Scripture This to me is certain for the Will of God concerning Sacrificing was without doubt revealed unto Abel before the Law for Sacrifices was given for what he did therein he did in Faith and eminently found acceptance with God in what he did therein Heb. 11.4 neither the Light of Nature which is the knowledge of Principles neither the Law of Nature which is the conclusions drawn from these Principles could ever have made known this way of Worship to be a Duty if God had not some way revealed his Will to him therein This I hope will be made evident when I come to speak of the third general Reason If he had imposed this upon himself and that it had been the Product of his own imagination it had been will-worship Therefore certainly he had some word for it but when he received it and where and how that way of Worship was instituted for him to come to the knowledge of I never heard of any that could find it in the Scripture Great use may be made of this if need were for the clearing up of this present Controversie concerning an express word for the institution and observing the first day of the Week to be the Lords-day the day for his Weekly Sabbath we might say that it might be instituted though it be not recorded when and where as it was in the case of Abels Sacrificing but I hope we shall not be driven to this however I cannot but suppose it is of good use for some especially to consider of 6 thly Sixthly I desire that this also may be considered that what was delivered by the Apostles as they were guided by the holy Spirit of Truth ought to be received and believed as delivered and spoken by Christ himself Christ himself was never in person at Ephesus and yet 't is said Eph. 2.17 that he came thither and preached peace unto them we must understand it that he did so in the Ministry of the Apostles which was all one as if he had been there himself None that I know of durst ever undertake to prove that ever they prescribed any thing for all the Churches to observe but what they received in Commission from the Lord Jesus This was their charge Mat. 28.20 Teach what I command you and this was their practice 1 Cor. 11.10 23. What I received from the Lord that I delivered unto you so 1 Cor. 15.3 It is evident Act. 1.3 that Jesus Christ spake many things unto them betwixt his Resurrection and Ascension concerning the Kingdom of God i. e. especially the state of the Gospel-Church of all which we have no knowledge I have not I am sure in particular what they were farther than is found in their precepts and practice recorded in the New Testament And what if I should say that the change of the day from the last in seven to the first in seven was one of these things I know not what could be said against it but of that more hereafter 7 thly Seventhly Though I have declared as above my assent and consent concerning the Ten words to be perpetually obligatory or a standing and unchangeable rule for all Christians in all ages to walk by that so they may walk in all well-pleasing unto God as once I heard very solidly proved by your self in an Exercise wholly upon that subject from Psal 19.6 7 8 9. As I remember though I say and say it again that herein I consent with you yet I say it now and must say it again hereafter that the day of weekly holy Rest is altered and yet that alteration is no dissolution of the Commandment and that no tittle of the Law is broken thereby and that the first day of the week is and ought to be as much the weekly Sabbath for the Christians now as the last day of the week was to the Jews of old and that there is as good ground though perhaps not so clear to every one for the change of the day as there was at first for the choice of the day this is directly contrary to what you asserted in your paper I come now according as you desired me to take your 4th Proposition into consideration and your Reasons in order as they stand whereby you endeavour to confirm it having again and again in some weak measure I praise the Lord prayed for the assistance of the holy spirit of truth to guide and direct me that I may write nothing against the truth but for the truth being at this present under the actual consideration of the dreadful sentence that I may be called to an account I know not how soon before the great and glorious God for what I think for what I write as well as for what I speak or what I do I bless God I am willing that truth should be truth and appear to be truth Your fourth Proposition though I have repeated it already yet I think it meet to repeat it here again is this The seventh day which is the last day in every week in the weekly returns of it c. And for the proof of this you produce Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. Deut. 5.12 15. I conceive you lay the whole stress of your Arguments upon that in Exod. and that you do not so much as imagine that Deut. the 5th affords you any more help than what you have from the other alone This is that which is to be taken into serious considerations whether your Proposition takes in or be agreeable unto the full sense of the Commandment and that the Commandment speaks the same thing that the Proposition doth it seems as yet far otherwise to me and that the Commandment requires only the observation of one day in seven and doth not institute any particular day either the last or the first The last of seven had its institution as you seem to acknowledge which I was glad to find in your paper in Gen. 2.3 where and when the first day had its institution will be enquired into when this Proposition is cleared viz. That the fourth Commandment requires only the observation of one whole day in seven for the weekly Sabbath not instituting either the first or the last for any such intent or purpose And because as Solomon saith Prov. 6.23 that the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is a Light I desire therefore in the strength of the Lord Jesus depending upon him for light and direction to look into the sense and meaning of this Law But first I shall premise this That As the second so the fourth Commandment comes in some things under a difrferent consideration from most if not from all the rest my meaning is this There is something in each of them is morral natural and something which is only positive In the second Commandment this is moral natural that God ought to be worshipped not as men will themselves but as God himself wills and describes but in what ordinances or acts of worship this
THE JUDGMENT OF Mr. Francis Bampfield late Minister of Sherborne in Dorsetshire FOR THE Observation of the Jewish OR Seventh Day SABBOTH With his Reasons and Scriptures for the same Sent in a Letter to Mr. Ben of Dorchester TOGETHER With Mr. Ben's sober Answer to the same and a Vindication of the Christian Sabboth against the Jewish Published for the Satisfaction of divers Friends in the West of England Revelations 1.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day LONDON Printed by W. Godbid for Sarah Nevill at the sign of Archimedes in St. Paul's-Church-yard 1677. The Preface Christian Reader IN times when People are generally debauched in their Intellectuals as well as in their Morals and take as great a liberty of opining as they do of practising it is no wonder if in this Age when as all Sects seem to have a general resurrection that the Jewish Sect have also their Abettors but if People would but seriously consider that the change of the Day hath the same Foundation that the Scriptures themselves have and that is Catholick Tradition the Controversie would quickly be at an end It would then be an easie thing to believe that when the whole Jewish Frame of Worship was laid aside it was fit that the very Time it self should also put on Mourning and therefore well may it pass for a Fast as our Church hath rightly instituted it but to continue it as a Feast to the Lord is to put an Affront upon the Gospel and the whole Oeconomy of it And therefore if this Tract may contribute any thing either to the confirming those that stand or the establishing those that are ready to fall or recovering of those that are already gone astray the Author hath his end and desires thee to give God all the Glory Honoured Sir I Understand by some others who reports it to me as from you That you desire some Scriptures may be put to those particulars which I formerly sent you wherein I gave you an account of my Judgement which accordingly here I have done If any do think fit to examine this Paper and to return me an Answer in Writing I expect that he should consider it as it doth stand in order and declare expresly his Assent and Consent to the several Particulars if he be convinced that they are the mind of GOD in his Word or if he Dissent that he give the Reasons thereof in a Scripture-way My Judgement according to the Scriptures is as followeth That 1. First Jehovah Christ by the appointment of the Father and by the anointing of the Spirit is established forever to be the only Lord over the Conscience and Law-giver to the Soul Isa 33.22 To shew that this is meant of the Lord Christ compare Isa 32.1 15. and 33.17 18. and 42.1 4 16 21. the 18. verse of the 33. chap. of Isa is applyed by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 1.20 to the times of the Gospel so also is Isa 42.1 2 3 4. applyed by Christ to himself Matth. 12.17 21. Gal. 6.2 Jam. 2.8 10 11 12. and 4.12 Rom. 14.9 11. Heb. 12.2 6 Deut. 18.18 Joh. 16.13 14 15. Acts 3.22 23. Isa 8.10 16.20 1 Cor. 12.3 Mat. 12.18 Mark 2.28 Luke 6.5 Matth. 17.5 Acts 7.37 38. Psal 68.8 11 17 18. Psal 2. Matth. 28.18 19 20. 2 dly Secondly The holy Scriptures of truth are perfect full and sufficient in all cases whatsoever of Doctrine of Worship of Discipline of Government and of Conversation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Rev. 22.18 19. compared with Deut. 4.12 Prov. 30.6 Mark 7.7 13. Deut. 12.32 Levit. 18.34 Deut. 17.15 20. Josh 11.8 Joh. 20.30 31. Gal. 3.15 Matth. 22.9 3 dly Thirdly The Ten words are a perfect and compleat standing unchangeable Rule of Life in all matters of Duty to be performed and of Sin to be avoided Psal 19.7 8 9. Isa 8 20. Rom. 3.20 and 4.15 1 Joh. 3.4 Deut. 12.32 1. Pet. 1.23 25. Deut. 4.1 2 13. Luke 16.29 30. Deut. 5.22 Exod. 1.27 28. and 31.18 Psal 119. throughout and particularly vers 126 151. Joh. 20.35 Jam. 1.25 Prov. 8.8 9. Matth. 15 17 19. Rom. 3.31 1 Joh. 2.7 4 thly Fourthly The Seventh day which is the last day in every Week in the weekly returns of it is alone that particular peculiar day in every week which is the weekly Sabbath day to be kept Holy to Jehova in obedience to his Command as such Exod. 20.8 9. Deut. 5.12 15. 1. First Because those weighty Reasons which Jehova the Law giver himself hath given to enforce Obedience to his Command in observing a weekly Sabbath day holy to himself do properly and only belong and are applicable to the Seventh day which is the last day in every Week in order of time in the weekly returns of it as a weekly Sabbath day and to no other day in the week Exod. 20.11 1. First God rested only upon the Seventh day which is the last day in the week and upon no other day in the week as a weekly Sabbath day Exod. 20.1 and 31.15 17. compare Gen. 1. throughout particularly vers 5 8 13.31 with chap. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 4.3 4. Exod. 16.23 30. Lev. 23.3 2 dly Secondly God blessed only the Seventh day which is the last day of the week and no other day of the week as a weekly Sabbath day Exod. 20.10 11. compared with Gen. 2.2 3. 3 dly Thirdly God sanctified only the seventh day which is the last day of the week and no other day of the week as a weekly Sabbath day Exod. 20.10 11. compared with Gen. 2.2 3. 2 dly Secondly Because all the Scriptures throughout where the holy Spirit speaketh of a weekly Sabbath day 1. First The name and thing of a weekly Sabbath day is given only to the Seventh which is the last day in the weekly returns of it and to no other day in the week as a weekly Sabbath day Deut. 5.14 Exod. 20.10 and 16.25 26. and 31.15 and 35.1 Lev. 23.3 Acts 16.13 and 17.2 and 18.4 Luk. 4.16 Matth. 24.20 2 dly Secondly There is no Command given for the observation of any other day in the Week as a weekly Sabbath day to Jehovah but only the seventh which is the last day of the week in the weekly returns of it Exod. 20.8 11. Deut. 5.12 15. Exod. 16.28 and 34.31 and 35.12 and 23.12 and 31.13 14 15. Levit. 19.3 30. and 23.3 and 26.2 Neh. 9.14 Jer. 17.21 22. Matth. 28.18 19 20. Ezek. 20.19 20. and 44.24 Luke 23.5 6. Levit. 10.1 Jer. 7.23 31. 3 dly Thirdly There is no Promise made to the observation of any other day of the Week as a Weekly Sabbath day but only of the seventh which is the last day of the Week in the Weekly returns of it Isa 56.1 8. and 58.13 18. Jer. 17.24 25 26. Levit. 26.2 13. Exod. 16.29 Mark 2.27 Ezek. 20.20 4 thly Fourthly There is no Threatning either denounced against or execrated upon any that shall not observe any
of the seventh year the Sabbath of the fiftieth year the year of Jubile and not the weekly Sabbath By way of Answer I desire that the words of the Apostle may be duely weighed Ye observe Days and Months and Times and Years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed on you my labour in vain By Years we understand their yearly Sabbath called the Sabbath of Attonement and their Sabbatical years as above mentioned by Seasons their Annual Feasts of the Passover Penticost and Tabernacles and by Months their Monthly Feasts called their New Moons all this is clear now I confess I cannot see what can possibly be meant by Days but their weekly Sabbath days especially finding in Levit. 23. where all their Feasts and Holy days eight in number are reckoned up their weekly Sabbath is put in the first place as it were by the Apostle I fore-see two things may be objected against this interpretation Obj. First it may be said the Sabbath of the seventh day cannot be here mentioned for then Paul should condemn his own Practice Answ But this is easily Answered for though we read Acts 16.13 that on the Sabbath day that is I grant on the seventh day Sabbath he went out of the City and preached to women that resorted thither to their publique worship and Acts 17.2 that he preached in the Synagogue of Thessalonica three Sabbath days together yet this was not as observing the seventh day Sabbath but for the opportunity of the Jews assembling together on that day which he could not have upon the first day and so for a while condescending to their weakness some other of the Jewish Rites as may be instanced in Circumcision were born with To conclude from hence that he did this as observing the seventh day Sabbath as they did it may be well concluded that he did and therefore we must observe the Feast Penticost because he went up to Jerusalem at that Feast as we read Acts 18.21 which we may be sure he did not for the Feasts sake but for the Assemblies sake that he might have the greater opportunity to Preach the Gospel unto them But now if we would know what day of the week it was which he observed in obedience to the fourth Commandment look into his practice among the Converted Jews and Gentiles and there we shall find that he observed the first day for the Sabbath day and passed by the seventh day as will be seen by and by in its proper place 2. Object It 's objected by some and those great and learned persons that this Interpretation overthrows the Morality of the first day of the week as well as the last day of the week and for that end they thus interpret this place and frequently urge it But nothing they alledge from hence I do acknowledge could ever make any impression upon me and my reason is this Answ Look what those and the Circumcision that were so zealous for the Law sought to impose upon the Christian Churches that and that only the Apostle opposeth Now it seems to me beyond all question that they never sought to impose the first day Sabbath and therefore that stands and will stand unshaken notwithstanding this Interpretation of the Text and the Interpretation standing firm notwithstanding these Objections it seems yet clear to me that Christians are under no obligation at all to the old Sabbath it is dead having served its time Quest Now I know it will be asked if this be so where have we any express institution either for the first day or for any other day Must we not then if a word of institution cannot be produced observe as some say every day for a Sabbath or take that day those in Authority do appoint be it one of 10 or one of 20 or have no Sabbath at all Answ I answer Neither so nor so every day is not the Sabbath day any more than every Supper is the Lords Supper or every Table the Lords Table Neither may we admit of one day of 10 or 20 for that is against the Morality of the fourth Commandment which requires not onely the observation of a Sabbath but one day of seven for a Sabbath And that we have sufficient ground which I confess can be no less than Divine Authority for the first day of seven I now come to give you my reasons why I so believe Only let me have leave first to ask where is there an express word of institution for the last of seven In the fourth Commandment there is none that only requires the observation of one of seven all the institution there is for it is in Gen. 2.3 which is not express though I acknowledg it sufficient but only imply'd in those words God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it and I hope there is as clear a word though perhaps not altogether found in one place which implies the institution of the first day as that which in Gen. 2. doth of the seventh day Before I proceed to that I desire this may be observed That there is the same reason for the institution of the first of seven that there was for the institution of the last of seven I said before what I thought to be true that the Lord blessed and sanctified the seventh day not only because he rested on the seventh day having perfected the work of Creation but also because of the result and consequence both of his rest and of his perfecting his work namely his honouring and exalting that day above all other dayes thereby now we know that the memorial of those signal works of providence wrought upon the day hath been the occasion of the advancing that day above other So the Jewish Passover Lev. 23. and the Feast of Purim Est 9.21 23 and our 5th of November in memory of the discovery of that Treason plotted and that nothing came to execution but the Traytors themselves Now this being acknowledged to be so hence then it may be argued That what day soever above all other dayes God honours with his most eminent work is to be the day of holy Rest unto God This will clearly carry it and greatly strengthen though but an implyed institution for the first day for that was the day of the Lords rest from the most great and the most glorious of all his works the work of Redemption I hear something hath been alledged against this that the first day of the week was not the day of Christs Resurrection and that the Translators of the Bible have done us wrong in so rendring it It is strange to me if any should say so but I shall say nothing to it now because your Paper speaks nothing of it whenever you think fit to form the Argument from the error you suppose in the Translation there is as I understand one and one that is well able to do it prepared to justifie the Translation and hath done it many moneths ago to him I leave it
adhere to that Proposition that the fourth Commandment requires only the observation of one day in seven not fixing it either upon the first or the last day of seven but only by consequence pointing at the last of seven then to be observed because it was instituted before and to continue till the first of seven was to succeed it As Solomon said in the place formerly quoted Prov. 6. so David his Father said before him Psal 19.9 The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightneng the eyes and this is the light which the Father of lights hath given me from the Commandment I shall shut up all that for the present I intend to say as for the sence of the Commandment with this that as the second Commandment as I said in the entrance into this discourse may parallel with the fourth Commandment in requiring something which is superadded to the law and light of nature so 't is evident in this that as the second Commandment doth determine the worship of God but only in the General that it be according to his revealed will and under that General both old Ordinances Sacrifice Circumcision and the Passover instituted elsewhere are there required So Likewise New Testament Ordinances Baptisme and the Lords Supper are both comprehended though neither named so in the fourth Commandment both the last of seven and first of seven are comprehended though neither of them directly named but onely one of them consequentially as was said before because formerly instituted so that the fourth Commandment is perpetually obligatory for one day in seven and then the substance of the Commandment is still unchangeable thus the day admits of a change not as a Ceremony but as a Circumstance the change of the day being no more prejudicial to the morality of the fourth Commandment than the change or worship to the morality of the second Commandment And farther I add this that I confess I am at a very great loss how it should be so as it hath been and as it is at this day that in a manner the whole Christian world should centre in the observation of the first day if it had been a breach of the fourth Commandment which hath been so often read and so often preached upon Before I proceed to say any more than what hath been said to those Reasons which are produced in your Paper for the confirmation of your Proposition I shall give you in as few words as possibly I can what I have for the present to say for the change of the day from the last of seven to the first of seven and that being done I conceive I shall not need to say much to any of the Reasons though I intend not by the Lords assistance to pass over any of them without saying something and that as you desire according to the order as they stand To make entrance into this which I am now to speak unto as none denies but that the last of seven was the only day in the revolution of every week to be kept holy to the Lord to the end of the old world i. e. of the Church that then was of the Jews till the time of Reformation should come Heb. 9.10 so I conceive it cannot with reason be denied but that since the beginning of the new world i. e. of the Christian Church frequently in Scripture called the world to come I mention only that Heb. 2.5 since then I say it cannot I think with any shew of reason be denied that the first of seven hath been generally acknowledged in all Christian Churches unto this day and will be to speak as yet I do believe till time shall be no more though by what Authority is the great matter in question but the thing is certain though it hath been of late as I have heard dropt up and down in and about the Town that this exalting of the first day of seven above the last of seven was done by the Authority of Constantine I wondred at this when I heard of it for though it be true that Eusebius writing the life of that Christian Emperor saith that by law he enacted that the first day of the week should be the great weekly holy day to the Lord Yet to conclude from hence that he was the Author of the change of the day we may as well conclude that he was the Christian Religion for by his publique Edict the publique profession of it was established in all his Dominions The Christians of those days then receiving as I have often thought an answer to those Prayers which their fore-Fathers in Christianity no doubt poured forth before God according to that injunction and direction 1 Tim. 2.1 2. that they should pray for Kings and all that be in Authority that they might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honosty which was much about 300. years before Constantine was born at least before he sate in the Throne Let Eusebius himself be consulted I could easily quote the place if I had the book by me and from him we may learn that as the Christian Religion so the Christian Sabbath was observed on the first day long before Constantines Cradle was made and not only so but before there was a Christian Magistrate in the world it was so and yet as 't is apparent to me by divine Authority or else there was none in the world at all for in the new world that is in the state of the Gospel Church old things were past away old Sacrifices old Covenant old Sacrament the Seals of the Covenant this none denies even so likewise the old Sabbath for the proof of this let that Scripture besides others that might be mentioned be duly considered Gal. 4.10 The Apostle there reckoneth up several sorts of the Jewish Festivals and condemneth the observation of them in all Christian Churches for upon the same account he condemns them in one Church he condemns them in all This will appear to be so if we consider the Apostles scope in that and in his Epistles to some other of the Churches But to mention one is enough for all it was to oppose such of the Circumcision as those mentioned Acts 15.1 2. that mingled together the Law of Moses with the Doctrine of the Gospel and that in the matter of Justification and in order to Salvation with this error which was then a growing error it is evident the Church of Galatia was infected upon this account it might well be that he was Articled against for teaching every where to forsake the Law of Moses and against the Temple Acts 21.28 as Paul himself no doubt knew that it was formerly an Article against Stephen that he spake blasphemous words against the Law and that he should affirm that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the Temple and change the Customs that Moses delivered them Acts 6.13 14. Object If it be objected that the Apostle there condemns their yearly Sabbaths the Sabbath