so the second third fourth c. This is a meer mistake Answ For we deny that the first darkness Gen. 1. was the evening or night of the first day that darkness upon the face of the deep for ought appears to the contrary lasted not longer than a moment the night of the first day was that which followed the light after God had separated the light which he called day from the darkness which he called night to object the order of the words is vain Moses himself takes off that Objection by inverting that order in the following words for v. 4. he puts light before darkness and day before night The Ceremonial Sabbaths because honoured as Sabbaths were to begin at even as 't is said Obj. 2 Levit. 23.32 From even to even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath This law concerned only the day of atonement Answ which was an extraordinary Sabbath for rest and strictness being their yearly Fast wherein they were to afflict themselves by abstinence from i Joel 1.13 and 2.16 sleep as well as food and this is so far from proving that their weekly Sabbath began at even that to me it is a good Argument to prove the contrary for it looks like a particular exception from a general rule and to specifie the beginning of this extraordinary Sabbath at Even had been needless if their ordinary Sabbaths had begun at the same time Nehemiah caused Jerusalems gates to be shut before the Sabbath even while the declining Sun cast some obscurity on the city gates Obj. 3 Neh. 13. â—9 This was to prevent the profanation of the Sabbath the next day Answ and it were to be wished all Christian Magistrates would have the like care of the Lords day Besides 't is said he caused the gates to be shut when they began to be dark and yet saies the Text this was before the Sabbath which seems rather to intimate that in Nebemiahs time the Sabbath did not begin in the evening otherwise as Mr. C. notes he had done it not before but in the Sabbath The precious women having attended our Saviour to his Sepulchre returned and prepared spices and ointments Obj. 4 and rested the Sabbath according to the Commandment This as we said before was after the sun-set evening besides the holy Women did not forbear to anoint the body of Christ that evening because of the weekly Sabbath Answ but possibly because of the Jews passeover-Passeover-Sabbath John 19.31 or rather the Jews preparation to it of which we read John 19.42 We are sure Mark 16.2 they came not to anoint him till the morning of the resurrection-Resurrection-day and it may be they stayed so long in conscience of the Sabbath which was not ended till the morning after mid-night therefore 't is most likely our Lord had taught them that the Sabbath begins and ends in the morning if it had ended at Sun-set we may rationally think they had visited the Sepulchre before they slept that night and not have put it off till the next morning As for those multiplied Scriptures that call for evening-sacrifices Psal 92 1. Isai 30.29 they make as much for us as for him if not more Since as we count the after-evening from sun-set till mid-night a part of the Sabbath and spend it our waking houres at least in Sabbath-duties repetition meditation prayer and praise so we hold a preparation necessary the evening before Of which in the next Position POSITION VII The Lords Day must be kept holy to the Lord. THe very appellation of it together with the Observation of the Apostles and Primitive Christians is sufficient proof of this 'T is a pious and ponderous speech of a late worthy Writer Dr. Cheynels Treatise of the Blessed Trinity p. 402. The approved practise of the primitive Christians declares the doctrine of the Apostles and the doctrine of the Apostles shews what was the command of Christ the Lord of the Sabbath concerning the sanctification of the first day of the week which is therefore called the Lords day and the Christian Sabbath If it be the Lords day as we have proved then let it be consecrated to the Lord as holy and honourable Isai 58.13 even to that Lord whose name it bears to him I say who hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written Rev. 19.16 King of kings and Lord of Lords even the Lord of glory a Lord as far above the greatest lords on earth as they are above their meanest Subjects 'T is the Lords day and therefore the Lords due let us render to Christ the things that are Christs Why did the Lord make this day but that all his faithful subjects and servants should keep it and keep it holy to him that made it O let the law of the living God over-awe our Consciences which is still in force for a day of weekly worship at his appointment and such we have proved the Lords day to be More Arguments might be produced But those already urged are sufficient to secure this truth from the dread of that downfall threatned by the Adversary The Devil and his agents may puff at the Christian Sabbath but confident I am they shall as soon blow out the Sun with a pair of bellows as totally extinguish this Ordinance of Christ the chief ground of my confidence is the Word of God upon which it is founded and next to that the writings of the antients so many in several Countries and several ages bearing witness as one man to this Christian cause with whom although I would be loth to err in any thing yet do I the less mistrust my self to err while I keep them company and do with more confidence look an adversary in the face when my quiver is full of their Testimonies as a late Author speaks on another occasion To draw to a Conclusion from Doctrinal Positions about the Christian Sabbath we shall descend to some practical Directions I cannot stand to speak fully and largely to the duties of the day neither need I other Treatises have done it already as Mr. Sprints Mr. Shepheards Dr. Gouges but especially Mr. Philip Goodwins only for the help of those that want those excellent helps I shall hint a few things and commit all to the blessing of him whose day and honour I have argued and contended for Briefly the practice of the Christian-Sabbath stands chiefly in two things viz. In preparation to it and sanctification of it 1. There must be solemn and serious preparation the evening before to get our hearts into a Sabbath frame this the Lord calls for in the very front of the Commandement Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy remember it before it comes that you may keep it holy when it comes this word Remember should be as a bell to toll us in from our Shops and Farms to our Chambers and Closets there to commune with our own hearts to cast up our spiritual accounts to call over our
in force although the particular day in which the Jewes were appointed to fast is abolished viz. f Levit. 16.29 ch 23.27 29. See Dr Downam Christian Sanc. p. 8 9. the tenth day of the seventh moneth And why may not the duty of solemn resting as well as the duty of fasting stand in the fall of the day That which was circumstantial and shadowy is done away but that which was substantial and moral still remaineth And thus we have by Scripture-light found the old Sabbath as to the day alterable and changeable in the first institution of it and have added something by way of overplus for the actual change of the day I shall now conclude this first position with the accommodation of an Historical passage recorded by Ammianus Marcellinus concerning Julian the Apostate Ammian Marâ—â—l Hist lib. 23. it is to this purpose That he the said Julian out of enmity to the Christians projected the rearing up of the Jewish ceremonies that he might supplant the new religion by the old and to that intent he encouraged them to rebuild their Temple at Jerusalem and sent one Alypius into those parts furnished with treasure to forward the work Hocque modo elemento destinatius repellente cessavit inceptum but no sooner had the work-men attempted to lay the foundation then certain balls of fire bursting out from beneath dissolved their work and made them desist from their enterprise I shall personate none in the application of this only this I shall say in general that as the Jews Temple was destroyed on their g Dion fol. 748. Sabbath day so their Sabbath yea their whole Civil and Church-State was dissolved together with their Temple And this grounded confidence I have that whoever shall reare up that antiquated seventh day with a design to supplant the new Sabbath by the old he shall meet with such Sanctuary-fire such Scripture-light and evidence breaking out from under the foundation of the old day as shall either burn his fingers or which is all the hurt I wish him enlighten his conscience that he shall see his error and confesse as h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys quod Christus fit Deus he said of the Temple that no power or policy of man is able to raise what Christ hath razed POSITION II. That the old Sabbath as to the day was further manifested to be alterable in the second edition of the Sabbath I Am not ignorant that as the Sabbaths First Institution is much disputed so the Second Edition as to time and place may be much controverted also But taking it for granted as I do that the first institution lay neer the worlds foundation then the second Edition of it will be found in the wilderness of Sin at the falling of Mannah or upon mount Sinai at the giving of the Law Nehem. 9.13 And here we meet with a double argument to make it further evident that the old seventh day was alterable or liable to change 1. First Because it was never propounded as the substance of any moral Law 2. Secondly It seems to be pointed at as a sign under the ceremonial Law 1. First That the old seventh day from the Creation was never propounded as the substance of any moral law that is so as the day could not be changed but there must also of necessity be a change of the Law in the substantials of it For the clearing of which let it be premised that whereas the fourth Commandment is the only precept in the Decalogue which concerns the Sabbath First I do most freely grant that the fourth Commandment is a moral and perpetual precept yet not moral natural unless it be in the first clause concerning a day of rest in general but rather moral positive and in the substance of it perpetual I say in the substance of it because it is the judgment of some learned and godly that the whole Decalogue as well as the fourth Commandment was in some circumstances peculiar to the Jewes by reason of the time place and people to whom it was delivered But the substance of it is common to all like as almost all Scripture is for substance common and for circumstance proper and peculiar because much of it was written occasionally as Mr. Abbot observes Now that which is circumstantiall and occasional in a moral Law may be mutable and yet the substance of the Law be perpetual as the preface prefixed to the first Commandment and the promise annexed to the fifth being both circumstantially peculiar to the Jews were in that respect mutable yet the Commandments themselves remain immutable and belong to us as well as to them So in this fourth Commandment that which indirectly and occasionally respected the Jews might admit of a circumstantial alteration and yet the Commandment it self in all the substantials of it be as much in force to us as ever it was to them that is for such a numeral day though not the same individual day for one day in seven though not the old seventh which might be and for ought I can see to the contrary is changed upon a double account in respect of the promise upon which it was instituted as a ceremonial at least a temporary ordinance and in respect of the precept by which it was observed as an occasional circumstance In the substance of it And therefore we need not as some do make the Commandment partly moral and partly ceremonial but grant it wholly moral and hold the day mutable as indirectly and occasionally pointed at as the Land of Canaan was in the fifth commandment And thus the change of the day is no prejudice at all to the morality of the Commandment as not being of the substance of it Indeed to have altered the number from one day of seven to one day of ten or from one of seven to two of seven ordinarily had been to wound the precept in the substantials of it and in plain terms to blot out one of Gods ten Commandments not so to alter the day from one seventh to another seventh which was but a circumstantial variation To those that affirm the fourth Commandment to be temporary in reference to the proportion of one day in seven because in that point we grant it positive I have only this to say that we judg it not to be meerly positive but moral positive and so perpetual as the event hath proved it For although the particular day were changed by the refurrection of Christ yet the proportion of one day in seven has been still preserved inviolable by the practise of the Apostles and Churches ever since And as one well observes no other solid reason can be rendred why the Apostles and primitive Churches should weekly celebrate the day of Christs resurrection if it had not been in reference to the fourth Commandment had not their consciences been under the binding power of this precept why might they not have done by
never vouchsafed to honour the Saturday Sabbath with this Evangelical title But of that in convenient time and place we are now discussing Mark 2. where Christ while the old seventh day was in force professes himself Lord of it which plainly intimated his Lordship Dominion and soveraignty over it that he had authority to displace it and dispose of it as himself thought good the Coherence carries it clearly this way The disciples through the Pharisaical carping and misprision of their adversaries were condemned for Sabbath-breaking because they had pluck'd a few eares of corne and dressed them for their dinner on the Sabbath day which was a work of mercy and pure necessity hunger and emptiness constraining them to it and so no breach of the Sabbath Hospin de orig Fest cap. de Sab. But the malicious Pharisees whose traditions had taught them that to crop an herb to pill an onyon to rost an apple to kill a flea Metens vel tantillum reus est vellere spicas est species Messionis Maim Ichabb vide Lightf Horae Hebraic in Math. 12. much more to pluck ears of corn and rub them in their hand which they look'd upon as a kind of reaping threshing were unlawfull and sinful actions on the Sabbath day presently take occasion to condemn the disciples for Sabbath-violation Well our Saviour justifies his disciples and wipes off the charge of their accusers by this argument ver 27. The Sabbath was made for man that is miserable fallen man not man for the Sabbath Therefore the Son of man the Messiah is also Lord of the Sabbath day as if he had said Cùm post lapsum institutum fuit Sabbaturn lege conditione quae Christum jam promissum hominisque lapsum respexerit non potuit Sabbatum non sub potestate domini filii hominis id est seminis promiss◠subjici ab co ordinandum disponendum prout ip si visum ac provisum fuerit Idm. Ibid. 't is your error to think that all workes of mercy and necessity are unlawfull on the Sabbath day for the Sabbath was made and instituted at first for man subject to necessity and misery namely by such a law as related to the fall of man and the promise of the Messiah therefore the Son of man is also Lord of the Sabbath day That is it falls under my dominion and disposal as the Son of man The phrase is observable he sayes not The Son of David but The Son of man the Mediator pointed out in the promise made to Adam the first man even he is Lord of the Sabbath day or has dominion over it being at first the foundation of it This is the most probable interpretation if we take the Son of man here for Christ But very many Learned Writers take it for man or mankind in general as it is sometimes used Filliue hominis i.e. homo Zanch in praec 4. Psal 8.5 Isai 65.2 And then the meaning may be this that in case of urgent and pungent necessity as extreme hunger perill of life health or the like every or any son of man is Lord of the Sabbath day having liberty to dress or prepare food to take physick to refresh and repaire nature Filliue hominis tam de Christo quà m de quovis Christiuno homine intelligi potest Gualter in Loc. item Ravanel in verb. dominus necessity as we use to say knowes no law that is no positive Law provided it be not a necessity contracted by idleness or improvidence This is the exposition of some very learned and godly and it seemes to suit well with the case of the disciples as also the context v. 27. The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Therefore viz. in case of pure necessity the Son of man or mankind is Lord of the Sabbath day Take it in which sense we will it makes nothing for the Saturday Sabbath The objectors notion is altogether incoherent both with the sense of the Text and scope of the context but to proceed Touching that Text Math. 24.20 Ans 3 Pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day I have two things to answer 1. By way of supposition supposing it were meant of the Jewes Sabbath it would signifie no more but this that it would be superstitiously kept among the unbeleeving Jewes forty yeares after our Saviours death as it is to this day and therefore pray that your flight may not be either in the winter when it will be doleful dirty or on the Sabbath when it will be dangerous travelling through the coasts of Judea and bring you into peril of persecution by your own countrey-men which was one of Pauls perils 2 Cor. 11.26 For although by that time the disciples were sufficiently instructed in their Christian liberty that their flight was as lawfull on that day as another and therefore they could not flye with scruple of conscience yet the superstitious Jewes to whom such flight might be offensive in all reason would Shimei-like barke at such harmless passengers if not bite and snap them And whereas it is objected T.T. p. 78. That it cannot be rationally conceived that the Jewes instead of securing themselves should trifle away their time in persecuting the Christians This objection is answered by himself in the very next words almost For sayes he the Jewes were so superstitious that they durst not fight for their life Then I may well inferre that t is most likely they were also so zealous that they would persecute any who should flye for their life if they themselves would rather dye then flye or fight for their lives as he suggests much more would they hinder the flight of others So that if the old Sabbath were intended by our Saviour it was rather with a note of dislike then approbation as foreseeing that through the superstition of the Jewes it would be an occasion of persecution to his servants as it had often been to himself Supposing I say for I grant it not that the Jewes Sabbath was here meant it must be construed in such a sense namely that they are counselled to deprecate their flight on that day for the better avoiding of bodily calamities for in reference to that day we cannot so much as suppose any soule distress incident to the disciples by reason of such flight we cannot conceive how they should be straightned in conscience out of any religious respect to that day at the siege or sacking of Jerusalem since the adversary himself confesses That all ceremonies were then abolished by Apostolical proclamation For which he cites Colos 2.16 17. Which Text does irrefragably prove the repeale of the old Sabbath as was said before And thus he is caught in his own trap But 2. By way of affirmation I assert That these words of our blessed Saviour pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath are to be understood of our Christian Sabbath
souls but I shall indeavour to undeceive him and others by sundry answers to his specious Argument The proposition upon which he argues that we must follow Paul as he followed Christ is true in a Scripture sense Ans 1 but his exposition and application of it is false for if he take Pauls following of Christ materially for his doing the same things that Christ did as it seems he does and then argue universally from it as he must if he will make any thing of it his conclusion will contradict himself for he has granted some exempt cases wherein Pauls practice does not bind us and yet his practice therein was materially the same with Christs and I will give him some instances to put it out of question that in some cases Paul did what Christ did and yet we are not bound to do as Paul did Luke 2.42 John 2.13 ch 5.1 ch 7.10 For example our Saviour Christ used at the solemn festivals of the Jewes to go up to Jerusalem as at the feast of Passeover Pentecost and the rest and Paul did the like He hasted to be at Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost Acts 18.21 ch 20.16 and I must by all means saies he keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem So that if to practice the same things in any kind that Christ did be to follow Christ herein Paul was a follower of Christ yet I hope it followes not that herein we must be followers of Paul unless he would have us all turn Jewes The like I may say concerning the Jewes Sabbath if he object against the parallel and say it will not hold because those other Festivals are repealed but so is not the seventh day I reply let him shew me a repeal for the one and I suppose I can shew him as good a repeal for the other His grand objection is That the seventh day was never expresly repealed I answer no more was Pentecost Where does the Holy Ghost say in expresse termes Pentecost is abrogated if he say it is included among the rest of those holidayes Gal. 4. Colos 2. I will ask him how can he tell that as long as it is not expresly named If he say it is implyed I answer so is the seventh day and then we are agreed Nothing can be objected against this answer for the instance I have given is plain and pertinent And although I am fully convinced that Pentecost is abrogated as well as the Saturday Sabbath and that as well as this yet I am perswaded if a man listed to be contentious he might make as much ado about the Feast of Pentecost and have as much to say for it from the practice of the Apostle as can be said for the Saturday Sabbath yea more for whoever heard St. Paul say of the Sabbath as he sayes of Pentecost I must needs keep the Feast If he had said as much of the seventh day I should have thought he had made conscience of keeping it which doubtless he did not or he would never have omitted it at Troas as it seems he did Acts 20.7 where he tarried seven dayes and not a syllable of keeping the seventh day but the first day of the week But sayes the Objector it was Christs custome to celebrate the seventh day Sabbath and so it was Pauls Christ as his custome was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day Luke 4.16 And Paul as his manner was did the same thing Christs custom herein was the very same with Pauls Answer T is not said that Paul observed their Sabbaths but he went into their Synagogues and reasoned with them three Sabbaths If we should grant him his Argument he would get nothing by it For it makes as much for the Jewes Synagogues as the Jewes Sabbath And what would follow from hence Suppose there were a Synagogue of the Jewes in Colchester as there is at Amsterdam will he say that Christians are bound in conscience to frequent it because Christ as his custome and Paul as his manner was frequented their Synagogues If Paul did it from a principle of conscience or obedience to the Law as Christ did I see not how he can avoid it but if Paul did it only in a way of Christian prudence to win the Jewes he has lost his Argument for the like I say of the Sabbath Whereas he further dictates Ans 2 That it was both Christs and Pauls constant custom to observe the seventh day I answer if by constant he mean continual I deny both for however our blessed Saviour during his state of humiliation observed that day while he lived yet he never owned it after his resurrection from the dead no not once that we can find during all those forty dayes between his Resurrection and Ascention which made up almost six weeks In which space he often appeared to his disciples on the first day of the week instructing them in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God But not once did he shew his blessed face or ever open his mouth all that while on the seventh day that we read of which doubtless he would have done and we should have heard of it had it bin his pleasure to have the Sabbath continued on that day after his resurrection as it was before And as for St. Paul whatever his custom was among the Jewes t is certain that among the Christian Gentiles separated from the Jewes he kept the first day of the week Acts 20. and taught others to keep it 1 Cor. 16.1 2. But not a word of keeping the seventh day in all his Epistles T is as falsly as boldly asserted Ans 3 That Paul did constantly observe the seventh day both among Jewes and Gentiles The places alledged prove no such thing t is said indeed Acts 13.42 that the Gentiles besought Paul to preach the next Sabbath day when almost the whole City came together to hear the word of God and Acts 18.4 He reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath and perswaded the Jewes and the Greeks But what Gentiles were these Not Gentile-Churches distinguished from the Jewes but either Jewish proselytes Acts 13.43 Or Pagan Gentiles mingled among the Jewes and admitting some Christian converts among them yet still they were such as had no Church-assemblies by themselves but frequented the Synagogue-assemblies where the Jewes observed no other Sabbath but the seventh day Acts 13. ch 17. ch 18. And therefore as long as the Jewes were tractable Paul and others frequented their Synagogues on their Sabbaths not out of any religious respect on his part at least to the Jewes Sabbath but meerly for the opportunity of their assemblies upon which account he also went up to Jerusalem at their other Festivals as t is said ch 18. He hasted to be at Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost What meant Pauls hasting thither sayes Chrysostome Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 43. in Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem it was not for the Feasts sake
Zech. 4.7 Temple was finished the head-stone was brought forth with shouting crying grace grace thereunto So here when the work of our redemption should be finished and Christ exalted as head and corner-stone of his Church by his triumphant Resurrection the Holy Ghost intimates the solemn gratulation and publick praise that the Church should offer on that day So we are to understand the next words were as c Isal 56.7 Mal. 1.11 usually New Testament-worship is set forth in an old Testament-dress v. 27. God is the Lord which hath she wed us light light indeed when the Sun of righteousness arises he has made it a day of light and gladness to poor self-condemned sinners therefore bind ye the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar That is offer to the Lord the sacrifice of publick praise and thanksgiving verse 29. Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good his mercy endureth for ever So that t is evident a day of solemn worship is here intended and Christs resurrection day is principally pointed at as a day which the Lord would institute and a day which the Church should celebrate Saying This is the day which the Lord hath made let us be gland and rejoyce therein What a plain Scripture-proof is this of Divine authority of the Lords day So plain that the adversary is forced to grant it page 61. It must needs be meant of Christs resurrection-day saies he and when he wrote his first book he excited Christians to the weekly celebration of it Whereas in a late railing pamphlet since he seekes to smother the light and evidence of this Text by a silly evasion that the Psalmist speaks not of every first day of the week but Easter-day as may be conjectured But I shall easily shake off this slight exception Away with conjectures let us search the Scriptures what day does the Holy Ghost in Scripture call Christs resurrection-day Ask Matthew Mark Luke and John they 'l tell you Math. 28.1 Mark 6.2 Luke 24.1 John 20.1 19. t is the first day of the week the day of the year is never mentioned nor the day of the month on which Christ arose but the day of the week only to teach us doubtless that Christs resurrection-day must be no yearly or monthly but a weekly solemnity Good reason that the work of Redemption should have as frequent a commemoration as the work of Creation had Now ponder this good Reader and the Lord print it upon thy heart the day of the Saviours Resurrection prophetically extolled in the old Testament as the day which the Lord hath made is historically noted down in the New Testament as the first day of the week and now we shall draw an argument which I hope will be an arrow of conviction to the contrary-minded the rather because it comes out of Gods own quiver thus the day of Christs resurrection is the day which he Lord hath made for duties of solemn worship but the first day of the week is the day of Christs Resurrection therefore the first day of the week is the day which the Lord hath made for duties of solemn worship The proposition is warranted by the Testimony of the Psalmist the assumption is confirmed by the harmony of all the four Evangelists the conclusion therefore will stand as long as the world stands namely that the first day of the week is a day of divine institution mark'd out by the finger of God the spirit of Christ for a day of solemn weekly worship under the Gospel For as I hinted before the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy * Acts 1.16 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 1.11 and ch 3.19 Rom. 15.4 It was by the spirit of our great Prophet that all the Prophets of old did speak Like stars they all borrowed their light from this Sun they were irradiated and inspired by Christ and when a holy Prophet foretels such a thing shall be we may as confidently build upon it as if Christ himself had said I will have it so For indeed it is the voice of Christ that speaks in the old Testament as well as in the new And possibly this may be one reason why the Lord Christ has spoken so little in the Gospel concerning some new Testament-ordinances as the Lords day for one namely because the Prophets had spoken so much before and Christ would not take off his people from the study of the old Testament upon which the authority of the new does so much depend Me thinks as to the controversie of the Christian Sabbath this should abundantly satisfie any sober Christian that the day of Christs resurrection was prophesied of by David and others as a day which the Lord would make and institute and accordingly practised by the inspired Apostles upon the first day of the week and this practice perpetuated by the Church of Christ the Catholick Church in all ages since for above sixteen hundred years What can be objected with any colour of reason against so clear a truth Christ hath not left one syllable for the institution or celebration of this day T.T. p. 120. Answ Not one syllable Why did he not grant before that Psalm 118. compared with Acts 4. Must needs be meant of the resurrection-resurrection-day and does not the spirit speak expresly Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience argues for the Christian Sabbath from this text Cyprian Austin and Ambrose and all the ancients who have ever cited or saluted this place Psalm 118. do expound it and understand it of the Lords day See Mr. L. strange This is the day which the Lord hath made Is it a day of the Lords making and will he make nothing of that What else can be made of it but a prediction of a Divine institution which is equivalent to a precept especially when expounded by Apostolical practice as this has been Let it be seriously considered in what other sense can a day made long before in respect of Creation be stiled the day which the Lord hath made than in respect to a divine institution An institution then it is and the occasion of it Christs resurrection which was the concluding act of our Redemption and what an impression of glory does this stamp upon the day above all the dayes that God ever made the seventh day and all As some * years are crowned with Gods goodness above others so dayes also The work crownes the day as I have often said and the greater the work the greater the day now that work in which God is most glorified in all his attributes must needs be the greatest work such is the work of Redemption Quasi hactenus nullus fuerit in orbe dies Mollerus in Loc. therefore the day set apart in commemoration of it must wear away the crown from all other dayes Such is Christs resurrection-day therefore Emphatically stiled The day which the Lord hath made as if there had never been
this last book of the Bible to the praise of him who is our Alpha and Omega the very name speaks Christ the Author of it if not his Resurrection whereby he was declared both Lord and Christ the occasion of it The antients had it in singular esteem for the very name sake 't is an elegant and pious poem which I find written upon it by Sedlius an antient Christian Poet who was but a few years * Vid. Sixti Senesis Biblioth sanct p. 308. Jerome's Junior Caeperat intereà post tristia Sabbata felix Irradiare dies Libr. 5. Carm. Culmen qui nominis alti A domino dominante trahit primusque videri Promeruit nasci mundum atque resurgere Christum In English thus After sad Sabbaths th' happy day'gan dawn Whose lofty name from Lord of Lords is drawn A blessed day that first was grac'd to see Christs Rising and the worlds Nativity But we have more antient Records than this appropriating the title of Lords day to our Christian Sabbath Omnes ferè sacrae Scripturae interp etes tam veteres quam Recentiores de primo dïe hebdomadis intelligunt Wallaeus dissert de 4. prae cap. 6. p 150. Ignatius who lived in St. Johns time makes it a weekly holy day of the Christians observed in the room of the Jewes Sabbath So Tertullian Atharasius Hierom Austin who not By this title we may trace it down from the Apostles times through the Ocean of the Fathers Councills Schoolmen to this present age wherein we live And to come to Scripture there seemes to be much in that which Beza observes out of an antient Greek manu-script wherein that first day of the week 1 Cor. 16.2 is expresly called the Lords day and the Syriack translation tells us * Institut Theol loc 48. de cana Dom. that the Christians meeting together to receive the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 was upon the Lords day And Bucanus saith this Sacrament is called the Lords Supper as in respect of the institutor and the end of it I had rather interpret the Lords day by the Lords Supper than as Bucan does the Lords Supper by the Lords day so also in respect of the day on which it was wont to be administ viz. The Lords day citeing that Text Acts 20.7 and hence also the antients stiled it Dies panis the day of bread because the Churches of Christ ever used to break bread on this day But to end all disputes if Scripture may be safely interpreted by Scripture and dark places by plain ones then let us expound the Lords day Rev. 1.10 by the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 Here let the reader take notice that the blessed Spirit of God who had his choice of words and never spake any thing but upon admirable reason never vouchsafed this title of honour in the new Testament but only to the Supper and the day the Lords Supper and the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 1.10 Neither can any third Text be produced where this Epithet is applyed to any thing else Now the phrase being the same and thus singular the sense must needs be the same Look therefore in what notion the Supper is the Lords Supper in the same sense is the day stiled the Lords day The supper is the Lords because the Lord Christ instituted it yea and substituted it in the room of the Passeover and why not the day His * So Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience because he instituted and substituted it in the room of the old Sabbath T is evidently a day of Christs institution a day of the Lords own making and with reference to his Resurrection he made it such a day of the week not such a day of the year as we proved before in a word let any other day be set up in constitution with the first day of the week for the title of Lords day and we shall easily non-suit it Our Saviours birth-day bids fair for it Obj. 1 T.T. Answ Then it must be a day of divine institution which I hope he will not say But I answer further if the day of Christs nativity or any other day besides the first day of the week had been devoted to Christ and intended by John in this place he had spoken very obscurely to say I was in the spirit on the Lords day he would rather have said I was in the spirit on one of the Lords dayes Annot. ad loc But to put this fancy to flight observe the day here dignified with this magnificet title must needs be some noted day the circumstances of time place and person are set down as Beza observes the better to conciliate credit to the truth of these heavenly visions therefore all but that of the place have an eminent badge of cognizance upon them John was a known person and the Lords day with an emphatical Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a well-known day doubtless he that relates to others such a thing done such a day presupposes the day sufficiently and certainly known for a doubtfull circumstance darkens a story and drawes a curtain in stead of opening a casement to give light to the matter now let us put it to the question what day was more eminently and unquestionably known in all the Churches of Christ than the first day of the week Which the Secretaries of Christ all the four Evangelists had so exactly noted and the Psalmist so prophetically extolled as a day of the Lords making St. John could not but know that these seven Churches knew the first day of the week to be Christs Resurrection-day and neither he nor they could be ignorant that Christs Resurrection-day was the day which the Lord had made and what 's that but the Lords day As for our Saviours Birth-day although it were a day of wonderful mercy yet it is left in great obscurity not one of the Evangelists marking it out by name neither can it be so clearly resolved either what day of the * Unless the adversary will grant Mr. A. that it was the first day of the week week or what day of the month or what month of the year nor hardly what year of the world our Saviour was born in but it may be matter of controversie See divers disputes about it in Dr. Willets Hexapl. on Dan. chapter 11. If John intends any single day t is most likely to be the seventh day which was antiently stiled the Lords holy day Obj. 2 Isai 57.6 and is declared by Christ to be his day Mark 2. last and no other day throughout the Gospel does he declare to be his This he and Mr. Braburn in contradiction to the whole Christian world would fain perswade us that the Lords day which St. John speaks was the old Sabbath But He may as well say that the Lords Supper which St. Paul speakes of was the old Passeover Ans
too dark to ground an institution upon We must have a Law written in God's book And there is no other that I know of but Gen. 2.3 which if I grant the Adversary to be a command for some do stiffly deny it yet I must be bold to tell him it is but a consequential command For although it be said God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it yet it is not said Let man sanctifie it Here is included God's example but no express command And if the New Testament do not afford us as much warrant for the Lord's day as this amounts to I will yield the Cause But of that hereafter Let the Reader onely take notice by the way how mortally T. T. hath wounded his own cause Pa. 36. by exclaiming so bitterly against Consequences He calls it Philosophie and the deceit of men to establish Ordinances by Consequences Why let me ask him Was the Patriarchal Sabbath for above two thousand years together an Ordinance of God for my part I never doubted of it But he can never make it good without a Consequence he must make a new Bible first for express command there is none onely God's example which without a precept is not alwayes binding And so to use his own words the Lord hath disappointed the devices of the crafty and snared him in his own wisdom he digged a pit for the Lord's day and his Saturdays Sabbath is fallen into it help it out how he can For his life he can find no more in Gen. 2. then an implicit command for that old seventh day And now the next question will be Whether it be a temporary or a perpetual precept If perpetual it must be moral But that it cannot be by his own rule for he has fairly granted That a Moral Law is not meerly good because commanded but therefore commanded because it is good understand it of a Moral natural Law Now I beseech you Sir what natural goodness was there in the seventh day more then in the sixth or fifth Is one day in it self any better then another as to God And as to man if any day had been naturally or morally good above the rest Gen. 1.28 Psal 8.56 in all reason it had been the sixth day on which God made man crowned him with his blessings and gave him dominion over his creatures or the first day in which he made the heavens the Angels and the elements Therefore his threefold mystery to the seventh-days morality is but a threefold miserable mistake to make the best of it 1. That it was written in innocent Adam's heart for which he cites Rom. 2. where there is not a word of any such thing â— 10.11 2. That it was afterwards written in Tables of stone for which he quotes Gal. 3.19 as little to his purpose as the other 3. That it is also written in the fleshly tables of renewed hearts which the experience of almost all renewed hearts in heaven and earth does contradict For to speak in the language of Eliphas Job 5.1 S. Paul Col. 2.16 17. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn either Scripture-Saints Cyprian cp ad Fidum 59. Chryso Tom de Res. or Church Saints Ask S. Paul S. Cyprian S. Chrysostom S. Augustine and they will tell you that your antiquated Sabbath was so far from being written in their hearts that they have written against it with their pens August de lit Spir. c. 14. Turn over the works of the eminent Fathers whose books neither you nor I are worthy to bear and their writings are so voluminous that we are not able to bear them Mr. Cawdrey Mr. Palmer Mr. Sheph. Mr. Byfield Mr. White of Dorch and the whole Assembly of Divines Confe of faith Chap. 21. Add to these the most judicious pious and zealous Ministers and Martyrs of Christ who have lived and died within the compass of these sixteen hundred years and most if not all of them will tell you That they never owned your Saturday-Sabbath they lived without it dyed without it and are I doubt not gone to their everlasting rest in heaven without it Besides how many faithful witnesses of late years has the Lord raised up to bear testimony against it of whom I suppose the greatest part are yet alive though some are fallen asleep In a word God has promised to write his laws in the hearts of all his people Jer. 31.33 Hebr. 8.10 Char. 16. But not one of ten thousand has the Saturday-Sabbath written in his heart therefore it is now none of Gods laws how many precious gracious and pious Christians are yet upon earth men and women redeemed from the earth and crucified to the world of whom the world is not worthy who look upon your Sabbath as a cypher can freely labour and travel upon it buy and sell upon it and that after accurate inquiries about it and to this day their consciences never reproched them their hearts never smote them for it what will you say all these are Hypocrites unrenewed unsanctified ones This were to condemn the generation of Gods Children and Canonize your self with your few misled associates for the only Saints in Christendome which I would hope you dare not do though I know you dare as much as another Well the adversary is brought to this Dilemma Either God has no people in the world but such as are of his perswasion or his moral and immutable Laws are not written in their hearts or the Saturday-Sabbath is none of those Lawes The last is the likeliest in the judgment of any indifferent Reader let his cause be tryed where he pleases either at Natures tribunal or the throne of Grace in the hearts of believers and he will be cast at both Nature is both blind and dumb in the business and if he plead the law of Grace which is rectifyed and refined nature the whole Christian world will give in evidence against him A Sabbath a day of holy rest indeed it will own and one day of seven in proportion but the particularity of the day the seventh from the Creation it utterly disclaims And where he will find advocates for it but either among the unbelieving Jews or a few misbelieving Christians Judaizing I know not Therefore surely it is no ingredient of Gods moral and immutable Lawes The conclusion then is that it was but a temporary precept by which it was established which some call ceremonial others had rather term it positive but none perpetual unless such as are more apt to say anything then able to prove it when then have said it We deny not the fourth Commandement to be a perpetual precept but we are now speaking of Gen. 2. which at most is but a positive Law and positive precepts are alterable at the law-givers pleasure yea though they were given in Paradise as the precept concerning the forbidden fruit though it
among Christians redeemed from the earth Obj 2 T.T. p. 61 62. To this I may easily answer without any great study Answ that the constant celebration of two dayes in a week is more then the Law requires or the Gospel allowes More then the law requires for that calls but for one day in seven Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy not Sabbath-dayes Exod. 20 8. Again six dayes shalt thou labour not five dayes Chrysostomes descant upon it is very pithy Tom. 5. p. 5 23. The week contains seven dayes sayes he Now see how the Lord hath distributed these dayes he hath not taken the greatest part to himself and left us the least neither has he taken half and left half requiring three for himself and leaving us but three no the Lord is more liberal he hath given thee six and taken but one for himself So he And indeed the Law saith the same I know it is disputed whether these words six dayes thou shalt labour be preceptive or permissive only but to me it is past dispute that they carry a preceptive force for the injunction of working six dayes is delivered in the same commanding terms v. 9. with the inhibition of work on the seventh day v. 10. T. T s gloss therefore falls to the ground Exod. 20.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 10.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Six dayes shalt thou labour that is God gives thee leave sayes he as if it were but a bare permission Or six dayes thou wilt labour pointing out the creatures earthly inclination as if there were a prediction in the words But let me advise him in the fear of God to read over the Commandement once more not as he would have it but as it is in the Original since he professes skill in the language of Canaan and then I shall ask him whether those words verse 10. On the seventh day thou shalt do no worke be not imperative If so why not also these Six dayes shalt thou labour since the forme of speech is one and the same It nothing helpes him that the word is otherwise translated Exod. 31.15 six dayes may worke be done for whatever the translation be the tense is the same and it may as well be rendred shall as may And so learned Ainsworth reades it And thus his Critical flourish proves but an empty flash For my part I look upon these words Six dayes shalt thou labour as having the force and vertue of a precept and command in them not directly injoyning us to labour upon any day for that belongs rather to the 8th Commandment but injoyning us such a proportion of time Eph. 4.28 Among the Jewes when holy dayes were so frequent there was never any weekly holy day ordained to go cheeke by jole with the Sabbath But their holy dayes were either monethly or yearly Mr. George Abbot p 118. Periculum mortis tollit Sabbathum necessitas non habet ferias six dayes together within the compass of which our labours must be confined 'T is as if the Lord had said Thou shalt not ordinarily labour more nor less then six dayes together nor rest more or less then one in seven ordinarily That God was pleased to appoint the Jews a greater number of holy dayes as Passeover Pentecost c. and so a lesser number of working-dayes was only in extraordinary cases as our fasting-dayes and thanksgiving-dayes are The fourth Commandment was to be the standing rule only for ordinary time both of weekly work and weekly rest And as those words on the seventh day thou shalt doe no work hinder not but souldiers in time of war may fight a battel and Citizens in case of fire breaking out may quench the flames upon the Sabbath day It was never the Apostles meaning nor in their power when God by a perpetual Law had given us six dayes for labour and destined a seventh for rest to turn it into five dayes labour and two dayes rest Idem ibid. the precept interdicting only the servile works of our ordinary callings In like manner these words six dayes shalt thou labour hinder not but in case of extraordinary judgements or unusual mercies we may set apart dayes of prayer and of praise but ordinarily and weekly to keep two dayes of rest and leave but five dayes for labour is utterly inconsistent with the fourth Commandment And here a word with our new Sabbath-keepers at Colchester you are erroneously taught to think you are bound in conscience to rest from labour two dayes every week else you are woful earth-wormes miserable worldlings dunghill drudges and what not Now I beseech you bring conscience to the rule hath not God said six dayes shalt thou labour and will you listen to man contradicting God and telling you nay thou shalt labour but five dayes only What Antichristian usurpation and Tyrannical imposing upon mens consciences is this to tell them in Print as T.T. does It is not one day in seven will serve your turn when the books shall be opened Why p 3. Why what are those books Shall not the book of the law be one of them And what is written there How readest thou Is it not plain six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work Blot this clause out of Gods book Deut. 12.32 or alter the figure and write five instead of six And be sure God will blot out thy name out of the book of life Consider this you that suffer your consciences to be mancipated and enslaved to the dictates of Man Either you must make the week longer by a day or confess in limiting conscience to five dayes only for labour you break the Law under a pretence of keeping it yea you totally make void the Commandment of the living God in subverting the equity of it this is one thing The letter of the Law will bear but one day in seven for holy rest yea the liberty of the Gospel will allow no more ordinarily Rom. 3.21 For do we by faith make void the law God forbid Nay rather we establish the law Yet if we allow but five dayes in the week for labour we must unavoidably make void the law in this particular And besides the observation of dayes legal dayes is disputed against by the great Apostle as contrary to Christian liberty It is but a poor evasion to say Col. 2.16 Gal. 4. â—0 compared with Gal. 5.1 The Apostle speaks only of festival dayes Passeover Pentecost and the like for if these were inconsistent with Gospel-liberty as the adversary grants how much more two dayes every week which amount to more at the years end then all those Jewish festivals twice told The Church in the Apostles time had no other holy day besides the Lords day And the fourth Commandment enjoyns the labour of six dayes Mr. Perkins in Galat. Let him therefore sadly consider the dangerous consequences of his errour forcing him at once both
for that which nature informed by a written word judges most agreeable to moral and religious equity so we may grant it we also affirme that a seventh part of time must be perpetually devoted to God from week to week that is one part of seven Neither did this proportion receive any interruption by the change of the day for the Jewes Sabbath being in use while Christ lay in the grave was the seventh part of time for the week going before the resurrection and the Lords day was the seventh part of time for the weeke following the resurrection what inconvenience in all this Answ 2 If by the seventh part of time simply considered he will needs understend the last of seven in order he must first convince us that this is the morality of the Commandment which if by working miracles in Logick and Divinity he can do yet it will at no hand follow that the altering or adjourning of this proportion from the last to the first day of the week was any violation of the precepts morality In this case as one sayes alteration is no dissolution no more then to adjourn the Parliament to another time is to dissolve the Parliament Besides an extraordinary case can be no violation of an ordinary rule As the Suns standing still in Joshuahs and going back in Hezekiahs time which did undoubtedly alter the setled course of time for man had more then six parts and God had less then simply a seventh part of time for those two weeks yet being extroardinary cases they were no infringment of that ordinary standing rule for a seventh part of time from week to week So here supposing some variation in the ordinary course of time at the first change of the day yet being by a person extraordinary the Lord of glory who made the law and is above the law as also upon an occasion extraordinary his resurrection from the dead who would dare to say as this objectour does that the morality of the law was hereby destroyed Whereas he further suggests That if the Sabbath were translated to the eighth or first day Answ 3 This was T. Brabourns Objection p. 178. then seven dayes must pass without any one Sabbath it is already answered there is not the least necessity of that for as the Paschal supper was in use till the Gospel-supper was instituted so was the old Sabbath till the Lords days was consecrated by the Lords resurrection Hence the holy women are commended for keeping it Luk. 23.56 they were as one sayes commended for keeping the Jews Sabbath before Christs resurrection Note that but never were any commended for keeping it after his resurrection Hitherto therefore it appears what feeble unjoynted unsinnewed shadows of arguments this Author pleases himself and perverts the simple withall Neither Is there any strength in that which comes up in the rear Answ 4 that whoever should keep the old seventh day and the first day of the week at the change of the day he must keep two Sabbaths within the circuit of seven dayes What then as long as these two Sabbaths fell in two several weeks this brake no squares in the morality of the law for the Commandment is only for one day of seven in the circle of every week Levir 23.15 Deut. 16.9 Luk. 18.12 Hence the Sabbath being the boundary of weekly time is sometimes termed week intimating that as it was ever a seventh day Sabbath so also a weekly Sabbath one day in a week and but one in a week ordinarily And this rule was exactly kept in the change of the day for as there were two Sabbaths so two distinct weeks in which the forementioned proportion of six dayes for work and one for rest was punctually observed In a word the supposed disorder objected against the change of the day is but a dart flung against heaven a cavil raised against Christ and his blessed Apostles who were well enough able to answer it and so are we also building upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 and Jesus Christ the chief corner-stone who when he was made the head of the corner did crown the Resurrection-day above all other dayes intimating as much by an illustrious Prophet Psalm 118.24 and expounding it by his inspired Apostles both in their doctrine Acts 4.11 and their practise Acts 20.7 so that the Lords day having Christ himself for its corner-stone Prophets and Apostles for its foundation we may look upon all objections of this nature as groundless and graceless cavillations which like proud waves dashing against the rock dissipate themselves with their own fury Mark 2.28 Sure we are that the Lord Jesus being Lord of the Sabbath had power to change it and in the change it was fit the Sabbath should waite upon him who was Lord of it not he upon it And if the order or constituted course of time received some small interruption for once by the change of the day yet it was no more then what had happened twice before viz. upon the standing still and going back of the Sun Joshu 10.13 Isai 38.8 far less events then the glorious shining forth of the Sun of righteousness after a three dayes eclipse in the chambers of death He has but one discharge more against the truth and then all his powder is spent to no purpose He charges our doctrine with a gross absurdity as thus Obj. 6 p. 116. That we render Gods reason of Janctifiing-the Sabbath in this wise for in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and rested the first day Wherefore the Lord blessed the first day for his Sabbath and sanctified it But we answer Answ this pretended absurdity is a meer calumny we are not so destitute of reason as to render Gods reason in such a mishapen form we only argue thus that we must sanctifie one day in seven because God did so As for the particular day whether first or last of seven we ground it not directly either upon the precept or example of God but we say it is instituted elsewhere And when we have found the institution or designation of the Lords day somewhere else as shortly we shall we only go to the Commandment as a rule for the observation of it and accordingly we urge conscience with Gods example not as directly pointing out the day for so it was never intended but as perswading us to such a proportion one day in seven of his own appointment And therefore we reject all his lame consequences That unless we will cast this absurdity upon God we must cast off the fourth Commandment at least the reason of it must be rejected c. These are his own coined suppositions our conclusions are nothing akin to these wild inferences as any man may see that has but half an eye in this controversie As for those popular passages up and down his book That if the day be changed more then a tittle of
rise from the dead on the seventh day Did he ever appear to his disciples on that day Did he breath forth the blessed Spirit on that day Did he ever preach a Sermon after his Resurrection on that day But I need go no further here is light enough if men had but eyes I hope by this time the Objector sees the invalidity of his second Argument that which he calls the Sons confirmation He proceeds to a third from the Spirits approbation of the seventh day What ever the blessed Spirit shall approve of Obj. 3 we may rest upon it as an infallible truth T. T. p. 81. to 94. But he has highly approved of the seventh day witness first his high applause of the pious womens resting on the seventh day according to the Commandment Luke 23. ult Which although it were after Christs crucifixion yet St Luke was not inspired to write his Gospel till after his ascention Secondly The Spirits glorious manifestation and mighty operation on the day of Pentecost Acts 2. Which he would fain perswade us to be the seventh day Thirdly The Spirits constant appellation calling the seventh day and none but that the Sabbath day c. Here is a great shew of Argument but it signifies little and concludes nothing when it comes to scanning For Although it seem to be spoken in praise of these holy women Answ 1 that they rested the Sabbath-day according to the Commandment yet as was elswhere noted this was before our Saviours resurrection not after And how ever they are commended for keeping the Sabbath before Christs resurrection yet others are condemned or sharply blamed for observing dayes the seventh day not excepted after Christs assention I mean as the Apostle does Jewish dayes Gal. 4.10 O but St. Luke wrote not his Gospel till after the ascention Answer What then was the old Sabbath therefore in force at that time by the same rule he may conclude the Passeover mentioned by the same Evangelist in the * ch 22 v. 7. foregoing Chapter was then in force too We are to judge of these womens practise according to the date of their act not according to the date of the Evangelists book Besides some take these words to be no commendation but a bare historical narration And if the particular day be here intended as referring to the Commandment they conceive it may be spoken signantèr and according to the original the Text may be rendered thus they returned and prepared spices and ointments * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rested that Sabbath day indeed according to the Commandment that is they rested indeed that Sabbath day but never after upon that day according to the Commandment Again others expound it thus it was not the particular day on which the Sabbath was then kept so much as their * Mr. Collier against Fisher p. 13 14. manner of keeping it which is looke at in referring to the Commandment and so the commendation pitches rather upon the quomodo then the quando therefore it is not said they rested the seventh day as T.T. prints it but they rested the Sabbath day or day of rest according to the Commandment the most that can be made of it is this that t is a commendable thing to dedicate a day of rest to religious and holy rest The Spirits appellation argues not his divine approbation Answ 2 my meaning is The Holy Ghosts often I cannot say alwayes calling the seventh day Sabbath day proves not his approbation of that day for our Christian weekly holy-day under the Gospel because under the same name and title he has bin pleased to disown that day Colos 2.16 No matter though it be sometimes called Sabbath after it was discharged for so is circumcision called circumcision and the other Festivals of the Jewes Pentecost especially called * 1 Cor. 16.8 Pentecost long after it was degraded from the dignity of a solemn Festival as a man may be called by his proper name afer he is dead and buried And so I might proceed to the refutation of his next notion about the feast of Pentecost viz. That it fell that year on the Saturday or seventh day but this shall receive a more full answer in a more fit and proper place His fourth and last Argument for the seventh day is from the Saints observation which runs chiefly upon the practice of Paul it would be too tedious to transcribe his whole story Take the strength of it as it follower in this plausible Objection As it was Christs constant custome to celebrate the seventh day Sabbath Luke 4.18 So it was Pauls Acts 172. Obj. 4 and such as his custome was such was his commission and we must be followers of Paul as he was of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 t is his own rule Philip. 4.9 Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do Only it must be understood with these limitations that Pauls practice be plain possible peaceable Evangelicall and unrepealed for we may not follow Paul in his compliance with the Jewes in ceremonials no not to gain the Jewes But his practice in observing the seventh day was truly Evangelical and never in the least tittle repealed nor altered neither was it his single practice but the custome of all his companions and associates Acts 13.13 14. ch 15.40.16 13 17 24. And that not only among the Jewes but the Gentiles also Acts 13.42 ch 18.4 Therefore he did it not to please the Jewes but purposely for a pattern to the Gentiles Hence he exhorts the Corinthians Gentile Churches to follow him as he followed Christ and it was at Corinth that he kept the Sabbath Acts 18. Therefore this was the pattern wherein he would have them be his followers and us also for the Epistle is written to us as well as to them 1 Cor. 1.2 Thus he pleads Pauls custome and addes It was his constant custome and whereas saies he it is made a great Argument for the observation of the first day that Paul preached once that day Acts 20.7 it is as clear Paul preached every Sabbath-day Acts 18.4 Only the Translators have not dealt so clearly upon which account among others he charges them with sin yea with inexcuseable sin p. 139. because Acts 20.7 they render the word preaching for the greater advancement of the first day whereas Acts 18.4 they call it reasoning to obscure the seventh day although the Greek word be the same in both places Then he frames an objection against himself which he can never an swer Obj. Paul only took that opportunity to preach to the people To which he answers 1. They that object thus speak without book 2. They make the Apostle a constant dissembler 3. They may as warrantably lay this crime to Christ himself that he took such opportunities and not in conscience of the Sabbath Thus he words it out and casts seducing glosses upon the sacred Scriptures to beguile unstable
1 since that was the * Exod. 12.11 Luke 22.20 Lords Supper in the old Testament as much as the seventh day was the Lords Sabbath Christ never declared the seventh day to be the Lords day Ans 2 although he declared himself to be Lord of the Sabbath-day My meaning is that he never owned the seventh day as the Author and institutor of it in a strict Evangelical sense neither could he for it was instituted long before Heb. 4.4 therefore let it be well considered the Lords day Rev. 1.10 for this very reason cannot possibly be understood of the Jewes Sabbath because it is such a Lords day as relates peculiarly to the Lord Christ not as the Lord our Creator but the Lord our Redeemer to Christ actually exalted to be Lord over all relates to him I say as the Lords Supper does not only as his by possession but his by institution for these two and these only the Supper and the day are called the Lords in Scripture The Greek word is used but twice in all the new Testament only these two have the honour to be matcht in this glorious appellation and we must interpret the one by the other therefore if the Lords Supper be a Gospel-ordinance and institution of Jesus Christ so is the Lords day This paralel will pinch the adversary he cannot so much as pretend that the seventh day nor indeed any other day but the first of the week was instituted by Christ so as to be equalized in phrase with that pure Evangelicall ordinance the Lords Supper There is a vulgar objection abroad that every day is the Lords day therefore this Text makes as much for an every-day-Sabbath as the weekly Lords day Sabbath But the answer is easie they may as well say every Table is the Lords table and every Supper the Lords Supper and so turn levellers of dayes and duties together Well we have brought it to this issue that there is a day a speciall day under Gospel but not Jewes seventh day which the Lord Jess ha's instituted and owned above all dayes by stamping his own most blessed name upon it as upon his sacred Supper and this we are sure can be no other than the first day of the week The objector fearing belike that the former shift would faile him ha's another evasion to second it Obj. 3 namely that old thread bare Notion of Gomarus I rather think sayes he that the Lords day which S. John spake of was the Lords Judgment-day which the Lord himself calls his day Luke 17. Phil. 1.16 And so he dreams that the day on which S. John dated his Epistles to the seven Churches was the day of Judgment But This as one sayes0 is void of all judgment Answ See Mr. Ley Sund. Sab. For in the readiest construction of the words S. John spake of a day that was in being before the Vision came and so known that the Reader might take notice when it came But the day of Judgment is not yet come unless it be to such dreamers and so utterly unknown to man that our Saviour hath taught us Mat. 24.36 Mark 13.32 Of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels in heaven but my Father only The prooses he alleges are impertinent for although the day of Judgment be stiled the day of the Lord appellatively yet is it never termed the Lords day denominatively as Mr. Cawdrey might have taught him if he had not thought himself too wise to learn of his betters Thus all his cloudy notions are scattered and the Lords day Rev. 1.10 discovered by evidence of Scripture and Antiquity to be the first day of the week Now as the blessed Martyr Ignatius exhorteth Let every one that loves the Lord Jesus Christ keep holy the Lords day Let the zeale of Primitive Christians herein provoke us to holy emulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Magnes Plinius sub Trajano scripsit Solitos hoc stato die convenire Christianos ante lucem carmenque Christo quasi Deo Communi voce dicere postea Sacramento se obstringere ne scelus aliquid ne furta ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent Magdeb. Cent. 2. c. 6. Even a Heathen could observe how those precious morning stars used to meet early on this day and sing Hymnes to Christ an not only to sing his praises but to celebrate his holy Supper the Lords Supper upon the Lords day doubtless binding themselves in a holy Covenant to hate and flie sin And 't is known to have been the common question put to Christians by Pagan persecuing Governours Dost thou observe the Lords day the usual answer was I am a Christian I dare not intermit it This was wont to be the distinguishing Shibboleth the cognizance of Christians in the purest times of Christinity O blessed souls because they were Christians they durst not intermit the Lords day no though they lost their dearest lives for keeping of it How ill do they deserve the Name of Christians in these dayes who make no Conscience of this day yea who have the impudence to Preach against it Write against it Work upon it as if it were a common day I remember what the holy Apostle spake in a like case to those that polluted the Lords Table using it as if it were their own table What have ye not houses of your own ot eat and drink in 1 Cor. 11.22 or despise ye the Church of God The like may I say to all prophaners of the Lords day Have ye not dayes enough of your own to work and to play in or despise ye the Lords day Is it a sin a prooking sin to use the Lords Table as if it were your own table to eat Sacramental Bread as if it were common bread and is it no sin to use the Lords day as a common day as if it were your own day Why is it not paralel in phrase with the Lords Supper Is not the Lords Name and Superscrition found upon the one as well as the other I charge thee therefore Reader in the Name of the Lord Jesus so visibly graven upo this day render to Christ the things that are Christs Be assured the Lord will not hold thee guiltless for taking his Name in vain and spending his time in vain his time I mean upon which he has stampt his noble and royal Name This is the fifth Mark or Seal of the day The Inscription of Christs glorious Name upon it 6. The sixth is The Apostles and Apostolical Churches observation of it The holy Apostles were men intimately acquainted with the Secrets of Christ being most of them trained up in his School and personally conversant with him by the space of a Acts 1.3 forty dayes between his Resurrection and Ascension as b Drut 9.11 Moses was forty dayes with god upon the Mount Besides they had immediate Inspiration and authoritative Mission from Christ himself to manage the publick affairs
may be reckoned as a special prerogative of this day above the Jewes Sabbath and all other dayes The Lords day and the Lords Supper are Scripture-companions Acts 2.26 is misquoted I perceive this Author uses to quote Scripture at a venture but I suppose he means Acts 2.46 and there indeed we read of the Saints continuing daily with one accord in the Temple and * Domi frangebant portionem Syriack verse breaking bread from house to house but to take this for Sacramentall bread and make it their daily bread is to mistake the matter quite For although verse 42. speak of bread Sacramentally broken yet verse 46. the phrase is quite altered and the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word signifies ordinary bread or common food Piscator understands it of bread broken in a way of Charity or dealing their bread to the hungry as it is * Isai 58.7 elswhere expressed If breaking of bread had been a service peculiarly designed for the honour of the first day Obj. 3 the Apostle would not have deferr'd it till the second day till after mid-night verse II. Neither does it appear that he did deferre it till after mid-night For Eutychus dropt asleep in Sermon-time Answ verse 9. and the Sermon lasted but till mid-night verse 7. and as soon as Eutychus caught his fall no doubt Paul hasted to raise him again And when he was come up again he brake bread verse 11. Part 3 Thes 63. all this while it might not be mid-night for after all this he talked a long while even till break of day Besides as Mr. Shephard observes the Lords Supper might be administred before Pauls Sermon And that breaking of bread verse 11. might be common bread some ordinary repast for Paul after his long preaching and before his long journey And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies as much and hence also 't is spoken of one man principally When he had broken bread and eaten c. however t is expresly said v. 7. that the disciples were assembled together ex more sayes * Ad locum Pellican after their wonted manner to break bread upon the first day of the week and their purpose shewes what was their usual practice The disciples came not together till towards evening Obj. 4 for as soon they are met we read of lights in the upper room and this is no fair president for keeping a Sabbath They must needs be come together before Candle-lighti ng Answ 1 by is own principles otherwise how is it said they were assembled the first day of the week since he holds that the day begins and ends with the Sun-set evening The text saith not Answ 2 they met in the evening of the first day but on the first day and it might be in the morning for ought appears to the contrary The lights in the upper room ar gue not that it was late in the day before they assembled but long in the night before Paul ended his Sermon Besides supposing they came not together till towards the close of the day remembring still what perillous persecuteing times those were yet out of question the former part of the day was spent in religious exercises otherwise the disciples had rusht very rudely upon that sacred and solemn ordinance of the Lords Supper We should count them but sorry Christians that should dare to come reaking out of the world from their Merchandise or shops or fields or farms to sit down as guests at the Lords table The Saints example at Troas doth no more oblige us to their time Obj. 5 than their meeting in an upper chamber doth tie us to the like place If time and place be equal circumstances in religion Answ See Mr. Wowe of the Sab. then the old Prelatical Argument were good as the true worshippers of God are not tied to worship him either in Jerusalem or any other peculiar place but must worship him in spirit and in truth in all places so neither are they tied to any time of worship but may pray continually But this principle is out of plea now and I am perswaded in urging of it the objector fights against conscience and struggles against his own convictions For he ha's elswhere maintained time and place to be unequal circumstances and if not equal why does he argue from the one to the other But the truth is he ha's no game to play but what the Anti-Sabbatarian Prelatists have plaid and lost before him Only one card more which was none of their pack Examples do only allow us a liberty Obj. 6 page 13. of his Pamphlet nothing but a clear command can oblige us to a duty For instance community of goods is the Saints liberty because it was practiced but liberality of our proper substance is a duty because it is commanded Saints may freely seast before Communion because we have Apostolical president but all true disciples must break bread because we have Evangelical precept so we have liberty to meet the first day because we find the Saints at Troas then occasionally assembled but we are tied in duty to celebrate the seventh day Sabbath because it is commanded If this rule were as true as it is false Answ 1 he might blot out all the examples of the Saints recorded in Scripture For what are they good for To allow us a liberty only Why that we had before Had we never heard of the Saints meeting and Pauls preaching on the first day of the week yet I hope we had had free liberty to meet and worship on that day nevertheless what followes now Why by this Doctors new divinity absit blasphemia verbo the Holy Ghost ha's inserted this story in vain This leaf yea and twenty more might have been left out of the Bible without loss See the poison of a rotten error 'T is no less false Answ 2 that nothing but a clear command can oblige us to duty What must we limit the holy one of Israel must he deliver his mind and will only by way of precept May he not do it as well by promise or prophesie or proportion or consequence Must we teach the Lord how to teach us our duty pray what expresse command was there to sanctifie the Sabbath or what example of any one man that did sanctifie it for 2000. years after the Creation I mean in expresse terms Was it never a duty therefore till the Commandment came and is not Apostolicall example with a consequential command a sufficient rule for the observation of the Lords day He argued before for the Jewes Sabbath that we must be followers of Paul as he was of Christ how much better may we urge the same argument for the Lords day As thus Christ was present upon this day in the assembly of his disciples and kept it like a Sabbath John 20.19.26 and so Paul Acts 20.7 and we must follow Paul as he did Christ therefore we must keep holy the Lords day the
first day of the week here the practice being Evangelical the consequence is the more Logical But to the objection is nothing to be esteemed of divine institution and so of obligation to conscience but what ha's a clear command in Scripture Mat. 21.25 26. with verse 32. Mark 11.30 31. Luke 20.5 6. what then will he say to Sacrificing before the Law Where do we find any Commandment to sacrifice before we find Abel sacrificing Or to look to the Gospel in the first dawning of it What express command was there for the baptism of John Yet the poore Publicans and the people generally held it to be from Heaven although the cheif Priests and Elders beleeved him not because they held John as a Prophet yet which is remarkable they had no precept but only Johns practice to warrant it and which is yet more remarkable our blessed Saviour approves this their belief of John and his baptism and condemns those that rejected it as a human institution In like manner we may safely imitate those contemned Publicans in beleeving the Lords day to be from Heaven by divine institution and not of men by human ordination suffering Pauls practice as an Apostle to over-rule us herein See Mr. Abbot p. 66. Math. 11.11 as John Baptist as a Prophet did them the least Apostle of Christ being greater than John the Baptist and in so doing we need not question Christs approbation Express precept indeed we have none in the new Testament but that which is better than a precept sayes Dr. T wiss viz. the practice of the Apostles and Churches For had the Apostles commanded it and the Churches not practised it their Commandment had been obnoxious to various interpretations whereas their establishing it de facto in practice among the Churches is less liable to contradiction if men were not given up to a Spirit of contradiction Yet this must be added and cannot well be denyed Divino Spiritu agebantur Apostoli non minus in sacris institutionibus quà m in ipsa Doctrinâ Evangelij Ames Medul p. 359. Acts 1.2 so the Prophets were commanded Zech. 1.6 Joh. 10.22 that the Apostles and Apostolical Churches practice other arguments concurring supposes and argues that there was a command although there be no specification of it in Scripture for the Apostles did nothing in ordering the Church but from and by Christ either by precept or example or divine inspiration and their very inspiration was virtually preceptive For 't is said That through the Holy Ghost Christ gave Commandments to his Apostles whom he had chosen That is he gave them Commandments by inspiring and breathing the Holy Ghost upon them which was upon the day of his Resurrection Yea 't is more than probable that they had a special warrant from Christ in express charge concerning the celebration of this day For Acts 1.3 of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God Christ spake unto them namely by way of Commandment after his Resurrection but the Lords day and the worship therein performed as it was in the Apostles dayes and ever since is one of those things which appertain to the kingdom of God therefore of this Christ spake by way of Commandment to his Apostles If it be said that the Lords day is not there expressed I answer no more are any other of those particulars appertaining to the kingdom of God which he spake See Mr. Bernard of the Christian Sab. p. 134. therefore it cannot be excluded till it can be proved that the keeping of this day to the honour of Christ is none of the things which pertain to the kingdom of God Again The Commandments Acts 1.2 are such as Christ would have his disciples teach his people to observe Math. 28.18 20. now we find the Churches of Christ observing this day Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 and the Apostle observing it with them yea prescribing duties to them on this day 1 Cor. 5.4 11 20. which was on the Lords day according to the Syriack but 1 Cor. 16.1 2. is express and the Apostle telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14.37 That the things he wrote unto them were the Commandments of God therefore the practice of the Apostles and Churches planted by them implies a command Yea All Scripture-examples in moral or religious actions fall under the Government of the Ten Commandments Answ 3 Now the fourth Commandment having the government of time for weekly solemn worship and the Apostle Paul tarrying a whole week at Troas and observing the first day of the week only for solemn worship it cannot be imagined but this observance was in obedience to the fourth Commandment and so of the exigency of the Apostles Commission not of the Liberty consequently it is the Saints duty not their liberty The remainders of the Objection about community of goods and Love-Feasts are meer impertinencies to plead for these in the peace settlement of the Church is to put a plea in the mouths of Levellers Libertines and Epicures Community of goods was never the Saints Liberty but in the Church's a Act. 4.34 35 36 37 compared with Act. 8.3 4. extreme poverty and persecution and then it was rather duty than liberty and if ever the Church of God should be in the like state of extremity she is bound to follow that Original Copy but this can hardly be supposed And as for Love-feasts I suppose the Author is to seek for Apostolical president to warrant them whatever he sayes 'T is true they were practised in the Apostles times but never approved nay they were sharply b 1 Cor. 11.21 Jude ver 12. reproved as also the Jewes Sabbath and observation of other Legal days were Gal. 4.10 Thus we have made good the sixth Mark for the Lords day namely the Apostles and Apostolical Churches observation of it 7. Seventhly and lastly we shall adde this to all the rest The Apostles Prescription about it Et quae non prosunt singula juncta juvant Though either or these particulars singly considered may be thought too weak yet I am assured that all of them jointly combined will be too strong for the gates of hell to prevaile against this last will adde some strength to all the rest I shall ground it upon that noted Text 1 Cor. 16.1 2. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Here we have to observe 1. An Apostolical Ordinance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As I have ordained so do ye He does not counsel them to do it but commands them and by his power Apostolical he enjoyns them to do it and if Paul ordained it certainly he had it from Christ for he tells them 1 Cor. 11.23 That what he delivered to them he received from the
wants and if we have hearts to weep over our week day sins and stir up our selves to take hold of Christ that we may make peace with God they that have any acquaintance with heart-work find it hard to have to do with a dusty world full of sins and snares and not be defiled or intangled with it earthly things are apt to leave a tincture upon the most holy and heavenly hearts There must therefore be a rubbing off this rust of the world a washing these dirty hearts and hands before we are fit to draw nigh to God in solemn Worship Exod. 19.14 What were those Ceremonial washings of old but emblematical predictions and documents of preparation to Gospel-worship and if I mistake not something to this purpose is prophesied concerning the purest times and Churches in these later days Rev. 15.2 3. Revel 15. We read of those that had gotten the victory over the Beast and his Image i. e. those that had shaken off the yoke of Anti-Christian Tyranny and Superstition standing upon a sea of glass with the harps of God in their hands those harps in their hands speak them in a posture of publike worship But what means their standing upon a sea of glass Why among other things I conceive it alludes to that Laver or * 1 Kings 7.23 sea in Solomons Temple in which the the Priests were wont to * 2 Chron. 4.6 wash when they went to worship and it may teach us thus much that the people of God under the Gospel as well as they under the Law must wash before they worship there must be some preparation Secondly the sanctification of the Sabbath follows and this also consists in two things Holy rest and holy work First we must keep it as a day of holy rest to the Lord resting from our own works our own words and our own thoughts 1. We are bound upon the Lords day to rest and cease from our own works whether works of labour or works of pleasure if I may so distinguish The Lords day must neither be our working-day nor our play-day both these are prohibited by the letter of the fourth Commandment and the analogy of that Text which seems to be written as a Commentary upon the Commandment Isai 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thy own words c. In which words we have the lively Picture and Pourtraiture of a true Sabbath in both parts of it it must be celebrated with rest from our own ways works words pleasures and this rest must be accompanied with a spiritual rejoycing in God and delight in his Sabbath arising from an honourable esteem of the day considering whose day it is namely the Lords Now the scope of this Text is as applicable to our Christian Sabbath as ever it was to the Jews Sabbath ours being first a day of holy rejoycing in the Lord as well as theirs Psal 118.24 Secondly a day which hath the Lord for its author as well as theirs Thirdly a day every whit as honourable as theirs yea a degree above it being instituted upon a more noble account Viz. The most gracious and glorious work of Redemption Fourthly a day in all respects as holy as theirs holy I mean in respect of separation and dedication to holy duties as prayer preaching breaking of bread praise and thanksgiving Acts 2.1 and 20.7 Psal 118.27 28. Therefore it must be kept with rest from accustomed labour and pleasure as well as theirs and that by vertue of the fourth Commandment which requires the sanctifying of one day in seven of divine appointment as a Sabbath with rest from servile works and secular imployments And let it be further considered both the fourth Commandement and the Prophet Isaiah in commenting upon it do first and chiefly call for sanctity Secondarily for rest First Remember the Sabbath to sanctifie it then Thou shalt do no work Sanctification is required as the end cessation from labour as the means the one as principal the other as accessary Now both Prophets and Apostles have markt out the Lords day as a holy day to be spent in holy duties of solemn worship and that weekly therefore by the Law of God and nature we are bound to keep it as a day of weekly rest otherwise we separate the end from the means which cannot be rest from servile work being an inseparable adjunct to a day of solemn worship What then shall we say to those that afterwarning make the Lords day either a common working-day or a sporting day the former I may fitly call the Devils workmen who will one day pay them their wages the other the flesh's Bondmen whose pleasure in the end will prove torment without end The Lord awaken both to repentance better then that of Esau whose sin of the two is greater then his * Hebr. 12.16 there are prophane Esau's under the Gospel and they are the worst of Esau's there is also a sin called * Rom. 2.22 Sacrilege condemned in the Gospel and Sabbath-breaking is very like it when sinners lay sacrilegious hands upon that which is consecrated to the Lord for a sin much like to which Ananias and his wife were once stricken with sudden death and how many such dreadful strokes have been felt and heard in these later days I shall not repeat what has been already committed to record by others Mr. Bernard Mr. Byfield and sundry others have been serious observers of Gods heavy hand in this kind I could say something of what I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears But I shall forbear Numb 10.1 2. when men are struck dead in the very act of their sin as Vzzah in touching the Ark Nadab and Abihu in offering strange fire when the sin and the judgement meet together and do one point at the other surely Gods hand is not to be slighted Mr. Byfield has related many such tremendous strokes upon those that have presumed to work on the Lords day and ended their lives and their work together having no more respit between their sin and their execution or expiration then with trembling lips to tell others the secret reflections of their own guilty Consciences and how many Malefactors have we heard at their execution bewailing their profanation of the Lords day as the leading-cause of all their mischiefs and miseries Now the Conscience of the sinner smarting under Gods revengeful rod is many times like a finger to point out the sin for which God smites as we see in the case of a Judges 1.7 8. Adonibezek To be short the exemplary judgments of God against this sin of Sabbath-breaking falling in so great variety and happening so thick together in many places do call aloud to the
inhabitants of the earth to b Isai 26.9 10. learn righteousness and it is doubtless our duty with humble reverence and holy awfulness of the divine Majesty soberly to observe and improve them inadvertency of Gods judiciary proceedings is a c Psal 28.5 and 10.4 5. Isai 5.12 sin frequently condemned in Scripture and severely threatned Reader if neither Scripture-Arguments nor exemplary judgments will reclaim thee from violation of the Lords day proceed on in thy prophaneness still it may be the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others what thou wilt not learn thy self Something might also be added from Christian experience 't is observable that when the Spirit comes effectually to convince of sin commonly one of the first sins which the eye of inlightned Conscience fixes upon is the neglect of the Lords day and conviction ending in conversion one of the first duties which the soul comes seriously to close withal is the strict observing of the Lords day grace works much this way and does exceedingly dispose the heart to this duty for which I dare appeal to the Consciences of many thousand living Witnesses Add to this the spiritual profit and sensible growth of grace with the sweet comfort and final peace experienced this way Tell me where does true Religion thrive better and the power of godliness flourish and prosper more than in Families Cities Countries and Kingdoms where the Lords day is duly observed on the contrary where does superstition irreligion Atheism and profaneness abound more than where this day is neglected and vilified 't is a serious Observation of a learned * Dr. Hakewils discourse of the Institution dignity and end of the Lords day Author concerning the ingress and progress of Popery in former times Namely That after-ages much degenerating from the simplicity of the Primitive times so infinitely multiplied and magnified their holy-days beyond all measure and reason that the Lords day began to be slighted and accounted with many a common Holy-day perchance inferiour to some of their Saints days which no doubt was a special occasion of that thick cloud of Superstition which afterwards overshadowed the face of the Church and in appearance the reducing of this day to its original honour would prove the readiest means to restore the Church again to her original lustre and beauty even in those places where that cloud is not yet dispelled c. But this by the way Secondly In order to the sanctifying of the Lords day we must cease not only from doing our own works but from speaking our own words Good reason for it is none of our own day therefore let none say Our tongue is our own on this day Christian if thou canst not speak religiously on the Lords day learn to speak sparingly rather be silent then sinful in thy speeches Valerius Maximus reporteth of Zenocrates that being in company with some who used ill language he was very mute and being asked the reason he replyed It hath often repented me that I have spoken never that I have held my peace Thus much the Scripture teaches us That in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin therefore d Prov. 17.27 28. he that spareth his words is wise Indeed if a man speak of heavenly things on the Lords holy day he may with Paul continue his discourse till mid-night and never speak too much but of earthly things we cannot speak too little Oh that our hearts and lips were more heavenly on the Lords day that there might be more sprinklings of grace and heaven in all our Sabbath-day discourses how much were it to be wished that on this day Christians would speak less of what they saw more of what they heard in the publike assemblies Alas should the Lord put that Question to many Christians now which once he did on this day to the two Disciples going to Emmaus What manner of communication is this that ye have one with another how would it put some thousands to the blush who have nothing but earth or froth in their mouths Thirdly we must also lay a charge upon our hearts not to think our own thoughts on the Lords day Rom. 7.14 For the Law of God is spiritual and bindeth the heart from thinking as well as the tongue from speaking or the hand from working Besides what vile hypocrisie is it to lay a restraint upon our words and actions when in the mean time we give scope and liberty to our thoughts to wander after a thousand vanities this is just like painted Sepulchres fair without but full of rottenness and dead mens bones within Further our own vain and worldly thoughts are great distractions and obstructions to the duties of the day Exod. 8.24 like that plague of flies in Egypt which was so vexatious that they could neither work nor eat nor drink and 10.12 but the Flies molested them Such a plague is a worldly heart on the Lords day a man can neither pray nor hear nor meditate but earthly thoughts pester and disturb him yea like that plague of Locusts that devoured all earthly thoughts eat up all the pleasant fruit of Sabbaths and Sermons Luke 8.14 yea like thorns they choak the very seed of the Word and render it unprofitable How highly does it concern us therefore on the Lords day especially to look to our hearts Now if ever Solomons counsel is seasonable * Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence Or Cum omni custodiâ with all keeping as some read it set guards and double guards upon it for as Bernard truly speaks Corde nihil fugacius Nothing is more flitting then the heart of man 't is a wandring Dinah we had need watch it warily and check it speedily when it begins to hanker-after the world In a word to cure evill and earthly thoughts on the Lords day we should do well to awe our hearts with the apprehension of Gods all-seeing eye 'T is observable that our Lord appeared to his servant John upon his own day in a heart-searching-similitude His eyes were as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 not only burning in jealousie against sin and sinners but bright and shining as the searcher of hearts and tryer of reins by which title he then also stiled himself Rev. 2.23 Consider Christian that on the Lords day especially thy heart lies under the view of that fiery flaming eye of Christ therefore let thy thoughts be none but such as that pure and piercing eye will approve and if Christ as the searcher of hearts be not awful to thee yet me thinks Christ as the judge of secrets should O let the terror of that last day work upon our hearts every Lords day the seat of the Judge is fitly resembled by a cloud not a throne of silver or gold but a cloud Rev. 14.14 Now as we know the clouds are storehouses of refreshing showres so also of storms and tempests and thus doubtless that
to make Conscience of namely the spiritual duty of meditation and the celestial duty of praise First how seasonable it is on the Sabbath to meditate not only on the Word but the Works of God appears from Psal 92. which is a Psalm for the Sabbath-day How does the Psalmist there search and dive into the wonderful works of God Vers 5. How great are thy works O Lord and thy thoughts are very deep Here we have a large field works of Creation and works of Providence here our souls may wander from sea to land See Mr. Baxter Saints ever-lasting Rest from earth to Heaven from time to eternity yea walk upon the Sun Moon and Stars and enter into Heaven it self the Paradise of God How manifold are thy works O Lord in wisdome hast thou made them all Every creature of God that we cast our eyes upon this day should be as a flower to feed our Meditations I speak of cursory Meditation or that which is occasional one special use whereof is to feed our graces by our senses and as we are Christians to conduct us to Christ by the view of all creatures and actions when we look upon the Sun it bids us look up to Christ the Sun of righteousness every star may mind us of that star of Jacob that bright and morning star if we look upon our houses Christ is the door if upon our bodies he is the head if upon our clothes he is the garment of salvation if upon our friends and relations he is our husband our friend our Lord our Law-giver our King if we walk he is the way if we read he is the word if we eat and drink he is our food if we live Christ is our life that is a holy heart may make this spiritual use of all earthly objects and occasions to contemplate Christ in them and if we improve not our senses this way 't is all one as if we were blind or brutish But besides this there is a more distinct deliberate solemn and set meditation required on the Lords day and the work of Redemption being the occasion of the day how should our hearts work upon this blessed subject Come Christian call in thy thoughts from all worldly concernments and contemplate this rare contrivance of thy Redemption by Jesus Christ ponder it deeply get lively and strong apprehensions of it that it may leave deep and lasting impressions upon thy soul view over the several passages and transactions in this Master-piece of all Gods works view it first in the platform how gloriously was this laid in the eternal projects and a Ephes 1.4 purposes of Gods love yea in that eternal promise past between the Father and the Son b Titus 1.2 In hopes of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Mark it here was a promise a promise of eternal life made by God by God that cannot lie and that before there was a world or man in the world Oh the everlastingness infiniteness unsearchableness of this love of God! that the everlasting God the Majesty of heaven and earth should take care of me before the world was that he should busie himself and his Son about a worthless wretched worm born out of due time the least of Saints the greatest of sinners O my soul admire adore this first love this free love of God and Christ Next see the early discovery and shining forth of this mystery in the very morning of the world no sooner is man fallen but God reaches out a c Gen. 3.15 promise to him and after many ages sends his blessed Son out of his bosome to fulfil it in the d Gal. 4.4 fulness of time Christ comes we could not come up to him lo he comes down to us O see the King of glory stooping bowing the Heavens to come down and dwell in a dungeon to lodge amongst prisoners and pitch his tent in the rebels camp Think O my soul how did the holy Angels wonder to see the King of Heaven stepping down from his throne to sit on his footstool yea putting off to the view the robes of a prince to put on the livery of a e Phil. 2.7 8. servant and that after treason had been stampt upon it taking our nature I mean after it had been up in arms against God not that he took the sin of our nature he that could make our nature without sin could also and did take it without sin but the shame of it he took in that he took it when it was under a cloud under a blot before God and Angels How does this express the love of Christ a heart full of love to lost sinners q. d. poor soult I cannot keep from you I love your very nature and will joyn it to my self and so I may save you from sin and wrath I care not if I become one with you and dwell in your very flesh My glory shall not hinder I will rather veil it for a while and take the form of a servant and become of no reputation than you shall perish for ever Again how does this speak the unspeakable love of God See Mr. Ambrose looking to Jesus p. 342. as one sweetly observes God did so love the very nature of his elect that though for the present he had them not all with him in heaven yet he must have their picture in his Son to see them in and love them in O meditate much on this admirable strein of love till it melt thy heart and make it burn within thee From the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour we may trace him through the several passages of his life to his death and passion and here with an eye of faith look upon him whom thou hast pierced behold the man as he said even that man of sorrows suffering bleeding dying on that tree of shame and ignominy dwell upon the death of Christ till it put life into thy dead heart then follow thy crucified Lord from the cross to the Sepulchre and by the way ponder deeply the severity of Gods justice the sinfulness of sin the love of Christ and the worth of souls which are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. as a lamb without blemish and without spot Why did the Primitive Saints sacramentally shew forth the Lords death on the Lords day Acts 20.7 but to signifie to us that to contemplate and commemorate the death of Christ is a special duty of the day So also his Resurrection which was the great transaction of the day therefore a proper subject for serious meditation It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again and become the first-fruits of them that slept Consider O my souls the holy triumph of thy Redeemer this day when he trod on the serpents head took from death its sting from hell its standard Suppose thou hadst
day of the Lord will be as a day of refreshing to some so a stormy day of tempests and terrors to others and a great part of the tempest of that day will fall upon the thoughts and hearts of men for * Eccles 12. ult God will bring every secret thing into judgement we must be accountable not only for idle words but vain thoughts And thus much of the first thing we must keep the Sabbath as a day of rest but we must not rest in this rest we must not make it a Sabbath of idleness but a Sabbath of holiness we must not so much cease from working as change our work servile work for soul work worldly imployments for spiritual exercises That is the next thing 2. To our holy rest we must join holy work and this is either publike or private something indeed must be done in private before the publike our closet-devotions and Family duties common to other dayes must not he omitted this day but rather augmented their Sacrifices under the Law were * Numb 28.9 doubled upon the Sabbath-day and observe it Exod. 3.7 their first service was the burning of Incense before the Lord. Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.2 John 20.1 Now prayer is our Incense let this be our morning exercise in private Seek the Lord O my soul seek him early do as Mary Magdalen did she was early up to seek him whom her soul loved she was last at the Cross and first at the Sepulchre in the dawning while it was yet dark very early in the morning say the Evangelists Oh that our love to Christ could keep pace with hers Shall we love the world better than Christ if we have a journey to go about worldly concernments we can set out betimes oh that we were as wise for our souls as we are for our bodies let not sleep that devourer of time beguile us of our golden hours in the morning in which we are freshest and fittest for converse with God let the sluggard that sleeps with the Sun-beams in his face remember that saying of Austin If the Sun could speak how roundly might it salute thee with this reproof I laboured more then thou yesterday and yet I am risen before thee to day But this is too low an Argument behold the Sun of righteousness is risen and he rose early this day therefore let us not sleep as do others but say and sing with the Church f Isai 26. â— With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Having performed our morning exercises in private how cheerfully should we repair to the publike Assemblies and draw nigh to God in publike Ordinances on this acceptable day this season of grace when Christ sits in State as one speaks scattering treasures of grace amongst hungry and thirsty Saints that are poor in Spirit and wait for spiritual alms at the Throne of grace g Psal 84.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God And again h Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. For the i Psal 87.2 Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob and most sweetly the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Gospel-times k Isai 2 1 2. Many people shall go and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths A most lively prediction of our Christian solemn Assemblies the select season of which is signified by t he practice of the Apostles and Primitive Saints to be the first day of the week on this day they met to break bread and Paul preached to them Acts 20.7 on this day they were all together with one accord in prayer Acts 2.1 with chap. 1.2 4. and at these meetings the Scriptures were read by the Apostles command Tertul. Apol. cap. 39. Col. 4.16 1 Thes 5.27 to which may be added singing of Psalms usual at their solemn Assemblies 1 Cor. 14. an Ordinance by which God is much glorified and the souls of his people sweetly cheered and refreshed what greater act of honour can we do to the great God here on earth then publikely to praise him in the great Congregation especially on the Lords day Psal 111.1 when all the Churches of Christ in the world joyn consort with us in this melodious duty Hebr. 10.25 Let us not therefore forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is while we enjoy publike Liberties and Ordinances let us improve them we know not how soon the songs of the Temple may be turned into howlings and Ichabod may be written upon all our Church-doors the glory is departed from Israel Lam. 1.4 16. the ways of Sion de mourn because none come to her solemn assemblies The Lord forbid that ever we should live to see that woful day wherein we shall desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man but shall not see it Let not our neglect of the Lords day provoke the Lord to deprive us of it let us conscienciously wait upon God in Sabbath-Assemblies and publick Ordinances lest we be forced for contempt of the publike to seek our bread in secret wandring up and down in caves and dens of the earth destitute afflicted tormented as we read of some better than our selves Heb. 11.38 39. Lastly The publike solemnities of the day being ended what remains but that we return again to our private exercises searching the Scriptures concerning the truths taught in publike as the * Acts 17.11 noble Bereans did to which we may joyn Repetition and Conference to whet the Word upon one anothers hearts let not our souls be weary of Sabbath-work only take heed as of resting in the rest so also in the work of the day for what one truly speaks of duties and actings of grace they are good duties and good graces but bad Christs the like may I say of Sabbaths never so well kept they are good Sabbaths but bad Saviours let our rest and confidence be only in Christ and to such as take him for their rest his work is but recreation and so indeed we should esteem it in a spiritual sense not looking upon it as a sowr task or a rigid exaction but calling the Sabbath a delight we should keep it accordingly even the whole day with the whole man as a day of delights to the Lord being transported beyond flesh and the world and having our conversation in heaven as much as is possible for creatures cloathed with flesh To come to a closure There is a double duty to be performed in private on the Lords day which I seriously advise Christians