wherewith God hath blessed the seventh day and therefore such kind of exercises must needs be as sinful to be done by Christians upon the Lords Day as they were by the Jews upon the Sabbath days Quest 6. Were Recreations on the Sabbath punished among the Jews by the Magistrates with the same kind of punishments that working on the Sabbath was Ans They did not punish all sins alike but they made a difference for they punished the sin of working servile works on the Sabbath namely such kind of works as belonged to mens particular Callings on the Week-days with the heaviest kind of death that was in use among them namely with stoning to death as I have noted it in Chap. 10. 11. But the said Recreations or things that were not properly work they punished only with scourging for Maymony speaking of the day of Attonement which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism and therefore in all respects it must be observed with as strict a rest as the seventh day was saith thus All work for which men are to be stoned if they do it on the Sabbath Day they are to be cut off if they do it on the day of Attonement and whatsoever is unlawful to be done on the Sabbath which is not work is unlawful to bee done on this day and if he do it he is to be scourged as he is to be scourged for doing it upon the Sabbath Day See Ainsw in Levit. 23. 20. Thus we see that the Hebrew Doctors do make a difference of Sins and Punishments according to the difference of days and times 1 They held That servile working on the seventh day was to For cutting off see Ainsw in Exod. 22. 20. Lev. 20. 10. 17 18. Num. 9. 13 be punished with stoning to death 2 They held That servile working on the day of Attonement was to be punished with cutting off which is several ways to be considered 3 They held That servile working on their other festival Sabbathâ— was to be punished with Scourging or with Excommunication See Ains in Lev. 23. 5 7. But 4 All other things that were done on the seventh day which were not work though in some sort Recreations c. are like work the Magistrates punished with Scourging only or with Excommunication for a time for these two were esteemed among the Iews to be much alike equal punishments as I have shewed in the Iews Synagogues Discipline And truly such kind of Recreations are as sinful to be used by Christians on the Lords Days as they were to the Iews on the Magistrates are bound to punish the prophanation of any part of the Lords Day whether it be by Work or by Recreations either by Scourging or by some Mulct that is equivalent Sabbath Day because they take off the Heart from the advantage of improving the publick Ordinances to the Spiritual good of the Soul which God intended when he blessed and sanctified the seventh day for mans best good I say therefore that no conscientious Christian ought to take liberty to do such things on the Lords Day neither will any conscientious Magistrate permit such things to be done on that day though it be after all publick exercises are ended yea I do beleeve that godly Magistrates will not only be grieved at the practise of such sins but they wil be forward and ready to put out their power to suppresse such sinful practises by punishing such Malefactors either with scourging or with some mulct that is equivalent thereto Six dayes thou shalt labor and in the seventh day thou shalt cease in Earing time and in Harvest thou shalt cease Exod. 34. 21. Exod. 34. 21. Under these two words Earing time and Harvest All or any other works of a mans particular Calling are comprehended Hence I reason thus If the Plownan by whom the King is maintained Ecclâ—s 5. 9. must cease not onely from plowing but also from the Inning of his harvest upon the Sabbath day yea though all the six dayes had been rainy weather and that day fair then it follows that works of lesse consequence and of lesse necessity as civill Recreations and the like ought not to be done on the Lords day because it is the sanctified time of Gods publick worship as the seventh day was and therefore Christians are bound to have the like tender regard and the like tender care of it as Gods sanctified time though it be not a sanctified sign as the seventh day was and seeing God is pleased to give unto us six whole dayes for our necessary works and for our necessaâ—y recreations he may well require Christians to give unto him the full improvement of the seventh day for the bettering of our souls by his publick and private Ordinances or else we may expect a curse rather than a blessing from the carelesse observation of that day God is jealous of the prophanation of any part of his sanctified time for when the greedy Earth-worms among the Jews did but wish in secret in their hearts that the Sabbath were gone that they might set out their corn to sell Aâ—os 8. 5. Amos 8. 5. God took notice of their inward prophaning of his holy time and he was so displeased with them for their Inward earthly wishes that he Sware by the Excellency of Iacob saying Surely I will never forget any of their workâ— Shall not the land tremble for this and every one mourn that dâ—elleth therein vers 7 8. Now seeing God was so displeased with them for their secret prophanation of the sanctified time of his worship by their worldly thoughts and desires yea though it were but after Godâ— publick worship was ended then doubtlesse seeing Jesus Christ hath still reserved the seventh part of time for his publick worship he will not allow Christians now more liberty than the Jews had either to prophanâ— thoughts or to sporâ— and recreate themselves on the Lords day no though it should be after the publick exercise is ended God requires the heart on that day as well as the body to be imployed on spiritual things onely The promise in Es 58. 13. to such as make conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath in the inward man I confesse is made to that Sabbath of Sabbatism called the day of Attonement but yet this day of Attonement must be considered as it was a Sabbath of equal respect in regard of the sanctified time of Gods worship to the seventh day and therefore that which is unlawfull to be done in the one is unlawfull to be done in the other also both in respect of the outward and also in respect of the inward man Quest 7. Did not the Jews hold it lawfull to do works of mercy and works of present necessity on the Sabbath day Ans 1. In the dayes of our Saviour some of the Jews were so supestitious of the outward rest of the Sabbath that they were often offended with our Saviour because he did works of mercy and works
Mediator in two particulars  1 In regard of his office God created him to be a Mediatorial Priest before he could keep a perfect rest on the seventh day p. 46 2 In regard of his Humane Nature he was virtually made flesh of the Seed of the Woman before God could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day p. 46 39 CHAP. VI. Proving that the whole World was made for the honour of the Mediator as the right Heir of it all p. 50 And hence it follows  1 That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day untill he had put the Mediator as the right Heir of all into his possession  2 Hence it follows that Adam must fall and be Re-created also on the day of his Creation before the Lord could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day p. 50 CHAP. VII Proving that Gods Rest on the seventh day was such a perfect Rest that nothing could happen afterwards that could any whit lessen or dâ—sturb the perfection of his Rest on the seventh day as it would have happened if God had kept a Sabbath of Rest whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition p. 54 CHAP. VIII That the true nature of Gods Rest on the seventh day was his sweet content in the Mediator p. 55 56 All the Trinity rested and were refreshed on the seventh day because they had perfected mans happinesse by a Re-creation p. 57 CHAP. IX Proving that God blessed the first seventh day with many sorts of spiritual Ordinances such as were apt to convey spiritual and eternal blessednesse to faln man p. 59 God would never have blessed the seventh day with spiritual Ordinances if the Mediator had not been declared to faln man before the seventh day p. 60 God did not leave Adam and Eve to spend the first seventh day in private speculations but he blessed the first seventh day with variety of Ordinances both for publick and private use for their best spiritual good p. 60 God commanded Adam to preach every seventh day either upon his miserable Fall or else upon the riches of Gods grace for his recovery by the Promised Seed p. 62 God commanded Adam to joyn the duty of Prayer to the duty of Preaching p. 63 Jesus Christ taught Adam by the Sacrifice of a Lamb how he should be the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world p. 65 Two persons where no more can be had may be called a true Church of Christ and may exercise Gods Ordinances after a publick manner p. 68 The dis-regarding of the Sabbath and the Ordinances thereof is the high way to all Prophanenesse and Apostacy p. 70 Private duties are commanded on the Sabbath dayes as necessary Handmaids to the publick p. 72 CHAP. X. Shewing after what manner God did sanctifie the first seventh day p. 73 1 By ordaining it to be the separated time of his publick and private worship  2 By ordaining it to be as a sanctified sign of his Rest and of mans resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot by the work of his Redemption and Reconciliation p 73 When ever God did sanctifie any thing for mans use he did by that act command man to separate that thing to the Lords use p. 74 When God did sanctifie the first seventh day he did thereby command Adam to prepare himself for the better sanctifying of the said seventh day p. 75 CHAP. XI Shewing that God did sanctifie the outward Rest of the seventh day to be a typical sign both of his own Rest and of mans Resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devils Head-plot for mans Redemption p 78 Our Redemption from Sathans Head-plot was the finishing act of the whole Creation and therefore it was the true reason of Gods Rest and of his commanding Adam to rest on the first seventh day p. 82 CHAP. XII Shewing that God did make the first seventh day famous by honouring the number Seven ever after with famous respects p. 85 1 By contriving the Typical Ceremonies of our Redemption very often into the number of Seven doubtlesse in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day p. 86 2 By marking out divers rare and eminent holy persons by the number Seven p. 89 3 By contriving several parcels of the Scripture Chronology into the number Seven doubtlesse in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day p. 93 CHAP. XIII Proving That though Christ hath abolished the Seventh Day by his death yet he hath not left the day of his publick worship Arbitrary to particular Churches to appoint what day they please in the place of the seventh day as some unadvised Protestants do affirm p. 94 And that Christ Jesus hath made three main changes in the tenne Commandements p. 99 CHAP. XIV Proving by several other particular grounds that Christ himself did appoint the day of his Resurrection for the exercise of his publick worship in the place of the seventh day p. 101 Things Remarkable  ◠Touching the number eight three things are remarkable p. 113 2 That four Sabbaths did meet together and succeed each other at the Death and Resurrection of Christ ibid. 3 The Resurrection of Christ was made famous by three remarkable days p. 114 CHAP. XV. Propounding some reasons why the Apostles did allow of the Jewish-Sabbath or seventh day in their Synagogues for a time after it was abolished by the Death of Christ as well as of the Lords day in Christian Churches p. 116 The opposition which some beleeving Jews made in Christian Churches for their not observing the Jewish Sabbath doth fully prove that the Christian Churches had cast off the Jewish Sabbath and that they observed the Lords Day in the place of it p. 118 CHAP. XVI Being an Answer to several Questions  Q. 1. Whether Christians under the Gospel are bound to observe the Lords Day as strictly from all work and as holily in the practise of all duties of Religion as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day p. 129 Hence this Question is moved Whether it be lawful to begin to solemnize a Marriage upon the Sabbath Answered no. p. 130 Q 2. Might not the Jews kindle a fire on the Sabbath day to dresse necessary food Answered Yes p. ibid. Q. 3. To the same purpose Answered p. 132 Q. 4. To the same purpose Answered p. 134 Q. 5. Are Christians bound to rest as strictly from all Works and Re-creations on the Lords day as the Jews were on the Sabbath day Answered Yes p. 135 Q. 6. Were Re-creations on the Sabbath day punished by the Magistrates among the Jews with the same kind of punishments that working on the Sabbath was Answered No. They used differing kind of punishments p. 136 Also that Magistrates are bound to punish the prophanation of any part of the Lords day whether it be by work or re-creation either by scourging or else by some Mulct that is
Church shall think best for their own conveniencies yea it may be that some particular Churches may grow so corrupt that they may think one day in a month sufficient and others may think one day in two or three months sufficient for Gods publick worship and who can prevent such disorders as these if Jesus Christ hath not established a standing day There are some that professe Christianity that think that Jesus Christ hath not established a certain publick day in place of the seventh day and therefore they do still hold the Jewish Sabbath together with the Lords day As for example The Melchites or Syrians who are esteemed for number to be the greatest Sect of Christians in the Orient these do confound the day of Gods publick worship for they and the Maronites their neighbours do observe the Jewish Sabbath as solemnly as the Lords day See Brerewood in his Inquiries p. 129. And the Habbissines of Ethiopia who are another large Territory of Christians they also do reverence the Jewish Sabbath equal to the Lords day See Brerewood p. 155. But blessed be God that hath given the Churches of Europe a cleerer understanding of his will touching the day of his publick worship and yet notwithstanding it is also much to be lamented that some Christians do not onely hold the seventh day to be abolished but also that Christ Jesus hath not established any publick day in the place of the old But let me reason a little further Can any man that is well acquainted with the order of the Commandements of the first Table think that Christ who blessed the seventh day with several Ordinances for the good of faln man and that sanctified that day for the exercise of the said Ordinances should now obliturate that Commandement and sanctifie no day at all for the exercise of his said Ordinances Can any man think that Christ should now after his death be so far unlike to his first pattern Surely me thinks none should be so inconsiderate The holy Rest of the seventh day as it was a typical sign so I grant it to be abolished but not without any other in the place of it but by way of exchange for the next day And this the blessed Martyr Stephen doth explain to be the truth for when he was accused for affirming that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place and change the Customes that Moses had delivered unto them Act. 6. 14. his false witnesses did affirm this word Act 6. 14. Change against Stephen as if it had been an odious heresie to say so but how doth Stephen answer to this Accusation Doth he deny it No he doth acknowledge it to be a truth in it self and therefore in his Oration to the High Synedrion he doth confirm this to be a truth by saying thus to them Solomon built him a house Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet in Es 66. 1. What house will ye build for me saith the Lord or what place is it that I should rest in Hath not my hand made all these things Act. 7. 47. to 50. with these words Stephen doth conclude his Oration In these words he doth reprove the High Act. 7. 47. Synedrion because of their obstinate opposing the former Doctrine for his Doctrine tended to prove that God would not rest locally in a Temple made with mans hands and so consequently not in any other outward signs implying that God would onely rest in Christ the true Temple whom they had flain His false accusers did repeat though at unawares and as it were translate the words of the Angel Gabriel in Dan. 9. 26 27. Dan. 9. 26 27. namely that the Messiah should by his death destroy the City and Sanctuary and cause Sacrifice and Oblation to cease and this very thing in true effect Stephen had taught namely that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place and change the Customes that Moses had delivered and so consequently change the Sabbath and the Lord from heaven did justifie Stephen for this speech even in the face of the High Synedrion for as he looked stedfastly into heaven he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And as he avouched this before them all Act. 7. 55 56. they that sate in the Council looked Act. 6. 15. Act. 7. 55. stedfastly on him and saw his face as the face of an Angel Act. 6. 15. And this doth evince that as Stephen did justifie his Doctrine by the words of the Angel Gabriel so God did justifie him by making his face to shine before the Council as the countenance of the Angel Gabriel by which miraculous glory in his countenance the Council might have seen that his Doctrine was warranted by the words of the Angel Gabriel Stephen affirmed that which his false witnesses affirmed against him as a blasphemous thing that Jesus of Nazaret should change the Customes of Moses Hence I reason thus If Jesus should do it then he did not leave it to be done in an arbitrary way by the discretion of particular Churches But Jesus himself did it Mark the phrase of speaking Jesus of Nazaret shall change the That Christ Jesus made three main changes in the ten Commandements Customes of Moses And it is also observable that Jesus of Nazaret did make three main changes in the ten Commandements two in the outward form of his publick worship contained in the second Commandement and one touching the day of his publick worship in the fourth Commandement 1 He changed Circumcision and all typical purifyings which were commanded in the second Commandement into the Sacramental Seal of Baptism 2 He changed the Passeover and all typical Sacrifices which were also commanded in the second Commandement into the Sacramental Seal of the Lords Supper 3 He changed the seventh day as it was a typical sign by translating it to the first day of the week wherein Christ rose as a Lord and Conqueror of Satans Head-plot for the day of his publick worship as the seventh day was at first And the Apostle Paul doth reason much after the same manner as Stephen did If saith he the Priesthood be changed there must Heb. 7. 12. of necessity be a change of the Law Heb. 7. 12. but the Priesthood is changed for Christ was not of the Tribe of Levie but of Judah neither was he made a High-priest by man according to the Law of the carnal Commandement but by God after the power of endlesse life therefore Christ did not leave it to the power of his particular Churches to change the Ordinances of Moses but he had power from God to do it He taketh away the first that he Heb. 9. 10. might establish the second Heb. 9. 10. that is to say Christ onely had power to take away Sacrifices and all the other Customes of Moses that so he might ratifie his own Sacrifice in the
to the Churches of Achaia Galatia Phrigia and Macedonia and doubtlesse as these parts of the world so many others did know that Christ Jesus had ordained the first day of the week for his publick worship in the place of the seventh day And truly John might well call it the Lords day in a double respect 1 In relation to the day of his Resurrection because in it he arose from the dead as the Lord and Conqueror of Satans Head-plot Rom. 14. 9. â— Because He as the Lord of his Church and as the Lord of the Sabbath did ordain this day to be the day of his Publick Worship in the place of the seventh day to the end of the world And in both these senses David might well say This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoyce in it Psal 118. 24. Psal 118. 24. The Builders the Scribes and the Pharisees put Christ to death as an out cast Malefactor But thiâ— stone which the Builders refused is become the head of the corner for by his Resurrection he is become the Lord and Conqueror of Satans Head-plot Now this is the day that the Lord hath made let us be glad and rejoyce in it Compare with this Psalm our Saviours Exposition in Mat. 21. 3 Why should not the title of the Lords day be as good an evidence that Christ was the Institutor of it in the place of the seventh day as the title of the Lords Supper is That Christ was the Institutor of it in the place of the Passeover A seventh Reason that doth perswade me that Christ himself Reason 7 hath ordained his Resurrection-day in the place of the seventh day is because God had determined beforehand as it appears by the Predictions of the Old Testament that he would in the dayes of the Gospel sanctifie some standing day for his publick worship in the place of the seventh day 1 It was Prophesied that in the dayes of Christ his people should come willingly at the time of assembling in holy beauty Psal 110. 3. I think none will deny these words to be uttered as a Psal 110. 3. plain Prophecie that the Christians of the New Testament must observe a certain day for the exercise of Gods publick worship in the place of the seventh day and of all their other Sabbaths 2 God calleth the worship of the New Testament by the name of the Sabbath Es 56. 2 4 6. implying thereby that we Christians shall not onely have a certain form of outward worship Es 56. 2. 4. 6. according to the second Commandement but also that we shall have a certain known day for the exercise of the said worship according to the fourth Commandement 3 It is Prophesied that Christians shall have more Sacrifices in their Sabbath than the Jews had under Moses Law Ezek. 46. 4 5. Ezek. 46. 4 5. compared with Numb 29. 9 10. This mystical speech doth imply First that Christians shall observe a certain form of publick worship And secondly that they shall observe a certain day for the exercise of that publick worship And truly it argues to me that God hath given over such men to a senselesse mind that though they are forced to grant that Christ hath ordained a certain form of publick worship yet do deny that Christ hath ordained a certain day for the exercise of that publick worship I cannot see how they can be separated without apparent hazard of barbarous confusion to Gods publick worship 4 It is Prophesied that the peoples shall be gathered together and the Kingdomes to serve the Lord Psal 102. 22. And that from month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come to worship before me saith the Lord Es 66. 23. Es 66. 23. These Scriptures do plainly teach us these two Doctrines 1 The utter abrogating of all Moses typical worship in the dayes of Christ because it is not possible for all Peoples and Nations to come to Jerusalem from month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath to worship before the Lord there 2 These words imply that the Christians of the New Testament shall be very active in Gods worship and in the observing of some known publick day for the exercise thereof An eighth Reason that doth much perswade me that Christ hath ordained his Resurrection-day for the day of his publick worship Reason 8 in the place of the seventh day is taken from the Mystical number Eight for the day of Christs Resurrection in a continued reckoning of dayes is the Eighth day For he rested all the seventh day in his Grave and the next day being the Eighth day in order of dayes he arose as an absolute Conqueror and the Mystical number of Eight is a day of perfection in the Law and therefore a fit type of the perfection of Christ by his Resurrection on the Eighth day 1 No creature by the Levitical Law was allowable for sacrifice Reason 1 untill it was eight dayes old Lev. 22. 27. Exod. 22. 30. Lev. 22. 27. Exod. 22. 30. I cannot but wonder why the Lord did refuse it aâ— seven dayes old seeing the seventh day was the day of Gods perfect rest from all his works for then he rested in Christ that had made all perfect again after Adams fall by his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement But when I consider again that his Propitiatory Sacrifice was not evident to be perfect untill he rose again from the dead as the Lord and alone Conqueror of Satans Head-plot on the first day of the week which day is also called the Eighth day by John Joh. 20. 26. Joh. 20. 26. I say by this consideration my wondring is staid and I do rather wonder at Gods wise Providence that would not accept any young beast as a perfect beast for Sacrifice untill the eighth day doubtlesse it was in relation to the manifestation of the perfection of Christ his Sacrifice by his Resurrection on the eighth day For though the number seven be a perfect number in some respects yet in other respects the number eight is a more perfect number The Youngling must continue under the Dam seven dayes during which space of time the Hebrew Doctors did call it Lacking Time because in that space it was not perfect for Sacrifice Although the Sabbath had passed over the head of it But on the eighth day it was accounted perfect and then and not till then it was accepted in Sacrifice Therefore in the case of Sacrifices of Attonement the number seven was not so perfect as the number eighth And what can this degree of perfection on the eighth day resemble fitter than the manifestation of the perfection of Christs propitiatory Sacrifice by his Resurrection on the eighth day And truly if he had not risen from death to life the next day after the seventh day his Sacrifice of Attonement by his death had been lost and vain 1 Cor. 15. 17. And answerable to the
win the affection of the said Synagogues where some beleeving Iews were to his person and Ministry Act. 16. 3. Acts 16. 3 Yea a long space after the death of Christ he did by the advice of the Apostle Iames take upon him to be a Consort with four men that took upon them a Levitical vow namely the Nazarites Vow and Paul did well-nigh observe all the days of Purification according to the custom of Moses Law and he was also ready prepared to pay his part and share of their Sacrifice to be See Ainsw in Numb 6. 18 offered in the Temple had not the Malignant Iews hindered him by apprehending his Person in a sudden rage against him for polluting the holy Temple as they surmised Act. 21. 24. And for Acts 21. 24 this very reason the Apostles made no scruple at all to preach on the Sabbath or seventh day in the Iews Synagogues for in the Synagogues the Iews observed no other day but the seventh day as it is evident by Acts 13. Acts 16. Acts 17. Acts 18 c. The Apostles therefore made no scruple but did gladly take the opportunity of their old Sabbath to preach unto them in their Synagogues by the means whereof they converted many ten thousand Iews unto Christ and after conversion the Apostles lâ—ft them to continue still in their Synagogue-Assemblies untill the malignant Iews did persecute them and then the Apostles did advise them to separate from the Synagogue and so to joyn themselves into particular Christian Churches where they were directed to observe the Lords Day in the place of the Jewish Sabbath for in those Heathen Countries where Paul preached in the Iews Synagogues the Heathen Governours by Gods special providence left the Iews to the free liberty of their own Consciences to use what Worship and what day of Worship they pleased and in that respect the Christians had as much liberty to observe the Lords Day in their Church-Assemblies as the Iews had to observe their Sabbath in their Synagogues and therefore as soon as the beleeving Iews and Proselites of Thessalonica were persecuted by the malignant Synagogue they joyned into a Christian Church-Assembly by themselves Acts 17. 4. and so the beleeving Iews and Proselites of the Synagogue of Corinth Acts 17. 4 Acts 18. 17 Acts 19. 9 did the like as soon as they were persecuted Act. 18. 17. and the Christian Iews and Proselites of Ephesus did the like Act. 19. 9. These and all the other beleeving Iews of the other Synagogues did separate themselves from the malignant Synagogue as soon as they were persecuted and joyned themselves into several Christian Churches and then they kept their Church-meetings on the Lords Day and not on the Sabbath Day for the Apostles did open and allege unto them that the Iewish Sabbath was abolished by the death of Christ and that Christ had instituted his Resurrection-day in the place of it for the day of his publick Worship Obj. Here it may be demanded How can it be proved that the Apostles did instruct the beleeving Jews and Proselites in the observation of the Lords Day Ans It is evident enough by the opposition which some of the said beleeving Iews did make against the Apostles and the The opposition whâ—ch some of the beleeving Jews made in Christian Churches or their not observing of the Jewâ—sh Sabbath doth fully pâ—ove that the Christian Churches had cast off the Jewish Sâ—bbath and that they observed the Loâ—ds Day in the place of it Christian Churches for the not observing of the Iewish Sabbath for it is evident that many of the said beleeving Iews did still earnestly contend not only for the observation of the Iewish Sabbath but also for the observation of all the other customs of Moses but if the said Christian Churches had not altered the day of their publick Worship the said beleeving Iews had not had any occasion at all to contend for the observation of their wonted Sabbath Day therefore by their earnest contending for the observation of the Iewish Sabbath it appears That the Christian Churches did by the Apostles directions observe the Lords Day for Gods publick Worship I say the earnest contention that some certain Iews which did beleeve did make against the Christian Churches for their not observing of the Iewish Sabbath doth fully prove to my understanding that the said Christian Churches had laid aside the use of the Iewish Sabbath and did make use of the Lords Day only for the use of Gods publick Worship as I shall explain it by and by Buâ— yet I have also affirmed that the Apostles did allow of the obseâ—vation of the Iewish Sabbath in the Iews Synagogues and that they did gladly imbrace the opportunity of that day to preach unto them for their conversion to the faith of Christ And so for a time the Apostles did observe two Sabbaths together namely the Iewish Sabbaths in preaching to them in their Synagogues and the Lords Day in preaching to the convâ—rted Iews and Proselites in their Christian assemblies And this their practise was as allowable for a time as Iohns Baptism was with Circumcision for a time for Apelles was Baptised with the Baptism of Iohn after he had been Circumcised Acts 19. 3. and Christ himself was Baptised of Iohn in Iordan after he had been Circumcised yea which is more it was after that Christ had ordained Iohns Baptism as a Sacrament of initiation into the Christian Church and Paul did Circumcise Timothy who doubtlesse had been formerly Baptised into the Church of Christ Obj. Why did the Apostle Paul circumcise Timothy seeing hee had formerly been baptised into the Church of Christ Ans Doubtlesse hee did not Circumcise Timothy out of any Conscience to the necessary use of Circumcision as the Ieâ—s Synagogues did but because Paul and Timothy were to be conversant in the Synagogues where they observed the Sabbath and Circumcision therefore Paul did it meerly out of Christian Wisdom and Providence that he might thereby win the Iews the more to respect his Person and Ministry Act. 16. 3. â—or Paul desired to be conversant in the Iews Synagogues as much as might be but he knew he could not be admitted to converse with them in their Synagogue-Worship having Timothy an uncircumcised Grecian for his companion unlesse he was Circumcised for uncircumcised Persons might not be admitted to familiar converse with them in the exercise of Religion Acts 10. 28. Therefore seeing the Apostles saw cause to allow of the use of Circumcision by way of permission for a time after that Christ had ordained Baptism as the only Sacrament of initiation into his Church they might by the same reason allow of the Iewish Sabbath in their Synagogues though not in their Christian Churches no more than they might allow of the use of Circumcision in their Christian Churches for Paul would not Circumcise Tiâ—us to please some zealous Iews in the Christian Church though he did
the common opinion of the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem Object 4. If Christ had ordained his Resurrection-day as the day of his publick Worship in place of the Sabbath or seventh day then me thinks the Apostles in their Writings should have recorded it with the Circumstances of it namely the time when and how he did ordain it if this had been done the matter had been out of question to all men Ans The Wisdome of God did not see it good to make all his Ordinances cleer to all men at the first sight when our Saviour was here upon the earth he did oftentimes open his mouth in Parables that they which see not might not perceive and that his best servants might dig for his hidden Treasures But I may say also it is not recorded that Christ did instruct any of his Apostles of the time when nor of the manner how he did first ordain John to baptise but because all men generally held John to be a Prophet therefore they concluded that he had received some authority from heaven to baptise subjects for Christ against he came into his Kingdome which he proclamed to be at hand and by the like authority we may conclude that the Apostles did command the observation of the Lords day for Gods publick Worship in the place of the seventh day because it was in frequent use in their dayes as I have proved and they being Prophets had special direction from Christ the Lord of the Sabbath so to direct his Churches which directions in all probability they received from him at his first comming to their Assembly in the evening of his Resurrection-day or else in the evening of his second coming to their Assembly on that day seven-night Joh. 19. 20. 26. for then he opened their understandings to understand such Scriptures as he alleged concerning his Joh. 19. 20 26. Death and Resurrection Luke 23. 54. 47. and then also he gave them a new Commission to preach the Doctrine of the forgivenesse of sins in his name Joh 20. 21 22 23. and then he gave Commandements unto them and spake of such things as appertained to the Kingdome of God Act. 1. 2 3. doubtlesse therefore he did then instruct them concerning the day of his publick worship wherein they must preach forgiveness of sins in his name to all the world and this Commission he did again renew unto them before his ascension saying Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Whatsoever therefore the Apostles commanded the Christian Churches to observe they did it by vertue of Christs former command and therefore Paul saith I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 23. The Commandements therefore which the Apostles gave unto the Christian Churches they were the Commandements of Christ among which Commandements the observation of the Lords day must needs be one in place of the Sabbath which was fully abolished by the death of Christ CHAP. XVI Being an Answer to several Questions I whether Christians Quest 1 now under the Gospel are bound to observe the Lords day as strictly from all work and as holily in all the duties of Religion as the Jewes were to observe the Sabbath day THe Sabbath or seventh day must be considered either as it Ans 1 was a holy sign Or secondly as it was the holy time of Gods worship in the first sense the Lords day is not like the Sabbath for our Lords day is not a sign of a thing to be performed 〈…〉 as the Sabbath was but now our Lords day must be observed as a memorial that Christ hath fully broken the Devils Head-plot by his Mediatorial Sacrifice and this he hath declared to his Church by his Resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week and in remembrance thereof he hath now ordained that day to be imployed as the sanctified time of his worship in attending upon his Ordinances both publick and private as strictly from all work and as holily in all Christian duties as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day under the Law and in remembrance thereof John doth stile it the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Quest 2. Might not the Jews so much as kindle a fire upon the Sabbath day to dresse necessary food As Mr. Ainsworth seems to understand the Scriptures with the consent of the Hebrew Doctors in Exod. 16. 5. and Exod. 16. 5. Exod. 35. 3. in Exod. 35. 3. Ans I grant that Mr. Ainsworth doth so understand the Scriptures and so do some of the Hebrew Doctors But yet withall I say that the Scriptures rightly understood did alwayes allow the Jews as much liberty to kindle a fire for the dressing of necessary food upon the Sabbath day as it allows Christians on the Lords day as it is evident by the example of our Saviour himself for he went to a Feast upon the Sabbath day into the house of a chief Pharisee Luke 14. 1. and at the same time the Pharisee Luke 14. 1. had many other guests present for our Saviour marked them how they chose out the chiefest rooms at this Feast v. 7 8. And this Feast I conceive was a Wedding Feast though I also beleeve that the new maried parties were maried before this day not on this day It is unlawfull to begin a Mariage upon the Sabbath day Lev. 23 8. for the Jews held it utterly unlawful to begin their Mariage upon the Sabbath day See Ains in Lev. 23. 8. But yet they held it lawful to keep a Wedding Feast upon the Sabbath day and the reason is plain because they held it to be a lawfull custome to keep a Wedding Feast for seven dayes together of which number the Sabbath day must needs be one Judg. 14. 10 12. Gen. 29. 27 28. And this is a common rule among the Jews That whosoever marieth a Maid he shall rejoyce with her seven dayes not doing any work but eating drinking and making merry See Ains in Gen. 29. 27. And none could keep such a Feast of many persons in the cold Winter without the use of a fiâ—e to make their food comfortable to nature according to the nature of a Feast And it is further to be noted that whiles our Saviour was present at thâ— Feast he â—ound no fault with the act of Feasting but onely withing corrupt circumstances which did accompany this Feast 1 He found fault with some of the guests because they chose out the uppermost seats 2 He seemed to reprove the Governour of the Feast because he invited his rich friends onely vers 12. But Christ told him it had been more suitable to the Sabbath day if he had invited the poor to his Feast And yet I beleeve it was not sinfull to bid the rich for
if it had been sinfull Christ would either have declined the invitation or else he would have born witnesse against it as a sinful practise but he did neither of these therefore it was not sinful to invite the rich to a Feast upon the Sabbath day where the Feast must last seven dayes together 2 I answer That it was as lawfull for the Jews to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath day to prepare warm food for infirm and weak stomacks which are almost in every family as it was to do any other work of mercy And it was lawfull to do works of mercy upon the Sabbath dayes as it is evident by our Saviours often shewing of compassion to weak and sickly persons upon the Sabbath day 3 I answer that the Priests did hold it lawfull to kindle new fires on the Sabbath dayes for the use of their Sacrifices I grant they had one constant and continual fire that was alwayes maintained by the side of the Altar but from this fire they used to kindle other fires for the burning of such parts of their Sacrifices as they offered on the Sabbath dayes Hence I infer that seeing Christ Jesus hath told us that he doth prefer mercy before Sacrifice no question but he allowed the Jews to kindle a fire for works of mercy as well as for the use of Sacrifices on the Sabbath day and therefore out of doubt they might kindle a fire on the Sabbath day to prepare necessary food for such as are infirm of nature See Mat. 12. 5 6. Mat. 12. 5 6. 4 I answer That the Priests did kindle new fires every Sabbath day to boyl or roast their portion of meat which was due unto them from each Sacrifice by Gods allowance for God commanded them to eat their part and portion in the same day wherein the Sacrifice was offered Lev. 7. 15. but they could not eat this portion unlesse they kindled a fire either to boyl it or roast it 5 On the day of Attonement which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism and therefore every was as strict for rest as the Sabbath or seventh day was yet then the High Priest which must of necessity often wash his Body for the several services of that day might in case he were an old man or sickly have his water wherein he bathed his body made warm by the use of Fire the Hebrew Doctors say They took off the cold from the water either by Irons made hot in the Fire or else by mixing of hot water with the cold See Ains in Lev. 16. 24. By these and sundry such like instances it is evident That the Jews might lawfully kindle a Fire upon the Sabbath Day to prepare warm meat for the comfort of the infirm the aged or sickly persons Quest 3. Is it not plainly said in Exod. 35. 3. Ye shall not kindle a Exod. 35. 3. fire in your Habitations upon the Sabbath Day Ans Though some that are both godly and learned Christians as well as some later Jews do hold it unlawful to kindle a Fire on the Sabbath Day to dresse any meat yet the more ancient Rabbins and many learned Christians also do restrain this Prohibition of kindling a Fire to Artificers only But for the better understanding of the true sense of this text it is necessary to compare it with the like prohibition in Exod. 31. 1 c. where the Lord commanded Moses to command Bezaliel to make the Tabernacle and all the appurtenances thereof with all diligence that is to say with all possible speed without any delay because it was to be for the place of the Lords residence among them Exod. 25. 8. 22. but yet notwithstanding this careful diligence the Lord commanded Moses saying in ver 13. Speak unto the Sons of Israel and say Verily or notwithstanding Exod 31. 13 as the Seventy read it my Sabbaths yee shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your Generations to know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth you In these words God gave a double reason why they might not do any work about the making of the Tabernacle upon the Sabbath Day 1 Because the Sabbath was the sanctified time for his publick Worship in these words Verily or notwithstanding my command of your diligence my Sabbathe yee shall keep 2 Because the Sabbath was a sanctifiâ—d sign between me and you throughout your Generations c. ver 13. 3 Unto all this a threatning is added in case any man did presume to do any work about the Tabernacle Every one that prophaneth it shall be put to dye the death ver 14 15. Exod. 31. 14 15 This phrase implies That for their double sin in prophaning Gods sanctified Time and Gods sanctified Sign they should bee put to dye such a kind of death as was after a sort a double death for 1. He must be stoned to death and 2. His dead body must be after his death hanged upon a Tree till Sun-set for the greater detestation of that Sin and for the greater terror of others for this is a thing upon Record in the Hebrew Doctors That all such Malefactors as deserved stoning to death must be hanged up afterwards upon a Tree as it is manifest also by the instance of the rebellious Son in Deut. 21. as I have opened the matter more at large elsewhere But if it be conceived by any that if any man will now presume to gather sticks upon the Lords Day he should be punished with stoning to death as the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Day was I answer There is not the like reason because the Lords Day is not ordained to be a sanctified sign of Gods resting and of Mans resting in the Seed of the Woman to break the Devils Head-plot as the Sabbath was I conclude therefore by comparing the work of the Tabernacle in Exod. 31. with the work of the Tabernacle as it is repeated in Exod. 35. that the only reason why they might not kindle a fire in their Habitations on the Sabbath Day was to restrain them from their eager desire from their rash or superstitious zeal to prosecute the work of the Tabernacle which was commanded to be done with such careful diligence for the place of Gods residence among them the Lord doth prefix a prohibition to restrain them from kindling any fire for that work and to prevent their rash and heady zeal a threatning is annexed Whosoever doth any work namely of his particular Calling upon the Sabbath Day shall be put to death Exod. 35. 2. therefore yee shall kindle no fire for that businesse ver 3. And as it was unlawful for them to kindle a fire for such works as belonged to their particular Callings on the Week-days so out of all doubt it is as unlawful for Christians to kindle a fire on the Lords Day to do any such servile works as that was but wherein can you finde a prohibition wherein the Jews are forbidden to
kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day for the dressing of necessary food for infirm or crasie bodies Quest 4. It seems to me that the Jews might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day to dresse any meat at all therewith for Moses saith thus To morrow is the Sabbath of Holinesse to Jehovah Bake that which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth namely in the sixth day as it is in ver 5. and all that remaineth over lay it up for you as a reservation until the morrow Exod. 16. 23. From this Scripture I think it is evident That the Jews were prohibited Exod. 16. 23 to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath Day neither to bake or boyl any of their Manna but all must be done on the sixt day that so they might not kindle a fire for it on the Sabbath Day Ans This baking and boyling of their Manna before the Sabbath Day doth not forbid them to heat their Manna with fire in the Sabbath to make iâ— fit for infirm and weak stomacks but the baking and boyling forbidden by Moses upon the Sabbath Day was such a baking and boyling as was accompanied with laborious work such as might and ought to have been done on the sixt day as it appears by Numb 11. 8. there after the people had gathered their Manna they did prepare it with laborious Numb 11. 8 work several ways suitable to every ones taste or liking therefore they did First grinde it in Mills or beat it in Morters Secondly Then they baked it in Pans and made Cakes of it Thirdly Othersome did boyl it and thus it was several ways prepared and Cooked according to every ones taste and liking with laborious work on the sixt day now such kind of laborious works as these were forbidden to be done in the Sabbath Day because they might be done on the sixt day and in that respect the Hebrew Doctors say Whoso laboureth in the evening of the Sabbath he shall eat in the Sabbath See Ains in Levit. 16. 26. And truly I think there is no conscientious Christian that doth hold it lawful to defer or put off such like laborious works as these to the Lords Day for it is all one as if a man should defer the grinding of his Corn the baking of his Bread or the making of his Pies unto the Lords Day but no conscientious Christian that is judicious I think doth hold it unlawful to temper a Pudding of the Meal that was ground on the sixth day or to heat a Pye that was made on the sixt day or to boyl a necessary quantity of meat that was killed and quartered on the sixt day or to use that wood for fire that was carted home and cut ready for the fire on the sixt day or to use Water that was fetched home to the door on the sixt day all these and such like things might as lawfully be done by the Jews on the Sabbath Day as by godly Christians on the Lords Day and this is fully evident by our Saviour in that he did justifie his Apostles for their work in gathering of certain ears of Corn in other mens fields and rubâ—â—â—g the said ears to prepare it for food on the Sabbath Day and doubtlesse after the said rubbing it was either parched in the Fire or boyled in Water fit for the digesture of the stomack or else if they had eaten it raw it had been but course and hard food Now if it had been unlawful to prepare such a small quantity of food as was fit for the present support of nature on the Sabbath Day doubtlesse Christ would have commanded his Apostles before-hand to provide their Scrip full of Victuals namely on the sixt day but in as much as he had not made such provision on the sixt day but did justifie his Apostles for this work in the Sabbath Day by alleging the example of David in eating the Shew-bread in case of hunger he did thereby confute and reprove the Iews superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath alleging also That the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Mar. 2. 27. as if Christ had said Mar. 2. 27. thus If man had been made for the Sabbath then man must have served the Sabbath before his own necessity but seeing man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man namely to serve mans necessity therefore it follows that the Sabbath was made ordained or instituted after man was in necessity and in misery namely after Adams Fall chiefly for the good of his sick and sinful Soul and therefore God did blesse it with suitable Ordinances and did sanctifie that day for the use of those Ordinances but yet withall the Sabbath was made to serve man in misery in respect of his Body that it might rest and be refreshed with convenient food Physick and the like and therefore godly Wisdome will make all the godly careful to improve the Lords Day so as that it may serve to the best good both of their sinful Souls and of their weak and frail bodies also Quest 5. Are Christians bound to rest on the Lords Day as strictly from bodily recreations and from all things that are not work as the Jews â—â—re on the Sabbath Day for the Hebrew Doctors say That the Jews must rest on the Sabbath Day from things that are not work as from climbing on a Tree riding on a Beast â—â— the like from the judging of Civil causes putting off the sâ—â—â—e and taking the Brothers Wife spoken of in Deut. 25. separating of Tythes first Fruits and the like valuing of things spoken of in Levit. 27. and from speaking with a mans 〈…〉 on the Sabbath Day what he will buy or how he will build his 〈…〉 the like as it is noted by Mr. Ains in Exod. 20. 10. and in 〈…〉 â—1 17. Ans I have shewed you on the word Sanctified in Chap. 10. That God sanctified the whole seventh day for his service not only the time of the publick Ordinances but the whole day and therefore it was sanctified for the use of private Ordinances as well as for the publick and therefore no time may be exempted from these holy Duties but in cases of necessary food Physick or the like cases of necessity therefore before we addresse our selves to Gods publick Ordinances wee must be careful to prepare our Souls to come with fear and reverence and so in our Hearing in our Praying Singing c. wee must take heed how wee Hear how we Pray and Sing so likewise afterwards we must examine our selves how our Soul â—ave profited by the publick Ordinances or else we may look 〈◊〉 Curse rather than a Blessing from the said Ordinances Hence it follows by necessary consequence That no good Christian can allow himself liberty to do such kind of exercises as you have named but they will interrupt the efficacie of those blessed and commanded Ordinances
of necessity on the Sabbath day but it was not so with the Jews from elder times Maymony saith If a Thief dig thorow a house upon the Sabbath day it is free for any to kill him with any death they can put him to See Ains in Exod. 22. 2. This they allowed Exod. 22. 2. as a case of present necessity it could not be deferred as a Magistrate may defer the putting off a Malefactor to death untill any one of the six dayes because the Magistrate hath the Malefactor in safe custody in some sure prison and therefore they say It is not lawfull to put a Malefactor to death on the Sabbath day because it is written that no fire shall be kindled upon the Sabbath day Exod. 35. 3. namely not for the use of any mans particular Calling as I have already opened this Text therefore no fire may be kindled upon the Sabbath day for the execution of a Malefactor for that was but the work of the Magistrates civil Calling See Ains in Exod. 18. 22. and yet notwithstanding See Ains in Exod. 35. 3. they held it lawfull for the Magistrate to put a Malefactor to death upon a Festival Sabbath as it appears by their practice in Joh. 19. 31. putting our Saviour to death on a Festival Sabbath for they did not hold those Sabbaths to be equal to the seventh day but if a Thief came to steal on the Seventh day and was taken in diging thorow an house they held it lawful for a private man to kill him on the Sabbath day though they did not hold it lawfull for a Magistrate to kill a Thief then because it was a case of present necessity for he might escape unlesse he were killed at that instant And truly Christians may do as much as this on the Lords day and no more without sin 2 Our Saviour confuted the Jews superstitious conceit of the outward rest of the Sabbath by examples from their own practice for when they took offence at his miraculous cures upon the Sabbath day he asked them why they held it lawful to untie their Cattle and lead them to the water upon the Sabbath day and so to give them Hay and Provender and to pull a Sheep out of the pit upon the Sabbath day and therefore said he Why may not I shew mercy to a Daughter of Abraham that is in misery upon the Sabbath day And seeing they held it lawfull for Abiathar to give the Shew-bread to hungry David he asked them Why it was not as lawful for his hungry Disciples to pluck ears of corn and to rub them and prepare them for the sustenance of their present hunger upon the Sabbath day and after Christ had cured the Criple he bad him take up his bed and walk to save it from spoyling and from losse upon the Sabbath day and when he cured blind eyes upon the Sabbath day with clay tempered into a salve he did it to warrant Chirurgeonâ— and Physitians that they might lawfully temper their Potions and Plasters upon the Sabbath day to cure the sick and weak By these and such like examples in the New Testament our Saviour declared what liberty God gave unto the Jews to do works of mercy or of present necessity upon the Sabbath day and truly those Christians that will contend for more liberty than this upon the Lords day do in effect deny that the Lords day was ordained with any solemn sanctity 3 Though the present Apostate Jews did malign our Savior for doing many works of mercy and in present necessity upon the Sabbath day yet the ancient Hebrew Doctors recorded by their later Doctors held otherwise They say that the perill of life puts away the Sabbath and therefore to a sick person that is in danger of death they do all things needfull for him upon the Sabbath day See Ains in Exod. 20. 10. And though the Hebrew Doctors do affirm that Circumcision in the time thereof doth drive away the Sabbath because there was a necessity of doing it on the eighth day See Ains in Gen. 17. 12. yet say the Hebrew Doctors in case of sicknesse they do not circumcise him that is sick untill he be well and again they circumcise none but children that are without sicknesse for perill of life putteth away all See Ains on Gen. 17. 13. And on the day of Attonement which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism for strict rest yet then they made ready provision of food for him that lead the Scape-Goat into the Wildernesse yea though that Sabbath was also an exceeding strict Fasting-day yet then at the end of every mile they said unto him that lead the Scape-Goat Lo here is meat and here is water and if his strength failed him and if he had need to eat he might eat See Ains in Lev. 16. 21. The Hebrew Doctors also say That if the High Priest were an old man or sickly he might have the water made warm wherein he washed his body on that strict Sabbath of Attonement either by Irons made hot in the fire or else by the mixture of some hot water with the cold See Ains in Lev. 16. 24. By these and the like testimonies we see that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held that the Sabbath was made for man in misery not onely for the curing of his sick and sinfull soul by those blessed Ordinances wherewith God did at first blesse the seventh day but even for the curing and comforting of his weak and sickly body and these are the chief ends for which the Sabbath was ordained from the very first Institution of it And the Hebrew Doctors were very careful to provide a remedy against immoderate toyl and labour to mens bodies in travelling to the publick Ordinances which were dispenced every Sabbath day in their Synagogues For by vertue of Gods Command there was a necessity laid upon all the Jews to resort to some holy Convocation in all their dwellings Lev. 23. 3. namely in all their Lev. 23. 3. Synagogues which must be placed in the midst of their dwellings Hence the Hebrew Doctors knowing the Command of God for such holy Convocations in all their dwellings and knowing the Command of God to rest on the seventh day from all their works did appoint a certain distance how far men might travel on the Sabbath day to the Synagogue and they thought good to restrain it to an English mile to prevent the labour of travel and the wearinesse of mens bodies which might unfit them for the reverend attention to Gods Ordinances and from this limited space it is that we read of a Sabbath dayes journey Act. 1. 12. They did not ordain this Sabbath dayes Acts 1. 12 journey for any Civil businesses of mens particular Callings but for the use of Religious duties and for works of mercy on the Sabbath day And this proportion of a mile they took from the example of Gods limits which he allowed to the Suburbs of their Cities
for the Suburbs of their Cities might not exceed two thousand Cubits by measure Num. 35. 5. The like distance God appointed between the Camp of Israel and the Ark of the Lords Covenant when they passed over the River Jordan Jos 3. 4. From these eminent examples the Hebrew Doctors ordained that no Tent should be pitched in the Wildernesse nor no House in the Land of Canaan above two thousand Cubits from their Synagogue-assemblies which is an English mile and this distance they usually called A Sabbath dayes journey And this order was a provident provision both for the propagation of the Word for by such short distances from their Synagogues they must have many Synagogues and in order to a work of Mercy to their bodies that they might not weary their bodies by long travel when they came unto Gods presence to be partakers of his holy Ordinances but in cases of necessity they notwithstanding this restraint to a mile when the means of Grace did by any occasion fail in any of their Synagogues at home then they held it without scruple lawful to go further as we may see by the liberty that the People took in the days of Christ for then they did leave their Synagogues to follow his preaching from place to place and if Christ had held their practice to be unlawful doubtlesse he would have reproved them and bid them keep their own Synagogues and not follow him from place to place as they did and for the attaining of such excellent means of Grace the people also held it lawful to leave their own Synagogues and to break the outward rest of the Sabbath by longer Journies and greater Bodily labour and so we see that the Priests in the Law did break the outward rest of the Sabbath by their laborious killing and dressing of Sacrifices and yet they were blamelesse Mat. 12. 5. 1 Chro. 23. 31. and so also for their Bodily food they did kindle Fires to Rost and Boyl the portion of their Sacrifices fit for their stomacks every Sabbath Day for their portions must be eaten in the same day in which the Sacrifice was offered nothing thereof must remain until the morning but in case any part of their portions did remain until the morning it must be burnt Levit. 7. 15. Exod. 12. 10. I conclude therefore That the Jews had as much liberty in all respects to do any thing on the Sabbath Day tending to the good of their Souls or to their Bodies either in cases of necessity or mercy as Christians have upon the Lords Day but both sorts have corrupt hearts alike and have alike need to watch unto the sanctified improvement of the whole day and both sorts have the same Adversary the Devil to deal withall and therefore both sorts have need alike to keep a good watch over Satan and over their own corrupt hearts or else the spiritual efficacy of Gods Holy Ordinances will be lost and vain which is the only thing that the Devil desires to effect that he may rejoyce in the ruine of our Souls O that Christians therefore would submit their Consciences to the command of Christ to keep the Lords Day as strictly from outward works and as holily in all Christian duties as ever the Jews did or ought to have kept the Sabbath Day And so Jehovah cause his face to shine upon every Soul that truly honours the sanctified time of the Lords Day and the solemnity of all publick and private holy duties Amen Amen The end of the First Part. Holy Time OR The True Limits of the Lords Day I. Proving That the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural Morning and that the Morning of the Natural day doth begin at Mid-night and so consequently that the Lords Day must both begin with the Natural Morning at Mid-night and end with the Natural Evening at Mid-night II. Proving That the Jews beginning of the Day at the Sun-set Evening was only in relation to the date of the Person purified from his Levitical uncleanness III. That The Jews themselves did hold That the Natural day did continue after Sun-set till Mid-night Maymony saith Grateful is a Command that is done in the hour of the same so say I grateful is the sanctifying of the Lords Day in the hour of the same In his Treatise of Offering Sacrifice Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Part II. By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority Printed at London by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the Sign of the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. Grace and Peace to such as desire to know when the Lords Day doth begin and end To the end they might abstain from their own Worldly imployments in the Lords own Sanctified time THis point is the more difficult to be explaned because I have not met with any beaten road from other Interpreters But I have laboured to make it evident 1 That the Sanctified and separated time of the Lords Day is just according to the Natural day 2 I have laboured to make it evident That the Natural day begins with the Morning 3 That the Natural morning begins at Mid-night 4 That the Natural day and so consequently the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural morning and doth end with the Natural evening at Mid-night And for the want of the knowledge of these things I perceive that many godly persons do the works of their ordinary Callings in some part of the Lords sanctified and separated day as those do that begin and end the Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening and for their better information I forced my self to compose this Treatise I finde that the chief ground of their error doth arise First from a mistaken interpretation of the first Darknesse to be a full Night of twelve hours and Secondly from a mistaken interpretation of the word Evening because they apprehend it to bee nothing else but a full Night These and sundry such like mistakes I conceive I have cleared I presum'd therefore that this insuing Treatise will be heartily welcome to every tender Conscience that doth truly desire to give unto the Lord his own separated and sanctified time Many godly Christians to my knowledge have been much exercised in their Studies and Meditations to finde out the true limits of the Lords Day that so they might abstain from the works of their particular Calling in every part of that sanctified and separated time from the beginning of the day to the full end thereof For their sakes also and at the special request of some of them I have laboured in this Treatise to prove That all the time of the first Darknesse was comprehended in the word Morning at last and that it took its beginning from the Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the several parts of the Natural day were shaped and set into their order And therefore the beginning of the Morning from the time of Mid-night must not be ascribed to the Romans as the
I The Time when the FIRST SABBATH was Ordained 1 Negatively Not in the Time of Adams Innocency as many say it was 2 Affirmatively It was Ordained after the Time of Adams Fall and Re-creation II The Manner how the First Sabbath was Ordained 1 By blessing the Seventh Day with many Spiritual Ordinances both for publick and private use 2 By Sanctifying that Day for the Exercise of the said Ordinances 3 By Sanctifying the outward Rest of that Day to be a Typical Sign both of Gods Resting and of mans Resting in the Seed of the Woman that was promised to break the Devils Head-plot namely by his Propitiatory Sacrifice And hence it follows 1 That as the Sabbath was Ordained to be a Typical sign so it must be abolished as soon as Christ had performed his said Propitiatory Sacrifice 2 As it was Ordained to be the Sanctified Time for the Exercise of the said blessed Ordinances so the next day of the week into which it was changed must continue without intermission to the end of the world PART II. III A Treatise of HOLY TIME concerning the true limits of the Lords Day when it begins and when it ends is hereunto annexed By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority LONDON Printed by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. To the Reader Christian Reader THis Industrious and Judicious Author doth here present thee with two distinct Tractates concerning the Christian Sabbath or Lords Day In the former the Divine Institution of it is cleerly proved In the latter the time of its beginning is particularly determined In the former the erronious conscience which denies the morality of the fourth Commandement is strongly convinced In the latter the scrupulous conscience which doubts of the time when the Sabbath begins is fully satisfied In both the serious Reader will find great profit and delight The whole Discourse being illaborate and perspicuous wherein besides the main points intended in it divers other matters of important Cognizance are occasionally decided and discussed and many obscure Scriptures are excellently explained according to the genuine sense thereof And this learned Discourse hath its birth in a very seasonable time in respect of that wofull defection and Apostacy that is among us as from the truth and wayes of God in general so in a special manner from the Religious esteem and observation of the Lords day For never since the light of the blessed and glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ shined upon this our Goshen was the Sabbath Day so wickedly neglected and prophaned by the generality of people and the Divine Institution thereof so shamefully denyed and decried by many pretenders to Religion as it is at this day And therefore Good Reader we heartily commend this necessary and usefull work to thy diligent perusal and thy self and thy humble and sincere inquiries after Truth unto the guidance and blessing of the God of all Truth Tho. Clendon Elidad Blackwel Joh. Sheffield Tho. Stevens Minister of Peters in the Isle of Thanet To the Reader IF our Testimony be of any weight with the Judicious Reader and may contribute any thing to incourage his perusal of this Book we have to signifie upon that acquaintance we have had with it that we judge it very worthy the publishing and perusing both for that in the former part it doth strenuously plead for the morality of the Sabbath and in the latter part gives occasion to learned Brethren of a contrary apprehension to consider whether they have not reason to captivate their judgements to the Authors as touching the beginning and ending of the Sabbath Samuel Slater Tho. Walley A Table of the chief Heads CHAP. I. PRoving by five Reasons That Adam fell on the day of his Creation  Reason 1. Because Moses joyneth mans Creation Tryal Judgement and Promise to the same day Page 1 R. 2. Because he fell at the very first instant that ever he eat any thing p. 5 R 3. Because Adam being created after God in wisdome would not in wisdome have omitted to have eaten of the Tree of Life in the very day of his creation if the Devil had not first circumvented him by the unseen subtilty of his Temptation p. 6 R. 4. Because the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtil Serpent if he had left Adam at liberty to eat of the Tree of life but one whole day together p. 8 R. 5. Because the Woman fell while she was a Virgin p. 21 The time of the Fall of the Angels now called the Devil was when they were commanded to attend upon Adam and Eve at their first entrance into Paradise p. 10 The true nature of the first Covenant stood in obedience or disobedience not to a moral but to a positive command p. 12 The Devil knew the operation of the forbidden fruit better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed Innocency p. 15 CHAP. II. Proving by three Reasons that Adam was Re-created in the same day in which he was created and fell p. 23 Reason 1. From the order of Gods dealing with him immediately after his Fall p. 23 R. 2. From the new name Hevah Life which he gave to his wife p. 26 R. 3. From the word Enmity which God put into her as a holy qualification against the Serpent that had deceived her p. 28 The cool of the day in Gen. 3. when God came to examine Adam was about Mid-day p. 23 CHAP. III. Proving by a double Inference that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 30 1 Drawn from the word Host and Finished in Gen. 2. 1. p. 34 For if all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day then it follows that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 34 2 Drawn from the word Had made in Gen. 2. 2. p. 35 For if God had made something in the sixth day that needed a new finishing act before the seventh day as the Text speaks then what can that finishing act else be but Adams Re-creation by the Promised Seed p. 35 Adam in his Innocency could not so well honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation p. 37 The Mystical as well as the Natural Creation was made and finished before the seventh day and therefore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 39 The Creation of the Humane Nature of Christ was the perfection of the whole Creation in the latter part of the sixth day p. 39. 46 CHAP. IV. God could not be said to keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day untill he had put out sundry opperations of his Eternal Providence for the finishing or perfecting of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the fore-part of the sixth day p. 42 CHAP. V. This term which he had made in Gen. 2. 2. hath relation to the Creation of the
he saith Vpon the first day of the week when ye are met together namely according to your usual custome Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there may be no gathering when I come 1 Cor. 16. 2. Hence it is evident that the first day of the week when Christians met together or as the Apostles phrase is when they are met namely according to their usual and constant custome to worship God then he did exhort them to lay aside something for the poor for that day was a good day for their souls and therefore that season was a good season to lay aside something for the poor Saints that were at Jerusalem I grant that the word Every first day is not fully expressed in the Greek Text but yet it must necessarily be understood as it appears by the consequence for the Apostle did glory of their willing mind to them of Macedonia saying that Achaia in which Country the City of Corinth was seated was prepared Ayeer agâ— and that their zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9. 2. But how could the Apostle have thus gloried of their zeal and of their willing mind 2 Cor 9. 2. to them of Macedonia if they had laid up something but once onely upon some one first day of the week and no more as some would have the Text to speak doubtlesse therefore they did lay aside something either every first day of the week or at least usually when they were met together for the exercise of Gods worship and in so doing their zeal was exemplary to provoke them of Macedonia to imitate their example and this is the rather to be beleeved because the Apostle doth still exhort them to perform that duty 2 Cor. 8. 10 11 12. I conclude therefore that though the word Every be not fully expressed in the Greek Text yet that it must necessarily be understood and therefore the Geneva Translation that puts it in is to be justified because it is according to the true sense of the place 2 Touching this phrase Let every one of you lay by him in store I dare not affirm that this is meant of laying up by the Deacons Collection but I rather think it was done by separating something by way of Vow for the use of the said poor in every one 's own hand which was as sure a course as if it had been put into the Box of the poor for in this phrase Let every one of you lay by him in store The Apostle doth Thalmudize as relating therein to a certain custome of the Jews in vowing something to the poor for the Hebrew Doctors say That Alms is comprehended in the general of Vows and therefore he that saith thus Lo this Shekel or this Shilling is an Alms he is bound to give it to the poor out of hand But if there be no poor present he is bound to separate it and to lay it Up till he find some poor See Ains in Deut. 23 21. The Apostle Paul did lay this duty of Vowing uppon the Churches of Galatia Corinth and Macedonia namely That every one of them should separate something for the poor and lay it up on the first day of the week when they were met together for that day was a fitter day for that duty than any other day of the week And the Hebrew Doctors do adde this to their former speech That if a man had purposed to give such a quantity to the poor but in his heart onely he was bound to pay it 3 Hence it is evident That the first day of the week was by Christs Institution the day of publick Worship in place of the seventh day or else the Apostle would never have given direction to the Churches to separate something for the poor when they were meâ— together on that day for the Apostle doth professe that in such matters he ordained nothing in the Church but what he received from the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. And that the things which he wrote unto them were the Commandements of the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 37. and therefore it follows that the Church of Corinth and 1 Cor. 11. 23. all other Christian Churches did usually meet together on this day by the special Command of Jesus Christ And seeing the Churches of Macedonia did contribute to the poor Saints of Jerusalem as well as the Churches of Achaia no doubt but Paul did order them to do it on every first day of the week answerable to the Rom. 15. 25 26 Churches of Galatia and Achaia Rom. 15. 25 26 27. And seeing Paul did observe the first day of the week to administer Act. 20. 7. the Lords Supper to the Church at Troas in Phrigia Act. 20. 7. It doth evidence that he was uniform in ordering all Christian Assemblies to be kept on that day for Troas was a neighbour Church to them of Galatia and therefore they kept the same day for Gods publick worship as they of Galatia and Achaia did Act. 16. 6. with Act. 18. 27. 5 A fifth Reason that doth perswade me that Christ himself Reason 5 hath ordained his Resurrection-day for the day of his publick worship in the place of the seventh day is the hot contention that many beleeving Jews did make in Christian Churches about the observation of the Jewish Sabbath for many of the beleeving Jews were still zealous for the observation of Moses Laws and this contention of theirs doth strongly perswade me that all Christian Churches had laid aside the observation of the Jewish Sabbath and that they did now observe the first day of the week in the place of it as I shall more fully explain the matter in Chap. 15. My sixth Reason is taken from the title of the Lords day in Reason 6 Rev. 1. 10. This title is an evident proof to all men that Jesus Christ himself did ordain the day of his Resurrection in the place of the sâ—venth day for John in his Epistle to the seven Churches of Asia doth name iâ— the Lords day as if it were a day that was familiarly known to the said Churches though they were many miles distant from each other But if it had been a new title of a new day not yet familiarly known to them John would have described it to them by some circumstantial demonstration but in as much as he doth no more but barely name it the Lords day without any further description of it It argues that this day by this time at least was familiarly known and grown into frequent use and practise among all the Christian Churches of Asia for at this time John wrote to the seven Churches of Asia in the reign of Domitian the Emperor which was about four and fifty yeers after the death of Christ by this time I say the name of the Lords day was familiarly known among all the Churches of Asia even as the first day of the week was familiarly known long before this
said eighth day John doth call the day of Christ his Resurrection the eighth day Joh. 20. 26. The Providence of God so guiding his Pen as pointing out unto us backward to the perfection of the mystical number eight in Moses Law My second Reason why the number eight did typifie the day Reason 2 of Christs Resurrection as more eminent than the seventh day is taken from the Law of Circumcision which was so strictly tied to the eighth day that though the eighth day did fall out upon the Sabbath day yet they must prefer the doing of the act of Circumcision because it was the eighth day rather than the act of rest because it was the seventh day Joh. 7. 22. And the Hebrew Doctors do affirm that Circumcision in the time thereof Joh. 7. 22. drives away the Sabbath that is to say A man must omit to keep the rest of the Holy Sabbath to circumcise his child on the eighth day if the Sabbath be the eighth day seven dayes together the young Infant was in his blood of uncleannesse but on the eighth day it must be circumcised for the full cleansing of it from all the pollution that did accompany it in the birth And Rab. Mâ—nacâ—em on Gen. 17. saith Circumcision was therefore done on the eigth day that the Sabbath might passe over it for there is no eighth day without a Sabbath and then as soon as it was circumcised it was accounted as a new creature as if it were risen again from death to life and this did typifie our first resurrection from the death of sin to the life of grace by vertue of Christs Resurrection whose Resurrection-day is called the eighth day as I have ere-while noted from Joh. 20. 26. A third Reason is taken from the consecration of the Priests Reason 3 their persons were not perfectly consecrated to minister in their office untill the eighth day Lev. 8. 33. 35. Lev. 9. 1. Ezek. 43. 26 27. In like sort the Person and Sacrifice of the Mediator Lev. 8. 33. 45. was not declared to be fully accepted untill his Resurrection on the eighth day A fourth Reason is taken from the perfect cleansing of the Reason 4 Leper on the eighth day Lev. 14. 8 9 10. And from the cleansing of unclean Issues Lev. 15. 13 14. And from the cleansing of the Lev. 15. 13 14. polluted Nazarite Num. 6. 9 10. And from sundry such like Instances where no perfect cleansing was made untill the eighth day then and not till then their persons and sacrifices were acceptable unto God as persons that were newly risen from death to life doubtlesse this full acceptance of them of their Sacrifices on the 8th day did typifie the full acceptance of Christs Person and Sacrifice which was declared by his Resurrection on the eighth day for he rose from the dead on the next day after the seventh day A fifth Reason is taken from that special eighth day of the Feast Reas 5 of Tabernacles which was called also a Sabbath day This day was called the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles and it had a Commandement by it self above the other seven dayes because it was a greater Sabbath than any of the rest and in that respect John doth call it the great and last day of the Feast Joh. 7. 37. Joh 7. 37. And all the Tribes of Israel were bound to observe this day with a general Assembly above the other seven dayes Deut. 31. 10 11. 2 Chr. 7. 9. Neh. 8. 18. And that Assembly is called a General Assembly Neh. 8. 18. by the Seventy in Amos 5. 21. And by allusion to that term the Apostle Paul calls all the Israel of God The General Assembly of the first-born Heb. 12. 23. Amos 5. 21. Heb. 12. 23. And why was this eighth day made more eminent than all the other seven dayes but to type out unto us the eminency of the resurrection-Resurrection-day of Christ above the seventh day for the exercise of Gods publick worship to the worlds end and the New Testament doth tell us of a great number of Christians that were gathered into a great Church Assembly on this day at Jerusalem Act. 2. 41. And this great Assembly was from divers parts and quarters of the world for many of the dispersed Jewes that did beleeve resorted to Jerusalem from remote Countries at Festival times and many that were converted to the faith did there continue untill they were dispersed again at the death of Stephen which dispersion God turned to the further enlargement of his Church for many of these dispersed Disciples preached the Gospel in sundry parts of the world where they travelled and by that means a multitude both of Jews and Heathens became Christians and these Christians in time made many Christian Church-Assemblies and they all used to meet together on the first day of the week which was the next day after the seventh and so it was the eighth day which was typified by the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles A sixth Reason is borrowed from the Jubilee Yeer which by Gods special Providence was ordained to be in the eighth yeer Reason 6 after the seventh seven and this sabbatical yeer was ordained to be a greater Sabbath than the seventh seven because it was ordained to give a more full deliverance to Gods people than the seventh seven Lev. 25. 4 8 20. The seventh seven was the forty and ninth yeer and the next Lev. 25. 4. yeer after the seventh seven was the eighth yeer and it was also the fiftieth yeer or the Jubilee yeer And both these Sabbatical yeers thus succeeding each other do most lively point out unto us how the Lords Resurrection-day by which we have a full Jubilee of deliverance from Satans Head-plot should succeed the Sabbath or seventh day Three things are remarkable touching the number Eight 1 That the number Eight was mystical as well as the number Seven 2 That the number Eight was a number of perfection as well as the number Seven 3 That the number Eight was a Sabbatical number as well as the number Seven Now seeing these things have been made cleer and cannot be denied how can it be denied but that the number eight must needs have relation not onely to the Resurrection of Christ on the eighth day that is to say on the next day after the seventh day but also that the said day must be established as a Sabbatical day among Christians in the New Testament in the place of the seventh day II It is no lesse wonderfull that four Sabbaths did meet together and succeed each other at the death and Resurrâ—ction of Christ 1 Christ did make his soul a Propitiatory Sacrifice of Attonement for our full Redemption from Satans Head-plot on a Festival Sabbath namely on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened-bread and this day John calls a High Sabbath Joh. Joh. 19. 31. 19. 31. 2 Christ rested all
the Sabbath or seventh day namely his body rested in his grave and his soul in Paradise 3 On the first day of the week he arose again from the dead as the Lord and Conqueror of Satans Head-plot and in this respect he being the Lord of his Church and the Lord of the Sabbath did ordain it for the day of his publick worship in place of the seventh day to the end of the world 4 God by his eternal Counsel ordained and Christ in obedience to his Fathers will accomplished his Death and Resurrection in a Sabbatical Yeer of Jubilee And this Sabbatical Jubilee is also called The acceptable Yeer of the Lord Luke 4. 19. And from the typical signification of the Luke 4. 19. Jubilee-deliverance the Hebrew Doctors did fore-see and fore-say to the admiration of considerate Christians That the Divine Majesty would be to Israel in a Jubilee Freedome Redemption and Finisher of Sabbaths See Zâ—har on Lev. 25. Col. 2. 10. fol. 53. And to admiration also Kimchi upon Ezek 40. saith That the Messiah Redeems in a Jubilee See H. Bro. in Req p. 13. and in Sinai-sight Yeer of the World 2560. III Who can but admire also at the wonderfull Providence of God 3 The Resurrection of Christ fell out so that it was made famous by three remarkable dayes that the day of Christs Resurrection should fall out so as that it should be remarkable by three famous daies 1 It fell out upon the first day of the week 2 It fell out upon the eighth day 3 It fell out upon the third day 1 Christs Resurrection fell out upon the first day of the week wherein God created light out of darknesse and on that day Christ did arise out of his darksome grave to give light to the world Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 8 12. and so he made that day which was first in order in the Creation to be first in dignity by the work of his Resurrection he made that day which was the first fruits of time to be the first fruits from the dead 1 Cor. 15. Col. 1. â—6 2 Christs Resurrection fell out upon the eighth day namely on the next day after the seventh day which is the eighth day the eighth day was ordained by Moses Law to be a day of perfection above the perfection of the number seven which I have noted might well be to typifie the day of Christs Resurrection to come in the place of the seventh day 3 Christs Resurrrection fell out on the third day after his death and so Christ opened and alledged from the Scriptures that he must rise again from the dead on the third day Luke 24. 45 46. and doubtlesse the Resurrection of Isaac on the third day was a rare type of the Resurrection of Christ upon the third day for Isaac is said to have been offered Jam. 2. 21. and to have been raised up again from the dead after a sort on the third day Heb. Jam. 2. 21. 11. 19. for it was the third day from their coming out to sacrifice Heb. 11. 19. when he and his Father Abraham came to the place of performance and from that action the Hebrew Doctors do gather that the third day is mysterious in Scripture There are many a three days say they in Scripture of which one is the Resurrection of the Messiah See Ains in Gen. 22. 4. See also H. Bro. in his Reduction in Dan. 9. and Christ himself did fore-tel that On the third day he should Gen. 22. 4. be perfected Luke 13. 32. his meaning must needs be that Mediatorial Luke 13. 32. Sacrifice of Attonement should be declared to be perfect by his Resurrection on the third day Conclusion From all the Premises it appears that the day of Christs Resurrection was the most glorious day that God had honored and the most glorious day that could be thought on among true Christians and therefore it may perswade our consciences that if Christ hath ordained any day for his publick Worship in the place of the seventh day it must needs be that day of perfection wherein he arose as Lord and Conqueror oâ— Satans Head-plot and therefore the observation of it ought to be honored of all good Christians for evermore Amen CHAP. XV. Propounding some Reasons why the Apostles did allow of the Jewish Sabbath or seventh day in their Synagogues for a time after it was abolished by the death of Christ as well as of the Lords Day in Christian Churches THe Apostles knew well enough that Christ had ordained his Resurrection-day as the day of his publick Worship in place of the seventh day and therefore in that respect they appointed all Christian Churches to observe that day for Gods publick Worship and yet notwithstanding they still resorted to Gods publick Worship on the seventh day in the Jews Synagogues for a certain space of years after the death of Christ I say for some space of time the Apostles did allow by way of permission the use of the Sabbath or seventh day yea they did allow of the use of Sacrifices also in the Temple for a time for they knew that as long as Christ was willing to suffer the Temple to stand undestroyed that he was willing to suffer and permit the use of Sacrifices and Sabbaths and therefore for the weaknesse sake of many beleeving Jews that did as yet remain in their old Synagogues the Apostles did see it convenient to allow of the use of the seventh day for Gods publick Worship in their Synagogues according to their ancient known custom yea moreover the Apostles did see it convenient to allow of the use of Circumcision and of all the other Customs of Moses also for a time for the weaknesse sake of many ten thousand Iews that did beleeve in Christ because that many of these beleeving Iews did still continue to be zealous assertors of the customs of Moses Law Act. 21. 20. for many of these beleeving Iews were Acts 21. 20 not only eminent for faith in Christ but also they were eminent for zeal in Moses Law as we may see in the example of Ananias that opened Pauls eyes It is recorded of him that he was a godly man as pertaining to the Law Act. 22. 12 and it is also recorded that there were divers other Iews that did beleeve in Christ and yet they still continued zealous not only for Circumcision but also for all the other customs of Moses Act. 15. 5. Act. 15. 5. 24 and it was for the sake of these beleeving Iews that as yet remained in Synagogues that the Apostles did by way of permission allow of the use of the Sabbath day in their Synagogues till a convenient time of Reformation And out of this consideration it was that the Apostles in their Decrees at Ierusalem did not absolutely forbid the use of Circumcision Acts 15. and out of this consideration it was that Paul took liberty to Circumcise Timothy that so he might thereby
first Authors of it as many unadvisedly do no◠yet to any other Nation but it is the most ancient Scripture-Computation from the very first created day and so consequently it must needs be the true beginning of the Jews Sabbath This Tenent may happily seem strange at the first to such as have long held both in their judgement and practise That the Jews Sabbath and so consequently the Lords Day did properly begin at the Sun-set evening and of this judgement and practice are most of the Churches in New England and in that respect many Professors among them do without scruple take liberty in the Sun-set Evening of the Lords Day to do the servile works of their particular Callings and others take liberty to use Recreations But it is worthy to be taken notice of that whole Churches do many times erre both in their judgement and practice or else how could so much Corruption Superstition Idolatry and Prophanenesse creep in to several reformed Churches as there hath done from time to time in sundry ages Being therefore intreated by some godly persons in New England and being also moved thereunto by the fear of God I have taken this difficult Task in hand lest to confute this corrupt judgement and practice it should spread like Leaven to the corrupting of Posterity and so I rest Thine in the Lord WILLIAM PYNCHON The chief Heads of this Treatise OF HOLY TIME CHAP. I PRoving that the first Darknesse in Gen. 1. 2. was not a compleat Night By three Reasons Page 1 The true Definition of a compleat Night It is the absence of the Suns shining for the space of twelve Hours p. 3 CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the term Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole Night but the latter half of the Artificial day and the first half of the Night p. 6 This Chapter is distributed into four Sections and six Objections are answered SECT 1. The Hebrew word Gnereb translated the Evening in Gen. 1. 5. is explaned in p. 9 1 The first Darknesse cannot be called the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 2 Neither can the whole night be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 3 Neither can the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10. And therefore it is a great mistake in our larger Annotation in Mat. 26. 20. to say that Harab properly signifieth mixed namely the mixture of Light and Darknesse in the Twilight and in that sense mis-applying Deut. 16. 6. which is meant of the time of sacrifising the Passeover and not of the time of feasting  Our Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeer an even and equal part of time to Boker the Morning p. 16 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Synecdoche for the later half of the Evening which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set and end at Mid-night p. 16 Gnereb is often put by the figure Metanomia for the West because the later Evening begins at Sun-set which when it is in the Equinoctial doth alwayes set in the West p. 17 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Metanomy for the last dayes and also for the last end of a thing because it is the last half of the natural day p. 17 SECT 2. Gnereb signifies such a connexion of several species as doth ever preserve the said several species distinct and intire without any confused mixture and so Gnarbaiim in the Dual number doth explain it and therefore Gnarbaiim is eleven times over put for the two distinct parts of the natural Evening p. 19 And because Gnarbaiim the two Evenings are but the two distinct parts of the full natural Evening therefore the Seventy Interpreters do translate them in the singular as one proper Evening p. 22 And the Hebrew Text doth often make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening p. 23 SECT 3. Proving by seven demonstrative grounds that the natural Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun p. 24 The Jews divided the Artificial day into four great hours as they divided the Night into four Watches p. 27 CHAP. III. This Chapter hath three Sections and five Objections are answered SECT 1. Proving that the time of the first Darknesse was called Boker the Morning at last namely after all the parts of the natural day were shaped framed and set together p. 35 Boker the Morning doth signifie Early p. 35 Boker i◠put for Gods early seeking out either to punish the wicked or to protect the godly p. 37 Boker is put for the first time and for the first beginning of a thing p. 37 Boker is put for the Sun-set Evening because the time of Sun-set is the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day of Cleannesse for then the person purified began the date of his day of Cleannesse p. 40 56 86 SECT 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark night p. 41 SECT 3. Proving that the Morning in all likelihood doth begin at Midnight besides the former certain proof from the exact beginning and sending of the natural Evening from Mid-day to Midnight p. 44 CHAP. IV. This Chapter hath three Sections and four Objections are answered Proving that the Jews Custome in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custome because the persons that were Ceremonially purified were commanded to begin the date of their new day of Cleannesse at that point of time p. 50. And hence it follows  1 That this accidental beginning must not be accounted for the true beginning of the natural day  2 Therefore the Sun-set Evening is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords day p. 50 The Jews were cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements in two degrees of time  1 In the time of the afternoon by washing or baptizing their bodies  2 In the time of the second Evening which did alwayes begin at Sun-set then and not till then they must begin the date of their day of Cleannesse p. 51 54 All Israel are called men of Holinesse in regard of their outward purity by their Ceremonial Cleansings p. 54 The Jews Morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects onely p. 56 86 It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come untill it be full Twilight or somewhat past or else they confesse it cannot be proved that Christ lay three dayes in his grave p. 57 104 The time of Sun-set is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gone out of sight and therefore before it is Twilight p. 57 The time of Christs burial was at Star light p. 7. 105 They did not begin their Religious Festival Suppers untill three Stars appeared in the sky p. 60 The Jews observed a double date of the day  1 They observed the date of their Ceremonial day  2 They observed the date of the Natural day for
of light stretching it self from the West point to the North point This Observation First Of the golden list from North to East may teach us that the root of the Morning comes from the North point where the Mid-night begins by the Compass-Dyall And Secondly The golden list in the Evening after Sun-set from West to North may teach us that the Evening doth reach unto Mid-night or to the North point Thirdly I prove that the Natural Morning doth begin at Mid-night because the morning of the fifteenth day of Nishan began at Mid-night I collect it thus Moses at the first passeover in Egypt gave a very strict charge to all the Israelites that no man should go out of the door of his house untill the Morning Exod. 12. 22. namely not untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come this was Moses express charge Hence I reason thus if any man of Israel had gone out of the door of his house before the morning of the fifteenth day was truely come contrary to this charge as those did that went out of the door of their houses to gather Manna on the Sabbath-day morning they would have been condemned as Transgressors for it as they were that gathered Manna on the Sabbath day morning Exod. 16. 27. 28. But all the people of Israel went out of the doors of their houses either at Mid-night or presently after as it appears by ver 33. and 39. and yet none of them were condemned as transgressors for it But on the contrary their exact obedience to all Moses commands is twice over testified in ver 28. and twice over again in ver 50. The Text saith they did all things as God commanded Moses and Aaron so did they Even as exactly as Noah did in making the Arke Gen. 6. 22. or as Moses did in making the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 16. for their obedience is alike set out by the same double expression Therefore seeing all the people were thus exact in their obedience to all Moses commands it follows that they did not go out of the doors of their houses untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come and yet they went out of the doors of their houses at Mid-night or presently after because they knew that the morning of the fifteenth day was begun at Mid-night Yea It is evident that Moses intended they should all go out of their doors in the Morning presently after Mid-night because he had foretold them that all the first-born of Egypt should be slain at Mid-night Exod. 11. 4. 5. And secondly He had foretold them that the Egyptians would thrust them out of Egypt v. 1. and that the Nobles would come and bow down to Moses saying Go thou out and all the people at thy feet Exod. 11. 8. Yea Moses did prepare them for a sudden departing from their houses because he commanded to eat the Passeover with their loyns girded with their shooes on their feet and with their staves in their hands and to eat it in haste Exod. 12. 11. all these things do testifie that Moses intended they should go out of the doors of their houses as soon as ever the morning of the fifteenth day was come and he meant it was come as soon as Midnight was come Object 5. I grant that all Israel departed out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of Nishan Numb 33. 3. But how prove you that they began their journey at Midnight or that the fifteenth day began at Mid-night Answ The circumstances of the Text do prove it plain enough for as soon as the Egyptians saw all their first-born slain at Mid-night they feared lest they should be all slain and therefore they did urge the Israelites in all haste to depart and the Israelites knew all this before-hand and accordingly they prepared for their speedy departure and because of this their preparation they are said to depart out of Egypt in the night Deut. 16. 1. compared with Exod. 12. 29. 31 42. The Egyptians therefore as soon as their first-born were slain at Midnight urged the Israelites in haste to depart and then also the Israelites did depart out of the doors of their houses because the morning of the fifteenth day was come but yet they could not fully depart out of Egypt untill the body of the self same day was come namely not till it was Mid-day See Ains in Exod. 12. 41. they had many businesses to do after they went out of the doors of their houses before they could fully depart for they must assemble together 600000 men besides women and children and many connexed people and cattle and before all this could be put into a fit posture for their orderly marching away it was Mid-day and yet they made extraordinary haste to bring things thus soon to passe and through their great haste they took their Dough as it was unleavened and carried it upon their shoulders ver 34. and thenceforth the fifteenth of Nishan was commanded to be remembred and to be observed as a Festivall Sabbath for ever and as the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread Exod. 13. 3. Lev. 23. 7. Deut. 16. 3. Their Journey in the night began in this order as soon as the first-born of Pharaoh and the Nobles were slain at Mid-night then in their perplexed fear they did hastily call up Moses and Aaron to depart and then they gave the Alarm to the rest and as the first of them marched through the land of Goshen the rest fell in by Troops but before they could be all marshalled to depart in fit order it was Mid-day and in this sort their march began at Mid-night and was compleated by Mid-day according to Numb 33. 3. Conclusion From all the premises which I have laid down under three Heads or Sections it follows That the time of the first darkness after the Creation of the Earth was Morning and not Evening And secondly That it began at that time which the God of Nature made Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the parts of the Naturall day were formed and framed together CHAP. IV. Proving That the Jewes Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set Evening was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custom namely Because the persons that were ceremonially purified from their ceremonial Defilements were commanded to begin their new day of cleanness then and hence it follows first That that accidental beginning of the Day must not be accounted for the true beginning of the Natural Day And Secondly Hence it follows That it is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening as the Jews did by their ceremonial Custom onely SECT 1. THe Jews were often guilty of sundry degrees of sins of uncleanness against the Ceremonial Law besides their sins against the Moral Law as you may find them noted and distinguished by Mr. Ainsworth in Lev. 11. 24 25 32. and in Lev. 12. 6. and in Lev. 22. 7. compared with Numb