did the Iewes We must therefore remember not to doe either by our selves or those that belong unto us the least servile work from Saturday sunset till Sabbath-day sun-set or as others from Saturday midnight till next day midnight or as others from Sabbath-day sun-rising till Munday sun-rising for a naturall day of twenty-foure houres must precisely be observed In all this time all works words and thoughts are to be abandoned which may at any time else be done spoken or had so that both in publique and private we be imployed only in the holy things of God Therefore the publique exercise being ended for a Sermon must of necessity be heard neither may men satisfy themselves with the common Liturgy of the Church if they purpose to sanctify to the Lord an holy Sabbath The publique exercise I say being ended a short meale may be made for this is no day to feed the body in and to make a feast on this day is utterly unlawfull After dinner see that you fetch not your wonted walkes or any way recreate your selves or have any communication but of holy things and what was delivered in the Congregation If any man not acquainted with the mysteries of Godlinesse deliver you a message or letter upon that day you may receive it of civility but see you neither dispatch the businesse nor think thereon untill next morning upon paine of sinne Be sure also to take your notes and repeat to all such as shall assemble themselves what you have writen and so repaire unto the evening Sermon which also must be heard either at
home or abroad This done give not your selves a breathing while suffer neither Child nor Servant to have any recreation for this were to prophane the day Assemble therefore your selves together recount what the Afternoon hath brought forth doe also likewise after supper Nor yet are you by all this discharged of the duties of the holy Sabbath unlesse the former practices have made such deep impression in your phansies as to season the nights sleep with holy dreames which is the last duty of the Sabbath These things thus done you may not only well expect a blessing upon what you have heard but upon all that is yours the whole week after For so highly is the seventh day in Gods favour that he doth not only sanctify it but also blesse it Now let another come and say the commandements of the Decalogue be not all of the same rank but amongst these the fourth is partly Morall partly Ceremoniall The Morall part is that God must have set and standing times for his outward and solemne worship all which times are religiously to be observed But the letter concernes only the Iewes written indeed as other holy things of Moses for our edification and consolation of which every part if full For first we must consider that the Sabbath as it is there litterally expressed was a signe of the separation of the Iewes to be Gods people from all other nations of the world which is now by the coming of Christ abolished as all other peices of the wall of partition are taken down that the Gentiles may glorify God as it is written a Deut. 32.43 Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people It did also shew them the pronenesse of our corrupt nature to doe our own wills and to fulfill our own lusts not suffering the Lord to rule in us by his Spirit whereas he requires perfect conformity of the whole man with an utter cessation from all his servile works of sinne and Satan It did in the third place lead them unto Christ who alone gives us test from these cruell Taskmasters who hath crucified the body of sinne in us and triumphed over Satan in his crosse And therefore as God the Father having made the World in sixe daies rested the seventh so God the Sonne finished all things which were written of him for our redemption on the sixt day and began his rest on the seventh obtaining for us the rest both of grace and glory The rest therefore of the Sabbath given in such severe precepts unto the Iewes doth lead us Christians under the Gospell unto the rest of sanctification which we must endeavour to keep inviolable with all watchfulnesse not suffering the least fire to be kindled in any of our lusts And as it doth thus edify so it ministreth no small comfort assuring us that as God rested from all his works and Christ from his so we also by degrees shall enter into rest in the Church militant till it be perfectly consummated in the Church Triumphant as the Apostle saith b Heb. 4.9 there remaineth a rest for Gods people Now let the indifferent Reader judge whether the former of these doe not burthen and indeed ensnare the consciences of men with many outward unprofitable impossible performances even to superstition and without end whereas this latter doctrine containes the very pith and marrow of Religion promotes the care and study of true sanctification and is most quickening and cordiall to weak and tender consciences But not to stray in this by-path any farther it were much to be wished as one of the greatest blessings of God upon his Church that a Sacra Theolegia pium prudentem Lectorem requirit Brad. L. 2. c. 31. Bradwardines rule were once well observed on all hands the study of Theology saith he requires both a pious and a prudent Reader pious in himselfe prudent in his doctrine a dove for the one a serpent for the other When these are divided in the Ministers divisions must needs be amongst the people and a house divided cannot long continue One looks at the holinesse of his Minister another to the learning of his neither as they ought and therefore the one straines at Gnats the other swallowes Camels both pester the Church the one with loosenesse the other with singularity He that is licentious like the Camels of the Ishmaelites carrying many a sweet burthen but never tasting them Against whom b Erasm Dial. Erasmus hath a bitter Satyr in his Cyclops Evangeliophorus is in shew a friend of the Churches peace a zealous promoter of the goverment thereof but indeed an enemy occasionally increasing that faction which he verbally cries downe For men think of him and all his disciplinarian invectives as c Non nisi magnum bonum à Nerone damnatum Tert. Ap. c. 5. Tertullian speaks of Nero and his persecuting the Gospell it must needs be some good thing which so wicked a man as he condemned In vaine doe these Vipers goe about to devoure with their mouthes that faction which themselves either breed or cherish at least by their lives On the other side he that is singular whom with Aelians Tiger either the sound of a Bell or musick of a Timbrell causeth to run mad cares not whether he runs and drawes others after him so long as he runs as the phrase is on the right hand By this meanes his duties in Religion daily grow and multiply as either his own or some other mans head and fancy runs this is Idolatry that superstition this is prophane that is abomination and Antichristian and what not And he that dares think otherwise is tantùm non Anathema But did these men rightly consider of errours they should find little difference in regard of their malignity He that fals from a bridge hath as little safety as comfort though it be on the right hand Nay it would be no paradoxe to affirme that errours of this kind are most dangerous being lesse discerneable in themselves lesse burdensome to the conscience lesse hopefull to be reformed and being indeed the illusions of Satan transforming himselfe into an Angell of light in which shape he becomes the fowler Divell CHAP. XI Wherein the name of the Christian mans Feast day is proposed with those arguments which seem to conclude for the name Sabbath THe names of things if rightly given serve much to disover their natures On the other side a Omnia periâ—litanâ—ur alitèr accipi quà m sunt amittere quod sunt dum aliter accipiuntur si aliter quà m sunt cognominantur Tert. de car Chr. Tertullian saith well all things are in danger to be mistaken if they retaine not their true and proper names Being therefore to treat of the Christian festivall and the Questions moved concerning the same the first thing which offers it selfe is whether it must or fitly may be stiled the Sabbath day The affirmative tenent is supported by these reasons First those names which God himselfe
can be no better then a snare to weak Consciences there being no certainty wherein to fasten CHAP. XVI Wherein something concerning the day naturall and artificiall being premised the former arguments are briefly answered TO give better satisfaction to weak and unstable minds we must know what a Naturall day is and where it is to begin where to end Some have of late fondly denied this distinction because it is not found as they think in Scripture And indeed the termes Naturall and Artificiall are not there read but what matter is it for sounds and syllables if we have the sence and substance a Math. 28 2â— St Mathew is plaine that it was the end of the Sabbath when the first day of the week began to dawn so that all that night untill the dawning of the first day was part of the Sabbath which were not possible without the distinction of Naturall and Artificiall Ob. If any say that the Iewes kept their Sabbath from evening to evening and therefore that the night following could be no part of the Sabbath Sol. I answere that S. Matthew in that place speaks not according as the Iewes accounted from evening to evening but as the Romanes from morning which was a naturall day of twenty-foure houres But not to spend time in so needlesse a point we must proceed to enquire where the naturall is to begin and end In this there is no small variety of opinions Astronomers begin at noon b Manè diem Gens Graecorum incipit astra sequentes in medio lucis Iudaei vespere sancta inchoat ecclesia medio sub tempore noctis Iewes at Sun-set the Grecians at morning the c Dies naturalis secundum ecclesiam Romanam incipit à mediâ nocte Aqui parte 3. q. 8. ad 5. Church of Rome with the Vmbrians at Mid-night But this is to find knots as they say in Bulrushes For if the naturall day be measured by the revolution of the Sunne as all confesse sure it is that untill the Sunne begin his course the day cannot begin At what time now did the Sunne set forth upon the fourth day at the creation Common reason will say when he first appeared in the Horizon the rising therefore of the Sunne in the Horizon must needs be the first period of the naturall day And so the words of d Gen. 1.5 Moses are to be understood saying the evening and the morning were the first day that is the shutting up of the day which is there called the evening and the begining of the next there called the morning e Permittitur autem vespere quia cum à luce dies inciperet priùs terminus occurrit lucis quod est vespere quam terminus noctis quod est mane vel secundum Chrysost ut designetur quòd dies naturalis non terminatur in verspere sed in maâ—e Aquin. parte 1. q. 74. art 3. ad 6. was the first day The words also of S. Mathew before cited make it apparent in which not only midnight but to the very dawning belonged not to the first but last day of the week It was not of it but towards it as the end of one contiguum is the begining of another By all which it is apparent that when God commanded the Iewes their Sabbaths from evening to evening the order of the naturall day was inverted by him not so much looking to the number of foure and twenty houres as to the time of Israels deliverance out of Egypt which began when the Passover was eaten at even of which their deliverance the Sabbath is a memoriall as hath been said Some thing also must be said of the day Artificiall which we may define to be a certain proportion of houres appointed by men and employed by Artificers about their crafts and trades This is not the whole time between Sunne and Sunne but generally I think conceived by all nations to be measured by twelve houres according to that of our Saviour * Iohn 11.9 Are there not twelve houres of the day And as the * Math. 27. Evangelist describes the passion of Christ by the third sixt and ninth houres Having thus briefly set down the day Naturall and Artificiall whereas it is generally supposed by all men almost that the Lords day must be measured by one of these two proportions of houres the truth is there is no such portion of time set us in the New Testament which alone can direct us in the Lords day neither expresly nor implicitly Vnlesse therefore we will have recourse unto the Iewish Sabbath and begin the observation thereof over night and that Analogically because Christ himselfe our Passover was sacrificed at Evening and our Redemption from the spirituall Egypt set on foot the Conscience hath no ground to settle upon But what warrant Christians have to follow the Iewes in observing the Lords day in regard of any circumstantialls I see not And that Analogicall respect before spoken of between the sacrificing of ours and their Passover cannot bind the conscience The whole therefore is left to the Church and Magistrates under the Gospell the time being such by their appointment as may be convenient for the publique worship of God neither doe the Arguments to the contrary conclude To the first the Iewes indeed were prescribed a naturall day not properly but equivocally so called consisting of twenty foure houres but that the time which limited them doth also limit us is utterly untrue And whereas it is said that the twenty-foure hovres were no way Mysticall or Ceremoniall It will be replyed that though the number of houres spoken of which are not so much as mentioned in Scripture was in no respect mysticall yet the time named from evening to evening was partly memorative looking to the time of their deliverance out of Egypt partly positive looking to the publique worship the morning and the evening sacrifice which concernes not us but only in a proportion For as the Iewes worshipped the Lord upon the day of their Sabbath and had set times of assembling themselves on that day both morning and evening so it is fit and convenient that the Christians also worship the Lord in their publique assemblies both in the begining and towards the evening of their Lords day To the second A day may have a twofold consideration the one Absolute as it is a day the other Relative as appointed for any use or service The fifth of November may be considered either as such a day of such a moneth and so it 's neither longer or shorter then any other naturall day or as a day set apart by the Church for publique thanksgiving and so it consists only of a morning as appears by the Statute from whence it hath authority The case is the same in the Lords day which continueth no longer then the duties of the day require To the third the saying of the Rabbines is a good admonition to all men not to abbreviat
obseruation of the Lords day-Sabbath been of divine institution it is very probable that the * 1. Cor. 6. â— Apostle reproving the Corinthians for going to Law one with another under the heathen Iudges would not have omitted the advantage of this circumstance For plain it is that their pleadings were ordinarily upon the Lords day By their going to Law therefore they not only scandalized the Gospell and devoured one another but were also prophaners of that day which Christ himselfe had Commanded to be kept holy it being impossible at once to keep a Sabbath and attend a Court of Iudicature under an Heathen Iudge But the Apostle makes not the least mention of this circumstance though so pregnant and advantagious to his purpose it is therefore very likely there was not as yet any divine precept for the Lords Day Tenthly if Christ had appointed this day because it was the day of the Resurrection then the Eastern Churches which followed St Iohn did ill and transgressed this ordinance of Christ when they kept their Easter which only and properly is the day of Christs resurrection upon any other day as it happened in the Leviticall account And so d Apud Euseb lib. 5. c. 24. ' O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soc. lib. 5. c. 21. Pope Victor may well be justified who did excommunicate them for this offence but the Disciples of S. Iohn though perhaps they did not so well yet cannot be simply condemned for evill doers and to have been justly excommunicated by Pope Victor as Iraeneus in his Epistle to Victor makes it appear Ergo c. Eleventhly Had it been a divine institution doubtlesse those Fathers and Synods that have spoken so much in praise of the day displaying the glorious prerogatives thereof to commend it thereby to Christian mens observation would never have omitted this which is the greatest of all the rest But neither the Councell of Palestina setting down the severall Benedictions of this above other daies nor the Councell of Matiscon in France attributing the irruption and prevailing of the Gothes and Vandalls to the neglect of this day nor e Cyprian ep 66. S. Cyprian nor Leo which have writen large panegyricks hereof ever affirmed a divine institution Twelfthly That which the Orthodox condemne to be indeed Popery should not be consented unto by us especially by such of us as would be held the great Reformers of the Church and therefore startle at the very sight of harmlesse ceremonies because they have been polluted by Papists as the Crosse after Baptisme Surplice c. But that the Lords day is not only a part of the Churches order and policie but of Gods worship also and is more holy then other daies as it must needs be if from divine authority is condemned by f Paraeus in cap. 14. ad Rom. Ames Bell. enervat Reformists in the Papists farre therefore be it from our adversaries to Symbolize with them Lastly Authorities also are not wanting g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soc. ib. Socrates affirmes that the Apostles never intended to establish Lawes concerning Holy-daies to be observed by Christians but to be unto them the Masters of true piety and holinesse And because saith the Historian no man is able to produce any precept to this purpose upon authenticall record plaine it is that the Apostles left these things to the liberty and appointment of men The historian speaks indeed of Easter in that place but first he delivers for Maxims and Principles that which hath been said Secondly that question of Easter as I conceive differs not any thing from this of the Lords day viz. whether the day celebrated by the Church in memory of Christs resurrection ought necessarily and by vertue of Divine precept to be the first day of the week only h Hoc in iis culpat Apostolus in omnibus qui serviunt creaturae potius quà m creatori nam nos quoque dominicam diem Pascha solenniter celebramus sed quia intelligimuâ— quò pertineant non tempora observamus sed quae illis significantur temporibus Aug. cont Adam Man c. 16. S. Augustine also made it not only will-worship but the service of the creature which is Idolatry to observe any day as commanded of God and answering what the Manichee against whom he wrote might object viz. that Christians themselves diligently observe the Lords day and Easter true saith the Father we solemnly keep all these but the time is not that which we obserue as if it were coÌ„manded but we look wholy to those thins to which the times lead i Dicat aliquis nos quoque simile crimen incurrimus observantes diem dominicam ad quod qui simpliciter respondet diâ—et non eosdem Iudaicae observationis dies esse quos nostros ne inordinata congregatio populi fidem minueret in Christo quòd non celebrior sit dies illa qui verò acutius respondere conatur illud affirmat omnes dies aequales esse Hier. in Gal. c. 4. Tyndall in his answere to Sir Thom. Moores first booke Frâ—ths Declaration of Baptisme Barnes supplication to the King S. Hierom likewise makes the Quaere whether our Christian Lords-day incurre not the Apostles prohibition in his Epistle to the Galathians and resolves negatively upon these grounds They differ saith he from those there condemned first materially for they are not the same daies Secondly formally for our daies have not in them any holinesse and necessity from divine institution as theirs had but are at liberty to be kept upon any day whatsoever Thirdly in regard of their end which in ours is only to preserve order and to avoid confusion in our Ecclesiasticall Assemblies The book of Homilies affirmeth plainly that Christian men did of themselves without any divine precept follow the example of God commanding the Iewes a Sabbath so took upon them the observation of the Lords day we have also the unanimous consent of al the reformed Churches of God at this day in Christendom Adde hereunto the suffrages not to say the sufferings of our own Martyrs in those Marian daies How the tenent came to be changed Mr Rogers in his preface to his Comment upon the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England hath at large set down Lastly M. Perkins who I think was one of the first that took up this tenent speaks waveringly and doubtfully herein And surely his modesty is to be commended if you compare it with the violence of his followers with whom any man of contrary judgement is tantùm non a reprobate But * Mat. 11.19 wisdome is justified of her children CHAP. 19. The Question is briefly stated and resolved BEfore we come to answere the arguments made to the contrary some few things are to be premised for the better opening of the truth in this point And first though our adversaries agree in generall upon a divine institution of the Lords day yet they vary in
of bread in the Lords supper with reservation of Christian liberty Lastly the l Ex institutione Apostolicâ servatâ tamen liberta te Christianâ Gret Whether the Church can now alter it to any other day I submit my judgement to the Church herein Doct. Holland Apol. Apostles commended this observation unto the first Christians as their Pastors and part of their Ecclesiasticall Order and Discipline and therefore it binds only the children of the Church and that by Ecclesiasticall authority and the Church may if occasion so require change and alter the same as seemes good unto her neither doe the arguments to the contrary conclude CHAP. XX. The Affirmative Arguments are breifly answer'd LOoking vpon this multitude of allegations and considering the strange confidence of their Authors I remember the words of Melchior Canus that having collected the arguments which the Protestants bring against the Apocrypha many of his friends advised him neither to set downe all neither to presse those that he did set downe home to the point leâ—st he should not be able to make a cleare and a full answer and so not only endanger his credit but also corrupt his judgment I know that very many men conceive through custome and prejudice that Catalogue of reasons 〈◊〉 irrefragable but m Consilium amicorum quidem sed timentium ubi non est timor Existimâ—runt enim imperiti argumenta esse maiora quà m uâ— Ã nobis refelli possunt Can. lib. 20. cap. â—â— loc as my Author unjustly in his cause faith his friends feared where there is no cause of feare so I doe truely find it to be in this dispute and shall soone be able to blunt the edge of that sword which we haue thus whetted To the first plaine it is that the fourth commandement is misalleadged for neither a seventh nor one of seven but that particular seventh which was given unto the Iewes is there spoken of And how the Lords day can in any propriety of language be called the seventh I confesse such is my dulnesse that I cannot apprehend for if we speake thereof according to the order of nature as they succeeded one another from the Creation it is the first day of the weeke and so the * 1. Cor. 16.2 Scripture cals it If we relinquish the order of nature it s not the seventh but the eight in number of daies and so n Tertul. de Idolol Cyril in Io. lib. 12. c. 58. many of the ancients stile it If we still confine our selues to the compasse of a weeke and withall dissolue the reference which one day hath to another in regard of the Creation we may make it any other number what we please Lastly this argument supposeth the question viz. That God hath commanded the Church of Christ under the Gospel one of seven and this in particular to be kept Sabbath whereas all outward observations which were commanded in generall are left to the wisedome of the Church when we once descend to particulars To the second It is most true that all particulars are included under their generals but this doth not inferre that he who commandeth a generall duty doth thereby also prescribe the manner and circumstances of particular actions contained and commanded vnder that generall For example it is a generall precept at least to such as it appertaines for the unletter'd I thinke it binds not to reade and search the Scriptures But I hope the * Acts. 8.32 Eunuch when he did this in his chariot was not bound at that time to read that particular passage in the Prophet concerning the person of Christ The Apostles were commanded in generall to ordaine Pastors and Ministers were they therefore commanded to choose Timothy in particular We are bid to giue almes of that which we doe possesse but our particular distribution to his or that man at this or that time is in our owne discretion Honour the King is a generall precept but this binds us not to receive such or such a particular man for our King but he being by the grace of God our anointed Soveraigne the precept which before was generall becomes now a particular tye and binds us to honour him So here the fourth precept commands to sanctifie some set time for publique worship doth it therefore command the first day of the weeke to be that time To keepe some time is one things this generall is under divine precept to keepe this or that time is another thing this particular is left unto the wisdome of the Church And thus o Exemplum sit in geniculatione quae sit dum solennes habentur precationes quâ—ritur sitne humana traditio quam repudiare vel negligere cuivis liceat Dic fic esse humanam ut simul sit divina Dei est quatenus pars est decoris illius cuius cura observatio nobis per Apostolum commendatur hominum autem quatenùs specialiter designat quod in genere fuit indicatum magis quà m expositum Cal. Inst lib. 4. c. to par 30. M. Calvin doth affirme that one and the same thing may both be a divine precept and a humane constitution in different respects He gives instance in kneeling at the Communion and at publique prayers in the congregation The question is whether they are humane Traditions thou must answer saith he that it is both humane and divine it 's a divine ordinance being comprehended under that decency commanded by the Apostle in generall and it is a humane constitution in regard of the particular designation of this or that gesture Indeed when the particular is once appointed either for days or gesture or any other outward observation the generall precepts binds us to those particulars If therefore this argument can hold for the manner of observing the Lords day-Sabbath which is prescribed by our Sabbatharians well sure I am it concluds nothing for the institutioÌ„ thereof To the third it is true that one and the same Scripture is many times twice fulfilled but this proposition holds only when that Scripture speaks either of Christ and his Church or of things which were transient Types of things to come And lastly they are such Scriptures as the holy Ghost hath already discovered vnto us for we haue no warrant to follow our Phaâ—â—es herein If therefore the letter of the fourth commandement be a prophecie of Christ and his Church or the Iewes Sabbaths were Types of the Lords day or the holy Ghost hath in any place reuealed unto us that what was spoken of the one was intended by him of the other we subscribe to this argument but till this be made appeare it serves to no purpose To the fourth this therefore comes timely in to second his predecessour but hath not that strength which might be wished For we vtterly deny that ever the Lords day was prefigured much lesse precepted in the old Testament Those Rabinicall collections shall passe for dreames The authority of the
Synod and Fathers produced in the argument are nothing to the purpose For in the first place S. Cyprian is wilfully mistaken he treats in the place cited of Baptisme for Infants at two or three dayes old this Fidus a Bishop to whom he wrot held very unfit if not unlawfull for diverse reasons amongst the rest because circumcision was not administred unto any untill the eight day To this p Quod in Iadaticâ circumcisione carnali octavus dies observabatur sacramentum est in umbrâ in imagine nam quia octavus dies iâ—est post SabbathuÌ„ primus futurus erat nos viâ—iâ—icaret quo dominus resargeret circumcisâ—nem spiritualem daret hic dies praecessit in imagine Cyp. ad Fidum S. Cyprian replyes that to the Iewes the eight day was to be that where on Christ should rise and spiritually circumcise us the legall circumcision was given upon that day as a Type and figure thereof In which words of S. Cyprian we haue two Types and two things Typified first the carnall Circumcision is made a Type of the spiritual secondly the day wherein one was administred is made a Type of that day wherein the other should be performed but what is either of these to thâ— keeping of the Sabbath S. Augustine ad Ianuarium is no better handled for he saith indeed that the Type of the eight day was not unknowne to the Fathers filled with the spirit of prophecy for David hath a * Psal 118. Psalme intituled for the eight day Infants also were circumcised on that day A figure it was then and well knowne unto the Fathers but of what This followes expressely in S. Augustine of Christs resurrection and of our quickning and circumcision by him The q Inchoante noctis initio idest vespere Sabbathi c. 13. Omnibus mandamus Christi anis abstinere ab omni peccato ab omni opere carnali etiam â propriis coniugibus Ibid. Synod called Foro-Iuliensis commands divers things concerning the Lords day viz. to begin with Saturday Evening prayer to abstaine from all works sinnes companing of Men with their Wives c. Their reason is because the choysest of Gods mercies were vouchsafed unto the Church on this day they adde also that this is the Sabbath of the Lords delight spoken of by the Prophet * Isai 58.13 Isaiah for r Diceret taÌ„tùm Sabbathum non delicatum Jbid. saith the Synod had he spoken in that place of the Iewes Sabbath he would haue called it barely a Sabbath without any such attributes of delightfull or mine When this interpretation of the Prophet shall be averred by the Opponents we will thinke of an answer to this authority The Synod of Matiscon is more ancient then the former and purposely held concerning the Lords day here amongst other things we have this passage This is the perpetuall day of rest which is knowne by the law and the Prophets and insinuated unto us by the shaddow of the seventh day But that Synod intends no more then the former viz. That upon the day of Christs resurrection we were admitted into everlasting rest appeares evidently by that which followes it is Å¿ Iustum est ut hanc diem celebremus per quam facti sumus quod non fuimus Con. Matis ubi supra but equall therefore that we should celebrate this day by which we are made that which we were not Not therefore the keeping of the day it selfe but the mercies of the day peace and liberty in Christ is that which the Synod affirmes to be intimated unto us in the Type and to be knowne by the law and the Prophets To the fift the day of which the Psalmist speaks is literally the day wherein David was setled in his Kingdome and the unction of Samuell took effect As if the prophet should have said God long since annointed me to be King over his people but this was a day on which he decreed to settle me actually in my Kingdome There is no question but that Psalme is mystically spiritually to be understood as well as litterally of Christ and his Throne as of David and his Scepter one was a figure of the other I deny not also but that Davids day was a figure of Christs day though it did not appeare that David was setled in his Kingdome the same day of the week that Christ rose out of his grave But understand the place how we please all that can be gathered thence are but these three things First that God had in his counsell determined a sett day to performe his promise unto David making him King of Israel Secondly that God had also decreed a sett period of time wherein Christ should be exalted and set upon the Throne of his glory in the Kingdome of the Church Thirdly that as the Iewes had cause to rejoyce in the dayes of David God having given them a man after his own heart so the Christians have much more reason to rejoyce in Christ their King and to embrace the mercies of his glorious resurrection If any man now say that either the ancient or moderne Arnobius mentioned in the argument collect from hence the institution of the Lords day I answere they find it there instituted no otherwise then the whole Church hath ever found it viz. Logically because they ground the observation of the day upon the mercy of the day not morally as being formally and positively instituted either in that or any other Scripture To the sixt we have here a well known fallacy the effect being attributed to that which is no way the true cause thereof As when the wolfe in the fable quarrelled with the Lamb for troubling the water when the Lamb stood all the while below the Woolfe in the river And when the heathen in the daies of t Mala quae civitas pertulit Christo imputant bonâ— verò non imputant Christo nostro sed fato suo Aug. de civit lib. 10. c. 1. S. Austine charged the Christian religion to be the cause of the scourge of the Goths and Vandalls and all other evills which then afflicted the world But to returne to our Opponents I will only demand whether God doth not blesse his ordinance unto his people upon Lecture daies as well as upon Lords daies If not why are they in vaine so much frequented if so then evident it is that Gods ordinance may blesse the day and make it happy unto his people But the day doth not blesse the ordinance unto us the words in the Commandement hath blessed and sanctified are Exegetically put the one expounding the other To the seventh the example of God the Father resting from his works of creation was that indeed upon which the institution of the Iewes Sabbath was grounded but not the institution it selfe For to this there was required a law to be given which was not untill the daies of Moses and the fall of Manna in the wildernesse The
like we also affirme of the example of God the Sonne at the worlds redemption resting from all his labours for though it be not a Law instituting yet it is sufficient ground and warrant why it was at first instituted and hath ever since been observed To the eight all arguments of this kind from the lesse to the greater are but probable and must be understood of great and lesse in the same kind For that which is lesse in one respect may be greater in another it 's so in this particular For the creation of the world is a greater work of power 〈…〉 then the redemption and the redemption is a greater work of goodnes then the creation Besides in reasons of this kind we must alwaies adde si caeterasint paria for any disparity in any circumstance of time place person overthroweth all conclusions built upon comparisons Now suppose that the argument speak of the same kind of great and lesse which yet it doth not nothing can be concluded because the circumstances of time and persons are not equall For the Iewish Sabbath was given in the child-hood and nonage of the Church to a people of dull eares stiffe necks heavy hearts to such the appointing of a determinate time was necessary but the children of the light men of ripe eares that have their eares bored their hearts illuminated need no such childish rudiments as the observation of daies And this a Sicùt praeceptum de sacrificiis habuit aliquam causam moralem non simplicitèr sèdsecunduÌ„ congruentiam llorum quibus ilex dabatur qui ad Idololatriam proni erant sic praeceptum de observatione Sabbathi habuit aliquam causam moralem ex conditione eorum quibus lex dabatur qui propter avaritiam iis inditam c. Aqu. in 3. sent dist 37. art 5. in corp Aquinas long since observed The words of Athanasius alleadged in the Homily of the Sower c. are a meere allusion or illustration shewing only the conveniencie which was never doubted not the necessity of this observation which is the point in question To the ninth I briefly answer that he whose conscience is not over-awed by the lawes of the Church states in outward observations in things lawfull and in different established upon good grounds Christian considerations is neither good subject nor good Christian It is true indeed that the conscience is the Throne of God yet I think no man will so restrain him to that Throne as to say he cannot put another thereinto That b Lex aliqua potest condâ— cui sit necessariò etià m 〈◊〉 mortali parendum quaeque vi suâ quamvis non nisi dependentèr à lege divinâ aeternâ obliget sub mortali Greg. Val. de lege hum Vbi pater iubet quod centra dominum non sit sic audiendus est quomodo Deus Aug. in Ps 70. our superiors especially those that derive their power immediatly from God himselfe may if cause so require lay their authority immediatly upon the conscience binding it to sinne in cause either of neglect disobedience or contempt is to all sober mindes a Maxime in Divinity To the tenth the mysticall signification of any ceremony or observation whatsoever is either of divine imposing as in the sacraments and all such ceremonies as are parts branches of Gods worship or of humane invention as building of Churches East and west bowing towards the Altar usingthe surplice the Crosse after baptisme upon infants or otherwise as the Primitive Christians used Such as those are no parts of Gods worship neither is the conscience bound thereunto but in obedience only to authority To the eleventh the observation of the Lords day is not only metaphysically and speculatively mutable but also Morally and practically as well in our times as in the Primitive Church For amongst the first Christians for some hundred yeares we cannot find any regular and constant practice thereof Supposing therefore the decrees of Councells the practice of the Christian world the edicts of Emperors the statutes of the Land it is unchangeable in sensu composito all things standing as they doe but supposing c Neque Christus neque Apostolus celebrationem primi diei lege aliquâ praeccperunt sed propter praesentem commtaitatem ita sanxeâ—â—nâ— Ã qua quidem sanctione recedere possumus si evidens Ecclesiae utilitas posâ—ulaverit Bald. de Sabbath cap. 20. that the Church and state should find sufficient cause to repeal all such constitutions it may and ought to be changed in sensu diviso as well as any other observation whose ground is only decency and order when it comes to be abused to superstition To the twelfth if we consider all daies which the Church hath set apart for publique worship absolutely as being so set apart I hope it will not be thought blasphemy to affirme that the Lords day and all other holy-daies are equall So I am sure d Omnes diâ—s aeaquales esse Hier. in Gal. 4 S. Hierome affirmed of old and our learned Bishop e Down tables Downham of late but in some respecttive and accidentall considerations one day may be said to be greater and better then another And this may be either from the ground or reason of its observation so it is said by the * Ioh. 19.31 Evangelist that the Sabbath was a high day because the feast of the passover fell upon that day by translation which was the manner of the Iewes when any of their feasts fell out to be the day before the Sabbath and in this respect we may call the Lords day the Queen of daies because it is kept in memory of Christs resurrection which is farre to be preferred before any festivall celebration in memory and for imitation of any Saint whatsoever Or from the solemnity of the publique worship according to the custome of the Church Or lastly from the intention of the Church appointing as when she intends only halfe or some part of the day to be kept holy forbiding all manner of works upon some daies but allowing them upon others as Markets and Faires In this latter respect also no Holy-day is equall with the Lords day especially in the Church of England however it be in forraine parts notwithstanding if we look to the outward solemnity of Gods worship some holy-dayes may be greater then it To the thirteenth that one day should have more holinesse in it then another as it is this day or that day by divine institution under the Gospell is a proposition Atheologicall and part of the Egyptian and Iudaicall superstition which the Apostle condemneth in the Epistle to the Galathians and against which S. Hierom reasons irrefragably For then this holinesse faith a Aut haberent sanctitatem ex lapsu syderum aut Dei beneficio aut hominum inssituto hee must be derived either from the motion and influence of the heavens or from the impression of Gods holinesse made upon it
the feasts of dedication of Churches or occasionall as marriages and Christning-dinners be forbidden Christian people as prophanations of the Lords day The second generall head and Lerna of perplexities is whether the duties of holinesse by which the day is sanctified be only acts of the publique worship of God in the Congregation or whether the private exercises also of Religion appertaine unto the day as necessary and immediate duties thereof and that during the whole time And under this head a world of particular cases are raised also and many times such as neither wise men nor learned men would imagine as daily appeares by experience to men of Pastorall employment in the Church But these and the forenamed particulars being delivered as Magisteriall dictates and conclusions out of the former Positions my purpose is only to make enquirie into the two generall heads under which they are contained For these being weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and true iudgement the rest will evidence themselues as Corollaries CHAP. XXII The Question concerning the Corporall rest is proposed with the Arguments for the affirmatiue THat the outward bodily cessation from all secular employments whatsoever is of it selfe a duty of the Christians mans Feast-day may seeme to be proved by many undenyable arguments First that which is an essentiall duty of all Sabbaths in generall is an essential duty of every Sabbath in particular But the Lords day is the Christian mans Sabbath may so be called though improperly as hath beene formerly confessed and bodily rest is an essentiall duty of all Sabbaths in generall as appeares both by the very name of Sabbath which signifies as much as cessation and more expresly by the letter of the fourth Commandement In it thou shalt doe no manner of work confirm'd by the a Exod â—â— 15 commination of death from the Lords owne mouth upon all those that shall transgresse this Law Ergo c. Secondly the Prophets are the best Commentators of the Law and are therefore usually put together b Math. â—â— 40 The Law and the Prophets But the Prophet Isaiah saith that those who will honour the Lord in his Sabbath must not doe their owne works nor follow their own pleasures nor speak their owne words In which three whatsoever may be any businesse of our own is expresly forbidden us on the Lords Sabbath by which we honour him Therefore c. Thirdly in all Lawes whatsoever that is essentiall and for its owne sake commanded for whose sake other things in the Law are enjoyned according to the common Maxime Illud est perse propter quod est aliud But many things in the fourth precept are commanded that this duty of utter cessation from all secular employments may be performed For wherefore would God haue not only our Children and servants rest but our beasts also to rest unlesse only that all meanes and occasions of not resting might be taken from the Parents Masters and owners themselues Therefore c. Fourthly All theft is directly immediatly and for its owne sake forbidden and of thefts the cheife and capital is Sacriledge But to work upon the Lords day is theft nay sacriledge for we steale so much from God this day being his as we bestow upon our selues and our owne employments whereas on the contrary by resting on that day we abstaine from holy things and giue the Lord his own Therefore c. Fiftly whatsoever doth immediatly hinder any thing which God commandeth is immediatly forbidden in the Negatiue of every Affirmatiue This is a Maxime generally received in expounding the Decalogue But all kinds of works upon the Lords day whether serious or lusorie doe immediatly hinder that which God commands viz. To attend his worship and service suffering him to work effectually in us by his word and Spirit This Moses doth plainely teach us in saying * Lev. 23.3 There shall no work be done therein in is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings c. Where first he repeats his Commandement There shall no work be done therein Secondly he giues the reason for it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings It is not possible for you to performe the duties of the Lords Sabbath or that God should work on you therein unlesse there be an utter cessatioÌ„ from all kindes of works It stands also with reason for worldly imployments steale away the heart from holy things and according to our Saviours rule * Mat 6.24 We cannot serue God and Mammon Sixtly that which immediatly resisteth and overthroweth the Kingdome of God in us * Rom. 14.17 Which is righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost must needs be immediatly and for its owne sake forbidden by the Law of God But all secular imployments of what nature soever upon the Lords day immediatly resist and subvert the kingdome of God in us Righteousnesse take it how we will either for the righteousnesse of justification which is imputed or righteousnesse of sanctification which is inherent commeth by hearing groweth by praier is strengthned by meditating and conferring not by journying working and sporting on the Lords day and the more these are practised by us on that day the lesse righteousnesse must needs be in us The conscience also is deeply wounded by such grosse prophanations if it be not senselesse seared as appeares by the confessions of Converts Penitents and the Godly feele in themselues by daily experience And it cannot but diminish the joy of the holy Ghost for this is chiefly fed and nourished by holy meetings and godly exercises of religion Nay if it be true which many learned men affirme at least for probable that Christ shall come to judgement on the Lords day What little joy can any man finde in things earthly and sensuall on the day when for ought he knowes he may suddenly heare the voice of the Archangell summoning him before the Tribunall of the Lord whose Sabbath he is then prophaning Seventhly if there were no law prohibiting works on this day the very law of expediency were enough For it 's no way expedient on that day to make such a medly of things heavenly with things earthly to mix the holy things of God with things prophane base and vile things with things honourable and glorious this were to make the Lords-day a garment of linsy-woolsy But the Lords day and the duties thereof are things holy heavenly and glorious All secular imployments prophane vile contemptible The * 1. Cor. 6.2 Apostle calls the things of this life the smallest things Therefore c. Eightly that which was ever blasted in all ages with some extraordinary curse remarkable judgement is doubtlesse not only unlawfull but in an high manner abominable in Gods sight For the Lord * Exod. 34.6 being gracious long-suffering and slow to anger doth not usually reveale his wrath from heaven but against some unsufferable ungodlinesse of men But the prophanation of
For all these are commended to Christian Liberty in regard of determinating circumstances as where when in what manner how long how often And some of theÌ„ whether at all yet are things of greater importance and haue more probability of Divine precept then bodily cessation on the Lords day Ergo c. Sixtly that which is not so much as mentioned in the new Testament for a Christian duty is not commanded Christian people under the penalty of sinne This must needs be true of all such duties which Christ and the Gospell hath brought in imposed upon the Church as distinguished from the Iewish Synagogue But corporall rest such as our Sabbatharians require upon the Lords day is not so much as mentioned in the new Testament and yet the Lords day the observation thereof was brought in and imposed upon the Church as contra-distinguished from the Iewish Synagogue Ergo c. Seventhly Had this been an immediate Christian duty so essentiall as it 's now made doubtlesse the first Christians living under persecuting Emperours would haue made as great a conscience of this as of any thing else whatsoever Especially because it concern'd the Lord himselfe to whom the day is devoted and persecution maks men stick closest unto Christ and all Christian duties commanded by him But the Primitiue Christians did all manner of works upon the Lords day under the persecuting Emperours unlesse whilst they assembled themselves by stealth to break bread This appeares by Constantines edict against working upon this day wherein notwithstanding are excepted all labours of Husbandry whatsoever It is a true rule that the manners and customes of men are the Mothers of the Lawes of Kings and States A law prohibiting the doing of any thing is a strong presumption that the thing was done especially when the Law is exceptiue Plaine therefore it is by the Law of Constantine who was the first Christian Emperour that the Primitiue Christians made not cessation from works upon the Lords day a matter of conscience Ob. If any man say that Constantine did only reviue the duty which Persecution had almost defaced Sol. I answer that Constantine was not the reviuer but the first enactor of this observation in regard of bodily cessation if not why can it not be shew'd who preceded him herein But let it be that Constantine renewed the Discipline which was decayed it seemes then that the labours of Husbandry then what more toylesome were in use amongst Primitiue Christians upon this day because they are excepted by Constantine which renewed the Discipline of the Church in this behalfe or else Constantine insteed of a reviuer must needs be made a depraver and corrupter Ob. If any man say the nature of the times required this indulgence Sol. I answer that those were the most peacefull and happy times that ever the Church saw But suppose what malignity you please in the times sure I am that nothing can make a sinne to be no sinne or let the conscience loose from any necessary and essentiall duty though but positiuely commanded vnlesse as David did eate the Shew-bread which cannot be averr'd of those times of Constantine Lastly authorities also are not wanting e Cont. Manich lib. 2. Epiphanius against the Manichees saith that God regardeth not outward cessation from works more upon this then any other day because by his providence the Sunne riseth and setteth the Moone waxeth and waneth the Winds blow and Women bring forth as well on this as any other dayes And against Ebion the same f Idem cont Ebion Epiphanius saith that the Disciples plucking the Eares of Corne upon the Sabbath day shewed that the outward rest of the Sabbath was ended when Christ who is our great Sabbath was once come g Cogitans requiem in Deo tuo propter ipsam requiem omnia faciens abstine ab opere â—ervili omnis enim qui facit peccatum servus est peccaâ—i Aug. Ps 32. S. Augustine also upon the 32. Psalme which is mistaken by our Adversaries as speaking against all sorts of works serious and lusory faith We must seeke rest in the Lord our God abstaining from all servile works for he that committeth sinne is the servant of sinne Our servile works are our sinfull works from which to abstaine is all the rest required of us under the Gospell h Luther de bonis operibus Luther expressely faith that the outward rest spoken of in the Commandement is no longer under precept in the profession of Christianity Calvin thinks it strange that man should imagine that God is delighted with bodily cessation And to confesse my ignorance I know none either Protestant or Papist new or old our English Sabbatharians set aside which teach corporall rest to be of it selfe a duty of the day under positiue precept CHAP. XXIV The Question is briefly vnfolded in nine Propositions THE whole question may be easily clear'd in these following propositions First I conceiue it is out of all controversy that the outward rest from all manner of works as it is expressed in the letter of the fourth Commandement was of it selfe precisely considered and without relation to any thing else to the Iewes an especiall duty of religion and part of Gods worship For though it be true which i Calvin in Levit. 19. v. 13. M. Calvin hath observed upon these words of Moses You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary that God commanded them cessation from works with reference to the duties of the Sanctuary yet were it also of it selfe a Sabbath-dayes duty For that which is of its selfe and for its owne sake commanded may also be made a subordinate duty to help and further another duty So Prayer which is of it selfe a maine part of Gods worship is made a subordinate help to encrease our dependance upon God and to beget in our hearts an awfull reverence of his Majestie It 's so here for also if it had stood commanded only in relation to the worship of the Sanctuary why were they to begin it over night where as nothing was done in the Sanctuary till the next Morning If any man say that which was done ouer night was only by way of preparation He much deceived himselfe For the preparation is one thing the Sabbath another They had their preparation and their prepreparation which tooke up almost the whole day precedent both of their owne invention But they began not their Sabbath-rest till after Sun-set in the evening And howsoever they imposed many things upon themselues of their owne Traditions by way of Preparation yet the first use and true end thereof was to provide for themselues what to eate upon the Sabbath in which it was unlawfull for them to dresse any thing or so much as to kindle a fire Their over-nights rest had no relation at all to the Sanctuary but to their comming out of Egypt the memory whereof they were commanded to solemnize thereby As therefore unleavened
it will not be difficult to dissolue the arguments formerly alleadged To the first therefore I say it is utterly untrue that outward rest and cessation from secular employments is an essentiall duty of Sabbaths in generall but of Sabbaths properly so called which were only the Iewish weekly Sabbaths And this those very Scriptures used for confirmation doe make appeare being all of them branches of the law Ceremoniall The Lords day is a Sabbath but not properly so called and as the word doth signifie but Analogically and in its proportion And therefore the Christian Holy-day is no where stiled by this name either in Scripture or Antiquity as hath already been declared Lastly we deny not but there is a Rest which is Morall and eternall to all dayes of publique and solemne worship as it is laid downe in our fist Conclusion but not as any essentiall duty as essentiall is here taken that is of it selfe and its owne nature without reference to the publique worship For so it was to the Iewes in the fourth Commandement and so our Sabatharians now make it pressing the Letter of that precept in the same nay in a greater rigour then ever it did binde the Iewes This argument therefore is weake in all the parts thereof The second carrieth with it much weight with poore ignorant well-minded people as seeming to be the very words of the holy Ghost But how both they and the Text it selfe haue been abused hath already been shewed and need not here to be repeated We will only adde what the argument it selfe suggesteth that the Prophet Commenteth upon the Law and the Letter of the Law is wholy Ceremoniall as hath also been declared To the third That the Rest of the fourth Commandement was imposed upon Servants and Beasts to take away all occasions of travaile from their Masters and owners or that this was intended by the Law-giver herein is a groundlesse fancy and comes neere to wresting and perverting of Scripture For when the Law-giver shall with his owne mouth render a reason of his owne Law expressing what he aimed at in the severall clauses thereof it is not only vanity but presumption in any other to shew the depth of his reach to tell us of other reasons and those directly contrary to his and all this in his name as being sent from him with He saith It is so in this particular For God hath expressely expounded this clause in the Commandement and shewed his aime therein as first that it was to remember them of their labours in Egypt where they were servants entreated more like beastes then men Secondly it was the Lords goodnes extending it selfe euen to the meanest of his Creatures that their Servants Cattle might be refreshed as well as themselues not therefore for the Masters sakes as a restraint as is pretended but for the poore Servants and Beasts sakes to be refreshed thereby was this added in the Commandement God having thus rendred an account of this passage it is more subtile then solid savors more of acutenesse then of religion to affix to this exposition any glosses and conceits of our owne The fourth hath already been satisfied in the Question concerning the duration of the Lords day To the fift it is indeed true that all impediments of holy duties are forbidden by the same Commandement wherein the duty is required though not immediately as the duty it selfe but inclusiuely by way of reduction only as Privations are reduced to the same Predicaments with their habits But that all secular and civill works words thoughts are such impediments to the duties of the Lords day as are imagined unlesse they hinder us in the publique worship is utterly untrue The text of Leviticus speaks of the carnall Sabbathizing of the Iewes which being of it selfe a duty was broken by any thing done by them But we are Christians not Iewes And whereas it is suggested that secular diversions steale away the minde from holy things choaking the good seed of the word in us it being impossible to serue God and Mammon this is true indeed where the world is made an Idoll and a mans affections are immoderately set upon outward things and so the text alleadged doth expound it selfe Now every mans reason will tell him that there is a great difference between carking and careing for outward things which at all times is unlawfull as being the service of Mammon and the dispatching of some accidentall occurrent or secular discourses or ordinary affaires which are alwayes lawfull but when we ought to attend Gods publique worship To the sixth Were the Minor proposition true it would well neere follow that the actiue life should be most miserable and little better then prophanesse being by reason of infinite secular imployments made uncapeable of Righteousnesse Peace Ioy in the holy ghost a Magni maris fluctthâ—s quatior atque in navi wentis tempestatis validae procellis illidor Greg. dial S. Gregory indeed complaines that when he was taken out of his Monastery and made Bishop of Rome and by the greatnesse of his See forced to engage himselfe in the matters of the world it seemed a new tempest to his soule But what is this to some triviall imployments of particular men which may suddainly be trans-acted without tumult or distraction But to descend to the particulars It 's most true that faith which purifieth the heart is obtained by hearing the world strengthned by meditation and conference doth it therefore follow that by whatsoever else we doe we destroy or overthrow it It is as if in naturall things we should say naturall life doth consist in naturall heart and moisture both these be upheld by naturall food whatsoever therefore is not our naturall food overthroweth our naturall heate and moysture destroyeth naturall life in us and so war me cloathes in winner may kill Saving faith and our honest imployments of this life are so farre from being incompatible as that the one is preserved and cherished by the other when they are vndertaken and performed as they ought to be in the Lords presence with reverence and feare and obedience not intermitting the habituall bent of the soule towards heaven With these conditions the circumstance of time whether on this day or on that day is not materiall so the publique worship be not prejudic'd thereby The same is also most true of b Peractis saâ—r is anâ—mi gratià equiect quis piscetur aut simile quid jaciat non magis prophanat sabbathum quan Christus per sata â—llâ— de Sab. c. 5. Peractis sacris recreationes licitaesunt sed non carnales sâ—urriâ—es-quales in obsâ—â—nis â—udis â—osu chartaâ—â—â—â— tesseâ—acum compoâ—ationibus c. sed lusus priae nochi palesâ—rica exâ—â—citia jacuâ—atus simiâ—ia ad liberagem recreatione â—â—moâ—ò non â—â—ant cum neglectu caltus jacri qui ante omâ—iâ—pt aeceâ—ere dâ—â—er 〈◊〉 c. â— Recreations if they be honest in themselues and lawfull by the
Lord vnlesse we also adde thereunto sundry actuall performances the time and manners whereof they also shew us If therefore any difference be it is that we must be wholy taken up with such performances during the whole Sabbath for 24. houres and turne meere Euchites upon the day which is not required in other dayes But that the Sabbath is of no such length hath been already declared and that God giues no such continuate taskes of holy performances shall I hope before we part be made evident Secondly d Finis non seper est de substantià praecepti neque secundùm veros Theologos cadit sub praecepto Med. Inst Non idem est finis praecepti id de quo praeceptum datur Aquin. 1.2 qu. 100. art 9. ad 2. the end is not comanded by that Law in which the meanes are prescribed for though the precept of the end include also the precept of the meanes yet not on the contrary This proposition is laid downe by the Moralists as an undoubted maxime and doth evidently appeare For example when we are commanded to heare the word we are not by the force there of commanded to beleeue in Christ Iesus yet * Rom. 10.17 Faith as saith the Apostle cometh by hearing That rule which commandeth to beate downe the body and to keepe it in subjection doth not require of vs the vertues of humility chastity c. but on the contrary these being the end require the other as the meanes But the law of sanctifying a holy Sabbath is a law of the meanes whereby we are taught and enabled to serue the Lord in the private duties of holinesse and to exercise in our selues the graces of faith hope loue c. This also is plaine of it selfe and requires no farther proofe For why doe we resort to the congregation on the Lords day But partly to be instructed by the word partly to be inflamed with the loue of God and zeale unto his service the whole weeke after as well as to tender him our publike homage in acknowledgement of his soveraigne dominion Thirdly no affirmatiue precepts are to be extended beyond that which the letter doth containe though it be otherwise in precepts which be negatiue For example honour thy father and mother when we know what it is to honour our Superiours we haue the whole latitude of this Law It is not so I say in negatiues as appeares by our Saviours confutation of the Pharisees glosses upon the seventh Commandement But the law of the Sabbath is an affirmatiue precept and prescribes the publique worship of God in the congregation therefore is not farther to be extended Fourthly if all duties of piety and mercy whatsoever were commanded by the law of the Sabbath then were there no difference at all between this and the other precepts of the Decalogue at least for that day so that upon one day of every weeke the other Commandements were needlesse and superfluous But this is not to be affirmed Ob. If any say that one and the same duty may be under divers precepts Resp I answer that though this be most true yet must we not confound the Law of God and make an intricate maze thereof to the entangling of mens consciences for the Decalogue is said to be ten words ten for their number words for their distinction I denie not that one and the same duty may be under divers precepts but then they are diversly considered as referred to divers ends The object of different commandements may be materially the same but formally distinct So temperance and sobriety may be both under the sixt and under the seventh precept under the sixt as meanes of preservation of breath under the seventh as the helps unto chastity and mortification But what formality can distinguish the duties of holinesse on the Lords day from the same duties on other daies I know not if you say to sanctifie the Sabbath the question is begged and so nothing said Fiftly were the whole practice of Religion both publique and private the duty of the Lords day then it would follow which is also affirmed that to obserue the Lords day were impossible to any man in the state of corruption For I think no man unlesse he be some braine-sick Perfectist will challenge to himselfe such a measure of holinesse though but for a day But that the law of the Lords day is thus impossible being not a Legall but Evangelicall observation of positiue command for all such are light yokes and easie burthens is utterly untrue Therefore c. Sixtly nothing but what is naturall and eternall is commanded in the fourth precept of the Decalogue binding us under the Gospell but that private and personall acts of religion should be performed by us precisely upon this or that day of publique worship in that manner as is required is not naturall and eternall binding us under the Gospell For the Law of nature prescribes only in generall not any thing for any time or day or manner in particular Seventhly that which is no where spoken of much lesse commanded in the new Testament bindes not the conscience of any under the Gospell but the private exercises of religion upon the Lords day are not spoken of much lesse commanded in the new Testament For then such commands were easily shewed all men would readily submit themselues thereunto Eightly this manner of observation seemeth to change the nature of the Lords day from being the Christian Feast and transformeth it rather into a day of Fast humiliation For let their doctrine of Sabbathizing be compared to the doctrine of fasting and we shall finde them the same saue only that a totall abstinence from all things wherein nature delighteth is required in the one but not so in the other But we must not metamorphize the Lords day which is and ought to be the Christian mans Festivall wherein he should not only inwardly but out wardly also rejoice in the Lord his God Ob. If any say that the true beleiver takes no greater comfort then in the exercises of humiliation nothing being so sweet unto him as the teares of contrition Resp I answer that what the * Heb. 12.11 Apostle speaketh of affliction in generall That afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby is true also of the day of humiliation of the bruising of the soule in particular the affliction is one thing the fruit thereof another this ioyfull that for the present grievous and doth not so well sort with the nature of the Lords day Vpon which ground it was expresly forbidden the e Hoc ab omni ecclesiâ Orientali Occidentali observatum contra haereticos Can. Apost 61. Christians by Antiquity to fast upon the Lords day Ob. But is it not lawfull then for a man to repent and be converted unto God comming out of the state of sin into the state of grace through the troubles and anguishes
inwardly affected outwardly regulated will not at any time and likely cannot cast any vile aspersions upon the Lord or any thing that belongs unto him but on the contrary readily speak all good of his name whatsoever it be that makes him known unto us therefore the third precept of religion giues us the holy mans Character not to take the name of the Lord our God in vaine Lastly considering that every reasonable creature in his particular must in this manner giue his Creatour his own for the Lord having universall dominion over all flesh should publiquely be worshipped by societies of men therefore what the former precepts require of every one in particular that the fourth precept injoines publiquely to be performed by all assemblies throughout the whole earth And herein because it is a thing of most dangerous consequence to leaue men unto thèselues for then there would be as many fancies as faces God hath ever prescribed publique rites by which he would be publikely worshipped leaving the circumstances thereof to the wisdome and discretion of the Church Fiftly if therefore we will speak distinctly of the things of God as is most fit we should for only a distinct knowledge is the foundation of true pietie as confused and indigested notions are the mothers of hypocrisie and nurses of superstition e must consider what are those publique duties whereby God is publiquely worshipped for only these are immediatly under the fourth Commādement Now the acts of divine worship whether publique or private are as hath been said Adoration Invocation Dependance or Adhaesion and Thanksgiving Adoration is the advancing the Lord in our own thoughts setting him in the highest roome of our hearts and subjecting unto him the whole man even the conscience it selfe Invocation is the lifting up the heart to the throne of his grace acknowledging him alone to be the father of whom is named the whole familie both of heaven earth expecting all our wants to be supplied by him and from him Dependance or Adhaesion is a fast cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart wholy casting our selues upon his wisdome power goodnesse justice mercy with all confidence quiet assurance Thanksgiving is the tribute which we returne him even the praise and glory of his grace When therefore considering our selues to be the members of the mysticall body of the Church we joyne unto the Lords people in acknowledgement of his supreme dominion in these performances of divine worship we are discharged from the maine principall and essentiall duties of the Lords day And on the contrary he that either absents himselfe from the publike meeting of the place where he is not being constrained thereunto by inevitable necessity or being present in body joynes not in spirit with his brethrē in the forenamed acts of publike worship is an open and direct prophaner of the day Sixtly we must also consider what be the generall helps and furtherances of publike worship These are foure First Pastors and Ministers are requisite to goe before the people as their leaders in holy things and to be in a manner Mediators betweene God and them hence are they said to stand upon the mountaines as the middle way which makes their feet beautifull Secondly there must also set and appointed places of publique assemblies such haue ever been even in the time of the Apostles immediately upon Christs assēbly Such was the house wherein they were gathered together on the day of Pentecost And this some are of opinion how justly I say not to be the meaning of that passage of the Apostle where speaking of Priscilla and Aquila he saith * Rom. 19.5 likewise greet the Church which is in their house Sure we are that the Sabbath and the sanctuary are usuall ioyned together There must also be lawes and constitutions for the regulating of the publike assemblies least the disorders of them bring both confusion into and contempt upon the Gospell it selfe as S. Hierome speaketh Till order was setled in the Church of Corinth what manifold abuses crept in amongst them pride in some faction in others sensuality and prophanenesse in many like so many Vultures eating up the uery heart of all Christian duties Fourthly the people likewise must be instructed in those things which belong unto the worship of God before whom they publikely present themselues and in all necessary points of faith and life that they may know how to walke before him unto all well pleasing and full assurance of understanding But here we must remember that these are not in the commandement directly and immediately as things of absolute necessity without which the Lords day could not be a holy Sabbath but indirectly and by way of conveniency for the well or better being thereof For suppose there be no Minister in a Parish a supposition not impossible by suddaine death unexpected imprisonmēt particular persecution suppose also the usuall place of meeting to be taken away by any accident or calamity suppose there were no lawes for to order such assemblies or Magistrates to execute those lawes as in the ruines of a State I would not doubt but in such cases the Lords people might assemble themselues upon the Lords day adore the sacred majestie of God invocate his holy name protest their dependance upon him and giue him for a sweet smelling sacrifice the fruits of their lips Else how is * Math. 18.20 our Saviours promise appliable unto all men where two or three be gathered together in my name I will be in the mid'st of them Else how did many of the Primitiue Christians thinke we keep the Lords day in the absence of the Apostles having not as yet a setled Ministery Else how doe those that travaile by Sea I think not that every ship carrieth a Minister else how doe many of our Marchants in some factories in forraine parts where the publike practice of their Religion is not tolerated and a Minister of their owne is not to be had I say how doe these obserue the Lords day Surely if any or all of these imployments did inevitably cast men upon the rock of prophanenesse they were vtterly unlawfull for any Christians to undertake It cannot therefore be sufficiently admired whence that opinion was at first taken up which is now mistaken even for a Maxime in Religion that unlesse there be Preaching in a Parish the Lords day cannot be sanctified by the Parishioners Nay many of our common people are at that height in this fancy as to think it an obligation lying upon their consciences to heare an Afternoones-Sermon also if possibly it may be had If therefore their own Pastor either through sicknesse or absence or other reasons cannot satisfie their desires herein they forsake their owne Assemblies and wander as their humours lead them By this misprision that which is but a help unto the worship is esteemed by the vulgar aboue the worship it selfe and all the branches thereof and as it was said
day that the reason why wicked ecrable upon that day that the reason why wicked Christians are worse then Godlesse Heathens manytimes is because they abuse all such things whereby the Lord would draw them unto himselfe amongst others the Lords day that all thoughts words and waies which separate from God are alwaies damnable but much more upon the Lords day from this ground and no other But hence as it doth not follow on the one side that it is not lawfull elsewhere to repent of our sinnes or to make our prayers unto God saue in consecrated places or that whensoeuer we come there we sin if we performe not these duties so neither here on the other side must we conceiue that no holy duties are to be done but on the Lords day or that we break the Law of the Sabbath if during the whole day we doe not performe them And by this which hath been hath said not only the present argument receiues full satisfaction but if I mistake not that great stumbling block of these times of bowing toward the Communion Table is removed out of the way of all well-affected people For the Table being amongst consecrated things either it acquires something by vertue of its consecration or a Consecrationes Ecclesiae nan sunt rantùm opera sed sunt efficaces Cajet in Tho part t. qu. 83 Art 3. Res Consecratae habibes dicuntur ad excâ—tandam in nobis reverentiam devotionem ibidem else the action of the Church is not only voyd but also vaine idle which no man will I think affirme That which the consecration conferres cannot be any reall quality of holinesse for of this it is not capeable it must needs be therefore only a fitnesse or aptnesse in the thing consecrated to work upon the minds and understandings of men considering it as consecrated And is nothing else but an b Deus est preseâ—s Altari Ecclesiae aliis hujusmodi speciali modo sicut novo instrumento ad excitandam reverentiam devotionem circa divinum cultum c. Cajet ibidem aptitude to stirre them up to holy thoughts upon those things represented and acted upon that holy place which multiplying themselues doe at last break forth into the act of holy worship in generall of the whole Trinity but particularly of the glorious person of the Sonne of God who humbling himselfe unto the death of the Crosse tendred unto his Father an universall and holy sacrifice for the sins of the whole world Not the Table therefore is worshipped for this is so palpable Idolatry as cannot be incident to any Heathen nor any thing set upon the Table the reserving of the consecrated Elements we leaue to the Church of Rome and therefore there is no thought here of Transubstantiation but Christ as the Messias slaine the propitiation for our sinnes by whole stripes we are healed The Table is only a memoratiue instrument unto which the assistance of grace is never wanting either to beget in our minds such thoughts of the death of Christ or to extract from our persons such a worship of him if we c Ecclesiâ Alrare alia huiusmodi ex consecratione adipiscuntur quandam spiritualem virtutem per quam apta redduntur divino cultui ut scilicèt homines devotionem quandam exindè percipiant sint paratiores ad divina nisihoc propter irreverentiam impediatur Aquin. parte 3. qu. 83. art 3. ad tertium be not otherwise wanting to our selues And for my part if this be all which is practised I am sure it 's all which is taught by the Learned even in the Popish Schoole it selfe I see no reason why if a day quatenus a separated day may be thus memoratiue a Table or ALTAR call it what you please thus separated may not be so likewise or why we should not readily imbrace all occasions opportunities helps and furtherances of worshipping the person of our Lord Christ whose honour is generally impaired by sundry Heretiques and most maliciously fought against by Satan Anti-Christ and all his complices Which is some had well understood it had not been possible for them to haue stumbled thereat at least they would haue forborne many uncharitable invectiues against their brethren who upon those grounds exercise this worship To the fifth all meanes directly tending to any good end are included in the precept of the end but private duties as they are here required are no where commanded as meanes unto the publique but rather on the contrary for we doe not therefore accustome our selues to private duties that so we may be able to serue God in publique but we therefore attend the publique that thereby we may be the better enabled to worship him the whole week after So that if the Lords day be indeed sanctified by the syncere performance of publique duties the conscience is not farther obliged under the penalty of sinne by any precept yet reveal'd concerning the Lords day To the sixth it is most true that the spirituall repose of the soule was shaddowed out unto us by the corporall rest of the body in the Iewish Sabbath so that our whole life should be a holy rest unto the Lord from the servile works of sinne and Satan and how men sinne against the Lords day in particular if the Consecrated day be not a motiue unto them of holynesse hath already been said But that the day it selfe and the sanctification thereof such as is here prescribed us was prefigured by the old Sabbath we vtterly deny that which was shaddowed thereby being the duty of the whole time of the Gospell not of any particular day To the seventh there is no proportion at all betweene these pretended observances and the Iewes private rest for certaine it is that when amongst them no man went out of his place upon the Sabbath day they performed a publique duty celebrating thereby that common rest which they had now obtained from the slavery of Egypt wherein every family and person amongst them shared Ob. If you say it 's so here God being privately worshipped by all there doth result out of the particulars the publique honour of God acknowledging our spirituall deliverance from sinne and Satan Resp I answer that though this be most true yet the case is most different for First they had an expresse precept in that kind and the whole time was chalked out unto them it is not so with us Secondly that only was required of them which was most easy for every one to performe whereas those holy performances which are here required come not within the reach of every mans measure To the eight supposing that which many of the Schoolemen teach concerning our edifying in holy things on the Lords day the argument is faulty in its other proposition For that we cannot learne of the Lord in publique without private exercises so varied and spunne along throughout the whole day is not true neither can any
Sabbath in Paradise And if he sinned the sixt day as most conceiue this was a bad preparation to the next dayes Sabbath such as was likely to disturb the whole work If he stood the sixt day and sinned the seventh long he stood not all agree was the day of his fall think you the day of his Sabbath That he entred upon the dominion of the creatures upon the seventh day contradicts the very Text it selfe which saith they were delivered up unto him upon the sixt day unlesse we like to interpret Moses by the figure Anticipation in that Chapter which is so much condemned in the next That time was first divided by weeks afterward by months which is the very pillar of all the rest is as weakly as confidently affirmed For not to speak of the circle here used the division of time into weeks being brought to proue the Sabbath to haue beene from the beginning the Sabbath being blest sanctified from the beginning to proue this division of time by weeks no such thing can be concluded from that Text unlesse we grant that all separated and sanctified daies and such were all the Iewish Festivalls are presently to be the divisions of time On the other side sure we are that man in the beginning was put to Schoole unto the creature and that the Sunne and Moone were purposely set in the Firmament to shew him times and seasons Is it now probable or can it stand with the intention of the Creator that man should come by the divisions of times otherwise then by observing the Sunne and Moone especially since the Changes of the Moon doe so punctually lead us unto weeks In the next place it was wisely foreseene that a positiue precept serues not our turne and therefore we fetch about for a morality also therein which cannot be without sundry suppositions That nature tels us of time to be set apart for Gods worship is most true but that shee directs us to this in speciall or that in particular is fallaciously collected For what if the creature be under the absolute power of the Creator are therefore no Circumstantials left to the discretion of the Church in holy things What though some particular persons would unequally carue therein as Prometheus did betweene himselfe and Iupiter would the Church alwaies assisted by Gods spirit think we doe the like So for the comfortable performance which is pretended I would aske which is more comfortable when we haue some things voluntary which may be a free gift or when we are fettered in our performances like flaues more then sonnes Lastly that uniformity in publique actions cannot be observed unlesse God interpose his immediate authority savours of something else then Sabbatharian tenents If those daies are alwaies holy which are honoured with some notable work of God I see no reason why the day of our Saviours incarnation and hypostaticall union the most unsearchable a Nunquam ' Deus adeò grande fecit miraculum in caelo aut terrâ sive resuscitando mertuos sive illuminando caecos sic de aliis sicut est miraculum hoc ' unionis humanitatis addivinitatem Gers parte 4 â ser de Nativitate and glorious work ad extra or Friday wherein was finished the work of our redemption should not be a Sabbath as b Euseb lib. 4. c. 18. Constantine made it Surely although all Sabbaths haue beene kept upon daies chalked out by Gods famous works yet all daies thus chalked out haue not been forthwith Sabbaths by divine institution That the proportion of one in seven to be kept Sabbath cannot be ceremoniall that never any found any Ceremony therein is utterly untrue For to omit others c Videri ergo possit Dominus per diem septimum populo suo delineasse suturam sui Sabbathi perfectionem Cal. de 4. prae Sic eliam Clemens Alexandrinus ex Elatone lib. 5. Stlomaâ— Calvin hath long since observed that it did not only historically teach the Iewes the perfection of the works of nature but mystically also the perfection of the works of grace and that nothing should be wanting unto us in the person of the promised Messias the number of seven being the number of perfection Alike solid is that which followeth that the Rest of the seventh day had relation unto Christs rest only in the Graue but was not mystically referred unto the grace of the Gospell which is contrary both to the Scripture and to the streame of all Divines Ancient and Moderne And what if the Iews were partakers of the grace of Christ yet were they led thereunto by the hand as children in these and the like figures and how doth this hang together There is a taxation of one in seven under the Gospell therefore that which the Iewes had under Moses could not be ceremoniall That we under the Gospell keep the fourth Commandement is most true understood in generall of the substance of the Commandement for times of publique worship but in nothing else For thought it say Remember the Sabbath day not the seventh yet immediatly it addeth by way of exposition the seventh is the Sabbath and which it meaneth of the seventh even the next after the creatioÌ„ We must not then make God wise according to our fancies by making his word a Lesbian rule broken asunder and patched together at our own pleasures But say it speaks of a Sabbath in generall how doth it speak of a seventh day-Sabbath in speciall under the Gospell or of the Lords day in particular This therefore must be helped with another heap of superstâ—â—ons Christians you say must not giue a worse time unto the Lords service then did the Iewes must it therefore be just the same that a better would proue a publique grievance is a plausible put off why might we not giue him every sixt day if the whole Church should think it fit would it not be all one upon the matter to Trades-men Labourers But the Lord hath marked out unto us his own day by his own resurrection This is most true and therefore the Church alwaies hath and I doubt not but ever wil obserue it to the worlds end though only by the Churches authority But supposing it to be our Sabbath must it not be kept for time and manner as that of the Iewes was If it be not the Iewish why should we keep the Iewish time of just so many houres with the Iewish manner of rest for such or such cessations As for the rest he that is a Teacher of prophanenesse and an Abettour of licentiousnesse an untempered morter-dauber let him be accursed The other patterne of doctrine therefore in this point is That God created man in that high measure of knowledge as made him little lower then the Angels Psal 8.5 That man continued in this estate but a very short time perhaps not many houres That notwithstanding his fall a great part of his wisdome remained with him especially his naturall knowledge of the creature and the worlds creation That God admitting fal'n man into the state of grace through repentance was pleased to converse with him though not so familiarly as otherwise he would haue done by apparitions and revelations That the light of nature remaining taught him that this God must be publiquely worshipped That he being not unmindefull of his fall and the curse which thereby was brought upon him death and being instructed in the faith of the Messias to be slaine hence God came to be publiquely worshipped by the sacrifices of slaine beasts That the set time of this publique sacrificing is not mentioned in Scripture That the place in the second of Genesis was written by Moses after the Law was given and had relation thereunto That nothing can be averred of the Patriarchs practice till Israels comming into the wildernesse and the fall of Manna That the Law delivered in the fourth precept is morall for substance as that God must haue times for publique worship Ceremoniall for circumstance in the rest binding the Iewes only leading them partly backward to their state in Egypt the fall of Manna partly forward to good things to come in Christ That Christ therefore and the Gospell being exhibited this circumstantiall Sabbath must cease but expired not quite untill the destruction of the Temple That during this while the Apostles kept the Iewish Sabbath as they did other Ceremonies That withall they kept in a manner the Lords day also for breaking of bread though this was not alwaies done upon that day only That whatsoever the Apostles did in the Churches by them planted was not by Apostolicall authority they being the Churches Pastors as well as Christs Apostles That the discipline of the Church of which the time and manner of publique Assemblies is not the least part was established by them as Pastors not Apostles and might afterward receiue such changes as the state of succeeding times should require That therefore the institution of the Lords day is by Ecclesiasticall authority and that this is a sufficient tye of conscience to all such as list not to be obstinately wilfull That the Lords day thus established must be observed and set apart for Gods publique worship and all meanes used for the supporting thereof That those that joyne not with the Congregation therein are guilty of prophanation That whatsoever doth hinder this in any man of which no generall rule can be given ought to be avoided by him and that herein every mans experience can best informe him That such things as are used only as diversions of the minde and recreations of the body are lawfull on this day so they offend not in any other circumstance That those that are inclined and inabled to private holy exercises performed without fraud or sinister respect doe that which is most profitable and commendable though not bound thereto by the Law of the Lords day That all men should be watchfull over themselues to keep a spirituall Sabbath from the servile works of sinne throughout the whole course of this life having alwaies an eye to that Sabbath of Sabbaths promised us in the kingdome of GOD our Father and of his deare Sonne IESUS CHRIST to whom be honour and glory now and for ever more Amen FINIS
griefe of heart to others of Gods people Resp I answer that such haue the greater sin It is a fearefull condition when even the truth it selfe shall thus cooperate unto their destruction but better it is that some offences come then either truth be lost or people nurst up in Hypocrisie and superstition For my own part I think all kinds of holy frauds under which perhaps these Sabbatharian tenents may be ranged by whomsoever practised or what advantages soever may acrue there from to be grosse delusions of men meere mockings of God and most unbeseeming the profession of the Gospell As for the well-minded Christian that takes offence he is rather to be pitied then humoured and ought to be well informed of passiue scandalls For it is not enough to say we are offended but we must consider how justly whether of weaknesse or obstinacy I meane in regard of the publique declaration of the Magistrate For in cafe of this nature a reason being rendred protesting against the prophanation of the day nothing being intended but the informing of the judgement the setling of the conscience the good of poore people preservation of unity and uniformity howsoever our private judgements incline us we should rather comply with Authority then be scandalized especially in points that are so disputable These things thus premised we shall easily satisfie the adverse arguments CHAP. XXX Wherein satisfaction is given to the reasons formerly alleaged TO the first the words of the Commandement are mistaken for not all holy duties in grosse but only that kinde of holinesse which is proper to the Lords day is there spoken of the words are plaine Keep holy the Sabbath day and the fourth precept is no transcendent as is said in the second third conclusions Ob. If any say that the Lords day differs from others in this that the whole Sabbath is to be spent in holinesse whereas in other dayes such portions only as may be well spared from other imployments are required of us Resp I answer first this is only said secondly we haue no president hereof in the Iewish Synagogue Thirdly the contrary doth appeare by the Question formerly disputed concerning the duration of the Lords day Lastly how can the conscience be satisfied herein being utterly lest to seeke by our adversaries themselues where to begin or where to end the day nay the scripture being utterly silent in this particular if we speak of the Lords day as being our Christian Sabbath To the second the Lords day may be considered First in it's absolute nature as a part of our time in this respect it is most true that what is the common duty of all daies should be also that daies duty the rather because all other imployments are abandoned and therefore more leasure is afforded Secondly in his relatiue nature as separated from the rest of the week to the service of the congregation and so there are especiall duties appointed which are not common to other daies by vertue of the fourth Commandement The reason from the lesse to the greater is of no force because it speaks not adidem for the Lords day as it is a day and part of our time is no better then other daies but as it is the Lords day devoted by the Church to the Lords service it is indeed the Queene of daies and therefore therein the highest and noblest Christian duties are performed in the publique worship even by the precept of sanctifying the Sabbath day To the third Familie-duties are not acceptable unto God performed upon one day more then upon another if there be no other considerations concurring thereunto He that is no accepter of persons is likewise no accepter of times otherwise then the Apostle expresseth it out of the Psalmist ◠Heb. 3.7 To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts by which is meant the whole time of the Gospell Nor are the sinnes of men more hatefull because committed upon that day unlesse they carry with them an open or secret malignity hindring either the duties of the day themselues or our holy and religious performing of them as the * Aquin. Sylv. Cajet Nav. Sot Canus Med. Schoolemen teach And so the words of the Prophet Isaiah are to be understood for their covetous desires voluptuous living and cruell practices made them come before the Lord in his sanctuary onely in outward appearance formally personating what God really required nay abounding and persevering in their wicked waies as * An circumstantia divini sesti sit necessariò consitenda Duae sunt opiniones prima Modernorum qui tenent partem affirmantem 2d sancti Thom. Ios Ang. Iustin Martyr expounds that place More to this argument in that which followeth To the fourth the day of Christs resurrection from the graue requires no more our resurrection from sin then other daies unlesse only by way of motiue or remembrance Thus indeed this day * Vide Iustinum Martyr◠in Dial. cùm Triphone as all other consecrated things doth receiue from its consecration an especiall qualitie to beget in the hearts of men the sparks of devotion unlesse they be hindred in them by want of reverence What therefore a Quanquam vallis haec miseriae universalitèr sit locus poenitentiae nihilominùs Templorum locus suâ quidem religione qualitate est adpoenitentiam provocativus Gersen de vita Clerico Gerson affirmes of Churches consecrated places in regard of repentance we doubt not to affirme of the Lords day in regard of all holy duties The Church or consecrated place saith he is by reason of its venerable condition ad poenitentiam provocativus a place provoking unto repentance from hence he hath these conclusions First that ordinarily it is a work more holy in it selfe more pleasing unto God more profitable unto us to pray in consecrated places then elsewhere because the Majestie of the consecrated place doth more incite us unto devotion Secondly that all blasphemy either in words deeds or signes is so much the more execrable by how much the place is more holy Thirdly that one cause why wicked Priests are worse then wicked Lay-men which S. Augustine faith he often found by experience is that they abuse those things which should winne them unto repentance Fourthly that those affections which separate from God are every where damnable but much more in the Temple as appeares by our * John 2 16. Saviours overthrowing the Tables of the mony-changers there So say we that the Lords day by reason of the glorious dedication of it to the Lord Christ as the memoriall of his resurrection is in it's selfe provoking unto newnesse of life that holy duties are on this day ordinarily performed with greater fervency of spirit benefit to our selues and therefore acceptance with God because the Glory of the day is apt to put life unto our performances that all irreligious conversation is therefore the more execrable upon that