Israel gathered unto him So that I say the duty of the Sabbath followed as a Law together with the Law for us alwayes to observe and that the signification of it went before to signifie that our claime to this heavenly Sabbatisme is now onely by Christ. And thus you may see how you have laid your foundation upon a false ground or principle by mistaking the Sabbaths signification and in what manner it referreth to Christ. And thus by consequence your whole building falleth to the ground although it bee granted that the Sabbath is both typicall and rebus sic stantibus hath relation to Christ also Broad What God requireth on the Sabbath THe duties which God required of the people of Israel Hee required another of the Priests namely to offer two Lambs Num. 28. but this I will not stand upon on the Sabbath were two especially I. To rest from worke By servile the Scripture meaneth all worke except that is bestowed about things to eate Lev. 23. 7. 8. compared with Exod. 12. 16. that is to forbeare the doing of every thing which is commonly so called and accounted as the killing â—of beastes kindling of fires going to plow travailing c. on the first and last dayes of the feast of Passeover and some other holydayes onely servile worke is prohibited Levit. 23. 7. 8. 21. c. Num. 28. 18. 25. so that they might provide things to eate Consider that the Sabbath was ordained for a memoriall of Gods resting whereas the holy-dayes were instituted upon other occasions Exod. 12. 16. No manner of worke must bee done in them save that which every one must eate that onely may bee done of you But now on the Sabbath-day they might not doe so much For Gâ—d never that I find mentioning the word servile both in the commandement and other places saith in it Thou shalt not doe any worke They might not bake nor seeth their Mannah Exod. 16. 23. though on the other Holy-dayes they might both gather and dresse it yet they might not so much as dresse it on the Sabbath They were forbidden to kindle a fire which when a man belike would have done Exod. 35. 5. and therefore gathered stickes hee was put to death and bee it as some say though without any ground that the manner of doing did aggravate the offence yet sure I am that it did not make that an offence which had other-wayes beene none they might not then ordinarily picke up a few stickes II. A second speciall duty which God required oâ— the Sabbath was to have an holy convocation for it was not enough to worship God privately they must goe to the assemblies and praise him in the congregation To worship God privately was every dayes duty as likewise to doe works of charity for the Iew as wee was bound by the Law of nature to fulfill the nine morall commandements to the utmost of their power every day though indeed hee might performe the duties of piety and charity in greatèr measure and therefore was bound so to doe on the Sabbath as having then more opportunity idlenes being unlawfull at all times Answer By the first of these duties you seeme to mee to insinuate a Dilemma intimating by it that either the Sabbath is meerely Iewish or else that in all respects both of the duty and strictnes of rest it belongeth to us as to them Which strictnes you prove by comparing it with the other Sabbaths which had onely servile worke forbidden in them The proofe I graunt and the thing â—roved But that the Sabbath is therefore onely Iewish or that wee are bound so to observe it I deny upon these grounds 1. I deny that therefore the Sabbath is onely Iewish 1. Because that though this strict rest was typicall yet not properly Iewish because not of the same nature with Iewish types For that those which were properly types in a Iewish sence had relation to Christs and the constitution of his Church as considered properly and primarily upon Earth in its militant being in the time of grace during Christs regiment * For though Aarons bearing the names of the Tribes on his shoulders and breast signified Christ doing the same for his elect in Heaven yet it is his elect still on Earth not for his elect when they shall bee triumphant in Heaven sic de caeteris but the signification typified in this rest was of a different nature for propetly it signified the Church triumphant in Heaven it selfe which typicall difference may easily appeare onely by comparing this Sabbath with the other Sabbaths as shall bee seene anon And secondly because that this strict rest was no part of the substance of the Sabbath but onely an occasionall circumstance proper for the season of their prerâ—grination For so sooone as Mannah failed that strict rest failed so that you never after knew them condemned for providing their necessary food on the Sabbath-day although you find them often complained on for other breaches 2. And although that thus I deny this strict rest to be properly Iewish yet I deny it not to bee proper onely to the Iewes but affirme it both in respect of the duty * I meane here by duty sanction or positive holines else to rest is our duty as well as theirs of this rest as also in respect of the precisenes of it 1. For the duty of this rest I say that that was proper to the Iewes and not to us now Because that types in the time of their Discipline * Which was the time that the letter bare sway and comparatively not the Spirit carried with them a positive holines being for its continuance ordinances and not accidents But now that externall religion which consisted in types is properly no part of our worship although the thing it selfe in this particuler being a perpetuall type remaineth in the use and signification of it but as I say not in its temporary holines or occasionall precisenes for the Kingdome of Heaven now consists in righteousnes peace and joy in the holy Ghost and not in typicall sanctions For wee must understand that the Sabbath in it selfe considered without accidents was of a perpetuall typicall meaning intending the absolute rest that should bee to the Church of God in Heaven as is notoriously evident in the fourth of Hebr. by comparing the 4. verse with the 9. and 10. For which cause it may well bee conceived to bee holy even with an externall holines as other types were in the minority of those typicall times in respect of the bare rest therein commanded which yet in that sense is no part of our sanctification for our sanctification in respect of this rest properly consisteth in the signification thereof spiritualized in our hearts and in the privative sense thereof because our resting from worldly affaires is a necessary privative meanes to our sanctifying the Sabbath Like as in the Antitype our rest in Heaven
Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee c. shewing that the life of grace in a man is called eternall life because it hath its beginning from that life which shall never cease but increase to ever-lasting perfection So that the Sabbath is unalterable in regard of the individuall number but not in regard of the individuall day The number being kept the day upon occasion might bee altered And of the truth of this wee have good reason to perswade us for the issue proveth it by the divine authority of the Apostles For this fourth commandement being no Iewish ceremony but a commandement in the Decalogue and equall with the Law of nature ought for the substance of it to bee esteemed perpetuall and especially seeing that now in one of these senses to wit in the number wee see it preserved inviolable by the example of the Apostles and the practise of the Church ever since and yet in respect of the order by the selfe-same examples altered from last to first And which alteration is very agreeable to the time of the Gospell where many that are first shall bee last and last shall bee first Even as Iohn Baptist who being the last of the Prophets was therefore the greatest because nearest unto Christ yet hee that is least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is in the time of the Gospell is greater then hee So this seaventh day though the last in order and greatest in dignity during the supereminency of the old creation because of Gods example yet now is the number retained and the order exchanged from the last to the first of the weeke in honour of the new creation of the new Heaven and new Earth which comparatively was prophecied and promised to eaâ—e out the old in the 65. of Isa. 17. I will saith God there create a new Heaven and a new Earth and the former shall not bee remembred that is the solemnity of it shall cease and shall give place to the new for els remember it wee both doe and must doe for the memory of both may consist together and the one confirme the other in regard that our redemption restores us to a lawfull Dominion once forfeited over the whole worke of creation And why must there bee this change Why because of the greater excellency of the second creation which shall bee solemnized in stead of the first under the time of the Gospell when Christ shall bee come and shall have finished the worke of my Mercy which shall bee greater then was the worke of my goodnes in the creation Each creation must have its Sabbath of commemoration for els should God magnify his lesser worke of creation before his greater worke of redemption And therefore this is the day which wee now celebrate which the Lord hath made for us to rejoyce in now like as that was then And thus wee see it in all points now fulfilled But you will object that this new Heaven and new Earth is meant of the differing state of the Church under the Gospell to that it was under the Law Ans. I grant it whereof the solemnizing of our redemption which principally nay I may say onely made the change in stead of our old and first creation unto which wee lost all right but that it was revived by and therefore worthily changed into the second is a principall part And therefore hath the holy Ghost expressed this change in those tearmes of old and new creation rather then any other And as in the 2. of Peter 3. 13. there at the perfection of the Kingdome of Heaven hee prophecies of a reall change of the old Heaven and old Earth by an absolute dissolution of them by reason of the succession of a better condition to the people and Church of God So here in Isaiah at the inchoation of the Kingdome of Heaven I meane the time of the Gospell hee prophecies of a proportionable reall change leading unto the other of the old Heaven and old Earth by way of mitigation by reason of a more excellent benefit that redoundeth to the Church and children of God For those words according to his promise in the aforesaid text of Peter have reference to this of Isaiah By the compaâ—ison of which texts it is evident that there is as well a literall as a mysticall sense in these words which was to bee fulfilled gradatim in the Kingdome under the Gospell which was the time of the adequate accomplishment of their prophecies as well as in the Kingdome of Heaven hereafter which is the time of accomplishing our prophecies or theirs as they are transferred over to us So that if you grant it requisite to sanctifie a seaventh day or the seaventh day in respect of number I say with you but now to sanctifie the last day in the weeke were to memorize our creation above our redemption our being above our wel-being and to contradict promise and prophecy example and reason For in commemorations the lesser gives way to and is enwrapped in the greater Now then Christs resting on the first day from a greater worke then that of the creation was just cause to adjourne the great duty of commemoration to that day which finished the greater and more beneficiall action But on the other hand to keepe no seaventh day were likewise to goe against the example of the Apostles and to blot out one of the tenne commandements and so to make a morall Law Iewishly ceremoniall For there is no reason why the Apostles should weekely celebrate the day of Christs resurrection if it were not in reference to the fourth commandement seeing that if they had meant it as a bare institution of the Church they might have done by the day of Christs resurrection as wee doe by the day of his birth that is have kept it yearely And lastly it were to crosse this prophecy of Isa. 65. 17. for what reason have wee to thinke that God would simply have the remembrance of the creation lessened nothing lesse but onely respectively no more then hee would have the Egyptian deliverance forgotten because hee would have the Babylonish deliverance remembred but onely comparatively For hee would have us that are under the Gospell to celebrate the worke of our redemption above the worke of our creation and to acknowledge the day of the consummation thereof to bee the day which David speakes of Psalme 118. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Lord hath made wherein wee will rejoyce and bee glad In which words as one saith I see not how the making of the day can bee intended for the common regulation of the dayes in the creation but it appeareth to bee some dedication to an holy use of joy and gladnes sutable to the description of a Sabbath which is called a delight for our unspeakeable deliverance And not as Bishop Wâ—ite would perswade pag. 191. that the day of Christs passion was every way as blessed a day in respect of mans redemption as
Supposing that the number of seaven bee mysticall it followeth that wee are freed from it and not from the seaventh day onely for what have wee to doe with the Iewish darke mysteries in this cleare Sun-shine of the Gospell The weeke by this Doctrine should rather bee a mystery or shadow then the Sabbath for the Sabbath was but one day of the seaven as the first was or any other Indeed the Sabbath was the last of the seaven but what of that Saint Paul tearming the Sabbath a shadow joyneth it with the Holy-dayes and new Moones if now they will have the Sabbath be a shadow in regard it was the last of the weeke the New-moone maysome say was a shadow in regard it was the first of the Month and the holy-dayes in regard they fell at other times 3. If the number of seaven or last of seaven bee mysticall must it not bee so from the beginning And thus must the Sabbath bee a mystery or shadow from the first institution as all other shadowes were Secondly in respect of their strict rest but I know nothing of any moment God himselfe rested strictly for hee rested from all his works Gen. 2. 2. unlesse Gods example teacheth us to rest strictly it teacheth us nothing which they bring for proofe hereof and why of the strict rest and not of the whole Certainely wee shall rest wholly in Heaven And if the Sabbath was ceremoniall in respect of the strict rest then it seemeth hee that laboured all day or a good part thereof brake the morall part and so sinned Moreover the holy-dayes joyned with the Sabbath Col. 2. may seeme to want the ceremony seeing no such strict rest was in joyned in them as was shewed before Chap. 2. 3. in respect of the sacrifices offered therein Ans. First If sacrifices offered on such a day made the day a shadow then every day of the weeke was a shadow as well as the Sabbath for sacrifices were by the Law to bee offered every day Secondly Then shall wee have three Sacraments for the administration of the Lords supper is as well a part of sanctifying the Lords day as the offering of sacrifices was a part of sanctifying the Sabbath If then the sacrifices made the Sabbath a ceremony like to themselves the Lords supper maketh the Lords day a Sacrament like to it selfe also Thirdly If a ceremoniall duty enjoyned on the Sabbath made it partly ceremoniall a morall duty enjoyned on the holy-dayes made them partly morall And thus should the feast of Passeover bee partly morall as well as the Sabbath Answer I grant you that the Sabbath was a shadow or signification of the blessed rest to come and that not as it was a seaventh day * In respect of any mystery contained therein but as the seaventh day was a Sabbath But hence you would deduce a wrong conclusion that therefore it is as was the Iewish shadowes abrogative in the comming of Christ and that wee are not bound to darke mysteries say you in this cleare sun-shine Ans. Wee are not bound indeed to any mystery but to the duty contained in the number of seaven Yet to the signification of the Sabbath wee are bound which is not darke but cleare for so the Scripture hath made it to bee in the fourth Hebr. And although this Sabbath was shadowish yet was it neither of like nature with their other Sabbaths nor yet with other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it First I say it differed from other Sabbaths because it properly signified our rest in Heaven as wee see in the fourth Hebr. where it alone is mentioned and they properly our rest on earth by Christ and therefore were they so many and it but one and the same from the beginning to signifie that our rest here was to bee with manifold intermissions and in great variety Secondly I say it also differed from other things whose signification reached to Heaven as well as it For mostly they had a double signification the one proper and proximate as Iewish types signifying the rest and flourishing prosperity that the Church should have in the time of the Gospell the other Analogicall and remote intimating that in the end Heaven should bee the accomplishment of our Gospell graces and benefits like as in the mid way they were the accomplishment of their types and shadowes * For all the Iewish types being ordained for Christ must bee fulfilled in and by Christ in the time of grace which is his time of regiment by administring grace as now hee doth being our high Priest entered into the holy of holies with blood to make intercession for us and by compleating grace which hee shall doe hereafter when asking hee shall come in glory to set us at liberty from all our enemies in that great Iubilee when the day of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and then after that wee have done our part and Christ his wee shall a compleate Adam in soule and body and cloathed with perfect innocency enter into our Masters everlasting rest and joy But the Sabbath had precedency of these having for its signification properly and adequately one rest in Heaven and the other abrogative Sabbaths subservient to it for the abrogative part as appeares by the significant difference of rest that was imposed upon them in the wildernes as I have else where observed more at large it being Catholicall and the Churches inheritance beginning with it and ending with it and they being that Churches inheritance in like manner receiving their beginning and ending with it If it bee objected that the Sabbath is as much fulfilled on earth as many other Iewish types for many of them have not their perfect signification accomplished here but in Heaven as the Iewish circumcision shall not bee perfected till wee bee in the Kingdome of Heaven and our everlasting rest hath its inchoation here in the soules of Gods elect what difference then Ans. The difference consisteth in the immediate object which the types primarily and principally eyed For the Iewish types primarily eyed the happy estate of the Church on Earth under the time of the Gospell thereby to invite and bring their soules into a Gospell state by beleeving so that though they are perfectly fulfilled in Heaven yet they are properly fulfilled on earth and secondarily or remotely its perfection in Heaven For the time of the Gospell was as I may say properly their Heaven as it may appeare in that it is said the Prophets and righteous men have desired to see to wit looking through their types and shadowes the things that you see c. Matth. 13. 17 these being their primary and proper object and as may appeare in the second place by the faultines of their covenant Hebr. 8. 7. and the faultlesnes of the Gospell covenant But this type of the Sabbath contrarywise primarily and principally eyed the happy estate of the Church in Heaven Hebr.
to celebrate both the death and resurrection of Christ the one by the Sacrament and the other by the Sabbath as appeareth Acts 20. 7. And therefore Saint Paul when he speaketh of it still mentioneth it as a thing granted and not doubted of although the Ceremoniall or Iewish temporary Sabbaths as like wise the Ceremoniall meats were which maketh the Apostle so often and so largely handle that point Thus Eatonus pag. 69. Nullum praeceptum de ritu aliquo Iudaico abrogando à Domino nostro Apostolis Discipulis suis relictum legitur Nusquam dicitur Pascham non comedetis non circumcidemini similia Solum enim controversia in Ecclesiiis de illis orta est ex occasione ista Apostoliritus illos prohibuerunt iam autem cum in confessâ— est diem nostrum dominicum à nullo Christiano impugnatum fuisse non mirandum est si nullum de illo observando vel abrogando Sabbato Iudaico mandatum expressum reperimus Est tamen generale mandâ—tum de illo observando comprehensum in illo Apostoli Estote imitatores mei sieut ego sum Christi And thus much may serve for answer both to your opinion and reasons as also for the remainder of your Treatise excepting some short observations for what followeth hath been mostly spoken of before both by you and me Broad CHAP. III. The former Opinion confuted 1. CHrist did not command us to sanctifie the Lords-day Such as would have us beleeve that our Saviour Christ himselfe enjoyned the Lords-day goe about to prove it by his practice 1. Because he appeared to his Disciples on the first day as they were assembled together Iohn 20. Answ. This assembling was for feare of the Iewes and it was a very strange kinde of teaching them by his practice to observe the day not to come unto them till late in the Evening about halfe an houre before the end thereof for the night following belonged unto the second day other wise either that first day had two nights belonging to it or else I cannot see how Christ lay three dayes in his grave Answer Had this record of the Apostles being assembled and Christ appearing at this time been alone recorded there might have been some probable conjecture that it might be but accidentan although the Text is very exact and expressive concerning the time for having in the first verse of the 20. Iohn spoken of the first day of the weeke the 19. verse reduplicateth that with a significant explanation as if the Evangelist would be loth to be mistaken in that point of Time saying The same day then at night which was the first day of the weeke c. But being seconded with the like afterwards it argueth it to be ordered by God of a purposed providence especially if we take along the event and succeeding practice of the Apostles and Church ever after which to all sober minds putteth it past doubt And as touching that you say their meeting was for feare of the Iewes happily the privacy of it was so but why they should feare the Iewes more on that day then on any other I see no reason and therefore can it be no reason of their then assembling And now concerning Christs appearing to them at the Evening of the same day it is so farre from lessening the authority of this institution as that being compared with Gods institution of the first Sabbath which according to your own confession was about the end thereof it giveth much force thereto And although I meane to be briefe in what followeth yet I must needs by the way shew you M. Breerewoods refutation in this point by M r. Richard Byfeild pag. 211. Saith he there Concerning the authority that translated the Sabbath you say it is certaine that the translation thereof was actually and immediately prescribed by the Church deale ingenuously and shew me where if in Scripture then I answer that it was not immediately prescribed by the Church for the Apostles were not Authors of the institution but ministers of Christ and pen-men of the holy-â—host If in Ecclesiasticall writers I answer they all referre us to the Apostles and the Scriptures This opinion therefore is so farre from certaine that it is certainly false You say againe That certainly Christ never gave his Apostles particular charge of instituting a new Sabbath either while he conversed with them on earth or afterwards by Revelation How know you this The Apostles delivered many things that the Evangelists did not set downe not themselves expressely say that they received them from the Lords mouth That they concealed Christs command from the Church that is this particular expression in so many words that Christ commanded it this maketh to prove that it was given them in charge by Christ for else when the Apostles enjoyned it they would have said of that their injunction as of other things 1 Cor. 7. 6 12 25. We speake this by permission and not by Commandement We have no Commandement of the Lord but we speake our iudgement Herein speak we not the Lord. This institution then to use your owne language of a new day of solemnity instead of an old Sabbath was of the 〈◊〉 and necessity of the Apostles Commission not of the libeâ—ty The Apestles did nothing in ordering the Church but from and by Christ either by precept or example or divine inspiration And it is more then probable they had speciall warrant from Christ in expresse change when we compare together their precept and practice with these two Texts Matt. 28. 20 Acts 1. The first enjoyning the Apostles to teach what he commanded and to teach and baptize in which Ordinances teaching such things he would be with them to the worlds end â— The later declaring that Christ spake the things pertaining to the kingdome of God to his Disciples in these forty dayes before his ascension * Besides this in the 2. verse of 1 Acts it is said untill the day that hee was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given Commandements to the Apostles whom he had chosen For all that you say therefore it is certaine the Sabbath was translated by the same authority that first commanded it Broad 2. Because after eight dayes he came to them againe Iohn 20. 26. Ans. This were more strange for how can they prove that a weeke is meant thereby A weeke after is but seven dayes and should thy friend departing from thine house on Sunday at night promise to come again after eight dayes wouldst thou expect his coming upon that day seven-night either it was not a weeke or Saint Iohn dreamt not of such a collection for otherwise he would have said so plainly Matthew and Marke have the like phrase Matt. 17. 1. Mark 92 compared with Luk. 9. 28. and seeing by after six dayes they meane on the seventh it is some likelyhood that Iohn by after eight dayes may meane on the ninth this is more