seuenth day Yet the Apostle calls it a shaddow onlie in respect of the particular day of the promise of Christ which day is a bolished giues place to the first day in which the promise was fullie performed and Christ became a perfect Redeemer actuallie in his resurrection The Anti-Sabbatarians haue onely two objections which haue some shew and coulour of reason at the first hearing The first is that if it had beene the minde and will of Christ that the weekly Sabbath should be continued and remoued to the Lords day vnder the Gospell then would he either by himselfe or by his Apostles haue giuen some expresse commandement to that purpose which they say he did not To this I answere First that our Saviour spake fully to this point when he said that he came not to destroy but to fulfill the law It remaines therefore on their part to shew that the Commandement of the Sabbath is no part of the morall law or else they do but beate the aire and labour in vaine Secondlie the Apostles themselves kept their holy assembles ordained in all Churches of the beleeving Gentiles that publick assemblies should be kept and exercises of the holy Sabbath perfomed ordinarily on the first day of the weeke as I haue before proved from Act 20. 1 Cor. 16.1 2. And whatsoever they ordained was the commaâ—dement of che Lord 1 Cor. 14. vers 27. Thirdlie while the first temple was yet standing in the daies of the Apostles and Moses was not yet buried and quite taken out of the way Jt was not convenient that the Apostles should chaunge the day of the Sabbath among the beleeving Iewes Yea they themselves in Iudea and all places among the Iewes kept the seventh daie among the Gentiles the Lords daie We never read that the Lords day was called a Sabbath in the Primitiue times next after the Apostles nor since by any but onely by Iewish Sabbatarians Howsoever these adversaries put on a bold impudent face to colour and countenance this objection Yet herein publish a manifest untruth For Ignaâ—ius immediatly after the Apostles saith That the Christians must keep their holy sabbath not after the manÌ„er of the profane Iews of those times with excessiue feasting dauncing and such carnall sports and pleasures nor on their seventh day But on the Lords day the day of Christs resurrection which he calls the Queene and supeeme Lady of daies as I haue formerlie shewed Saint Hilary saith Nos in prima die perfecti Sabbathi festiuitate latae mur. i.e. We Christians rejoyce in the festiuity of our perfect Sabbath on the first day of the weeke St. Augustine in the 25. sermon de tempore Hauing rehearsed diuers notable blessings and preroâ—atiues which God of old honoured the first day of the weeke the Lords day doth there affirme that upon those grounds the holy Doctors of the Câ—urch to weet the Apostles Who were taught by Christ and inspired by the holy Ghost in all things which they decreed and ordained haue by their decree remoued or rather transferred all the glory of the Iewish sabbathisme vnto the Lords day And immediatly he adds this exhortation Let us Christians therefore obserue the Lord day and let us sanctifie it so as of old the Law giver commanded the fathers concerning the Sabbath saying From evening to evening shall ye celebrate the Sabbath And further he saith that if wee from the evening of the Iewes sabbath the satturday to the evening of the Lords day sequester our selves from all Rurall workes and all seculiar busines and devote our selves onely to Gods worship then we rightly sanctifie the Lords sabbath according â—he wordes of the law Yee shall not doe any worke in it Also Psalm 32. He affirmes that keeping of the Sabbath is one of the things which belong to the loue of God and thus he exhorts every true Christian. Observa diem sabbati non Carnaliter non Judaicis delicijs c. that is observe the day of the sabbath not carnally with Iudiciall delicacies for they abuse their rest and rest to naughtinesse for indeede it is better that men should digge all the day then daunce as they doe But doe thou meditate on the rest in God and doing all things for obtaining that rest abstaine from servile worke And in his 3. Tract at vpon Iohn He saith We are more strictly commanded to keepe the Sabbath then the Iewes For we are injoyned to keepe it spiritually Jewes keepe it carnally in luxury and drunkennes and it were far better that their women should be busied in working all the day in woll then dance The true Christian keepes the Sabbath spiritually by refraining from servile worke These and diuers other testimonies of the Auncients shew â—ufficiently the falshode and vanity of this Objection And that in the judgment of the most godly and learned fathers the law of God bindeth us to keepe the Sabbath holy on the Lords day weekly It is true that some part of the seveÌ„th day was by reason of great multitudes of Iewes abounding in all countries soe frequent and soe commonly known called by the name of the Sabbath that name was so proper to the Saturday in those times that if any had called the Lords day by that name his wordes would bee understood by the hearers of the Iewes Sabbath except â—e had expounded his meaning as those fathers before named do in their speeches bâ—fâ—re mentioned And againe the Iewes were soe superstitious in observing their Sabbath â—o contrarie to the Christian sanctifying of the Lords day even with feasting dauncing and profane pomp that the name of Sabbath through their abuse of it grew distastfull to godly Christians even as in our time the old name Catholike by reason of the Antichristian Papists falsly vsurping and approbriaâ—ing it to their Apostaticall Church and false religion is growne to haue an ill sound in the eares of reformed Christians And therefore tâ—e Auncients were very sparing in calling the name of the Sabbath and seldome did they call the holy weeklie rest of Christians by that name except onlie in case when they opposed it to the Jewish sabbath and preferred it farre before their carnall observation But wheras in this Objection the aspersion and reproachfull name of Iewish Sabbatarians is laid on all them who call the Lords day the Cbristian Sabbath and urge the sanctification of it by the law of God This is a point of such notable impudency and intemperancie that it deserues the scourge whip of Ecclesiasticall censure punishment to chastise and correct rather then any arguments of reason or divinity to convince such Raylors For in the Homilies which are comprehended and commanded in the Articles of our Religion by law established the Lords day is frequently stiled by the name of Sabbath even no lesse then eight times in one Homily which treateth of the time place of praier And both there and in the
Hebrew words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifie at the end of dayes and howsoever they are taken to signifie in processe of time by some Learned Translaters yet in no other place of Scripture doe I finde that they signifie any other end of dayes but of a certaine sett number of dayes either of thirtie or forâ—ie or many dayes Or of the dayes of a whole yeare as 2 Sam. 14.26 where it is said at the end of dayes according to dayes tâ—at is of every yeare Absalom polled his head And 1 King 17.7 at the end of dayes that is of a yeare â—s Tremellius translates the words the brooke dried up Now I see no reason why we shâ—uld undeâ—stâ—nd by the end of dayes the end of the yeare that Caine and Abel did onely at the end of the yeare offer to God or after a long time but that on every seventh day of the weeke which is the weekely Sabbath they sacrificed to God undoubtâ—dly their Father Adam who taught them to sacrifice which Worshâ—pp God first instituted on the seventh day he also taught them the day of Gods holy worship even the Sabbath which God had sanctified and this was the end of the dayes of the weeke Also in the same fourth of Genesis in the last verse it is said that when Seths Children began to increase that then men began to call on the name of the Lord that is as learned Iunius well expounds the words they began to assemble themselves together in publicke assemblies to pray unto God and worship him even all Seths seed who were Gods people and were called by the name of the Lord that is the Children of God as we see Gen. 6.2 Now as they had solemne and set meetings so undoubtedly they had a set time even every Sabbath or seventh day and set places or Churches for without set time and place there can be no solemne invocation or worshipp in solemne assemblies as common sense teacheth And that Noah when he came out of the Arke began to observe the rest of the Sabbath and did offer a sacrifice of the rest that is of the holy Sabbath and that God was well pleased with it Me thinkes the Hebrew words in the originall Text teach very plainely for it is said that God smelled a savour of the rest that is he acceptâ—d it as a pleasing Sabbath sacrifice the Hebrew empâ—raticall and demonstrative particle here added to sett forth a speciall rest implies so much And the word which is in the Hebrew rest is of the same note and originall with the word which Exod. 20.11 in the fourth commaundement is used to signifie Gods resting on the seventh day Now all these things well weighed and laid together doe shew that this opinion though held by some learned men is but a meere dreame and idle fancie And indeed the very first words in which God gave the fourth commaundement to wit remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy are of themselves alone a sufficient argument to prove that the Lord did not in giving the Law from Mount Sina first institute the Sabbath day but onely did renew the memory of it and of the first institution thereof by renewing and receiving his old commandement by which he on the first seventh day of the World did sanctifie it There is another opinion which divers both auncient and moderne Christians do hold upon a better ground for they do gather coÌ„clude with one generall consent from the plaine words of this Text that God in the beginning immediatly after the creation ended did give the law of the Sabbath and did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day of the first weeke of the world and every seventh day of every weeke following and commanded it to be kept an holy Sabbath in memory of his rest on the seventh day But howsoever they all agree in the generall yet in divers speciall and particular things they doe much differ 1. Some hold that the law of the Sabbath was given to man in the state of innocency before his fall on the sixth day and that it was written in mans heart that he ought to keepe the seventh day holy and that if man had continued in his integrity he would have kept the seventh day of every weeke an holy rest unto the Lord his God 2. Others hold that the Sabbath was instituted not in the state of innocency nor before mans fall which happened towards the end of the sixth day but that on the seventh day when God rested from the worke of Creation he then did blesse sanctifie that every seventh day and appointed it to be a weekly Sabbath the law by which he instituted the Sabbath was no other but such as was written in mans heart in the creatâ—oÌ„ that man by the instinct of nature would haue obeyed that law and kept the Sabbath in the state of innocnecy if he hâ—d stood continued therein 3 A third sort are of opinion that the Sabbath was instituted and the Commandement for the keeping therof given in the state of innocency and yet not till the seventh day for they imagine that man stood more then one day and did in his innocency keepe the Sabbath and if he had continued would haue alwaies kept it not by any instinct of nature or light of naturall reason created in him moveing him so to do but by a possitiue law and Precept giuen by God of the same nature and kinde with the Commandement of abstaining from the tree of knowledge of good and euill In all and euery of these opinions I finde some failling and noe consent and perfect agreement with the word of God First they all go too farre and haue not one word in scripture to warrant their opinion that Adam in the state of innocency should and would haue kept every seventh day for an holy rest that God would haue required it at his hands For all Scriptures which mention the Sabbath do speake of it as of an holy signe looking altogether towards Christ and towards the state of grace and glory in him and not towards the state of innocency It is most certain that man in that state was perfect with naturall perfection at all times equally disposed to obey God to serue him and to remember his Creation and to honour his Creatour He needed no obseruation of any day to put him in minde of any thing which he had before known which god had revealed to him his memorie was perfect and he knew whatsoever was needfull for him to know or doe in that present state And his will was every mâ—ment ready to doe whaâ—soever he knew to be right hee needed no signe to adâ—onish him of his duty or to moue him to do it in due seasâ—n He did not labour nor weary himselfe every day was to him a daâ—e of delight and pleasure of rest and recreation and in every creature which he did see
in Christ we are called to be Saints and sanctified 1 Cor. 1.2 Secondly there is no thought or hope of eternall rest in heaven but in and by Christ hee brings us into that and by going before us makes way for us Heb. 6.20 9 24. Jt is that which never entered into the heart of man his reason conceives it not till God doth reveale it by his spirit given though Christ 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Thirdly no man can haue accesse vnto God but in Christ there is no approach to the throne of grace but in him Heb. 4.16 It is Christ alone who for his peoples sake sanctified himselfe that they also might be sanctâ—fied Ioh. 17.19 And there is no growing up in grace holinesse but in him and by vnion and communion in one body with him as our head Eph. 13·16 vpon these infalible premises it followes necessarily that the proper end and use of the Sabbath presupposing Christ the first institution thereof must needes be grounded on Christ also Fourthly if Christ as he is the Sonne of man vnited in one person vnto God and so our mediatour be the Lord of the Sabbath so that the alteration and chaunge of it from one of the seven dayes to another is onely in his power and depends wholy on some chaunge in him then the institution of it is grounded one the promise of him and upon his mediation Now the Antecedent is manifest by our Sauiours owne words Mat. 12.9 where hee calls himselfe Lord of the Sabbath day And by his resurrection and becomming the head stone of the corner the Sabbath is chaunged from the day of him promised vnto the day of the full exhibition of him aperfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection as David foretold Psal. 118. And the practise of the Apostles in all Churches of Christian Gentiles doth aboundantly declare Act. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 wherefore undoubtedly Christ promised was the first ground of the institution of the Sabbath as our Saviour in that place of the Gospel Mat. 12.9 affirmes it was made for man that is not only for mens use but also for him the son of man upon the promise undertaking of him to become man the seed of the women for mans redemption for destroying the workes of the Divill VSE This Doctrine thus fully proved confirmed is a Doctrine of speciall use to worke in the hearts of all true Christians who have all their hope confidence in Christ an high holy reverence esteeme of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath to provoke stirre them up to a carefull conscionable diligent observation thereof in all their generations for the promoting propagating of pietye for the increase of devotion and advauncement of Religion in all succeding ages If the observation of the weekly Sabbath were but a dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation then were the chiefe end and ayme of it no more but an earthly felicitye and the fruition of a naturall life in an earthly paradise It should be no better then one of the duties which belong to the old couvenant of life justification by mans owne works which is abolished and made void by mans fall And It is wholy frustrated of the proper end use of it which was justification life by workes of a mans own doing And so being not a part of the wisedome which is from above it should be of lesse esteme and of common and ordinary account with holy Christian Saintes Or if the Sabbath were a legall rite and ceremoniall ordinance onely such as were sacrifices burnt offerings circumcision and legall purifications which were shadowes of things to come then should it be abolished by the full exhibition of Christ and the observation thereof among Chistians of the beleeveing Gentiles were no better then setting up of abominations which make desolate by cutting men of from Christ. But here we are taught better things concerning the Lords holy weekely Sabbath to weet that it is an holy Heavenly Euangelicall ordinance wholy grounded upon Christ and depending onely upon him first instituted upoÌ„ the promised Christ limitted to the seventh day of the weeke in which he was promised to be mans redeemer did undertake in some measure begin actually to mediate and to intercede for man with God and commaunded to be kept onely on that seventh day during the tyme of the old Testament while Christ was onely promised the fathers sought salvation in him to come And now ever since the full exhibition of Christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection necessarily imposed on all Christians and limitted by virtue of the first institution and foundation of it upon Christ to that day even the first day of the weeke which is the greatest day of Christ appearing in the nature of man on earth that is the day of his resurrection to glory and immortalitie and the day of his complete victory and triumph in his owne person over sin death the Devill all the powers of darknesse So that though the particular dayes of the weekely Sabbath that is the seventh of the weeke in the old Testament and the first in the new and under the Gospell may truly be called temporarye and caeremoniall because they have their set tymes and seasons the one the tyme and season onely under Christ promised the other the tyme and season under Christ fully exhibited that is the whole tyme of grace under the Gospell vntill we come both in soules and bodyes to the etternall Sabbath and rest in heaven when Christ Mediatour haveing destroyed all enimyes and delivered up the Kingdome to God his father God shal be all in all Yet they are such ceremonies as are holy in their seasons not by signification and consecration to holy and supernaturall use only as legall shadowes were but also materially and in respect of the very duties which are performed in observation of them yea and effectively because the due observations of them properly tends to begitt and increase true holynesse in Gods people Besides if we consider the observation of a weekely Sabbath simply in it self without limitation to a particular day so it is a perpetuall ordinaunce of God which bindes all mankind to the end of the world And there is none of all Adams posteritye but by Gods first institution he is bound to keep the holy weekely Sabbath upon that very day of the weeke which by the word of God and the ground of the institution appeares to be most seasonable in the age and the state of the Church under which thy live and have their being on earth Now these things being soe how it is possible that any true syncere Christian who as by one spirit and by a true lively faith soe also in his whole heart and in all holy affections is vnited vnto Christ and hath all his hâ—pe confidence in him as in his only Redeemer Lord Saviouâ— should not
on our first parents begitteÌ„th of his immortal theÌ„ seed sanctifie them and worke faith and all saving graces in them so that they beleâ—ved the promise and found rest in Christ. And so this was the daie wherein God did first make man actuall partaker of his spirit and did make in him true holinesse and conforme him to the Image of Christ This appeares by three things First by Adams words chapt 3.20 where not withstanding Gods passing of the sentence of bodilie death against him and of his returning to dust in the grave in the words next before yet â—e by faith laies hold on one eternall life in Christ the promised seed and being strengthened with might by the spirit in the inner man doth call his wife Chavah which signifieth life because by Christ promised to be come her seed shee shâ—uld bee the mother of all liuing and not onely all his naturall seed should by Christ haue naturall life for a time and being on earth continued vnto them but also after death his wife and al their elect seed should haue life eternall in him This is a strong argument of a lively faith and of the quickening spirit given to Adam vpon the verie daie of the promise which was the seventh day Secondly that our first parents had the holy spirit given them on that daie by faith were instituted made partakers of the righteousnes of Christ the coats of skins doe shew which God fitted to them put vpon them For undoubtedly these skins of cleane beasts which God taught and commanded them to kill and offer in sacrifice as tipes figures and pledges of their redemption by the death and sacrifice of of Christ and these coats made of the skins of beasts sacrificed and put upon our first parents by God himself did plainly forshew the covering and clothing of all the faithfull with the Robes of Christ satisfaction and righâ—iousnesse were a token and pledge to them that they were justified by faith in Christ to come and cloathed with the garments of salvation For all Gods works are perfect he gives to no men by his own hand immediatly the outward pledg seale without the inward grace Thirdly Adams teaching of his sonnes Caine and Abell to sacrifice and to bring offerings first fruits to God which were tipes of Christ and of Gods rest in his mediation and fulls satisfaction and that at the end of daies that is the seventh which is the last of the week Gods holy weekly Sabbath these J say doe testifie Adams faith in the promise his holy obedience to Gods commandment of keeping holy the seueÌ„th day and his holy care to teach his Children holy obedience also Now this being manifest that of the seventh day God did first sanctifie man by his holy spirit and did bring in holinesse into the world among men we must needs acknowledg this a second point of Gods sanctifying that day and making it fit to bee his holy weekely Sabbath and the day of his holy worship CHAP. 9. THirdly the Lord God for a memoriall of these supernaturall heavenly things first revealed done on the seventh day and for a pledg to man of the eternall rest in heaven did also by his word and commandment appoint every seventh day to be vnto man a day of rest from his owne works which concerne this worldly life and to be kept an holy Sabbath to the Lord his God and this is the third point of Gods sanctifying the seventh day and setting it apart for holy and heavenlie vse and for holy worshippe service and religious duties which tend to begit and increase holinesse in men and so to bring them to see and enjoy God in the eternall rest of glorie This point because it is of greatest weight and moment comprehends in it many of those things which are necessary to be laid open made knowne for the distinct and profittable understanding of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath the right obseruation thereof together with the duties which belong thereunto are therein required Therefore I will doe my best endeavour to handle this point more fully to laie open distinctly the speciall things therein contained and that in this method order First I will proue this maine point to weet That Gods blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day did include the giving of a law commandement for the keeping of an holy weekly Sabbath Gods giving of this commandement was a maine speciall part of his sanctifying of it Secondly I will enquire search out the nature of that law commandement how farre in what manner it bindes Adam and all his posteritie Thirdlie because everie law which God gives to man doth impose a dutie upon man and bindes man to the performance of it therefore the uerie words of the text binds me to handlle at large mans dutie which this commandement of God this word by which hee did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day doth impose upon Adam all his posteritie even their sanctifying keeping holy the Sabbath day For the proofe of the maine point we haue three notable argumeÌ„ts First we haue the plaine testimony of God himselfe Exod. 16.28 where he cals this his blessing sanctifying of the seventh day by the maine of a commandement law tels the Isralites that they not keeping of an holy rest but going out togather Manna on the seventh day did refuse to keepe his commandements and lawes that is his commandements and lawes which he had given from the beginning in his blessing and the sanctifying of the seventh day For of other speciall lawes and commandements given beefore that time concerning the Sabbath there is no mention at all in Scripture neither did God giue any besides that from the beginning untill hee spake unto them afterward from mount Sinah and in the fourth Commandement called upon them to remember the Law of old giuen for keeping holy the Sabbath and renewed it againe to them Secondly In all the Law of God and in all the Scriptures wee never read of any thing truly hallowed sanctified and set apart for holy vse but by speciall Commandement of God and by the direction of his word the first thing which is said to bee sanctified after the seventh daie is the first borne of Israell Exod 13.2 and this was by Gods speciall commandement and therefore hee saith that he hallowed them On that day which he smote the first borne of Egypt Num. 3.13 The next sanctified mentioned in Scripture is that of the people of Israell when they were to come into the sight and presence of Gods Majestie at mount Sina Exod. 19.10 and that was by Gods direction and commandement as is there testified in expresse words The third sanctification mentioned in the Scriptures is that of the Sanctuary and the Altar and all the holy Uessels and implements therof And Aaron and his sonnes the
people and is the Lord who doth sanctifie them will bring them to glory And thus I passe from the conveniency and fitnes of the Lords day which is the first of the weeke to shew the chaunge of the Sabbath unto that day both in Gods intention and purpose from the beginning also actually in the fulnesse of time by the glorious resurrection of the Lord Christ vp on that day Where by Gods assistance J shall make it appeare That this chaunge of the Sabbath to the Lords day is no humane invention or Eccesiasticall tradition but a thing which God the lawgiuer did purpose and intend from all eternity and foretold by the Prophets and by divers signs foreshewed of old and in fulnesse of time did by his Sonne Christ the Lord of the Sabbath command and actually bring to passe First Saint Augustine and divers other learned men haue heretofore obserued That God by some notable things which he in his wisdome made to concurre in the first day of the ceration did plainly foreshew in the beginning before the seventh day was sanctified or the law of the Sabbath given that it was his purpose and will and he in his eternall counsell had determined to advance in fulnesse of time that day aboue all other daies of the weeke to the honour of the holy weekly sabbath to a day of meditation on the eternall rest in heaven and a pledge to his people of the euerlasting sabbathisme which there remaines for them and the first fruites of their time offered vnto God in Christ and sanctified in him Those notable things are the three things before named 1. That God made that day the first fruites of all time 2. Created in it the place of eternall rest the highest Heaven in which the blessed saints shal injoy their blessed Sabbath whereof the weekly Sabbath is a signe and pledge to them in this life 3. In it he created the light of this visible world which things concurring in one and the same day God in his wisedome soe ordering it who doth nothing in vaine but every thing for some wise purpose and being good reasons to prove and grounds to make that day the fittest to be sanctified in Christ made the Châ—istian Sabbath as J haue before noted the learned from thence do gather and not without good reason That from the beginning God intended for this day the Honour of his weeklie Sabbath in the time of the glorious Gospel Secondly diuers of the Auncients haue observed That God raineing Manna first from Heaven to Israell on the first day of the weeke in the wildernesse as we read Exod. 16. did therefore foreshew that this was the day which he had appointed to be the day of the Lord Christ even the day wherein he who is the Heavenly Manna and bread of life should be given from Heaven in his incarnation and the day in which he should come out of the furnace of fiery afflictions and made a strong bread nourishment by his resurrection able to feed our soules spiritually to life eternal And from hence they inferr with the approbation of diuers graue Divines and schoolemen of later times that God did of old intend and purpose to make this day in the times of the Gospel after Christ fully exhibited and giuen unto us to be the bread of life heavenly Mannâ— his Holy weekly Sabbath and day of spirituall provision wherein Christians should make their weekly provision of spirituall food and heauenly Manna to feed their soules Thirdly diuers of the Auncient fathers haue observed and diuers both Schoolemen and godly learned writers of the reformed Church therein conseâ—t with them That the Lord did of old by his spirit-speaking in the Prophets fortell the chaunge of the Holy Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the weeke the Lords day and day of Christs resurrection The blessed Mâ—rtyr Jgnatius who lived and was growne in the knowledge of Christianity in the time of the Apostles and before the death of St. Iohn the Evangelilist as hee himselfe testifies doth in his Epistle to the Mâ—gnesians not onely affirme that the Lords day is the Queene and supreme Lady of all dayes but also endeavours to proue that God from the daies of old had ordained it to be the true Christian Sabbath and did foreshew so much by the wordes of the Prophet David in the title of the sixth Psalme wherein it is called a Psalme unto the eighth day that is in honour of the Lords day which as it is the first of the weeke counting from the creation everie weeke severallie by it selfe and the seventh if we begin our account with the next day after the Lords day as the Iews did with the next after their Sabbath So if we reckon forward from the beginning of the creation into an other weeke it is the eight day And also learned Augustine and others of the fathers as also diuers late writers do in this point concurre with him and affirme that God moving Dauid to make such Honorable mention of the eighth daie did foreshew his purpose and will to chaunge that day by Christs resurrection in to his Holy Sabbath Some also from Gods institutioÌ„ of circumcision one the eighth day after the birth of the child which was to be circumcised do gather that the eight day after the birth of the world to weet the Lords day was befor ordained of God to be not only the day of Christs resurrection victorie over sin death by which sin should be cut of destroyed but also the Christian sabbath and so both a speciall day of Circumcising their hearts to the Lord in the state of grace and also a pledge of the fulnesse of mortification and sanctification in the day of the last resurrection of enterance into the eternall Sabbath in heauen For this purpose also Saint Austen many other learned men in all ages since even to this day doe alledge the plaine words of David Psal. 118.24 where hauing Prophetically fortold the glorious resurrection of Christ. Thow after that the Iewes had crucified put him to death hee should rise up to be the head corner stone even the rock foundation of the Church for so our Sauiour Mat. 21.42 the Apostle Act. 4.11 do expound Davids words he immediatly affirmes that this is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it That this is the day of the Lord Christ as St. Iohn cals it Revel 1.10 which the Lord hath made That is in his degree hath already appointed to be his holy day we that is in the time of the Gospell when this stone is become the head of the corner will rejoyce be glad in it that is rejoyce befor the Lord with all joy serve him be glad in him with Sabbatical holy solemnity if we consider wel the matter and substance of the 92. Psalme which is
intitled a Psalme for the Sabbath we shall see that it is most fit for the day of Christs resurrection setting forth the fruites thereof plainely and after a lively manner to weet the soled joy of Gods people and the florishing state of the righteous in Gods Church and exalting of the horne of Christ the true Mâ—ssiah and King of the Church Fourthly if we consider the diversity and difference of things which are commanded in the law of the Sabbath and are to be observed in the weekly Sabbath as it was instituted by God at the first and againe reviued in the fourth commandement if we call to minde that the law is a mixt law commanding some things which concern the uery substance and being of the Holy Sabbath unto which it bindes men perpetually such as are a fit proportion of time one day in every weeke rest and cessation from common workes of this life and sanctification of it by religious exercises and devoting it to publicke assemblies and holy worship And other things it commanded which were typicall and ceremoniall and were to haue there full accomplishment in Christ and to be in force only vntil the ful exhibitioÌ„ revelation of Christ a pefect Redeemer all which I haue largely shewed before and the best learned haue euer held It will upon these grounds necessarily follow that there must be a chaunge of the Sabbath from the seventh day and in respect of the tipicall and ceremoniall worshippe at the full exhibition of Christ into aday and a worship more fit for Christ giuen and revealed and for the times of the gospell First it is generally held by the best learned That God by sanctifying the seventh day and commanding his Holy Sabbath to be kept everie weeke on the seventh day did thereby shew that in his wisdome he saw it fit and necessary for man to observe this proportion of time to devote one day in everie weeke both to bodilie rest and a totall cessation from his owne worldlie labors pleasures and delights and also to Holie and Heavenlie meditations and to religious exercises and Holie assemblies And in these respects they call the law of the Sabbath naturall morall and perpetuall and they proue it thus First because nature it selfe and common reason and experience doe teach that ever since mans fall it is naturallie necessarie for mans health and welbeing and for the preserving and upholding of the life strength of his labouring and â—oyling cattell that he his servants cattell should haue one daies rest in seaven And that without this proportion of time dedicated to Holie assemblies and exercises of pietie the saving knowledge of God and true religion and pietie cannot well be upheld fraile men would by little forget God become ignorant of heavenly things and so of the way to eternall rest if it were left in mans power to chuse his owne time some would chuse none at all the rest for the most part would differ that time which some thought fit Others would refuse as inconvenient and so there would be no set ordinary assemblies Gods worship would grow out of use Secondly true piety teacheth us that we ought to think our selues bound in conscience to giue and devote so much of our time at the least to pious exercises as God in whose hand we and our times are did require of his people in the obscurer times of the Old Testament for the keeping of religion and his worshippe on foote for preserving of the knowledge and memory of his goodnesse and benefits and for the sanctifying of their weekely laboures of his creatures to their use and of themselves to him that they might be fitted to see him in glory for the abundance of grace shed on us by the Gospel is a bond and obligation to us of much more service and obedience which we owe to God Now God required of them every seventh day to be kept holy and that was the least which any of them in any age were bound to dedicate to his worshippe And therefore true piety binds us much more to keepe an holy weekly Sabbath These are arguments and proofes sufficient to satisfie any man who doth not peruersly resist and rebell against the law of nature But let me here giue a cave at by the way That when the learned call the sabbath and the law of it naturall we are not to conceiue that by natural they mean a thing writen in mans heart in the creation which man was made to performe and obey simply as a reasonable creature and naturall man For man was made for the Sabbath Marke 2.27 Neither did he toyle and sweat or need a set weekly rest Neither did he need a weekly solemnity to helpe his memory or to stirr up his affections as I haue before proved But that they understand by naturall that which the uerie light of naturall reason shewes to be most convenient and necessary for men now corrupt and which so soone as it is commanded and revealed by Gods word appeares so necessary in the very nature of it both for men soules and bodies that without it they canÌ„ot haue ordinarily any wel being on earth nor escape hel coÌ„e to Heaven after death This exposition learned Zanchyus gives of his owne and other learned mens speeches when they call the law of the Sabbath naturall Jf saith he it were so naturall as things written in mans heart in the creation then the Heathen Gentiles would haue felt themselves bound by it and would haue shewed it in their practise in some measure more or lesse Neverthelesse the conclusion of Zanchyus and other learned Divines is firme and sure vpon the former premises to weet That Gods first commandement of the Sabbath doth perpetually bind al Gods people to the worlds end to keep a weeklie Sabbath even a seventh day in everie weeke Holie to the Lord. Secondly it is a thing vniversally held by all true Christian writers that the Sabbath as it was limited to the seventh day of the weeke and was to be observed by bodily sacrifices morning and evening and by worshippe which consisted in outward rites which were tipes and figures of things which haue their accomplishment in Christ so it was ceremoniall temporary and chaungable The common ground of the sanctifying of the seventh day and tying the Sabbath to it is held commonlie to be Gods rest on the seventh day from the worke of creation And this is such a grounde as in the fulnesse of the time was to giue place and did giue place to a better rest arising and brought in by the finishing of a more excellent and glorious worke of Gods goodnes and bountie even the worke of mans Redemption The worshippe of God on the Sabbath of the seventh day in the old Testament by double sacrifices such ryts were but vanishing shadows the substance of theÌ„ was Christ therfor they were to cease wheÌ„ the body substance came in And the
God nor beleeue in Christ without preaching of the word which they will not looke after but skorne it Yet they are bound to repent and beleeue and shall perish for rejecting and not vseing the meanes to git faith So it is with other infidels further of they shall perish for not using such meanes as are in their power wherby they might come to know this other duties which they are boūd to performe in thankfulnes for Gods gracious promise of Christ the redeemer for the commō benifits which they receiue through him CHAP. 16. THE Third thing which I propounded concerning mans sanctification so the Sabbath is the consideration of the duties wherin it doth consist which are of three sorts First some are such are common to all Gods people in all ages of the world and they be duties which are necessarie to the being of the Sabbath Secondly some are proper to the Sabbath of the seventh daie while the fathers under the Old Testament did expect Christ promised and were to keep their Sabbath in memorie of the promise of Christ made to our first parents on the last day of the week Thirdly some are proper to us who liue under the Gospel since Christ fullie exhibited a perfect Redeemer after the buriall of Moses that is the utter abolition of all legall shaddows together with the materiall temple of the Jews The duties common to all such as are necessary to the being of an holy Sabbath at all times they are three especiallie The first is a rest cessation from all seculiar affaires worldly pleasures except only such as are necessarie for mans welbeing cannot be omitted or deferred without great hurt danger of mans health life of the life and safety of the creatures which God hath made for mans use The second is sanctification of the Sabbath with such holy exercises of religion of Gods worship as God requires in that age state of the Church in which they live The third is sanctifying of that day of the week which God hath blessed honoured with greatest blessings aboue all other daies wherein he hath more fully revealed his holines opened the fountaine of holines for the sanctifying of his people Concerning the first to weet rest and cessation from all worldlie affaires bodilie delights there is a doubt made by some whether it doth equally concerne all Gods people as wel christians under the Gospel as the fathers of the old testament Divers are of opiniō that Christians haue more liberty are not so strictly bound to rest from all worldly affaires bodily delights as the fathers were befor Christ. But for the clearing of this point we are to note three specially things First that rest cessation from all seculiar businesse worldly pastimes is a dutie of the Sabbath which generally belongs to all men in all ages who are bound to keep a weekly Sabbath or holy daie by virtue of Gods sanctification of the Seventh daie For first the very name Sabbath which God gaue to the day signifies rest cessation puts us continually in mind of this duty And whosoever cals it by the name Sabbath doth thereby acknowledge it to be a day of rest Secondly a maine ground of Gods first institution of the Sabbath the rest from all workes of creation wherwith God rested in Christ the seventh day who on that day was promised took upon him to be mans mediatour as hath been proved befor out of the words of this text For Chtist the son of God vndertaking to repaire the works of creatiō which were defaced by mans fal to restore al his by another kinde of work then creation even by incarnation obedience suffering satisfaction for sin in mans nature for the redemption of the world did bring unto God the Creatour rest cessation from any more creation of new kindes of creatures And upon this ground even this perfecting of his worke of creation by bringing in redemption and in memory for a signe of Gods resting in Christ promised God sanctified the seventh daie to be an holy weeklie Sabbath bound man to this duty of rest on the Sabbath day from all secular businesse Thirdly in all ages whensoever God repeated the law of the Sabbath or vrged the observation of it either by Moses or the Prophets we shall observe that rest and cessation is injoyned as Exod. 20.10 The seventh day is the Sabbath in it thou shal◠do no maner of worke Exod. 31.14 thou shalt do no manner of worke therein Exod. 33.2 Devt 5.14 whosoever doth any work on the sabbath shall surely be put to death They might not gather man̄a on the sabbath day Exo. 16.28 they who went out to seeke Manna are called trasgressours And all the Prophets which in after times made mention of the Sabbath vrged rest blamed all servile vvorks vvhich concern this life as Isa. 58.13 Jer. 17.27 Neh. 13.17 Fourthly vve in these later daies haue as much need of rest more then men in former ages and the greater hopes and more cleare evidences of rest and glorie in heaven which we haue do more bind us to rest from worldly cares and to set our mindes on heaven where our hopes are These are strong arguments to prove that rest vpon the Sabbath day is a duty which generally belongs to all men in al ages which the first thing serving to satisfie the former doubt to proue the first generall duty Secondly Gods sanctifying of the Sabbath and his first commandement given to Adam for the keeping holy of the seventh day binds all men in all ages to keepe a weekely Sabbath to the end of the vvorld as I haue before proued and therfore the duty of rest belongs to all Thirdly they vvho hold the lavv of the vveekly Sabbath to be but for a time and that it is novv abolished they can shevv no Scriptures to vvarrant their opinion That place vvhich they object Coloss. 2.16 speakes not in the singular number of the vveekly Sabbath instituted here in my text For though the day bee chaunged upon vveightie reasons and good ground Yet the Sabbathisme still remaineth to the people of God not onely the eternall and heavenlie but also the temporall Sabbath on earth which leads to the heavenly The words of the Apostle speake of those Sabbaths or holy daies of the Iewes which were tipicall and shaddows of things to bee exhibited in Christ such as were the first and last daies of the Passouer Pentecost and other great yearly feasts The word Sabbaton being of the plurall number implies soe much and the nameing of feasts daies and new moones which were shaddowes of the law giue us just cause to conceiue that the Apostle intends only the festiuall and not the weekly Sabbaths Or if we should grant that the weekly Sabbath is meant among the rest which the father 's obserued on the
writings of the most godly diuines and builders of our Church Gods people are vrged by the law of God even the fourth Commandement to keepe holy the Lords day for the Christian weekly Sabbath and in our divine service after the publicke rehearsing of that commandement in the congregation are injoyned to pray in these words Loâ—d haue mercy upon us and incline our heaâ—tes to keepe thy law And this you see the first generall duty of the Sabbath to weet Resting from worldly affaires clearly proved and that while their is a Sabbath or weekly day of holy assemblies either under the Gospel all men are bound to observe this rest The second generall duty necessaâ—ily to be performed in the keeping of the Sabbath is sanctification which is by mens devoting of themselves wholy to divine worship such religious actions as God requirs in the times of the Church in which they live such as are publick assemblies for praising God praying to him preaching reading expounding and hearing of his word commemoration of his great works and rehearsing of his promises for common edification Also private praierâ— and meditations on heavenly things domesticall instructions and the like All these are necessary Sabbath duties to be observed of al men in all ages both under the old new testament First the words wherin Moses here in my text discribes Gods first institutioÌ„ of the Sabbath proue this fully For here it is said that God sanctified it that is set it apart for holy exercises in the performance whereof men do sanctifie it For sanctifying is either by infusion of holinesse into the thing sanctified or setting it apart to holy use and exercise but it had no holinesse infused into it as I haue else where proved Therefore it was saâ—ctified by consecration that is setting apart to holy use Secondly it is called the holy Sabbath that is such a day of rest as is to be kept Exod. 16.23 before the giving of the fourth commandement as Moses shewes saying To morrow is the rest of our holy sabbath to the Lord that is this is a rest not of idlenesse but from common affairs that men may be exercised in holy duties onely Thirdly in the giving of the law from mount Sina God commands expresly that all his people doe remember to sanctifie and keepe holie the sabbath which cannot be but by exercise of holy duties and performance of holy service and worshippe vnto God Exod. 2â— 9 Lâ—stly in all the scriptures of the law which speake of the sabbath in the old Testament it is called the Lords holy sabbath And sanctification of it is required as appeares Exod. 31.15 5.2 Deut. 5.12 And in the Evangellicall Prophets which speake of the sabbath both of old and also in the last daies of the Gospell it is called the Lords Holy day Isa. 58 13 66 23 and it is said that all flesh that is true Christians of all nations Shall from one Sabbath to another come to worship before the Lord Ezech. 44.24 They shall hallow the Sabbath But here some perhaps will object That none can truly sanctifie the Sabbath nor performe aâ—y holy duty who are wholy carnall unregenerate and haue not the spirit of God dwelling in them sanctifying them such are many even in the bosome of the true Church And therfore sanctification of the Sabbath cannot be a generall duty performed by al men nor requiâ—ed of all but is a special duty prâ—per to the elect Saints who are truly sanctified others were neuer able to sanctifie the sabbath and therefore it is not a duty which God can justly require of all in generall Jt is true indeed that as a bitter fountaine corrupt can send forth no sweet and pure water so no naturall man can performe a true holy duty Holines is a supernaturall guift of the holy Ghost and he it is who enables men to performe all workes which are eternally holy But as ther is a two fold sanctification the one internal which is the woâ—k of the holy Ghost in men the other externall which is the consecrating setting apart of things naturall and artificiall to be imployed to an holy vse and to supernaturall end so also there are two sorts of holy exercise Some which are eternally holy as holy prayers and praises and all workes of true piety which onely holy men performe by the power of the holy Ghost working in them and mouing them Others are only externally holy by outward consecration seperation because the are appointed to be done for holy use to be used in the worship of God such are all outward religious duties as sacrificing and such like performed by Hipocrites and carnall professours in the old Testament such as Caine Saul and Elis wicked sonnes were And reading preaching set formes of prayer and gestures of worship performed by Hipocrites both before and under the Gospel These later are in the power of Hipocrites and unregenerate men who by a common guift and generall grace are enabled to performe farre more in this kinde then they do or are willing to do Now though all men cannot performe the first yet so farr as they are able they are bound to performe the later sort of dutâ—es among which are the externall sanctifications of the Sabbath as frequenting holy and publick assâ—mblies singing of Psalmes joyning with the Church in publick prayers and the like which as they are able to do so they are bound to do and if they refuse in such things to conforme themselves they are punisâ—ed both by God for disobedience to his law and also by the Censures of the Church The third generall duty necessarily required of all in the observation of the Sabbath is That they keep for their holy Sabbath that verie day of the week whether it be the first or seventh which God hath blessed aboue all other daies with the greatest blessing and which he hath sanctified aboue all other daies by more full relation of his own holines to the world and opening of a more wide doore of holines for the sanâ—tifying of all his people Thus I prove First most plainly from the words of my text which describe Gods first institution of the Sabbath First by blessing it aboue other daies with that greatest of blessings even the promise of Christ a perfect Saviour and Redeemer of mankinde Secondly by sanctifying it in revealing his holinesse to man and sanctifying man by his spirit the promise and thereupon appointing it to be kept holy As I haue fully before proved Secondly the Lord God himselfe both in giving the law from mount Sina and often repeating of the fourth Commandement by Moses still vrgeth the obseruation of the weekly Sabbath upon this grouÌ„d because he hath on that day Redeemed them out of the house of boâ—dage with a mighty hand streached out arme Deut. 5.15 in othâ—r places for indeede on the Sabbath he redemed them and
sanctified the first borne to himselfe Exod. 13. From whence we conclude that Gods blessing of a day aboue other daies with greatest blessings is a good ground for the keeping of it for his holy Sabbath and so also is Gods saÌ„ctifying of it by more speciall holines Thirdly it is manifest that all extraordinary and yearlie Sabbaths which God commanded Israell to keepe holy such as the first and seventh daiâ—s of the feasts of the Passover Pentecost of Tabernacles were al enjoyned to be kâ—pt observed in memory of greater blessings given on those daies and of Gods sanctifying them by more full revelation of his holines And therefore much more is the observation of the continuall weekly Sabbath grounded upon greater blessings given holines fully revealed on that day of the week which is to be observed for the Sabbath in whatsoever age time or state of the Church men do live they are bound by the first institution of the Sabbath and by the first law which God then gaue for the keeping of it as to obserue an holy weekly sabbath so to obserue on that verie daie of the weeke which God hath at that time and in that age revealed and declared to be the day which he hath blessed and sanctified aboue all others daies of the weeke As for example while Christ was promised a redeemer of the world and was not yet given the day of the promise wherin he was first promised and did undertake and begin to mediate for man was the most blessed day which God had sanctified and blessed with the promise which was the greatest blessing revealed and made knowne in the Old Testament But when an other day of the weeke comes to be blessed with a greater blessing even the giving of Christ and the full exhibition of him a perfect redeemer then is that the day which God hath sanctified aboue all daies then the law the words of the first institutioÌ„s bind meÌ„ to keep that for the holy Sabbath And thus you see the generall duties which God requires of all men in generall which are necessary to the being of the Sabbath and with out which there can be no right obseruation of a weekly sabbath holy to the Lord. CHAP. 17. THE second sort of duties now follow to weet those which were proper to the people of God in the old Testament vnto which the Fathers were specially bound befor the coÌ„ming of Christ while he was yet only promised not given a perfect Redeemer They also though they consist in many particulars Yet may be reduced to three chiefe heads First to rest and cessation Secondly to sanctification Thirdly to obseruation of the seventh and last day of the weeke for their holy weekly Sabbath First concerning rest from all worldly affaires and cessation from bodily exercises such as delight and refresh the outward man onely and are directed to no other end there are different opinions among the learned Some hold that the fathers vnder the law were bound more strictly to rest from bodily exercises and worldly affaires on their Sabbath then Christians are on the Lords day under the Gospel Jnsomuch that the strict bond of rest vnto which the law tyed them was an heavy yoke and apart of the bondage vnder which they groaned Others are of opinion that their rest being no more but from worldly affaires bodily exercises seruing only for bodily delight worldly profit was the very same vnto which all Gods people were bound in all ages and are still under the Gospel There are reasons brought on both sides but all Scriptures and reasons being well weighed I doubt not but they may bee brought to agree in one truth If only one thing wherin both sides agre and which both mistake be remoued namely a conceipt which both haue of a more strict and religious exaction of rest and cessation then indeede was required in the Sabbath of the Old Testament They who hold the first opinion bring many testimonies of Scripture which seeme to impose such a strict rest cessation on the fathers and the Isralites vnder the law as is by common experience found to be an heavy burden hard to be borne and even intollerable As for example Exod. 9.16.23 Where Moses speakes thus unto Israell This is that which the Lord hath said To Morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath vnto the Lord bake that which yee will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth and that which remaineth over lay vp for you to be kept untill the morning Hence they conclude that the fathers were restrained froÌ„ baking or seething any meate on the Sabbath day Also verse 29. Wher Moses saith Let no maÌ„ go forth of his place but every maÌ„ abide in his place on the seventh day Hence they inferre That the fathers might not walke abroad on their Sabbath Likewise from the words of the law Exod. 20.10 Jn it thou shalt not do any worke they gather that the Isralites might upon no worldly occasion do any worke on the Sabbath day not so much as make a plaister or medicine for a sick and wounded man And so the learned Doctours of the Iewes vnderstodd the law and observed it as they shewed by their reproving of Christ for healing a diseased person by a word onely and no other labour Also Exod. 31.14.15 35.23 all kinde of worke is forbideen under paine of death Whosoever doth any worke therein shal be put to death saith the Lord. Yea he forbids to kindle a fire through their habitations on the sabbath day Num. 15.35 The man that was found gathering stickes in the wildernesse on the sabbath day was by Gods appointment stoned to death by the Congregation Neh 13 17. Jt was called profaning of the Sabbath when men sould any wares or vitails and when straungers of other nations brought in wares and fish on the Sabbath day to be sold. Also Amos 8.5 They whose mindes were so set on the worldly affaires that they longed till the sabbath was past and had their minde on selling corne and wheate The Lord sweares by the excellency of Iacob that hee will not forgit to reveng their doings From these scriptures divers both of the Auncients and later diuines haue concluded that the law of the Sabbath in respect of rest and cessation which is exacted in the old Testament with such rigour and upon such grievous penalties was an heavy and intollerable burden and therefore is abolished by Christ in respect of that totall cessation and strict rest Others on the contrary doe hold that as Christians haue more clear evidence hope of eternall rest in heaven and the spirit which makes the more spirituall shed on them more abundantly through Christ soe they ought to be more restrained from loue of the world from care of earthly things And therefore by the law of the Sabbath are bound rather more strictly then the fathers in the old Testament
to rest and cease from all worldly cares and all laboures and affaires of this life on the Lords day which is consecrated by the resurrection of Christ to be the weekly Sabbath of all Christians But if these Scriptures be diligently searched and all circumstances well weighed It will appeare vpon good reason that both sides are mistaken and that the forenamed Scriptures do not import any such rigorous rest or burden some cessation For first of all though the Pharises and other strict sects and Rabbinicall Doctors and expounders of the law did of later times alittle before and at the appearance of our Saviour in the flesh expound the law soe strictly in respect of the carnall and literall sence that thereby they laid heavy burdens vpon men as our Saviour doth charge them Matth. 23.4 Yet it was not so from the beginning but even the Isralites themselves who lived vnder the law as under a Scoole maister and under the rudiments of the world they had liberty to go out of them places and dwellings a Sabbath days journey which was as their Rabbinnes writes two thousand cubites that is as some take it an Italian mile in the opinion of others two miles And 2 King 11.6.7 It is recorded the Priests and people went in and out to and from the house of the Lord on every Sabbath day They did also kindle fire for sacrifices burnt offerings which they did offer unto God double morning and evening everie Sabbath daie after they had killed and dressed the beasts and this according to the strict sence and strained exposition of the Law which the Scribes and Pharises gaue of it was a breach of the law and prophanation of the Sabbath as our Saviour shewes Matth. 12.5 Secondly the scribes and Pharises did not expound the law as forbidding all bodily workes For they do circumcise Children apply medicines to heale the sores of the Circumcised on the Sabbath when it happened vpon the eight day after the birth of Children as our Saviour also shewes Joh. 7.23 They led their oxen asses to the water and if a sheepe or oxe or asse did fall into a pit they did pull it out on the Sabbath because these were works of necessity Luk. 13.15 14.5 And the chiefest and strictest of the Pharises did make great feasts invited many guests our Saviour himselfe amongst the rest who did not refuse to take part with them Luk. 14.1 did obserue how the invited guists did choose out the chiefest roomes ver 7. Which shewes plainly that dressing of necessary and convenient meat was not forbidden by the law on the Sabbath day neither did the Pharises so expound the law Thirdly for the places of Scrpture before alleaged let us take a perticular view of them in order and we shall see that they are much mistaken First that place Exod. 16.29 doth not enjoyne every man to keepe his place and not to goe out of their campe to gather Manna on the seventh day the reason prefixed shewes this plainly to weet because God gaue them on the sixth day Manna sufficient for that day the seventh The exposition which some make of the 23. ver is very idle ridiculous namly that the Isralites were commanded to bake and seeth on the sixth day that which they were to eate on the seventh And therefore it was not lawfull to bake and seeth on the Sabbath For Moses doth not bidde them bake for the Sabbath which was the morrow after but onely that which they were to eate on the present day and to reserve the ouerplus which they did not bake and seeth vntill the seventh day and though they did so and did not bake and seeth it yet it did not putrifie neither were any worms therin which had it beeÌ„ sodde or baked for baking and seething do naturally and as an ordinarie means preserue things from stincking and putrefaction In the next place the wordes of the fourth commandement in it thou shalt not do any worke they do not forbid religious workes which tend either to inward or outward sanctification of the Sabbath day nor workes of mercy charity or necessity which are necessarie for the safety and preseruation of the life of man or beast Though the perverse Scribes and Pharises out of their Hipocrisie did â—oo strictlie expound and interpret the law of the Sabbath against our Savious doeings and held it unlawfull to Heale the sick on the Sabbath daie though it were but by speaking a word yet their practise which they received from the fathers of killing and offering sacrifices circumcising their children leading their oxen to the water to drinke and drawing their sheepe asses and other profittable cattell out of a ditch did shew that they were taught from the beginning a contrary lesson of more liberty which our Saviour approueth and thereby convinceth them of grosse errour and Hipocrisie Thirdly that place of Exod. 3 35. where they are forbidden to kindle a fire in all their habitations on the Sabbath day is not a generall commandement binding all simplie at al times but a perticular precept binding in some cases for they kindled fires and burned sacrifices twice every Sabbath they also kindled fires to dresse necessary and comfortable meat Exod. 12 16. Where God forbidding all manner of workes on the Sabbath of the Passouer which were commanded to be kept as strictly and to be sanctified with holy assemblies and solemnities as much as the weekly Sabbath yet exceps that which is to be done in dressing necessarie meat Wherefore the kindling of a fire here forbidden is expounded by some Rabbines to be onely making of fires to burne malefactors But indeed if we looke to that which followeth it will appeare that Moses being about to summon the people to bring all materials gold silver brasse jron and other materials and also silke purple and other stuffe for the building of the altar the tabernacle and all things therunto belonging doth first call to their remembrance the law of the Sabbath and doth giue them a charge from God that in building of the tabernacle the place of his worship they abstaine from all worke on the Sabbath day vnder paine of death and that they doe not kindle a fire to melt gold or silver or brass for the Altar or the arke or any holie thing in the tabernacle For God abhorres the breaking of his law or prophaning his Sabbath vnder the pretence of building an House or tabernacle or altars to him And this is no more then our builders of the famous Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in this city are on our Lords day the Christian Sabbath at this time bound to observe and do abserue very strictly Fourthly the forbidding of all worke vnder paine of death Exod 31.14.35.2 And the commanding of him to be stoned who gathered sticks on the sabbath day Num. 15.35 are not thus to be understood that every breach of the sabbath by any bodily
and therupon sanctified it And because from Adam untill Noah Christ was promised to be the seed of the woman And then he was promised to come of the seed of Shem afterwards Abraham was singled out of Shems family Christ the blessed seed was promised more specially to come of his seed even of Isaak the sonne of promise of Iacob Isaaks younger sonne And of all the tribes of Jsraell Judah was nominated And of all the families of Iudah Davids house was chosen David received the promise that he should be the progenitor of Christ. And all the Prophets in all ages in their Prophesies of Christ foretold that he should be made of the seed of David according to the flesh Therefore the fathers from Adam untill Noah and after him untill Abraham Isaak Iacob their seed posterity in their severall families still made a commemoration of Christ promised to come of them in all their weekly Sabbaths And when God had enlarged his Church in all the Tribes of Israel had by Moses recorded the promise of Christ that he should be the seed of AbrahaÌ„ c. after the Prophets had foretold that the Messiah was to come of Davids royal seed then they were all bound to preach Christ. and to commemorate the promise of him after a most solemn manner to their publick â—ssemblies on every Sabbath day And this was a prime duty and speciall worke of their sanctification of that day As we reade Luk. 16.29 Act. 15.21 The second speciall duty was offering of Sabbath sacrifices which were types and shaddowes of Christ and of redâ—mption and reconciliaâ—ion of men vnto God in him For as they did more solemnly rehearse the promises of Christ so also they did offer more solemne sacrifices in a double measure both morning and evening everie Sabbath day this God commanded by Moses to Israell Num. 28.9 And vndoubtedly Caine and Abell being instructed by Adam did bring their â—fferings on the seventh day which ended the weeke Gen. 4.3 And Noah his pleasing sacrifice was a sweet savour of rest that is a Sabbath sacâ—ifice Gen. 8.21 As J haue largely before proved The third speciall dutie was an holie assembly or holie convocaâ—ion which they were commanded to keepe on all other yearly festivall Sabbaths so every weekly Sabbath day as we reade Lâ—vit â—3 38 For although while the Church people of God were but a small number and despersed in severall places and families as in the familie of Melchisedek and Abraham and Lot and afterwards in the family of Iâ—b and of the sonnes of Abraham and Iacob before that Israell grew vp to be a nation there were few publicke holy assemblies kept either on the Sabbath or vpon any other occasion The Godly fathers did onelie call togither their houshould and families by themselves and did commaund and teach them to keepe the way of the Lord and to remember this Covenant as is testified particularly of Abraham Gen. 18.19 and in another place Where he is said to build altars and there to worshippe God As Gen. 12.7 13.4 as also it is said of Job c. 1.5 That he rose up early and sanctified his seven sonnes and offered vp burnt offerings according to the number of them Yet it is manifest that whensoever in any age there was a great increase of Gods people and an enlargment of his Church ouer a whole nation and countrie the Sabbath was by Gods appointment sanctified with holy assemblies After the birth of Enosh when the family of Seth began to increase and multiply it is said that men began then to call upon the name of the Lord. Or as some not unfittly doe translate the words then they began to call men by the name of the Lord that is Adam and his sonnes especially Seth his Children began to separate themselves from the wicked and profane people of Caines race and being gathered into a Church were called the children of God Gods people and did assemble themselues togither in set places and at set times every Sabbath day to worshippe God and to call upon his name as appeares in the Fourâ—h Chapter of Gen. ver 26. Thus Luther and Iunius expound that place as the words will uery well beare this exposition so also both Scripâ—ure reason confirme it For Gen. 6.2 The people of God who were gathered into the Church professed pure Religion in their assemblies are called by the name of God even the sons of God and by this title are distinguished from the wicked and profane who are called the sonnes of Adam that is carnall earthly corrupt men Secondly it is manifest that Abell long before Seth and Enosh did worshippe God and call upon his name and so undoubtedly did Adam and Seth before this time in their priuate families and therefore here cannot bee meant the first begining of mens calling upon Gods name and worshipping him but certainly the first beginning of Gods worship in publick assemblies of the Church in set places and at set times even everie Sabbath day As for them who translate this place that when Enosh was born men began to profane the name of the Lord they make way for diuers absurdities First that calling upon Gods name is profanation of it Secondly that profanation began in the family of Seth or at the least by the increase of his posterity Thirdly that there was no profanation of Gods name committed by Caine and bloody Lamech before this time contrary to that which is recorded before in this Chapter ver 8. 24. Where Lamech is brought in skorning of Gods threatnings And as we haue some monuments of antiquity which shew that holie assemblies were observed as religious duties of the holy Sabbath from the beginning So after that Israell became a nation and God set up his Church and tabernacle among them we haue most cleare and expresse commandements of God given by Moses to them and all their posterity that they should do no servile worke as appeares Levit 23.3.7.8 Num. 28 18 29.1 Deut. 16.8 And that the Priests and Levites togeâ—her with the people assemble together in the Temple on the Sabbath day it is recorded 2 King 11.5 2 Cron. 23.8 But I need not insist vpon further proofe of this point For everie man of reason must needes confesse that no publick holy Sabbath duties can be performed but in publick assemblies The Fourth speciall duty of the Sabbath unto which Gods people under the law were bound after the time of the law written by Moses and the publishing of the promises in the Scriptures of the Propheâ—s was the publick reading and expounding of the law the Prophets by the Priests and publick teachers and reverent hearing of them by the people This is manifest by the places before named to proue asolemne rehearsall of the promise to weet Luk. 16.29 Ast 15 21. And that on the Sabbath day For as those Scriptures do
are to be found all the meane and essentiall grounds and reasons both of the Sabbath and alsoe â—f the particular day wherein hee requires that it should be obserued If he had not undertaken mans redemption from death and hell and mans exaltation to eternall rest and glory there had beene neither any place for mans keeping of a Sabbath nor anie use of it to fit him for heaven or to be a pledg of eternall rest in heaven Jf God had not on the seventh day promised Christ the blessed seed to redeeme man from death to purchase life for him and to continue to him the benefit of the creatures and to perfect his creation Surely it had not been the most blessed day of the weeke neither would God haue instituted it to be a weekly Sabbath at the first and soe to continue untill the comming of Christ. And if God had not raised up Christ on the first day of the weeke and so exhibited him aperfect redeemer and fully performed his promise Then the first day had not beene made a more blessed day then the seventh and all other daies of the weeke And the Lord Christ would never haue made that day of the weeke his Sabbath alwaies after neither would his holy Apostles by inspiration of his spirit being moued to call it the Lords day and to obserue it and teach others to obserue it for their day of holy assemblies for the performing of all holy Sabbath duties And thus we see Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath and so determines the particular day of the weeke not by his bare will word but by bringing in such blessings on the seveÌ„th or first day of the week as made the one of them most worthy under the new testament to bee the holy Sabbath to be kept and obserued of all Gods people vnto the observation whereof they are justly lead by the light both of grace and nature And it is not either in the power of man or any other creature or in the just will of God or agreeable to the will of the Lord Christ and the wisedome of his spirit to appoint any other day for the weekly Sabbath but onely the day of the Lord Christ that is the day of him promised in the old and the day of him fully exhibited in the new Testament The first of which and no other the fathers were bound to keepe for their holy rest of old And the later and no other is our weekly Sabbath and the due obseruation of that particular is the first speciall Sabbath duty of all Christians under the time of the Gospell untill the last resurrection The second sort of speciall duties vnto which all true Christians are bound unto in their obseruation of the Lords day which is the christian Sabbath are the duties of rest cessation from all worldly affaires which now follow to be handled in the nâ—xâ— place Concerning which J finde much diuersity both of opinion and practise not only betweene true Christians of the reformed Churches and Antichristian Papists other hereticks but also in the reformed Churches among themselves First for the Church of Rome and all that are of her faction devoted to her superstition and Idolatry and marked with the marke of the beast which beares up the Romish Babylon though diuers of their learned Scoole-men haue heretofore maintained a very strict obseruation of rest on the Lords day Yet now in later times both in Doctrine practise they are growne uery desolate especially the Romish Catholicks which liue among us turning the Lords day into a day of liberty and spending a great part of it in sports plaies revelling other bodily exercises which are carnall fleshly prophane and impious As if so be their irreligious prophanenesse were at strife with their Idolatrous religion and at great emulation contending which should out go ouer runne the other in carrying them with greater speede to hell Yea to shew and make it manifest to the world that the Romish man of sinne is that great Antichrist which exalts himselfe aboue al that is called God euen aboue the true God the Lord Iesus Christ whose vicar he in hipocrisie makes himself The Church of Rome doth teach and urge her Uassals to keâ—p yearelie holie daies most strictly which are of her owne devising which the pope hath commanded to be observed in honour of his Cananized Saints in the mean time opposeth with many great profanations the Lords day which the Lord hath consecrated by his resurrection Which day being blessed by God with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke is by the law vvhich God gaue from the beginning commanded to bee kept for the Lords holy Sabbath vveeklie Secondly there are of the hereticall faction of the Anabaptists Antimonians families other such prophane Sectaries which make little soâ— any lavv of God or man saving onlie the dictate of their faniticall â—pirit And left the commandemeÌ„t of the vveekly Sab least they should seeme to be subject to Gods lavv and to be be his servants vvhich they account slauerie and not absolute Libertines and sonnes of Beliall vvhich haue cast of the Lords yoke These esteem and obserue no daie at all but according to their own fancie make the Lords day so far as they dare for feare of men a market day of buying and selling waâ—es a daie of labour and of bearing and carrying our burdens as they well know who haue beene at Amsterdam where such heretickes and sectaries are tolerated Thirdlie among Christians of the reformed Churches there is a difference both in Doctrine and practise Some of the reformed Churches who out of their extreme hatred to Popish superstition and to all Popish rites and Ceremonies being unwilling to retaine any thing which was used in poperie except there bee some expresse Commandement or example for it in the Scriptures especiallie of the new Testament and labouring to overthrow the whole Hierachie and gouernment of the Church by Bishops all bodily rites they do in the heat of their zeale so violently set themselues against Popish superstious holie dayes that they goe about to take away all observations of daies and they haue proceeded so farre as to deny that any either weekely Sabbath or yearelie set feast ought to be kept holy by any speciall law or commandement of God They teach that the Sabbath as it was commanded to be kept of old was a mere ceremoniall shaddow of things which are accomplished in Christ and that is now a bolished But because it is a thing necessary for the hauing of holy assemblies and for good order in the Churches that there should be a set day either a seseventh or sixth day of eight dayes And because the law of nature requires that Christian people should haue some daies of rest from hard labour for the refreshing of themselves and their seruants and cattell therefore the Church of God mâ—y appoint any day of
the weeke And in honour of the resurrection of Christ on that day hath from the time of the Apostles agreed to keepe that day for the Lords day not out of any opinion that God hath blessed sanctified it aboue all other daies of the weeke but onely for good orders sake and that it is lawfull for Gods people after publick exercises of religion and some needfull rest and refreshing to use necessarie laboures and bodily recreations which in themselves are not sinfull and unlawfull neither do hinder publick duties of religion and of Gods worship But on the contrarie it is the common doctrine of the most godly and learned in the Church of England ever since the reformâ—â—ion of religion held maintained taught that although Christians are by Christ freed from the observation of the seventh day which was the Sabbath of the old Testament and from that servile bondage and rigorous rest which the law litterally and carnally vnderstood did impose on them or rather they by their carnal exposition wresting of the law did impose on themselves as not kindling of a fire nor liberty to heal the sick nor to do any worke of charitie and necessity on the Sâ—bbath day which could not without danger be deferred Yet they are bound by the law which was first giuen here in my text and after by Moses and the Prophets to keepe in everie weeke an holy rest and that on the first day which is the Lords day because God hath blessed it with a blessing aboue all other daies even by exhibiting Christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection and hath thereby consecrated that day to be his holie sabbath And that all bodilie laboures sports and recreations and all worldly negociation are by Gods law strictly prohibited now under the Gospell as they were in the daies of the Patriarches and Prophets and under the law Because indeed and in truth they crosse the holie purpose of God which he hath manifested in his law and are impediments of those holy exercises which are required in the sanctification of his holie day This doctrine and practise I hold to be the best and this we are all bound to receiue and imbrace and to cleaue vnto it not onely because it is the Doctrine of our Mother Church commended to us in the book of homilies established by divets lawes statutes and constitutions still in force but also because it is most consonant to the sacred Scriptures the precepts and practise of the Apostles and to the common Doctrine of the purest and most holy Orthoxe of the auncient fathers in the Primitiue times and ages next succeeding after the Apostles as by Gods assistance as J shall make cleare and manifest In the justifying proving of this Doctrine and in laying open the speciall duties of Christians which concerne rest and cessation from all worldly negociation and bodilie laboures on the Lords daie which is the Christian Sabbath I will shew First of all That rest and câ—ssation from all bodilie laboures about the worldlie businesse and from all servile and and earthlie workes which concerne this fraile life is a necessarie dutie which God requires by his law of all Christians on the Lords daie which is their Holie weeklie Sabbath vnder the Gospell 2. That Gods law rightlie understood doth in respect of rest from worldly cares and all bodily workes and pleasures as strictly binde us vnder the Gospell on the Lords day as it bound the fathers upon their seventh day in the old Testament 3. I will shew how far Gods word law doth allow of bodily exercises which concerne this life and how farre in such exercises we may goe with good warrant upon the Lords holy Sabbath and what exercises are condemned in the word of God CHAP. 19. FOR the full proofe of the first point there are many strong and invincible arguments grounded vpon the word and law of God upon the generall consent of Orthodox divines both auncient and moderne even upon the confession of them who in this point much differ and seeme to deny that the Lords day either is or ought to be called a Sab. The first Argument is drawn from the words of the law which forbids all workes to be done on the Sabbath day either by man himselfe or his children servants or cattell as Exod. 20 10. Deut. 5.14 where it is said In it thou shâ—lt not do any worke thou nor thy son nor thy servant nor thy cattell Exod. 35.2 Leuit. 23.7 Yee shall do no servile workâ— therein whosoeveâ— doth any work therin shall be put to death The reasons why the Lord requires rest from all servile worke on the Sabbath day are two First because he who is the Lord our God and our Redeemer hath on that day rested from his worke and him we ought to imitate if we will enter into his rest Secondly because he hath blessed the day which is his Sabbath aboue all daies of the weeke and wheresoever the causes and reasons stand firme there the law is still in force Now this law of the Sabbath doth reach to the Lords day As J haue proved before the reasoÌ„ vpon which it requirs rest froÌ„ seâ—vile works are much more to be found in the Lords day which is the Christian Sab then in the Old Sabbath of the seventh day For in it Christ who is God ouer all blessed for ever and who is our Redeemer from a greater then Egyptian bondage even the slauery of sinne death and hell and the Divell hath rested from the great worke of redemption as God the Creatour did one the seventh day from the worke of creation And this day is now by Christs resurrection in which Christ perfected mans redemption blessed with a blessing farre more excellent then any wherewith God blessed the seventh day Therfore this is the Sabbath now under the Gospell in it God requirs of us by his law a rest total cessatioÌ„ froÌ„ al servile works Secondly whatsoever day is the Lords holy day a day of holy convocations assemblies that is a Sab of rest froÌ„ al servile works worldly busines this is manifest Exod. 12.16 31.15 35.2 Leuit. 32.3 7 which places do plainly shew that every day which is holy to the Lord and a day of holy assemblies is a Sab of rest no worke may be done therin And so likewise in all the law the Prophets every day which is a day of holy convocation an holy day is called a Sab day of rest from our own works pleasures every Sab is called the Lords holy day for these two are termini convertibiles termes which may be naturally affiâ—med one of another as apeares Neh. 9 14 Isa 58 13 Now the Lords day in the time of the Gospell is the chiefe of all holy dayes among Christians It was sanctified observed by the Apostles for their day of holy assemblies from the first publishing
all our owne ordinarie and common workes and labours Fourthlie they who are more spirituall and haue haue liuely hope of Heaven and haue the spirit shed on them more abundantlie they are more bound by Gods law to sequester themselves and withdraw their mindes from worldlie cares and more to minde heavenlie things as at all other times so on the Lords holie daie which is consecrated to heavenly spirituall and religious worship and seruice of God is a pledg to them of eternall rest with Christ in heaven For to whome God hath given more of them shall more bee required Now it is most plainly testified in the Scriptures That Christians vnder the Gospell are more spirituall and haue the spirit more abundantly shed on them through Christ then the Fathers had Act. 2.17 Tit. 3.6 The Ministery of the new Testament is the ministery of the spirit not of the letter 2 Cor. 3.6 And we haue now more evidence more assurance of the blessed hope reserued in heaven for vs. Colos. 1.5 There is Christ our life and Treasure Colos. 3 1.2 And there our hearts ought to be and not on earthly things We must now be ready if Christ call vs to sell all and to giue to the poore that we may haue treasure in heaven Therefore we are bound by the law especially on the Lords day our weekly holy day to be more sequestered from the world and to rest wholy from all cares and labours about earthly things that we may be wholy deuoted to heavenly things and to divine meditations Lastly though Auncient Fathers and Doctours of the Church did much condemne in their writings the observation of the Sabbath after the manner of the later Iewes to weet in idlenesse and from resting from all worldly affaires that they might spend the day in vaine sports and delights and in wanton leaping and dauncing which in the graue judgment of these learned Fathers Was worse and more prophane then plowing and digging and working in woll Yet notwithstanding they doe generally commend the Lords day as a day of rest to all Gods people from all rurall workes and worldly affaires that they may be at leasure to exercise themselues in holy duties and be wholy devoted to the worshipp of God And hereupon it is that the learned of these later times especially the builders of Gods Church in this land do most frequently in respect of this rest and cessarion from al seculiar affaires call the Lords day the Sabbath of Christians as appeares in the first part of the Homily of the time and place of prayer and do affirme that as the Fathers in the old Testament were bound to rest one the seventh day from all manner of worke Soe also are Christians bound on the Lords day to rest and that by the law of God CHAP. 20 THE second position which I haue propounded before which now Comes to be proved is That Gods law rightly understood doth in respect of this duty of rest from all worldly affaires as strictly bind us under the Gospell on the Lords day as it bound the fathers on the Sabbath of the seventh day in the old Testament Here some will perhaps imagine that I goe about to laye an heavy yoke of Jewish legall bondage upon Christians contrary to Christian liberty by which Christ hath made us free But if they remember and beare in minde what I haue before proued to weet That the fathers from the beginning had no such burden imposed on them as is commonly conceived and that the Scripâ—ures are alleaged to proue that they might not kindle a fire nor dresse meate nor goe out of their place on the Sabbath day and that it was death to gather sticks on that day in case of necessity are much mistaken They shall be forced to confesse that I take away the heavy yoke which many lay upon the Fathers in the old Testament raâ—hen then lay any yoke upon Christians in the obseruation of the Sabbath Yea that I require and urge no more then that which all the learned of best note in all ages haue ever since the time of the Apostles and by tradition from them commended to the Churches of Christ which also the lawes Canons and Doctrine of the Church of England generally receiued and established doe impose on us the light burden and easie yoke of Christ. It is true that the Scribes and Pharises those great corrupters of the law and blinde Hypocrites as our Saviour cals them did lay an heavy yoke on the people of their time by their false glosses and corrupt traditions as in diuers other points so in the obseruation of the Sabbath They held it unlawfull in case of necessity to pull an eare of corne or any fruite from a tree on the Sabbath day and blamed Christs Disciples for doing so when they were hungry and had no other meanes to keepe themselues from fainting They accused our Saviour Christ for working a glorious miracle and doing a worke of great charity on the Sabbath when by his word he healed some that were sick of great infirmities and sent them away bearing their beds on their backes in open sight of all which tended much to the honour of God and made the people glorifie Christ and his Gospell But our Saviour reproues them for this strictnesse and convinceth them of errour by diuers argumentâ— First by Scripture which saith that God will haue mercy rather then sacrifice that is God is serued more acceptably with workes of mercy which are morall duties then sacrifices which are but a seruice ceremonial he delights more in works of mercy charity then in them as at all times so when they are done to his glory on the Sab day So that if it was a breach and prophanation of the Sab to do any worke of mercie in it then it must needs be much more a prophanation to labour worke about sacrifices in killing beasts dressing washing their flesh making fires to burne them on the Altar which were not so pleasing to God as works of mercy But the Pharisees allowed approued such works of sacrificing durst not condemn theÌ„ And thâ—â—for our Saviour concludes that they ought not to condemne his mercifull works of healing the sick on the Sab day shewes that by censuring his doings for prophanation they did much more censure the forenamed actions of their Priests even the dressing burning sacrifices mat 12.5.6.7 Secondly our Saviour proues that by Gods owne law they were allowed to circumcise children on the Sab day whensoever it happened to fall out on the eight daie after the birth of children and to the Child circumcised they applied healing medicinâ—s and therfore they groslie erred in accusing him for healing on the Sabbath which was a thing pleasing to God and was a lesse labour then Circumcision Iohn 7.22 Thirdlie he convinceth them of grosse hypocrisie and blindnesse in that they imposed heavie burdens upon
others which they themselves would not beare they did restraine men from pulling an eare of corne rubbing eating it on the Sabbath daie in the case of hunger great necessitie And yet they led their oxen to the water and did pull a sheepe or a asse out of a pitt on the Sabbath daie Mat. 12.11 Luk. 13.15 14.5 By these arguments which our Saviour vsed against the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospell it is most cleare and manifest that it was not the law of God given from the beginning nor the will of God the lawgiuer but onely the Hipocriticall Scribes and Pharises who by their traditions devices of their owne brains imposed on the Iews that strict and rigorous rest and cessation from all works whatsoever on the Sabbath day which the learned fathers and Christian writers do cal an heauy burden hard to be borne Object But it may bee some will object that the fathers in the old Testament were bound to offer double sacrifices on Sabbath daie Num. 28.9 even two lambes of the first yeare without spott and two tenth deales of flower For a meate offering mingled with oyle the drinkâ— offering thereof Which was more costly required more bodily labour and care then any which is imposed on us Chriâ—â—ianâ— by Gods law upon our Christian Sabbatâ— and therefore their observation of the Sabbath was an heavie yoke burden harder to be borne then â—ny which is imposed on us Answ. I answer that this objection doth strongly proue the point in hand For if more bodilie labour and care was required of the Fathers in their worship which was more carnall bodilie then ours on their Sabbath and vve are therefore eased of that yoke haue a more spirituall vvorship taught us and imposed on us by Christ and his Apostles as the Prophets foretold Then vvere the Fathers lesse restrained from bodilie laboures then wee are neither was there soe strict and rigorous a Rest and Cessation imposed on them which serues much for the justifying of our position to weet That Gods law rightly understood and expounded according to the will and intent of God the lawgiuer doth as strictly bind us under the Gospell to Rest from all worldlie businesse on the Lords day as it bound the fathers one the seventh day in the old Testament But to proceed in the further manifestation of this truth Although I could bring many arguments and proofes both out of Scripture alsoe out of the writings of the learned and cleare testimonies which shew the consent of all Godlie Orthodox vvrititers of all ages Yet because I vvill leave no occasion or colour to such sonnes of Beliall as doe intrude into our assemblies to catch calumniate and report my vvords safely and to accuse my Doctrine except they vvill hâ—rden their despeand malicious hearts and put on brasen faces vvith vvhorish foreheads to accuse the holy Scriptures and the Doctrine published in the booke of Homilyes and by lavv established in this Church of England vvherof vve are members therefore I vvill onely commend to your consideration the publick Doctrine of our Church in the verie vvords of the Homilies vvhich both by statutâ— lavv and Royall perogatiue are established in this land and Kingdome and vvill shevv hovv parfectlie they agree vvith holie scripture in this point First in the first part of the Homilie Concerning the time and place of prayer We are taught that God in the fâ—urth Commandement hath appointed the time for his people to assemble themselves together solemnly when he said Remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath Secondly in the same place it is affirmed that the praecise keeping of the seventh day and the externall ceremoniall worshippe of the sabbath which the law required as it waâ— given to the Jewâ—s being bâ—t Câ—remoniall are ceased to us and we are not bound by the law so strictly to forbeare worke and labour in the case of necessity after the manner of the Iewes That is as they were taught by the Scribes and Pharisees But we keepe now the first day of the weeke which is our sunday and make that our Sabbath that is our day of rest in the honour of our Lord Christ who as upon that day rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly These are the words of the Homily And that the keeping of a set time to weet one day in weeke wherein wee ought to rest from lawfull and needfull workes Js found in the fourth Commandâ—ment among thâ— things which appertain to the law of nature is a thing most godly most just and needfull for the setting forth of Gods Glory and oughâ— to 〈◊〉 retained kept of all good Christian people So is it there expresly affirmed Thirdly we are there â—aught That as by the fourth commandement no man on the six dayes ought to be slothfull or idle but diligently to labour in their estate wherein God hath set him Even so God hath given expresse charge to all men that on the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they shoâ—ld 〈◊〉 from all worldly and worke day labour and that Gods obedient people should use the Sabbath holily and so rest from their common dayly businesse that they may giue themselves wholy to Heavenly exercises of Gods true religion and service Fourthly in the same Homily all Gods people are urged and pressed to keepe the Sunday for their holy Sabath by three Aâ—guments The first is the commandement of God in the law The second is Gods examample who rested on the Seventh day and did no worke of creation at all but blessed and sanctified it and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour The third is an example of the Apostles who immediately after the ascention of our Lord Christ began to keepe this day of the week commended it the first Churches of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 16 and called it the Lords day Revel 1.10 Sithens which time Gods people hath alwaies with out any gainsaying obserued it Fifthly and lastly the Homilies shewes that the rest and cessation which God requires by his law one the Lords day at the hands of us Christians is the same which the law did bind the fathers unto from the beginning upon this Sabbath in the old testament First whereas the law commanded the Fathers to rest from all such workes as they are allowed to do on the other common dayes of the weeke that is wordly labours as the expresse words of the law shew In it thou shâ—lt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daugther nor thy servant c. Exod. 20.10 And again thou shalt do no servile work therin Levit. 23.7 thou shalt do no manner of servile worke Num. 28.18 So the Homily blames all those people for wicked boldnesse carelesse prophanation of the Lords day who make no conscience of doeing their worldly businesse one that day though there bee no extreame need and necessity Secondly as the law forbids journeying
heart and soule is required in vsing the publick holie ordinances of God and in approaching neare to him to worship him in his holy place his owns house As wee reade Leviticus 20.7 1 Peter 1.15.16 The holinesse that becomes Gods house is not vanishing showes and shaddowes which passe awaie in the doing and vsing of them as bowing cringing and such gestures but a spirituall and eternall holinesse which lasts for ever and can never bee defaced nor perish as David shewes Psal. 93.5 It is better then thousands of Rammes Mich. 6.6.7.8 It is putting on of Humility Mercy meeknesse and all other affections and departing from all iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 It is the Jmage of Christ in the new creature which is created after God in righteousnesse and holinesse that is which cannot lye nor deceiue by faiding but lasts for ever Ephes. 4.24 Thirdly to call to mind those Scripturs which require holy preparation as Eccle. 5.1 which shewes Gods anger against such as come to his house without due furniture and a wedding garment as Mat. 22.12 Fourthly to meditate on that whereof the Sabbath is a signe and pledge vnto us even our Resurrection to eternall life and to the eternall Rest of glory in heaven in the sight and fruition of God whom none can see without holinesse Thiâ— is most powerfull to stirre up spirituall affection and to quicken grace in our hearts The third meanes is earnest prayer to God for his spirit and increase of his spirituall grace in our hearts that is of great force if it be importunate Luk. 11.13 18.1 and fervent Iam. 5.16 And therefor when the Lords day begineth in the evening or day going of the Satturday we must make speciall prayers for this purpose as also in the morning when we awake and see the light of the Lords holy day Jn the next place after we are thus prepared wee must set our selves wholy to the performance of the duties of holinesse which are required for the sanctification of an holy Sabbath to the Lord which are either publick or private The first publick duty is diligent assembling of our selues with the congregation of Gods people in the house of God the place of publick assemblies This is so necessary that without it there can be no solemne service nor publick worship of God performed by us This the Lord requires in the law where he joynes these two together as in seperable companions even holy convocations and keeping of a Sabbath Ex. 12.16 These our Saviour Christ did frequent though Lord of the Sabbath as well as the fathers did under the law as appears Mark. 1.27 And so did his Apostles on the new Sabbath the Lords day 1 Cor 16.1.2 The second publick duty in the publick worship of God is Praier lauding and Praising him and offering vp sacrifices of thankfulnesse and the first fruites aâ—d calues of our lippes in a solemne orderly and decent manner and order This the holy men of God carefully performed in the House of God on their Sabbath in the old Testament as David shewes Psal. 5.7 42.4 And this our Saviour commandes to us for an holy duty in Gods house where hee cals the house of God the house of prayer Mat. 21.13 that not only to the Jews but also to al beleeving nations as the Prophets words by him cited do shew Isa. 56 7. This the godly at Philippi where they had no Synagogue nor Church performed in a publick assembly by a Riuers side Act. 16.13 This was practised by the first Christians at Iudaea Act. 2.46.47 and this the Apostle injoynes Heb 13.15 This David foretold Psal. 118.24 In a word all Scriptures which teach us to call upon God to pray to confesse our sinnes to humble our selves before God to worshippe him and to giue thankes and do commend these for holy duties they doe much more teach vs to performe them on the Lords day in our holy assemblies The third sort of publicke duties are the holy ordinances of God which tend properly to beget and increase holinesse and to teach Christians Gods holy worship and feare to weet the publick reading and and expounded of the word of God and preaching and Catechising on the Mininisters part and on the peoples part reverent attention hearing of the word of God This was a constant practise from the daies of old which the Fathers obserued soe long as the Church of the Jewes and first temple was standing As appeares Ast. 13.15 cap. 15.21.27 Also by our Saviours practise preaching in the Sinagogues every sabbath day Luk. 4.16 Mar. 1.31 And this the Apostles practised in holie assemblies which they appointed to be kept on the Lords day and this they commanded to be performed by all the Christian Churches as appeares Act. 11.25 20 7. 1 Cor. 16.1 14.23.26 Colos. 4.14 1 Thes. 5.27 Fourthly besides preaching reading and expounding of the holy Scripturs ther is also the administration of the Sacraments as of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the later of which especially is an holy sab daies ordinance of Christ first instituted in the assembly of his Apostles not to be administred and receiued ordinarily but in Sab asseÌ„blies and publick meeting of the Church comming together on the Lords day as we gather from Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 11.20.33 And that publick Baptisme is most fit to bee administered on the Lords day in the publicke assembly these reasons shâ—w 1. Because it is joyned with preaching Mathew 28.16 Secondly because it is the receiuing of the Baptized into the true Visible Church Thirdly in publick it may bee better perfomed by the joynt prayers of the whole Congregation· Fourthly it may much profit the whole publick congregation of Gods people by putting them in minde of the covenant made in Baptisme The fifth sort of publick Sabbath duties are workes of mercy charity which are fruites of faith working by loue Unto which duties the publick Ministers soe often occasion is offered are to excite up the people and they ought to offer freelie and to make collections for the poore Saints This St. Paul taught 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 and this was in times and ages next after the Apostles practised and performed as Iustin Martyr testifies Apolog. 2 pag. 77. Sixthly publick censures of the Church and actions of correction are most fitly performed in publick assemblies of the whole Church on the Lords day such as open rebuke of scandalous sinners before all the people that others may feare Excommunication and casting out excluding from outward communion obstinate and refractary offenders as hereticks adulterers incestuous persons such like Receiving into the Church of God such as were cast out upon their humble confession and publick repentance openly before the whole Church These are not to be done in corners but in the face of the Church as St. Paul ordained by commandement from the Lord by direction from the spirit of God 1 Tim. 5 20 1 Cor. 5.4
vvhich is the last in the vveeke rather then any other if the Church so determine it if it bee obserued vvithout any superstitious conceipt of more holinesse in that day or annexed to it rather then any other The fourth opinion is that the first lavv for observation of the vveekly Sabbath vvas the fourth commandement given from mount Sina that is did bind only the Isralits to keep the seveÌ„â—h day of the vveek for an holy Sabbath untill the coÌ„ming of Christ but novv under the gospel it is abolishâ—d in respect both of the particular day also the strictnes of the obseruation only the equity of it remains in the Lords day the obseruation vvherof is commeÌ„ded to us by the example of the Apostles â—ovv the lavv of keeping it holy is only ecclesiasticall an holy ordinance of the Church· Thus you see vvhile men build vpon vnsure and vnstable grounds not upon the certain vvords of holy Scripture compared together made to runne in a svveet harmony hovv various different they are hovv contrary some of them in their opinions For the removing of all doubâ—s setling of mens judgments in a sure vvay so farre as God shal enable me I vvill endeavour to select single out vvhatsoever I finde in these severall opinions to be agreeable to the truth to the sacred vvord of God reject the rest vvill ad more over what is wanting to make up a perfect Doctrine not out of mine owne conjections but out of canonicall Scriptures for that is the sure rule of all necessary saving and sanctified knowledge that must be the sure guid when Fathers Councels Churches do lead vs into severall doubtfull wayes First for them who hold that the law of the Sabbath was written in mans heart in the Creation I hold it true insome part to weet thus far That God creating man in his owne Image did print this in mans heart That as he had his whole being from God especially his reasonable soule by which he was made able to understand the will of God revealed to him by his word so hee was bound to obey God and to serue him all his dayes with his whole heart and with all his might And if God did require of him any part of his time and commanded him to obsteine from some good and lawfull workes tending to his naturall good and well being to doe some speciall workes for his Lords pleasure in one day or more selected daies of the weeke or of every moneth or yeare he ought to doe it out of duty and obedience to his Lord and Creatour Thus farre J consent that the law is naturall written in mans heart to weet in generall and in respect of the common foundation J grant also that the law and commandement of God injoyning the rest of men their servants and cattell from hard labour the seventh day or one daie in every weeke is a thing so naturally helpfull needfull for the health and wellbeing of men ever since mans fall and the curse of barennesse laid upon the earth and the punishment of toyle some labour and faint sweating imposed on man kinde that mans own naturall reason will and affection must needes approue it and moue and incline his heart to the obedience of it and his inward thoughts cannot but accuse him of wrong done to his owne body and to the life of his labouring cattell and servants if he disobey it and in this respect it may be called a law of nature Yea I adde moreover that if wee take the law of nature in a large sence as some times it is taken that is for every law which commands such duties and such obedience as in there owne nature are very vsefull profittable to the parties commanded and which is grounded on such just causes weighty grounds as by the judgment of naturall reason are in their owne nature well worthy of such observance then the law commandement of keeping an holy Sabbath on the seventh day in the old Testament in thankfulnesse for Christ promised for a continuall memoriall of that great blessing one the first day of Christs resurrâ—ction now under the Gospell in thankfulnesse for Christ fully exhibited the worke of redemption by him perfected which so much excels the promise made on the seventh day as perfecting of a worke excels the beginning undertaking of it may both in respect of the particular day the sanctification of it be called a law of nature that is a law requiring such morall perpetuall obedience as is in the nature of it most just and worthy to be performed But that the law and Commandement which bound the fathers to keepe an holy rest one the seventh day of every weeke and us under the Gospel to keepe it on the first day especially and no other was in in the creation written imprinted in the heart of man so distinctlie and expressly that man had an inbred notion of it and a naturall instinct of himselfe to observe this law to keepe a weekly Sabbath on those uerie daies which God hath prescribed both to the fathers us This I must needs deny for these reasons following First Gods sanctifying of the Seventh day by his word and commandement and his institution of the Sabbath by a positiue law giuen as my text here shewes had beene vaine and needlesse if the law and the Sabbath of holie rest had beene expressly and particularly written in mans heart already For what man by the instinct of nature by his own naturall reason will and affection is lead and moved to do that hee is vainly needlesly vrged unto by any law or commandement being of himselfe without any monitor ready to performe it Secondly the very word Sanctify signifieth the setting apart of this day to a supernaturall and heavenly vse euen for the performance of such duties as are aboue the naturalll imaginations and thoughts of man and which his naturall reason would never haue revealed to him not his will lead him to do If God by his word and divine superturall revealation had not directed and moved him Therefore this law by which God sanctified instituted the Sabbath is not a naturall law but a divine and supernaturall precept Thirdly in the creation and state of innocency man was bound to serve God as his creatour and the author of all his being and to be content with that estate wherein God had placed him and saw to be very good and to looke no higher It was the inordinat desire of more knowledge and of an higher estate then God had revealed and promised which made our first parents so yeelding to the devils temptations and vndoubtedly it was an occasion of their sinne in eating of the forbidden fruite Now the serving of God as his Lord and Creatour was the duty of man euery day alike for the heavens aboue and the
the common ground of this lavv printed in mans heart in the creation and finding it among the ten commandements which are generally held to be the summe and substance of the law of nature doe call it a law of nature Others haue considered it as a speciall commandement given by God immediatly after the creation by word of mouth and not written in mans heart and do call it a positiue morall law Others haue considered it as it commands rest one the seventh day now altered by Christ which rest was a signe of Christs rest from the worke of redemption is a token pledge of eternall rest in heauen there upon hold it to be a ceremoniall law and hence ariseth the diuersity among Christians and almost civill warre betweene the Pastors of severall Churches yea amoÌ„g learned preachers of one the same Church Whereas indeed they all hold the truth in part but not wholy They all erre in this that they limit it every one to that speciall kinde of law which he hath hath chiefly in his eye and upon which he hath set his conceit Now make it a mixt law proue it manifestly there needs no more contention except some men wil contend without cause against reason out of a spirit of contention contradiction First this law as all other lawes is indefinitly comprehended in the generall law of nature for the generall law written in mans heart in the creation binds him to attend the wil of God to be ready to obey God his Creatour in all things whatsoever he either had already declared or should at any time to come reveale to bee his will and to bee a duty which he required of man And therefore the observing keeping of a weekly holy Sabbath devoting of a seventh part of every weeke to religious exercises to rest from bodily labour common worldly busines being expresly commanded by God declared at severall times upon severall occasions to be his will man is by the generall of nature bound to performe it in this respect we may truly say that the law of the Sabbath is a law of nature included indefinitly in that generall law dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation Secondly though J cannot conceive that the keeping of an holy Sabbath weekly was a thing so distiâ—ct written in mans heart in the creation that man of himselfe by the instinct of his nature or by the light of his reason motion of his will would haue set either the seventh daie or any other of the seven daies of the weeke apart for rest or other duties of the Sabbath which God in the first institution required commanded also in his law giuen from mount Sina Yet because the keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath upon such grounds as are mentioned in this text for such ends vses as God hath ordained to weet commemoration of Gods mercy bounty in promising Christ preserving the knowledge memory of the covenant of eternall life rest in Christ training up of people in religion the feare worship of God in holines by which they are made fit to see enjoy God in glory because J say the keeping holy of a weekly Sabboth is in these respects a thing very good profittable yea necessary for the helpe of man and for the reparing of his nature corrupted Thirdly if we consider the law of the weekly Sabbath as it was given by God in the first institution in his blessing sanctifying of the seuenth day againe renewed inserted among the ten commandements given from mount Sina at other times upon diuers occasions repeated by Moses and by the Prophets from Gods mouth If we also consider that neuer the Sabbath it self nor the ground reason ocasion of it to weer Gods perfecting the creation by promising revealing redemptioÌ„ in Christ the rest which J haue before proved demonstrated were written â—n mans heart in innocency but were after mans fall revealed by God thereupon the holy rest commanded to bee kept on that day which God aboue other daies hath blessed and sanctified We may truely affirme that the commandement of the Sabbath in these respects is a positiue law of God not a law of nature requiring such particular duties as man of himselfe without Gods positiue commandement would haue observed Yea the word Memento Remember soe often added to the precept of the Sabbath as appeares Exod. 20.8 doth plainly shew that the keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath was not a thing printed in mans heart for then it had beene vaine needlesse for God soe often to use this word Remember to put them in mind of this duty by Moses the Prophets mans owne conscience would haue been his daily and continual Monitor Remembrancer his own thoughts would haue ben ready to accuse him for every omision neglect of it As the Apostle testifies of the worke of the law written in mans heart Rom. 2.15 Fourthly if we consider the law of the Sabbath as it commandeth man together with his children servants labouring cattell to rest from their wearisome labours bodily paine which came in by sinne by mans fall together with servile subjection difference of the Maister servant which weekly rest intermission from toyle labour granted to servants cattell by their Maisters as well as to themselves makes very much for good order in every state common wealth for peace society among meÌ„ in every family serves for an excellent civill politicall use so it is in the judgment of many learned godly Divines not without good reason hold to be a civill and politicall lavv Fifthly if we consider First the time of Gods first institution of the Sabbath as it fals under Chist even upon the seventh day of the world in which Christ was promised to redeeme man who was fallen in the latter end of the sixth day as is before shewed Secondly if wee consider the ground and reason of Gods institution of the Sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day even Christ promised the seed of the woman to breake the serpents head by whose actually undertaking beginning to mediate for man God did perfect the mutable worke of creation setled the world in an higher estate of the perfection supernaturall did rest in Christs mediation being that which was able to giue full satisfaction to his justice Thirdly if we consider that in the first institution the Sabbath day was sanctified blessed aboue the other six dayes that is vvas set apart to heavenly supernaturall vse which cannot be imagined but in under Christ in whome all things are sanctified We must needes know confesse that the commandement of the Sabbath even in and from the first originall and institution is a law Divine and Evangellicall commanding such an
observation and service as is of use onely in and under Christ and mainly tends to lead men to salvation in him Sixtly if we consider the necessity of resting one whole day in every weeke from all our worldly affaires First that with one consent the Church and congregation of Gods people may all generally meet together in their set places of holie assemblies to heare and learne the Doctrine of saluation and word of life and to honour God with publick holy worship and service and with joynt prayers to call upon him in the name and mediation of Christ for all blessings Secondly that every man may instruct his family in private also at home and by constant exercising of them a whole day together in religious duties every weeke may make them to grow and increase in grace and religion and in knowledge and skill to order and direct all their weeke dayes labours to Gods glory their owne salvation and the comfort and profit of their Christian Brethren Without which religious observation once every weeke at the least especially upon the particular day of the week which God hath blessed with the most memorable work belonging to mans redemption it is not possible for people to be well ordered in a Christian Church nor Gods holy worship to bee either generally known or publickly practised nor the vulgar sorts of Christians to bee brought to the knowledge and profession and practise of true religion neceessary to salvation These things I say considered we must necessarily grant that the law of the Sabbath is an Evangellicall universall and perpetuall law such as the commandements of beleeving in Christ repenting from dead workes reforming of our lives worshipping and invocating of God in the name mediation of Christ and by the motion direction of his holy spirit all which Commandements binde all Gods people of all churches and ages from the first day wherein Christ was promised in one measure or other So that without obedience in some degree vnto these Evangellicall lawes it is not possible for any man to be and to continue a true child of God and to attaine salvation in and by Christ. And this law thus farre and in these respects coÌ„sidered can no more be abrogated and abolished then Gods covenant of Redemption of salvation made with mankinde in Christ. But all mankinde even every one who seekes salvation in Christ is at all times in all ages bound to obserue this law of sanctifying a seventh day in every weeke and of resting from all worldly affaires that they may serve and vvorship and seeke God in Christ. Lastly if we consider the Lords Sabbath as it is a significatiue éven a signe to us of the eternall Sabbath in Heaven and as it is in respect of the particular day of the weeke and some ceremoniall worship used in it chaungable and mutable according to the chaunges and motions of Christ the foundation and Lord of it and according to the seuerall estates of Gods Church and Gods seuerall dispensations of the misteries of salvation and severall waies of reuealing Christ in the old TestameÌ„t and before and after the comming of Christ in the flesh We must of necessity confesse that the law of the Sabbath is in these respects a Ceremoniall law commanding things which are temporary and mutable and fitted for some times and seasons onely First as it commanded the seventh day of the week to be kept holy as the most holy day because therein Christ was promised to be the redeemer of the world and God rested in his creation and perfected the creation by bringing in redemption which was the greatest blessing of the old Testament And as it required hallowing of the day by sacrifices and other outward service and worship which were tipes and figures of Christ to come and by preaching and rehearsing the promises of Christ out of the lavv and Prophets beleeving in the Saviour in heaven Soe it was a ceremoniall and temporary lavv and did stand in force and binde all Gods people to the obseruation of the last day of the weeke all the time of the old Testament vntill Christ vvas fully exhibited a perfect Redeemer in his resurrection And it vvas not in the povver of the Church to chaunge the Sabbath to any other day of the weeke that power rested in Christ the foundation and Lord of the sabbath It also bound the faithfull of these times to the ceremoniall â—â—nctification and to that tipicall seruice vnhich looked towardes Christ to come as well as to the seventh day onely and no other during â—hat nonnage of of the Church Secondly as the law of the Sabbath which requires that day to bee kept for an Holy rest in which God hath revealed the greatest blessing so hath blessed it aboue all other dayes of the weeke doth now ever since the perfecting of the worke of redemption in Christs resurrrection binde all Gods people to keepe for their Sabbath the first day of the weeke which by Christs victory over death obtained fully in that very day became the most blessed day aboue the seventh day and all other daies of the weeke And as under the name of hallowing keeping holy the Lords Sabbath it enioines such worship as God requires of his Church in her full age more perfect estate to weet spiritual sacrifices of praise thanksgiving preaching teaching faith in Christ crucified fully exhibited aperfect redeemer praying vnto God in the name mediation of Christ seeking accesse vnto the father in him by one spirit And as this law imposeth this holy weekly Sabbath to be a pledg to the faithfull of that Sabbathisme of eternall rest in heaven which remaineth for the people of Gods as the Apostle testifieth Heb. 4.9 So this law is like the commandements of Baptisme the Lords supper It is ceremoniall commanding such duties to be performed such a day to be obserued as are fitted to the time season of the Gospel yet it is so ceremoniall as that it is also perpetuall binding all Christians during the season time of the Church during the time in the new Testament under the Gospel that is perpetually to the end of the world vntill we come to the eternall rest in heaven And as there shal be no chaunges in Christ nor of the state of the Church vntill Christ shall come in glory to receive us into that eternall rest So there shal be no chaunge of the Sabbath to any other day of the weeke neither hath the Church or any other whatsoever any power to alter either the day or the sanctification obseruation of it no more then to bring in such an other Chaunge in Christ and such an alteration of the estate of the Church as that was from Christ promised and obscurely revealed in the old testament to Christ fully exhibited CHAP. 12. NOW hauing discouered the severall kindes of lawes and commandements which God hath giuen to
of the blessed hope and eternall rest reserved in Heaven for vs. And therfore the first maine duty with all the partes thereof and the speciall endes and uses of it are more fully performed and obtained in the observation of the Lords day for the Holy weekly Sabbath then they possibly can be now by vs or could be of old on the sabbath of the seventh day by the fathers in the old Testament The second maine duty of the Sabbath is sanctifying and keeping of it holy to the Lord which comprehends in it many speciall and particular duties 1. Setting of their affections even their joy and delight wholy vpon God and heavenly things 2. Honouring worshipping of God in their hearts with holy thoughts and meditations by their lipps with holy prayers praises and thanksgiuing in their outward actioÌ„s by preaching hearing reading repeating of Gods word and solemne commemoration of his promises mercies and blessings in the word and sacraments 3. Teaching and learning all holy duties which tend to bring vs nearer to God in Christ. 4. Offering spirituall sacrifices to God of sweet sauour such as are almesdeedes works of mercy and charity wherby others may be made to tast of Gods goodnesse and stirred up to laud and praise his name All these are comprehended vnder the maine duty of sanctifying the holy Sabbath which the Lord commands expresly in the law and they are commended to vs by the Prophet Isa. 56.4 58.13 And the proper end and use of this duty and all the partes thereof is First to make vs set our affections on things which are aboue and not on things below and to stirre us up to seeke eternall life and heavenly happinesse in Christ onely and in him crucified and raised up Secondly to continue and increase in fraile men the knowledge and memory of Christ and of the way to eternall life and blessednesse in him which without keeping holy of a weekly Sabbath would faile cease among the sonnes of men Thirdly to begit and increase true grace and holinesse in men by exercising holy duties of religion and so to bring them by justification adoption to the right of inheritance in Heaven and by sanctification to fit them for the possession of it Now the observation of the Lords day in which Christ arose is such as may far more powerfully effectually moue men to the performance of these duties lead men more directly to the proper end and use of them then the old Sabbath of the the seventh day either now can or of old could do when it was most in force For it had no other light or life in it but onely from obscure promises and darke shaddowes through which Christ was seene as things farre off are seene and in the starre light nights But the Lords day the first day of the weeke hath light and life from the sun of righteousnesse Christ who in it rose up and to be the light of life to all nations hath brought life immortallity to light by the Gospell and discovered to us the kindnesse and loue of God the riches of his goodnesse in giving grace and shedding his spirit on us abundantly here and so fit us for glorie hereafter And therefore this day must needes be of great force and power farre abâ—ve the seventh day to make men set their affections on God and heavenly things especially upon the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us unto which God hath begotten us by the resurrection of Christ from the dead 1. Pet. 1.3 It is also powerfull and excellent to incite and stirr us up to honour God in our hearts by the due consideration of his goodnesse and mercie Also it much furthereth us to proclaime the high praises of our God and kinge and to make prayers and supplications to him Besides to make us helpfull unto others in seeking after their salvation And thus we may see what are Sabbath duties even the workes of piety mercy charitie c. pleasing to God and by which others may be brought to joyne with us in lauding and praising God and we our selves fitted for glorie Vpon â—hese points so fullie proved The conclusion followes necessarilie that the law by which God first instituted the Sabbath on the first sâ—venth day of the world doth binde us under the Gospel to keepe the Lords day for our weeklie Sabbath Fourthly that day which God hath made most Honourable and hath given it a most Honourable name and title aboue all the daies of the week to that he hath given the prerogatiue to be the weekly Sabbath hath made it his day of Holie rest For it is a property of the sabbath to be the Lords Holy and Honourable day as the Evangellicall Prophet Isaiah shews Jsa 58.13 making of it Honoâ—able is making of it the Sabbath Now the first day of the weeke is the day which God hath Honoured aboue all daies by the glorious victorie of Christ ouer death and over all enemies and powers of darknesse and to it he hath given the most Honourable name and title For the holy evangelist and divine Apostle S. Iohn who was the intimate beloved and bosome Disciple of the Lord and did best know his minde cals it the Lords day Revel 1.10 that is the day which the Lord hath made the day of great joy gladnes to his people as David foretold Psa. 118. which day the Lord Christ hath appropriated to himselfe his honour Honoured with his own name as he is the Lord God one Iehovah with the father For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord is in respect of the roote from whence it is deriued the same in signification with Gods proper name Iehovah and most commonly in the new Testament is used to expresse that sacred name Therefore it is now under the Gospell made by God himselfe the weekly Sabbath The Fifth argument is grounded upon the wordes of our Saviour Math. 12.8 Mark 2 27·28 Where he saith that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Therefore he even as he is the sonne of man or God made man is the Lord of the sabbath The first clause to weet the sabbath was made for man notes out vnto us two things 1. That the Sabbath was first instituted for man even by reason of the sonne of God promised to become man and so he is the foundation of it 2. That it was made for man that is for the man Christ and for the benefit of all mankinde in him for his honour and the advancement of his kingdome among men and for the good of men both naturall and civill in respect of weekly rest and refreshing also spirituall as knowledge instruction growth in grace holinesse The second clause not man for the Sabbath shews that the Sabbath is not one of those things which man was made to obserue
of the Gospell among the Gentiles on that they did meet together to heare the word to receiue the sacrament of the Lords supper Act 20 7 And on that day St Paul ordained that the collections offerings should bee made for the Saints 1 Cor 16 12 which were things proper for holy publicke assemblies So St John cals it by the name of the Lords day Revel 1 10 that is the day which is universall sacred holy to the Lord in an high degree For whatsoever things haue the Lords name named on them are such as all confesse many examples of Scripture proue abundantly All the auncient fathers doctors of the Church who immediatly in the â—ext ages succeed the Apostles do proclaime it to be the chief holy day of Christians even the Queene supreme Lady of dayes So Ignatius cals it as J haue often before noted also the day of their holie assemblies wherin they did come together to preach read expound heare Gods word to worshipp God to pray to praise God with their one voyce to receiue the Sacramentt and offer up almes So Iustin Martyr affirmes The rest of the most learned fathers as Basill Nazianzene Chrysostome Hyerome Austen do all extoll it for the Lords high roiall holy daie the chiefâ— primate first fruites of daies as the learned of all sides know coâ—fesse even Calvin his followers who made a doubt scruple of calling it the Sab or observing it for a Sab of holy rest by any warrant from Gods law Therefore none can with any good reason deny that one maine duty of this day is rest from all earthly workes Thirdly wheresoever there is as much use of holie rest cessation froÌ„ all worldlie affaires as there was of old when God first gaue afterwards repeated and urged the law of the weekly Sab there a Sab of rest ought to be kept weeklie even by the Com of God This is truth undeniable For no laws of God commâ—nding things which are but tipes figures are at any time abrogated vntill the things commanded cease to be of use as the Apostle shewes in the 8 9 10 cap of Heb Now Christ who is the body and substance of all types and shaddowes hath not by his comming so fulfilled the rest of the weekly Sabbath but there is as great as holy and as necessary use of it to us Christians as there was to the people of God in the Old Testament First we haue as much and more need of refreshing our weak bodies and the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell then they had by keeping a weekly Sabbath for we are grown farre more weake and feeble and of shorter life then they were Secondly we haue as great neede of seperating sequestring and recalling our minds and affections from all worldly cares negociations and pleasures â—hat we may haue pleasure and freedome to worship and serue God and devote one day in everie weeke to publick assemblies for our edification in grace faith and holinâ—sse For we are more full of infirmities and doe decay and grow corrupt more and more as all the world doth and haue need of all outward helpes more then they Thirdlie as rest from all workes and labours which concerne this life was necessarie and of great vse to Adam and al the fathers to withdraw their hearts and mindâ—s from placing their felicitie and seeking happinesse in this world and to put them in remembrance that being fallen from that integrity in which they were created and the first covenant of life by mans owne workes being broken and made voyd by the first fall and disobedience there is no hope of life or of any true blessednesse Soe it is of no lesse use but of much more necessitie for us who are farre more eagre after the world more readie to place our felicitie in earthly things and more proud and arrogant readie to glorie in our own merits to boast of our own righteousnesse â—s we see by common course of the world which now a daies soe madlie doateth after Popish and Pelagian merits Fâ—urâ—hlie as Gods commanding of a weeklie rest to be given to man and beast and the resting of the fathers on the Sabbath day from servile workes and labour which came in as a curse for sinne were of great vse to teach them and to be a pledge and token unto them that God did rest in Christs mediation and his justice was fullie satisfied and his wrath appeased towards them by that satisfaction which Christ had vndertaken to make and that the sting of sinne and death and the bitternesse of the curse was taken awaie by him So likewise it is of the same use still to us and we haue as much need of the same weekly holie râ—st to make us feele more sensible and relish more sweetly the virtue of Christs satisfaction the sweetnesse whereof wee through our dullnesse can hardlie tast and relish and many amongst us make a doubt whether there be any such satisfaction of Gods justice needfull at all or any appeasing of his wrath by Christ. Fifthly as Gods injoyning of rest was of use to the fathers to testifie to them his prouident care ouer his creatures both men and beasts and his hatred and detestation of mercilesse crueltie and unjust oppression Soe it is much more usefull to us for the same purpose in these last daies and perillous times wherein men are become fierce cruell implacable without naturall affection as experience teacheth and the Apostle foretold 2 Tim. 3.2.3 Lastlie as the weekly rest of the old Sabbath grounded upon the obscure promise of Christ was commanded by God that it might bee a meanes to stirre up the fathers to looke for true comfort ease refreshing in Christ if they did by faith flee to him whensoever they did travell under the burden of their sinnes and Satans temptations as wee read that Iob did cap. 16.21 and 19.25 Soe now it is much more usefull to stirre us up to seeke to Christ when wee are heavie laden and groane under the burden of sinne and of the miseries which come by sinne and of Satans dangerous temptations Seeing as Satan doth now â—ore rage like a Roaring Lyon 1 Pet 5.8 And is full of wrath because his time growes shorter Revel 12. So we haue Christ actuallie given and revealed and in the Gospell calling and inviting us and promising rest and refreshing for our soules in such causes of distresse if we come to him Jn a word to us the rest of the Lord Christs day is a more liuelie pledge of eternall rest by him prepared in heaven for us These things being cleare and manifest the conclusion following vpon these praemises it this That we are as much or more bound by Gods law to keepe the Lords day as a Sabbath of weekly rest by ceasing from all affaires of this life laying aside all worldlie cares and resting from
2 Cor 2 6 7 and as divers of the auncients haue held and shewed in their practise Seventhly ordaining and calling of Bishops Pastors and Elders being of old performed in the face of the whole Church with publick prayers and laying on of hands Act. 1.15 14.23 2 Cor. 8.19 As it was of old soe at this day is a verie fitt dutye of the Lord holy weekly Sabbath Besides these publick duties there are diuers priuate duties which are necessary both to make the publick duties effectuall and frutefull and to testifie to the Praise and glory of God the power of his holy ordinances and the worke of the spirit by them upon our hearts and soules The first of these is private prayer either by our selves alone or in our families with our Children servants and others of the houshold for if we must pray continually when just occasion and oppertunity is offered as the Apostle teacheth 1 Thes. 5. then most especially before we go vnto and after we returne from the publicke assemblies for a blessing upon Gods Publick ordinances both to our selves and others Our Saviour bids us pray in secret and David exhorts vs to commune with God on our beds and to pray after his example morning evening and at noone day The second is meditation of such as are alone on things heard in the Church and repetition in the family for the printing of the the word in their mindes and memories and mutuall instruction and exhortation one of another without which the word will take small effect afterwards and quicklie beforgotten Saint Paul doth intimate the necessary vse of this duty where he commands women to aske and learne of their husbands at home and not to speak in the Church 1 Cor 14 35 1 tim 2 11. This is the holy duty which God commended in Abraham Gen 18 That he did command and teach his houshold Children which few men can do conveniently on the week daies when every one is about their worke some in one place and some in another onely the Lords day is the fittest The third is rejoycing singing of Psalmes and Praising God in our families this David commends for a duty of the Sabbath Psal. 92.1 And this Paul and Silas taught us by their example Act. 16.35 Where they two being in prison and in the stocks are said on the Lords day at midnight to pray and sing Psalmes with soe loud a voyce that the Prisoners heard them And yet I hope none dare call them Puritants and Hipocrites as the profane miscreaunts of our time call all the familes in which they heare singing of Psalmes on the Lords day The Fourth is visiting of the sick of prisoners releiving the poore and needy perswading of disagreeing Neighbours to peace and reconciliation These are works of mercie and of Christian loue and charity haue no proper end but to bring honour to God and to make him to be praised of his people and his people to be edified in loue And being an holie private service of God they may be done on the Lords daie our Church Doctrine doth teach them and Ecclesiasticall constitutions allow them The last duty is meditating on Gods workes magnifying them and speaking of them with admiration one to another if upon any just occasion or for necessarie refreshing we walke diuers together into the feilds This David mentions in the Psalme for the Sabbath day Psal. 92 45. Where he saith thou Lord hast made me glad through thy workes and I will tryumph in the workes of thy hands O Lord how great are thy workes Thus much for the speciall duties both publick priuate which Christians are bound to performe on the Lords day which is the Christian Sabbath Now the consideration of these severall duties being some publick some priuate some more proper for the Sabbath and some for all daies offer to us somethings more to be obserued First the publicke duties of the whole Church together must first be regarded and preferred before priuate duties at home and mumbling of private praies with our selves in the Church because they make more for Gods glory and mutuall edification and do shew and declare our Christian vnity Secondly publick duties must take up the best and greatest part of the day because they are proper to the day and to publick assemblies which are to be kept weekly on the Sabbath day Priuate duties are common to all daies of the weeke Thirdly the duties of mercy charity to men must giue place to the mediate worship of God when there is no vrgent necessity and they may bee deferred to another day without any inconvenience Men hauing oppertunity before must not put them off vntill the Lords daie and then by them shoulder out holy duties of piety and Gods solemne worshippe Lastly by the many and severall duties required on the Lords Sabbath wee see that to him who hath a care and respect of them all there will be no time left for for idle words and toyish talking praunsing in pride and vanity nor for any carnall sports pastimes and pleasures But Gods day wil be found little enough for holy duties which are to be performed And therefore I dare not allow any liberty for any sports how honest lawful so ever at other times except they bee holy and Gods worship be furthered and no better duties by them be hindered Which no man can in reason conceive or imagine If God be to be loved aboue all and honoured and served with all the heart and mind soule strength as the law commands J do not see but all Gods people ought so to do especially on the Lords day to be discontent grieued that they canÌ„ot do it so fully as they ought not to allow to themselves in these things anie liberty which may hinder Gods holy worship The greatest opposites of the weekly Christians Sabbath when they haue most vehemently disputed spent al their argumeÌ„ts against the observation of the Lords day for an holy Sab day of holy rest are by the cleare evidence of the truth so convinced that will they nill they their conscience forceth them to confesse That the speÌ„ding of the whole day even the space of four twenty hours of the Lords day an holie rest cessation from all worldly thoughts cares from all seculiar affaires in holy duties of Gods worship service both publick and private is a thing Commendable praise worthy in them and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God To that one only wise omnipotent immortall and eternall God who in all things and ouer all enimies maketh his truth to triumph be all honour glory and praise now and for euer FINIS Justin. Dialog cuÌ„ Triphone Tertull. adversus Judoeos Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 20 * Tostatus Pererius Gomarus Heb. 11.10.16 Origen Hierom. trad in 2 Gen. Austin in Psal. 80. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 8 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 31.2 Heb. 10.26 1 Ioh. 5.16 Heb. 6·6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Position negative 1· Pit 1.3 Objection Answer 1. Position affirmative 2. position affiâ—mative Gen. 4. 3 position affirmative Objection Answer Object 2. Answer The severall opinions concerning the law of the Sabbath The distinction of Gods laws serm 251. de tempore serm de tempore 136. Zanch. lib de De Calog thes 1. 1 Argument 2 Argument 3 Argument Argum. 6 Argument 7 Argument 8. Argu. 9. Argu. Of mans sanctification of the Sabbath 1 Argument 2 Argument 3 Argument 4. Argu. 5 Argument Objection Answer Object Answer Prolog in Psalm Objection Answer Lexicâ— cold 1. Argument 2 Argument 3. Argument 4. Argum. 5. Argu Chrisostom in Cor. 16. Augst ser. 25 1. de temp Gregor Magn Epist lib 11.3